|
|
What was the focus of your work or the nature of your teaching problem? Why is this important to you? The
instructional schedule in our district requires 120 minutes of daily
reading instruction, 30 minutes of writing instruction, 30 minutes of
ESL, 60 minutes of math and 20 minutes of PE daily. This leaves little
time for social studies, science, art, music, and health. An integrated
curriculum allows for more meaningful instruction and content.
|
|
|
What did you learn about teaching the subject, and what did you learn about the subject through teaching it? From
the beginning, the metaphor "Teacher as Facilitator" has described my
philosophy towards teaching. Although my philosophy has not changed, it
has grown in complexity. My experiences have helped me be less critical
of my students and myself and recognize that success does not look
always look the same for everyone. Although, I don’t believe that a
teacher’s main role should be to deliver information, the teacher does
need to provide plenty of resources, instruction, modeling and clear
expectations. I’ve learned that students need to be given freedom and
choices gradually. Some students can’t handle too much responsibility
too soon or need to experience activities together before they feel
comfortable attempting something independently. I have learned to be
sensitive to individual students’ needs and modify activities for them
as needed.
|
|
|
What
were the tools, scaffolds and supports that you constructed to help
students practice historical methods, do historical thinking, and
achieve historical understanding? Primary Sources
When I use primary sources rather than textbooks, students are more
interested and ask questions. As a child, I thought history class was
boring since we mostly read and answered questions in a textbook. It
took me until high school to realize that the family stories and
historical fiction I loved to read were also history. Primary sources
connect students to the past and help them realize that history is
real. Primary sources such as arrowheads, weavings and photographs give
students a feeling for the time, place and events they are studying. I
encourage students to bring in "heirlooms" such as harmonicas, money
from their native countries, photographs, and clothing. These items
promote natural questioning and the desire to learn more. The internet
is a wonderful resource for hard to find photographs, maps and
documents.
Evaluation/Assessment
For my wildlife unit, I have two major project-based assessments: a
individual science project with poster and presentation and a
nonfiction book on a local wild animal. Both projects use a rubric that
the students helped create and include the skills and knowledge
addressed in the unit. Another kind of assessment I used was word
problems that required students to apply the math (measurement and data
analysis) skills we were learning to problems that came up in our
research. I asked students to explain in words, pictures, charts and/or
math sentences how they solved the problem. This helped me pinpoint
misconceptions and plan additional instruction or intervention for
students.
Class Timeline/ Venn Diagram
Community Studies: Our Community in Time
Community Interviews
Community Studies: Our Community in Time
Community Walks
Community Studies: Our Community in Time
Community Video
Community Studies: Our Community in Time
Web Research
Community Studies: Our Community in Time
Class Tally Charts
Community Studies: Our Community in Time
Graphing on the Computer
Community Studies: Our Community in Time
American Indians: Retelling a Legend
|
|
|
What were the major findings of your work? What is the significance of your work to others? When
students are exposed to a theme or idea throughout content areas, they
begin to build a contextual framework. Once this initial framework is
conceived, learning becomes more meaningful, deeper and students learn
faster and are more engaged. Students need time to investigate a
variety of different relationships between subject matter. I've found
that integrated units provide a richer learning environment and result
in improved problem solving, critical thinking and deeper understanding
of content areas. Integrating subject areas gives students more
opportunity to apply what they are learning while making the most of
limited instructional time.
|
|
|
What implications does your work have for teaching a diverse student body, including English learners?
Informational Text
Community Studies: City Wildlife
My Life as a...
Community Studies: City Wildlife
- Creative Writing/science
|
|
|
|
What did you do? I
planned for a year-long "community studies" theme that integrated all
subject areas. I used the math and Open Court schedule as a starting
place for designing the content because these were required. I then
worked to integrate the themes and skills together and incorporate
science, social studies, music, art and P.E. into those themes.
The Community Studies: Our Community unit allowed students a chance to
apply the social studies concepts they had built throughout the year to
the current community. With an emphasis on math and technology
integration, students came up research questions and answered them. The
most effective aspects of this unit came from comparing landmarks in
the local community through photographs and field trips to those from
the past. Because students worked in groups researching special
interests, students began to take ownership for their areas of
specialization and shared with other groups.
Community Studies: City Wildlife
This third grade unit integrates science, language arts, math and
social studies and centers on local wildlife. Students will grow bean
plants, study the life cycle of the bean and learn about crayfish and
snail lifecycles and behavior as they observe them in class. Students
will create and solve word problems and real life math problems as they
chart plant growth, weigh seeds, crayfish and snails, and measure
containers and other problems related to the unit of study. Students
will read fiction and nonfiction stories about city wildlife and
research and write a nonfiction picture book on a local wild animal.
Students will also write a fiction story for their animal patterned
after a book called "A day in the life of a Dragonfly." Students will
use the computer to research and publish their animal stories and
create graphs. Different levels of reading materials are provided to
ensure that all students can research their animals at their
independent or instructional level. Students will learn about the
American Indians relationship to animals and their environment and
study how the environment has changed. Many of the activities involve
group cooperation so that all students can participate and contribute.
