All Final Project details are elaborated upon in the syllabus, but basically:
Each participant will write a TEACHING UNIT. It will include:
· multiple lessons;
· possibly cover a span of more than one week; and
· integrate as many of the tools from this course as possible.
Your completed unit will obviously include a breakdown of each task in the unit, its objectives, learning goals, and student tasks. It will also include student expectations and any assessments you may use. There is a rubric and more details posted within our syllabus.
In continuing with the philosophy of trying to keep this course as pragmatic as possible I will not limit, or restrict, your creativity with any other hard and fast guidelines. This will allow you to use your ‘educator creativity’ in an unfettered manner.
To reiterate----your Final Project will be posted beneath this entry by midnight on Friday, May 2nd. You may find examples of previous participants' Final Projects below.
As always, please feel free to email me if you have any questions.
Good Luck and have fun,
Dave
114 comments:
Teacher: Patrick Hanley
Date: ________________
TITLE OF UNIT: Entrepreneurship and Small Business
TIMELINE: This unit will consist of eight lessons and should span 9-10 school days
STANDARDS (GSE): Standards: National Standards for Business Education
Achievement standard: Recognize that entrepreneurs possess unique characteristics and evaluate the degree to which one possesses those characteristics.
A. Characteristics of an Entrepreneur
Level Performance Expectation
1) Identify the characteristics of a successful entrepreneur
3) Analyze the degree to which one possesses the characteristics of an entrepreneur
Analyze the personal advantages and risks of owning a business
B. Roles of the Entrepreneur in Business
Performance Expectation Level
1) Describe the differences between an employer and employee
C. Opportunity Recognition and Pursuit
Performance Expectation Level
1) Recognize opportunities’ resulting from other peoples wants and perceived needs
2) Describe opportunities that led to the development of successful entrepreneurial endeavors
Identify businesses that could be operated from an individual’s home or on the Internet
3) Explain the feasibility of starting a home-based or internet-based business
Describe an entrepreneurial opportunity and formulate the steps in establishing a business oriented toward that opportunity
GSE:
W-10-2 In response to literary or informational text, students show understanding of plot/ideas/concepts by….
W-10-2.3 Connecting what has been read (plot/ideas/concepts) to prior knowledge, other texts, or the broader world of ideas, by referring to and explaining relevant ideas or themes (state)
W-10-6 In informational writing, students organize ideas/concepts by….
W-10-6.2 Selecting appropriate and relevant information (excluding extraneous details) to set context (state)
W-10-6.4 Drawing conclusions by synthesizing information (state)
OC-10-2 In oral communication, students make oral presentations by…
OC-10-2.1 Exhibiting logical organizations and language use, appropriate to audience, context, and purpose (local)
OC-10-2.2 Maintaining a consistent focus (local)
OC-10-2.4 Effectively responding to audience questions and feedback (local)
OC-10-2.5 Using a variety of strategies of address (e.g. eye contact, speaking rate, volume, articulation, enunciation, pronunciation, inflection, voice modulation, intonation, rhythm, and gestures) to communicate ideas effectively
CONNECTION TO CURRICULUM: This lesson connects to the business department curriculum by introducing the students to small business and entrepreneurial business plans, it prepares them for the Entrepreneur class offered in the department.
ISSUE AND/OR ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: What characteristics do an entrepreneur and or a small business owner have and what would one have to do to become an entrepreneur/small business owner?
SEQUENCE OF TASKS:
Lessons 1
1) Quote of the day
2) Learning objectives: cover with the students what we will be learning in this unit and what they will be expected to be able to do when we finish this unit
3) Why its important: this allows the students to connect what they are about to learn with real world experiences and gain a better understanding as to why it is important
4) Bell ringer: Ask the students to describe a student run business (one that they know like the school store or one that they think a student could run like a babysitting service) then have one of the students go to the board and list the advantages and disadvantages of a student run business as we discuss the topic as a class
5) Vocabulary: break into groups and jig saw the words, students can use the glossary but when they explain they cannot use the words from the glossary, the words have to be used in a sentence using their own words, explained in their own words. Note Time (this will be announced to cue the students that this is something they will need to take notes on and will use in latter assignments or assessments)
6) Home work read pages 70-72 answer questions 1-4 on page 72
7) Hand-out study guide
Lesson 2
1) Quote of the day
2) Hand in home work papers, re-handout and have students complete a peer evaluation as it is covered
3) Cover the vocabulary again (Socratic method)
4) Making connections: Have the students break into groups and each group will list several inconveniences they have experienced over the course of a single school day. Then the groups will exchange their lists and have to try to invent products or services to help eliminate or lessen the inconvenience. The group will then write the product and service section of a business plan for their product. The instructor will remind the students that the product and service portion of their plan should include the following:
a) Description of similar products on the market
b) Examples of possible uses for their product or service
c) Prototype of the item to be produced
5) The plans will then be informally presented to the class and open discussion to follow
6) Students will post their observations on the class blog http://lhsbusiness.blogspot.com
Lesson 3
1) Quote of the day
2) Virtual Businesses, discuss what is a virtual business and have the students give examples of what they are, how most traditional business are getting into the dot-com business. The internet has opened many doors for people to become entrepreneurs (my son was into pokeemon cards a few years ago, as he grew older he lost interest and found himself with a huge amount of cards went on e-bay and sold the cards)
3) Give the definition of an entrepreneur (a person who recognizes a business opportunity and organizes, manages and assumes the risk of a business enterprise, with the intent of increasing the market value of the business) Have the students list entrepreneurs they know of. Note time: List out the characteristics of an entrepreneur
4) Cooperative learning: Ask the students to think about what hey know a lot about. Once each student discovers what he or she is an expert in, have the students break into groups no larger than three. Each group uses its expert knowledge to find an entrepreneurial venture. Once a business has been agreed upon, each group will prepare for a mock press conference in which the business idea is launched. The class acts as a pack of reporters who ask each group probing questions about the risk involved of starting a business. Who will the company handle success; will it give away any of its profits to charity; will they work from home or in an office building, and so on. The product developed here will be used through out the course to have a completed business plan when all portions are covered
5) Students will add their observations to the classroom blog.
6) Announce vocabulary quiz three days from here
7) Home work read pages 70-72 pay close attention to the advantages and disadvantages of being an entrepreneur
Lesson 4
1) Quote of the day
2) Note time: Web out the advantages (could work from home, keeping profits, enjoys taking risks, gets to do something they like) and disadvantages (total responsibility for the business, long hours, financial risk) of being an entrepreneur
3) Cooperative groups Independent practice (each student will report out what they have come up with)
4) Remind students of quiz 2 days
5) Homework read pages 73-75 answer questions 1-4 page 72 and 1-5 page 75
Lesson 5
1) Quote of the day
2) Collect home work and then have the students assess as we cover it
3) Introduce small business note time: (SBA: small business association, defines as an independently owned business that usually has the owner as its manager, it serves a limited geographic area and employs fewer than 500 people and is not dominate in its market)
4) Explain how important small business are to the united states economy
Provide approximately 75 percent of the net new jobs added to the economy.
Represent 99.7 percent of all employers.
Employ 50.1 percent of the private work force.
Provide 40.9 percent of private sales in the country.
Account for 39.1 percent of jobs in high technology sectors in 2001.
Account for 52 percent of private sector output in 1999.
Represent 97 percent of all U.S. exporters.
5) Web on the board the advantages of a small business (being the boss, offer services that big business cannot, ease of formation) Note Time
6) 4 out 5 small business fail within the first five years ask why: people don’t put in the time needed they cannot handle the new freedom, poor planning financial this is the number one reason small business fail, having little experience in the business opening, pricing of your product.
7) Web on the board disadvantages of small business (effect of change, managerial skills, inadequate financial planning) Note Time
8) Home work page 80 1-6
9) Home work read pages 75-77 answer questions 1 and 2
Lesson 6
1) Quote of the day
2) Collect the home work
3) Vocabulary quiz, collect and re-handout have students grade
4) If possible have students take quiz on line www.sba.gov, starting own business, are you ready
5) Remind students the need to critique the web site
6) Now that you are ready to start your own business you will need a business plan, a business plan is a written description of a new business venture that describes all aspects of the business, it helps you focus on what you want to do how you’ll do it and what you expect to accomplish and how you will do it. The business plan is used for financing no bank will talk to you about financing with out one
7) Parts of a business plan note time
a) Summary: one to three page overview of the plan it is placed first in your report but should be done last, it needs to be interesting and capture your readers attention this will be the first thing they will read if it turns them off it will be the last
b) Company description: explains the type of company you plan to start, will it be manufacturing, retail, service,
c) Products and services: Description of the type of product or service you plan to offer.
d) Marketing plan: describes your likely customer and details your competition. Indicates what your marketing strategies you will use to reach your customer. Includes types and location of your advertising
e) Legal plan: points out how you will organize your company. Will it be a sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation? What legal obstacles you will have to overcome, special permits, government licenses?
f) Management and operating plan: detail the key managerial personnel as well as their expertise and experience. Specify your companies daily operations, facilities, and overall personnel, materials and processing requirements
g) Financial plan: discuss your companies financial needs, and financing as well as projections for revenues, cost and profits
7) Which section should come first and why?
Business Plan Basics
A business plan precisely defines your business, identifies your goals, and serves as your firm's resume. The basic components include a current and pro forma balance sheet, an income statement, and a cash flow analysis. It helps you allocate resources properly, handle unforeseen complications, and make good business decisions. Because it provides specific and organized information about your company and how you will repay borrowed money, a good business plan is a crucial part of any loan application. Additionally, it informs sales personnel, suppliers, and others about your operations
The importance of a comprehensive, thoughtful business plan cannot be overemphasized. Much hinges on it: outside funding, credit from suppliers, management of your operation and finances, promotion and marketing of your business, and achievement of your goals and objectives.
"The business plan is a necessity. If the person who wants to start a small business can't put a business plan together, he or she is in trouble," says Robert Krummer, Jr., chairman of First Business Bank in Los Angeles.
Despite the critical importance of a business plan, many entrepreneurs drag their feet when it comes to preparing a written document. They argue that their marketplace changes too fast for a business plan to be useful or that they just don't have enough time. But just as a builder won't begin construction without a blueprint, eager business owners shouldn't rush into new ventures without a business plan.
Before you begin writing your business plan, consider four core questions:
· What service or product does your business provide and what needs does it fill?
· Who are the potential customers for your product or service and why will they purchase it from you?
· How will you reach your potential customers?
· Where will you get the financial resources to start your business?
Using the Plan
A business plan is a tool with three basic purposes: communication, management, and planning. As a communication tool, it is used to attract investment capital, secure loans, convince workers to hire on, and assist in attracting strategic business partners. The development of a comprehensive business plan shows whether or not a business has the potential to make a profit. It requires a realistic look at almost every phase of business and allows you to show that you have worked out all the problems and decided on potential alternatives before actually launching your business. As a management tool, the business plan helps you track, monitor and evaluate your progress. The business plan is a living document that you will modify as you gain knowledge and experience. By using your business plan to establish timelines and milestones, you can gauge your progress and compare your projections to actual accomplishments. As a planning tool, the business plan guides you through the various phases of your business. A thoughtful plan will help identify roadblocks and obstacles so that you can avoid them and establish alternatives. Many business owners share their business plans with their employees to foster a broader understanding of where the business is going.
Lesson 6
1) Quote of the day
2) Hand out project sheets and rubric
3) Go to web site and take the business plan writing work shop
a. www.sba.gov
b. Starting your own business
c. Are you ready
d. Business planning
e. Writing the plan
f. Take work shop
g. Sections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6
4) Go to web site for examples of business plans (service or product) sections
a. www.sba.gov
b. Starting your own business
c. Are you ready
d. Business planning
e. Writing the plan
f. Review examples
5) Start Project with partner
6) Post observations on the class blog
7) Home work page 81 7-15
Lesson 7
1) Quote of the day
2) Collect home work then hand back out and cover in class students give grade
3) Cover the study guide
Lesson 8
1) Quote of the day
2) Test
INSTRUCTION:
Peer Response and Editing: students will evaluate and edit each other’s homework assignments as they are covered in the class
Small Group Activities: evidence in lesson one, lesson three cooperative learning activity, lesson six
Collaborative Jigsaw Learning: lesson one
Authentic Experiences: Lesson 1 making the connections
Performance Assessment: Project from lesson six
Integration of Technology: use of on-line research, on-line self evaluations
Self-Evaluation: on-line entrepreneurial reflective test lesson six
Word-Webs: lessons four and five
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
Assessment will be formal and informal. Daily informal assessment will be used to evaluate students grasp of the subject matter in the form of Socratic questions. Students will be expected to contribute to the classroom blog. Formal assessment will include: 1) peer evaluation of homework assignments 2) Project Assessment using a rubric 3) comprehensive test
Introduction to Business Chapter 5 Project
Mr. Hanley
Working with one other student your group will complete the product and service part of a business plan. You will create a product and or service that solves a very specific problem (choose one from the list).
1) my coffee gets cold on the way to work
2) I never have an umbrella when I need one
3) I hate to shovel snow
4) I always forget something when I leave for work or school
5) I always forget to feed my pets
Each group will create a product or service that solves one of the above problems, to demonstrate the product or service each group will include:
A. a illustration of the Product or service
B. a paper explaining the product
C. Present their product to the class as if they where presenting to potential financiers
The paper needs to include the following:
I. A description of the product or service, in detail
II. An explanation of the problem and how your product or service solves it
III. What competition there is for your product and how you intend to overcome them
Integrated Unit: The American Southwest Focus Statement
Mary Ann Williamson December 17, 2005
Topic
The topic of my integrated social studies unit “The American Southwest,” developed through collaboration with my cooperating teacher. Since neither the State Street School nor the Westerly district has a social studies curriculum, we decided to connect the unit to the second grade literature curriculum. During the March and April time period, our students will be studying two literature units: Tell a Tricky Tale and The Night Sky. Since both of these units focus on stories from Native American traditions, one from the Zuni people and the other from the Muskogee Indian Nation, we decided to bridge the two units with a social studies theme that focuses on the American Southwest.
As a social studies teacher, I have a responsibility to help my students to appreciate diversity and to respect the views of others. In this unit, my students will study the culture of the Pueblo Indians. My students will learn about Native Americans based on fact, not on stereotypes. They will gain an understanding that cultures differ but nonetheless have similar wants and needs.
Importantly, my students will be presented with an opportunity to consider the often conflicting perspectives of the Pueblo Americans Indians, and the Spanish and American ranchers. Since my students live in a culturally diverse democratic society in an interdependent world, it is my hope that this unit will help my students to begin to develop a pluralistic perspective and an understanding and respect for the differences of various cultures.
Finally, in recent years, I’ve had the opportunity to visit the southwest area of the country. While I was there I collected reference books, trade books, maps, information about state parks and other materials. I hope that my personal experiences and enthusiasm for the area, combined with these hands-on materials will also help young students understand and appreciate the Southwest and its inhabitants.
Students and School Setting
There are nineteen students in my second grade placement classroom, nine girls and ten boys. Students are from various multicultural, economic and family backgrounds and represent a wide range of learning differences. One student is hearing impaired and uses hearing aids and microphones to communicate with teachers. Two students share a Special Education Assistant and receive resource assistance for reading, writing and math throughout the day. Three students receive speech therapy and two others participate in enrichments programs.
The teachers and students assigned to my placement classroom work together to develop a community of learners. The efforts of the general education teacher are supported by a full time Special Education Assistant, and also by a special education teacher and a general education teacher each of whom spend a portion of each day in this classroom. The teachers’ model cooperative behavior between professionals, they are aware that students often learn more by our examples than by our words. The students too are active participants. They engage in peer tutoring, cooperative learning, hands-on projects and inquiry learning opportunities. Classroom learning is also supported by being a well-structured environment with many routines and organization.
Individual Differences
My class has students at multiple levels of development with multiple learning styles. To meet the needs of many different types of learners, and to recognize my students’ strengths and special skills, I will incorporate activities and assessments consistent with Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. Oral discussions and written work will engage linguistic learners, mathematical studies will engage logistic learners, maps and art projects will engage spatial learners, games and theater activities will engage kinesthetic learners, songs and music will engage musical learners, study of the desert and its plants and animals will engage naturalistic learners, and individual and cooperative learning will engage intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligences.
Piaget encourages us to view our students as active learners and to involve them in their own learning so that they construct their own representations of knowledge. To construct knowledge, students need to actively create, interpret and reorganize data. Piaget attests that school age children become skilled at concrete operations when they focus on real, tangible objects and events. Therefore, this unit will feature tangible activities that focus on the current inhabitants of the Southwest. The unit will also incorporate questioning strategies so that my students are constantly engaged in a dialogue about what they are doing. Paiget’s theory also maintains that school age children can focus on more than one feature of a problem at the same time. To strengthen this skill, my unit will ask students to classify, compare and contrast differences.
Vygotsky refers to the range of tasks that a child cannot yet accomplish without assistance from others as the zone of proximal development. While in this zone, students maximize their learning and engage in higher mental functions. This unit will incorporate numerous lessons with a level of difficulty that is too hard for children to solve on their own; however, students learning will be scaffolded through cooperative learning activities and by assistance from teachers and parents.
Standards
The standards developed by the National Council for the Social Studies (1994) provide the keystone for this unit. Specifically, this unit correlates with the NCSS thematic units of: (I) Culture. The unit provides for the study of culture and cultural diversity so that learners can:
I.a “explore and describe similarities and differences in the ways groups, societies, and cultures address similar human needs and concerns;”
I.b “give examples of how experiences may be interpreted differently by people from diverse cultural perspectives and frames of reference;”
I.c “describe the ways in which language, stories, folktales, music, and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture and influence behavior of people living in a particular culture;”
I.d “compare ways in which people from different cultures think about and deal with their physical environment and social conditions;”
Students will be introduced to the Southwest through a geographical lesson. Using maps and a globe, students will locate the area and study its geographical diversity and climate. Students will then make cultural comparisons about the Pueblo People and the Spanish and American ranchers by viewing PowerPoint presentations with scanned in pictures and simplified text. In another lesson, students will compare the differing perspectives of the Pueblo Indians and the ranchers. These lessons will address social studies standards 1.a, “explore and describe similarities and differences in the ways groups, societies, and cultures address similar human needs and concerns,” 1.d “compare the ways in which people form different cultures think about and deal with their physical environment and social conditions and standard 1.b “how experiences may be interpreted differently by people from diverse cultural perspectives.”
Language arts will be incorporated into the unit as students read trade books and write responses, create postcards and write a story from the perspective of a desert animal. These lessons will integrate social studies standard 1.d “compare ways in which people from different cultures think about and deal with their physical environment and social conditions” and social studies standard 1b.“how experiences may be interpreted differently by people from diverse cultural perspectives” with language arts standard 1b. “student reads and comprehends at least four books about one issue or subject,” and standard 2b. “student produces a response to literature” and standard 2c. “student produces a narrative account.”
Students will study the music and art of the southwest. They will “step the beat” to a North American Indian Song, will sing a cowboy song accompanied by rhythm instruments (to imitate the sound of horses’ hooves) and use maracas and castanets to accompany a Spanish counting song. They will also use art to add to their understanding of the Southwest. They will make a miniature pueblo village out of clay, paint petroglyph designs on rocks and create a mobile with three layers: the people, the animals and the flora of the Southwest. These lessons integrate social studies standard I.c “learners will describe the ways in which music and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture,” with music standard 2f. “students perform independent instrumental parts while other students sing or play contrasting parts” and art standards for grades K-4, 1. “all students will engage in self or group expression by creating original works of art.”
Physical education is integrated in the unit through games, dance and theatre. In the
Pueblo tradition, groups of students will act as mimes, representing buffalo, deer, eagles or butterflies as other students guess the animals they are imitating. Students will learn a simple square dance and play the traditional Spanish game of Bandiera (Flag). These lessons integrate social studies standard I.a “explore the similarities and differences in the ways cultures address similar human needs and concerns” with Rhode Island physical education standard 2-3.s1.4 “apply fundamental combinations of movement skills, in low organized games and activities.”
Math and science will be incorporated into the unit when students create a rain gauge to help them to accumulate rainfall data. During the three week period, students will use their rain gauge and internet access to track rainfall amounts in Westerly. They will add together their findings, graph their results and compare rainfall amounts in Westerly with rainfall amounts in the desert.
Technology will be incorporated as students view Powerpoint presentations, use the internet to obtain rainfall data for the desert and for their city, and as they take a virtual tour of the desert on http://www.mobot.org/mbgnet/sets/desert/index.htm. Students will also post an entry to their class blog (http://mrswilliamson.tblog.com), read and share News Alerts, view images on Altavista, use search engines designed for young students and learn how to make critical evaluations of internet websites. These activities incorporate science standard NSES content standard A, science as inquiry, “scientists develop explanations using observations” with math standard, Number and Operations, “understanding the effects of adding whole numbers, and technology standard 5. “using technology to collection information” and technology standard 3. “using technology to enhance learning.” These standards are integrated with social studies standard I.d “compare ways in which people from different cultures think about and deal with their physical environment and social conditions.”
Resources
Armstrong, T. (2000). Multiple intelligences in the classroom. Alexandria: Association
for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Fredericks, A. (2000). More social studies through children’s literature, An integrated
approach. Englewood, CO: Teachers Idea Press.
National Association for Music Education (1996). Performance standards for music.
Reston, VA: Music Educators National Conference.
National Center on Education. Language arts performance standards. Harcourt Brace.
National Council for the Social Studies (1994). Curriculum standards for social
studies. Alexandria: National Council for the Social Studies.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2003). Principles and standards for school
mathematics. Retrieved October 19, 2003 from
http://standards.nctm.org/document/chapter4/numb.htm
National Education Technology Standards (2003). Retrieved October 19, 2003 from
http://cnets.iste.org/
National Science Education Standards (2003). Science teaching standards. Retrieved
October 19, 2003 from http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/
National Standards for Arts Education (2003). Retrieved October 19, 2003 from
http://www.education-world.com/standards/national/arts/index.shtml
Seifert, K., Hoffnung, R. & Hoffnung, R. (2000). Lifespan development. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin Company.
Table of Contents
Social Studies Integrated Unit: The American Southwest
Lesson One: Understanding the Southwest through Creative Drama* (Blog)
Lesson Two: Comparing Rainfall Amounts * (News Alert)
Lesson Three: Cactus Hotel* (“Kids Click” and Commercialization of the internet)
Lesson Four: The Pueblo Indians
Lesson Five: Step the Beat
Lesson Six: The Pueblo Village
Lesson Seven: The Pueblo Dancers
Lesson Eight: The Ranchers* (Google Local)
Lesson Nine: Lone Star Trail
Lesson Ten: Western Sunset* (Altavista images)
Lesson Eleven: Floor Map of the Southwest
Lesson Twelve: Spanish Counting Song
Lesson Thirteen: Coyote
Lesson Fourteen: Calculating Rainfall Amounts
Lesson Fifteen: Look Who Lives in the Desert* (Critical Evaluation of Websites)
EDC 920
Lesson One: Introduction to Unit (incorporating Blog)
Length of Lesson: 45 - 60 minutes
Grade: 2
Mary Ann Williamson
Title Understanding the American Southwest through Creative Drama
• Objective: Students will:
• Participate in a creative drama about the American Southwest
• ELA5a - Student responds to drama using interpretive,
critical and evaluative processes.
• Discuss the differences between the Pueblo Indians and the ranchers
• NCSS I.a Explore differences in the way cultures address similar needs and concerns
Instructional Materials & Resources • Script for teacher/narrator
• Observation checklist (see attachment 1)
• Construction paper props for each student
• Computer access
Instructional Activities & Tasks Introduction:
• Students will post an entry on our classroom blog: see http://mrswilliamson.tblog.com Blog prompt: “Soon we will be taking an imaginary trip to the American Southwest. Click on our first link (Pictures of the American Southwest) to get an idea of what the Southwest looks like. Would you like to visit the Southwest? We’re going to travel by airplane, what do you think you should bring with you? Please write back and let me know what you think about our journey and what you will bring back with you.”
• Lead a class discussion regarding our imaginary trip to the American Southwest. (What did you think of the pictures of the American Southwest? Do you think you would like to visit that area of the country? Why or why not? What would you bring on the trip?) Incorporate blog entries into class discussion.
• Explain to students that they will be participating in a creative drama. (BTS 2.3, 1.2, 3.2, 8.2)
• Begin a class discussion about being in a play. (Has anyone ever seen a play? Has anyone ever been in a play? etc.) (BTS 4.2)
• Explain that students will be participating in a play but will not need to learn any lines.
Development
• Model the process of participating in creative drama. Read a few lines from the play and model how the sun will shine brightly (tip the paper sun back and forth so that it appears to be shining brightly) and how the Gila woodpecker will peck on the trunk of the Giant Saguaro Cactus. (BTS 2.5)
• Explain the importance of looking at the audience.
• Distribute paper props to each student.
• Explain that you are the narrator and that you will call each student to the “stage” in turn based on the item they are holding.
• Read the play calling each child in turn to participate.
• Provide support and suggestions to students as needed. (BTS 8.1)
Summary:
• When the play is complete and students are back in their seats:
• Ask:
1. Did you enjoy the creative drama?
2. What part did you enjoy the most?
3. How does what you learned today compare today that is different from what you learned viewing the link on our class blog?
• Create a KWL chart on white easel paper:
4. What do you know about the Southwest?
5. What do you know about the Pueblo people? (BTS5.2)
6. What do you know about the Ranchers? (BTS 5.2)
7. What do you want to know about: the Southwest, the Pueblo people and the Ranchers?
• List responses on easel paper. (BTS 8.2)
• Tell students that they will have an opportunity to perform this play again on the last day of this unit. Explain that their parents or guardians will be invited to attend.
Assessment Students will be assessed using an observation checklist (see attachment 2) (BTS 9.2)
Learner Factors • The cooperative nature of the activity will encourage students to scaffold each other’s learning.
• All students will be provided with a small part.
• Allow students ample time to participate to reduce frustration level. (BTS 4.4)
• Wear the electronic equipment which amplifies sound for the child who has difficulty hearing.
• Provide hints to students who do not know how to participate.
• If a student is uncomfortable participating, change their prop to a puppet-type so they will not need to face an audience.
• Visit computer lab as a class prior to this lesson to ensure that all students have had an opportunity to make an entry to our class blog.
Environmental Factors: Students will participate in this activity as a whole group.
Script: The American Southwest
The American Southwest is an interesting place. It is often very hot and dry and the sun shines brightly. (Student holding paper sun moves to center stage and tilts sun back and forth.)
Even though there is very little rain, many plants live there.
One important plant is the Giant Saguaro Cactus. (Enter student holding large paper Saguaro cactus). Some people call the Saguaro Cactus a cactus hotel because so many birds, insects and bats make their nests inside it. The Gila Woodpecker pecks holes into the cactus. (Enter student holding woodpecker, students has the woodpecker peck on the cactus.) The tiny Elf owl likes to live in the cactus too. (Enter student with tiny Elf owl.)
Many animals live in the Southwest. Some are very small, such as the pocket mouse, (Student holding pocket mouse tip toes to center stage) and others are very large, such as the Bighorn sheep (Student holding Bighorn sheep walks heavily to center stage).
Because it is cooler, some animals live in holes under the ground. Both Jack rabbits and snakes live in holes in the ground. (Jack rabbit and snake move to center stage.)
The Pueblo Indians have lived in the Southwest for many, many, many years. Sometimes during special ceremonies or festivals they wear special clothing. (Enter student holding paper Pueblo Indian dressed in special clothing.)
Some Pueblo Indians live in apartment-like houses which are also called Pueblos. The houses are often made of dried clay called adobe. The levels of the houses are connected by ladders. (Enter student with paper Pueblo.)
For many years, Pueblo Indians have been farmers. (Enter child with hoe (stick), student makes hoeing motion with stick.) They grow corn, beans, sunflowers and squash. Since it is dry in the Southwest they are very careful with their water (Enter child with paper watering can, child makes motion of watering garden.)
Pueblos believe that everything has a soul or a spirit. Each season they hold special ceremonies in which they dance with spirits. Sometimes dancers imitate animals such as butterflies, eagles or buffalos (Enter child with a brown paper ruff around neck, dancing like a buffalo.)
There are also many ranchers in the Southwest. The first ranchers were from Spain, they wore Spanish clothing. (Enter child holding Spanish Rancher.)
Today ranchers usually wear cowboy hats to protect their faces from the sun, cowboy boots to keep their feet in the stirrups and bandanas to keep dust out of their mouths. (Enter child with paper rancher dressed with cowboy hat, cowboy boots and bandana.)
Ranchers usually live on large pieces of land called ranches. The owners live in the ranch house and the cowboys live in the bunkhouse. (Enter students holding ranch and bunkhouse.)
Ranchers have horses and many long horn cattle. Large cattle ranchers need many people to take care of the land and the animals (Enter students holding paper horse and cattle.)
As I said, the Southwest is an interesting place. Over the next few weeks we are going to learn all about it!
Attachment 1
Observation Checklist
Stays on task Enjoys working with others Participates in class discussion (KWL)
Carlie
Dallas
Danielle
Devon
Dion
Frank
Jack
Johanna
John
Kyle
Lauren
Nathan
Nicole
Richie
Ronnie
Rose
Ryan
Sarah
Shayla
Taylor
Tia
EDC 920
Lesson Two (incorporates News Alerts)
Length of Lesson: 60 minutes
Grade: 2
Mary Ann Williamson
Title Comparing Rainfall Amounts
Objectives • Objective: Students will:
• Discuss how Pueblo Indians and Southwest ranchers use the water supply.
• NCSS I.a Explore differences in the way cultures address similar needs and concerns
• Predict which city will have more rainfall and create a rain gauge. Create a chart to collate their findings.
• NSS Scientific Communication S7e – communicates data in a suitable form
• Use a self-evaluation checklist to evaluate their work.
Instructional Materials & Resources • For students: rulers, scrape paper, felt tip pens, tall jar, funnel, transparencies and transparency markers
• Large map of USA.
Instructional Activities & Tasks Introduction:
• Ask students:
Does anyone remember how Pueblo Indians use water?
(They water the plants in their gardens, they use it carefully.)
Can anyone image how the cattle ranchers use water? (They use a lot of water since so many animals and people live
on the large ranches.) (BTS 4.2)
• Show students where the American Southwest is located on a large USA map. Show students where the town of Phoenix is located. Show students pictures of the American Southwest including pictures of dessert areas and pictures from the Phoenix area. (BTS 2.5)
• Ask students:
What colors they see in the Southwest landscape? (red, brown,
beige, etc)
Ask students if they see many green fields or green trees? (no) Ask students to guess or hypothesize why they do not see many green trees and plants? (not enough rain) Ask students: Which city do you think has more rainfall, Phoenix AZ or Westerly RI? Explain to students that they will be doing an experiment to determine if they have hypothesized correctly. (BTS 2.3, 5.1, 5.4, 8.1)
Development:
• Divide the class into groups of four. Distribute materials to each group of students. Remind students to use the equipment safely: do not put anything in your mouth, be careful not to drop or break a jar. (BTS 6.2, 6.6)
• Ask students to use the materials they have been given to create a tool to collect and measure rainfall. Advise students that rainfall is usually measured in inches but rarely does an inch of rainfall fall in a single day.
• Ask students to create a chart to compare daily rainfall amounts in Westerly, RI, and in Phoenix, AZ. After they have created their chart on scrap paper, have them recreate the chart on a transparency. Ask each group to write their prediction on the transparency. (BTS 4.2)
• Provide students with 1, 2, 3 directions on a transparency:
• Discuss your prediction and write it on the transparency.
• Make a rain gauge that will measure rainfall in inches or a smaller amount.
• Create a chart (first on scrap paper) to record the amount of rainfall in Phoenix and Westerly.
• Provide support, questions and suggestions to students as needed. (BTS 8.1)
• Create two news alerts: “Rainfall, Phoenix, Arizona” and “Weather, Westerly, Rhode Island.” Each day one student will be responsible for evaluating the news alerts in light of the information covered in this lesson. Teacher will provide support as needed. Students will share their findings at morning meeting.
Summary:
• When the project is complete ask each group of students to share their prediction, their completed rain gauge, and their transparency with the whole class. (8.4)
• Distribute Southwest journals. Ask each student to draw a rainfall comparison chart in their journal.
• Advise students that each day they will check the rainfall amount in their rain gauges. Explain that they will use the internet (http://weather.com) to find the rainfall amount each day for Phoenix and Westerly. Students will note rainfall amounts for each city in the charts in our journals.
Assessment Self-evaluation checklist. (see attachment 1) (BTS 9.3)
Learner Factors • The hands-on, inquiry based nature of the activity will allow students to find their own way of solving the challenge.
• The cooperative nature of the activity will encourage students to scaffold each other’s learning.
• Allow students ample time to work with materials to reduce their frustration level. (BTS 4.4)
• Wear the electronic equipment which amplifies sound for the child who has difficulty hearing.
• Provide questions and hints to students who are having difficulty with the project or the chart.
• If a team finishes early, allow them to work on activities in the Southwest center. (see attachment 2)
Environmental Factors: Students are instructed in safety measures.
Students will work collaboratively in groups.
Students will share their predictions, completed rain gauge and chart with their classmates.
EDC 920
Lesson Three (“Kid’s Click” & Commercialization of Internet)
Length of Lesson: 60 minutes
Grade: 2
Mary Ann Williamson
Title Cactus Hotel
Objectives •Objective: Students will:
•Discuss how Pueblo Indians use plants.
•NCSS I.d Ways in which people from different cultures deal with their physical environment
•Sequence events from the book Cactus Hotel
•ELA2a. Student produces a report with an organizing structure
Instructional Materials & Resources •A small cactus
•The book Cactus Hotel by Brenda Guiberson
•Paper, pencils and crayons
•A small cactus for each student
•Computer access
Instructional Activities & Tasks Introduction:
•Students will visit the computer lab and access “http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/KidsClick!/
•Students will enter search words “American Southwest”
•Students will click on “Desert Life in the American Southwest”
Before students view desert pictures, teacher will lead class discussion on the commercialization of the internet.
(Why do we see adds on this website page? What products are the adds trying to sell? How do these adds relate to desert life in the American Southwest? Is the internet free? Who pays to put information on the internet? )
•Students will locate the Southwestern states and the state of Rhode Island on a map of the USA.
•Students will discuss prior knowledge that students learned in previous lesson (climate, plants, water use, etc)
•Share knowledge of cactus
1.Has anyone ever seen a cactus?
2.Does anyone have a cactus growing in their home?
(BTS 4.2)
•Show students a small prickly cactus. Allow them to carefully feel the sharp prickly spine. Explain that a cactus plants uses water very efficiently. They have large root systems to soak up rain water from near and far. After the roots soak up the water the plants channel the water right up into the center of the cactus. The cactus also has sharp spines to keep other animals from stepping on them or eating them. (BTS 2.3, 1.2, 8.2)
Development:
•Have the students gather on the rug and read the book. (BTS 6.3)
•Afterwards have a grand conversation about the book. Ask students: What was your favorite part of the book? Why? (BTS 3.2, 5.1)
•Retell the story using the felt board. Divide the felt board into four sections. Use the four sections to illustrate the sequences of the book (seeds, young cactus, older cactus, death of cactus). Explain that the cactus is like a person. It is born, it is young like a child, it is older like an adult and then it dies. (BTS 2.5)
•Have students return to their desks. Provide them with a piece of paper and show them how to fold the paper into four sections. Have them add the title Cactus Hotel to their paper. Ask them to retell the story of the Cactus Hotel by drawing a picture and adding text in each part of the folded paper. Remind students to include the birth, childhood, adulthood and death of the cactus in their pictures and text. (BTS 2.3, 5.1)
.
•Provide students with 1, 2, 3 directions on a transparency:
1.Fold your paper into four sections.
2.Retell the story of the Cactus Hotel.
3.Be sure to use both pictures and writing in your retelling
•Provide support to students as needed. (BTS 8.1)
Summary:
•When the project is complete ask for volunteers to share their sequences with the class. (8.4)
•Have students add their completed retellings to their Southwest journal.
•Place live cactus in a sunny spot in the classroom. (BTS 5.5)
Assessment
Self-evaluation checklist. (see attachment 1) (BTS 9.3)
Learner Factors •Allow students ample time to complete the assignment to reduce their frustration level. (BTS 4.4)
•Wear the electronic equipment which amplifies sound for the child who has difficulty hearing.
•Provide questions and hints to students who are having difficulty with the assignment or accessing information on the computer.
•If a student has difficulty writing, allow him/her to use the computer or permit oral responses. (BTS 4.4)
•If a student has difficulty writing and drawing, allow him/her to organize pictures into the correct sequence. (BTS 4.3)
•If a student finishes early, allow him/her to work on activities in the Southwest center. (see attachment 2)
Environmental Factors: Students will work independently.
Attachment 1
Self-Evaluation Checklist
___ Did I list the events of the story in the correct
order?
___Did I include the important events?
___ Did I write in complete sentences?
___ Did I add colorful drawings that go with the words
in my sentences?
Attachment 2
Southwest Center Activities
Bound and audio books
•The Pueblos by Alice K. Flanagan
•Footprints in the Sand by Cynthia Benjamin
•Cowboys, Roundup on an American Ranch by Joan Anderson
•A Desert Scrapbook by Virginia Wright-Frierson
•Rat is Dead and Ant is Sad by Mamoru Funai
•Coyote by Gerald McDermott
Poetry
•Read poems written by Indians
•Read poems about cowboys
Listen to musical tapes of
•Cowboy music appropriate for children
•Spanish songs appropriate for children
Maps
•Look at maps of the Southwest
•Find rivers in the Southwest
•Find particular cities on maps of the Southwest
•Trace maps of the Southwest
Art:
•Trace petroglyph designs using tracing paper, color in the drawings using bright colors
•Think about one aspect of Pueblo life and draw a picture of it
•Think about one aspect of a ranchers life and draw a picture of it
•Use the felt board to build a pueblo
•Use the felt board to build a ranch style house
•Make a collage of the Southwest using travel brochures, leaflets, etc
Technology
•http://www.desertusa.com (news about life in the deserts of the USA)
•http://www.mobot.org/mbgnet/sets/desert/index.htm (virtual tour of a dessert)
Writing
•Plan a trip across the desert. Make a list of supplies you would need for the journey.
•Create a fact sheet about a dessert animal.
•Create a journal entry from the perspective of a Pueblo Indian or a rancher
Miscellaneous
•Working with a buddy, use flash cards to practice unit vocabulary words
•Working with a buddy, use flash cards to learn Spanish words
EDC 920
Lesson Eight
Length of Lesson: 45-60 minutes
Grade: 2
Mary Ann Williamson
Title The Ranchers
Objectives • Objective: Students will:
•Participate in a group discussion about ranchers
•NCSS I.a - Describe ways that a culture address human needs and concerns
•Write a postcard that includes a special activity to do at a ranch using descriptive words
•ELA 2d. – Student produces a narrative which includes relevant information.
Instructional Materials & Resources
•Powerpoint presentation
•Construction paper cut and drawn to resemble large post cards
•Pencils and crayons
•Cowboy hat
Instructional Activities & Tasks Introduction:
•Use Google Local to find local realtors (for example: Downtown Travel, Canal St, Westerly, RI 348-8103). Ask local realtor to come to class to discuss trips to dude ranches in the Southwest. Provide realtor with cowboy hat and bandana. After realtor provides details on trips ask students:
1. Has anyone visited a ranch?
2. Has anyone gone horseback riding?
3. What do you know about ranchers and cowboys?
• List responses on white easel paper. (BTS 4.2)
Development:
•Provide each student with a bandana. (Show them how to wear them.) Show students the Powerpoint presentation (see script, attachment 1) (BTS 3.3, 2.3, 8.3)
•After the presentation ask students:
1.What did you find most interesting about ranch life?
2.What would you like to do if you visited a ranch? (BTS 8.2, 3.2)
•List responses on the chalkboard. Identify and discuss descriptive words.
•Show students sample postcards. Create a model postcard on white cardboard using descriptive words and detail from your visit to a ranch.
•Ask the students to write a postcard pretending they have visited a ranch. In the postcard they should include a description of something fun that they did while visiting a ranch. (BTS 6.6)
•Provide students with 1,2,3 written directions on a transparency:
1)Pretend you are visiting a ranch. What fun or interesting thing did you do or see? Discuss your ideas with your group.
2)Write a postcard about your interesting experience. Be sure to include descriptive words.
3)Add a bright colorful picture on the other side of your postcard.
•Provide students with a copy of the writing rubric. Explain that their postcard will be evaluated with the rubric. (BTS 9.2, 9.3)
•Provide support to students as needed. (BTS 5.3, 8.1)
Summary:
•Have students share their writing. Discuss how students brought their ranch activity to life through writing and descriptive detail.
Ask:
1.How did the descriptive detail help create a picture in our minds?
2.What were some of your favorite descriptions?
(BTS 8.4)
Assessment
Students will be assessed with a writing rubric (see attachment 2) (BTS 9.2)
Learner Factors
•The cooperative nature of the activity will encourage students to scaffold each other’s learning.
•Allow students ample time to participate to reduce frustration level. (BTS 4.4)
•Wear the electronic equipment which amplifies sound for the child who has difficulty hearing.
•Provide questions and hints to students who are having difficulty with the assignment.
