Planning units of instruction

Rationale for topic of unit 1) Why is it important that students understand this topic? What other big ideas is it connected to? How is this idea a prerequisite for more advanced ideas found in the Atlas and in the EALR ’ s? 2) How will this idea help the student become a more science literate citizen? Will they encounter this idea in any form in their lives? 3) What kind of topics (encompassing particular types of knowledge and skills) would logically precede and follow this unit in a year long plan? 1) Why is it important that students understand this topic? What other big ideas is it connected to? How is this idea a prerequisite for more advanced ideas found in the Atlas and in the EALR ’ s? 2) How will this idea help the student become a more science literate citizen? Will they encounter this idea in any form in their lives? 3) What kind of topics (encompassing particular types of knowledge and skills) would logically precede and follow this unit in a year long plan?

Critical attributes  Five to seven statements expressing a phenomena, a principle or set of relationships that are “critical” to a deep understanding of your overall unit topic.  Should not express superficial vocabulary knowledge.  Do not write these as student learning objectives.  Go beyond knowledge “nuggets”-- if you have what you think is a nugget, ask “If my student understood this fact, then what larger idea could they understand?”  Think “integrating” of ideas together in one statement.  Five to seven statements expressing a phenomena, a principle or set of relationships that are “critical” to a deep understanding of your overall unit topic.  Should not express superficial vocabulary knowledge.  Do not write these as student learning objectives.  Go beyond knowledge “nuggets”-- if you have what you think is a nugget, ask “If my student understood this fact, then what larger idea could they understand?”  Think “integrating” of ideas together in one statement.

Critical attributes (for unit on plant succession after a disturbance)  Ecosystem disturbances create patterns of succession (primary, secondary, climax community) that vary in diversity and distribution, and are necessary for ecosystem health.  Natural selection of species in a given ecosystem occurs via the availability of and species’ interactions with abiotic and biotic resources, thus shaping community composition.  Plants partake in a variety of population interactions and reproductive strategies to outcompete and thrive in plant communities.  Natural selection and competition create niches for organisms that are key to species and community success.  The success of succession and overall ecosystem health can be assessed by studying common indicators of health, such as biodiversity, species distribution, and environmental context.  Ecosystem disturbances create patterns of succession (primary, secondary, climax community) that vary in diversity and distribution, and are necessary for ecosystem health.  Natural selection of species in a given ecosystem occurs via the availability of and species’ interactions with abiotic and biotic resources, thus shaping community composition.  Plants partake in a variety of population interactions and reproductive strategies to outcompete and thrive in plant communities.  Natural selection and competition create niches for organisms that are key to species and community success.  The success of succession and overall ecosystem health can be assessed by studying common indicators of health, such as biodiversity, species distribution, and environmental context.

Critical attributes (for unit on chemical bonding)  A chemical bond is the attractive force between atoms as a result of electron interactions. There exists a continuum for bonds depending on if electrons are transferred, shared equally, or shared unequally.  Each element has a different attraction for electrons, some have a strong attraction for electrons than others. This leads to electrons being shared unequally.  The polarity of chemical bonds results in forces existing among molecules. These intermolecular forces affect how much energy is needed for a phase change and/or solubility.  Lewis structures are models that show the structure of covalent molecules by highlight the placement of electrons.  The strength of chemical bonds is related to bond length and energy. If a bond length is short, then there is more potential bond energy, so the bond is strong.  Elements have tendencies to participate in specific bonds. Metals and nonmetals common bond by transferring electrons and typically two nonmetals bond by sharing electrons.  A chemical bond is the attractive force between atoms as a result of electron interactions. There exists a continuum for bonds depending on if electrons are transferred, shared equally, or shared unequally.  Each element has a different attraction for electrons, some have a strong attraction for electrons than others. This leads to electrons being shared unequally.  The polarity of chemical bonds results in forces existing among molecules. These intermolecular forces affect how much energy is needed for a phase change and/or solubility.  Lewis structures are models that show the structure of covalent molecules by highlight the placement of electrons.  The strength of chemical bonds is related to bond length and energy. If a bond length is short, then there is more potential bond energy, so the bond is strong.  Elements have tendencies to participate in specific bonds. Metals and nonmetals common bond by transferring electrons and typically two nonmetals bond by sharing electrons.

Culminating project Some complex activity your students will do that demonstrates they understand at least two of your critical attributes. Could be inquiry creation of some original product some other meaningful activity students engage in Some complex activity your students will do that demonstrates they understand at least two of your critical attributes. Could be inquiry creation of some original product some other meaningful activity students engage in

Culminating project (for unit on chemical bonding) Students will be posed with the question, “What would happen if our bodies were made up of 80% ethanol rather than 80% water?” They will answer this question by thinking about how our bodies would function differently under the influence of ethanol. Students will make an experiment that looks at how these substances behave differently and why. The students’ experiments should represent functions that occur in the body, such as dissolving abilities, behavior due to temperature changes, reactions with chemicals, etc. In particularly, they will be encouraged to look at dissolving abilities, boiling points, and melting points (CA #3). Students will make predictions about how these substances compare using their knowledge of the types of bonds of the solute dissolved and the solvents (water and ethanol). They will draw diagrams using Lewis structures to support their ideas (CA #1 and #4). From their data students should explain the differences between the substances. They will then revise their model of the affect on the body if made up of ethanol rather than water. Although we’re not made up of ethanol and it’ll never happen, this project still helps students understand the powerful properties of water and how amazing it is. Also if students can see the negative affects of ethanol, perhaps I can draw connections to binge drinking. This can lead to an investigation of what happens when alcohol enters our system.

Culminating project (for unit on plant succession after a disturbance)  As a summative assessment, students will assess the health of a local ecosystem by choosing an indicator of health and quantifying it using a data chart. This summative assessment will take the form of a guided inquiry. First, I will pose the question “How do we tell if an ecosystem is healthy?”, and students will choose indicators of ecosystem health that they deem most important, and give a rationale for their choices. Before collecting data, I will help the class create an initial model of the factors that indicate ecosystem health. This section will be heavily guided! Then, students will collect data on the ecosystem behind Bellevue High School, and analyze their data to make conclusions about community health. As a class, we will then refine our model and identify further questions created by the inquiry. The students will be responsible for turning in their data, complete with rationale, conclusions, and refined models.

Essential Questions – The endpoints of a journey toward understanding.  They “open up” a subject, its complexities, and its puzzles. They suggest fruitful research rather than lead to premature closure or unambiguous answers.  Have no obvious right answer.  Are deliberately framed to provoke and sustain student interest.  Examples:  1. Should Madison Middle School buy earthquake insurance?  2. Why do all triangles have 180 degrees?  3. How can a body’s acceleration decrease while its speed in still increasing?  4. How can you multiply two fractions together and get a smaller number?  5. Why is it warm in the summer and cool in the winter?  They “open up” a subject, its complexities, and its puzzles. They suggest fruitful research rather than lead to premature closure or unambiguous answers.  Have no obvious right answer.  Are deliberately framed to provoke and sustain student interest.  Examples:  1. Should Madison Middle School buy earthquake insurance?  2. Why do all triangles have 180 degrees?  3. How can a body’s acceleration decrease while its speed in still increasing?  4. How can you multiply two fractions together and get a smaller number?  5. Why is it warm in the summer and cool in the winter?

FAQ’s  Can the final project be for students to answer the unit’s essential question in depth?: Yes!  Can the inquiry experience also be the culminating project?: Yes!  Can the final project be for students to answer the unit’s essential question in depth?: Yes!  Can the inquiry experience also be the culminating project?: Yes!