Towards the end of the unit, students will visit the Cabrillo Aquarium
to learn more about local sea life. The unit will culminate with a
science fair presentation showcasing each student’s independent
research. Student will also create a mural showing humans, animals and
their environment in Los Angeles during the time of the American
Indians. This mural will be added to throughout the year as the class
learns more about the growth of the local community. Theme
* Local Wildlife
* Adaptations
* Human-animal-environment relationship and change
* Measurement
Unit Goals/Questions
* What kind of wildlife exists in our community and what are their
characteristics?
* How do wildlife survive and grow?
* What kind of adaptations do wildlife make? Humans? * How does the
presence of wildlife change the environment?
* How do humans and wildlife interact in our community today? * How was
wildlife and human-wildlife interaction different with the American
Indians?
* How are different kinds of wildlife (animals vs. animals, plants vs.
plants, animals vs. plants) the same and different from each other? *
What happens to wildlife when the environment changes?
* How do we use various resources to find information?
* How do we write expository text using data?
Concepts
* Many plants and animals co-exist in our local community.
* Human relationship to plants and animals in our community has changed
over time.
* Different kinds of wildlife require different as well as the same
needs to survive as other wildlife.
* Plants and animals make adaptations to survive in different or
changing environments.
* Plants and animals have specific characteristics to help them grow,
survive and reproduce. * Plants, animals and humans cause changes in
their environments. * Wildlife is important to our community.
Selected Science Standards
* Adaptations in physical structure or behavior may improve an
organism’s chance for survival.
* Plants and animals have structures that serve different functions in
growth, survival and reproduction
* Examples of diverse life forms in different environments (oceans,
deserts, tundra, forests, grasslands, wetlands etc.)
* Living things cause changes in the environment in which they live –
both beneficial and detrimental
* When the environment changes some plants and animals survive and
reproduce other die or move to new locations
* Some kinds of organisms that once lived on Earth have completely
disappeared and some resemble other that are alive today
* repeat observations to improve accuracy and know that the results of
similar scientific investigations seldom turn out exactly
Objectives
Science:
* Students will participate in group investigations about seeds,
crayfish and snails
* Students will record their observations and findings.
* Students will participate in group and class discussions.
* Students will develop a research question, attempt to answer the
question and present their findings in a method of their choosing.
Social Studies:
* Students will compare and contrast similarities between the
environment now and the environment when the American Indians lived on
the land in groups with a story or picture. * Students compare and
contrast American Indian legends and traditions
* Students will research and discuss the differences in wildlife in
both environments; the changes that have been made by humans and the
affects those changes had on the wildlife in this area on a class
chart. (3.2)
* Students will describe the American Indians relationship with and
attitude towards the environments and explain why that was important to
their way of life. (3.2.1)
* Students will compare and contrast the ways humans have used
resources in the land and how this has affected wildlife. (3.1.2)
* Students will describe the attitudes of the American Indians towards
the environment and the effect of their relationship to the environment
on the existing wildlife.
Language Arts: * Students will read and listen to expository and
narrative texts about urban wildlife
* Students will discuss and respond to nonfiction and fiction
* Students will carry out research, take notes and collect and organize
their information
* Students will write narrative, expository and descriptive text
* Students will present their research to the class
Mathematics:
* Students will write and solve story problems using real data
* Students will collect and graph data from their investigations
Students will use scales to weigh materials and convert those
measurements when necessary
Planned Activities/Instruction
Science:
* Students investigate the properties of seeds and observe their growth
over 7 weeks.
* Students observe and investigate crayfish behavior and
characteristics.
* Students observe and investigate snail behavior and characteristics.
* Students carry out their own research, present the results to the
community Social Studies:
* Students create a labeled mural contrasting the environment and
wildlife as it changed over time * Students will read or listen to
stories about American Indian life highlighting their relationship with
the environment such as A Shaman’s Apprentice, Island of the Blue
Dolphins, A River Ran Through It and infer the attitudes of the
American Indians towards the environment and the effect of their
relationship to the environment on the existing wildlife.
* Students research ways the American Indians made careful use of the
wildlife and the ways we use wildlife now
* Students will study and compare and contrast American Indian legends
about wildlife in a Legends Journal. 3.2
Language Arts:
* Students will read expository and narrative texts about urban
wildlife such as City Critters, Urban Roosts, City Lots, Sunflowers for
Tina, The Boy who Didn’t Believe in Spring, City Superheroes, Make Way
for Ducklings to discover what wildlife exists in the city and how they
survive.
* Students will listen to A Day in the Life of a Dragonfly and create
their own narrative picture
book using research on a city animal or insect.
* Students will develop fields for a class City Wildlife database and
research and enter information into the database on the wildlife using
expository texts, reference materials, computer programs and the
Internet.