•If a student has difficulty writing, allow him/her to use the computer or permit oral and/or pictorial responses. (BTS 4.4)
•If a student finishes early, allow them to work on the activities in the Southwest center. (see attachment 3)
Environmental Factors: Students will work individually and collaboratively in groups.
Attachment 1
Script for Powerpoint Presentation
(Show picture of Spanish ranchers, horses and longhorn cattle)
The first ranches were owned by the Spanish. Before the Spanish arrived there weren’t any horses or cattle here. The Spanish brought hundreds of horses and cattle with them. The animals grazed in the wild and quickly grew in number.
(Show picture of vaqueros)
When the early American ranchers came to the west, the Spanish were still there. The Spanish taught the newcomers how to be cowboys. Spanish speaking cowboys were called vaqueros. The vaqueros showed the American cowboys how to tame horses and herd and rope cattle. The cowboys also copied the equipment and clothing of the vaqueros. They started using western saddles and ropes called lariats.
(Show pictures of a ranch, bunkhouse and corral)
Large ranches have many different buildings. There is a home for the rancher, a home for the cowboys, and barns for storing and repairing equipment. The rancher and his family live in the main house and the cowboys live in the bunkhouse. A corral is located close to the stables, it is a fenced in area in which horses are kept and trained.
(Show picture of cook calling cowboys to the mess hall)
The cook is clanging a rod on a metal triangle to call the cowboys into the mess hall for dinner. The mess hall or cookhouse is a small building where meals (for the cowboys) are prepared and eaten.
(Show pictures of stables)
The horses are kept in the stables. The stables have stalls or pens where the horses sleep.
(Show picture of cowboys)
Who were the cowboys? Cowboys were hired to look after the cattle and round them up. Cowboys came from many different cultures. Some were from the various North American Indian tribes; others were African Americans, Spanish or Mexican. Many were British and European Settlers.
(Show pictures of women on the ranch)
Women do many tasks on a ranch. They help to run the ranching business. They keep track of the cattle equipment that is bought or sold. They help care for the animals and sometimes help with the cowboy’s job of herding and branding cattle.
(Show pictures of fun and community life)
Ranchers and cowboys take time to have fun. They play card games, checkers and dominoes. They make music with guitars, fiddles and harmonicas often accompanied by clapping and stomping sounds. On special occasions, ranchers invite cowboys to the main house for dancing.
(Show pictures of bull riding and rodeos)
Sometimes cowboys try to ride an ox, mule or cow. These animals buck and run trying to get the cowboys off their backs. Today bull-riding competitions are a big part of rodeos.
(Show cowboy clothing and equipment)
Cowboys wear a hat with a wide brim to protect their faces from the sun. They wear bandanas over their mouths to keep from breathing dust and dirt. They wear boots with large heels to keep their feet in the stirrups. They use lariats to catch and handle horses and cattle on the ranch.
(Script adapted from Life on the Ranch by Bobbie Kalman)
Attachment 2
Writing Rubric
3
• My writing has a well-developed beginning, middle and end.
• My writing has many descriptive words.
• My sentences begin with a capital letter and end with punctuation.
2
• My writing has some beginning, middle and end.
• My writing has some descriptive words.
• My sentences begin with a capital letter and end with punctuation.
1
• My writing lacks a clear beginning, middle and end.
• My writing has few descriptive words.
• My sentences do not begin with a capital letter or end with punctuation.
EDC 920
Lesson Ten
Length of Lesson: 45 minutes
Grade: 2
Mary Ann Williamson
Title Western Sunset
Objectives • Objective: Students will:
• Discuss a western sunset seen by Pueblo Indians, ranchers and cowboys
• NCSS I.a Describe similarities in the ways groups address similar human concerns
• Create a western sunset scene using silhouettes and paint
• VA.K-4.1 – Students will engage in self expression by creating original works of art
Instructional Materials & Resources • Tempera or watercolor paints
• Water in a jar
• Paintbrushes
• Rag
• White paper
• Black paper
• Scissors
• Chalk
• Paste or glue
• Computer Access
Instructional Activities & Tasks Introduction:
• Do the Pueblo Indians the ranchers and the cowboys live in the Southwest?
• What scenery would they see?
• Would they see the same scenery?
• Students will visit computer lab. Using http://altavista.com, students will view sunsets using the search words of “Southwest, USA, sunset” and “sunset with silhouette”.
• Ask students to describe the sunsets they saw on-line.
• Ask:
1. What colors did you notice in the sunset?
2. What colors were the clouds?
3. Where were the lightest and faintest colors?
4. Where were the darkest colors? (BTS 4.2, 2.3, 8.4)
Development:
• Ask students to choose paints that are close to the colors that they observed in a sunset. Assemble them with brushes, clear water for rinsing and a rag for cleanup. If a blurred softened and blended sunset is desired, first dampen the white paper with clear water from a paintbrush. If a bold sunset is desired, work on dry paper. (BTS 3.3, 2.3)
• Remind students to work safely. Do not put anything in your mouth. Keep all art supplies away from your eyes.
• Have the students paint a sunset. Fill the entire painting with the sunset. (BTS 5.5)
• While the sunset is drying, get out the black paper, chalk and scissors.
• Ask students to think of a western scene, encourage students to remember western scenes viewed on Altavista. For example, imagine a cactus, a cowboy on a horse, hills, desert or a scraggly tree. Show students a sample project. Sketch with chalk and cut out with scissors the western scene from black paper. These cuttings will be silhouettes and will not need any detail. Simply cut the shape out like an outline or a shadow filled in with black paper.
• Next, cut a silhouette of paper that will go across the bottom of the entire painting to represent the ground or earth in the scene. Paste the black silhouette on the sunset painting.
• Provide support to students as needed. (BTS 5.3)
Summary:
• When the project is complete
• Ask students:
1. Did you enjoy making this western sunset?
2. What part did you enjoy most?
3. Do you think that the Pueblo Indians, the ranchers and cowboys would see a sunset similar to the one you created?
(Portions of this lesson were suggested by a State Street School art teacher.)
Assessment Students will be assessed with an observation checklist (see attachment 1) (BTS 9.2)
Learner Factors • Allow students ample time to work on the project to reduce frustration level. (BTS 4.4)
• The hands-on nature of the activity will encourage students to find their own way to complete the project.
• Wear the electronic equipment which amplifies sound for the child who has difficulty hearing.
• Provide questions, hints and assistance to students who are having difficulty using the computer or completing the project.
• If a student finishes early, allow him or her to work on the activities in the Southwest center. (see lesson 2)
Environmental Factors: Students will work independently.
Students will be instructed in safety measures.
Attachment 1
Observation Checklist
Stays on task Enjoys art project Participates in class discussion
Carlie
Dallas
Danielle
Devon
Dion
Frank
Jack
Johanna
John
Lauren
Nathan
Nicole
Richie
Ronnie
Rose
Ryan
Sarah
Shayla
Tia
EDC 920
Lesson Fifteen
Length of Lesson: two 30-45 min sessions
Grade: 2
Mary Ann Williamson
Title Look Who Lives in the Desert
Objectives • Objective: Students will:
• Discuss animals that are important to the Pueblo Indians and ranchers
• NCSS I.d Ways in which people from different cultures deal with their physical environment
• Create an alphabet book of desert animals, people and plants
• ELA2a. Student produces a report that includes appropriate facts and details
Instructional Materials & Resources • The book Look Who Lives in the Desert by Alan Baker
• Paper, pencils and crayons
• Cover and binding for alphabet book
• Index cards
• Computer access
Instructional Activities & Tasks Introduction:
• Ask students:
1. What animals are important to you? Why?
2. What animals are important to the Pueblo Indians? Why?
3. What animals are important to the ranches of the Southwest? Why? (BTS 4.2, 2.3, 8.4))
• Today were going to learn about some other animals that
live in the Southwest.
Development:
• Have the students gather on the rug. Read the book and have students try to guess which animal comes next in the story (hints are provided in the story). (BTS 6.3, 3.2)
• After the reading, have a grand conversation about the book. Ask students: What was your favorite part of the book? Why? (BTS 3.2, 5.1)
• Have students return to their desks.
• As a class, complete the KWL chart that was started on the first day of the unit. Encourage students to create an extensive list of people, plants and animals that they learned about in the unit. (BTS 2.3, 5.5, 3.3)
• Explain to students that they are going to make an alphabet book. Show the students other alphabet books.
• Model the process of creating an alphabet page. Use the letter P to create a page for a “Pueblo.” Write the letter “P” in large print on the upper right side of the page.
• Have students choose a plant, animal or people of the southwest for their alphabet page.
• After students have chosen their topics for the alphabet book, take them to the computer lab. Discuss with students the importance of critically evaluating websites. Review these steps: 1. Is the information true; can you find the same information on more than one website? 2. Who is the author of the site? 3. Is the website trying to sell you something or trying to change your mind about something? 4. Does the website tell you about choices open to you? 5. Is the information on the website up-to-date? 6. Does the website provide complete information about your topic? Post questions on white easel paper.
• Using Awesome Library, have all students search for the Crow Canyon Pueblo. Have students evaluate the site using the above criteria.
• Complete the model alphabet page writing at least three sentences about pueblos. Post your model page at the front of the computer classroom.
• Using Awesome Library, yahooligans, ajkids, and other student appropriate websites, have students search for information about their particular alphabet page. Remind students to evaluate the information they find based on the criteria posted in the classroom. Move throughout the computer lab asking questions to remind students to evaluate the site they are using.
• Have students take brief notes on their topic on index cards.
.
• Return to classroom.
• Provide students with 1, 2, 3 directions on a transparency:
1. Enter your topic and letter on your alphabet page.
2. Using your notes, write three sentences about your topic.
3. Draw a picture to illustrate the plant, animal or person of the southwest.
• Provide students with the self-evaluation checklist. (BTS 9.3)
• Provide support to students as needed. (BTS 8.1)
Summary:
• When the project is complete ask for volunteers to share their alpha pages with the class. (8.4)
• Collate the pages into a class book.
• Read the completed book to the class.
Assessment Self-evaluation checklist. (see attachment 1) (BTS 9.3)
Learner Factors • Allow students ample time to complete the assignment to reduce their frustration level. (BTS 4.4)
• Wear the electronic equipment which amplifies sound for the child who has difficulty hearing.
• Provide questions and hints to students who are having difficulty with the assignment.
• If a student has difficulty writing, allow him/her to use the computer or permit oral responses. (BTS 4.4)
• If a student has difficulty writing and drawing, allow him/her to organize pictures into the correct sequence. (BTS 4.3)
• If the student has difficulty finding their topic on the computer, allow them to work with a partner and provide support.
• If a team finishes early, allow them to work on activities in the Southwest center. (see attachment 2)
Environmental Factors: Students will work independently or with a partner.
Attachment 1
Self-Evaluation Checklist
___ Did I write the alphabet letter on the top right hand side
of the page?
___Did I write three sentences about the topic?
___ Did I write in complete sentences?
___ Did I add colorful drawings?
Wow! I've taught a desert unit in 3rd grade and your unit would have been a great unit to explore. ALso a great way to introduce students to the tools that the internet provides. You have incorperated an eclectic and comprehensive approach to the various learning styles and needs of a diverse population. I hope I can weave something half as complete as yours.
Final Project EDC 920
Teaching Unit Curriculum Connection – Production and Marketing of Beef, Dairy and Poultry products
Choose one of the following topics to research:
1. Beef – Mad Cow Disease
2. Dairy – Bovine Somatotropin in Milk
3. Poultry – Cholesterol levels in eggs
Goals:
Students will be able to:
1. Identify background information on their topic using basic searching techniques.
2. Respond to basic writing prompts in clear well developed paragraphs.
3. Use Google news, advanced searches and databases to gather information on their topic.
4. Identify bias in the materials and websites that they find.
5. Discuss and debate their topic with the class.
6. Critically evaluate the information they find for factual information.
7. Back up their responses to questions with evidence from the text that they found.
Standards:
E1c – read informational materials, summarize information, extend ideas acquired from reading, make connections to related topics
E3c – Make class presentations.
E3d – Make informed judgment about content presented by the media.
E6b – Produce public documents
S5d – Distinguish between fact and opinion.
S6d – Acquire information from multiple sources.
S7b – Argue from evidence.
A2c – Develop a multi-media presentation.
A3a – Gather information to assist in completing project work.
A3c – Use word-processing software.
Pre-activities/Introduction – This project will be a final project for the class – They will previously have studied the beef, dairy and poultry industries. Students will have learned about breeds and breeding, feeds and feeding, housing and management, diseases and parasites, and basic product marketing.
Lesson 1 – Day 1
Introduce project…
Choose a topic…
Writing prompt – Based on what we have studied in class and what you have heard in the news, What is your current perception? Ie.. What do you know about the topic? Make a list of everything that you know about the topic that you chose.
Class discussion – compare and contrast the students lists for each topic to get an idea of what the public perception on the topic is.
Internet search tools – provided by teacher – review basic searching techniques with the students, quotation marks, and, or, not, etc.
Homework – Do a general search of the topic that you chose. Gather information on to answer the following questions:
1. What is the issue?
2. What problems are associated with this issue?
Lesson 2 – Day 2
Review homework – divide the class into three groups based on their topics. Have students compile a list of information that they found, and have one student report out to the class.
Writing Prompt – As a consumer in the United States how do you feel about the safety and health aspects of your topic? Will you continue to buy and eat beef, milk or eggs? Why or why not?
Introduce main project questions –
1. What is the US governments response to this issue?
2. How does the media present this issue to the public?
3. What is the industries response to the issue?
Teacher Demo – evaluating websites, advanced searching techniques, finding databases, evaluating URL’s, and using Google News.
Lesson 3 – Day three – Research time
Teacher demo – show students how to access the agriscience blog where links for their topic will have been previously posted by the teacher.
Lesson 4 – Day 4
Text based discussion –
Writing prompt – How was consumer confidence affected by the responses of the government, media, and industries?
Students will be given time to review the material that they previously found and highlight pertinent information. We will then work as a group to discuss each topic, citing specific examples from text.
Lesson 5 – Day 5
Writing prompt – As a researcher who has gathered information on your chosen topic – How do you feel about the safety and health aspects of your topic? Will you continue to buy and eat beef, milk or eggs? Why or why not?
How has your answer changed since the beginning of this project?
Final assessment – As the owner of a supermarket that sells beef, eggs, and milk…
Choose one of the following options:
1. Write an article for a local newspaper explaining the issue and why a customer should continue to buy that product.
2. Give a multimedia presentation to a group of customers (the class), explaining why they should continue to purchase that product.
Assessment –
1. Informal – through class discussion.
2. Formal – see general writing rubric, public document rubric, and oral presentation rubric
Rubrics are located on the Chariho website – www.chariho.k12.ri.us
Click on at the schools, high school, rubrics and models.
The rubrics are pretty involved so I figured it would be easier to read there rather than trying to copy them into the blog.
Differentiated Learning – This project incorporates reading, writing, discussion, listening, and oral presentations with multi-media support (power-point, pictures, posters, models, etc.)
Just a note - the rubrics used for my project are part of out shool wide rubrics that students must use for their graduation portfolio. This assignment will qualify for them to put it in their portfolios.
Teaching Unit
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
Introduction
As a capstone project for 11th grade American Literature students will read, research, adapt, act and write, in various formats, about Arthur Miller’s seminal play The Crucible.
This unit should last approximately 4-6 weeks depending upon your class’s ability level and dedication.
This unit is aligned with the Performance Standards for Language Arts etc.
Goals
There are several goals imbedded in this unit which will be addressed individually, and in detail in un-coming pages. To be brief the main goals are:
*Students will read “We aren’t Superstitious” by Stephen Benet.
*Students will visit Salem, MA and attend a reenactment of the witch trials. ( am not listing an individual lesson for this as it may not be possible for all teachers or schools)
*Students will complete an internet scavenger hunt to gather information on Eugene McCarthy, the Red Scare, Arthur Miller, The Crucible and the Salem Witch Trials. They will post their findings to the classroom blog.
*Students will set up a News Alert on a current concern that could potentially be used as the Salem Witch trials were.
* Students will read The Crucible both inside and outside of class.
* Students will utilize the Critical Evaluation Sheet to evaluate various websites on Eugene McCarthy, the Red Scare, Arthur Miller, The Crucible and the Salem Witch Trials. They will have to post their findings to the class blog.
*Students will adapt Arthur Miller’s The Crucible into a twenty minute movie.
*Students will write a brief reflection on the unit itself.
*Students will write a persuasive essay voicing their concern about a current concern that has the potential to be abusive toward a segment of the population much like the Salem Witch Trials.
Each part of this unit will address the above-mentioned goals and include pre activities, detailed instructions on any writing assignments, extensions / adaptations you could use to differentiate and assessment rubrics to grade.
* It is highly recommended that students be given the opportunity to visit Salem, MA first hand. I have done a version of this unit (without the internet component) for the last 3 years and have found the Salem visit invaluable to the students understanding of historical events. Ideally this unit would be taught in conjunction with a history teacher.
Lesson One
Introduction:
Before students are even given The Crucible they will read the article, “We aren’t Superstitious” by Stephen Benet to introduce the topic of the witch trials. This should take half or a whole of one class period depending on ability level of students.
English Language Arts Standards:
E1a-c Reading
E3b Speaking, Listening, Viewing
E5a Literature
Goals:
The students will read “We aren’t Superstitious” by Stephen Benet.
They will then discuss what a “witch trial” and “crucible” is.
They will brainstorm current concerns that have the potential to become “Witch Trials” / “Crucibles” for some segments of our population.
Pre-Activity:
Students should discuss what they know of the Puritans. (Students in my school will have read The Scarlet Letter and so are familiar with Puritan society and its hypocrisy.)
Writing Assignment:
After discussing Puritans and Benet’s article students come up with a working definition of the term “Witch Trial” and “crucible”. Prompt: What is a Witch Trial? What is a Crucible?
They will write a paragraph on a current concern they feel has the potential for abuse. Prompt: What is a current issue that has the potential for abuse like the Salem Witch Trials.
Extension / Adaptation:
The reading assignment could potentially be read out loud in class if you have concerns about reading and comprehension ability. Articles on current topic might be provided to help students identify topics that have the potential to become witch hunts.
Assessment:
This need not be formally assessed. The teacher should note participation and check that students have a valid definition of the terms “witch trial” and “crucible” in their notes. The paragraph on a current concern should be checked as pass / fail. If they have a valid topic pass, if not, fail and reassign till they have one.
Lesson 2
Introduction:
The students will learn how to set up a news alert on their topic of concern. They will also complete the internet scavenger hunt. One class period.
English Language Arts Standards:
E1 abc Reading
E3 a,b Speaking, Listening, Viewing
Goals:
The students will set up a News Alert on a current concern that could potentially be used as the Salem Witch trials were.
In class students will complete an internet scavenger hunt, gathering information on Eugene McCarthy, the Red Scare, Arthur Miller, The Crucible and the Salem Witch Trials. They will post their findings to the classroom blog.
Writing Assignment:
Reflection on internet scavenger hunt. Prompt: What specific information did you learn from the internet scavenger hunt? Is there anything you are curious about?
Pre-Activities:
The teacher will discuss what a news alert is. Using the Smartboard the teacher will then show the students how to step by step set up a news alert.
Armed with their topic-of-concern students will set up their own news alert.
The teacher will then have the students access the class blog to get the internet scavenger hunt. Ideally by this time students are familiar with the blog, if not, the teacher needs to show then how to access it and take them step-by-step in the posting of an entry.
*The teacher should be sure to preview all the sights on the internet scavenger hunt.
When the students have completed the scavenger hunt they will post their answers to the class blog.
Each teacher should create their own internet scavenger hunt. It should have between five and ten sites for the students to visit. One has not been attached because of the volatility of the web.
Extension / Adaptation:
Both of these assignments could be done by the students at home but I recommend, if possible, that the students complete the assignments in school. This will ensure all have access, they are not just cutting and pasting someone else’s results, and you can address problems right away.
Assessment:
Have students check their email for confirmation that they set up the news alert correctly in front of you. If did correctly pass, if not fail, till they have confirmation.
Scavenger hunt blogs should: Be thoughtful, note specific information they learned about all topics, grammatically correct.
Lesson 3
Introduction
The students will read Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. This might take anywhere from less than a week to two weeks depending on ability level and meeting times.
English Language Arts Standards:
E1 a,b Reading
E3 a,b,d Speaking, Listening, Viewing
E4 a,b Conventions, Grammar, and Usage of the English Language
E5 a,b Literature
Goals:
Students will read The Crucible both inside and outside of class.
The students will be able to break down and understand the pertinence of each part of a play, including: dialogue, setting, act and scene division, characterization, etc.
Pre-Activities:
Go over the student’s findings on Arthur Miller, The Crucible itself, the Salem witch trials, and Joseph McCarthy. Discuss how you should approach a play and line delivery. Model good and bad delivery.
Writing Activities:
Short reflections on each act and notes on what exactly happened in each act. (I usually give the students little exam booklets to keep all their information on The Crucible together.)
Extension / Adaptation:
You could have the students read it on their own and discuss it in class. For differing levels of students you might simply read it in class assigning or asking for volunteers to read the parts. There are also recorded versions of The Crucible and at least two movies. * I prefer to have the students read in class and at home and then show them the movie version with Daniel Day Lewis and Winona Ryder.
Assessment:
Notebook checks might be instituted to see that they’ve noted all pertinent information. You might also give them a participation grade. The students should all have tried to participate at some level either reading a part or, asking or, answering questions in class.
Lesson 4
Introduction:
Students will utilize the Critical Evaluation Sheet (it follows this lesson) to evaluate various websites. This should be done in conjunction with lesson 4. Students should be allowed approximately one to two weeks to complete this in case they do not have access to a computer at home.
English Language Arts Standards:
E6 a Public Documents
E7 a Functional Documents
Goals:
Students will utilize the Critical Evaluation Sheet to evaluate various websites on Eugene McCarthy, the Red Scare, Arthur Miller, The Crucible and the Salem Witch Trials.
The students will post their findings to the class blog.
Pre-Activities:
The teacher will hand out and go over the critical evaluation sheet. The teacher will then review (if needed) how to post to the class blog.
Writing Assignment:
The student will be required to evaluate ten websites, two for each topic. Prompt: What were your findings when you looked critically at your websites?
Extension / Adaptation:
You could set aside class time and have the students do the evaluations in a computer lab. This would prevent plagiarism and allow you to address any problems immediately.
Assessment:
Blog postings would be evaluated on:
thoroughness: they evaluated a wide range of sites
thoughtfulness: they commented thoughtfully on their findings
mechanics: grammatically correct
Web Site Evaluation Page
When you are looking for information on the web you should use the following criteria to evaluate the quality of the sites accessed. Familiarization with the criteria below will save you time and heartache later. It will also help to discipline you to check and note the bibliographical information you will need to cite in any paper you write.
1. Accuracy How reliable and free from errors is the information?
Who are the editors (are they, in fact, listed)?
Are there fact checkers?
2. Authority What is the author’s qualification for writing on the subject?
How reputable are they?
3. Objectivity Is there a minimum bias?
To what extent (if any) is the site trying to sway your opinion?
4. Currency Is it up to date?
Is publication date clearly indicated?
5. Coverage What topics are covered?
What depth are topics covered?
Lesson 5
Introduction:
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible will be adapted into a twenty minute movie. This should take between two and four weeks.
English Language Arts Standards:
E1 a,b,c Reading
E3b,d Speaking, Listening, and Viewing
E4 a,b Conventions, Grammar, and Usage of the English Language
E5 b Literature
Goal:
Students will adapt Arthur Miller’s The Crucible into a twenty minute movie.
The class will decide whether to update the time period or keep it as is.
They will break into four groups.
Each group will rewrite one act of The Crucible.
The class will then do a full read through of the play.
Students will then set a schedule of rehearsals, cast the play, assign backstage roles including, props, scenery, lighting, sound effects and costumes.
Students will follow their schedule keeping to due dates for line memorization, costumes, scenery, props, lighting and sound integration.
Students will film their Crucible adaptation.
While doing this they are expected to keep a journal listing what they did each class, and any concerns they have.
At least twice students will be required to make an entry onto the class blog which discusses their progress, the class’s project, lists one positive and one issue that needs work.
Students will write a brief reflection on the unit itself
Pre-Activities:
Discuss what an adaptation is.
Explain options they have for changing the play.
Discuss script writing and then give them a rubric on script writing.
Explain the responsibilities of both onstage and backstage roles.
Explain what should be in their journal entries.
Review (if needed) how to post to the class blog and what exactly they should post.
Writing Assignment:
Journal entries for each class.
Two to four blogs should be posted to the class site.
Students will write a brief reflection on the unit itself.
Extension / Adaptation:
This section allows for natural adaptation. Take as much or as little as your class needs. You may find classes take one period to write their act or as many as three. Students who like an audience will gravitate to acting roles. Others will want to do scenery, costumes, etc, even just video taping. There is a role for everyone in your class. No one should be inattentive.
Assessment:
During this whole process students should be evaluated on their participation. Students who do not participate should not get credit for that class. A check system could be employed: check plus 100 – always on task, check 85 – mostly on task, check minus 75 – on task but teacher has to direct, minus 50 – is repeatedly asked to help, and zero – does nothing.
Scripts should contain the following: Act
Setting description: Who is in the room?
What are they doing?
What are they wearing?
What room is it?
What is in the room?
What time of day is it?
What year is it?
Dialogue: Indicates who is talking
Indicates word emphasis
Notes facial expression
Notes body movement
Indicates entry, exit (if needed)
Is grammatically correct.
Schedules are realistic and thorough, accounting for the integration of each group.
Journal list what they did each class, and any concerns they have.
Movie itself: Is well filmed
Features sound effects and / or music
Music / sound effects do not overwhelm actors
Features lighting
Lighting enhances the scenes
Has costumes that reflect the time period / character
Has props and scenery that reflects time period / character or movie
Actors: know their lines
Are audible
Are enthusiastic
In costume
Move around on cue
Interact with other characters
Incorporates all major issues dealt with in the original Crucible.
The blog entry should discuss: their progress
the progress of the class’s project
lists one positive
one issue that needs work
Students will write a brief reflection on the unit itself. The reflection contains:
Discussion of their contribution.
How they think they did on the unit.
Any problems they had.
How they would improve it next time.
Lesson 6
Introduction:
Utilizing information they have gathered from their news alert students will write a formal persuasive essay on a topic of concern that has the potential to become our own time’s crucible. Students should be working on this when they are working on the movie. It should be due a week after the film is finished.
English Language Arts Standards:
E1 c Reading
E2 e Writing
E3 a Speaking, Listening, and Viewing
E4 a,b Conventions, Grammar, and Usage of the English Language
Goals:
Students will write a persuasive essay voicing their concern about a current concern that has the potential to be abusive toward a segment of the population much like the Salem Witch Trials.
Pre-Activities:
They will have set up their news alerts.
Remind them of the persuasive essay format.
Review MLA style and discuss plagiarism. Emphasize the need to correctly document all articles they utilize.
Writing Assignment:
Write a persuasive essay utilizing the five paragraph format. Prompt: What issue is our country now facing that has the potential to become a modern day witch hunt?
Extension / Adaptation:
Because this unit is done at the end of the year I would have them do it completely on their own. You might give students class time to brainstorm, write and edit. A rough draft could be required. Length could be adjusted to reflect the abilities of your students.
Assessment:
Students have a standard rubric at our school for all five paragraph persuasive essays. It includes an introduction with a concise thesis, three body paragraphs that support the thesis and a conclusion that wraps up the issue.
Stock Market Unit
For a little back round, we would be working on review of basic math facts, decimals, fractions etc. We will apply these concepts to the real world through a unit on the stock market. I will introduce the unit by simply asking the students to go home and ask their parents about the stock market. If they invest, what kind of math they need to know and those sorts of simple questions.
Students will use the following skills from our math class in this real-world application:
Organizing information
Graphing
Converting fractions to decimals
Basic accounting and recordkeeping
Decision making
Cooperating within a group
Adding, subtracting and multiplying decimal numbers
Finding percents
Reading stock market pages
Using the Internet to conduct research
Calculator skills
Presenting information in written and oral forms
Self-evaluation
This Unit will last for about one month. After the initial lessons on set up, purchasing, organizing etc. The students will do the project on their own time. Their will be a newspaper available at the beginning of class so they can look up their stocks. The final project will be presented in class.
Lesson 1: Reading the Stock Market
Introduction: This lesson will focus on learning how to read the Stock Market pages in the newspaper or on line. We will work on this in class together using a copied newspaper and they will work on this on their own using a home newspaper or one in the library.
Goals: Students will be able to effectively look up a company, find out how much its stock is worth, and organize this information
Students will be able to figure out the net change of a stock (How much it has gone up or down from the day before)
Pre-Activities: Students will be instructed to go home and find out the name of the paper that comes to their house on a daily basis (if at all). I will ask them to talk to their parents a little bit about the stock market and find out what they might know.
Writing prompt: Find a “good” website (Using our Website evaluation page) to look up a companies stock. Write the name of the website and “how to use” this website to look up a company. Include any information you might need to know before entering the web site, about a company etc. I will review these web sites and come up with a top five list of easiest web sites to use. This will then become an option for looking up your stock daily.
Extension and Adaptation: Students who are entitled to extra time or that may not have access to this information can write about how to look up a company in the newspaper. We will have gone over this in detail in class. They need to include the paper they will be referring to and have good details.
Assessment: The students writing assignments will count as 20 points of a 100 point quiz. The quiz will consist of a page from a newspaper and a list of several companies they need to look up. They will be asked several questions on each company.
Lesson 2: Forming companies
Introduction: This lesson the students will be put in groups of 3. They will decide on a name of their company and pick companies to purchase stock from. They will assign roles in their groups and decide on organization, who will do what.
Goals: Students will be able to effectively work in a group.
Students will be able to research a company.
Understand how to pick stocks to earn the most money.
Pre-Activities: Before we begin in class I will assign students to go home and research a company of their choice. We will talk about good companies. Companies that can be easily uncovered. I want them to pick stock that will be easy to follow. We will talk about companies in the news and what will happen to those stocks. They will have already been assigned to talk to their parents about the market and answer a question; this will give us some good class discussion.
Writing Prompt: Tell what company you picked, why you picked it, and what web site, or sites you found your information on. We will talk more about what the companies do at a later time.
Assessment: Students will be put into their groups on this day. The assessment will come when they begin the stock market project. Working well in groups will be part of their over all grade.
Activities: Today students will open up their portfolios!! They will be provided with today’s stock page. They will need to decide how many shares of each of their three companies to purchase. And away they will go!!!
Lesson 3: Purchasing Stock
Introduction: Students will have their groups organized and the companies they are buying stock from picked. They will have decided how they will keep track of their stock prices etc.
Goals: Students will be able to figure out how much money they have spent buying stock.
Students will be able to calculate how many shares of each stock they should purchase in order to spend the maximum amount of money without going over the limit.
Writing Prompt: In lieu of writing the students will need to keep track of their stock. They have decided among themselves who will do what.
Assessment: Again, their portfolios will be their assessment
At this time I will have introduced the web site of my blog. I will inform the students that they can get on web sites directly from the blog to look up their stock. I will tell them to post any questions they have on the blog. I will answer them either in class or via the web site. I think this would be a great place to use this internet tool. They will be following the stocks for 1 month so it is not something we will be doing everyday in class yet they still may have questions as they go through.
Lesson 4: Selling their stock and Presenting their portfolios
Introduction: We will spend some time in class on this. They will have an end date and they all must use the closing price from the day before. I will bring to their attention how much more they may have made or lost if they had held on to their particular stock!!
Goals: Students will be able to sell stock and calculate how much many their company now has.
Students will be able to put together a report to present what they have done.
Students will be able to effectively present to the class.
Pre-Activities: These would include the month worth of monitoring they have done on their stocks. It will include all of the record keeping they have done and hopefully all of the organized work they have put together.
Writing Prompt: Students will now need to put together a report of their companies.
Some pieces they may want to include but are not limited to are:
Which companies were chosen and why?( What does the company do or make? Are they in the news? Why?)
What happened with each stock?( Did they make or loose money etc.?)
What did you think of your group?(Strengths and weaknesses)
Their final report will include:
Background information about each of the companies they invested in.
Graphs that clearly shows the progress of their stocks.
Charts that clearly shows profit or loss
A master “chart” showing how much money the investors made or lost.
A final statement about what they might do differently, what they learned etc.
Each student will be required to put an individual final statement on the blog. I will invite everyone in the class to go and read them. It must be at least four paragraphs and needs be both the positives and the negatives of their experience.
Mary Ann,
I think your unit is incredible. You also gave me a great idea for incorporating the Google News Alert into a future unit. Thanks, Joan
Unit Title: Cultivating Climate Through Writer’s Notebook
Goal: Use the tool, Writer’s Notebook (paper or electronic (Living Journal), to develop a class community which is adept at exploring how writing can be used to show learning, communicate, express self, observe, take risks, and create. Students will begin to recognize that this tool is a “Living Journal” that can be used to plant seeds of thinking and observation, try out forms, sketch, practice techniques and strategies, and communicate about crafting through paper and electronic formats.
Timeline: Unit will begin with a large dose of modeling over a two-week period. There will be a gradual release of control to students and subsequent mini-lessons focused on utilizing the Writer’s Notebook as a place to plant, store, and revisit seeds of writing that may grow into bigger pieces. Eight to ten lessons will kick off a unit that will grow and morph throughout the year as we grow and experience as a community of writers.
Essential Question: How can the modeling and implementation of Writer’s Notebook in Writer’s Workshop build classroom community?
Related Standards and GLE’s for Seventh and Eighth Grade Students
English Language Arts
Writing Standard: E2
Middle School
E2c: The student produces a narrative account (fictional or autobiographical) that:
*engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a point of view, and otherwise
developing reader interest;
*includes sensory details and concrete language to develop plot and character;
*creates an organized structure
Applied Learning: A3
A3b: The student uses informational technology to assist in gathering, analyzing, organizing, and presenting information:
-Student acquires information for specific purposes from on-line sources, such as the
Internet, and other electronic sources
Middle School Grade Level Expectations, (GSE’s) for Language Arts
W-11: Students will demonstrate the habit of writing extensively by;
• Writing with frequency, including in-school, out-of school, and during the summer
• Sharing thoughts and observations, impressions
• Generating topics for writing
• Writing in a variety of genres
Sequence of Lessons:
Lesson One:
Introduction of Writer’s Notebook- Read Intro, pages 1-6 of “A Writer’s Notebook,
Unlocking the Writer Within You” by Ralph Fletcher
*I will then pass around samples of Writer’s Notebooks from former students, teachers, and my own Writer’s Notebooks.
*We share and chart what we notice is included in the notebooks. Often the students will notice cartons, lists, poetry, short stories, sketches, photos, newspaper articles, and objects such as ribbons, leaves, band aids, shells, etc.
Create a class list of what the students should include in a Writer’s Notebook.
List should include:
• Questions you wonder about
• Current world events
• Memories
• Careful observations
• Sketches of family members
• Images that stick in your mind
• Family stories
• Quotes
• Interviews
• Responses to books and movies you love
• Dreams
Homework: Visit our class blog and read the three Writer’s Notebook Entries (WNB) that I have posted. Comment on content and how I might turn each entry into a piece of writing.
If you are unable to get to an accessible computer please see me and I will set aside 15 minutes for you to visit, process, and respond to blog content.
Lesson Two:
Exploring and Defining a Living Journal or WNB
A) Each student will receive purpose and expectation sheet. Class will analyze and discuss each quote about the WNB.
Purpose: A writer’s notebook is a blank book that a person uses to live like a writer- to write down any daily thoughts, feelings, observations, lists, and snatches of talk heard from other people. A writer’s notebook, WNB, may contain pictures, sketches or newspaper clippings. It is basically a free place to write, each and every day.
Quotes on Writer’s Notebooks:
(From Ralph Fletcher’s A Writer’s Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You)
“Writer’s are like other people, except for at least one important difference. Other people have daily thoughts and feelings, notice the sky or that smell, but don’t do much about it. All those thoughts, feelings, sensations, and opinions pass through them like the air they breathe. Not writers. Writers react. And writers need a place to record these reactions.” (p.4)
“Your writer’s notebook can work as an alarm clock to remind you to wake up and pay attention to what’s happening in your world, both inside and out. There’s nothing more important you can do as a writer.” (p.56)
“Every writer’s notebook is a custom job; there is no one right way to keep one.” (p.133)
B) Students who do not have a computer at home may have 15 minutes during class to respond
to this comment on our class blog. Everyone else, please read classmates responses before posting your own response to this comment. Ralph Fletcher says that “a notebook gives you a roomy space to record and explore what amazes, delights, disgusts or appalls you.”
Lesson Three:
Modeling, Modeling, Modeling
A) I will model an entry for students. I will verbally process, think out loud, as I craft my entry.
Students will then speculate how I came about writing this entry and why the topic might be significant. This is important because WNB’s can often become depositories for lists and silly stories instead of a place to plant rich experiences that can be cultivated later on.
B) We brainstorm places where we can find seeds.
Students chart ideas on paper and we now have a “Where We Find Our Seeds” poster
(Usually the students have over 35 wonderful ideas where to find seeds for writing.)
C) Share an entry I crafted.
What did we notice?
What was the purpose and motivation behind her writing?
What writing moves did she make?
Homework: Create an entry for our class blog or analyze my entry and answer the same focus questions I had posed in class today.
“What did you notice?”
“What was the purpose and motivation behind my writing?”
“What writing moves did I make?”
Lesson Four: Using a Smartboard to stimulate discussion
Using our school’s Smartboard I will visit our class blog and explore some of the entries over the last few days. We will chart what we notice about student entries and pose the three questions I introduced in class yesterday.
“What did you notice?”
“What was the purpose and motivation behind my writing?”
“What writing moves did I make?”
Lesson Steps:
A) Explain what a Smartboard is and what are it’s uses as a technological tool
B) Visit our class blog and model navigation of this blog
C) Carefully choose a few entries and share these entries with the class
D) Chart what we notice about each entry. Use focus questions we used yesterday to analyze whether an entry fits the criteria and expectations for our grade level.
E) Model how to add a comment or entry to our blog. I will Think out-loud as I craft entry. ( I want to invite students into my thinking so they can “have a go” and craft their own dynamic and meaningful entries.)
D) Click on link attached to our class blog that will take students to www.ralphfletcher.com
This link will take students to Ralph Fletcher’s “Tips for Young Writer’s” section
Homework: Students will visit class blog and click on the hyperlink sending them to Ralph Fletcher’s site. They will then write down 5-10 places where we might find seeds for our writing. Students without access to a computer may use index cards and illustrate 5 places where we might find seeds for our writing.
Lesson Five: Steps toward building a Writing Community in Writer’s Workshop
Writer’s Notebook is only one tool in Writer’s Workshop. Mini-lessons, conferences, peer editing, picture books sharing & analyzing, small group, and one on one work are essential components of a successful workshop. I have found that my classes work together and respectfully share and listen when I use a WNB in my classroom. They are forced to practice accountable talk, sharp listening, and be active participants in each other’s learning.
Lesson Steps:
A) Premise: Writer’s select a seed from entries
Students watch as I flip through my entries and then choose one entry to develop.
I then pass out a copy of this entry, (one I had chosen as my model to develop), and
we share and discuss the content of the entry, the crafting techniques I used and the possibilities I might cultivate by developing the entry into something “more”.
B) Share a fifth grade student’s observation entry that was turned into a poem.
C) Questions: What “writing moves” did she make to turn an observation into a poem? Why did she choose this particular piece? How did this piece sing to her?
D) Pass out other copies of student entries. Explain that we can expand our writing by reading other writer’s work and become better writers as we notice technique, beautiful language, and how the author wrote about something that truly moved them.
Students get into groups of three or four and discuss the five entries I have given them.
They must choose one entry to share and respond to our essential questions:
“What did you notice?”
“What was the purpose and motivation behind the writing?”
“What writing moves did he or she make?”
Students must practice eye contact and respectful silence while classmate shares entry and specific comments about the entry.
Homework: On a piece of loose leaf paper or using our class blog, please write about your earliest memory. What sticks in you mind when you think back to when you were younger?
Lesson Six: Writers write about what we know
Writers have rich life experiences. They are detectives and keen observers of what goes on around them. They a unique grasp on how to record:
*What moves them
*What bothers them
*What they see, smell, hear and sense when they are out and about
*Fears, dreams, anxieties
*important moments and ideas
The WNB or Living Journal is a unique place to store these moments, experiences, memories, and feelings. Only with these “seeds” of our observations can we write about what we know and develop these seeds into something more.
A) Students will take out yesterday’s homework or I will return blog entries to those who submitted work electronically. We will share seeds and chart qualities of entries that we believe make quality entries.
B) I will then read a chapter from Fig Pudding called “The Tackle Box”.
C) Students will listen and complete Think marks as I read this story recording their thinking and what they notice about the author’s crafting.
D) Ask questions: Could have Mr. Fletcher have written this chapter if he had never received anything new before? Why or why not?
How did the author create and capture a moment so successfully?
Homework: Itchy to start writing in your own WNB? It’s time for you to purchase a composition notebook. Please bring it to class tomorrow.
*Extra Credit- Search the web using the strategies we have practiced (Boolean modifiers (+, -,), quotation marks, and adding key words) to find one of your favorite author’s web site. Record any useful tips for aspiring writers or any other useful data.
