Planning Guide
Creating Learner-Focused
Schools
* Madison-Oneida BOCES- This document may not be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the District Superintendent or his designee.
| LU Title:The Environment and You |
Author(s):Susan J. Stacy |
| Grade Level:1 |
School Address:Lawrence Avenue
Elementary School |
| Subject Area:Science |
School Phone/Fax:(315) 265-2003 |
CONTENT KNOWLEDGE
| Declarative Students will know that... |
Procedural Students will become skillful at... |
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ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
INITIATING ACTIVITY
"TRASH FREE LUNCH": Compare/contrast the amount of trash from an ordinary day's school lunch to our class "TRASH FREE LUNCH."
The week before we begin our unit, students will be invited to bring their lunches to school for an in-class picnic. The trash from the picnic will be saved in a trash bag. At the end of the first week of our involvement in the unit, students will then be encouraged to bring in their lunches, with the understanding that we are trying to reduce the amount of trash produced as much as possible. After lunch, we will compare/contrast the amount of trash as well as the content of our trash bags from the two lunches.
Connection to State Learning Standards
Content Area: Science
Level: 1
| Benchmarks: Students identify ways in which humans have changed their environment and the effects of those changes. |
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Benchmarks: 1)Present information in a variety of oral and written forms such as summaries, paraphrases, brief reports, stories, posters, and charts. 2) Observe basic writing conventions, such as correct spelling, punctuation, and capitalization, as well as sentence and paragraph structures appropriate to written forms. |
| Standard: Science: Standard #4: Living Environment. Key Idea #7: Human decisions and activities have had a profound impact on the physical and living environment. |
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Standard:Standard #1: Language for Information and Understanding. Key Idea #2: Speaking and Writing to acquire and transmit information Language Arts: |
Unit Theme:
Man and the Environment
| Standard: #3: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation. Key Idea #2: express opinions...supporting opinions with some evidence. |
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Standard: |
| Benchmarks: 1) present arguments for certain views or actions with reference to specific criteria that support the argument. 2) Use effective vocabulary and follow rules of grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation in persuasive writing. |
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Benchmarks: |
Learning Experiences
Declarative Knowledge
What declarative knowledge should students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand... |
What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge? |
What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge? |
Describe what will be done. |
(activities 1 ) Man's actions can have a major impact on the environment. |
(activity 1) Water Pollution: Who's Fault is it Anyway? |
(activity 1) Anticipation Guide Class discussion |
(activity 1) 1) Using fish-shaped "YES-NO" cards, students will respond to several statements re. water pollution on an anticipation guide chart. 2) Read Aloud A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry. 3) Class will discuss each statement on the anticipation guide. Using the knowledge they've gained from the story and the class discussion, students will be asked to reconsider their responses to the statements, then respond again. |
(activity 2) We can reduce the amount of trash produced by reducing, reusing, and recycling. |
(activity 2) "Mrs. Stacy's Save the Earth Bag" |
(activity 2) Cooperative Learning Compare/Contrast Chart Class Discussion |
(activity 2) Introduce the "Save the Earth Bag." Show 1 item at a time from the bag. Partners determine whether each item is good or bad for the env't. Class discusses/charts each item under the appropriate category. |
(activity 3) We can reduce the amount of trash produced by reducing, reusing, and recycling. |
(activity 3) "Reduce, Reuse, or Recycle?" |
(activity 3) Modified Cloze Vocabulary Matching |
(activity 3) Introduce terms:reduce, reuse, recycle by presenting each word in context. Read aloud: Dinosaurs to the Rescue: A Guide to Protecting Our Planet. After each section, determine whether the term reduce, reuse, or recycle applies. |
(activity 4) Pollution causes a great deal of damage to the environment. |
(activity 4) The Lorax |
(activity 4) Flow Chart Cooperative Learning |
(activity 4) Students will view the video version of "The Lorax." Working in small groups, students will sequence detail strips of the story onto a chart previously developed by the teacher. Correct sequencing will result in a flow chart which outlines the damage pollution can cause. |
(activity 5) It is our responsibility to help take care of the environment |
(activity 5) "21 Ways to Save the Earth" |
(activity 5) Story Prediction Categorization |
(activity 5) Partners briefly discuss/write down what they think Mother Earth would say if she could speak. Share with class. Read Aloud: Mother Earth and Dear Children of the Earth Display "Ways to Save the Earth" strips. Divide into categories: land, water, air, or energy. Students each choose 1 phrase or sentence strip. Draw a picture depicting the message on the strip. |
Learning Experiences
Procedural Knowledge
| What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able to: |
What will be done to help students construct models, shape & internalize the knowledge? |
Describe what will be done. |
(activities 1 and 2) Improve their oral reading skills |
