I will work to create integrated and interdisciplinary units that address the questions and concerns our students posed at the beginning of the year. Upon reflection, at least 80% of our students will feel that their questions and concerns were addressed through this year's academic units.
At the very beginning of the year we asked students what questions and concerns they had about themselves, Warsaw, the state of Maine, The United States, and the world. The following sheet was filled out individually by students for homework.
The students then worked in groups to share these questions and concerns and see if were overlapping. They found that many did and consolidated their ideas. Each group posted these questions and concerns onto the chart paper shown here.
We then debriefed and discussed as a class where this might lead us in terms of content study this year. We consolidated the students' questions and concerns into the list attached here:
Throughout the year we have worked to incorporate these questions and concerns into the integrated units we have be working on as a team.
Family History Unit
A few of these questions and concerns were addressed through our Family History Unit including questions about genetic diseases, physical features as well as some of their individual questions about themselves, Maine, and the USA. This is the rubric for the project as a whole. As with each of the individual piece rubrics, each student was asked to fill this rubric out on their own after we finished the project. Then we, the teachers, took a look at all the work that went into the project and filled it out as well.
Because of the differences of family situations we read the book... and lead a discussion about this before we started. We also sent home a letter to parents letting them know about the up coming unit.
Taking a look at their own history, the students also learned about their surnames. They found the meanings as well as the origins of their last names.
One of the greatest parts of this project was the family interview. Students were asked to interview a family member at least two generations older than themselves. Many of them learned not only a lot about family history, but also a lot about the history and Maine, or even Pittsfield. Here is the rubric and a few samples.
They also learned about phenotypes and created punnet squares to show probabilities of certain people in their families turning out with certain genetic physical traits.
After the students received feedback from myself and Miss Bolduc, they re-worked these pieces and created final drafts of each. They then created a family history yearbook which included all of the above pieces. They also created a one minute montage video that highlighted some of what they learned through this project. The rubric and guidelines were as follows,
When the students finished this project, they were all responsible for reflecting over the work they had put into this project and what they learned from it. Here are a few student samples.
The unit we are just finishing up right now has hit on MANY of the questions and concerns these students brought up at the beginning of the year. Many students were interested in how the government works. They were concerned about their health, the health of their family members, and the health of their community members. They also had a lot of concerns about the way things run here at Warsaw. Through the scientific study of the human body, discussions and activities surrounding society's' rights and responsibilities to the health and well-being or its citizens, as well as an in depth look at government and the legislative process, this unit took many of these questions and concerns into account. Here is the rubric for the project as a whole:
The students began by choosing a human body system to focus on. After learning the basics about each through a National Geographic video, they numbered the systems 1-11, one being the best, 11 being the worst. We then placed them in groups according to which system they wanted to focus on. The students researched and became "experts" on their systems. They then created a table display to teach their fellow class members what they had learned. Here is the rubric for this assignment as well as some photos of the students participating in the body system scavenger hunt of the table displays.
Next the students were rearranged into new groups to study a US law that concerns the health of society. The laws the students studied ranged from The Clean Air Act to The Children's Health Act to The Affordable Care Act. This is the list of laws as well as which groups studied them.
The students researched the law, filled in graphic organizers and created a KeyNote slide show to share with the team. The following is the rubric for this assignment as well as the work of one group.
We then had a guest speaker from Sebasticook Valley Health come speak to the students about the health problems we deal with in this area. We also completed an activity surround society's rights and responsibilities in terms of health.
The students began working in partnerships to create a bill concerning society's health. The health legislation had to be something they saw a need for in our society and they had to make sure they were able to argue their point in front of a committee. Meanwhile in language arts we had been studying persuasion. The students had been working on creating points to argue and attempting to argue their point in a logical and truthful manner that would convince other people that their point of view was the correct point of view. We had also spent some time in social studies learning about the three branches of government, the balance of powers and the process of how a bill becomes a law.
Here is the rubric for the creation of the bill, as well as some planning sheets for the process and some student samples.
When the students were finished researching, planning, and writing their bills, they were then all placed on two or three committees to begin the legislative process. With each class period they would present a few bills to be discussed in committee. If the committee pass the bill it would move to the House floor. If they didn't it would go back for rewriting or simply just stop there. If the House voted to pass the bill, it would move to the Senate and they would have a vote. The Senate vote would determine whether it went on to the President. For each bill presented, the students moved around becoming different members of the legislature. They got to know and understand the process very well, all the while presenting and voting on bills they truly cared about. Although it is of pretty poor quality, here are some short video clips from part of the procedure:
2011-2012 Professional Goal
I will work to create integrated and interdisciplinary units that address the questions and concerns our students posed at the beginning of the year. Upon reflection, at least 80% of our students will feel that their questions and concerns were addressed through this year's academic units.Beginning the year with the Beane Model
At the very beginning of the year we asked students what questions and concerns they had about themselves, Warsaw, the state of Maine, The United States, and the world. The following sheet was filled out individually by students for homework.The students then worked in groups to share these questions and concerns and see if were overlapping. They found that many did and consolidated their ideas. Each group posted these questions and concerns onto the chart paper shown here.