Write down what search terms you used to locate this data.
Lesson Seven: Gradual release of responsibility
Students have been submitting entries and studying entries crafted by former students or myself.
After almost two weeks of lessons and building suspense for us to begin to write entries, the students will finally begin crafting entries in their own special notebook.
A) Take a few moments and set up expectations for how often I expect entries to be turned in and how they will be assessed.
B) Students read expectations and any questions are addressed. Essential questions are reviewed and charted as follows:
“What did you notice?”
“What was the purpose and motivation behind the writing?”
“What writing moves did he or she make?”
These questions may not apply to each entry but as we share and listen to each others unique voice in writing we must become more adept at noticing purpose and crafting style and technique that each of us attempts to apply in our notebooks.
Expectations: Our class spends a few moments each day listening to each other’s voices from our WNB. When a student shares a WNB entry we give them one point. Each entry is given 2 points if it reflects 15 minutes or at least ¾ of a page of quality writing.
Each student is responsible for completing WNB Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Therefore he/she may earn 8 points a week. More if we can enjoy the sharing of their unique voice. We will be checking WNB’s each class. Please bring it with you every class.
About once a week we will set aside time to craft a WNB entry during class time. This will help each of us understand the importance of this type of writing. We will be using this tool to find seeds for our own stories, poems, and unique crafting. You may post these to our class blog during class time or at home.
C) Introducing a crafting strategy-
Students spend a lot of time conceiving ideas to write about. Then they write and write and soon feel they are ready to correct and revise. The big step they’re missing is the essential step of crafting. Flipping through their WNB they might decide to develop a seed. Now they must decide what “writing moves” or crafting techniques they want to try on and develop as they cultivate this seed.
D) Sensory Details-
Sensory details are a great place to introduce a crafting technique. Read Cynthia Rylant’s, Every Living Thing book of short stories. Have students’ use Think marks to record what they notice about her use of sensory language. Chart these thoughts and observations.
E) Follow up lessons might include: A writer’s palette, Listening for language, Finding the Big Ideas, Cracking open language, etc. The goal is to keep the Writer’s Notebook alive and evolving as a tool and instrument of exploration and learning.
Homework: Crack open your WNB and on the back page please write a list of at least twenty places where you can find seeds to write about. I’ll post a class list on our blog when I get a complete list and I can copy it and tape it to the front cover of your WNB.
Lesson 8: Catering to the crowd
Writer’s Notebook can be a wonderful place for students to begin storing memories, seeds for stories and poems, and capturing meaningful moments and events in our lives. But for some students, the concept of writing at all, in a beautiful journal or on our blog, is painful.
Differentiated instruction catering to the various intelligences and modalities can be a huge challenge in any classroom. Opening up the Writer’s Notebook and Living Journal to sketches, graphics, cartoons, pictures, and video clips can be eye opening and fruitful for all involved.
A) Model various media (video and audio), and other formats that are appropriate to include in crafting and creating an entry in one’s WNB or Living Journal.
B) Share Harlem by Walter Dean Myers(with illustrations by his son), A Chair For My Mother by Vera B. Williams, and an excerpt from Arabat by Clive Barker. These books offer various creative formats to express a message and capture a memory or moment.
C) Once again ask students “To carefully listen to the language and search out the big ideas that this author is trying to pass on to each reader.” Then have them talk in small groups and chart “How each writer could have written each story and created images to compliment their language.” What life experiences were they able to plant seeds somewhere and then cultivate?
D) Envisioning
This is an essential step when asking the students to begin sorting through their seeds and beginning to focus possibilities for a piece.
Envisioning is simply to “look ahead” and reflect what your piece might grow into if you practice some writing moves and crafting strategies while framing your language and ideas. Creating story maps, graphic organizers, etc. are all viable steps in this process. Mini-lessons in Writing Workshop utilize the WNB and Living Journal but focus on so much more in an effort to create a community of writers.
Homework: “Have a go” and craft another entry in your WNB or Living Journal on our blog. Be sure to paste this entry into your WNB if posting electronically. You’re invited to play with cartoons that carry a message, illustrations to compliment reflection, and graphics illustrate your thinking.
Introducing Writer’s Notebook or an electronic Living Journal is one essential tool to cultivate community in a Writer’s Workshop classroom. Sharing entries is essential, as is setting aside time mini-lessons to introduce craft lessons and an investigation of books that contain language we can sprinkle, mold, cut, stretch, and color our world in. This unit is the very tip of an introduction and utilization of an evolving tool that I use the entire year and find tremendously useful in my own experience as a classroom teacher and Literacy Coach. “Have a go” and enter the world of wondrous words, imagination, and experience that our students live each day.
Teaching Unit
During the past year, the Rhode Island Department of Education has issued a set of Grade Level Expectations (GLE) applicable for kindergarten to grade twelve. The GLEs are “frameworks and guides used to identify and standardize what is being taught in Rhode Island schools.” (Rhode Island Department of Education) In accordance with the GLEs, third and fourth grade students are required to become familiar with reading and decoding nonfiction texts. In addition, the GLEs require the students to produce a final writing product resulting from gathering information and investigating and organizing facts on a given topic (GLE). The GLEs dovetails particularly well with Information Literacy Standards. Therefore, it was a natural progression for two third grade teachers and me to begin to develop a unit that would address the GLEs and Information Literacy Standards. This unit was developed in collaboration with the teachers in order to assist the students in developing their research and writing skills. Prior to the following lessons, the teachers have taught the students how to read and decode nonfiction books and articles. Each student has chosen an animal to research. The students need to research information in the following categories:
Structure
Habitat
Behaviors
Life Cycle
Amazing Facts
The students were given color coded large index cards with sticky notes. So, for example all habitat information is written on a sticky note and placed on a “yellow” note card. Amazing Facts sticky notes are placed on a “green" index card etc. This information was stored in a plastic bag.
Small oak tag book marks were printed with bullets such as “How to Read Nonfiction Text” The bookmarks also included important web addresses such as the blog and web addresses. The bookmarks were placed on a ring and included in the plastic bag along with the final assignment instructions.
In conjunction, as the School Library Media Specialist (SLMS) I have introduced the students to a number of reference resources including almanacs and encyclopedias. The students have been researching in the classroom and library using print and non-print resources. The following lessons were developed to introduce the students to databases and on-line searches. One third grade has been researching since the end of November. Many of these lessons reflect the trial and error of developing a unit. The computer lab is not a reality as of yet so many of these lessons have been conducted in small groups of five to six students. The final product will include a written report/board with pictures and facts from each of the five research categories. A labeled drawing of the animal is also required. A map indicating the area of the world in which the animal lives is also required for the project. A project evaluation form has been provided for the students.
The lessons reflect the Rhode Island State Standards for Information Literacy:
1. Student will exhibit lifelong reading and lifelong learning skills.
2. Students will demonstrate information-seeking strategies to identify, locate access and retrieve information in all formats.
3. Students will demonstrate an ability to synthesize and analyze information in all formats.
4. Students will demonstrate an ability to organize and evaluate information in all formats.
5. Students will demonstrate an ability to communicate ideas and information through the use of various media.
6. Students will communicate an understanding of responsible and ethical practices related to the use of ideas and information.
Although there are only five lessons listed, there were several lessons taught prior to researching with print resources. Following these lessons, the students will continue to utilize and master these lessons until completion of their research. A project evaluation form is also included in the plan.
Audience: Third Grade /Lesson 1
Rationale: This unit was developed in collaboration with third grade teachers in order to assist the students in developing their research and writing skills. Prior to the following lessons, the teachers have taught the students how to read and decode nonfiction books and articles. This lesson introduces the students to the basics of web searching.
References EDC 920 Session 2
Curriculum Connection Accountability Location Time National Literacy Standards
Science, Reading
Library Media Skills Library Media Specialist Library Media Center 1.5 hours
library/research
time 1 2, 3,6
Objectives:
1. Students will be introduced to the concept of a database
2. Students will able to connect to the Internet.
3. Students will identify the location of the URL address and type in the correct address in the correct place.
4. Students will learn to save the address in “My Favorites”
5. Students will learn to log in and type in a password.
Materials: LCD projector and lap top
22 lap tops via the computer lab
White board
Procedure: Once the students are seated in the computer lab, the SLMS will explain that the students are beginning to learn on-line research for their animal project. She will assess student’s prior knowledge of databases and then explain the concept of a database.
1. Using the lap top and LCD projector the LMS will identify the Internet Explorer icon on the desk top.
2. LMS will instruct students to locate the internet icon and double click.
3. Once connected to the internet the LMS will identify the URL address location and ask the students to type in the following address: http://trial.epnet.com. The LMS will explain in simple language the web address as to protocol, server name and domain.
4. Once on the site the LMS will model the user ID number and the password.
5. The LMS will briefly review each database.
6. The LMS will model and instruct students in saving web site to “My Favorites”.
Evaluation: During the lesson the LMS can assess by observation whether the students have successfully accessed the internet and databases.
Animal Research
Audience: Third Grade/Lesson 2
Rationale: This is the second lesson addressing databases however this lesson introduces search strategies.
References EDC 920 Lesson 2 and 4A
Curriculum Connection Accountability Location Time National Literacy Standards
Reading, Writing
Library Media Skills Library Media Specialist Computer Lab Library/
Research Blocks 1.5 hours 1 2, 3,6
Objectives:
1. Introduce students to the concept of search screen and search terms.
2. Introduce the concept of a Boolean search for example: and, or, not.
3. Students will attempt to search a specific topic.
4. Students will refine the search using the terms and, or ,not
Materials: LCD projector and lap top
22 lap tops via the computer lab
White board
Procedure: The steps from lesson one will be repeated with the students, connecting to the Internet, finding the site in “My Favorites” logging in and providing the user I D.
Once on the site the students will be asked to do the following:
1. Click on the island that says “Primary Search”
2. The LMS will explain that a search term is the word or topic that you want to find information about. The LMS will model typing in a search term in the search box.
3. The LMS will demonstrate the following search strategies and have the students model the strategies:
• Simple search term: horses
• Search term using and: horses and behavior
• Search term using or: horses or donkeys
• Search term using not: horses not ponies
4. The students will model the LMS’s strategies and review the different search results.
5. The students will begin to search their particular topic using the Boolean search strategies.
Evaluation: During the lesson the LMS can assess by observation whether the students are successfully researching their topic. The students have different topics so the LMS will allow the class to experiment with the search strategies using their assigned animal topic.
Unit: Animal Research
Audience: Third Grade/Lesson 3
Rationale: This is the third lesson in the unit and it requires the skills learned from the previous search lessons.
References: EDC 920 Lesson 2
Curriculum Connection Accountability Location Time National Literacy Standards
Reading, Writing
Library Media Skills Library Media Specialist Computer Lab/Library Library/
Research
Block 1.5 hours 1 2, 3,6
Objectives:
1. Introduce students to the concept of search engines in particular Google for kids and teens: http://www.google.com/Top/Kids_and_Teens/.
2. Introduce students to “sponsored results” versus “true results”.
3. Provide students with practical experience searching on a “child friendly” site.
Materials: LCD projector and lap top
22 lap tops via the computer lab
White board
Procedure: The steps from lesson one will be repeated once again with the students connecting to the Internet.
1. The students will be asked to enter the following address into the appropriate space: http://www.google.com/Top/Kids_and_Teens/
2. Once at the site, the students will be asked to enter the address into “My Favorites”
3. The students will be asked to enter the search term “dogs”
4. The LMS will explain the number of results and the meaning of sponsored links on the right hand side of the web page.
5. The students will click on a non sponsored link “How to Love Your Dog”. Once on the site, students will click on the “Dog Safety Link”. Students will review the information on the site.
6. Students will return to the results page and click on the sponsored link
7. Students will review the sponsored and true results site. LMS will guide the review i.e.: Are there ads on the site? Is the site easy to use or did you find it confusing?
8. As a class, via a Venn Diagram the students will compare and contrast the sites and decide which site was the most useful and why.
Evaluation: During the lesson the LMS can assess by observation and questioning whether the students have accessed the web sites. Using the Venn diagram will also help assess student’s proficiency and observational skills.
Unit: Animal Research
Audience: Third Grade /Lesson 4
Rationale: This lesson introduces the students to the concept of a web log.
Curriculum Connection Accountability Location Time National Literacy Standards
Science, Reading
Library Media Skills Library Media Specialist Library Media Center 1.5 hours
library/research
time 1 2, 3,6
Objectives:
1. Students will be introduced to the concept of a web log or blog.
2. Students will be introduced to the concept of posting on the library web log
3. Students will be able to click on the links listed on the library blog.
4. Students will evaluate the links on the library blog.
Materials: LCD projector and lap top
22 lap tops via the computer lab
White board
Procedure: Prior to using the computers, the LMS will hold up sentence strips with the following words printed on them
• web log
• blog
• comment
• archives
• links
The LMS will ascertain if any of the students are familiar with the terms listed above by asking the students to write down what they think or know the definitions to be. The group will share their thoughts on the terms. The LMS will provide a verbal explanation of these terms along with the definitions written on sentence strips. These strips will remain posted in the library.
The LMS will explain the concept of a “blog” i.e.: Internet based journals, can provide links to other sites, readers can respond to the content of the blog. (EDC 920 Session 10) The steps from lesson one will be repeated again with the students connecting to the Internet.
1. Using the lap top and LCD projector the LMS will provide the students with the address of the Hathaway School library blog http://libnews57.blogspot.com/ and model typing the blog address into the address space.
2. The students will be asked to save the address in “My Favorites”
3. The LMS will identify the components of the blog including posts, comments, archives and links.
4. The LMS will ask the students to click on the links KidsClick and Google for Kids and Teens.
5. The LMS and the students will compare and contrasts the two sites noting the number of categories on each site, overall presentation and graphics, result pages.
Evaluation: During the lesson the LMS can assess by observation whether the students have successfully accessed the internet and databases.
Unit: Animal Research
Audience: Third Grade/Lesson 5
Rationale: This lesson is the second in a series of lessons on blogs and the evaluation of Internet sources.
Curriculum Connection Accountability Location Time National Literacy Standards
Science, Reading
Library Media Skills Library Media Specialist Library Media Center 1.5 hours
library/research
time 1 2, 3,6
Objectives:
1. Students will access the library web log.
2. Students will access the links listed on the blog
3. Students will access a site of their choosing relevant to their research topic.
Materials: LCD projector and lap top
22 lap tops via the computer lab
White board
Procedure: The students by this point in the unit should be able to log onto the Internet and connect to the web log via “My Favorites” or by typing in the address.
1. Once on the blog, the students will be asked to click on either KidsClick or Google for Kids and Teens.
2. The students will type in their specific search term on either KidsClick or Google for Kids and choose a site from their result page.
3 .Students will take notes from the site.
4. Students will evaluate the site using the attached form.
Evaluation: During the lesson the LMS can assess by observation whether the students have successfully accessed the internet, blog and sites. The web evaluation will help to evaluate the student’s ability to assess their specific sites and gage how easily the student is researching.
Name: _________________________ Class Code: __________________
Web Site Evaluation
Grade Three Animal Research
1. What is the URL (address) of the Web page you are using?
http:// __________________________________________________________
2. What is the name of the site? ______________________________________
3. Does the page have headings or bold faced words that helped you find your information? ___________________________________________________
4. Are there photos on the page? ________________________. Were they helpful in your research? ________________________________________
5. Was this page helpful to you in your research? Why? __________________________________________________________________
6. Pretend your friend has the same project. Would you tell your friend to use this page? Why or why not? ___________________________________________
______________________________________________
Animal Research Project
Criteria:
Contains accurate information about your research subject
Information is sequenced appropriately
Information includes elaborative details
All writing contains accurate spelling, capitalizations and punctuation
Illustrations represent the research subject
Illustrations fill the space given
Cover includes a title and student’s name with appropriate capitalization
Appearance of the overall project is neat
Works Cited
Boynton, Alice, and Wiley Blevins. Teaching Students to Read Nonfiction. New York: Scholastic, 2004. 3-160.
David, Fontaine, comp. Harnessing The Power of the Internet. University of Rhode Island. Fall 2005
Rhode Island Education Media Association. 12 Dec. 2005
Rhode Island. Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Grade Level Expectations. Nov.-Dec. 2004. 12 Dec. 2005
Chuck King
EDC920 Final
Course:
Digital Photography
North Kingstown High School
Grades 10-12
Unit Length 7-10 Classes
Classroom setting
In order to understand this lesson I think it is important for you the reader to understand the nature of how my classroom operates. At North Kingstown High School we operate in a block system, I see my students for 90 minutes every other day except for the final period of the day which is 45 minutes. I have grades 10-12 in my class with students from all academic tracks. My classes are setup to operate in a shop type environment, when I do lecture or demonstrate I keep it to approximately 20 minutes. The remainder of the time students will either use the skills we have just gone over or continue on with current projects. So therefore these lessons may cover a span of 7 to 10 classes. We have an in classroom computer lab of 15 machines servicing on average 25 students. Prior to beginning this unit students would have been instructed on how digital cameras function, showing them in detail how the digital image is captured and converted into a viewable image.
Unit 1: Using Adobe Photoshop to improve the quality of an original image.
Teacher will begin lesson with examples of altered images. A classroom discussion will also follow on the ethics of digital photography. Is it ok to present digital images as photography and how has digital photography affected the media.
Adobe Photoshop
Teacher will give visual examples of what Adobe Photoshop can do and how industry uses it on a daily basis
Selection Tools
Teacher will give a quick overview of the tools available in Photoshop
Objectives
The objective of this unit is to familiarize students with Photoshop’s tools
Outcomes
The student will:
Learn how to use the selection tools
Learn how to use the clone stamp and the band-aid stamp
Learn how to use layers and opacity to his advantage
Activities
Teacher directed activities on:
Square elliptical marquee tool
Lasso tool
Magic wand tool with color range command
Using rubber stamp tool to duplicate parts of the image
Using the band-aid tool to correct minor defects in the image
Select using sampled colors (eye dropper)
Selecting and deselecting an entire image
Adding to a selection
Smoothing a selection
Copying and pasting a selection
Assignment
Students will use the tools learned to create a new and altered image. Students will combine parts of 3 different photographs into one new photograph.
Students will present finished work on http://northkingstownadvancedphotography.blogspot.com for individual comments and also during a classroom critique.
Students will also be asked to state their views about digital photography on the classroom blog.
Unit 1 part 2 A perfect face
Teacher will begin this lesson with a demonstration of studio type lighting of a portrait, using a digital camera wired to a large projector or TV to provide instantaneous results. Teacher will also provide students with examples of Studio lighting and natural lighting.
Teacher will also discuss with students the proper method of posing a subject.
Tools used
Adobe Photoshop
Canon Eos Digital Camera
Studio Flash Units
LCD Projector
Objectives:
The student will be able:
Use the digital camera to photograph a single subject
Use the cameras controls to manipulate the exposure
Concentrate on proper composition
Use Adobe Photoshop’s’ brightness and contrast, color correction abilities and tools to enhance image quality.
Activities:
The student will:
Photograph a fellow classmate
Use Photoshop’s tools to manipulate the image
Use Photoshop’s tools to remove blemishes from the subjects face, remove unwanted hair, and eliminate distracting background images
Assignment:
Students will photograph a member of the class using studio lighting units. Students will be required to retouch their subject to the best of their ability. Students will removing all blemishes, unwanted hairs, removing or adding earrings if appropriate. Changing lip color, adding or removing highlights within the eyes. Students will provide 2 finished prints, 1 un-retouched and one retouched for class critique and comparison.
Unit 1 part 3 Image Restoration
This unit will explore the possibilities of using Photoshop as a tool to restore old and damaged photographs. Students will first be shown how a flatbed scanner records it’s information and converts it into a viewable image. Students will be shown examples restored images and their originals. Students will be asked to express what it may mean to be able to restore a family image. Students will also be shown a short 5 minute video detailing the power of photographs on people who have lost everything in a Midwest tornado.
Tools:
Adobe Photoshop
Epson Flatbed Scanner
Objectives:
The student will be able:
Use the scanner to import a damaged or old photograph into a digital format
Use Adobe Photoshop’s’ brightness and contrast, color correction abilities and rubber stamp tools to enhance image quality.
Convert image from Grey scale to RGB/CMYK
Use Adobe Photoshop’s tools and filters to restore the image to its’ original state
Activities
The student will:
Scan in an old time family photograph
Use Photoshop’s tools to manipulate the image
Use Photoshop’s rubber stamp tools to remove items and eliminate distracting items
Use Adobe Photoshop’s color correction tools
Use Adobe Photoshop’s filters to aid in recreating as close to the original as possible
Students will produce 1 retouched image and one original image for comparison.
The final corrected print will be placed upon the classroom blog for viewing and additional comments.
Students will also be asked to use the internet to research the field of image restoration, posting their findings on the classroom blog. Students will include prices and links when available.
Student Assessment
Student assessment is done on a day to day informal basis. Students are evaluated on individual lab skills, students are also evaluated on how well they work in a communal setting. Students are also graded on classroom rubric.
Skills evaluated are:
Artistic Qualities
Technical Qualities
Creativity
Design Qualities
Standards Used
The digital photography program at North Kingstown High School is located within the
Careers Department. Our program does align itself very closely with the National Arts Standards.
Karen Kuhn
EDC920
Final Project
Teaching Unit: Focusing on Disabilities
Objective: Students will become aware of what it means to have a disability and will enhance their understanding of and tolerance for, kids with all kinds of special needs.
Goals: Through books, internet research, classroom activities and guest speakers, students will be able to:
1) Respond to journal questions, activities, and quizzes critically.
2) Turn information into knowledge
3) Utilize different search strategies
4) Complete a basic web search and expand to a more advanced search.
5) Analyze data
6) Set-up a personal "News Alert" regarding their topic.
7) Perform a critical evaluation of websites (Accuracy, Authority, Objectivity, Currency, and Coverage)
8) Use a "local" search engine to find agencies that will come and speak to the class.
9) Post to a classroom blog.
Standards:
A3 Information Tools & Techniques
The student gathers information to assist in completing a project/work
Identifies potential source of information to assist in completing the project
Shows evidence of research in the completed project
The student uses information technology to assist in gathering, analyzing, organizing and presenting information.
Acquires information from specific purposes from on-line sources, such at the internet, and other electric data bases.
Uses word-processor, graphics, data base & spreadsheet program to produce project related materials.
A2a The students make an oral presentation of the project plan or finding to an audience beyond the school.
A2b The student publishes information using several methods and formats such as overhead transparencies, handouts, and computer generated graphs and charts.
Literature E5
The student will produce work in at least one literary genre that follows the conventions of that genre.
Speaking, listening, and viewing (E3c)
The student prepares and delivers an individual presentation.
Lesson 1
1. Journal Entry: What does it mean to “Have a disability?” Do you know anyone who has a specific disability? What is it? Please make a list of all the people that you know who has a disability.
2. Tell students that over the next few weeks, we will be looking into a few different types of disabilities. Then, using a graphic organizer, such as a web, have students list/state all the things that they know about disabilities.
3. Next, ask students to search three web-engines of their choice to find out what a “disability” means. Have them document how many sites were listed on each one.
4. Finally, ask them to define what a disability is.
Lesson 2,3 and 4
1. Journal Entry: What do you think visible and invisible disabilities are? Give examples of each.
2. Have class report/share their findings on what a disability is. Then discuss the ADA definition and visible and invisible disabilities.
3. Introduce books: Taking Down Syndrome to School by Jenna Glatzer, Taking Autism to School by Andreanna Edwards, Taking A.D.D. to School by Ellen Weiner, and Taking Diabetes to School by Kim Gosselin.
4. Have students chose a topic that they would like to research more about. They will need to find out a) what is the disability b) how do you "get" the disability (is it genetic) c) are there any cures and d) are there any treatments available.
5. Create a K-W-L chart
6. Develop a search strategy (use hand-out).
7. Model how to search the web using phrases and quotes to narrow the search.
8. Use "The Vee Map" graphic organizer to help students focus on the various steps and typs of knoweledge needed for their research investigations.
Lesson 5 and 6
1. Journal Entry: Looking at the information that you have found, how can you tell if the information is biased?
2. Discuss web-evaluation techniques (Ex: Tell me who wrote it? What are their credentials? Is the information current?)
3. Review list of how to recognize information on web pages (Ex. org, gov, edu, etc.)
4. Complete activities found on www.internetdetective.com
5. Review the sites they have already chosen. Determine the sites quality.
Lesson 7
1. Journal Question: Are the most reliable and valid sites you looked at always posted at the beginning of your search? Explain your reasoning.
2. Introduce "News Alerts".
3. Have students determine which News Alerts we should subscribe to.
4. Sign-up for the News Alert.
Lesson 8
1. Journal Question: (After reviewing the alert) Was the News Alert helpful to what you are researching? How might you use this alert to help you find out additional information?
2. Refer back to lesson 1 and ask the students to name some of the disabilities that they had mentioned earlier. Also, refer back to the books.
3. Tell students that they need to have a guest speaker come in to talk about their disability.
4. Perform "local" search to find agencies that would be willing to come in and share with the group.
5. Contact agencies
Lesson 9
1. Journal Entry: How many famous people do you know of have disabilities?
2. Take the Celebrity Quiz on http://library.thinkquest.org/11799/data/funstuff.html.
3. Find three additional famous people that have a disability.
4. Post your findings to the classroom blog.
Lesson 10
1. Journal Entry: What was the most important thing that you learned about your disability? How would you deal with this disability if you had it?
2. Classroom discussion on disabilities. Students will present their findings to the class.
3. Complete K-W-L chart.
Students will be graded both informally and formally. A scoring rubric will be used.
Unit 1 Essays for the Superintendent
• Each month the superintendent requires each student in the district to complete an essay on different topics.
• For this unit I am coteaching with a homeroom teacher.
• Together teaching the students to write their essays, teaching different concepts.
Lesson 1
Objective – students will learn how to post to our classroom blog.
• Students will be introduced to our class blog
• Students will practice by posting a message to the blog
Lesson 2
Objective- Students research the topic of the month using Boolean Logic
E.L. 8- Students will conduct simple searches on the internet with guidance from teacher on an appropriate search engine
E. L. 6 – The students will use a variety of materials/technology to research a topic for a written report or other project.
• After the students research their topic they will use these ideas to write their essay.
• Their final copy will be posted on our class blog page for the superintendent to view.
Lesson 3
Objective- Students set up a news alert for the topic of the month.
E.L. 3- The students will express his/her thoughts using forms of written language in essays.
• The students will set up news alerts for the monthly topic to get ideas.
• Their final copy will be posted on our class blog page for the superintendent to view.
The monthly essay topics:
September/October-Character & Values
November- Social Studies
December- Science
January- Reading/Litercy
February- Math
March- Health/PE
April- Arts
Rubrics for Paragraphs
Language Arts, Grades 4-6
Writing
Paragraphs
Name Date
6 = exceeds expectations, 5 = meets expectations well, 4 = meets expectations, 3 = minimally
meets expectations, 2 = needs improvement, and 1 = needs significant improvement.
Focuses on only one topic of proper scope, fully developed.
6 Supporting details all correct, clear, and explain main idea very well.
Has very clear statement of main idea in correct, exactly-placed sentence.
Develops ideas in very logical order, and uses transitions as needed.
All sentences correct, clear, varied, and interesting.
Has one minor error of mechanics, usage; vocabulary clear and exact.
Focuses on only one topic of proper scope; fully developed.
5 Supporting details correct, clear, and explain main idea well.
Has clear statement of main idea in correct, well-placed sentence.
Develops ideas in logical order, and uses transitions as needed.
Almost all sentences correct, clear, and somewhat varied and interesting.
Has 2-3 minor errors of mechanics, usage; vocabulary clear.
Focuses on only one topic of proper scope; developed.
4 Supporting details mostly correct, clear, and explain main idea fairly well.
Has statement of main idea in correct and/or well-placed sentence.
Develops ideas in fairly logical order; a few transitions missing/confusing.
Most sentences correct and clear, not too dull or repetitive.
Has 3-4 minor errors of mechanics, usage; vocabulary clear.
Focuses on one topic but not a clear single topic; and/or not fully developed.
3 Some supporting details incorrect, unclear, or do not explain main idea well.
Has statement of main idea in correct and/or well-placed sentence.
Does not develop ideas in very logical order; transitions missing/confusing.
Most sentences incorrect and unclear and/or quite stilted.
Has 4-5 minor errors of mechanics, usage; vocabulary sometimes unclear.
Does not have a clear single topic; and/or topic is not developed.
2 Many supporting details incorrect, unclear, and do not explain main idea.
Lacks a statement of main idea in a correct sentence.
Does not develop ideas in any order, and transitions missing.
Most sentences incorrect and unclear.
Has more than five errors of mechanics, usage; vocabulary unclear.
No clear topic.
1 Lacks supporting details.
Lacks a statement of main idea in a correct sentence.
Ideas not developed in any order and transitions missing.
All sentences incorrect and unclear.
Chris Daigneault
EDC 920 Final
Course:
Physical education/ Weight Training
Coventry High School
Grades 9-12
Unit Topic: Weight Training and Personal Fitness
I was hoping to be able to integrate some of what I learned into a physical education setting. I predominantly teach physical education, and did not want to do lessons for classes I would never use.
Coventry high school has block scheduling consisting of 4 /82 minute classes. Each student has 8 classes that meet every other day and physical education students only meet for 1 semester. We see students either 2 or 3 times a week depending on their rotation.
When teaching regular P.E. classes, I have restructured my classes to cover 3 major topics that change every class: fitness, cooperative activities, and a core activity. We do the same thing for 2 consecutive classes and then change the following week. I have found that this keeps my students excited about the change and they do not get bored doing the same thing for a whole quarter.
As far as my lesson for this class, I chose to model my weight training class, because this is an on-going unit for the whole semester. We have a newly stocked weight room with modern equipment, which has brought excitement to both the students and the teachers. We meet approximately 20 times in a quarter; this is what my unit plan will cover. I have tried to integrate the internet as much as possible, as I felt it would fit into weight training as a whole.
These are the National standards that all students are given and expected to follow: N.A.S.P.E.
1. Applies movement concepts and principles to the learning and development of motor skills.
2. Understands that physical activity provides opportunities for enjoyment, challenge, social interaction, and self expression.
3. Demonstrates competency in many movement forms and proficiency in a few movement forms.
4. Demonstrates responsible personal and social behavior in physical active settings
5. Achieve and maintains a health-enhancing level of fitness
6. Demonstrate understanding and respect for differences among people in physical activity settings.
7. Exhibit a physically active lifestyle
Lesson#1 Orientation
Objective: To prepare students for the bulk of information they will be going over throughout the quarter and to make them aware of all of the equipment they will have the opportunity to be using all quarter.
Students will receive a stapled binder of all the information to be covered throughout the quarter. Teacher will go over expectations and outcomes.
Orientation to the weight room: includes all rules, responsibility, safety, and how to use each machine properly,
Students will be given their first assignment: Personal fitness Goals
• They will be expected to list the reasons for taking class and what they expect to get out of it.
• What their hopes are for their body, strength, endurance, body composition, or aerobic capacity.
• They will need to write 2 personal goals
• List ways to motivate self
• List improvements needed in nutrition
Technology:
Students will be encouraged to go on-line to search the internet to understand the difference between strength, endurance, body composition, and aerobic capacity. Also, to understand how to write attainable fitness goals. (During my surfing, I did find a few sites on writing attainable fitness goals). They will ask to sign up for the classroom blog designed to pass information onto all students. (Fictitious right now, but something that is definitely possible in the future)
Lesson 2 Routines
Objective: To make students aware of the amount of time and effort they should be putting into receive the desired results.
Teacher lecture 1st 20 minutes: Frequency, recovery, execution, sets and repetitions.
Students are then given the remaining time to exercise and ask questions pertinent to the lesson.
Assignment # 2
Pretest on knowledge of anatomy and relative exercises
Students will be given their task, which is a work in progress throughout the quarter.
Task: To create their own personal fitness program geared towards reaching their personal goals. (Students will be expected to search the internet for different types of training) any information taken from the internet will be expected to be written into a bibliography.
Students will be asked to begin logging their workouts in the classroom blog. (Right now, they have written logs)
Lesson # 3 Anatomy part 1
Objective: To have students associate their muscles with specific exercises.
Teacher lecture 1st 20 minutes: Anatomy of the upper body and exercises associated with each muscle. Example: Pectoralis major/minor- bench press, incline press, chest press, and dumbbell flies
Students are given the remaining time to exercise and ask questions.
Expectation is for students to understand the proper terms of their muscles and what exercises are designed to specifically target that area.
Assignment # 3
Physical pretest to see what students are capable of doing: upper body only
Bench press, push-ups, pull-ups, and crunches as according to The National Fitness Gram
• Tests are standardized and follow a specific procedure for accuracy.
Students will be asked to plug in information on the computer to obtain their fitness score.
• Log all activity during class including test results in the classroom blog.
Lesson # 4 Anatomy part 2
Objective: To have students associate their muscles with specific exercises.
Teacher lecture 1st 20 minutes anatomy of the lower body and exercise associated with each muscle. Example: Quadriceps- squats, leg raises, leg press, leg extensions, step-ups, and lunges.
Students are given the remaining time to exercise and ask questions.
Assignment # 4
Physical pretest part 2 – lower body (running pacer test and leg press)
Pacer tests aerobic capacity and leg press tests strength.
*Students will be expected to plug their numbers into the fitness gram and obtain their fitness score.
*Students will be expected to log activity during class on the classroom blog.
Lesson # 5 Scheduling
Objective: To give students a hard copy example of the types of scheduling they should be trying to make for themselves
Teacher lecture the 1st 20 minutes of class on figuring out the proper schedule for you. Allowing yourself enough time to complete workouts, knowing you will be able to get all workouts in.
Handouts: 2 schedules I made up for block scheduling, 1 for a 2 class week, and 1 for a 3 class week.( This is a sample of how to exercise all muscles in this short period of time, if that is all you have time for)
• This gives them a sample of what their final task could look like.
Chest: (Pick 3 exercises; do 3-4 Sets, 8-12 Reps each)
1. Flat bench- Dumbbells or straight bar
2. Incline bench- Dumbbell or straight bar
3. Flies
4. Decline bench-Dumbbells
5. Push ups
Biceps: (Do 3-4 Sets, 8-12 Reps Each)
1. Standing curls- Straight bar or dumbbells
2. Preacher curls-preacher bar or dumbbells
3. Incline curls- sitting on incline bench with dumbbells
4. Pull Ups- Palms facing in, shoulder width
• After weights or during, 20-25 minutes cardio training and abs*
Legs: (Do 10-12 Sets in total)
1. Squats- Straight bar, dumbbells, or no weight
2. Lunges-
3. Leg Press-
4. Calve raises
5. Leg Extensions and Flexion
Shoulders: (Do 9-12 Sets total)
1. Press- Dumbbell or straight bar
2. Lateral and frontal raises- Dumbbells
3. Shrugs- Dumbbells or straight bar
• After weights or during, 20-25 minutes cardio training and abs*
Back: (Do 10-12 Sets total)
1. Pull ups or Pull downs
2. Bent over rows, sit down rows, or side rows
3. Dead lifts or hyper extensions
Assignment # 5
• Obtain a sample workout on the internet, post the reliability of site where information was attained, when the site was last updated, who the author is, and what organization if any supported the article. ( Students will be instructed where to look for this information)
• Record all exercises done during class in classroom blog
Lesson # 6 Circuit Training
Objective: To show students an exercise routine capable of working all muscles in a short period of time.
Teacher will discuss for 5 minutes the routine and the idea of following stations and how much weight to use when training.
Circuit training for remainder of time.
Assignment # 6
• In Class- To complete circuit, which takes 50 minutes
• Reflection- Write a reflection discussing your thoughts on circuit training and how you could or couldn’t use this in your routines.
• Post reflection on blog and print out a hard copy to turn into teacher.
Lesson # 7 Checking pulse and the importance of monitoring Heart Rate
Objective: To have students be able to take their own pulse and understand the significance of keeping track of it while exercising.
Teacher lecture for 10 minutes about resting heart rate, maximum heart rate, and target heart rate. Students will also be expected to know the names of the arteries where the pulse is being taken.
Remaining time will be spent working out and on in- class assignment.
Assignment # 7
• In-Class- To ride exercise bike for 10 minutes. They will be expected to record their resting heart rate (before they ride), heart rate 5 minutes into riding, and post heart rate immediately after stopping.
• Students will be expected to post their results in the classroom blog; including: resting heart rate, 1st 5 minutes, post 10 minutes, and maximum heart rate.
• Students will also be asked search the internet to find out what their target heart rates should be according to their age and weight. They will be asked to post their ideal heart rate if exercising at 80% their maximum heart rate.
Lesson # 8 Body Fat Analyzer
Objective: To make students aware of the significance of body fat% and body mass index. To make students aware of the healthy and unhealthy numbers to keep track of during their lifetime.
Teacher lecture 10 minutes on how to use the body fat analyzer and the significance in the numbers that come up on the screen.
Students will be given the remaining time to exercise on their own.
Handout: Includes the healthy zones for age, weight and height.
Assignment# 8
In-class- students will be expected to test themselves with the body fat analyzer and record the numbers in their logs
Reflection: students will be asked to write about their thoughts about their own results and what they think they need to do to either change their numbers or continue to keep them the same.
Lesson # 9 throughout the remainder of class (Maintenance, routine and repetition)
Objectives: Students will be expected to be working on their routine daily.
Students will be monitored to correct their form and performance.
To allow students freedom to experiment with the types of exercises and routines they are most comfortable with.
Teacher will still lecture 5 to 10 minutes every class repeating previous information. Teacher will discuss all previous information, reinforcing the anatomy and exercise specifically for each muscle.
Students will be expected to be exercising each class, trying to perfect a routine that they are most comfortable with and they will receive the most benefit toward reaching their desired goals.
Assignments 9 to end of class
• Students will be expected to keep up their daily blog in the classroom blog.
• Students will be graded every class on their overall effort in class( Rubric 1-5)
• Students will be expected to be working on their final task( creating their own routine) providing samples when possible
• Students will turn in final task and complete a post test on anatomy and exercise related to each muscle.
Grading:
Students are graded 1-5 every class based on the weight training rubric:
Sample:
Content Knowledge: 5 demonstrate complete knowledge of weight training principles and procedures. Always applies knowledge to practice for results. Willingly shares knowledge with others. Anatomical knowledge is excellent.
Technique: 5 always demonstrate proper technique while lifting. Never sacrifices form for more weight or more reps. Always uses proper cadence and breathing techniques. Realizes the importance of being in control of the weight that is being lifted.
Intensity: 5 Demonstrates proper level of intensity based on specific workout goals all of the time. Does not over or under train. Completely understands how to manipulate the work to rest ratio.
Total Work: 5 Always completes all sets and reps in each workout. Fully understands the link between consistency and results.
Attitude: 5 attitude is always positive. Works very hard to progress in training. Is always encouraging and helpful to others irrespective of their background or ability. Always a pleasure to work with.
** This is the part of the rubric for a 5 or an A overall, the rest of the rubric just changes slightly as rubrics typically do.
** I hope this is enough technological integration into a physical education class. Considering the setting I am in, I think students in my class get a significant amount of technology integrated into their lessons.
This was supposed to be attached , to show a sample of a workout that I give the students to fit into our block scheduling. This gives them an idea of how to use their time wisely and get a full body workout for the week.
Monday
Chest: (Pick 3 exercises; do 3-4 Sets, 8-12 Reps each)
1. Flat bench- Dumbbells or straight bar
2. Incline bench- Dumbbell or straight bar
3. Flies
4. Decline bench-Dumbbells
5. Push ups
Biceps: (Do 3-4 Sets, 8-12 Reps Each)
1. Standing curls- Straight bar or dumbbells
2. Preacher curls-preacher bar or dumbbells
3. Incline curls- sitting on incline bench with dumbbells
4. Pull Ups- Palms facing in, shoulder width
• After weights or during, 20-25 minutes cardio training and abs*
Wednesday
Legs: (Do 10-12 Sets in total)
1. Squats- Straight bar, dumbbells, or no weight
2. Lunges-
3. Leg Press-
4. Calve raises
5. Leg Extensions and Flexion
Shoulders: (Do 9-12 Sets total)
1. Press- Dumbbell or straight bar
2. Lateral and frontal raises- Dumbbells
3. Shrugs- Dumbbells or straight bar
• After weights or during, 20-25 minutes cardio training and abs*
Friday
Back: (Do 10-12 Sets total)
1. Pull ups or Pull downs
2. Bent over rows, sit down rows, or side rows
3. Dead lifts or hyper extensions
Ellen M. Caron EDC920 Final Project December, 2005
As a high school librarian, I am very fortunate to experience and work with a vast array of classes encompassing all grades and disciplines. Every student at Cranston East (>1600) should have participated in some type of activity involving the library, be it for book selection or as part of a class. I strive to develop lessons or activities that will benefit or enrich classroom instruction. Teachers schedule visits to the library with their classes according to a flexible schedule. Most often teachers have the lessons all planned and he or she discusses the objectives with me. Oftentimes I offer certain alternatives that I feel will be of benefit to the instruction. Unfortunately, my suggestions and/or alternatives are not always welcomed. Believe it or not, to our chagrin, there are instances when a teacher will say, “We don’t need you, or you don’t have to do anything.” That statement is not meant as an insult, but it does sting. They just want to utilize the library resources, forgetting that we librarians are also a vital resource. While participating in Harnessing the Power of the Internet, so many more great ideas for classes have developed which I have shared with teachers. They show interest, but it is hard for them to juggle their schedule to accommodate me. They schedule library classes when they want to, not when I want them to.