(activity 1) Choral Reading Cooperative Learning |
(activity 1) Groups of 3 will practice reading 1 verse of "Earth Rap" together until the reading is smooth and flowing.The rap will be videotaped when all groups can read their parts with few or no errors. |
(activity 2) Cooperative Learning Memorization Choral Reading |
(activity 2) Students will memorize/recite "Earth Day Poem." Costumes and props will be made which relate to the poem. Performance of the poem will be videotaped. |
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(activity 3) Write complete sentences Use correct capitalization and punctuation in sentences. |
(activity 3) Cooperative Learning Sentence Builders |
(activity 3) Students will work in cooperative groups. Each group will receive a pack of "Environment Word Cards," chart paper, and markers. Each group will spread their word cards out on the floor. Students will take turns constructing sentences using only words from the word cards. Each sentence must relate to our study of the env't. After constructing a sentence with the word cards, students will write the sentences on their chart paper. Students will be directed to write complete sentences using correct capitalization and punctuation. Groups will share/compare their results with the class. Work will be assessed using Rubric A. |
(activity 4) Identify and recognize things that are harmful to the environment Write complete sentences Use correct capitalization and punctuation in sentences. |
(activity 4) Categorizing Compare/Contrast Cause/Effect |
(activity 4) 1)Read Aloud: Berenstain Bears Don't Pollute (Anymore). Each of 12 students will be given a "Pollution Match" card. (Cards come in pairs; 1 showing an area with pollution, the other showing the same area w/out pollution). Students look at each other's pictures until they find the match for their own card. Students with matching cards work together to compare the area of the environment depicted in their pictures with and without pollution. Partners will type their comparisons on the computer, stating the cause of the polluted area's damage. Complete sentences with correct capitalization and punctuation will be required. Pairs will present their pictures and writing to the class. A hall bulletin board will be used to display students' work. 2) Read Aloud/Discuss:Wilson's World . Students will draw a picture of their perfect, pollution-free world and write about it. (Parag. 1-Beautiful things my world will have.Parag. 2-Harmful things my world will not have.) |
(activity 5) Reduce, reuse and recycle at home and school Conserve water and energy at home |
(activity 5) Cooperative Learning Idea Web Rubric Family Contract |
(activity 5) Class will discuss/chart ways we can reduce, reuse, and recycle at school. Cooperative groups complete an idea web depicting ways we can reduce, reuse, and recycle at home. A "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle at Home" rubric and a family contract will be developed on the computer as the class discusses the results of their cooperative work. (same will be done for use at school) Students will take the rubric and the contract home, review them with their parents, and ask family members to sign the contract which states that they agree to increase their efforts at reducing, reusing, and recycling at home. Using the rubric, each family will keep track of their efforts for 1 week, then send the rubric back to school for review by the class. |
| (activity 6) improve their skills at using the computer and the internet |
(activity 6) Cooperative Learning Cause/Effect |
(activity 6) Students will play the game "Help Save a Tree!" found at the following web site:http://www.randomhouse. com/seussville/games/lorax/ |
Learning Experiences
Extending and Refining
| What knowledge will students be extending and refining? Specifically, they will be extending and refining their understanding of… |
What reasoning process will they be using? |
Describe what will be done. |
(activity 1) Man's actions can have a major impact on the environment. |
(activity 1) Inductive Reasoning Predicting Comparing |
(activity 1) Using "Kids and the Environment" computer program, students will make decisions/support their decisions regarding environmental issues. After decisions are made, the computer will provide the outcome/consequence of each decision. Use LCD overhead projector for whole group participation. |
(activity 2) Man's actions can have a major impact on the environment |
(activity 2) Predicting Comparing |
(activity 2) Students listen to the story Milo and the Magical Stones by Marcus Pfister to the point where the mice must decide whether to mine the magical stones or heed the environmental warning of Balthazar. Small groups predict the "happy ending" and the "sad ending" to the story. Share with class. Compare the children's predictions to the actual story. |
(activity 3) We can reduce the amount of trash produced by reducing, reusing, and recycling. |
(activity 3) Inductive Reasoning Comparing |
(activity 3) Ask students where paper comes from. Discuss. When everyone understands that paper comes from trees, have small groups discuss how they would make paper from trees if it was their job. Distribute/construct/read/discuss:"How Paper is Made" booklet. Compare process to group's predictions. Discuss why recycling and reusing paper is important. Class project: Make recycled paper |
| (activity 4) Pollution causes a great deal of damage to the environment. |
(activity 4) Inductive Reasoning compare/contrast |
(activity 4) Students work in small groups to perform the following experiment: Each group receives: 3 feathers 3 bowls of water...1 with 1 tsp. detergent, 1 with 1 tsp. vegetable oil, 1 with water only. Students soak 1 feather in each bowl of water for 1 minute. Remove, let dry on a paper towel . Students compare/contrast the feathers following the experiment. Students draw conclusions regarding the effects of pollution on birds. Read Aloud: Prince William by Gloria Rand. |
