1. Driving Question:
How can a space station biome allow organisms to exist interdependently and provide a habitat for humans that will sustain them indefinitely?
A Project-Based Learning Experience

2. Collaborative Groups: Size
5 groups of 3 students for each biome:
Deciduous forest
Desert
Grassland
Taiga (evergreen forest)
Tropical rainforest
Tundra

3. Collaborative Groups:Homerooms
Homerooms which share a common science class time will be merged to form groups. Both homerooms must be represented in each group.
Kasprowicz and Susa
Klink and Schiellack

4. Science Class Schedule
Mondays and Wednesdays: FOSS Science labs and Concept or Skills Seminars
Tuesdays and Thursdays: Space Station biome work time. The last 15 minutes of each work day will be team meeting time. Team members work on their own the rest of the time.
Fridays: FOSS or Space Station biome work time as needed.

5. Collaborative Groups: Getting Started
Students form their own groups by January 10th.
Group Contract and roles sheet is due at the end of group work time on January 10th.

6. Collaborative Groups: Tasks
Answer the Driving Question
Conceptual / Physical model of their biome design (just their biome)
Conceptual / Physical model of their Space Station design (the entire station)
Complete a group passport to give evidence of proficiency in assessment targets
Multimedia Presentation for the Space Station Review Board
Live presentation to the Space Station Review Board

7. Concept Seminars: Sample topics
Food chains and food webs of ecosystems
Symbiotic relationships of organisms
What is your carbon footprint?
Range of tolerance
Predators and prey
Animal endangerment and extinction
Closed ecosystems

8. Skills Seminars: Sample Topics
Forming a collaborative group
Decision-making within a collaborative group
Conflict resolution within a collaborative group
Task and time management
Video editing and production
Multimedia tools as needed

9. Space Station Review Board (SSRB)
Consists of Merton 8th graders, Mr. Rheineck, engineers and other staff member(s)
SSRB will watch/review each group's multimedia presentation
SSRB will select one group's design in each biome to be included in the final Merton Intermediate Space Station entry for NASA.
SSRB will select the best design for the entire space station design for the final Merton Intermediate entry for NASA.

10. Assessment Targets: Science Standards
Science Connections: Develop an understanding of science connections using models
Life and Environmental Science: Develop an understanding of how life is affected by the environment
Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for 6th Grade Language Arts - Informational Reading and Literacy

11. Assessment Targets: CCSS
Writing:
Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
Reading for Key Details (Information):
Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

12. Assessment Targets: CCSS
Reading for Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:
Integrate information presented in different media or formats as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic.

13. Assessment Targets: The 4 C's
Collaboration - Rubric
Creativity - CCSS Writing
Critical Thinking - CCSS Reading & Writing - See slide 11
Communication - CCSS Literacy
Produce a clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose and audience.

14. Assessment: Standards Passport
Prior to the first biome presentation the week of January 28th, each group must complete a Biomes Standard Passport.
The left column names the standard.
Group members complete the middle column together to list everything the group has done to prove proficiency in each standard
Group members should rate themselves and circle the proficiency level they have attained together

15. Assessment: Grades
The following items will earn points toward each student's science grade. The group will earn one score for each item, however, individual performance within the group can decrease or increase a student's grade. When the group evaluations are submitted each science teacher may adjust individual grades according to group evaluations as well as teacher and SSRB observations and feedback.
Conceptual / Physical Model
Multimedia Presentation
Script for live presentation

16. Timeline for Phase 1 January 8: Kick Off Event Week 1: January 8 - 11
Groups Work on their biome proposals
Week 2: January
Week 3: January
Groups Work on their biome proposals
Week 4: January 28 - February 1
Groups present their first draft of biome proposals
Week 5: February 4 - 8
Groups revise their biome proposals
Week 6: February
Groups revise their biome proposals and present their final designs to the Space Station Review Board (8th graders and Merton staff)
Winners Announced February 18th

17. Timeline for Phase 2 Collaboration with 8th Graders
Week 7: February
6th and 8th Graders collaborate on final space station design for NASA contest.
Week 8: February 25 - March 1
6th and 8th Graders collaborate on final space station design for NASA contest
March 4th: Merton Intermediate Space Station design and document is due for NASA contest.

18. FOSS Science Labs and Test
Remaining FOSS Labs in our Environment unit:
Water Tolerance
Aquatic Environments
Brine Shrimp Hatching
Salt of the Earth
FOSS review and test: By the end of third quarter