Next school year, Cranston East (CHSE) is doing away with study hall periods. The library caters to dozens and dozens of study hall students daily. I hope to propose some type of library elective to my principal that students can sign up for so that I will have the freedom to teach what I want to teach and do it my way.
The following lessons may be tailored and adapted as needed to fit classroom needs and abilities.
It is my hope and plan to add additional lessons that I have at my school computer later today. Unlike some school districts, we have school 12/23.
Lesson 1.
Boolean Searching for Googlers
The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed.
The information literate student selects the most appropriate investigative methods or information retrieval systems for accessing the needed information
The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively.
Outcomes: Students employ the use of AND, OR and NOT in keyword searching in order to construct logical, effective searches for research topics.
Students develop a clearer understanding of how the use of Boolean logic operators can improve their search results online and in databases.
Learning Activity:
Students are shown a demonstration of the Destiny online library catalog to locate library materials using Basic Search and Power Search, the latter incorporating Boolean operators.
Students are then asked to stand up and I say, “I am searching for a student who forgot something in the magazine closet room. I have a description that was given to me by another student.”
I then give a description using “and” & “not.”
Students sit down as criteria no longer apply to them. I write terms on the whiteboard as I go through the exercise:
student NOT girl, dark hair AND jeans, white shirt NOT wearing glasses
I change criteria in order to end up with a different student to illustrate through acting how to work with Boolean operators effectively. I also add some other terms by prompting, “Instead of saying ‘student’ what could I have said that would mean the same thing?” Possible answers: classmate, teenager, teen, juvenile, minor, adolescent, Thunderbolt (Cranston East Thunderbolts).
I demonstrate on the Destiny catalog how using synonyms or alternate keywords can yield completely different results. I use “death penalty” and “capital punishment” as examples.
I work through similar processes on the white board for the topic – Should assisted suicide be legal? I ask students for synonyms for assisted suicide and alternate words for legal.
I ask students to list keywords relating to this topic.
I ask questions such as What is one concept from this topic? What other words may be used to describe it?
Is there another part to this topic? What other words may be used to describe it?
This helps us to develop possible searches we can use.
Practice and Assessment: Students complete worksheet on the topic they will research in a future session answering the above questions. The end result should be a search, and it should use the operators correctly and the terms should be logical.
An alternate activity I often use is the , “Shuffle and Deal” activity created by Michelle Blackman of Grossmont College. I distribute a deck of cards to students, one card per student. I ask those students with face cards to raise their hands (or stand up). Ask those with cards that are both face cards AND red cards to raise their hands. Point out that there are fewer cards now than there were before...because of the Boolean operator AND.
Ask those students with "number" cards to raise their hands. Ask those with "number" cards OR black cards to raise their hands. Point out that there are more cards now than there were in the previous "hand" because of the Boolean operator OR.
Similar examples can be used to show the NOT operator if desired (a Jack that is NOT a spade, etc.)
Students practice Boolean web searching with this online tutorial: http://newterra.chemeketa.edu/library/instruction/tutorials/boolean/boolean.htm
If time allows, students practice using Boolean operators on the Destiny catalog and a search engine of choice.
Students will be conducting research on a specific topic in the following weeks. They use this time to explore available books relating to possible topics, narrow down a topic, and possibly decide upon a topic.
Lesson 2. (2 class sessions)
Website Evaluation of the Googlers
The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively.
The student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently.
The student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively.
The student who is an independent learner is information literate and strives for excellence in information seeking and knowledge generation
The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and recognizes the importance of information to a democratic society.
The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and participates effectively in groups to pursue and generate information.
Outcome:
Students will be able to evaluate Web sites in order to select web resources to conduct efficient and effective research.
Learning Activity 1: Googling Just for Fun
I learned this game from a co-worker, so I do not know the actual origin to credit.
Zero-Google Game:
As an extension to Lesson 1, this activity demonstrates the importance of using specific keywords when searching the Internet. Students work in pairs on an Internet hunt. The goal is to conduct a Google search using two words and attempt to come up with ZERO results. It is harder to achieve than it sounds. The goal is to teach them that there can be a vast wasteland on the Internet of useless information. They must use very specific vocabulary to retrieve good results.
Learning Activity 2:
Students are prompted to consider examples of choices or selections made in their everyday lives:
:what college to attend
:what movie to see
:what DVD player or leather jacket to purchase etc.
In a similar situation, when conducting research and using the Internet, certain criteria need to be met before including a site into their work. I have condensed it into three components:
-The Source- i.d. the group or person responsible for the site, the credentials, and the contact info
-The Purpose- to inform, persuade or entice, sell, or entertain
-The Content- is it updated and current, free of bias or commercial intent, free of errors and presented professionally
Having put all of the above into consideration, an informed decision can be made whether to use a site or not.
Show an example or two of “bad” websites then show a valid site. Discuss the above criteria while reviewing the following sites.
http://www.improb.com/airchives/classical/cat/cat.html
http://www.perp.com/whale/
http://www.peepresearch.org/
http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/site_students/index.html
Learning Activity 3:
This activity gives students an opportunity to critically evaluate a web page. Students are aware now of the importance of evaluating web resources for authority, publisher, purpose, objectivity, and currency.
Students work in pairs. Each group is assigned a specific website to explore and evaluate if it demonstrates or does not demonstrate the above indicated criteria. Students have the opportunity at the next session to demonstrate why or why not they reached a website of merit by displaying their site to the class on the large screen via the LCD projector.
Assessment: Students are shown a website about bullying in schools on the large screen.
URL: http://www.nasbe.org/Educational_Issues/Policy_Updates/11_10.html
They look at the web site and write on an index card whether or not this site would be a good source for a paper on this topic and indicate at least two reasons why, based on the criteria.
Students should now be comfortable and ready to conduct individual research using quality and valid websites.
Lesson 3: Citations
The information literate student understands many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information and accesses and uses information ethically and legally
The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and participates effectively in groups to pursue and generate information.
Outcome: Students will be able to identify the elements or components of a citation in order to be able to interpret the references as they conduct research.
Students become aware of the importance of citing their work and giving credit where credit is due.
This lesson can be an introduction to citations or a refresher course. December and January are especially busy times in the high school library because all juniors and seniors are required to complete a formal research paper. The English teacher instructs students in class about citations and the proper format etc. Classes visit the library to fill out note cards or bibliography cards on books, scholarly articles, websites and other library resources that they may use for purposes of the research paper.
Activity 1: We discuss labels that are found on everyday items and the descriptive elements such as music Cd’s, nutrition labels on cereal boxes, clothing labels etc. In research, citations are similar to labels because they provide a description of the resource being used.
Utilizing the LCD projector, I bring students to http://www.cambridgecollege.edu/student/upload/APA%20September%202003.pdf
to look at the different styles and types of APA citations and we dissect some samples.
I point out the different components for book versus journal citations. Students work in pairs at a computer station and further examine the numerous citations in this article. We looked at the Sample Reference pages found on 15 and 16. I called out various components of a citation and students respond with correct answers. Winning pair with most correct answers receives junk food from my candy bin.
Students go to the CHSE Library homepage to access the Destiny catalog to view the Publication info for books.
Activity 2:
A stack of issues from different journals and magazines is distributed among pairs of students. Students examine an issue per group and take 5 minutes to select an article in their issue and create a citation for it on a 3x5 index card. The groups return their issue with the 3x5 card to the front of the class. Someone from each group takes a 3x5 card and finds the issue listed in the citation, then locates the article. Experience in creating and deciphering citations is gained, as well as the recognition of the need for accuracy, Students offer each other peer review .
Lesson 4. Controversial Issues Research Project
The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively.
The student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently.
The student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively,
The student who is an independent learner is information literate and pursues information related to personal interests.
The student who is an independent learner is information literate and strives for excellence in information seeking and knowledge generation.
The information literate student evaluates information and its sources critically and incorporates selected information into his or her knowledge base and value system.
Purpose: Students will choose a topic of interest to research, choose a “for” or “against” stance and explore opinions. Present their persuasive argument to the class.
Topics:
Death penalty Teenage curfews
Stricter laws involving juvenile crime Laws regarding pollution
Gay marriage and/or adoption U.S. involvement in foreign affairs
Use of performance-enhancing drugs Standardized testing
School uniforms School prayer
Media violence Minimum wage
Gun control Cloning
Animal rights Iraq
Immigration Salaries of professional athletes
Right to die Marijuana legalization
Cigarette smoking Alcohol
Students conduct research on the chosen topic using a minimum of three sources: book, Internet, and subscription database.
After researching and exploring both sides of the argument, students choose a viewpoint to support and write a persuasive essay presenting their opinions. They will also produce a pamphlet utilizing Microsoft Publisher.
Students are brought to the library as a class on three successive days.
Day One:
Utilizing the LCD projector, students are shown how to access and explore the subscription databases from the CHSE Library homepage, Student Resource Center- Gold and Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Many times this will just be a review. Students learn about the databases as freshmen during Library Orientation and are often reminded by me and by classroom teachers to utilize them.
Students are reminded how to conduct Boolean searches using their search engine of choice and how to evaluate the chosen websites and document sources.
CHSE Library has an extensive collection of Opposing Viewpoint books covering a magnitude of issues. Students have access to the Destiny catalog to locate needed books and materials to borrow. Students spend this period conducting research using various sources and documenting these sources for future reference. Students are also encouraged to visit the library before and after school or during study hall period to work on this project.
Day Two:
Students are introduced to Google Alerts and shown how helpful they will be for this project. I show the alert I created on my own account using “block scheduling” as my alert term. The amount of hits I receive daily for this alert is amazing. I point out to students the pros and cons to this topic. Many people favor the block, while others want nothing to do with it. Both sides are heavily covered. Students with their own personal g-mail accounts are encouraged to take advantage of this alert system. Students without e-mail or Internet access outside of school are given the opportunity to create an alert on my library g-mail account, chselibrary@gmail.com. They can visit the library daily to view their alerts.
Students continue with research and citations.
Day Three:
Students are shown a demonstration of how to create a brochure using Microsoft Publisher.
Students are made aware of the numerous websites to access images to include in the pamphlet. Amazing Picture Machine, (http://www.ncrtec.org/picture.htm), Image Finder,
(http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/ImageFinder/) ,Yahoo’s Picture Gallery, (http://help.yahoo.com/help/gallery), as well as Web Places Clip Art Searcher,
(http://www.webplaces.com/search).
Students continue with research, citations, and pamphlet design.
The classroom teacher is grading students according to her persuasive essay rubric and on creativity and accuracy with the pamphlet.
Unit- “Natural High”- Dealing with stress
Time line- 6-7 classes (84 min periods) Length of time can vary depending on classroom discussions and how well the students absorb the material. Freshmen are the only students in the school that take health and it is only every other day for one quarter. This leaves little time to go into great depth concerning health issues.
Final Product
1) A "Natural High" Poster
2) A Narrative Description of themselves
3) A Presentation
Natural High Project
Students will construct a collage of pictures, drawings and words. This collage should express the activities, groups, people, pets, hobbies, sports, foods, places, colors, and styles that the student likes. These are neurotransmitting events that make one feel good, happy, content, and adjusted to his/her life. A essay must be written explaining the importance of the items on the poster. Students should be creative and explain why they like the things they have included on their poster. Have the students explain why the activities, etc. help support a healthy personality.
Lesson one
Computer lab. There will be a brief overview of the unit and the “Natural High” collage assignment. The students are asked to construct a healthy balanced collage of pictures, drawings and words. This collage should express their goals and the activities, groups, people, pets, hobbies, sports, foods, places, colors and styles with which they like to surround themselves. More details will be given in lesson two. Then an introduction to google scholar and google news alert. With the assistance of the teacher, students will use google scholar to investigate some of the topics from the pre-approved list that will be distributed. They will then set up an alert of their choice from the same list of topics. Topics can include; coping mechanisms, addiction, physical and psychological responses to stress, depression, drugs and alcohol, or any other related topic deemed fitting by the teacher. One result of the students choice from the google scholar search should be emailed to the teacher. Students will return to the computer lab during a future lesson to accommodate any computer availability issues involving retrieving the results of the google news alert. If time, students are to use the remainder of class to print pictures for use on their collage. There are filters in place to ensure appropriateness of the searches.
Lesson two
Stress and coping mechanism. Readings from the text Health-Making Life Choices and articles provided usually from Current Health. Class discussions will begin with uncovering any previous knowledge of stress and healthy means of stress reduction. Continue by introducing the physical responses of pleasurable experiences that result in the positive emotional response. This should include the role neurotransmitters have on a person’s state of mind and stress levels. The “Natural High” assignment and rubrics are distributed to the class. They can use the remainder of class to begin their assignment and finish it for homework.
Lesson three
Addiction and Depression. Collect Collages. Readings from the text and articles provide along with class discussions. Watch video Addiction and the Brain. Discuss the body’s physical response to drugs and how drugs can burnout the body’s pleasure pathway. Include more detailed information on endorphins and neurotransmitters.
Lesson four
Return to the computer lab to view “news alerts” and have students pick one to email to the teacher. Hand back scored collages. The remainder of class the student is asked to write a creative and elaborative description of their poster that represents their goals, natural highs and strategies to deal with stress. Finish essay for homework.
Lesson five
The students present his/her finished poster to the class. This provides the students with an opportunity to share themselves and their goals and interests with the class. It is a good way for students to get to know other students in more depth.
Learner Expectations
Communications
1A: Read widely, attentively and on grade level for a variety of purposes, including academic, vocational, and leisure. The student will read the Current Health Article "What is Inside the Teenage Brain" and selected readings from the Health Education Text Book.
1B: Write for a variety of purposes and audiences, creating suitable ways to communicate ideas. Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and reduce health risks by identifying and creatively explaining in writing how they balance the stress in their lives.
1C: Speak, listen and converse intelligently in order to share information, build relationships, and promote understanding. The students will deliver an oral presentation around themselves, explaining their "Natural Highs".
Critical Thinkers and Problem Solvers
2A: Work independently, plan and organize the pieces to their Natural High Collage.
2B: The student will define common health problems associated with drug abuse and stress and seek to demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors "Natural Highs" to reduce health risks associated with overwhelming stress, inactivity or drug abuse.
2C; The student will collect and organize information about themselves by first brainstorming about themselves and their "Natural Highs". Then the student will drawing pictures and words use photographs, look through magazines for pictures and/ or down loading pictures from the internet to complete the collage.
2D: Apply strategies and implement a plan of action. The student will analyze and demonstrate the knowledge that the individual may develop good mental health.
2E. The student will compile their thoughts and pictures/words, interpret and organize the findings.
2F: The student will draw logical conclusions about how to balance their stressful lives with activity, goals and healthy fun.
Respect And Responsibility
3A: Accept personal responsibility for the well being of self and others by demonstrating the development of healthy habits to ensure physical, social, emotional and mental health.
3D: Show tolerance for human diversity by listening attentively while other students present their posters to the class.
Body Of Knowledge
4A: Know themselves. The student will create a poster that facilitates how well they know themselves.
4B: Know about others. The student will listen to the presentations of others and evaluate the presentation and the poster.
Content Standards And Indicators
Rhode Island Department Of Education
Comprehensive Health Instructional Outcomes
Mental And Emotional Health Standards
1.2 Students will understand concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention as a foundation for a healthy life by analyzing the interrelationships of mental, emotional, social and physical health.
3.2 Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors by evaluating personal stress management habits to determine strategies for enhancing health and reducing risk.
6.2 Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal setting & decision making skills to enhance health by analyzing the ability to use different strategies when making decisions related to the physical, mental and emotional health needs of dealing with stress.
Substance Use And Abuse Prevention
1.2. Students will understand concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention as a foundation for a healthy life by analyzing the impact of substance abuse and addiction on the functioning body systems including brain function and performance.
3.1. Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and reduce health risks by analyzing the role of individual responsibility for healthy behaviors.
6.1 Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal setting and decision making skills to enhance health by analyzing the ability to use multiple strategies when making decisions related to substance use and coping with stress.
7.4. Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal health by utilizing strategies to overcome barriers when communicating information, ideas, feelings and opinions about substance use issues.
Grade Span Expectations
W–10–5
Students demonstrate use of narrative strategies to engage the reader by creating images, using relevant and descriptive details and sensory language to explain themselves.
OC—10—2 in oral communication, students make oral presentations by presenting their "Natural High" posters to the class.
OC—10—2.1 The student will exhibit logical organization and language use, appropriate to audience, context, and purpose of presenting information about themselves.
OC—10-2.2 The student will maintain a consistent focus during the presentation.
OC—10—2.3 The student will elaborate using anecdotes, analogies, artifacts, illustrations and detailed descriptions and provide a coherent conclusion.
Reflection
Reflective Essay Criteria
1. Reveal your thoughts and feelings to relate learning with the project.
2. Use details.
3. Use logical and sequencing of ideas through well-developed paragraphs.
4. Use transitions to enhance organization.
5. Restate personal learning in conclusion.
6. Proof read.
There is a school wide, as with most schools, which scores; reflection of personal experience, organizational and structural development of idea, conclusion and grammar and punctuation.
Revisions
This is a classwork-based project. The student has opportunities to discuss this project with the teacher at all phases of completion. As with most health assignments if the student is unhappy with their grade they may revise and re-submit.
Evaluation Rubric
Rubric: Max. 10 points
Visual appeal Max. 5 points
The poster is:
• Very attractive, creative, appropriate theme and shows many examples of interests -5 points
• Attractive, appropriate theme and shows many interests - 4 points
• Attractive, inappropriate theme, few interests - 3 points
• Not attractive, overwhelming inappropriate theme and few interests -2 points
• Assignment was not completed -1 point
Presentation / Written Description Max. 5 points
• The student has many artifacts expressing their interests and goals and discusses them by elaborating, using anecdotes, analogies, artifacts, illustrations and detailed descriptions. These interests are varied and the student demonstrates and understanding that his/ her interests and goals are strategies for dealing with stress. – 5 points
• The student has many artifacts expressing their interests and occasionally discusses them by elaborating. The students interests indicate limited strategies for dealing with stress. – 4 points
• Has limited artifacts expressing their interests and discusses limited strategies for dealing with stress. – 3 points
• Doesn’t get the correlation that it is their choice whether or not they participate in varied strategies including goal setting to deal with stress and that these interests enable you to remain happy, content and adjusted. -2 points
• Assignment was not completed -1 points
.
JMS
Narragansett High School
UNIT: Putting a Face on Abnormal Behavior: How Psychological Disorders Affect Everyone
CONTEXT: This unit will be given to my Abnormal & Social Psychology Class. This is a 2nd semester course, and we meet every other day for 77 minutes in a block schedule. I split the course and generally cover Abnormal Psych during the 3rd Quarter and Social Psych for the 4th Quarter. Many of my students will be from the first semester, but some will be new to the class and need to be given an introduction to basic Psychological thought, methods, etc. I will then lead the class thru the introductory components of defining abnormal behavior and the history, theories, models & methods of treatment for disorders (see content standards 1 & 2 below). These introductory classes will take approximately 3 weeks. This unit will be incorporated into the class from the beginning, so students can work on it throughout the course, and culminate at the end of the 3rd Quarter.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What is Abnormal behavior, who decides what it is, why does it happen, where does it appear most prevalent and how is it treated?
Learner Expectations
Students shall:
Communicate effectively using oral, written, and technological formats.
Read critically with understanding and interpret a variety of materials.
Demonstrate the use of reasoning and problem-solving skills and strategies.
Acquire the behaviors and skills for independence and collaboration.
Participate as a citizen in the local community.
Grade Span Expectations
W-10–1 Students demonstrate command of the structures of sentences, paragraphs, and text by…
W—10--1.1 Using varied sentence length and structure to enhance meaning (e.g., including phrases and clauses) (State)
W—10--1.2 Using paragraph structures appropriately (e.g., block or indented format (State)
W—10--1.3 Recognizing organizational structures within paragraphs or within texts (State)
W—10--1.4 Applying a format and text structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context (State)
OC—10—2 In oral communication, students make oral presentations by…
OC—10—2.1 Exhibiting logical organization and language use, appropriate to audience, context, and purpose (Local)
OC—10—2.5 Using a variety of strategies of address (e.g., eye contact, speaking rate, volume, articulation, enunciation, pronunciation, inflection, voice modulation, intonation, rhythm, and gesture) to communicate ideas effectively (Local)
Applied Learning Standards
Students will communicate effectively using oral, written, and technological formats.
Students will read critically with understanding and interpret a wide variety of materials.
A3c The student uses word-processing software to produce a multi-page document; that is, the student:
• uses features of the software to create and edit the document;
A1a Design a Product*, Service or System
* A product can take one of two forms
1) A physical product designed to provide a preliminary solution to a problem.
2) An intellectual product which includes critical analysis of primary and secondary sources that investigates an issue and proposes alternative solutions
A2a The student makes an oral presentation of project plans or findings to an audience with expertise in the relevant subject matter, that is the student:
organizes the presentation in a logical way appropriate to its purpose;
adjusts the style of presentation to suit its purpose and audience;
speaks clearly and presents confidently;
responds appropriately to questions from the audience;
evaluates the effectiveness of the presentation and identifies appropriate revisions for a future presentation.
A2c The student develops a multi-media presentation combining text, images, and/or sound, that is the student:
selects an appropriate medium for each element of the presentation;
uses the selected media skillfully, including editing and monitoring for quality;
achieves coherence in the presentation as a whole; communicates the information effectively, testing audience response and revising the presentation accordingly
A3a The student gathers information to assist in completing project work, that is the student:
identifies potential sources of information to assist in completing the project;
uses appropriate techniques to collect the information, e.g., considers sampling issues in conducting a survey;
interprets and analyzes the information;
evaluates the information in terms of completeness, relevance, and validity;
shows evidence of research in the completed project.
Content Standards: This course follows the National Standards for the Teaching of High School Psychology. I include relevant excerpts here for clarification and guidance, the specific standards used are at the end.
Quality high school psychology curricula should be taught by faculty who foster learning through teaching, technological access, and relevant research applications. Faculty should also nurture different outlooks among students and staff through the infusion of various cultural and ethnic perspectives.
Writing. Writing assignments are traditional techniques for active learning. Writing involves analysis and presentation of ideas, deliberate shaping and elaboration of one’s thoughts, and considered feedback from the reader (Fulwiler & Young, 1990; Nodine, 1990). Writing assignments can range from modest in-class paragraphs and weekly self-reflection logs to extensive research papers (Tchudi, 1986). Although some may be graded, Maimon, Nodine, Hearn, and Haney-Peritz (1990) provided examples of several ungraded writing exercises. Even if not graded, however, all writing assignments should receive feedback from the teacher or other students.
Research. Student research is an important tradition in psychology training. It can involve varying levels of skill, commitment, independence, accountability, and active learning. Active learning in research can range from serving as a subject in an experiment and critically analyzing the experience to engaging in research activities incorporated into classes and laboratory courses. It can also involve working in a lab to learn laboratory techniques or conducting independent research to be presented as an honor’s thesis, reported at a research conference, or prepared for publication. These activities help students become independent learners, formulating their own questions and seeking the answers to them (Beins, 1988; Ewing, 1991a, l991b; Hovancik, 1984; Kierniesky, 1984; Palladino, Carsrud, Hulicka, & Benjamin, 1982).
The final domain, Sociocultural, has intrinsic appeal to high school students. Because each of these standards can effectively introduce students to the major themes and concepts of the domain, we do not endorse one particular content area over another. Typically, teachers will elect two or more units to represent social and emotional processes. The psychology course should provide substantive content and opportunity for self-examination of the student’s personal attitudes to promote understanding of differences in people who vary by ethnicity, race, class, sexual orientation, religion, gender, and able-bodiedness.
The success of psychology in solving behavioral problems will depend, in part, on an educated citizenry versed in the critical-thinking skills that underlie science. The public must distinguish real psychology from the fads and pseudoscience of pop psychology. Individuals need to understand the multiple causes of behavior and have some knowledge of the methods that can produce behavioral change. There is no better place for these things to begin than in a science-based high school psychology course. These standards are an important step in improving the quality of such courses, and their adoption is crucial in providing high school students with the understanding they need to enhance the quality of their own lives as well as contribute more broadly to their world.
Teaching of Psychology and the Internet
One cannot go a day without reading or hearing some news about the Internet. Companies now include their Internet addresses in their commercials. Politicians are setting up their own Web sites. The telephone company is even including e-mail addresses in the phone book. The Internet permeates almost every aspect of our society.
Despite all the publicity the Internet has received in the past few years, many people still have little idea what it is, how it functions, or how it could benefit them. The Internet began in the 1960s as a Defense Department project designed to ensure communications in the event of a nuclear war. The Internet is essentially a means by which computers exchange information via phone lines and more sophisticated means. The information exchanged can be as simple as a written message or as complex as a full computer program or a live television broadcast. Once a computer is connected to the Internet, we can exchange information between that computer and almost any other computer on the Internet. The Internet has grown from its Defense Department beginnings to include computers at universities, colleges, government agencies, businesses, and other organizations, with millions of daily users from all walks of life and from all over the world.
Information on the Internet comes in a wide variety of forms, and there are many tools used to organize, locate, transfer, and otherwise share that information. These tools include e-mail, gophers, World Wide Web sites, search engines, newsgroups, listservs, on-line journals, and many more. With its size and magnitude, the Internet can occasionally overwhelm and confuse even the most advanced computer user. However, with patience and time, anyone can learn to use the Internet.
Why Get Connected to the Internet?
The versatile Internet can be a valuable tool for teaching high school psychology. Among the most important uses are to communicate with other psychology teachers, do research, and obtain psychology-related computer software.
Communicating with other psychology teachers is probably the most common and beneficial use of the Internet. In many cases, a psychology teacher at the secondary level is alone because no one else in the building teaches psychology. In the past, communicating with other psychology teachers meant sending letters, attending workshops, and joining professional organizations. Getting connected to the Internet can now be added to that list. With the Internet, you can easily communicate with hundreds of other psychology teachers. An Internet connection allows teachers to get knowledgeable responses to questions in time for the next day’s class.
Besides providing easy communication among teachers, the Internet also provides access to computers with a wealth of information on almost any topic imaginable. For example, many libraries have their complete card catalogs on-line. Newspapers, such as the New York Times, The Washington Post, and Chicago Tribune, have on-line editions. Complete books can be found. Research now can be done with the click of a button, without ever leaving home or school.
Sharing computer programs on the Internet is almost as easy as sharing written information. Some of the psychology-oriented Internet sites discussed below carry small programs designed by and for introductory psychology teachers. Internet Tools
The World Wide Web
The World Wide Web (WWW, or the Web) is one of the latest and most exciting developments on the Internet. Information on the Web is organized into millions of "Web pages," each of which may include text, graphics, sounds, and even short movies. Web pages are connected to each other using a programming feature called "hyperlinks," which allows the reader of a page to click on a word or graphic on the page to move to another section of that page or to connect to a completely different Web page.
Before the Web, the Internet was organized by location. If you wanted to find information on a certain topic, you had to know the addresses of the computers that carried information on that topic (think of a library in which the books were arranged on the shelves according to publishing company!). The Web makes it far easier to find information on a topic by organizing the information according to subject matter. A Web page may provide hyperlinks to any number of other pages covering the same topic, even if each of those pages is stored on a different computer located in a different country. To access one of those other pages, the user simply clicks on the appropriate hyperlink, and the Internet automatically sends the user to the appropriate computer.
For example, someone could establish a Web page dealing with mental retardation. The page could contain a brief text description of mental retardation and its causes, as well as pictures of important researchers. In addition to the text and pictures, a hypertext link could be included for the Mental Retardation Association’s Web page. Users interested in viewing that Web site would simply click on that link and be transferred to that page, which may also have hyperlinks to other resources on mental retardation.
Since 1995, Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) has maintained a Web site written by and for high school psychology teachers. The site contains
• Information on TOPSS, including how to join
• Items to assist teachers of psychology in their classroom planning
• Items for professional growth and development
• A listing of the e-mail addresses of psychology teachers on the Internet
• Hypertext links to Web sites of interest to psychology teachers
The address for the TOPSS Web site is included in the list of sites at the end of this section.
Using the Internet and the World Wide Web Effectively
The Internet is a wonderful source of information, but using the Internet effectively requires some care. Because there is so much information on the net, it can sometimes be difficult to find what you are looking for. The World Wide Web provides a number of "search engines"—programs that can help point you to the information you want—but it is not uncommon for a search engine to report that there are tens of thousands of sites that meet the criteria you gave for your search. When you find a site of interest, be sure to record the name of the site, or you may never find it again. Most programs for browsing the World Wide Web provide a "bookmark" function that allows you to electronically record the names of sites you expect to use often.
If you assign students to look for information on the Internet, you must provide very clear guidance on how to maximize the results of the search for relevant information. As with educational software, the teacher should carefully preview the assignment to uncover any unusual problems the students are likely to encounter.
Remember, too, that material on the Internet may not have been peer evaluated, so its validity is not guaranteed. Anyone can create a home page and put anything on it; the material may not be even remotely accurate, although professional sources are more likely to know what they are talking about. Students will need guidance on weeding out the less accurate sources.
Conclusion
The information presented in this section should help you get started exploring the technological resources for teaching psychology. Remember that these resources are changing on an almost daily basis, so it is worth revisiting them periodically to see what is new. If you cannot find anything that meets your specific needs, the Internet mailing lists are a perfect forum for requesting help. You are probably not the only one who will benefit from the response you get. If you do find a resource that meets your needs, let others know about it. Whatever technological resources are eventually developed, your greatest resource is your colleagues.
Standard Area: Psychological Disorders
Content Standards
After concluding this unit, students understand:
1. Characteristics and origins of abnormal behavior
2. Methods used in exploring abnormal behavior
3. Major categories of abnormal behavior
4. Impact of mental disorders
Content Standards With Performance Standards and Suggested Performance Indicators
CONTENT STANDARD 1: Characteristics and origins of abnormal behavior
Students are able to (performance standards):
1.1 Distinguish the common characteristics of abnormal behavior.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Listing criteria that distinguish normal from disordered behavior
• Identifying patterns of behavior that constitute abnormality
• Describing how some abnormal behaviors may be designated as abnormal only in particular historical or cultural contexts
1.2 Cite examples of abnormal behavior.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Describing observable symptoms of abnormal behavior
• Distinguishing disorders on the basis of severity of interference with functioning, such as psychotic versus nonpsychotic disorders
1.3 Relate judgments of abnormality to contexts in which those judgments occur.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Recognizing the influence of context in designating abnormal behavior
• Identifying how judgments about abnormality have changed through history (e.g., homosexuality or epilepsy)
• Describing some abnormal behaviors specific to particular contexts or circumstances
• Acknowledging sociocultural implications of labeling behavior as abnormal
• Citing examples of misdiagnosis that may result from evaluator ignorance of relevant cultural and situational norms for behavior
1.4 Describe major explanations for the origins of abnormality.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Describing biological approaches as explaining disorders arising from physiological sources
• Characterizing psychological approaches as explaining disorders derived from psychological sources, such as emotional turmoil, distorted thinking, and learning
• Identifying sociocultural approaches as explaining how sociocultural factors, such as class, influence diagnosis
• Defending spiritually based explanations for abnormal behavior (e.g., soul loss, transgression against ancestor)
• Recognizing that a label, such as schizophrenia, does not explain, but only describes abnormal behavior patterns
• Exploring the long-term impact of diagnostic labels even after successful treatment
CONTENT STANDARD 2: Methods used in exploring abnormal behavior
Students are able to (performance standards):
2.1 Identify the purpose of different research methods.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Describing methods used in research on abnormal behavior, such as case studies, experiments, and surveys
• Justifying the use of one method over another to answer a specific research question
• Discussing how animal models of abnormality offer insight into human problems
2.2 Characterize the advantages and limitations of different research methods for studying abnormal behavior.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Evaluating the quality of research conclusions derived in a specific study
• Speculating about the preferred method for answering a specific research question
• Discussing validity of findings of research methods with different cultural groups
CONTENT STANDARD 3: Major categories of abnormal behavior
Students are able to (performance standards):
3.1 Discuss major categories of abnormal behavior.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Explaining selected categories of abnormal behavior, such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders, substance abuse disorders, and schizophrenia
• Identifying symptoms of selected categories of disorders
3.2 Explore the challenges associated with accurate diagnosis.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Examining the influence of class, gender, ethnic, or age bias on diagnosis
• Explaining how psychologists with different orientations produce different diagnostic conclusions about the same case example
• Exploring how definitions of abnormality differ over time and across cultures
CONTENT STANDARD 4: Impact of mental disorders
Students are able to (performance standards):
4.1 Consider factors that influence vulnerability to abnormal behavior.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Exploring how sociocultural factors influence vulnerability to abnormal behavior
• Describing the role of heredity as it influences risk for abnormal behavior
4.2 Discuss the stigma associated with abnormal behavior.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Citing historic or fictional examples of stigmatized behavior
• Speculating about how abnormal conditions might influence acceptance in contemporary life
4.3 Speculate about means for promoting greater understanding of abnormal behavior.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Describing historic efforts to promote tolerance of those stigmatized by mental disorder
• Developing a strategy to promote support for individuals with specific mental disorders
PRODUCT: Each student will be asked to select a specific category of behavior and address Standards 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2 & 4.3 directly by completing the following graded tasks:
1) Select a partner and a topic 10 pts.
2) Research in the school’s media center & develop a research strategy for finding information online 30 pts
3) Use critical evaluation tool for all cited online information 30 pts
4) Create an online “news alert” for your topic 10 pts
5) Monitor “news alert” and write 1 page “saturation” synopsis* 40 pts
6) Create Photo Story* to introduce topic to class 200 pts
7) Write a formal 3-5 page research paper* covering topic 150 pts
8) Post to the Class Blog on designated issues 30 pts
* These tasks are known to students and are not “taught” in the lesson. The lesson supports these skills and their development. Students are familiar with them and their assessment.
Technology and Other Resources Needed
Resources needed to complete this project:
Access to Media Center for books, periodicals, and electronic databases such as Gale Group and the TOPPS Resource Center
Websites: Will vary according to the topic being researched.
Electronic Devices: digital voice recorders
LESSON 1:
Introduction: Introduce project and topic choices
Goals: Students get an idea of what is going on and why it is important:
Since this is a Quarter project, they will need to know the basics up front, and follow along during upcoming lessons to ensure they have the tools they need to complete the tasks. So these lessons are not necessarily in a direct chronological order, but are sequential.
Pre-activities: The Hook: The very first day of class I like to show the opening scene from the movie “The Hidden”. It takes 5-7 minutes and I explain that they will be asked to respond to questions as to what they saw, and how they interpret it. The scene depicts a man robbing a bank and leading the police on a car chase, culminating in his eventual crash, and being shot by several police officers. The next scene shows him in the hospital, barely alive, as the police and doctors wonder aloud as to why he did what he did. At this point I stop the movie and give them a hand out that ask several questions from it, ranging from specific data (how many tellers were in the bank scene? How many officers did he shoot? What make was the vehicle he drove? What was he wearing? Which officer fired first at the final scene?) and then ask them to hypothesize as to why he might have shown such aggressive behavior. Answers are collected, and we discuss them. Most students guess he is “psychotic” or “deranged” or “anti-social” or blame his bad upbringing etc. After they have all had a chance to respond I tally their votes and we watch the next scene. The scene shows the man open his eyes and struggle to the next bed, where he “regurgitates” the alien inside of him so it can stay alive in a new body. This gets the students agitated, as they accuse me of “cheating” them somehow. I use the discussion that follows to highlight how behavior can be seen in a variety of ways, by different people with different backgrounds, opinions, beliefs, etc. I also tell them that the history of Psychology is riddled with demonic possessions, spirits, witches and even “alien” invasions as explanations for abnormal behavior. I assure them that in some places of the world, these causes are still attributed (such as the African woman being tried in a court of law as a witch last year), but that we would focus on the scientific evidence. We then spend time brainstorming the various kinds of psychological disorders that students are aware of. Create list on board and then have them look for common themes and categorize into “realms”. Add any needed topics not stated by students. Invite speculation as to what “is” and what “is not” abnormal behavior, and how these ideas change from time to time and place to place.
Main body: Pass out project and go over basic details of it. Refer students to generated and updated topic list that will include the following topic options:
Problems of Anxiety and Mood
1- Generalized Anxiety disorder and phobias
2- Panic disorders and Stress disorders
3- Obsessive-Compulsive disorder
4- Mood disorders
5- Suicide
Problems of the Mind and Body
6- Eating disorders
7- Substance-related disorders
8- Sexual disorders & Gender-Identity disorder
Problems of Psychosis and Cognitive Function
9- Schizophrenia
10- Disorders of Memory & Cognitive functions
Lifespan Problems
11- Personality disorders
12- Disorders of childhood
13- Disorders of Old Age
Brief descriptions are given and students are encouraged to look thru textbook for further examples and ideas before choosing. The critical evaluation tool is also introduced in this lesson. Its use is mandatory for all cited internet materials.
Writing assignment: By end of class, they will list on a 3x5 card their top 3 choices and who they will work with (partner). A rationale is given for the 1st choice, as many students know someone with certain disorders and all attempts are made to align students with topics they desire to know more about.
Assessment: Students are given a daily classroom participation grade, up to 10 pts, are graded on their viewing of the movie scene and answers (1st quiz grade)and will be given credit for returning properly completed cards by end of period.
LESSON 2: (1st day of research)
Introduction: “Critical evaluations”, search strategies and Blogs, then research in the school’s media center.
Goals: Students get an idea of what is going on and why it is important to their research on these topics. Focusing their information seeking to specific sites, and resources within the school.
Pre-activities: Topic selection is finalized and distributed. Any last minute “objections” to topic choice are discussed and settled. Basic media center policy is discussed (mentioning our media specialist always get the student’s attention) Question? How will you find information about these disorders, and how will you know it is good? Solicit feedback, and discuss options, leading them to the idea of specific, credible sites and documented scientific materials.
Main body: Pass out critical evaluation tool and explain its use and relevance to this project. PowerPoint slides from Lesson 7 & 8 for this course will be used in class to illustrate need and use. (Due credit will be given, but I will not use the audio portion, as I like to hear myself speak.) Blog website is then shown and address given. All students have a special code that they sign into computers under, and posting will be required by end of class to show they can get there and log on. Remaining time is allotted for individual research.
Writing assignment: Post to blog is a brief “hello”. Other writing includes filling in note sheets (part of research paper requirement) and critical evaluation forms.
Assessment: Students are given a daily classroom participation grade, up to 10 pts, and be given credit for posting to the blog and for each completed evaluation form.
LESSON 3: (2nd day of research)
Introduction: News Alerts, then research in the school’s media center.
Goals: Students get an idea of what is going on and why it is important to their research on these topics. (News Alerts are sure to be a new concept, so they will be given proper coverage and students will be monitored for understanding)
Pre-activities: Question? How can you find new information about your topic and be sure you are getting all of the updates for the next 6 weeks? How can you do research and get the background information AND keep up to date on the most current findings?
Main body: Define the term “News Alert” using PowerPoint slides from Lesson 4a for this course will be used in class to illustrate need and use. (Due credit will be given, but I will not use the audio portion, as I like to hear myself speak.) Students have unique email addresses that will be used to collect the alerts. Remaining time is allotted for individual research.
Writing assignment: Post to blog to acknowledge creation of News Alert, and where it is located. Other writing includes filling in note sheets and critical evaluation forms.
Assessment: Students are given a daily classroom participation grade, up to 10 pts, and be given credit for creating the news alert, posting to the blog and for each completed evaluation form.
LESSONS 4,5,6: (days 3,4 & 5 of research and computer use)
Introduction: Photo Story, then research in the school’s media center.
Goals: Students are familiar with functioning of Microsoft Photo Story and its components for their topic. Students will be compelled to create a Photo Story that tells a human story, one of someone who lives with a disorder, and not as a disorder that affects someone. Basic requirements will include:
3.1 Discuss the definition, symptoms and overview of disorder(s)
3.2 Explain challenges with diagnosis of disorder
4.1 Show factors that influence vulnerability this disorder(s)
4.2 Discuss the stigma associated with this disorder(s)
4.3 Advocate support and understanding for those who suffer from this disorder(s)
Pre-activities: Question? How can you “put a face” on your disorder? What ways can you use to make it relevant to others? (Since students have a basic understanding of format, I expect to have them brainstorm more on the creative aspects of the Photo Story)
(If the reader is not familiar with Photo Story, I shall briefly inform: It is available free from Microsoft.com and it incorporates pictures, text, music and oral recordings of the students voices into a “slideshow” format. The students put it together, and click play. The presentation runs and can be seen and heard by all of the audience, can be paused and replayed as needed. It helps alleviates many of the problems associated with a live presentation, yet it allows students a high degree of creativity and personalization. I find it a great asset for extending and adapting the material to the students “personality”.)