(activity 5) It is our responsibility to take care of the environment. |
(activity 5) Inductive reasoning |
(activity 5) Each student will be given 1 cut-out symbol for each aspect of the environment (water, land, air, energy) .Students will write 1 sentence on the back of each symbol telling what they can do to protect or improve that aspect of the environment. The cut-outs will then be constructed into a mobile. |
| Planning Guide |
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Unit: |
| Step 1 |
Step 2 |
Step 3 |
| What knowledge will students be using meaningfully? Specifically, they will be demonstrating their understanding of and ability to........... |
What reasoning process will they be using? |
Describe student's products and performances and the criteria for evaluation. |
| recognize and demonstrate ways we can improve or preserve various aspects of the environment write complete sentences using correct capitalization and punctuation express themselves orally in front of the class |
[ x]
Invention |
Products/Performances: Students will collect a variety of recyclable and reusable products headed for the trash at home. These items will be used to create a model of an "invention" that will help to improve or preserve some aspect of the environment. Each student will share his/her invention and its purpose with the class, stating the environmental problem their invention will help to solve and why it is an important invention. Students will write about their inventions using complete sentences, correct capitalization and punctuation. |
| Criteria for evaluation: see attached rubric |
Constructing a Holistic
Scoring Tool
(Rubric or Activity Specific Key)
Key Questions:
* How many score points are needed to discriminate among the full range of different degrees of understanding, proficiency, or quality?
This response, product, or performance provides evidence of understanding of concept/principle/generalization or proficiency in skill/process/strategy.
Lesson being evaluated: Meaningful Use Task--"Ecology Inventions"
| Score Point 3 |
Score Point 2 |
| [ ]The student showed creativity and ingenuity in creating a model of an invention which would help preserve or improve the environment. |
[ ]The student created an adequate model of an invention which would help preserve or improve the environment. |
| [ ]The student used primarily recyclable materials when creating the model of the invention. |
[ ]The student used several recyclable materials when creating his/her model of the invention. |
| [ ]The student clearly described the invention and explained how it would help the environment during his/her oral presentation. |
[ ]The student adequately described the invention and explained how it would help the environment during his/her oral presentation. |
| [ ]The student's writing contains complete sentences, capitals at the beginning and correct punctuation at the end of most sentences. |
[ ]The student's writing contains many complete sentences, capitals at the beginning, and correct punctuation at the end of several sentences. |
| Score Point 1 |
Score Point 0 |
| [ ]The student created a model which minimally addresses a problem in the environment. |
[ ]The student did not respond to the task. |
| [ ]The student used few recyclable materials when creating the model of his/her invention. |
[ ] |
| [ ]The student had a difficult time describing the invention and its purpose during his/her oral presentation. |
[ ] |
| [ ]The student's writing contains few complete sentences, as well as many capitalization and punctuation errors. |
[ ] |
Rubric A: for evaluating each group's performance during Procedural Knowledge Activity 3--"Environmental Sentences."
The group's performance was...........................1---unsuccessful
.........................................................................2---somewhat successful
.........................................................................3---highly successful
_____The students in the group encouraged each other to participate in the task.
_____ The students in the group worked together as a team.
_____The sentences developed by the group related to the assigned topic.
_____The group wrote complete sentences.
_____The students used capitals at the beginning of sentences.
_____The students used correct punctuation at the end of sentences.
_____Total # of points
14-18 points--------Excellent work
7-13 points---------Satisfactory work
0-6 points----------Unsatisfactory work
Student Self-Assessment for All Writing Assignments
Name_______________________________________________
Write an "X" on the line before each statement after you have checked your work for each item.
_____ I wrote complete sentences.
_____ I used a capital letter at the beginning of every sentence.
_____ I used a capital letter on special names of people and places.
_____I used a period, question mark, or exclamation mark at the end of every sentence.
As soon as you have checked your paper carefully and placed an "X" on the line before every statement above, hand your paper and this sheet to Mrs. Stacy.
Have You Considered These Yet?
Unit Schedule/Time Plan: 3 weeks-- 14 lessons @
45 min.-1 hour each.
Written Overview: During this unit, students will participate in a variety of lessons related to ecology. Through the use of literature and related activities, a computer program and web sites, hands-on experiences, and other activites, the lessons will focus primarily on the concepts reduce, reuse, and recycle. The main objectives of the unit are to raise students' awareness of the damage being done to the environment by man, as well as practical ways we can help take care of the environment in our daily lives.