We then debriefed and discussed as a class where this might lead us in terms of content study this year. We consolidated the students' questions and concerns into the list attached here:
Throughout the year we have worked to incorporate these questions and concerns into the integrated units we have be working on as a team.
Family History Unit
A few of these questions and concerns were addressed through our Family History Unit including questions about genetic diseases, physical features as well as some of their individual questions about themselves, Maine, and the USA. This is the rubric for the project as a whole. As with each of the individual piece rubrics, each student was asked to fill this rubric out on their own after we finished the project. Then we, the teachers, took a look at all the work that went into the project and filled it out as well.Because of the differences of family situations we read the book... and lead a discussion about this before we started. We also sent home a letter to parents letting them know about the up coming unit.
Family Tree
The unit began with a creation of a family tree going back at least three generations to great grandparents. Here is the rubric for the assignment.Surnames
Taking a look at their own history, the students also learned about their surnames. They found the meanings as well as the origins of their last names.Countries of Origin
With mini-lessons surrounding immigration, the students also explored their family's countries or origin.Interview
One of the greatest parts of this project was the family interview. Students were asked to interview a family member at least two generations older than themselves. Many of them learned not only a lot about family history, but also a lot about the history and Maine, or even Pittsfield. Here is the rubric and a few samples.Genetic Disorders
To integrate science the students studied genetic disorders and found one that has affected their family in some way.Phenotypes
They also learned about phenotypes and created punnet squares to show probabilities of certain people in their families turning out with certain genetic physical traits.Final Projects
After the students received feedback from myself and Miss Bolduc, they re-worked these pieces and created final drafts of each. They then created a family history yearbook which included all of the above pieces. They also created a one minute montage video that highlighted some of what they learned through this project. The rubric and guidelines were as follows,Here are a few student samples:
Reflections
When the students finished this project, they were all responsible for reflecting over the work they had put into this project and what they learned from it. Here are a few student samples.Human Body and Government Unit
The unit we are just finishing up right now has hit on MANY of the questions and concerns these students brought up at the beginning of the year. Many students were interested in how the government works. They were concerned about their health, the health of their family members, and the health of their community members. They also had a lot of concerns about the way things run here at Warsaw. Through the scientific study of the human body, discussions and activities surrounding society's' rights and responsibilities to the health and well-being or its citizens, as well as an in depth look at government and the legislative process, this unit took many of these questions and concerns into account. Here is the rubric for the project as a whole:Table Displays
The students began by choosing a human body system to focus on. After learning the basics about each through a National Geographic video, they numbered the systems 1-11, one being the best, 11 being the worst. We then placed them in groups according to which system they wanted to focus on. The students researched and became "experts" on their systems. They then created a table display to teach their fellow class members what they had learned. Here is the rubric for this assignment as well as some photos of the students participating in the body system scavenger hunt of the table displays.US Health Law Slide Show
Next the students were rearranged into new groups to study a US law that concerns the health of society. The laws the students studied ranged from The Clean Air Act to The Children's Health Act to The Affordable Care Act. This is the list of laws as well as which groups studied them.The students researched the law, filled in graphic organizers and created a KeyNote slide show to share with the team. The following is the rubric for this assignment as well as the work of one group.
Rights and Responsibilities
We then had a guest speaker from Sebasticook Valley Health come speak to the students about the health problems we deal with in this area. We also completed an activity surround society's rights and responsibilities in terms of health.Writing Your Own Bill
The students began working in partnerships to create a bill concerning society's health. The health legislation had to be something they saw a need for in our society and they had to make sure they were able to argue their point in front of a committee. Meanwhile in language arts we had been studying persuasion. The students had been working on creating points to argue and attempting to argue their point in a logical and truthful manner that would convince other people that their point of view was the correct point of view. We had also spent some time in social studies learning about the three branches of government, the balance of powers and the process of how a bill becomes a law.Here is the rubric for the creation of the bill, as well as some planning sheets for the process and some student samples.
When the students were finished researching, planning, and writing their bills, they were then all placed on two or three committees to begin the legislative process. With each class period they would present a few bills to be discussed in committee. If the committee pass the bill it would move to the House floor. If they didn't it would go back for rewriting or simply just stop there. If the House voted to pass the bill, it would move to the Senate and they would have a vote. The Senate vote would determine whether it went on to the President. For each bill presented, the students moved around becoming different members of the legislature. They got to know and understand the process very well, all the while presenting and voting on bills they truly cared about. Although it is of pretty poor quality, here are some short video clips from part of the procedure:
Portfolio Review Letters
Here are the two letters from my colleagues.