Main body: Specifically address the standards for this topic and encourage students to be sure to address at least one of the performance standards from each of them. Other specific guidelines are:
1- Must range in length from 7-10 minutes
2- Must have proper citation (given in research paper and note sheets)
3- Must include vocal recordings from both partners, evenly distributed
4- Must use appropriate vocabulary and current terminology, and may address “slang terms” as such, but shall not use them casually or gratuitously
5- Should focus on telling the story of 1 or more persons who have the disorder, and not just a general overview
6- Must use visuals and language that is school appropriate
Remaining time is allotted for individual research or computer use.
Writing assignment: Post to blog to acknowledge creation of initial Photo Story and the name it is saved under within the shared folder. Other writing includes filling in note sheets and critical evaluation forms.
Assessments: Students are given a daily classroom participation grade, up to 10 pts, and be given credit for posting to the blog and for each completed evaluation form or note sheet.
NOTE: 5 days of research equates to 2 weeks of classes, but these classes are not consecutive. Earlier research will allow for the Photo Story creation to go much more smoothly, as students will have a contextual framework from which to construct their projects.
Accommodations/Differentiated Instructional Opportunities
This project is done individually or with a partner. Accommodations will be made and support given according to individual student IEP and 504 plans. In addition students select their own primary sources and topics and can be guided towards sources that are most appropriate for their needs.
ASSESSMENTS and RUBRICS:
Rubrics used for this unit will be based on NHS Writing Handbook located at http://www.narragansett.k12.ri.us/NHS/eng/online/index.htm. and at http://www.narragansett.k12.ri.us/NHS/lib/lib.htm the media center page.
School handbook and appropriate definitions located at http://www.narragansett.k12.ri.us/NHS/stuhandbook/05stuhandbook.pdf
NHS is currently refining its school wide rubrics; these will be used, but may be updated and can be found at http://www.narragansett.k12.ri.us/NHS/literacy/index.htm
Due to space considerations and format, most rubrics were not reproduced here. The presentation rubric below is used to assess the Photo Story and is based on school-wide rubric language. (It is included to “test” whether the format works on the blog)
Assignment and Presentation Rubric
Content Distinguished Proficient Novice Unacceptable
Information About Presentation Topic - Information provided is based on extra research using relevant source materials that student has correctly cited
- Ideas are sophisticated, substantial, well developed, and are in a logical progression.
- Vocabulary and terms are appropriately articulated and associated with the subject matter.
- Content is varied and always meets the requirements of the task. - Information provided is based on research using relevant source materials that have been cited correctly
- Ideas are sufficient, developed, and are in a logical progression.
- Vocabulary and terms are occasionally inappropriately articulated but are associated with the subject matter.
- Content occasionally may lack a clear connection to the requirements of the task - Information provided is vague and often inaccurate with little evidence of research and an unacceptable effort at citation of sources
- Ideas are scattered and need developing.
- Vocabulary and terms are inappropriately articulated and are not associated with the subject matter.
- Content is insufficient and does not meet the requirements of the task. - A good faith attempt has not been made to provide an analysis of the issue or concept.
Organization and Design of Presentation - Introduction captures attention of audience and conclusion leaves the audience with a sense of closure.
- Thoughtful transitions clearly show how ideas connect.
- Organizational structure is strong and allows the audience to follow the presentation easily.
- Pacing is well- controlled with appropriate elaboration. - A recognizable introduction is coherent and relates to the topic and the conclusion ties up most loose ends.
- Transitions work well with few exceptions.
- Organizational structure allows the audience to follow the presentation.
- Pacing is fairly well- controlled with appropriate elaboration. - Little or no evidence of an introduction.
- Transitions seldom connect ideas.
- Organizational structure causes the audience to be confused.
- Pacing is awkward with inappropriate elaboration. - A good faith attempt has not been made to provide an analysis of the issue or concept.
Delivery of Presentation - Speaker addresses the audience in a unique, compelling, and engaging way. Delivery enhances the message.
- Voice level is loud, clear, and consistent.
- Eye contact involves the audience throughout the presentation.
- Attire suggests an awareness of expectations and norms.
- Movement focuses attention and interest appropriately.
- Presentation effectively incorporates visuals. - Speaker is pleasant or personable but not compelling. Delivery generally seems effective.
- Voice level fluctuates and is somewhat loud and clear.
- Eye contact is maintained most of the time with occasional return to notes.
- Attire does not seem out of place or disrespectful to the audience
- Appropriate movement is evident.
- Presentation sometimes incorporates visuals. - Speaker seems indifferent, uninvolved, or distances from the topic and audience. Delivery detracts from the message.
- Voice level is soft and inconsistent.
- Eye contact is limited with frequent return to notes.
- Attire may convey disrespect for the audience.
- Movement distracts from the delivery of the message.
- No visuals are used during presentation. - A good faith attempt has not been made to provide an analysis of the issue or concept.
Visuals
- Visuals are clearly visible to the audience.
- Appearance of visuals is creative and well- designed.
- Information is well- chosen, accurate, and specific. - Visuals are somewhat visible to the audience.
- Visuals are neat and effective.
- Information is accurate and specific. - Visuals are not visible to the audience.
- Visuals are messy and lack design.
- Information chosen is inaccurate. - A good faith attempt has not been made to provide an analysis of the issue or concept.
Based on the work of J.Nardone and S. Webster and J. Williams
Adapted to include common language from the NHS – Schoolwide Communication Rubric
NOTE: in Delivery of Presentation: Eye contact and attire are not assessed
It is also advisable to collect up the written work at the same date as the presentations. Since students save all work either to a disk or to the school’s shared drive, I can gain access to it and verify that all projects are completed and on time, even if they do not have time to present on the first day. Having the written material handy to see work cited also makes it considerably easier to see where students got their information from, and will allow them to create a Photo Story that is compelling and creative, and not “bogged down” with reference after reference (as some may wish to do). I prefer to hear the intent, and then check their work. I trust, but I verify.
Happy Holidays all! Thanks Dave! This was a most enjoyable and educational experience.
Colleen Boisclair
Unit: How We Learn
Grade: 5
Rationale for Unit: This year I have noticed that my fifth grade students are becoming increasingly self-aware. They are quite self-conscious about their weaknesses, and are feeling anxious about being “dumb” or “stupid.” Because of this, I have decided to use literature and technology to teach them about learning disabilities. The goal of this unit is for students to discover their strengths, better understand their learning styles, and ultimately increase their self-confidence.
Lesson 1 (1 day)
Making predictions and forming personal connections to Thank you, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
Introduction – Thank you, Mr. Falker is a story based on children’s author Patricia Polacco’s struggles with school and, in particular, her difficulty learning to read. This lesson was adapted from a lesson which was found at http://www.readwritethink.org/.
Goals – The students will:
1. Develop specific strategies for reading comprehension following a teacher model of thinking aloud and asking questions
2. Demonstrate comprehension by discussing their reactions to a story, identifying with characters in a story, and relating events in a story to their own lives
3. Develop oral language skills as they participate in discussions about a story
Standards Addressed (GLEs)
• R-5-4.1: Demonstrate initial understanding of elements of literary text by identifying or describing character(s), setting, problem/solution, major events, or plot as appropriate to text; or identifying any significant changes in character(s) over time.
• R—5—16.1: Generates a personal response to what is read through a variety of means… comparing stories or other texts to related personal experience, prior knowledge, or to other books.
• W–5–3.3: In response to literary or informational text, students make and support analytical judgments about text by using specific details and references to text or citations to support focus.
Procedure
1. Activate students’ prior knowledge by asking them to describe a time when they really wanted to learn how to do something, and how difficult it may have been to learn that skill. The teacher may also ask about people who helped the students accomplish their goal. The teacher will then show students the cover of Thank you, Mr. Falker and will ask them to make predictions about the text.
2. The teacher will read the story aloud while periodically stopping to reinforce connections between students and the main character by using specific questions and modeling the skill of making connections.
3. The teacher will lead students in a discussion of the text. Students will be asked if their predictions came true, how the story made them feel, and if the actions of another person has ever altered the way they feel about themselves. Responses will be recorded on a chart.
Writing Assignment
Students will write a response to the text in their reading response journal. Topics may include reaction to story, favorite or least favorite part, or describing a personal connection.
Extension and Adaptation
Students are provided with options for the writing assignment. Expectations for this assignment may also differ depending on students’ abilities.
Assessment
Students will be informally assessed on their contributions to the classroom discussion. Reading response journal entries will also be assessed to determine students’ understanding of and connection with the text.
Lesson 2 (1 day)
Making thematic connections to Thank you, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
Introduction –In this lesson, which was also adapted from http://www.readwritethink.org/, students will focus on the author’s message or theme of the book and how it may relate to their life.
Goals – The students will:
1. Develop specific strategies for reading comprehension following a teacher model of thinking aloud and asking questions
2. Demonstrate comprehension by discussing their reactions to a story, identifying with characters in a story, and relating events in a story to their own lives
3. Learn about character development and themes using charts created by the class
4. Develop oral language skills as they participate in discussions about a story
Standards Addressed (GLEs)
• R-5-4.1: Demonstrate initial understanding of elements of literary text by identifying or describing character(s), setting, problem/solution, major events, or plot as appropriate to text; or identifying any significant changes in character(s) over time.
• R–5–5.5: Identifying author’s message or theme (implied or stated, as in a fable)
• R—5—16.1: Generates a personal response to what is read through a variety of means… comparing stories or other texts to related personal experience, prior knowledge, or to other books.
• W–5–3.3: In response to literary or informational text, students make and support analytical judgments about text by using specific details and references to text or citations to support focus.
Procedure
1. Review chart from previous lesson on which student responses to discussion questions were recorded.
2. Discuss the purpose of theme or main idea with the students. Help students to determine the themes of Thank you, Mr. Falker (believe in yourself and the important people in our lives shape how we feel about ourselves).
3. Do a “picture walk” through the story. In a “picture walk”, the students retell the story page by page by viewing the pictures. During the picture walk, students will fill in the top part of the Life Lesson Chart (http://www.readwritethink.org/lesson_images/lesson826/chart.pdf) following the teacher’s model.
4. Discuss with students who the important people in their life are, how those people make them feel, and how they make them feel that way.
Writing Assignment
Students will independently fill in the “So What?” section of the Life Lesson Chart.
Extension and Adaptation
Individual support will be given to students who are challenged by the assignment. The teacher will post reactions to the text and lessons learned from the text on the class blog http://mrsboisclair.blogspot.com/. Students will be given the opportunity to comment. A link to Patricia Polacco’s website (http://www.patriciapolacco.com) will also be posted for students to enjoy.
Assessment
Teacher will assess using student responses in the “So What?” section of the Life Lesson Chart and on the class blog.
Lesson 3 (2-3 days)
Making Text to Text and Text to Self Connections using Charlie’s Challenge by Ann Root and Linda Gladden or The Don’t-Give-Up Kid and Learning Differences by Jeanne Gehret
Introduction
While Thank you, Mr. Falker nicely describes a student’s difficulty with school and subsequent lack of self-confidence, it is quite general and does not delve into “learning disabilities.” The books Charlie’s Challenge and The Don’t-Give-Up Kid and Learning Differences were discovered using online search engines. In this lesson, students will be given a choice of text which are in many ways similar to Thank you, Mr. Falker. However, both of these books use the term “learning disabity” or “learning difference” and more clearly explain the process of diagnosing and treating learning disabilities. Students will read individually or with the teacher. There will be very little whole class discussion of these books so that the teacher can individualize for each student. In this manner, student privacy and confidentiality are respected.
Goals – The students will:
1. Use specific strategies for reading comprehension
2. Demonstrate comprehension by discussing their reactions to a story, identifying with characters in a story, and relating events in a story to their own lives
3. Develop oral language skills as they participate in discussions about a story
4. Make text-to-text connections
Standards Addressed (GLEs)
• R-5-4.1: Demonstrate initial understanding of elements of literary text by identifying or describing character(s), setting, problem/solution, major events, or plot as appropriate to text; or identifying any significant changes in character(s) over time.
• R–5–5.5: Identifying author’s message or theme (implied or stated, as in a fable)
• R—5—16.1: Generates a personal response to what is read through a variety of means… comparing stories or other texts to related personal experience, prior knowledge, or to other books.
• W–5–3.3: In response to literary or informational text, students make and support analytical judgments about text by using specific details and references to text or citations to support focus.
Procedure
1. Class will summarize Thank you, Mr. Falker and discuss its themes. Students will be shown Charlie’s Challenge and The Don’t-Give-Up-Kid. They will be given an opportunity to preview the books and will then select the book of their choice.
2. Students will independently read their text and will respond either orally or in writing to prompts specific to the text. The teacher will take the time to read one-on-one with each student to help the student make any connections and discuss reactions to the text. The teacher will also use this time to answer any questions the students might have.
3. After students have read their book and completed responses to the prompts, they will summarize the text for the class. The teacher will lead a discussion which compares and contrasts the three books. The teacher will prepare students for the next lesson by discussing the fact that there are many ways of learning and that we all have strengths and weaknesses.
Writing Assignment
Responses to text-specific prompts
Extension and Adaptation
When the teacher works individually with each student, she will extend or adapt as needed for each child.
Assessment
Students will be assessed on their responses to writing prompts as well as their informal discussions with the teacher.
Lesson 4 (1 day)
Evaluating Internet Sources
Introduction
This lesson will have two goals. The first is to teach students to evaluate internet resources. The second is to introduce students to multiple intelligences. The teacher will guide students through the evaluation of two websites – one which informs, the other which is purely a commercial site used to market a product.
Goals – The students will:
1. Demonstrate the ability to evaluate the reliability of online resources.
2. Have a basic understanding of Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences.
Standards Addressed (National Technology Standards)
• NT.K-12.2: Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
• NT.K-12.3: Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
• NT.K-12.5: Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
• NT.K-12.6: Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.
Procedure
1. The teacher will begin by asking the students if they use the internet and what they use it for. Students will be asked to explain what they believe to be the process for publishing information online. The teacher will inform the students that anyone can put anything online. The students will brainstorm ways to evaluate websites. The teacher will record suggestions on the chalkboard.
2. The teacher will present the students with the worksheet “Evaluating Websites”. The class will discuss each item one by one and the teacher will talk about the importance and meaning of each.
3. The teacher will walk the students through the evaluation of two websites: www.howtolearn.com and http://surfaquarium.com/MI/overview.htm
Writing Assignment
Students will complete the “Evaluating Websites” page for both websites.
Name ______________________________ Date ________________
1. What is the name of this website?
2. What is the site address (URL)?
http://
3. Circle the type of domain.
.com .gov .net .org .edu other_______
4. Is the author’s name and e-mail address on the page?
5. Do the links bring you to sites on related topics?
6. Do the links work?
7. Can you get back to this page if you go to a new page?
8. Does the page include some information that you know is wrong?
9. (Circle one) The purpose of this site is to…
Sell something Inform Persuade
Assessment
Students will be informally assessed based on teacher observations and the completion of the “Evaluating Websites” page.
Lesson 5 (5-7 days)
Introduction
This is the culminating project of this unit.
Goals – The students will:
1.
Standards Addressed
• NT.K-12.2: Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
• NT.K-12.3: Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
• NT.K-12.5: Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
• NT.K-12.6: Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.
• R—5—16.1: Generates a personal response to what is read through a variety of means… comparing stories or other texts to related personal experience, prior knowledge, or to other books.
• R–5–7: Demonstrate initial understanding of informational texts (expository and practical texts)
• W–5–2.3: In response to literary or informational text, students show understanding of plot /ideas/concepts by connecting what has been read (plot/ideas/concepts) to prior knowledge or other texts, by referring to relevant ideas.
• W–5–3.3: In response to literary or informational text, students make and support analytical judgments about text by using specific details and references to text or citations to support focus.
• W-5-6: In informational writing, students organize ideas/concepts.
• (Applied Learning Standard) A2a: The student makes an oral presentation of project plans or findings to an appropriate audience.
• A3a: The student gathers information to assist in completing project work.
• A3a: The student gathers information to assist in completing project work.
Procedure
1. The teacher will begin by reviewing the previous lesson on evaluating online resources and multiple intelligences. The students will begin to think about their abilities and the multiple intelligences that are strengths.
2. Students will be given a WebQuest in which they will search websites to learn more about the multiple intelligences and determine where their strengths lie. Research will be conducted independently with teacher assistance available when needed. Students will also be required to take an online learning style questionnaire.
3. Once students have completed their research, they will choose a project which is aligned with their strengths. The students will be given time in class to complete the projects.
4. Students will present their projects to the class.
Writing Assignment
Name ______________________________ Date ________________
Learning Disability and Multiple Intelligence Websites
http://www.ldpride.net
http://www.chariho.k12.ri.us/curriculum/MISmart/mi_smart.html
http://www.westmark.pvt.k12.ca.us/reading.html
http://www.professorlamp.com/ed/TAG/7_Intelligences.html
http://www.ldonline.org/article.php?max=20&id=0&loc=2
Mulitple Intelligence Questionnaires
** If a questionnaire asks for your name and email address, please enter your name and my email address (mrsboisclair@hotmail.com). I will print out the results for you.
http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html
http://www.ldpride.net/learning_style.html
http://www.acceleratedlearning.com/method/test_flash.html
http://www.mitest.com/omitest.htm
http://www.careerccc.org/products/cp_99_e/section1/quiz.cfm
For the WebQuest, you must answer these questions:
1. What are the multiple intelligences?
2. Which intelligence or intelligences best describe you?
3. Name three famous people who had difficulty when they were in school.
Multiple Intelligence Project Ideas:
Linguistic
Write a story about yourself and your learning styles using the information that you learned.
Write a report on what you learned. Create a poem about yourself and your learning styles using facts from your research.
Create a newspaper article about yourself and your learning styles.
Logical-Mathematical
Create story problems about yourself and your learning styles with facts imbedded in the problem. Write a paragraph in which you cite examples of when you have learned using your intelligence. Create a math game about yourself. and your learning styles. Write a paragraph in which you cite examples of when you have learned using your intelligence.
Musical
Write a song about yourself and your learning styles. Don't forget to include the information you have learned! Write a paragraph in which you cite examples of when you have learned using your intelligence. Perform a play about yourself and your learning styles. Write a paragraph in which you cite examples of when you have learned using your intelligence.
Spatial
Draw pictures of yourself describing what you have learned about your learning styles. Write a paragraph in which you cite examples of when you have learned using your intelligence.
Create a storyboard of a scene using the information that you learned about yourself and your learning styles. Write a paragraph in which you cite examples of when you have learned using your intelligence. Create a poster about yourself and your learning styles. Write a paragraph in which you cite examples of when you have learned using your intelligence.
Create a collage which describes yourself and your learning styles. Write a paragraph in which you cite examples of when you have learned using your intelligence.
Bodily-Kinesthetic
Create a dance to describe yourself and your learning style. Write a paragraph in which you cite examples of when you have learned using your intelligence. Create a game(s) about yourself and your learning style using the information that you have learned. Write a paragraph in which you cite examples of when you have learned using your intelligence.
Interpersonal
Create a reader's theater and perform it for the class. Write a paragraph in which you cite examples of when you have learned using your intelligence.
Intrapersonal
Create a memoir. Use the information that you learned and include that in your work. Create a book describing yourself and your learning styles. Include pictures and don't forget the writing process.
***SEE THE MRS. BOISCLAIR IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR NEED FURTHER EXPLANATIONS***
Extension and Adaptation
Students will be given the opportunity to report what they have learned in a manner which uses their strengths.
Assessment
Student projects will be assessed using a rubric which will evaluate content, visual presentation, written work, and oral presentation.
Ellen M. Caron EDC920 Final Project
NATURAL DISASTERS
The ninth/tenth grade E.S.L. teacher brought her class to the library to select books for a natural disaster study. The students needed to choose two print sources for their research. The teacher preferred books with illustrations. I was given ample notice of this assignment along with topics and was able to fulfill student needs via our collection and RILINK (http://131.109.145.9/webopac/main?siteid=rilink). CHSE has several books on the majority of the topics, but after reviewing some with the teacher, we felt we needed to obtain certain titles containing more illustrations and at an easier reading level for her E.S.L. students. After scanning through the books, the students will answer specific questions about their disaster, and will present their findings to their classmates in the form of a poster.
Students were shown a demonstration in the use of the online Bolt library catalog to locate books via subject and keyword and were given a hand-out illustrating the process to assist them when they conduct the searches on their own. The Boolean Search was not attempted with this class due to the language barriers. The teacher cautions me to keep it as simple as possible.
I pointed out the non-fiction and reference locations. I reminded students to use the print encyclopedia Index/Research Guide to facilitate searches. I also showed a demonstration of the Multimedia gallery available in the Student Resource Center Gold database along with printing guidelines and suggestions.
Standards Addressed: Information Literacy Standards 1, 4, 5; English Language Arts E1A
The teacher supplied me with her lesson plan and we worked together on compiling appropriate books and encyclopedias for this natural disaster study project.
I showed students the Advanced Search feature in Google whereby they can conduct searches that yield results written in their native language. The ESL teacher was thrilled with this feature but cautioned students to continuously use the English language as much as possible.
This lesson could be adapted for other classes using the Google News Alert feature. My experience with News Alerts in regards to Hurricane Katrina and last year's tsunami yielded tremendous results that I feel personalize the assignment. In other words, I feel that students can understand and relate to events better by reading real-life current news on subjects. Another possibility is to search blogs and see what people have to say about these topics. I will also demonstrate how to access the multiple websites devoted to images and graphics.
Assessment
After the demonstration in the use of the Bolt catalog, the students conduct individual searches seeking assistance when needed. I monitored the students’ successes as they used the encyclopedias and computers to locate information offering assistance and tips when necessary. Most students needed assistance locating books on the shelves by the call numbers. I think next time I may pull books beforehand for this class to gain more time for research, but I am glad students were shown the process. I found these students to be enthusiastic in regards to this assignment and urged them to show me their finished products. The majority of students did well with finding illustrations in the GALE Multimedia Gallery and followed printing rules adequately.
Grade 9 Health
Book Annotations
Lesson intent:
Students will efficiently and effectively access available books relevant to the assignment at CHSE Library using the RICAT catalog.
Students will access the Gale Student Resource Center Gold to use the Dictionary option for vocabulary definitions.
Students will write a one-page minimum book annotation.
ELA Std 1: Students will read at least 25 books or book equivalents.
ELS Std 2: All students will demonstrate the ability to understand and respond to a wide
variety of texts
E1 The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed
E2 The information literate student accesses needed information effectively and efficiently
E4 The information literate student, individually or as a member of a group, uses
information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose
The health teacher spoke with us about her intent and gave us a copy of the student
hand-out.
She is requiring her students to read a work of fiction that has a health-related theme that tie in with topics they had been previously researching in the library. Acceptable themes include self-esteem/self image, suicide, peer pressure, diseases, drug & alcohol use and others. After reading the books, students are required to write an annotation similar to the given sample.
We were given ample notice of the assignment along with a list of topics and were able to gain additional titles via RILINK, http://131.109.145.9/webopac/main?siteid=rilink.
I was able to gain additional ideas for health-related fiction titles by consulting Kathy Schrock's page,
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/health.html. We created a bibliography of titles appropriate to the lesson, and book-talked many of them. We also demonstrated the RICAT catalog features and encouraged students to use the catalog here and at home along with the RILINK page accessible through our library homepage @ www.ricat.net.
Assessment:
Students will demonstrate efficient and effective access and retrieval of information and materials using the RICAT catalog.
The health teacher had given the students ample time to read their selected books and was grading them in conjunction with their research projects. Students were to present their projects to their class and relate it to the fiction book. Some students created a Power Point presentation, while others presented theirs via poster boards. The students will be assessed on their projects through a rubric created by the health teacher.
Rhode Island Teen Book Award
Since September, students in this grade 10 English class have been reading the 2006 Rhode Island Teen Book Award (RITBA) nominated books. Once a student reads a minimum of three RITBA books, he or she is eligible to vote for their favorite title.
When students return from winter break, the class will meet in the library to discuss their books and exchange peer reviews. I have created a blog that I want students to post their comments regarding their books. I have set up my comment moderation so that I read the comments before any are allowed to be posted. My CHSE LIbray Blog can be found at http://chselibrary.blogspot.com/. I am hoping to have success with this blog and employ it in many more classes.
A different English class visited recently to borrow non-western fiction books. I discussed with the teacher the possibility of setting up a classroom blog, or incorporating this into my blog. He raised an eyebrow at me when I mentioned the word blog, but sounds receptive to my input. I told him he can make this Response to Literature assignment a paperless assignment by making it part of a blog. Students can respond to each other and read each other's comments and reviews. I believe this will benefit everyone involved and will be a good advertisement for CHSE library books. I feel that my school and perhaps my entire district could use a Professional Development session or two about blogs. I also am wondering how to document in APA format something taken from a blog.
2005
A Look Back at the Events That Shaped the Year
Objectives: Students will identify some of the significant events that helped to shape 2005.
10th grade Study Skills class will visit the library to conduct some research on the top newsworthy events of 2005. Each student will be assigned a month in 2005 to research using the corresponding Time and Newsweek magazines available at CHSE Library to take home and read and write about a significant event from that month. Students summarize the event and report on the who, what, and why of it in the form of a concise written paper along with any drawings or props to present to classmates. Students will visit the library again to conduct online and database research on their chosen significant event.
Students will be introduced to the Invisible Web and instructed to go to Google and type in the name of their month followed by 2005 followed by "database" to see what types of results are yielded as opposed to just typing in the month + 2005.
Students will compare and contrast and make note of additional information learned from one source and not in another.
Students will keep in mind what they have learned in regards to web-site evaluation. Previously this class created bookmarks with their steps to evaluating web sites and their names are on the laminated bookmarks as well. The teacher is very involved with encouraging students to use their bookmarks as bookmarks and as their web tool. I have seen him give extra credit to a student he caught using his bookmark at the Internet.
Standards Addressed:
E1 The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed
*confers with instructors and participates in class discussions to identify a research topic, or other information need
*explores general information sources to increase familiarity with the topic
*identifies key concepts and terms that describe the information need
The information literate student reevaluates the nature and extent of the information need.
*reviews the initial information need to clarify, revise, or refine the question
E2 The information literate student accesses needed information effectively and efficiently.
*selects the most appropriate investigative methods or information retrieval systems for accessing the needed information.
E3: The information literate student evaluates information and its sources critically and incorporates selected information into his or her knowledge base and value system
*summarizes the main ideas to be extracted from the information gathered
*reads the text and selects main ideas
* restates textual concepts in his/her own words and selects data accurately
E4 The information literate student, individually or as a member of a group, uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose
P.S. This class was ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!!!!
Happy holidays to all.
JMS
NHS
I forgot to put the reflection piece into my unit.
NHS is implementing a "digital portfolio" requirement for graduation, as well as a Senior Project. I intended to iclude this information as well, to show how this unit would help students practice skills for the Senior Project and could be chosen for their portfolio.
Without a reflection it cannot be "portfolio worthy".
Stated briefly, the reflection includes questions that would be posted to the blog (specifically those that addressed the project requirements and ways to improve it) as well as the traditional private written comments and responses to ensure they can express themselves confidentially.
Thanks again to Dave and all classmates and have a Happy Holiday break!
This ends the final project postings from EDC920 Fall 2005 students.
Jim Provuncher - Chariho HS.
Title of Unit: Ecological Issues Project
Time Period: 6 to 8 classes.
Bench Marks for scientific literacy:
1A - The Scientific World View.
1B - Scientific Inquiry
3A - Technology and Science
4B - The Physical Setting
5d - Interdependence of life
5e - Flow of energy and matter
11c - Constancy and Change
12c - Manipulation and Observation
12d - Communication Skills
12e - Critical-Response Skills
__________________________________
The goal of this teaching unit will focus on Ecological Issues such as global warming, deforestration, recycling-waste management,pollution, water conservation, human overpopulation, wild aniamals,wild aniamals as pets, endagered species, and wild life mangement.
This unit is a student based activity. The students while in groups will research the chosen topic and then present to the class. The audience (students) will take notes. Each group will be required to use visual aids and present their particular topic (mentioned above). Following their presentation each group will create an assignment based on the topic, for homework.
Class #1: Break down into groups and issue topics. (Have students rate the topics 1-9. 1 the best, 9 the worst)This will allow the choosing of the topics to move quicker. During this class time a brief overview of each topic will be made. Once groups are made each will be required to sign a responsibility contract. There are 5 responsibilities:
1. Manager-Compiles data
2. Presenter-Major presenter in class.
3. Engineer-Prepare visual aids.
4. Secretary-Keeps track of all information.
5. Research-All members do research.
Classes #2 & #3: Two classes will be allowed for research only. Lab tops will used. Each member of a group will have a fact sheet to compile information which will be used for the group presentation. The fact sheet is set up as follows:
INFORMATION WEBSITE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9
10.
STUDENTS RECORD THEIR INFORMATION ON THIS SHEET.
When students begin a copy of search engines and websites will be issued. Purpose to save time!! Here are a brief sampling of the websites and search engines that could be used.
Search Engines: www.yahoo.com - www.google.com - www.lycos.com - www.altavista.com
Websites: http://www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov - http://www.globalwarming.org - http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/ - http://www.oregonprimatureresque.com/ - http://www.wildlife.org - http://www.popinfo.org/ - http://www.eelink.net/EndSpp/ - http://www.nrdc.org - http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/ - Students can use this information at home for futher research. Students will be made aware which sites are "current" and best to use. Another requirment for students: If they need any visual aids they need to fill out a request form.
Classes #4 and #5: PRESENTATIONS: Each group will be required to make a presentation on their topic. (15 Min-tops) The criteria for the presentation is as follows: 1) Introduction, 2) Information and body, 3) Summary and conclusion, 4) Question and discussion page, 5) Assignment for the class. Here is the presentation rubric:
Contents / Exce / Satis / Unsat
3 pt 2 pt 1 pt
1.Follow
out line
2.Project
overview
3.Fact
sheets
4.Students
work
5.Student
grade sheet
Total points earned x 6.6 = grade
Based on the number of students in my classes the presentations will take at least two classes. (we have block scheduling) Following the last presentation each student will evaluate each member of the group. The results are private so the students can be as honest as possible. The rating rubric is based on a scoring system of 1, 2, 3. 3 being "always", 2 "sometimes" and 1 "seldon/never. The criteria each student will base their score is as follows:
*encouraging
*Compromising
*Cooperating
*Leadership
*Contributions
Class #6: Following all prersentations there will be a discussion on what the students feel are the most important issues regarding each topic. We will review all key points to each topic in preperation of the final assesment.
Class #7: Final written assesment:
Out of the 9 topics students will have a choice of 3 to respond to. They must mention 4 key points in their answers. Rubric:
Key items mentioned - 80%
Grammar - 20%
Total - 100% (Graded as a test score)
The presentation will be 25% student evaluations and 75% Teacher evaluation from the presentation rubric. ( This also will be a test score and a quiz score.) Students assignments from each topic count as homework grades.
Final Comment: I feel with this assignment is involves many of the techniques used in this class. If blogging were apart of the curriculum this whole assignment would be posted. It would be the responsibilty of earch student to come to class prepared. This assignment promotes academic rigor and the assignment is clear and concise. Feel fre to make any comments to my blog @ http://jmpro-profbcoach.blogspot.com
Jim Provuncher signing OFF!! Have a great summer everyone!!!!!
Karen SLMS K-5 Final Project EDC 920
Introduction: This thematic unit is a School library media and Language arts collaborative unit for fourth grade. This thematic unit was designed to showcase as many uses of technology, collaboration of teaching partners, and critical thinking and research methods as a prototype for future integration with other classrooms and disciplines and use for grant application, as well as a modern educational effort to support the standards established for the 4th grade English Language arts curriculum and School library and Information literacy curriculum.
Thematic unit: Distinguishing different genres of fiction and non-fiction and integrating technology into research and presentation of student results. Unit will be accomplished during 8 weeks in collaboration with classroom teacher with 90 minutes of instructional and on task time devoted to this unit, 45 minutes of library class time, and 45 minutes of language arts time in the classroom during each week, with extra time devoted as needed. Use of technology and research resources will develop life long information literacy skills for students. Animals will be the common theme for research and literature study (fiction with an animal as the main character: realisitic fiction, fantasy, fairy tales, myths, fables, pour qoui stories, legends, picture books, historical fiction. Librarian and classroom teacher will develop the research topics based on the fiction that we have available in our school library.
Scope—eight weeks, audience is fourth grade class of 23 students, two with learning disablilities, differentiated instruction will be offered in these cases to accommodate special needs.
Standards.
English Language Arts curriculum:
• 4th grade students will be able to determine and recognize different genres of fiction.
• Students will respond to literature, students will know difference between fiction and non-fiction.
• Students will be able to think critically to formulate solutions and develop responses to problems.
• Students will present findings in a research report format.
School library and Information literacy curriculum:
• Fourth grade students will recognize different genres of fiction.
• Students will be able to locate books using card catalog or OPAC system in school library.
• Students will recognize research resources and understand the need the for information.
• Students will use Big6 research model in which they will learn to evaluate resources critically, Trash or Treasure exercise is based on this model.
• Students will be able to evaluate information resources to determine which will best serve their needs.
• Students will use technology, the internet for research, and powerpoint to present research findings, and a Blog site to present a response to literature.
• Students will be able to list resources in an appropriate bibliographic format.
Week 1—
Library-Introducing the unit--School library media specialist (SLMS) and classroom teacher will introduce this unit during library class. Each student will choose an animal topic for their research from the task jar. Then using the card catalog either on-line or the old-fashioned drawer catalog students will locate a fiction book about their animal in the school library. Students will use their animal’s name to search by subject in our library collection.
After students have their topics and books, librarian will teach a brainstorming lesson to review research resources and reference tools—the traditional ones, encyclopedias, reference books, almanacs, etc. We will do a brief trash or treasure exercise to review how we know if a resource is worthwhile.
Trash or treasure criteria:
1. Does it contain facts about my topic?
2. Was it written by a reputable resource?
3. Does it have pictures?
4. Does it have information that I already know to be true from prior knowledge?
5. Does it have a glossary, table of contents, and a list of resources that the author used?
6. When was the book written, is it current enough for what I am doing?
Then students will use a KWL graphic organizer to determine what they already know about their research topic animal.
For homework during the eight weeks students will be reading their animal fiction book—this will be involved in the culminating activity.
Classroom--During the week, classroom teacher will give students time to begin using information and reference book research, students will take notes on index cards.
Students find out the following about their assigned animal:
1. Title page slide with your name, date, and title of your slide show.
2. What does it look like, describe it. Use descriptive words to explain what it looks like when it is young and what it looks like as an adult, any differences in appearance between males and females? What kind of noise does does your animal make if any. How does your animal move?
3. What is its Latin or species name?
4. What type of an animal is it? Mammal, reptile, amphibian, fish, bird, invertebrate, etc.
5. What is its habitat, where does it live, describe its natural environment, and also any country or continent this animal is indigenous to.
6. What does it eat, how much, etc.
7. Any other fascinating facts about this animal.
8. Resources used or BIBLIOGRAPHY—this will site specific books, and URLs.
Week 2—
Librarian will review with class how to log onto the laptop computer lab, how to open the web browser—Explorer, which search engines to use, and how to bookmark a web site. Librarian will set up one laptop with the LCD projector to model this activities. Students will then perform these task using a laptop from the lab. Students will also brainstorm key words that would be helpful for them to search under, and write a list to refer to when researching on the internet.
Classroom teacher will borrow the laptop lab and begin to develop powerpoint presentation. CR teacher with the LCD projector will model a powerpoint slide show based on the 7 areas students were to research. Students with the help of their teacher and classroom assistants will begin creating powerpoint slides based on their research.
Week 3—
Librarian will do trash or treasure exercise with websites. Using the LCD projector librarian will walk students through web detective (briefly at their level) so that they begin to understand that every hit they get may not be of value to their research. Students will use the following checklist to determine if the websites they find are of use for their project:
Web site evaluation checklist—Grades 4-6
Every web site you visit needs to be looked at closely. Why? Because, anyone can put information on the web! Just because it’s on the web doesn’t mean the information is true or correct or useful to you. Use this checklist while online to help decide if the site that you are visiting is a good one. If you have any questions please ask Mrs. Patrick, your librarian, your classroom teacher, or your parents.
yes no Comments
Authority
Can you identify the author?
Does the author have the background to
Write about this topic?
Is there a link to a homepage providing information
About the author or sponsor?
Does the author include a list of sources or bibliography?
Content
Does the information appear to be correct based on what you
Already know from prior knowledge?
Does the page offer information that cannot be found in other sources?
Is this information useful for your purpose?
Purpose
Does this page want you to think a certain way?
Does this page try to sell you anything?
Is this page designed just for fun?
Currency
Is the information new or current?
Can you tell when this page was written?
Has this page recently been updated or changed?
Coverage
Does the site include a table of contents, index, or site map?
Does the site include a search engine?
Other
Students will use this checklist for every web resource that they put into their final bibliography for their powerpoint project.
Week 4—
Library class students will use search engines to research their animals, they will bookmark sites that they find useful, and begin to find the images that they will need for their powerpoint slides, and copy and save them to a folder on the school server.
Classroom teacher will continue with powerpoint slide presentations and helping students build their slide show.
Student powerpoint slide show will be graded on the following rubric:
Slides Yes no points
I have a slide that describes what my animal looks like as young and adult, I have at least two pictures, I have a sound file for its noise if I could find one. 10 points
Species or Latin name 10 points
Type, mammal, reptile, etc. 10 points
habitat 10 points
Food 10 points
Fascinating facts 10 points
Bibliography/resources 10 points
I checked spelling and used complete sentences in my slides 5 points
I used the format guide for my bibliography 10 points
I made a title page including my name and date 5 points
I used the web site evaluation check list for all my web sites. 20 points
90-100 points = A
80-90 points = B
70-80 = C
Less than 70 we will have a conference.
Week 5—
Librarian will teach students about Google news alerts, and using the library email will set one up for each student with them for their topic animal.
Week 6—
Librarian will put any appropriate google news alerts into student’s server folders, so they can use for their research. Librarian will review how students should be formatting their bibliographies for their list of resources at end of powerpoint presentations, with special emphasis on format for websites.
SAMPLE BIBLIOGRAPHY ENTRIES (Based on MLA Standards)
A bibliography is an alphabetical list of all the sources used in your research. Sources are alphabetized by author or, if no author is given, by title and second or third lines are indented.
BOOKS:
One Author:
Hoving, Thomas. Tutankhamun. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1978.
More than One Author :
Cooper, Robert K. and Leslie L. Cooper. Low-Fat Living. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1996.
No Author Given:
The Amazing Universe. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society, 1991.
PERIODICALS:
Begley, Sharon. "A Healthy Dose of Laughter." Newsweek 4 Oct. 2004: 65.
"A Walk Across America: Part II." National Geographic August, 1979: 52.
PERIODICALS ONLINE:
Barton, Horace. "Human Cloning?" Newsweek 28 December 2004. Infotrac, 18 March 2005
http://infotrac.galegroup.com .
NEWSPAPER:
Collins, Glenn. "Single Father Survey." New York Times 21 November 2000: 20.
"Low Cholesterol Level Key." Providence Journal-Bulletin 24 November 2002: A6.
ENCYCLOPEDIA ARTICLES: Print and Online:
"Animal Rights." World Book Encyclopedia. 2004 edition.
Stemple, James. "Solar Energy." Book of Popular Science. 2000.
"Wyoming." World Book. 24 May 2005.
http://www.worldbookonline.
PAMPHLET: (Usually the same as book with no author given)
Smoking and Your Lungs. Providence, Rhode Island: American Lung Association, 2002.
TELEVISION PROGRAM:
"Legacy: India." WSBE, Channel 36, Providence, Rhode Island. August 22, 2003.
INTERVIEW:
Patinkin, Mark. Telephone interview. April 26, 2003.
ONLINE SERVICES and the INTERNET:
Gordon, Daniel. "Acid Rain." 20 March 2001
http://www.evergreensources.com/pollution/rain.html.
"Plant Extracts." 23 February 2004. http://www.sciences.com/scidata/edu.html.
(For more detailed MLA citations, go to www.bedfordstmartin.com/online/cite5.html )
Classroom teacher will helping student compose their final powerpoint presentations, and students will begin presenting their slide shows to the class using the LCD projector.
Week 7—
Librarian will talk about BLOGs, using the LCD projector show students BLOG sites, explain how they work and discuss the terminology, how to access them, review rules for internet safety.
My Rules for Internet Safety
I agree that
• I will never give out private information, such as my last name, my address, my telephone number, or my parents’ work addresses or telephone numbers on the Internet.
• I will never give out the address or telephone number of my school on the Internet without first asking an adult’s permission.
• I understand which sites I can visit and which ones are off-limits.
• I will tell an adult right away if something comes up on the screen that makes me feel uncomfortable.
• I will never agree to meet in person with anyone I meet online.
• I will never e-mail a person any pictures of myself or my classmates without an adult’s permission.
• I will remember that going online on the Internet is like going out in public, so all the safety rules I already know apply here as well.
• I know the Internet is a useful tool, and I will always use it responsibly.
• I will follow these same rules when I am at home, in school, at the library, or at a friend’s.
____________________________ __________________________
(Student signs here) (Parent/Guardian signs here)
Classroom teacher will give students their book report format to use for their blog entry.
Classroom teacher will then explain that they will respond to the fiction literature that they have been reading by using a BLOG for their classroom, students will write a book report for the fiction book they read, the final draft will be posted to the BLOG.
Classroom teacher will give students time during the week to write their book reports and have a final draft done.
Student blog response will be graded on the following rubric:
Week 8—
Librarian will help students post their book reports to the BLOG site. Students will then have the opportunity to visit the BLOG site and view the work of their classmates. Student response to literature will be graded on the following rubric:
I followed all the internet safety rules when I posted to the blog Yes
20 points No Points
I did a draft first to check my spelling and punctuation 10 points
I had a peer edit my work 10 points
I used complete sentences. 10 points
I posted to the blog using only my initials and classroom 20 points
I provided a complete bibliographic citation for my book 10 points
I followed the book report format my teacher gave me. 20 points
Goals are that students will meet all of the standards listed above, and that they will become confident proficient if not fluent users of technology resources, demonstrate an ability to determine good information from poor information for research, and demonstrate ability to assimilate information into presentation format and become responsible and careful users of web and internet tools.
Students will be evaluated through observation, participation and engagement in listed tasks, on a rubric for their powerpoint slide show, use of the web site evaluation checklist, and rubric for their blogspot literature response.
Differentiated instruction and will be used to accommodate special needs students, they will have one on one assistance with computer activities, books on tape or alternative books will be offered to children who have personal literacy plans. All children will be able to participate and successfully complete this learning opportunity.
Learner Outcomes:
At the culmination of this unit we expect that all students will have demonstrated proficiency at an acceptable level for 4th grade at the following:
1. traditional and internet research,
2. internet safety rules,
3. evaluating traditional and web resources,
4. creating power point slide shows,
5. preparing a list of resources and bibliography and following a prescribed format for this information,
6. locating books in our school library using OPAC and/or card catalog,
7. posting to a blog,
8. meeting the ELA standards in literature for their grade level or Personal literacy plan (PLP).
INFORMATION LITERACY
GRADE 4
Unit Summary: Strategies are presented for Grade 4 students to use Information Literacy skills. They will find information and present it to their classmates to show what they have learned. Students will incorporate information seeking skills and technology skills to learn about a subject of interest to them and share their knowledge with others. This unit is designed for all grade 4 students in three elementary schools. As part of their curriculum all grade 4 students are introduced to PowerPoint and research skills. The fourth grade teachers will collaborate with the librarian during their language arts time periods and the library periods as time permits.
Standards: #1: The Student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively.
#2: The Student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently.
#3: The Student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively.
#4: The Student who is an independent learner is information literate and pursues information related to personal interests.
#6: The Student who is an independent learner is information literate and strives for excellence in information seeking and knowledge generation.
#8: The Student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and practices ethical behavior in regard to information and information technology.
#9: The Student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and participates effectively in groups to pursue and generate information.
Goals:
Students will locate information both in print and on the Internet and take notes.
Students will use good search strategies to locate information on the Internet.
Students will evaluate the websites they find using the form provided.
Students will learn how to write a bibliography and cite their sources of information for both print and Internet materials.
Students will create a PowerPoint presentation to teach their classmates what they have learned about their topic.
Students will also blog their experiences at various times during the unit for others in the group to comment on or advise about.
Students will write a minimum of three paragraphs about their topic.
Pre-Activities:
Students will be familiar with locating information in non-fiction texts by using Indexes, Tables of Contents, reading charts, graphs, knowing how to use encyclopedias, almanacs and dictionaries. Students will also be familiar with using the Internet search directory Yahooligans to locate information. Students will already know how to cut and paste on the computer. Students will also have brainstormed ideas about which animal they would like to investigate based on print materials available and non-duplication of topic within the group.
LESSON 1
Students will be introduced to the Big 6 Information Literacy Skills using a PowerPoint presentation. This will model what PowerPoint is, and how it is used as a teaching tool as well as give the students information about the steps to use to find and answer research questions. Included in the presentation is a link to the appropriate Bibliography form.
This will be a whole group presentation using a video projection unit and a laptop computer. The presentation will take approximately 45 minutes. Students will be given a handout with the PowerPoint slides and the appropriate bibliography form to keep in their research folders.
LESSON 2
Students will choose the appropriate topic to investigate (for this particular project, a wild animal) and begin their research. At the beginning of the lesson, the first three steps of the Big 6 will be reviewed and implemented. This will be modeled by the teacher/librarian. The topics will be chosen and a research grid (graphic organizer) will be given to each student to add to their research folders. This grid will have three columns for the student to fill in with four boxes in each column. The columns will represent the three categories of information they are required to locate for their specific animal: Habitat, Description and Other Interesting Facts. The four boxes in each column will be filled in with four separate pieces of information in that specific category. The teacher/librarian will model how to fill in the graphic organizer. They will also be given an Internet Web Page evaluation form and a Bibliography sheet.
LESSON 3
Students will be introduced to the Bibliography form. They will each choose a book on their topic. They will be asked to fill in the “books” section of their form during this lesson. They have previously practiced locating the pertinent information and should be able to locate it and fill in the form. Students will begin taking notes.
LESSON 4
Students will be taken to the computer lab and assigned to computers. They will be asked to fill in the “Internet” section of the Bibliography form. Students will locate web pages on their topics and evaluate them using the Web Page Evaluation form. This will be demonstrated by the librarian. Students will be asked to notice the domain names of the websites and the advertisements will be pointed out to students to show them what to ignore. Pop-ups, if they happen, will be discussed as a “teachable moment”. If it meets the requirements for a “good” web page, then they will fill in the Bibliography form and begin taking notes. Both the web page evaluation form and the bibliography form will be part of the required documentation of their project.
LESSONS 5 AND 6
Half of the students will spend their class time reading and locating information specific to their topic in the books. (Step 4 of the Big 6 skills). The other half of the class will begin on the library computers using the Internet via Yahooligans. The next lesson the students will switch the groups. At the end of each class period, 10 minutes will be set aside for review (Step 6 of the Big 6).
LESSON 7
The students will use Mrs. Cappadona’s library blog to reflect on their progress. This will be demonstrated by the librarian using the LCD projector and a laptop. Because you need an email address to post to a blog, each student will be assigned an email address on the Tiverton schools account to accomplish this task. Students have already signed an Acceptable Use Policy at the beginning of the school year in order to use the computers at school. They will log in to the blog website and post their reflections. The prompt will be: Please comment on your progress. Are you having any difficulties locating information? Are you having trouble reading the text? Did you find what you were looking for? Be sure to mention things that went well, too. Student privacy will be protected by using first names only.
The librarian will review the class blog and determine where students are having problems and assist them in their search for information. A problem will be the lack of typing skills and the time to enter the information into the blog. Students will be allowed to blog during free time in the classroom setting, if necessary. Students who have Internet access at home will be allowed to blog from home. Those students who do not have Internet access will be allowed classroom and/or library time to respond to the blog prompts and their classmates entries in the blog. The blog entries are reviewed before being posted and the librarian is notified via email of any new entries.
LESSON 8
When most students have completed their graphic organizer, they will be assigned to a computer to prepare their presentation. The format for the presentation is predetermined by the librarian. Each student will complete two slides of the presentation. All slides will have the student’s name and the name of the animal they are researching. The slide design will be determined at the end of the presentation, voted on by the class. Each slide will have two columns: one for Habitat, one for Description, one for Interesting Facts, and the fourth column will be a photo of their animal located on the Internet with a corresponding URL noting where their picture was taken from.
LESSON 9
The Big 6 skills will be reviewed and examined. Students will be asked to blog their answers to the Big 6 skills questions from the PowerPoint presentation as part of the review process. Is my work complete and neat? Did I cite my sources for my information? They will be asked to reflect on their progress. Students who need extra assistance will be aided by those students who finish first. Students will assist their peers with the PowerPoint presentation, setting up the layout, copying and pasting pictures and URL’s.
At this point in the unit, some students will have finished their PowerPoint presentation and will be prepared to present it. Others will still be finding information and, still others will be ready to type. Those students who finish early will assist those who are still working. This will be a collaborative effort to get all students finished and ready for the final steps. (Step 5 of the Big 6) As a whole group, the slide show will be critiqued for design, layout and completion. Students will proofread their work and changes will be incorporated. The bibliography section of the presentation will be started. The students will type up their bibliography form in a word document, using the correct punctuation according to the form. Each student’s work will be copied and pasted into one document and alphabetized. Then this information will be copied and pasted onto the PowerPoint presentation by the librarian.
When the technology piece of the work is completed, the students will complete a three paragraph written report that further develops the ideas presented in the PowerPoint presentation. This written work may be completed in the classroom or the library.
LESSON 10
Students will present their work using the video projector and a laptop. The presentation will be given and all students will participate, teaching their class what they have learned. At the end of the presentation, Step 6 of the Big 6 will be done: reflection on their work. The class blog will be an ongoing part of this reflective process and each student will contribute to the blog one final time about this project. If possible, (and I am still looking into this) the presentation will be posted to the school server and a link to it will be posted on the blog so that parents and students can access the presentation on line.
Accommodations:
Those students who have special needs will have the project modified to meet their individual needs and will have a peer to assist them through the process as well as the librarian and the classroom teacher.
Highly-capable students will assist their peers as their skills allow. Some students are adept at using technology, while others are good at locating information within text. All students will be encouraged to assist in any manner they are comfortable with.
Scoring:
The students will be evaluated based on a rubric that all agree to; including, but not limited to the following:
Two slides must be completed with four columns of information
A three paragraph paper will be completed with proper headings and margins
The Bibliography forms for both the book and the Internet web page must be filled in.
The completed graphic organizer must be handed in.
The Web Page Evaluation form must be completed and handed in.
Reflections on the class blog must be completed at least twice during the unit.
The rubric will be based on these mandatory items and the quality will determine the final grade.
OUTLINE OF POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
SOLVING INFORMATION PROBLEMS
USING
THE BIG 6™
1. TASK DEFINITION
• What needs to be done?
• Do I understand the assignment?
• What types of information will I need?
2. INFORMATION SEEKING
• What resources should I use?
– Books, encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, almanacs, magazines, videos, CD-ROMS, Internet, others
• Which ones have the best answers?
3. LOCATION AND ACCESS
• Where can I find the information?
– Home, classroom, school library, public library, computers
• Using the index, table of contents, card catalog
4. USE OF INFORMATION
• Skim, scan and read for key words and details
• Take notes and record where it came from
• What information from each source should I use?
5. SYNTHESIS
• Organize all the information so it makes sense.
• What is the best way to present what I have learned?
• Develop and check over my project
6. EVALUATION
• Is my work neat, complete and includes my name?
• Did I answer all the questions that were asked?
• Did I give credit to my sources?
• Did I do my best work?
Begin Here!
• BIBLIOGRAPHY Grade 4
• BIBLIOGRAPHY Grade 3
BIBLIOGRAPHY 4
Print Sources:
BOOK with one author
Author Last, First. ________________________________ .
Title. (underlined)__________________________________.
City of Publication: _________________________________:
Publisher, date of publication.
________________________________, _____________.
BOOK with two authors
Authors (in order listed on title page)
Last, First and First Last.
_____________________, ______________________ and _______________________________________________ .
Title. (underlined)__________________________________.
City of Publication: _________________________________:
Publisher, date of publication.
________________________________, _____________.
Samples of books:
Gibbons, Gail. Caves and Caverns. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1993.
Ride, Sally and Tom O’Shaughnessy. The Third Planet. New York: Crown Publishers, 1994.
ENCYCLOPEDIA and other familiar reference books
Author of Article. (if available)
______________________________________________. “Title of Article.” “_____________________________________________.”
Title of Book. (underlined)____________________________.
Date of Edition. ___________________________________.
Sample encyclopedia and others:
Bigg, Michael A. “Whale.” The World Book Encyclopedia. 1992.
Fehrenbacher, Don E. “Lincoln, Abraham.” The New Book of Knowledge. 1994.
“New Jersey.” Compton’s Encyclopedia. 1992.
Article in a Periodical (magazine or newspaper)
Author. (if available- Last name, First name)
____________________ , _________________________ .
“Title of Article.”
“___________________________________________ .”
Periodical Title (underlined) date [21 August 1996]: page.
________________________ ____________ : _______ .
Sample Periodical:
Haverkamp, Beth. “Bad Women and Bandit Queens.” Cobblestone May 1996: 20-22.
“N.F.L. Training Camp Report.” The New York Times 21 August 1996: B12.
Electronic Sources on CD-ROM
Author (if available). (Last Name, First Name.)
______________________ , _______________________ .
“Title of Article.”
“____________________________________________ .”
Title of Product. (underlined)
_______________________________________________ .
Edition or version [if relevant]
_______________________________________________
CD-ROM.
City of Publication: Publisher, Date of Publication.
__________________ : __________________________ , ______________________ .
Sample electronic sources:
Garbarino, Merwyn S. “Delaware Indians.” The World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia. 1995 ed. CD-ROM. Chicago: World Book Inc., 1995.
Musser, Jay. “Chocolate.” Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. 1992 ed. CD-ROM. Danbury, CT: Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc., 1992.
Online Sources:
Encyclopedia from an online service:
Author. if shown (Last name, First name).
_______________________________________________ .
“Title of Article.”
“____________________________________________ .”
Name of encyclopedia. (underlined)
_______________________________________________ .
Name of publisher, date of publication, if available.
___________________________ , __________________ .
Date of your visit (## Month ####) [28 August 2002]
________________________________________
Name of online service you used.
______________________________________________ .
Sample online sources:
“Planets.” Compton’s Living Encyclopedia. Compton’s Learning Company, 1996. 29 August 1998 America Online.
Kelland, Frank. “New Jersey.” Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Interactive Inc. 13 July 1998 Microsoft Network.
WEB SITE
Name of Author. (if known) (Last name, First name.)
______________________ , ________________________.
“Title of Article.” “ _________________________.”
Title of Complete Work. (underlined)
_______________________________________________.
Date of your visit [example: 16 December 2002]
_______________________________________________
Full http address in brackets.
_____________________________.
Samples:
Clemens, Paul and Robert M. Hordon. “New Jersey.” World Book Online. 29 Dec. 1999 http://www.worldbookonline.com/na/ar/fs/ar388680.htm.
Sultzman, Lee. “Delaware History.” 23 November 1998 http://www.dickshovel.com/dela.html.
“Discovering Whales.” Welcome to the Watery World of Whales. 14 October 1998 http://whales.magna.com.au/DISCOVER/index.html.
Name: Date:
CRITICAL EVALUATION OF A WEB SITE
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL
©1996-2006. Kathleen Schrock (kathy@kathyschrock.net)
Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators http://discoveryschool.com/schrockguide/
1. How are you hooked to the Internet?
0 Modem and phone line
0 Direct connection at school/home
2. What Web browser are you using?
3. What is the URL (address) of the Web page you are using?
http://
4. What is the name of the site?
Part 1: How does it look?
As you look at the questions below, put an X in the “yes” or “no” column for each. YES NO
Does the page take a long time to load? 0
0
Are there big pictures on the page? 0
0
Is the spelling correct on the page? 0
0
Is the author's name and e-mail address on the page? 0
0
Is there a picture on the page that you can use to choose links? (Image map) 0
0
Is there information in columns on the page? (Table) 0
0
If you go to another page, is there a way to get back to the first page? 0
0
Is there a date that tells you when the page was made? 0
0
If there are photographs, do they look real? 0
0
If there are sounds, do they sound real? 0
0
Part 2: What did you learn?
As you look at the questions below, put an X in the “yes” or “no” column for each. YES NO
Does the title of the page tell you what it is about? 0
0
Is there an introduction on the page telling you what is included? 0
0
Are the facts on the page what you were looking for? 0
0
Would you have gotten more information from an encyclopedia? 0
0
Would the information have been better in the encyclopedia? 0
0
Does the author of the page say some things you disagree with? 0
0
Does the page lead you to some other good information (links)? 0
0
Does the page include information you know is wrong? 0
0
Do the pictures and photographs on the page help you learn? 0
0
Part 3: Summary
Looking at all of the questions and answers above, write a paragraph telling why this Web site is helpful (or not helpful) for your project.
Stephen Skaggs
stephen_skaggs@neank.org
5th Grade, Quidnessett
North Kingstown
Session 13–Final Project
American Colonies Unit
Overarching Theme
American Colonies 1620-1760
Student Goals
•Differentiate between the three colonial regions.
•Write to persuade and explain.
•Use the Internet to locate information and books.
•Read, interpret and present a biography.
•Post writing to a blog.
Teacher Goals
•Integrate the Internet into unit.
Essential Questions
•What was it like in the American colonies during the period of1620-1760?
•What are the differences and similarities between the New England colonies, Middle colonies and Southern colonies?
Final Project/Presentation
Colonies theme project/biography presentation/expository essay
Enduring Understanding
What was it like during the colonial period?
Length: 4-5 weeks
Unit Objectives:
•Students will compare and contrast New England colonies, Middle colonies and Southern colonies.
•Students will locate, read and present a biography on a colonial American.
•Students will write a persuasive essay.
•Students will create a Colonies Theme Project.
•Students will search the Internet for books and information on the American colonies.
•Students will write an expository essay.
Unit Standards:
A2c Writes and formats information for short publications, such as brochures or posters;
(Performance Standards Vol. 1 Elementary School, 1997)
A3b Uses information technology to assist in gathering, organizing, and presenting information; (Performance Standards Vol. 1 Elementary School, 1997)
E1c The student reads and comprehends informational materials to develop understanding and expertise and produces written or oral work. (Performance Standards Vol. 1 Elementary School, 1997)
E2a The student produces a report. (Performance Standards Vol. 1 Elementary School, 1997)
E3b The student participates in group meetings; (Performance Standards Vol. 1 Elementary School, 1997)
E3c The student prepares and delivers an individual presentation. (Performance Standards Vol. 1 Elementary School, 1997)
Unit Resources:
Text: Build Our Nation, Houghton Mifflin Publishers
Computer
Projector
Art Supplies (calligraphy pens, colored pencils, 14 X 12 construction paper)
Internet:
http://teachingskaggs.blogspot.com/
Google
Google Earth
CLAN–http://library.provlib.org/
Middletown Public School Library website-–http://library.mpsri.net/
National Register of Historical Places–http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/index.htm
State websites
Assessments:
Colonies Theme Project Rubric
Biography Rubric
Writing Rubrics
Computer Usage Rubric
Graphic Organizer Rubric
Build Our Nation, Unit Assessment
Unit Outline:
I. Unit Overview (1 day)
A. Outline of unit
B. Expectations
C. Colonies Theme Project
a. Colonies Theme Project Graphic Organizer
II. Biography
A. Expectations/Rubrics (1/2 day)
B. Discuss and choose colonial American (1/2 day)
C. CLAN search (2 days)
III. New England Colonies
A. Founders and leaders (1 day)
B. Colonists on the land (1-2 days)
C. Effects of religious disagreements (1 day)
D. Puritans and Native Americans (1 day)
E. Home and village activities (1 day)
F. Importance of trade, fishing, and shipbuilding (1 day)
IV. Middle Colonies
A. Founders and leaders (1 day)
B. Resources and farmland (1 day)
C. Many cultures (1-2 days)
D. Farm and city life (2 days)
V. Southern Colonies
A. Founders and leaders (1 day)
B. Geography and climate (1-2 days)
C. Agriculture and society (2 days)
D. Compare plantations and small farms (1 day)
VI. Internet Search
A. Colonies Theme Project Graphic Organizer (1-2 days)
VII. Final Project– Colonies Theme Project
A. Graphic Organizer (collect information throughout unit)
B. Persuasive essay (2 days)
a. Review/brainstorm/rough draft
b. Type and post to blog
c. Comment on writing
C. Hornbook (Art Class 2 days)
D. Occupation (1 day)
E. Venn Diagram (2 days)
F. Illustrations (2 days)
VIII. Final Project Part II–Colonial American Biography
A. Biography Presentations (2 days)
IX. Final Project Part III–Expository Writing
A. Review expository writing format (1/2 day)
B. Brainstorm/web (1/2 day)
C. Rough draft/edit (1 day)
D. Peer edit/Final draft typed (2 day)
E. Post final draft to blog (1/2 day)
F. Read and make comments to writing pieces (1/2 day)
LESSON PLAN–Internet Search
1. Coverage (goals/standards)
a) locate and transcribe information on the New England colonies, Middle colonies and Southern colonies
b) A2c Writes and formats information for short publications, such as brochures or posters; (Performance Standards Vol. 1 Elementary School, 1997)
A3e Gathers information to assist in completing project work; (Performance Standards Vol.1 Elementary School, 1997)
A3b Uses information technology to assist in gathering, organizing, and presenting information; (Performance Standards Vol. 1 Elementary School, 1997)
E3b The student participates in group meetings; (Performance Standards Vol. 1 Elementary School, 1997)
2. Mastery (Content) Objectives for the Lesson
a) By the end of the lesson, students will be able to...
•locate information on colonial America using the Internet.
b) At the beginning of lesson, I will tell students the objectives, which will be written on the board, and the criteria for success (see rubric).
c) Criteria for success:
•Following directions, asking questions, and observing demonstrations.
•Computer Usage Rubric (see attached)
•Correctly completed colonies theme project graphic organizer (see rubric).
d) Assessment:
•I will ask questions following demonstration and discussions.
•I will circulate and take observational notes and later transcribe notes to individual rubrics.
•I will evaluate their graphic organizers for correctness.
3. Activities and Involvement
a) List of activities:
1. pre-activities
Up to this point students have been using the text to complete their colonial theme project graphic organizer (see attached), which they will need to complete their final project. However, the text does not provide students with all of the necessary information; thus, students will need to locate other sources to complete their graphic organizer.
Moreover, at the beginning of the unit, when the Colonies Theme Project was explained and discussed, students chose a colony to research and write a paragraph trying to persuade someone from Europe to come to their colony. Students will also need to use the Internet to locate information on their individual colony.
2. introduction (whole group discussion)
I will begin by asking, “Which search engine do you like best?” I will list them on the board. Next, I will ask, “What information are you still missing on your graphic organizer?” I will write that information on the board. Then, using the computer attached to the projector, I will pick a topic still missing: occupations. Finally, I will query suggestions on keywords to use.
3. teacher demonstration
As students make suggestions I will try them using the different search engines suggested; after an attempt I will guide students, based on results, to modify their keywords. If students have not hit on keywords to use I will give some examples. Then, I will discuss with students which web site produced the best results and why.
Next, I will go to a site and with information deep in the text. I will explain that information may not always be in bold letters at the top of the page; students must be detectives and read to find the information.
4. student searching and note taking
Students will pair up at a computer and for twenty minutes search for information on colonial America. They will bookmark any site they find valuable, and write down any problems, questions or discoveries.
5. whole group discussion
Students will come together and share their experiences and discoveries. Students will share web sites and strategies that enabled them to be successful.
6. independent work
Students will independently search for information on colonial America and complete their graphic organizer.
b) learning styles
The teacher modeling the lesson, a graphic organizer and directions posted will support visual learners. Students working in pairs will enable them to discuss, challenge, support, and review each other’s understanding. Students hands-on experience supports the kinesthetic learner. Whole group discussion will allow students to develop questions based on questions raised by other students. Finally, the rubrics and criteria for success allows students to know what is expected of them to succeed.
c) extensions
Students who finish early or wish to find out more about a colony may locate a historical place to visit. They may use either the National Register of Historical Places or a state web site. For example, a plantation or debtors prison that still exists in Georgia. Students can write a short summary of their discoveries and share with the class.
Students can also use Google Earth to look at the topography of the colonies or any points of interest in the colonies.
Computer Usage Rubric
Criteria
•Stayed on task
•Followed directions
•Listened to others
•Participated in discussion
•Visited appropriate site
•Located information
Score
4 Always
3 Most of the time
2 Sometimes
1 Not Yet
Teacher Comments:
Colonial Theme Project Graphic Organizer Rubric
1. Criteria: Applies research skills and evaluates
information for relevance.
Score
4–Product shows thoughtfully applied research skills.
3–Product shows skills were generally applied
2–Product shows inconsistently applied research skills.
1–Product shows minimial application of research skills.
2. Criteria: Presents valid information on New
England, Middle, and Southern colonies.
4–Product is carefully researched, well executed, and informative.
3–Product shows good understanding of regions.
2–Extraneous information is sometimes included in the product.
1–Irrelevant information is focus of project.
Colonies Theme Project Graphic Organizer
NE Col Middle Col South Col
Names of the Colonies
Who founded them and when?
Why founded?
Leaders of the Colonies
Geography/ Climate
Occupations/Trades
Religion
Nationalities
Foods
LESSON PLAN–Biography Search
1. Coverage (goals/standards)
a) locate a biography using the Internet (CLAN)
b) A3e Gathers information to assist in completing project work; (Performance Standards Vol.1
Elementary School, 1997)
A3b Uses information technology to assist in gathering, organizing, and presenting information; (Performance Standards Vol. 1 Elementary School, 1997)
E3b The student participates in group meetings; (Performance Standards Vol. 1 Elementary School, 1997)
2. Mastery (Content) Objectives for the Lesson
a) By the end of the lesson, students will be able to...
•utilize the cooperating libraries automated
network (CLANS) to find a biography.
•utilize the Middletown Public School Library
website.
b) After the introduction, I will tell students the objectives, which will be written on the board, and the criteria for success (see rubric).
c) Criteria for success:
•Following directions, asking questions, and observing demonstrations.
•Computer Usage Rubric (see attached)
•Located a biography on a historical American.
d) Assessment:
•I will ask questions following my demonstration.
•I will circulate and take observational notes and later transcribe notes to individual rubrics.
•Student will print page with information on the book they chose.
•Students will have book sent to North Kingstown Free Library.
3. Activities and Involvement
a) List of activities:
1. pre-activities
At the beginning of the colonial unit students are asked to choose a biography on a colonial American. Students then read the biography at home during the unit. At the end of the unit students will dress up as their colonial American and present an oral biography in first person. However, our school library has limited amount of biographies on colonial Americans; thus, students need to learn to use the cooperating libraries automated network (CLANS) and other sources to find books.
2. introduction (whole group discussion)
I will begin by asking students, “Where and how do you find books?” I will list them on the board. Next, I will pose a problem for students: students cannot use the school library, cannot leave the computer room and they need to locate an age appropriate biography on their colonial American.
3. student searching and note taking
Student will independently search for a biography on their colonial America. They will bookmark any site they find valuable and write down any problems, questions or discoveries.
4. whole group discussion
Students will come together and share their experiences and discoveries. Students will share web sites and strategies that enabled them to locate their biography.
5. teacher demonstration
First, I will give students Finding a Biography on the Web directions (see attached). Using the computer attached to projector, I will demonstrate how to locate a biography on George Washington. Key points: finding an age appropriate book and one that spans the person’s whole life.
The CLAN’s system usually does not have a summary or grade level, however, the Middletown Public School Library web site usually does. Thus, I will show students how to use both systems simultaneously to find a biography. Finally, I will demonstrate to the students how to use the webpath express option on the Middletown Public School Library website for an extension activity.
6. independent work
Using their Finding a Biography on the Web directions students will independently search for their biography, print out page demonstrating their find, and have book sent to the North Kingstown Free Library.
b) learning styles
The teacher modeling the lesson and directions posted will support visual learners. Students hands-on experience supports the kinesthetic learner. Whole group discussion will allow students to develop questions based on questions raised by other students. Finally, the rubrics and criteria for success allows students to know what is expected of them to succeed.
c) extensions
Students who finish early, or wish to find out more about a their colonial American, can go to Middletown Public School Library website and click webpath express. Furthermore, students may use the Internet to find other books that they may want to read.
Finding a Biography on the Web
Follow Me!
1. North Kingstown Free Library:
www.nklibrary.org/ Bookmark!
2. Find the link http://library.provlib.org/ and
click on it.
This site is called the cooperating Libraries
Automated Network (CLAN).
3. Without closing the CLAN browser, open
another browser.
4. Middletown Public School Library: http://
library.mpsri.net/ Bookmark!
5. Click on the “Aquidneck School Library” link.
6. You are now in the Aquidneck School Library
catalog. Change the “Look In” to All Middle
Schools.
7. In “Find” type your colonial American and click
on “search”.
8. Browse through the selections reading the
summaries and checking grade level.
9. When you find an appropriate book write down
the author and title of the book.
10. Without closing the Middletown Public School
Library browser, go back to the CLAN browser.
11. Type in title of book, change “View Entire
Collection” to “Young adult books” and click
“Go”.
12. If the library has this book the page with all its
information will show up. Print this page.
If they do not have the book go back to
Middletown Public School Library browser and find another book and follow steps 9-11 again.
13. After printing, click on “request” at the top of
the page.
14. Type in your barcode from the back of your
library card and change “Choose a Pickup Location” to “North Kingstown Free Library NKI”
and click “submit”.
15. If all went well you should receive a
message–“Your request was successful”
Computer Usage Rubric
Criteria
•Stayed on task
•Followed directions
•Listened to others
•Participated in discussion
•Visited appropriate site
•Located information
Score
4 Always
3 Most of the time
2 Sometimes
1 Not Yet
Teacher Comments:
LESSON PLAN–Persuasive Writing/Blog
1. Coverage (goals/standards)
a) write to persuade Europeans to come to an American colony and post to a blog
b) A2c Writes and formats information for short publications, such as brochures or posters;
Performance Standards Vol. 1 Elementary School, 1997)
A3b Uses information technology to assist in gathering, organizing, and presenting information; (Performance Standards Vol. 1 Elementary School, 1997)
E2a The student produces a report. (Performance Standards Vol. 1 Elementary School, 1997)
E3b The student participates in group meetings; (Performance Standards Vol. 1 Elementary School, 1997)
2. Mastery (Content) Objectives for the Lesson
a) By the end of the lesson, students will be able to...
•write a persuasive paragraph.
•post a writing piece to a blog.
b) After the introduction, I will tell students the objectives, which will be written on the board, and the criteria for success (see rubric).
c) Criteria for success:
•Following directions, asking questions, and observing demonstrations.
•Persuasive Writing Rubric (see attached)
•Exemplars
•Computer Usage Rubric (see attached)
•Successfully post their writing piece to http://teachingskaggs.blogspot.com/
d) Assessment:
•I will ask questions following demonstrations and discussions.
•I will read paragraphs and assess using rubric.
•I will circulate and take observational notes and later transcribe those notes to individual rubrics.
•Students will post to http://teachingskaggs.blogspot.com/ and comment on others writing.
3. Activities and Involvement
a) List of activities:
1. pre-activities
Students have worked with persuasive essays in a previous lesson when they discussed voice in their writing–they wrote to a friend trying to persuade them to wear or not wear uniforms in school. Then they wrote about the same topic to the principle. Students shared their writing and discovered how they used a different voice to communicate their position. Thus, they are familiar with persuasive writing; however, students have never been exposed to blogs. Only twenty five percent– or five students–of my class have used a blog.
At the beginning of the unit, when the Colonies Theme Project was explained and discussed, students chose a colony to research. Then the students had to write a paragraph trying to persuade someone from Europe to come to their colony. The research has been conducted and it is time to write.
Before this lesson I would have signed up students as team members to my blog: teachingskaggs using an alias and their class number.
2. introduction (whole group discussion)
I will begin by posing some questions to the students: “Has anyone ever moved?”, “Why do people move?” or “What are people looking for when they move?” I will write their responses on the board. Next, I will ask students, “What are some reasons Europeans came to the colonies?” I will write their responses on the board. Finally, I will pass out the persuasive writing rubric, explain the assignment–students will write a paragraph persuading a European to come to their colony–and discuss.
3. writing process (independent work)
Students will outline/web their ideas and then write a rough draft. Next students will edit their writing and then peer edit. Finally, students will conference with the teacher and type their final copy.
Teacher will have exemplars available. Caution–sharing exemplars can limit student creativity!
4. teacher demonstration
After students have typed their final drafts, the teacher will demonstrate how to post writing pieces to the blog–teachingskaggs–and make comments. Next, teacher will elicit from students what are appropriate comments.
5. independent work
Students will post their writing to the teachingskaggs blog and make comments on at least two writing pieces.
b) learning styles
The teacher demonstrating, posting directions, rubrics, and exemplars will support visual learners. Students working in pairs will enable them to discuss, challenge, support, and review each other’s understanding. Students hands-on experience supports the kinesthetic learner. Whole group discussion will allow students to develop questions based on questions raised by other students. Finally, the rubrics and criteria for success allows students to know what is expected of them to succeed.
c) extensions
Students who finish early or wish to write another persuasive essay can try to persuade someone not to come to their colony. Students can also read and make comments to other student’s paragraphs at teachingskaggs.
Persuasive Essay Rubric
4
•is clear, logical, and addresses the needs of
the audience
•has a strong, clear topic sentence stating the
writer's opinion
•has 5 or more supporting details with
elaborations.
•includes a concluding statement that restates
the author's point of view
•has few, if any errors in spelling, grammar,
capitalization and punctuation
3
•is clear and addresses the audience
•has a clear topic sentence stating the writer's
opinion
•has 5 or more supporting details
•includes a concluding statement that restates
the author's point of view
•has few errors in spelling, grammar,
capitalization and punctuation
2
•has a topic sentence that does not clearly
state the author's opinion
•has less than 5 supporting details
•may not have a concluding statement
•has several errors in spelling, grammar,
capitalization and punctuation
1
•has an ambiguous statement of opinion
•may not include a topic sentence
•has 2 or less supporting details
•may not have a concluding statement
•has many errors in spelling, grammar,
capitalization and punctuation
Student Comments: Student Score:
Teacher Comments: Teacher Score:
Expository Writing Prompt/Rubric-Final Project
Would you have rather lived in the New England colonies, Middle colonies, or the Southern colonies? Why? Support your answer with details and examples from your research collected.
•Must have a minimum of two reasons
•Minimum of four paragraphs
•Must have introduction(thesis sentence), body and conclusion.
Organization
1–Sequence of information is difficult to follow.
2–Reader has difficulty following work because student jumps around.
3–Student presents information in logical sequence which reader can follow.
4–Information in logical, interesting sequence which reader can follow.
Content Knowledge
1–Student does not have grasp of information; student cannot answer questions about subject.
2–Student is uncomfortable with content and is able to demonstrate basic concepts.
3–Student is at ease with content, but fails to elaborate.
4–Student demonstrates full knowledge (more than required).
Grammar and Spelling
1–Work has four or more spelling errors and/or grammatical errors.
2–Presentation has three misspellings and/or grammatical errors.
3–Presentation has no more than two misspellings and/or grammatical errors.
4–Presentation has no misspellings or grammatical errors.
Neatness
1–Work is Illegible.
2–Work has three or four areas that are sloppy.
3–Work has one or two areas that are sloppy.
4–Work is neatly done.
Details
1–Work displays no details.
2–Work has a few details.
3–Work displays some details.
4–Work displays details.
Teacher Comments:
Colonies Theme Project Rubric
RESEARCH:
*Graphic Organizer
completed on time
completed accurately
COVER:
*Title (13 American Colonies) and your full name neatly completed and colored
full name
*Paragraph and Illustration–reflecting 1
colony
persuade someone from Europe to want
to come to your colony(see persuasive
essay rubric)
illustration represents paragraph
BACKSIDE:
*Hornbook
made into parchment paper at home
colonial penmanship written in ink on
hornbook
*Occupation
neatly colored
*Map of 13 Colonies
correctly labeled and colored
INSIDE:
*Venn Diagram
labeled–New England Colonies, Middle
Colonies, Southern Colonies
information correctly applied
Neatness
Spelling
Grammar
H–Exceeded standard: Criteria have been exceeded.
4–Achieved standard: All criteria have been met
with few errors
3–Nearly achieved standard: Most of the criteria are
evident with some
errors.
2–Below standard: Few of the criteria are met with
many errors
1–Little evidence of achievement: None of the
criteria is met.
Teacher Comments:
Chris Safford
Chariho Regional High School
Health Education
Final Project
Chris Safford
Chariho Regional High School
Health Education
Content Area: Nutrition
The Issue
Many individuals in our society do not know how to evaluate their nutrition level and how to make the necessary changes for nutritional improvement.
Overall Goal
Students will understand the relationship between proper nutrition and one’s health, including physical and cognitive performance.
Day One: Nutrients
Standard #1
Students will understand concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention as a foundation for a healthy life.
Students will demonstrate the ability to:
• Describe the functions of the six basic nutrients in maintaining health.
• Demonstrate knowledge of nutrients in a variety of foods.
Assignments
• Students will read and produce a concept map for each of the six nutrients discussed in Chapter 5 (lesson 2) from Glencoe health.
• Concept Map will include:
o Nutrient name, function, types, food sources, and recommended consumption
Day Two: Web Searches & Public Health Policies
Standard #1
Students will understand concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention as a foundation for a healthy life.
Students will demonstrate the ability to:
• Analyze how the public health policies and government regulations relating to nutrition influence health promotion and disease prevention.
• Analyze how the public influences the development of public health policies and government regulations regarding nutrition.
Assignments
Power Point
• Topic: Web searches, domains, web site evaluations
o Critical Evaluation of Online Information
o Evaluate the United States Department of Agriculture web site (evaluation worksheet)
Class research
• Students will log onto the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
• Using the smart board, we will surf the site to retrieve the following information
o US dietary guidelines, RDA, role of government regulations, FDA and public health campaigns
• Students will complete the “Critical Evaluation of Online Information” worksheet
Day Three: Nutrient Deficiencies
Standard #1
Students will understand concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention as a foundation for a healthy life.
Standard #2
Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid health information and health-promoting products and services.
Students will demonstrate the ability to:
• Describe how to delay onset and reduce risks of potential life-long health problems relating to nutrient excesses and disease prevention
• Evaluate resources from home, school, and community that provide valuable nutrition information for self and others.
Assignments
Individual Research
• Students will search for an informational or educational web site that has quality information on a specific nutrient deficiency.
• Students will justify the quality of the web site by completing the “Critical Evaluation of Online Information” worksheet.
• Students will submit a written reflection on their findings. The Chariho Health writing rubric will be followed.
Day Four: CHSHealthEducation Web Log
Standard #4
Students will analyze the influence of culture, media, technology, and other factors on health.
Students will demonstrate the ability to:
• Log onto CHSHealthEducation.blogspot.com
• Post a comment on the classroom blog
• Utilize the classroom blog to retrieve assignments and health information
Assignments
• Students must post a comment in regards to the use of the classroom blog.
• Students will also reflect on different ways the class blog could be utilized in health education.
• Students will search for three nutritional web sites (informational, business / marketing, advocacy) and evaluate and post a reflection of their findings on the classroom blog.
Day Five: Nutrition News Alerts and Careers in Nutrition
Standard #2
Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid health information and health-promoting products and services
Standard #4
Students will analyze the influence of culture, media, technology, and other factors on health
Standard #7
Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, community, and environmental health.
Students will demonstrate the ability to:
• Research a school or community nutrition issue resulting from the influence of culture, media, technology and other factors
• Evaluate situations requiring professional health services
• Develop and implement a solution to a researched nutrition issue
• Discuss accurate information and express opinions about nutrition.
Assignments
Smart Board Presentation
• Topic: Google News Alert
o Students will learn hot to set up a Google New Alert
Uses of, function, creation of
• Students will create two “News Alerts”
o “Alert” on “nutrition in schools”
o “Alert” on a personal nutrition interest
• Students will post a comment on the classroom blog in regards to the school nutrition issue. Also, they must post their opinion and a solution for their nutrition issue.
• Students will research different professions that pertain to nutrition. Students will choose one and describe why it interests them and post their reflections on the blog.
Day Six / Seven: Nutrition Final Project
Standard #1
Students will understand concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention as a foundation for a healthy life.
Standard #2
Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid health information and health-promoting products and services.
Standard #3
Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and reduce health risks.
Standard #6
Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting and decision-making skills to enhance health.
Nutrition Final Project Guidelines
Task One: Web Research
• Log onto: http://www.mypyramid.gov
Task Two: My Pyramid Plan
• On the right hand side of the page enter your age, sex and your daily activity level in the “My Pyramid Plan” section. When complete “Click” the Submit button.
Task Three: My Pyramid Plan
• On this page answer the following questions using the information provided in the food group and tip sections. (Hint: In the food group section, be sure to “click” the Learn More box to answer the questions completely). Questions and Answers are to be submitted on a separate piece of paper.
1. How many calories is your diet based on?
2. What are the two subgroups of grains?
3. Describe and provide four examples of each of these two sub groups of grains.
4. Provide at least 2 tips to help you eat whole grains: (Hint: Provide more tips to exceed expectations).
a. At meals
b. As snacks
c. What to look for on the food label
5. Vegetables are organized into 5 subgroups, based on their nutrient content. Name and give three examples (your preference) of each subgroup.
6. List four tips / choices you can make in your fruit consumption where you’ll receive the best nutritional value.
7. From the milk tip section, list four healthy choices.
8. What can individuals do if they don’t or can’t consume milk products?
9. From the meat and bean tip section, list four healthy choices.
10. Describe three facts to look for on the food label when choosing from the meat and beans group.
Task Four: View, Print and Learn More
View and print the following pages on “My Pyramid Plan” page. (Right hand side of web page)
1. the PDF version of your results
2. the PDF meal tracking worksheet
a. On the meal tracking worksheet provide (write) an average day's worth of dietary information (food consumption)
Task Five: The Pyramid Tracker
MyPyramid Tracker is an online dietary and physical activity assessment tool that provides information on your diet quality, physical activity status, related nutrition messages, and links to nutrient and physical activity information.
• From the “My Pyramid Plan” page, click on “My Pyramid Tracker” which is located on the left hand side under “Subjects”.
• Scroll to the bottom of this web page. In the ACCESS section “Click” on Check It Out (no registration).
• Complete the Check It Out Profile and “click” on Proceed To Food Intake (bottom).
• Input your day’s worth of dietary information from Task 4 section 2.a.
• Enter your food items individually into the “Food Item” section.
o Example 1: If you had a bagel type in bagel and press “search” then choose the closest food from the list that is provided.
o Example 2: If you had a combination food such as pizza with a topping, type in the food item (pepperoni pizza) and press “search” then choose the closest food from the list that is provided.
• Once all food items are selected from your average day of food intake “click” on food quantity on the right hand side of the web page.
• Here you have to select your serving size and the number of portions / servings.
o Hint: Be sure to fill out all information in this section and try to be as accurate as possible. If you are having difficulty with serving sizes, go to “Inside the Pyramid” and “click” on “view food gallery”. This will give you a visual of serving sizes.
• When you have completed serving size and number of servings “click” Save and Analyze.
Task Six: Analyze Your Food Intake
MyPyramid Tracker is based upon the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005. Your food group and nutrient recommendations are goals for the entire day, not one meal. Your analysis will be based on the nutrient content of the foods you enter for one day and does not include the nutrients from dietary supplements.
View and print the following pages from “Analyze Your Food Intake”.
1. Dietary Guideline (DG) Comparison
2. Nutrient Intake For Foods
3. MyPyramid Stats
Final Nutrition Project Written Analysis and Summary
Based on the information that you have researched, what are changes you should make to improve your overall physical, mental and social health.
Please include the following information:
• Examples of food you need to eat more of or less of. (multiple examples please)
• What positive health effects will you receive after making the necessary changes?
• The Health Education writing rubric will be used.
Hint: Provide at least 2 positive effects for each health component (Physical, Mental, Social)
Web Site Evaluation Worksheets
# 1. .EDU or .GOV
Critical Evaluation of Online Information
Type: Informational Web Site (.edu) Topic: _____________________________
Primary Purpose: To present factual information Web Site: __________________________
Evaluation Checklist
Criteria #1: Authority
• Is it clear who is responsible for the contents of the web page? Yes / No
o Who is responsible for the contents of the page?
• Is there a link to a page describing the purpose of the sponsoring organization? Yes / No
o What is the link / web address?
• Is there a phone # or postal address to contact for more information? Yes / No
o What is the contact information?
• Is it clear who wrote the material and are the author’s qualifications for writing on this topic clearly stated? Yes / No
o Brief description.
• Is the material protected by copyright? Yes / No
o Who is the copyright holder?
Criteria #2: Accuracy
• Is the information free of grammatical, spelling, and typographical errors? Yes / No
• Are the sources for factual information clearly listed so it can be verified in another source? Yes / No
• Is it clear who has the ultimate responsibility for the accuracy of the content of the material. Yes / No
o Who?
Criteria #3: Objectivity
• Is the information provided as a public service? Yes / No
• Is the information free of advertising? Yes / No
• If there is advertising, is it clearly differentiated from the informational content? Yes / No
Criteria #4: Currency
• Are there any indicators that the material is dept current? Yes / No
o When was the page written?
o When was the page placed on the web?
o When was the page last revised / updated?
Criteria #5: Coverage
• Is there an indication that the page is complete, and is not under construction? Yes / No
Summary of Critical Evaluation
Is this web a reliable source? Yes / No
Defend your reasoning.
# 2 .ORG
Critical Evaluation of Online Information
Type: Advocacy Web Site (.org) Topic: _____________________________
Primary Purpose: Web Site: __________________________
An organization attempting to influence public opinion
Evaluation Checklist
Criteria #1: Authority
• Is it clear what organization is responsible for the contents of the web page? Yes / No
o What is the organization?
• Is there a link to a page describing the goals of the organization? Yes / No
o What is the link / web address?
• Is there a phone # or postal address to contact for more information? Yes / No
o What is the contact information?
• Is it clear who wrote the material and are the author’s qualifications for writing on this topic clearly stated? Yes / No
o Brief description.
• Is there a statement giving the organizations name as copyright holder? Yes / No
o Who is the copyright holder?
Criteria #2: Accuracy
• Is the information free of grammatical, spelling, and typographical errors? Yes / No
• Are the sources for factual information clearly listed so it can be verified in another source? Yes / No
Criteria #3: Objectivity
• Are the organization’s biases clearly stated? Yes / No
o What are the biases?
• If there is advertising, is it clearly differentiated from the informational content? Yes / No
Criteria #4: Currency
• Are there any indicators that the material is kept current? Yes / No
o When was the page written?
o When was the page placed on the web?
o When was the page last revised / updated?
Criteria #5: Coverage
• Is there an indication that the page is complete, and is not under construction? Yes / No
• Is it clear what topics the page intends to address? Yes / No
• Is the point of view of the organization presented in a clear manner with its arguments well supported? Yes / No
Summary of Critical Evaluation
Is this web a reliable source? Yes / No
Defend your reasoning.
Kathleen LaLonde
Hamilton Elementary School
Grade 5
EDC920- Final Project
Unit- The American Revolution
Unit Goals:
The students will understand the importance of the American Revolution through progression of events and ideas and will learn to evaluate the consequences of decisions.
Standards Addressed
Reading
E1c The student reads and comprehends informational materials to develop understanding and expertise and produces written or oral work.
Writing
E2b The student produces a response to literature.
E2c The student produces a narrative account (fictional or autobiographical).
E2e The student produces a persuasive essay.
Speaking
E3a The student participates in one-to-one conferences with a teacher, paraprofessional, or adult volunteer.
E3b The student participates in group meetings.
Information Tools and Techniques
A3b The student uses information technology to assist in gathering, organizing, and presenting information.
Tools and Techniques for Working with Others
A5a The student works with others to complete a task
Students will participate in a variety of activities throughout the unit.
Teacher facilitated instruction, group discussions, cooperative group work, hands on activities, prior to assignments rubrics will be distributed.
Unit Resources
-Textbook - Build Our Nation, Houghton Mifflin Company, Chapters 10, 11, 12
-The following books will be used in our Guided Reading Groups. There are five groups, each reading a different novel based on appropriate reading level over the course of the unit. Two of the groups will read the same novel.
The Fighting Ground by Avi
George Washington’s Socks by Elvira Woodruff
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
Five Smooth Stones, Hope’s Revolutionary War Diary by Kristiana Gregory
Winter of the Red Snow by Kristiana Gregory will be used as read aloud throughout the unit
-Other related literature to be shared with the class
-A weekly newspaper for young students called “USA Studies Weekly”
-Copies of activities needed for projects
-Colored pencils, construction paper, thin markers, scissors, glue sticks, project folder to hold papers and other materials related to the projects
-Computer
-Projector
Lesson 1 – The French and Indian War
Objective: The students will identify why the French, Native Americans, and British fought the French and Indian War.
We will read Chapter 10 in our Social Studies textbooks as an introduction to the French and Indian War. We will also read sections of the first newspaper for this unit titled “Fighting for a Continent.” This material will provide the students with information so that they can create a lockbook. The students will learn how the geography of American changed as a result of this war, and they will learn the 5 Ws, who, what, when, where, why, and how of this war. This information will be used to complete the lockbook using a template. Each panel of the lockbook will require specific information. This will be discussed and reviewed to be sure everyone has the correct answers.
Lesson 2 – The Proclamation of 1763
Objective: The students will describe the effects of Britain’s victory on Native Americans and colonists.
Continuing to explain how the events being studied are both causes and effects. Each event they’ll learn about what happened as a result of the previous event. For example, the Proclamation of 1763 was ordered as a result of the French and Indian War. The American colonists wanted to move further west, but that would have meant further fighting with the Native People, which King George III wanted to avoid. This proclamation prohibited colonists from moving west of the Appalachian Mountains, and preserved this land as hunting grounds for the Native People.
The students will work in groups to answer three questions. The students will read pages 238 and 239 in their textbooks and then write a complete, detailed paragraph that answers these questions:
1. Why did King George III issue the Proclamation of 1763?
2. Why did the proclamation anger the colonists?
3. Can you think of a compromise that might have satisfied both the king and the colonists?
Lesson 3 – Unfair Taxes
Objectives: The students will explain why the British passed the Stamp Act and why the colonists resisted it.
The students will describe the colonists’ reaction to the Townshend Acts.
We will spend some time discussing the ways Britain unfairly taxed the American colonists. We will discuss the Sugar Act, the Quartering Act, the Stamp Act, and the Townshend Acts. The students will research these acts in groups on the computer using the websites below. We will also continue to read in the textbook and the weekly newspaper. I have copied some pages from an encyclopedia as another resource as well. Finally, a Question and Answer Flip Book will be created using an activity sheet.
www.kidsclick.org
www.awesomelibrary.com
www.yahooligans.com
www.ajkids.com
www.kidport.com
Lesson 4 – The Boston Massacre
Objective: The students will identify the causes and results of the Boston Massacre.
In this lesson, the students will learn that there are certain “clue words” that indication the order in which things occur. Four of the most common are, first, next, then, and finally. I will write the four words on the board in a column and ask the students to tell me the sequence of events of the Boston Massacre leading up to the death of five colonists. The students will create a time line of these events, using the sequence words.
Lesson 5 – The Boston Tea Party
Objective: The students will explain how the Tea Act led to increased tensions between the colonists and Britain.
The Tea Act and The Intolerable Acts are clear examples of cause and effect. After reading about these acts in our textbooks and other research materials, the students will create a cause, effect, and repercussion step book. The students will write a complete paragraph about the Tea Act on the first “step” or the cause. Next they will illustrate the famous event, the effect. Finally, they will write a complete paragraph describing the Intolerable Acts and how the colonists reacted to them, the repercussion.
The students will use appropriate websites to find out information about the different acts. The students will use the Evaluation Checklist to search and evaluate the information they find on the websites.
www.kidsclick.org
www.awesomelibrary.com
www.yahooligans.com
www.ajkids.com
www.kidport.com
Lesson 6 – The First Continental Congress
Objective: The students will better understand the importance of the First Continental Congress the students through examining world events today.
The students will create a Now and Then Contrast Book. On one side the students will write a complete paragraph describing the 5 Ws of this event, the students will then describe a current world situation involving the use of tactics similar to those used by the First Continental Congress, also writing a complete paragraph describing the 5 Ws of this
event.
We will create a classroom news alert using boycotts as the topic. We will discuss the use of news alerts and how they provide us with up to date information about a specific subject. The students will be asked to research current boycotts and sanctions against other countries and contrast them with the boycotts that occurred as a result of the First Continental Congress.
www.google.com
I will click on the link to News Alerts and demonstrate how to set up the news alert. We will check the results the next day. The following day we will evaluate if the news alert was helpful and if it is something that could help us with out research.
Lesson 7 – Paul Revere’s Ride
Objective: The students will learn about Paul Revere’s role in the American Revolution.
To begin this lesson, I will read and discuss the poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Paul Revere's Ride - Virtual Museum
www.cvesd.k12.ca.us/finney/paulvm/foyer.html
The students will spend one session in the computer lab going through this Virtual Museum.
Lesson 8 – Lexington and Concord
Objective: The students will describe how the battles of Lexington and Concord began.
The Battle of Lexington and Concord marked the start of the American Revolution with “the shot heard round the world.” The students will create a time line that sequences important events related to this famous battle. They should write a list of key events, the organization of the minutemen, Paul Revere’s ride, the shot heard round the world, the march to Concord, the British retreat, etc. In note form, they should write the date of the events and a sentence describing each one. They will choose five important events from their list. Each will have the date, sentence(s) stating the event, and an illustration.
Lesson 9 – The Second Continental Congress
Objective: The students will understand the purpose of persuasive writing.
The students will be writing a letter from John Adams to George Washington, urging him to accept the nomination as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. The students will pretend that they are sending the letter to George Washington at his Mount Vernon home in Virginia. The students will be given a graphic organizer to help them brainstorm and organize their thoughts.
We will discuss point of view and persuasive writing during this activity.
The students will post their writing to our classroom blog after it has been graded using the rubric. The students can respond to each other’s writing on the classroom blog.
mrslalonde@blogger.com
Lesson 10 – Bunker Hill
Objective: The students will understand how the Battle of Bunker Hill brought the colonies closer to independence from Britain.
The students will write a detailed and thoughtful essay about the Battle of Bunker Hill. They will begin with a rough draft and then transfer to a template for a guidebook. The following questions should be answered in the essay.
1. Why was Bunker Hill considered a strategic location?
2. How many battles were fought and what were the results of those battles?
3. Why do you think General Israel Putnam said, “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes”?
4. What was the significance of the Battle of Bunker Hill?
Within the guidebook, there is a graph showing the Number of Soldiers on one axis and American and British Troops and Losses on the bottom axis. The students will answer six questions based on the graph.
Lesson 11 – Declaration of Independence
Objectives: The students will understand how the colonists became convinced that they must separate from Britain.
The students will explain why the Declaration of Independence is important to America.
The students will work in pairs to answer the following questions:
1. Which delegate was chosen to write the Declaration of Independence?
2. On what date did the Congress adopt the Declaration of Independence?
3. Who was the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence? Why did he write his name so large?
4. What unalienable rights does the Declaration say people have?
5. What did Benjamin Franklin mean when he said, “Gentlemen, we must all hang together or else we shall all hang separately?
6. What is one of the most important differences between a democratic republic and the British Government at the time of the American Revolution?
Lesson 12 – Understanding the Advantages and Disadvantages held by the American and British armies.
Objective: The students will compare the strength and weaknesses of the British and colonial forces.
The students will explain the strategies of each side in the early years of the war.
The students will make a t-chart to show the Military Advantages and Disadvantages of the Americans and the British.
Lesson 13 – Circlebook of Important Events
Objective: The students will place historical events in proper sequence.
Creating this circlebook will allow students to report on important events of the American Revolution. The students can choose four events to report in their circlebook. The four events are “Crossing the Delaware,” “Battle of Saratoga.” “Valley Forge,” and “Victory at Yorktown.” For each event, the students will write a complete paragraph describing the event, who was involved, what happened, where it happened, when it happened, and what the result was. The students will glue the paragraphs onto the circlebook template and draw a simple picture related to each event.
Lesson 14 – Mini-book of Revolutionary Heroes
Objective: The students will become familiar with important historical figures of the American Revolution.
The students will be divided into small groups of five. Each person in the group will research a famous person and write a short biography. After researching their famous person, students will join their groups and share what they’ve learned. As information is shared, group members should record the data about each famous person on one page of their mini-book.
The students will use appropriate websites to search for information about their Revolutionary War Hero. The students will use the Evaluation Checklist to search and evaluate the information they find on the websites.
www.kidsclick.org
www.awesomelibrary.com
www.yahooligans.com
www.ajkids.com
Extension
Field trip to Minuteman National Historical Park in Concord, Mass.
www.nps.gov/mima
Rubric
H - Achieved the standard with honors
Criteria have been exceeded
4 - Achieved the standard
All criteria have been met with few errors
3 - Nearly achieved the standard
Most of the criteria are evident with some errors
2 - Below the standard
Few of the criteria are met with many errors
1 - Little evidence of achievement
None of the criteria is met
Key Elements and Criteria for Letter-Writing
-Rough draft completed and edited
-The introduction of the letter states the writer’s purpose for writing. The letter ends with a closing statement.
-The body of the letter is appropriate for the writer’s purpose.
-The format of the letter follows the graphic organizer guidelines. The heading(s), salutation, and closing are correctly placed and provide the required information.
-The conventions of writing are followed (capitalization, punctuation, spelling, grammar, and paragraphs).
-The sentences are written in a variety of ways to make the writing interesting.
Key Elements and Criteria for Persuasive Writing
-Rough draft completed and edited
-The paper fits the purpose for writing very well. It is designed to persuade a particular audience.
-The paper has a clear statement of opinion at the beginning, a middle that gives logical reasons that support the opinion, and an ending that restates the opinion and calls for action.
-The paper has details, description, and/or examples that give more information about the reasons.
-The conventions of writing are followed (capitalization, punctuation, spelling, grammar)
-The sentences are written in a variety of ways to make the writing interesting.
Key Elements and Criteria for Cooperative Group Work
-Consistently and actively helped your group achieve its goals by communicating well with other members, by encouraging the group to work together, and by willingly accepting and completing the necessary work of your daily role.
-Usually helped your group achieve its goals by communicating with other group members, by encouraging your group to work together, and by accepting and completing the necessary work of your daily role.
(If your evaluation is less than expected, try to use your cooperating skills more consistently.)
-Sometimes helped your group achieve its goals.
-Did very little to help your group achieve its goals.
Key Elements and Criteria for Expository Writing
-The writing indicates a complete understanding of the topic.
-The writer develops relevant ideas clearly and fully. Information focuses on the topic. Details, examples, and anecdotes explain and clarify the information.
-The writer organizes information logically. Includes an effective introduction and ending that engages the reader.
-The writer provides lively and descriptive language. Details, anecdotes, and examples clarify information.
-The conventions of writing are followed (capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and grammar).
Brian McDonald
North Kingstown High School
Math
Brian_mcdonald@nksd.net
Final Project.
Unit Title: Exploring Contributions in Number Theory
Overview: In efforts to increase literacy skills across the curriculum, I have decided that my senior class math students will write a math research paper that includes a presentation element. The in-class time for the duration of the project will be dedicated to their research and development of a number theory topic of their choosing. Topics in the past have included: Fermat’s Little Theorem, Fermat’s Last Theorem, Fibonacci Sequence, Golden Ratio, Gauss Rifle, Euclid’s Algorithm for the greatest common divisor, Chinese Remainder Theorem, Difference Engine, Newton’s Law of Falling Bodies, Meanings of Numbers, Discovery of Pi, etc. Students are encouraged to research any number theory concept of their choosing any find a topic that interests them. Once the student has identified a topic, they are to identify who is responsible for the Topic and identify two other contributions of this person to the field of Mathematics. Students will include a Biography of the contributor and they will include a summary of two of their other contributions. Only one student can choose a particular topic, first come first serve. Students will spend time in the computer lab and the Media Center learning how to effectively search for topics on the web, how to evaluate the credibility of the information on a website and they will speak to a media specialist about the use of RILINK and other invisible web resources. The project will be given to students two weeks (5 Blocks) prior to February Vacation. They will be given the opportunity to complete the research paper and project prior to vacation to earn one letter grade of extra credit. This should encourage students to start early and not wait for vacation to get serious. However, for those students that procrastinate, they will have vacation to catch up. Students will have one day in the computer lab after vacation to complete their understanding of the topic or to get started typing. The research paper will be due the second block after vacation and that is when presentations will begin. Students will be making a visual presentation to the class and teacher using multiple visual aids. Teacher assesses the research paper, yet students will be assessing the presentation portion. There are penalties for punctuality and attendance during others presentations. Classroom assessments are based on a points system with approximately 350 to 400 points accumulating each quarter. This project will constitute 200 points.
Goals: Students will effectively learn about a topic in number theory. Students will use print and media resources to research and understand contributions made over the years in the field of Number Theory. Students will communicate their learning in a 4-5 page research paper. Students perform a visual presentation to their classmates and teacher illustrating the number theory topic they chose.
Timeline: The schedule will be a Modified Block Schedule and the unit will span a little over a month, including the February Vacation. The unit will include 4 blocks in the computer lab, 2 blocks in the library, and 3 blocks at the end for student presentations. There will be 5 blocks before vacation and 4 blocks after vacation. Students will be offered extra credit of one letter grade to the overall score should they complete the paper and project before vacation. Outline is due by the 4th Block.
Related National Standards for Mathematics and Technology
Mathematics-
NM-NUM-9-12.1: Understand numbers, ways of representing numbers, relationships among numbers, and number systems
• use number-theory arguments to justify relationships involving whole numbers
NM-ALG-9-12.2: Represent and analyze mathematical situations and structures using algebraic symbols
• understand the meaning of equivalent forms of expressions, equations, inequalities, and relations;
• use symbolic algebra to represent and explain mathematical relationships;
NM-GEO-9-12.1: Analyze characteristics and properties of two- and three-dimensional geometric shapes and develop mathematical arguments about geometric relationships
• establish the validity of geometric conjectures using deduction, prove theorems, and critique arguments made by others;
NM-PROB.REA.PK-12.1: Recognize reasoning and proof as fundamental aspects of mathematics;
NM-PROB.COMM.PK-12.2: Communicate their mathematical thinking coherently and clearly to peers, teachers, and others;
NM-PROB.COMM.PK-12.3: Analyze and evaluate the mathematical thinking and strategies of others;
NM-PROB.CONN.PK-12.1: Recognize and use connections among mathematical ideas;
NM-PROB.REP.PK-12.1: Create and use representations to organize, record, and communicate mathematical ideas;
NM-PROB.REP.PK-12.2: Use representations to model and interpret physical, social, and mathematical phenomena.
Technology-
NT.K-12.1: Social, Ethical, and Human Issues
• Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
NT.K-12.3: Technology Productivity and Tools
• Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
NT.K-12.3: Technology Research Tools
• Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
Student Demographics: There are approximately 45 students from two separate classes that are all in their senior year of high school. This is a college prep course, yet on a lower level of functioning. Approximately 20% of the students will be attending a four year college in the fall, 40% will be attending CCRI, 5% will enter into military service and the remainder will be earning a living. Approximately 30% of the students have either an IEP or 504 plan with one period every other day dedicated to receiving special education services. There is one exchange student from Brazil.
Essential Question: What topic in number theory interests you the most?
Sequence of Lessons:
Lesson One: Introduction of Number Theory Project
Introduction: Students will convene in the computer lab to receive a rubric and discuss expectations for the project. After all of the students are clear on the expectations, they will be aloud to brainstorm ideas using the internet as a search tool.
Goals: Students will understand the main goal of the project. Students will have scanned at least 4 or 5 topics in Number Theory. Students will be aware of all deadlines. Students will understand where to begin and how to progress.
Pre-Activities: This is the opening class of the unit.
Instructional Sequence:
1)Explain to students that they will be completing a Math Research Paper that includes a presentation element.
2)Hand out a rubric to students outlining the expectations of the project.
3)Outline the eight key components of the project. (Outline, Introduction, Biography, Main Topic, 2 other contributions, conclusion, presentation, and a bibliography.
4)Point out important due dates
5)Discuss how to meet the standard for all eight components of the project
Rubric For Meeting The Standard:
TCM Math Paper
Due Date: 3/2/06 (Paper for All)
Presentations: 3/2, 3/6, 3/8, 3/10
Outlines: 2/13/06 Due
Overall Value: 200 Points
(Minimum 4 full pages)
Outline = 5 Points
Introduction = 5 Points
Not including Bibliography
Biography = 20 Points
1 Main contribution or
Topic = 70 Points
2 Other Contributions = 20 Points
(10 pts each)
Conclusion = 5 Points
Presentation = 70 Points
Bibliography = 5 Points
Overall =200 Points
Meeting the Standard
Outline-
• Six Roman Numerals
o I.. Introduction
o II. Biography
o III. First Specific Contribution (with Explanation)
o IV. Second Specific Contribution
o V. Third Specific Contribution
o VI. Conclusion
Introduction-
• Complete thesis statement
• Introduce Main Contribution, Person, 2 Other Specific Contributions in Math History
• Branch of Mathematical Interest (ie. Game Theory, Science, Number Theory, etc.)
Biography-
• Dates of Birth and Death
• Background Information
• Schooling (Early Learning to University)
• Family or Friends Significance and Influences
• Key Dates of Interest
Three Specific Contributions-
• Each Contribution must be specific within a branch of Mathematics
• Overall Number Theory Contributions is not a specific Contribution.
(Mersenne Primes, Reimann Sum, Public-Key Cryptosystem)
• Only the Main Contribution is discussed in its entirety, careful not to omit important pieces. The 2 Other Contributions are to be discussed as an overview illustrating the important parts and its significance in Math History.
• Proofs are explained thoroughly, as if educating a person w/o previous knowledge
Conclusion-
• Restate Thesis statement
• Summarize Character and Accomplishments
Presentation-
• A Visual Presentation must be made to the class.
• Visual Presentations include but are not limited to: Experiments, Explanations of Proofs, Handouts, Power Point (Narrated), Interactive Models, etc.
• Non-Verbal Presentations such as Power Point, Poster Boards, and Models are acceptable, however, they must be discussed in advance and must be exceptional to be awarded full credit. Projects w/o a verbal presentation will not likely receive higher than 50 of the 70 points available on the Presentation.
• Actual class engagement should be at least 5 minutes. Whether the presentation includes a proof, experiment, or explanation.
• Multiple Visual Aids are recommended as long as they are not overkill. Power Point, Models, and Poster Boards are acceptable visual aids providing they are not the only means of presentation.
• Engaging the Class to Participate is preferred and will earn the most credit
• Physical experiments that are performed well will receive the most credit.
• Classmates are judging the Presentation Portion; a consensus will be used as the final presentation grade with Mr. McDonald reserving the right to override the consensus, if and only if the consensus is too generous.
• Creativity is appreciated and encouraged. Individuality is admirable as long as it is reasonably helpful to increasing the understanding of the topic.
• Late presentations will be cut by 25 points for each missed class. I will be checking the attendance lists to see if you sign in after my class. This will be penalized as well. You have a commitment to the due date and I expect it to be kept.
• Your attendance is required during all 4 days of presentations and you will be penalized 10 points from your presentation grade for each unexcused absence.
Bibliography-
• Two print sources and two internet sources are required.
• MLA Format is required
Standards: NM-PROB.COMM.PK-12.3; NM-NUM-9-12.1; NM-PROB.CONN.PK-12.1; NT.K-12.1; NT.K-12.2; NT.K-12.3
Writing assignments: Prompt: Find a topic in Number Theory that interests you. Students will organize their brainstorming on loose-leaf paper to be filed in a folder. Students will record the main points of the theorems that they research to help them make an educated decision a topic in the next couple of days.
Extension and adaptation: I will provide a copy of the rubric to all of the special education teachers and the ESL teacher for the Brazilian student. I will provide a Handout with several of the most prominent mathematicians to give ideas. There will be Number Theory texts for students, who need help identifying a topic to research on the internet. There will be specific monitoring about who receives the additional resources.
Informal Assessment: Participation and the ability to stay on task will be noted. Points will be deducted for students on any website that does not relate to mathematics or reasonable progression. Students will be evaluated and spoken to about their current focus.
Lesson Two: Presentations on effective research strategies and the invisible web
Introduction: Students will convene in the Media Center to receive a tutorial from Mr. McDonald and the Media Specialist. After the presentation, students will begin using print and media resources to expand their research.
Goals: Students will understand the importance and accessibility of resources such as RILINK, HELIN, ERIC, etc. Students will understand the significance of Boolean operator in a web-search and how they change the findings. Students will understand how to read a URL to determine the likelihood that the information provided will be useful.
Pre-Activities: Students began researching a topic in number theory to construct a 4-5 page research paper and make a presentation. Students will write a biography about the person who contributed their topic to number theory, they will discuss the topic in number theory and they will summarize two other topics that the person made to the field of mathematics.
Instructional Sequence:
1)Media Specialist distributes a handout on Locating Resources and discusses the handout.
2)Resources discussed are Card Catalog, Clan Card Catalog, Reference – Print Materials, Reference – Electronic Materials, Recommended Websites, and Invisible Web Resources.
3)There is a slide show demonstrating each element of the handout to illustrate it uses.
4)Quick notes session on the smart board by teacher on Boolean Operators, quotations, title searches and their uses in web searching.
5)Modeling on the smart board with a popular search (Pythagorean Theorem), highlighting the URL and explaining what to look for (ie. ~ or .edu)
6)Explain the domains of the URL
7)How to find images (picsearch, images.google.com, etc.
8)Demonstrate the HELIN system and google scholar
9)Highlight good sites to search (Yahooligans, ajkids, kartoo, A9)
10)Teacher will provide one-on-one help to those students that have selected a topic and need assistance understanding the meaning and symbology used
11)Homework is to continue and develop the research
Standards: NT.K-12.1; NT.K-12.2; NT.K-12.3; NM-PROB.CONN.PK-12.1; NM-PROB.REA.PK-12.1; NM-NUM-9-12.1
Writing assignments: Prompt: Find a topic in Number Theory that interests you. Students will continue to organize their brainstorming on loose-leaf paper to be filed in a folder. Students will record the main points of the theorems that they research to help them make an educated decision a topic in the next couple of days.
Extension and adaptation: I will provide a copy of the Locating Resources Handouts to all of the special education teachers and the ESL teacher for the Brazilian student. Brazilian student will search and write in Portuguese to eventually translate to English. There will be plenty of one-on one opportunities for those students that need motivation. There will be Number Theory texts for students, who need help identifying a topic to research on the internet. There will be specific monitoring about who receives the additional resources.
Informal Assessment: Participation and the ability to stay on task will be noted. Points will be deducted for students on any website that does not relate to mathematics or reasonable progression. Students will be evaluated and spoken to about their current focus.
Lesson Three: Evaluating the Credibility of a Website
Introduction: Students will convene in the Computer Lab to receive a tutorial from the teacher on evaluating a website for Accuracy, Authority, Objectivity, Currency, and Coverage. After the presentation, students will begin using the computers to continue their research.
Goals: Students will understand that anyone can publish anything on the internet. Students will understand that the internet has no quality control feature testing the validity of the information they find. Students will utilize the Web-Site Evaluation Checklist to determine if the information a specific website is useful to their research. Students will identify their topic and be ready to complete the outline that is due next class.
Pre-Activities: Students began researching a topic in number theory to construct a 4-5 page research paper and make a presentation. Students will write a biography about the person who contributed their topic to number theory, they will discuss the topic in number theory and they will summarize two other topics that the person made to the field of mathematics. Students have spent a day in the Media Center learning how to locate resources in the media center, on the internet, and on the invisible web.
Instructional Sequence:
1)Teacher will use a smart board to demonstrate website credibility using www.dhmo.org
2)Teacher will use a smart board to demonstrate website credibility using www.martinlutherking.org
3)Teacher will handout the Web Site Evaluation Checklist and review it with the students
4)Two students will select one of their sources thus far and evaluate it with the class on the smartboard.
5)Students will continue their research on the internet.
6)Teacher will provide one-on-one help to those students that have selected a topic and need assistance understanding the meaning and symbology used
7)Homework is to continue and develop the research
Standards: NT.K-12.1; NT.K-12.2; NT.K-12.3; NM-PROB.CONN.PK-12.1; NM-PROB.REA.PK-12.1; NM-NUM-9-12.1
Website Evaluation Checklist
□ Accuracy-
1)Is the information consistent with other sources of information?
2)Are there any errors in the interpretation of the formulas?
3)Are there spelling or grammatical errors?
□ Authority-
1)Who has provided the information on the website?
2)Is the website a .edu or a .org?
3)Does the “About Us” provide information about an organization beyond the web? (i.e. Phone number, address, etc.)
4)Is it clear who wrote the material and if the authors qualifications are clearly stated and consistent with the article?
5)Is there a mission statement available to outline the objectives of the author?
□ Objectivity-
1)Is the motivation of providing the information clear?
2)Can advertising and entertainment be differentiated from information?
3)Is the majority of the information Advertising, Entertainment or Information?
4)Does the information seem to be opinion or have bias?
5)Does the site give the appearance of an infomercial?
6)Is there additional access required to retrieve complete information?
7)Are there software requirements to obtain compatibility?
□ Currency-
1)Is it clear when the information was last updated?
2)If the information comes from a text edition, is it clear which edition from which the material originated?
3)Do the graphics appear to be current?
4)Are there dead links on the site?
5)Does it appear that the information is being is being monitored for quality assurance?
□ Coverage-
1)Does the website appear to be completed?
2)Is the entire article available on the web?
3)Are important items omitted?
4)Are the mathematical formulas given as pictures of text or fresh writing?
Writing assignments: Prompt: Find a topic in Number Theory that interests you. Students will continue to organize their brainstorming on loose-leaf paper to be filed in a folder. Students will record the main points of the theorems that they research to help them make an educated decision a topic in the next couple of days.
Extension and adaptation: I will provide a copy of the Web Site Evaluation Checklist to all of the special education teachers and the ESL teacher for the Brazilian student. Brazilian student will search and write in Portuguese to eventually translate to English. There will be plenty of one-on-one opportunities for those students that need motivation. There will be Number Theory texts for students, who need help identifying a topic to research on the internet. There will be specific monitoring about who receives the additional resources.
Informal Assessment: Participation and the ability to stay on task will be noted. Points will be deducted for students on any website that does not relate to mathematics or reasonable progression. Students will be evaluated and spoken to about their current focus.
Lesson Four: Continued Research in the Media Center
Introduction: Students will convene in the Media Center and continue their research using the rubric provided, the handout for locating resources, the notes on effective web searching, and the website evaluation checklist.
Goals: Students will start to identify a possible presentation to perform. Students will develop their topic by asking clarifying questions and using the teacher as a resource. Students develop a bank of reference materials to accelerate their understanding of their number theory topic.
Pre-Activities: Students began researching a topic in number theory to construct a 4-5 page research paper and make a presentation. Students will write a biography about the person who contributed their topic to number theory, they will discuss the topic in number theory and they will summarize two other topics that the person made to the field of mathematics. Students have spent a day in the Media Center learning how to locate resources in the media center, on the internet, and on the invisible web. Students spent a day in the computer lab learning how to evaluate a website for credibility.
Instructional Sequence:
1)Students will submit the Outline identifying their topic, contributor, and two other contributions
2)Students will continue their research
3)Teacher will work one-on-one assisting students to focus their research
4)Teacher will assist students to understand the reasoning and symbology used in the mathematical proofs and theories
5)Media Specialist will visit students to determine if the resources are being utilized properly
Standards: NT.K-12.1; NT.K-12.2; NT.K-12.3; NM-PROB.CONN.PK-12.1; NM-PROB.REA.PK-12.1; NM-NUM-9-12.1
Writing assignments: Students will submit a typed outline describing their topic, the subject of their Biography, and the additional contributions. Prompt: Find a topic in Number Theory that interests you. Students will continue to organize their brainstorming on loose-leaf paper to be filed in a folder. Students will record the main points of the theorems that they research to help them make an educated decision a topic in the next couple of days.
Extension and adaptation: Brazilian student will search and write in Portuguese to eventually translate to English. There will be plenty of one-on one opportunities for those students that need motivation. There will be Number Theory texts for students, who need help identifying a topic to research on the internet. There will be specific monitoring about who receives the additional resources.
Informal Assessment: Participation and the ability to stay on task will be noted. Points will be deducted for students on any website that does not relate to mathematics or reasonable progression. Students will be evaluated and spoken to about their current focus.
Formal Assessment: The outline will constitute 5 of the 200 points possible for the project. The students need to state their main topic and provide a 5 or 6 sentence explanation where they are centering their focus; they will need to indicate who will be the subject of the biography; and they will need to identify the two other contributions.
Lesson Five: Continued Research in the Computer Lab
Introduction: This is the last day before vacation. Students will convene in the Computer Lab and continue their research using the rubric provided, the handout for locating resources, the notes on effective web searching, and the website evaluation checklist.
Goals: Students will continue to identify a possible presentation to perform. Students will develop their topic by asking clarifying questions and using the teacher as a resource. Students develop a bank of reference materials to accelerate their understanding of their number theory topic.
Pre-Activities: Students began researching a topic in number theory to construct a 4-5 page research paper and make a presentation. Students will write a biography about the person who contributed their topic to number theory, they will discuss the topic in number theory and they will summarize two other topics that the person made to the field of mathematics. Students have spent a day in the Media Center learning how to locate resources in the media center, on the internet, and on the invisible web. Students spent a day in the computer lab learning how to evaluate a website for credibility. Students have spent two days in the Media Center and two days in the Computer Lab prior to this lesson.
Instructional Sequence:
1)Students will continue their research
2)Teacher will work one-on-one assisting students to focus their research
3)Teacher will assist students to understand the reasoning and symbology used in the mathematical proofs and theories
4)Any student who is taking advantage of the extra credit will make a presentation to the class
Standards: NT.K-12.1; NT.K-12.2; NT.K-12.3; NM-PROB.CONN.PK-12.1; NM-PROB.REA.PK-12.1; NM-NUM-9-12.1
Writing assignments: Prompt: Find a topic in Number Theory that interests you. Students will continue to organize their brainstorming on loose-leaf paper to be filed in a folder. Students will record the main points of the theorems that they research to help them make an educated decision a topic in the next couple of days.
Extension and adaptation: Brazilian student will search and write in Portuguese to eventually translate to English. There will be plenty of one-on-one opportunities for those students that need motivation. There will be Number Theory texts for students, who need help identifying a topic to research on the internet. There will be specific monitoring about who receives the additional resources.
Informal Assessment: Participation and the ability to stay on task will be noted. Points will be deducted for students on any website that does not relate to mathematics or reasonable progression. Students will be evaluated and spoken to about their current focus.
Lesson Six: Continued Research in the Computer Lab, Final Draft, Math Type
Introduction: Students have just returned from vacation. Students will convene in the Computer Lab and continue their research using the rubric provided; the handout for locating resources; the notes on effective web searching; and the website evaluation checklist. Students should be typing their final draft and finalizing their presentations.
Goals: Students will continue to identify a possible presentation to perform. Students will develop their topic by asking clarifying questions and using the teacher as a resource. Students develop a bank of reference materials to accelerate their understanding of their number theory topic. Students will begin typing their final draft.
Pre-Activities: Students began researching a topic in number theory to construct a 4-5 page research paper and make a presentation. Students will write a biography about the person who contributed their topic to number theory, they will discuss the topic in number theory and they will summarize two other topics that the person made to the field of mathematics. Students have spent a day in the Media Center learning how to locate resources in the media center, on the internet, and on the invisible web. Students spent a day in the computer lab learning how to evaluate a website for credibility. Students have spent two days in the Media Center and three days in the Computer Lab prior to this lesson.
Instructional Sequence:
1)Teacher will instruct students to use the “Math Type” functionality of Microsoft Word to effectively place the proper symbology in their paper.
2)Students will continue their research
3)Teacher will work one-on-one assisting students to focus their research
4)Teacher will assist students to understand the reasoning and symbology used in the mathematical proofs and theories
Standards: NT.K-12.1; NT.K-12.2; NT.K-12.3; NM-PROB.CONN.PK-12.1; NM-PROB.REA.PK-12.1; NM-NUM-9-12.1
Writing assignments: Students will be typing a final draft of the research paper that is to be submitted next class. Students will be completing their visual aids for their presentations (Poster boards, Power Point presentations, etc)
Extension and adaptation: Brazilian student will search and write in Portuguese to eventually translate to English. There will be plenty of one-on-one opportunities for those students that need motivation. There will be Number Theory texts for students, who need help identifying a topic to research on the internet. There will be specific monitoring about who receives the additional resources.
Informal Assessment: Participation and the ability to stay on task will be noted. Points will be deducted for students on any website that does not relate to mathematics or reasonable progression. Students will be evaluated and spoken to about their current focus.
Lesson Seven: Final Draft and First Day of Presentations
Introduction: Students are to submit a Final Draft of their research paper, which must be at least onto a 5th page without pictures or quotes. Students that chose to make their presentation today will demonstrate their topic to the class and the teacher. Each student will give a score between 0 and 70 based on the rubric provided. Teacher will average the scores, discarding the highest and lowest. The average between 0 and 70 points will be the amount allocated to the project score out of 200 points. Approximately six or seven students will present each day. Each will need to supply their own resources and they must have requested any technology in advance.
Goals: Students will perform presentations that educate their peers in the classroom. Students will accurately critique their peer’s presentations, providing constructive criticism where possible.
Pre-Activities: Students began researching a topic in number theory to construct a 4-5 page research paper and make a presentation. Students will write a biography about the person who contributed their topic to number theory, they will discuss the topic in number theory and they will summarize two other topics that the person made to the field of mathematics. Students have spent a day in the Media Center learning how to locate resources in the media center, on the internet, and on the invisible web. Students spent a day in the computer lab learning how to evaluate a website for credibility. Students have spent two days in the Media Center and four days in the Computer Lab prior to this lesson.
Instructional Sequence:
1)Teacher will facilitate the students presentations as they teach their topic to the class
2)Teacher will collect the peer assessments and calculate the averages.
Standards: NM-PROB.COMM.PK-12.2; NM-PROB.REP.PK-12.1; NM-PROB.REP.PK-12.2; NM-ALG-9-12.2:
Writing assignments: Students will be writing an assessment and critique for each and every presentation to be handed in for only the teacher to see.
Extension and adaptation: Other classes will be invited to view the presentations
Formal Assessment: A rubric was provided in Lesson 1, describing the breakdown of points to be earned and the criteria for meeting the standard in each category. Math Research Project will be graded out of a possible 200 points with the following breakdown:
(Minimum 4 full pages)
Outline = 5 Points
Introduction = 5 Points
Not including Bibliography
Biography = 20 Points
1 Main contribution or
Topic = 70 Points
2 Other Contributions = 20 Points
(10 pts each)
Conclusion = 5 Points
Presentation = 70 Points
Bibliography = 5 Points
Overall =200 Points
Teacher will be assessing the research paper and students will be assessing the presentations. Each student will give a score between 0 and 70 based on the rubric provided. Teacher will average the scores, discarding the highest and lowest. The average between 0 and 70 points will be the amount allocated to the project score out of 200 points
Lessons Eight/Nine: Presentations
Introduction: Students that chose to make their presentation today will demonstrate their topic to the class and the teacher. Each student will give a score between 0 and 70 based on the rubric provided. Teacher will average the scores, discarding the highest and lowest. The average between 0 and 70 points will be the amount allocated to the project score out of 200 points. Approximately six or seven students will present each day. Each will need to supply their own resources and they must have requested any technology in advance.
Goals: Students will perform presentations that educate their peers in the classroom. Students will accurately critique their peer’s presentations, providing constructive criticism where possible.
Pre-Activities: Students began researching a topic in number theory to construct a 4-5 page research paper and make a presentation. Students will write a biography about the person who contributed their topic to number theory, they will discuss the topic in number theory and they will summarize two other topics that the person made to the field of mathematics. Students have spent a day in the Media Center learning how to locate resources in the media center, on the internet, and on the invisible web. Students spent a day in the computer lab learning how to evaluate a website for credibility. Students have spent two days in the Media Center and four days in the Computer Lab prior to this lesson.
Instructional Sequence:
1)Teacher will facilitate the students presentations as they teach their topic to the class
2)Teacher will collect the peer assessments and calculate the averages.
Standards: NM-PROB.COMM.PK-12.2; NM-PROB.REP.PK-12.1; NM-PROB.REP.PK-12.2; NM-ALG-9-12.2:
Writing assignments: Students will be writing an assessment and critique for each and every presentation to be handed in for only the teacher to see.
Extension and adaptation: Other classes will be invited to view the presentations
Formal Assessment: A rubric was provided in Lesson 1, describing the breakdown of points to be earned and the criteria for meeting the standard in each category. Teacher will be assessing the research paper and students will be assessing the presentations. Each student will give a score between 0 and 70 based on the rubric provided. Teacher will average the scores, discarding the highest and lowest. The average between 0 and 70 points will be the amount allocated to the project score out of 200 points
Sean McNamara
Social Studies
United States History
Middle Stanine
Grade 10
Unit Title
Cold War
Duration
This unit is intended to last 11 class days.
Standards
Warwick does not subscribe to any national content standards for history and as a result our department utilizes the National Standards for History (National Center for History in the Schools) in conjunction with the content curriculum established by the Warwick Public Schools for United States History.
Standards in Historical Thinking
Standard 1 – Students think chronologically.
Standard 2 – Students comprehend a variety of historical sources.
Standard 3 – The student engages in historical analysis and interpretation.
Standard 4 – The student conducts historical research.
Standard 5 – The students engage in historical analysis and decision-making.
*Please note that everything that occurs within the curriculum focuses continuously on all the above standards and skills.
Content Standards
Era 9 – Postwar United States (1945 to Early 1970s)
Standard 1 – The economic boom and social transformation of postwar United States.
1A - The student understands the extent and impact of economic changes in the postwar period.
Standard 2 - How the Cold War and conflicts in Korea and Vietnam influenced domestic and international policies.
2A - The student understands the international origins and domestic consequences of the Cold War.
2C - The student understands the foreign and domestic consequences of the U.S. involvement in Vietnam
Era
Standard 3 – Domestic policies after the war.
3A - The student understands the political debates of the post-World War II era.
English Language Arts
In an effort to teach reading and writing across the curriculum I have incorporated the following ELA standards into this unit.
E1 – Reading
E1c – The student reads and comprehends informational materials to develop understanding and expertise and produces written or oral work that makes connections to related topics and information.
E2 – Writing
E2a – The student produces a report that develops a controlling idea that conveys a perspective on the subject and creates an organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context.
E2c – The student produces a narrative account (fictional or autobiographical) that uses arrange of appropriate strategies, such as dialog, tension, or suspense, naming, pacing, and specific narrative action.
E2e – The student produces a persuasive essay that includes appropriate information and arguments.
E3 – Speaking, Listening, and Viewing
E3d – The student makes informed judgments about television, radio, and film productions; that is, the student judges the extent to which the media are a source of entertainment as well as a source of information.
E6 – Public Documents
E6a – The student critiques public documents with an eye to strategies common in public discourse, including appeal to audiences both friendly and hostile to the position presented.
Lesson Plan #1 (one class)
This lesson plan is an overview of the Cold War. The intent of this lesson is to utilize the Internet to help students understand the scope and duration of the Cold War. Many students are familiar with many of the events of the Cold War, but lack the knowledge to tie the events together. This overview will help them bridge from one event to another.
(Standards Era 9 – 2A, Era 9 – 3A, ELA E2a, ELA E1c)
GOALS:
·Understand the broad scope of the Cold War
·Suggest possible causes of the Cold War
1.Brainstorming Activity – Students will break into (5) groups and move around the classroom to (5) preset locations at the chalkboards. Students will brainstorm ideas based on the following (5) Cold War topics – EVENTS, PEOPLE, PLACES, TERMS, and OTHER and list things that come to mind.
2.Whole class Discussion on brainstorming activity.
3.Using an LCD Projector and my desktop, students will take an online Cold War test on the “Superpower Relations” website in class. The students will view the website together but will be separated into small groups in order to collectively answer the questions. (http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/lessons/superpower/)
4.During the Cold War test presentation, teacher will note key graphic organizers that present important information that students will copy to their notebooks.
5.Homework – Students will use their notes from today’s lesson to create a spider diagram detailing the “Causes of the Cold War.”
Lesson Plan #2 (one class)
This lesson plan will build on the knowledge that students obtained from the previous lesson on the overview of Cold War. Additionally, it will begin to look at the causes of the Cold War following WWII specifically in Europe both politically and geographically.
(Standards Era 9 – 1A, Era 9 – 3A, ELA E6a)
GOALS:
·Analyze the causes of the Cold War
·Identify major events and terms of the Cold War
·Evaluate Cold War documents
1.Students will partner-up and share their graphic organizers detailing the “Causes of the Cold War” from the previous lesson. Teacher will check graphic organizers as students share. Volunteers will share their graphic organizers with the class for discussion.
2.In whole class discussion, class will come up with a consensus on the “Causes of the Cold War.” Students will write this graphic organizer into their notebooks.
3.Students will define the following terms in class using their textbook
satellite nation Iron Curtain Cold War containment Truman Doctrine blacklist Berlin Airlift collective security
Warsaw Pact HUAC Hollywood Ten Marshall Plan NATO McCarran-Walter Act
4.Check and review definitions with class.
5.Students will receive a blank map of Europe following WWII. Students will color and label the Communist nations and the non-Communist nations. Additionally, students must color and label the Iron Curtain.
6.Students will read an excerpt from Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain Speech” from March 5th, 1946. Students who struggle with reading the speech can utilize the website http://www.churchillspeeches.com/ to read and follow along with the speech.
7.In class students will listen to portions of Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech (obtained via http://search.singingfish.com/sfw/home.jsp ) followed by a whole class discussion.
8.Homework – Student will annotate in the margin of the excerpts of the “Iron Curtain” speech. Also, vocabulary quiz for the above words.
Lesson Plan #3 (two classes)
This lesson will utilize the textbook support materials to present a PowerPoint presentation on the topics the “Origins of the Cold War” and “The Cold War Heats Up.” Once the class understands the basics of Cold War, the teacher will begin to explore major events in the Cold War beginning with Korean War in this lesson.
(Standards Era 9 – 1A, Era 9 – 2A, Era 9 – 3A, ELA E2a, ELA E2e)
GOALS:
·Examine the Korean War
·Evaluate and understand historical maps
1.Check “Iron Curtain” speech homework and utilize whole-class discussion as necessary to answer any questions or entertain comments.
2.Take vocabulary quiz. Students will complete “Cold War” crossword puzzle created at http://www.crosswordpuzzlegames.com/create.html.
3.Utilizing a LCD projector and my desktop, students will view a PowerPoint presentation on the Cold War as noted above. Students will be given a b&w copy of the presentation with multiple slides on the page and an area adjacent to the slide to take notes.
4.Introduce a blank map of Korea in 1950 to each student. Utilizing an LCD projector and my desktop, students will view the interactive Korean War map at http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/05/maps/ and copy the information to their map.
5.Homework – Students will complete a newspaper article on the events of the Korean War as presented with the interactive Korean War map. The newspaper article can be presented from the North Korean or American perspective. The article must be factual and contain multiple facts about the war. The article should be a minimum of one full page typed, doubled spaced, 12 font.
Adaptation: Students may create two political cartoons on the topic of the Korean War in lieu of writing the above newspaper article. One cartoon must be from the American perspective and one from the North Korean perspective.
Lesson Plan #4 (two classes)
Students will use the Library Technology Center to complete Internet research on the following Cold War Events – Bay of Pigs Invasion, Cuban Missile Crisis, U2 Spy Plane Incident, Vietnam War, Bomb/Air Raid Shelters, Space Race, and the Salt Treaties. Each student will be working independently on this assignment. Additionally, Internet research skills such as the use of metasearch engines and advanced search options will be reinforced.
(Standards Era 9 – 1A, Era 9 – 2A, Era 9 – 2C, Era 9 – 3A, ELA E2a)
GOALS:
·Evaluate the quality of webpages
·Research Cold War events
1.The smart board in the library will be used to introduce students to advance search features on sites such as Google and Yahoo. Additionally, students will be introduced to other search engines with a focus on metasearch engines.
2.In the Technology Center students will be introduced to three sites on the Cold War –
A.http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/
B.http://students.concord.edu/jsmontgomery/
C.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_War
3.Students will use a checklist provided by the teacher to evaluate the authenticity of the site. Once students have completed the evaluation checklist for the websites provided by the teacher, they will begin to search for their own sites on the Cold War. Students will be required to find three websites of their choosing and complete the same checklist for its authenticity.
NAME OF WEBPAGE:
URL:
Circle one of the types of WebPages to the right. Then answer the questions with a Y for "yes" and an N for "no". Advocacy (usually .org) Business/Marketing (usually .com) Informational (.edu/.gov) News (current info.) Personal (individuals) Entertainment
Five Traditional Evaluation Criteria
1. Accuracy
Is it clear who is responsible for site?
Is there a link describing the entity's goals?
Are there links to verify the entity?
Is there a way to verify entity's legitimacy?
Can info be verified in a non-web source?
Is it clear who is responsible for content?
2. Authority
Can information be verified elsewhere?
Is info. free of errors and mistakes?
Is someone monitoring the site's info?
Are their outside inks to verify entity's claims?
3. Objectivity
Is info separated from advertising?
Is it clear why info. is being provided?
Are editorials and opinion pieces labeled?
4. Currency
Is the material recently updated?
Is there a date when page was written?
When was page 1st placed on web?
5. Coverage
Is page complete or is it under construction?
Does page comprehensively cover topic?
If out of copyright, does page look to update?
TOTAL # OF "Y"
Please note:
The more "Y's" a page has listed above, the more likely the page is of higher informational quality!!!!!
4.Once the students have six quality websites, they will begin their research on the list of Cold War terms. Student research can be recorded in bulleted format. Once the information form the six websites has been exhausted, students may go back to using search engines to find specific information they are lacking.
5.Homework – Continue research as necessary.
Lesson Plan #5 (three classes)
Students will watch the motion picture Thirteen Days in class and write a critique of the movie in order to learn the difference between summarizing and critiquing.
(Standards Era 9 – 1A, Era 9 – 2A, Era 9 – 2C, Era 9 – 3A, ELA E3d)
GOALS:
·Evaluate historical sources
·Utilize various forms of writing to present information
1.Prior to watching the movie Thirteen Days, students will be provided with a handout on how to write a movie critique. Time will be spent in class to review components of the critique.
United States History
4th Quarter Mini-Project – Movie Critique
Students are to complete a movie critique on the movie Thirteen Days. Students shall submit a critique/review of the movie between 1 - 2 pages, typewritten, double-spaced in size 12 font. All papers must include a title page with movie title, director, major actors and year made. Students should focus on the following topics understanding that not every movie will contain all of these elements. Additionally, this is not a summary but a critique or review so each student’s view of the movie will be different.
1.PLOT
·What is the basic story about?
·This should be an overview of the story but should not be the major component of the paper.
2.CHARACTERIZATION
·Who are the main characters in the story?
·Are the characters believable?
·How interesting or real are their roles?
·How effective is the dialogue/interaction between them?
3.PACE
·Hoes does the plot or storyline progress – quickly, slowly?
·Is the movie the right length?
4.CINEMATOGRAPHY
·What are the special effects?
·Is the musical score or soundtrack integral to the success of the movie?
·Are the settings and backgrounds effective?
5.HISTORICAL DIMENSION
·Is the director motivated by a genuine desire to recount the history or is it pure Hollywood entertainment?
·Is the film overly critical of or sympathetic to any particular group of people?
·Does the film have any historical value? Why or Why not?
·Would you recommend this film for other students in US history? Why or why not?
Please note the following:
A.Students may NOT use any outside sources in completing this project. The use of movie reviews from newspapers or magazines and the like is prohibited!!
B.Students must get approval of their movie/video by the teacher by xx/xx/xx. Students may be required to alter their choices based on overall class selections.
C.Students will be graded as follows:
·Critique (10 points for each of the five elements) 50 points
·Grammar & Spelling 20 points
·Graphic Organizer (Check-up #2) 10 points
·Rough Draft (Check-up #3) 10 points
·Requirements (length, due date, font, etc.) 10 points
TOTAL 100 points
D.Late projects will be penalized 10 points for every school day late.
E.Projects are due as follows:
Check-up #1 – Brainstorming xx/xx/xx
Check-up #2 – Graphic Organizer xx/xx/xx
Check-up #3 – Rough Draft xx/xx/xx
Final Paper xx/xx/xx
2.Students will watch the movie Thirteen Days and take notes as necessary to gain an understanding and the magnitude of the event.
3.Students will write the movie critique utilizing some class time but a majority of the work will take place outside of class.
Lesson Plan #6 (two classes)
Students will once again be using the Library Technology Center. This lesson will focus on the use of blogs to present their work with the class. Additionally, students will not only share their work, but also they will share their thoughts on their peer’s work. Students will be conducting Cold War Interviews (see adaptation below) with adults who lived through this period in history. Additionally, students will view a PowerPoint presentation on the Vietnam War.
(Standards Era 9 – 1A, Era 9 – 2A, Era 9 – 2C, Era 9 – 3A, ELA E2a, ELA E2c)
GOALS:
·Explain the use of blogs in the classroom
·Conduct various types of historical research
·Experience different forms of writing in historical research
1.The smart board in the library will be used to introduce students to utilizing blogs within the curriculum. Students will see how blogs are created and how they are used by reviewing the videos on the website Lynda.com (http://movielibrary.lynda.com/html/modPage.asp?ID=113). Additionally, students will be instructed on how to access and use blogs via blogger.com.
2.Once students are comfortable with accessing and using the blog “histroywithmrmac”, student will post their Cold War Interviews. Interviews can be with parents or guardians, relatives, teachers, and any other adult who can answer the questions on the interview guide.
3.Students will view a textbook supported PowerPoint presentation on the Vietnam War. Students will use this information to help conduct their interviews.
Cold War Interviews
Instructions – Conduct an interview with someone who lived during the Cold War. Compile your interview and post it on the blog located at http://historywithmrmac.blogspot.com/
Questions:
1.Provide an alias for Interviewee
2.Age of Interviewee
3.In your own words, what was the Cold War?
4.During what time period did the Cold War take place?
5.What is your first memory of the Cold War?
6.What events of the Cold War impacted your life or your family’s life?
7.Why did the Korean War take place? When did it happen?
8.Where is Korea divided?
9.Do you think the separation between North Korea and South Korea needs to still exist today?
10.Can you name any notable people from the Cold War period?
11.How did the media view or portray these people?
12.What do you remember about the Vietnam War?
13.Why do you think the US was involved?
14.Do you remember what happened at Kent State University?
15.What do you remember about the Cuban Missile Crisis?
16.Was there any difference between the Cold War of the 50’s and 60’s with the Cold War of the 70’s and 80’s?
17.What were your feelings of the Berlin Wall coming down?
18.What thoughts did you have about the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991?
19.At any point during the Cold War, did you fear for your life?
20.Any thoughts about the relationship between the United States and Russia today?
4.Students will post their completed Cold War interviews to the blog as required. Additionally, each student must read and comment on other students’ postings.
Adaptation: Students may write a piece of historical fiction in lieu of the Cold War Interview. The story must be 2 pages, typewritten, double-spaced in size 12 font. Utilize the story structure handout passed out previously in class that delineates “The Story Structure” with exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. The fictional story must be written on a Cold War topic and include appropriate strategies, such as dialog, suspense, pacing, and specific narrative action. Students must submit their story to the http://historywithmrmac.blogspot.com/ in the same manner as the students completing the Cold War interview.
Final Assessment
(Standards Era 9 – 1A, Era 9 – 2A, Era 9 – 2C, Era 9 – 3A, ELA E2e)
Assignment #1
1 - 2 pages, typewritten, double-spaced in size 12 font.
Students should use all of the information that was collected during this unit to answer this prompt. .
What was the Cold War? Was the Cold War predictable, inevitable, or avoidable?
Scoring Rubric (District General Writing Rubric)
Based on Content, Organization, Mechanics
Scores:
5 – Exceeds Standard
4 – Meets Standard
3 – Nearly Meets Standard
2 – Below Standard
1 – Little Evidence of Achievement
Assignment #2
Students will use their experience from writing a movie critique on the movie Thirteen Days to write a movie critique on a Cold War movie of their choice (with the Teacher’s Permission). Students will use the same requirements as the previous movie critique assignment. Choose from one of the movies below:
Day the Earth Stood Still
Bat 21
Dr. No
Born on the Fourth of July
Dr. Strangelove
Cease Fire
Fail-Safe
First Blood
Godzilla, King of the Monsters
The Deer Hunter
High Noon
Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
The Green Berets
Invasion, USA
Good Morning Vietnam
Kiss Me Deadly
Platoon
The Manchurian Candidate
Uncommon Valor
My Son John
We Were Soldiers
On the Beach
MASH
On the Waterfront
Pork Chop Hill
Panic in the Year Zero
An Annapolis Story
Red Dawn
The Wild One
The Red Menace
Top Gun
Seven Days in May
The Day After
Shane
An Officer and a Gentleman
The Steel Helmet
The Missiles of October
Storm Center
The Hunt for Red October
Them!
Crimson Tide
Threads
WarGames
Final Project
Dave,
Some of the pictures and charts did not translate to this post. I will send a copy to your Email.
Unit : Tissuue Regeneration and Stem Cells
Key objectives
Students will use Technology and hands on laboratory work to learn about tissue regeneration in animals and the relationship between tissue regeneration and stem cells.
Students will be able to explain what stem cells are, and where they come from.
Students will be able to describe some current and future applications of stem cell technology.
Students will be exposed to the moral, ethical, social and economic impacts of bio-technology.
Students will use our classroom blog sites to submit most of the assignments.
Standards
· Life Science
o The cell
§ The differentiation of cells is regulated through the expression of different genes.
§ Cell function regulation allows cells to respond to their environment and to control and coordinate cell growth and division.
§ In the development of multicellular organisms, the progeny from a single cell form an embryo in which the cells multiply and differentiate to form the many specialized cells, tissues and organs that comprise the final organism.
· Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
o Personal health
§ Transplants of organs (heart, liver, kidneys, pancreas, etc.) require the cells of the new organs to have the same "ID cards" as the recipient.
· Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
o Science and technology in society
§ Social needs, attitudes, and values influence the direction of technological development ways.
§ Humane use of animals for research into the prevention and treatment of disease is a common, yet controversial, practice used in medicine, product development, and routine safety testing. (animal experiments)
Day 1
Lesson 1
Classroom lecture with the use of an LCD projector and a computer.
Objectives
Students will be introduced to our classroom page. (blog)
Students will be able to find our classroom page on the web.
Students who don’t have an email account will be shown how to start one of their own.
Students will be able to logon to the site and record comments.
Students will establish a google news alert topics should be Stem Cells, Tissue regeneration etc.
Students can summarize news alert articles for extra credit.
Process
Using the LCD Projector show students how to find and logon to our classroom page.
The site is http://mrfairsbiologyclass.blogspot.com/
Show the student how to get to the classroom page..
Show students how to register on the classroom page and how to post their comments on the page.
Allow student to interact with the site by using the classroom computer.
Use the LCD projector to demonstrate how to establish a Google news alert for stem cells news.
Assignment 1
Classroom blog
Objectives
Students will demonstrate their ability to use our classroom page by posting this assignment as a comment.
Students will be able to follow the link called “Plant or Animal?”
Students will read the assignment and post their comments.
Welcome to Our Biology Class Page. We will be using this page to communicate during the next few lessons. Many of your assignments will be posted to this page. Most of your homework will be submitted using this page. You and your parents or guardians will be able to communicate with me and other people in the class using this page. All are welcome!!!!
Your first assignment will be to log on to our site and become a member.
Please post your name, (first name and last name initial),your student ID number, your email address and your class period number .
Just click on comments and register to use this site.
After you register you will be able to do your first assignment.
Click on the link on the right labeled. "Plant or Animal?". This is an excerpt from the book "The Proteus Effect" by Ann B. Parson. Please read chapter #1, Pages 13 to 23. Write a reflective essay which mentions the key ideas discussed by the author. The essay should be at least 3 paragraphs in length. A typical paragraph would contain 5 to 6 sentences. ( Many Books are Parts of books are now puplished on the web. If you are interested in learning more about this technology please talk to Mr. Fair)
Please title your essay "Comment on Animal or Plant?"
This assignment should be posted to our web page no latter than Monday 5/15/06.
Assessment
Students will have posted their comments successfully and in a timely manner.
Students will demonstrate a basic understanding of Trembley’s ground breaking observations of regeneration by writing a reflective essay .
Day 2
Lesson 2
Biology Lab.
Hydra - a little Aquarium Monster
And you think you had a bad hair day!!!
Objectives
Students will work in groups of 4 and observe living Hydra organisms.
They will capture the Hydra with a micropipete and place the animal on a concave slide for observation.
They will identify the different parts of the organism. using the worhsheets provided .
They will begin to complete the work sheets while observing the organism.
They should be able to observe the hydra capturing its food which will also be present in the culture.
Process
Provide Microscopes, Slides, Living cultures and work sheets to students.
Help them to observe the living Hydra, first hand.
Assignment 2
Today in class we looked at the hydra under the microscope. These are the same type of organism that Abraham Trembley studied in 1740. Were you able to see the hydra clearly under the microscope?
In 1740 Abraham Trembley did not have the type of scientific equipment that we have today. Imagine the problems he must have encountered while working with such a small organism.
Click here to learn more about Hydra. Be sure to watch the Movie.
Complete the 2 worksheets that you receive in class today The Zoology Coloring Book pages 13 and 14).
.
Write a reflective essay (1 paragraph, 5 to 6 sentences) about your encounter with Hydra.
Summarize one of the articles you receive on your Goggle News alert today,
Post your essay summary and comments before class tomorrow.
Tomorrow we will meet another amazing animal. A Flat Worm named Planaria.
Isn’t he cute!!!!!!!
Day 3
Lesson 3
Objectives
Students will observe living Planaria using the naked eye and the stereomicroscope.
Student in the group will care for their planaria by keeping it fed, and changing the water regularly.
Students will complete the Planaria Information worksheets (The Zoology Coloring Book Pages 21 and 22).
Students will observe the planaria every other day and maintain a daily log with observations and drawings; these observations will be posted to the classroom page once a week for the next 4 weeks.
The students will prepare a lab report that details their predictions and observation of the living planaria. Students should use the background information in this unit as a basis for comparing and contrasting regeneration and stem cell cell information. The lab report will be due 4 weeks from today when our planaria observations will have been completed. The Lab Report will be graded using the standard BHS Lab Report Rubric. The lab report will be the final project due for this unit. It should be entered in your digital portfolio.
Process
Day 1
Each group of students will receive 1 planaria and place it in an empty Petri dish with a lid.
They will label the lid with their name and the date.
Students will observe living planaria using the naked eye and the stereomicroscope.
Students will learn the steps required to maintain a healthy organism. (Short lecture)
Students will complete the Planarian Worksheet (The Zoology Coloring Book Pages 21 and 22).
Day 4
Lesson 4
Student will begin the planaria regeneration lab exercise, which will continue over the next few weeks.
Students will follow direction as the teacher leads them through the process of cutting the Planaria as outlined in the Lab Worksheet.
Planarian Regeneration
Introduction:
Planaria are one of many free-living flat worms that can be found in marine, aquatic, and terrestrial environments. Typical characteristics include an acoelomate body, a gut with no anus, lack of a blood vascular system, and a simple nervous system. Planaria are carnivorous scavengers.
Planaria have been the subject of many studies because of their unusual ability to regenerate. Regeneration is the ability to “re-grow” lost body parts. This is possible because the organism has the ability to form a blastema, which is an accumulation of undifferentiated cells, at the site of the wound. These undifferentiated cells will eventually differentiate into the missing parts.
Planarian flatworms reproduce by taking advantage of their regeneration capabilities. When conditions are favorable, the organism will attach its tail-end to the ground and pull forward with its head-end until it tears itself in half. Each end will then regenerate its missing half. This is a form of asexual reproduction called fission. The two “new” planaria are clones of each other, both possessing identical genes.
In this laboratory activity, you will study patterns of regeneration in planaria by conducting your own regeneration experiment. It will be your responsibility to care for your organisms and to keep records of their developmental progress by recording your observations.
Materials:
Pipettes Dissecting scope or magnifying glass Stream water
“I” Petri dishes Slides Sharpie markers
Razor blades Planaria culture Ice
Procedure:
*When working with Planaria, you can slow its movement by placing the slide on ice for several minutes.
1. Before making any cuts to your planaria, examine it on a slide to try to identify the following anatomical structures. (An understanding of the Planaria anatomy is essential for determining if there was any regeneration or not!!)
a. Catch a Planaria and put it on a microscope slide with a drop of water or place in a Petri dish to observe under the dissecting scope.
b. View the Planaria using a dissecting scope or magnifying glass. Identify the following structures.
Pigment cups – eyespots, photoreceptors
Pharynx – used to suck food into the gut
Mouth – food intake and output
Auricle - ear-like extensions where chemical receptors are located
Anterior and posterior intestine – digestion
Cerebral ganglion – brain
Lateral nerve cord – nervous system
2. There are several classical types of cuts that can be made to your Planaria that should generate good results.
a. Slow the Planaria’s movements by chilling the slide on ice.
b. Using a razor blade or scalpel, make the desired cut(s) to your Planaria.
c. Place the pieces obtained from the cut in individual Petri dishes with fresh pond water.
d. Label the Petri dish with your name, the type of cut performed, and which piece is in the dish (i.e. head end, tail end, left side, right side, etc).
e. Describe your experiment below. Include a hypothesis for your experiment.
3. Planarian Care: Keep your experimental Planaria in a cool darkened area. Provide your Planaria with fresh stream water every other day. Remove the old water with a pipette, being careful not to accidentally dispose of your Planaria. Only use fresh pond, spring, or stream water – never tap water or distilled water. Also, do not feed.
4. Observations: Each time you change the water, observe your Planaria using a scope or magnifying glass and note any changes you see. Record observations below. ** Record the date of your observations. It will take two to three weeks for regeneration to be completed.
DATE OBSERVATIONS
Day 4
Assignment 3
Click on the link on the right labeled. "Mouse Strain 129" . This is an excerpt from the book "The Proteus Effect" by Ann B. Parson. Please read chapter #2, Pages 25 to 39. Write a reflective essay which mentions the key ideas discussed by the author. The essay should be at least 3 paragraphs in length. A typical paragraph would contain 5 to 6 sentences.
Please title your essay "The Swollen Monster”."
This assignment should be posted to our web page no latter than Friday 5/19/06.
Day 5 & 6
Lesson # 4
Objective
Students will go to the Tech center and gather information about Stem cells and Stem cell research.
Process
Post the lesson on the classroom page and have students visit the links and complete the stem cell questions in the Post?
Post for lesson 4
Objectives
Students will explore basic principles of stem cells and stem cell research by visiting interactive websites and finding the answers to questions.
Process
Classroom Web Page Post:
Location Tech Center
The Basics of Stem cells
Welcome to the basic of Stem cells.
You will be asked to follow the links that are provided and answer the question in the post.
Please post you answers to these questions on the class web page before you leave the tech center tomorrow. You will have 2 days in the Tech center to complete this project. Do not cut and paste your answers. Answer the questions in your own words. This project will be counted as a quiz grade.
Go to this site and meet Stem Cell Guy follow his entertaining adventures. He answers the question what is a stem cell? Now it’s your turn. What is a stem cell?
To find out about the different types of stem cells go here. What are the different types of stem cells?
Why are researchers so interested in these cells, anyway?
How do researchers design and test a stem cell therapy?
What are some of the stem cell therapies being used today?
What are some of the promises and challenges for stem cell therapies in the future?
How do they culture stem cells?
What are some of the issues surrounding stem cell research?
Don’t forget to take the survey.
Day 7
Lesson 6
Research Topic
Stem Cells in the real World
Visit all of the following sites and prepare a report on one of them.
http://www.cordblood.com/index.asp
http://www.bmdw.org/
http://www.marrow.org/
http://www.lymphomainfo.net/lymphoma.html
http://exn.ca/Templates/Story.asp?ID=1999110852
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/1998-06/WUSo-RDWT-240698.php
http://www.sharpermindcenters.com/articles/new_neurons_grow_in_adult_brains.htm
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/02/0215_050215_transplant.html
The Report should be in Poster form you may work alone or with another person. As part of the report you should try to contact someone involved in the process you are studying. Try Email and explain that you are studying “Regeneration and Stem Cells” ask them to respond to you by email with any information which they think would be useful in your research. You must make a ten-minute presentation to the class to explain you area of research and your poster.
Day 8 and 9
Lesson 7
Objective
Students will present their Research Poster to the class. Each Group will be give 10 minutes presentation time.
Assessment
Students will continue to observe their planaria over the next few weeks. The final grade for this lesson will be the preparation of a lab Report.
The Student will follow the standard format for lab reports at Burriville High School.
The Standard Lab report rubric will be used to evaluate this lesson.
Bibliography
Elson, Lawrence B. The Zoology Coloring Book
New York: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc., 1982
Parson, Ann B. The Proteus Effect; Stem Cells and their Promise for Medicine
Washington: Joseph Henry Press , 2004
Retrieved 13,May 2006 < http://darwin.nap.edu/books/0309089883/html/25.html >.
Title: Animation: Stem Cell
URL: http://www.dnalc.org/stemcells.html
Title: Regenerative Medicine
URL: http://www.mos.org/cst/article/5892/
Title: Stem Cells in the Spotlight
URL: http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/units/stemcells/
Planarian Regeneration (lab exercise)
University of Pittsburgh at Bradford; Bio Lab 013
Kip Krushinsky
The Met, Providence, RI
I have chosen to create a unit allowing student to explore digital photography. For my own ease of organization I created the unit in MS Word, using a table - which doesn't upload well to a blog's comments. Therefore, I'm linking to it Here. In short, the unit consists of three one week tasks, each centered around an essential question: How do digital cameras work? How has photography developed through history? What is quality in photography? Each task begins with an introductory activity giving students the opportunity to get out of the building and explore with a digital or film camera. Each task also gives students the opportunity to explore web-based resources and tools they may have never seen: Flickr, Faganfinder, Alta Vista images search, and others. The final and culminating piece of work is a project which students self-select, and I've provided several options for which way they could go.
My school doesn't reference standards in our work; instead we talk of our learning goals (personal qualities, social reasoning, communication, empirical reasoning, and quantitative reasoning). I have referenced them in my activities, and students in their final project will go deeper into some of them as well.
Lisa Casey
LMS
Jamestown
First let me say that I hope the 13th session powerpoint has convinced you that if you are not a member of RILINK you should be. Of course you could simply go to rilink and access it’s webpath, visit RICAT and find great resources on the quicklinks but unless you are a member you will not be able to order books, articles and video for your staff (and if you are not a librarian go to him or her and tell them that being a member of RILINK would enhance their ability to serve their community of teachers and students on a whole new level – access to thousands of books at a click of the mouse – and tell them it’s not much work and if they don’t believe you they can e-mail me at rid24646@ride.ri.net).
Title of Unit: Endangered Species
The following lessons for my sixth grade students incorporate the Rhode Island Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning and the 9 standards from Information Power , the NCRELS. I apologize for not being able to cite the Performance Standards as I don’t have a copy to hand. As an LMS I am not fully incorporated into every aspect of this lesson so I can only relate the parts that I truly participate in.
RI Standards and standards from Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning.
Standard 1: The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively.
Rhode Island Standard 2: Students will demonstrate information-seeking strategies to identify, locate, access and retrieve information in all formats.
Rhode Island Standard 3: Students will demonstrate an ability to synthesize and analyze information in all formats.
Standard 2: The student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently.
Standard 3: The student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively.
Rhode Island Standard 4: Students will demonstrate an ability to organize and evaluate information in all formats
NCREL’s Phases of Technology Use for Students:
Phase 1: Print automation – Technology automates print-based practices with some increase in active hands-on learning.
Phase II: Expansion of Learning Opportunities - Students use technology to organize and produce reports, often using multimedia formats.
Phase III: Data Driven Virtual Learning Students use technology to explore diverse information resources inside and outside school and produce information for real world tasks. (http://www.ncrel.org/tplan/cbtl/phases.htm)
Rhode Island Science Framework Grades 6-8 benchmark Chapter 3 c The Living Environment (also includes RI Science Standards for Diversity of Life and Interdependence of Life)
Students will go through a review of searching before starting unit.
Students will review the checklist for Evaluating Websites
Students will review Evaluation of Resources on the Internet
Students will review use of Ebscohost and Worldbookonline
Students will use webpathfinder provided by librarian
Students will produce a report on their choice of an endangered animal following the guidelines provided by classroom teacher
Students will include in their report a reflect/rethink piece on what they believe is causing their species to become endangered (habitat changes, pollution, hunting, effects of humans on environment and what could possibly be done to change this; cite the readings that have helped you come to his conclusion.
Students must include in their report 10 did you know? questions about their animal.
Optional: students may choose to organize their reports on Inspiration
Location: Each sixth grade class has library once a week for 40 minutes in the computer lab in the library.
Materials: RILINK (for age appropriate websites on your topic and to access books outside your own library)
OPAC (to locate books on your topic in your school library)
CLAN (to locate books on your topic in your school library)
Endangered Wildlife and Plants of the World (Marshall Cavendish)
Grolier Student Encyclopedia of Endangered Species
Ebscohost – school resource
Infotrac - from Jamestown Philomenian Library
PDF Worksheet from Sciencenetlinks available at http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Esheet.cfm?DocID=58
As part of this assignment students are required to use books, print and online encyclopedias, journals/periodicals/newspaper sources/pamphlets to find information on their animal. They can use the school library webpage to access information for citation (I have a link to RIEMA’s how to cite a bibliography).
Introduction: the 6th graders have been studying science units that investigate the natural world. Project Chick and the study of raising chickens, the Eelgrass unit have already laid a foundation for investigating the natural world, man’s effect on the natural world which can mean extinction for animals or wildlife (like Eelgrass dying from pollution) or man’s ability to stop hurting the environment and improve it (by planting Eelgrass – the students have raised it and will plant it in the spring.) This unit delves further into the effects of man and habitat and raises scientific questions as to why some species are becoming endangered, where in the world the species is located, information about the species and gathering data to create a report. The student has to choose 3 animals to report on.
Lesson 1: Practice using search engines and directories.
Quick review of searching techniques and the difference between directories and search engines. We would visit Search Engine Watch and look at the article on Search Engine Math. We will review how search engines work, try using search terms in cluster, meta and search engines to see what our results are. Students will search terms like “animal testing” ”animal rights” and “scientific testing+animals” to see what our search terms return. As animal rights is a very subjective search term we will brainstorm what some appropriate keywords might be and try them. We would also review Yahoo so that students who are more comfortable searching hierarchically instead of using keywords can find their information in a step-by-step manner. Then the students will begin to look at websites and the encyclopedias to begin to choosing their animals.
Lesson 2: Continuation of search tools.
After practicing their Boolean searching to identify and and evaluate websites, students might be given a check test the next time they come to the LMC. Using three websites on the topic being researched that the students haven’t seen previously, have them ask these questions as they scan the websites:
• WHO is saying this to me?
• WHY are they saying it?
• How RELIABLE is this information?
• How CURRENT is this information
• Is this on my LEVEL?
Assess whether students are skimming the sites looking for quality characteristics and they skim and select information.) One purpose of this activity is to see if they understand the difference between good and bad information so definitely throw in a poor site to see if students catch it as a site that should have been avoided. *
(*taken from We Boost Achievement: Evidence-Based Practice for School Library Media Specialists by David V. Loertscher with Ross J. Todd)
I would hand the students the webpage evaluation checklist created for edc920 and have students check their websites for Accuracy, Authority, Objectivity, Currency and Coverage. Students will determine the relative quality of the webpages they find based on the checklist criteria. Reminders about the instability of webpages and suggestions for bookmarking or cutting and pasting useful URLs into a word document will be given.
Depending on the level of the class I might have them visit Quick, the Quality Information Checklist website at www.quick.org.uk.
Lesson 3: Finding Free Educational Resources:
Using pathfinder to find information on your animal and using the OPAC and RILINK to find information inside and outside the school library. This lesson also includes a refresher on how to use Ebscohost to find newspapers, periodicals and pamphlets and how to retrieve articles that are suited to your particular reading level, or by currrency or relevancy. Keywords need to be used to retrieve articles on your particular animal and the topic of endangered species so the LMS will try the suggestions and using VISION software or the projector we will evaluate the returns. We will learn how to access Infotrac by using the magazine index available online library catalog at the Jamestown Philomenian. Then we will look at the possible databases that would be appropriate to use for this assignment: Discovering Collection, General Reference Center, Infotrak, the Newspaper database. Students are reminded as these are online resources, they can use them at home. Worldbookonline as well as the online encyclopedias available through EBSCOhost (which includes an animal encyclopedia) are 24/7 reference databases.
Lesson 4 Introduction to the Information Literacy Process (taken from Ban Those Bird Units by David Loertscher, Carol Koechlin ad Sandi Zwaan. The purpose of showing this model reminds students that this is not going to be a cut and paste situation. Students need to build a question, find and sort information, read and understand it, think and create, summarize and make conclusions and decisions, communicate findings in some form (report, poster, powerpoint, webpage, brochure, whatever form the teacher finds acceptable).
Lessons 5-6 Google Alerts and time to reflect on the topic and brainstorm together.
As a way to stimulate interest and focus students for the lesson, hold an open class discussion to find out what students already know about endangered species. Ask questions like the ones below. Accept all reasonable answers in an effort to create a broad-ranged and free-flowing discussion of students' ideas and feelings about this ongoing, global dilemma. Have the students make a KWL chart by creating a table in Word.
Ask students:
_ Is the world a safe place for all animals and plants? Why or why not?
_ What does it mean for a species to be endangered?
_ What, if anything, do you know about this topic?
_ What animal or plant species do you know of that are endangered or extinct?
For Reflection Piece
_ Why do you think species are endangered?
_ How do you think or feel about this ongoing global problem?
_ What, if anything, happens when an animal or plant species becomes extinct?
_ How do you think this situation can be realistically improved?
Why should it be improved? They can work on these questions as they search through articles in newspapers, magazines and books, taking notes, writing their reflections and putting it into their KWL charts. (from Science Netlinks: www.scencenetlinks. /matrix.cfm (endangered species).
Then, ask students what keywords they might use to do a google news alert to give them information on their animal and about some of the topics we discussed that will be a part of their reflection piece. Students will be able to use the same e-mail address they used during Rooster Games, if they do not have their own e-mails (or if their parents forbid them to have e-mail). As time goes on and some aren’t happy with their hits we can brainstorm a new set of keywords.
Lesson 7-8 Finding Free Educational Resources/sharing results with class:
Skim and scan for photos and images.
Using webliography as well as google images, students will skim and scan various sources to look for pictures and information. They will take notes to attach to the images of animals, and write down tidbits of information for their reflection piece as well as their did you know? piece. Students will save best sources of information and share with the class (and LMS) good sites that they have found for an ongoing revision of “great sites” for the webliography”.
Webliography:
www.fws.gov/Endangered/wildlife.html
www.redlist.org
http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/map.html
http://www.animalinfo.org/rarest.htm
http://www.epa.gov/espp/coloring/especies.htm
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/wildlife/endspec/etsclist.html
yahooligans.yahoo.com/Science_and_Nature/ Living_Things/Animals/Endangered_Species/
http://www.worldwildlife.org/endangered/index.cfm
http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/
Lessons 9 till end of research unit: Students work on creating their report
Help the students in synthesizing their information. Make sure adequate, relevant data has been gathered. Ask questions, encourage collaboration – maybe someone ran up against the same problem you have and figured out an answer. Ask your fellow students for help and offer them your own.
Rubric: I don’t have the teacher’s rubric at hand but I am printing a link to a rubric that I think is great and would use: http://www.studentweb.fontbonne.edu/~sbear565/webquest/esrubric.html
Bad copy of pdf worksheet follows:
Endangered Species Profile Lesson Title: Endangered Species : Why Are Species Endangered?
Name:________________________ Directions: Fill in