* Students will write summary and descriptive paragraphs and
comparisons using their research and the database.
* Students will write an individual report on a type of local wildlife
and publish and share it with the class as a labeled poster/oral
presentation, picture book or newsletter article.
* Students will brainstorm questions about wildlife and research
answers.
* Students will look for answers to their questions and take notes as
they research.
Math:
* Students will weigh, graph and compare the weights of the seeds,
crayfish and snails as they complete their science investigations.
* Students will solve and create word problems about their
investigations.
Art:
* Students will create a Now and Then wildlife mural containing the
environment and wildlife now and during the times of the American
Indians.
* Students will create landscape watercolor paintings of the local
environment either now or in the past
* Students will create illustrations of wildlife to illustrate their
books
Timeline
This integrated unit is appropriate for a six week time block. However,
I have extended this unit to 8 weeks because of disruptions throughout
the unit (holidays, parent-teacher conferences, winter holidays etc).
Instruction Summary
* Wildlife Group and Individual Reports – Oral, Written and Published
in School Paper
* Research and gather information of different wildlife in the Wildlife
Database
* Summary Paragraphs on Wildlife Studies
* Reading a variety of informational and fiction texts about wildlife
* Responding to literature through writing, oral discussion,
presentation and illustration
* Writing both narrative and expository text about wildlife
* Hands-on investigations and inquiry with plants and animals
(crayfish, seeds, snails)
* Writing and discussion about experiments
* Inquiry into the relationship between wildlife and American Indians
* Comparing legends and American Indians to our life now
* Reading and responding to stories about changing environments
* Using measurement and other math skills to solve problems regarding
wildlife studies
* P.E. – acting out behaviors of animals/plant life cycle
* Art – Wildlife mural, illustrations
Assessment
Formative:
* Reading Comprehension test for each wildlife story (multiple choice
and open ended written answers (critical thinking/application) –
Testing alternates between using the book for test (finding answers in
the text) and testing from memory after a several reads of the story
* Reading Comprehension – discussion and written response, student
lists, notes, student written questions and answers
* Science activities, discussion, informal teacher notes, journal
entries, physical movement, science portfolio with student selected
work and assessment
* Research/Writing process – teacher conferences, small groups,
computer log sheet (sequence, voice, revision, ideas)
* Social Studies activities, group posters, lists, discussions
* Math Problem of the Day, informal observation, applied activities,
charts, student-created word problems
Summative:
* Science Portfolio (activities, journal entries, project ideas,
project, drawings, charts)
* Animal Book (expository)/Share and Answer questions (Student/Teacher
evaluations based on rubric)
* "My life as a….." picture book/Share
* Science Community Project/Presentation (Student/Teacher evaluations
based on rubric)
* Reading Comprehension test for stories
* Animal/Plant Life test/ multiple choice and written answers
* American Indian Mural
* Math performance assessment with rubric (measurement)
* Formal math test – open ended and multiple choice (measurement
concepts)
Reflection The integrated and investigative nature of this unit
encouraged students’ interest, motivation and critical thinking skills.
The crayfish, plants and snails provided a kinetic and relevant
connection to concepts about science. Students were then able to
connect these experiences to the stories we read and to come up with
new questions. Although the independent research (science projects and
research books) was challenging for the students, they took great pride
in the end products. Students quickly took on the roles of experts and
contributed this information to the class through discussions,
presentations and in the wildlife database. The single best part of
this unit was the science fair presentations. The principal and many
family members attended to watch the presentations and view the
posters. The students were proud to show off their work and their
knowledge of the scientific process. Throughout this unit, students
gained an understanding of plant and animal lifecycles and adaptations
– particularly local animals and plants. Students learned to use
informational texts and resources (including the computer) to find
information and to use this information to form their own conclusions.
Students gained an appreciation of scientific investigations, processes
and language throughout this unit and began to think of themselves as
scientists. I witnessed a growth in critical thinking and
self-confidence in these students throughout this unit. Students also
gained a respect for the environment and for the American Indians’ way
of life. Integrated within their investigations, students learned to
use estimation and measurement to answer questions. Although all
students know how to use and estimate a variety of measurements, some
students were not able to convert measurements well. Next year I will
provide students with small notebooks to enter measurement conversions
and integrate daily practice problems related to conversion. I would
also read more stories and myths to students about local American
Indians throughout the unit. I need to find more books and stories to
provide to the students in this area. I also would make a regular time
to meet with a changing group of students who need extra help with
their independent projects. Although I provided time before school and
at recess not all students took advantage of these regular times for
extra help. I feel that I successfully planned a unit of study that
provided continual overlap between subject areas. The activities
directly addressed standards, built on each other and engaged students.
Although I used the library, Internet and computer to enhance my
resources for this unit, I would like to obtain more trade books,
computer encyclopedias, and reference books for next year. I also still
need to work on simplifying and cutting back on the amount of
activities I have planned. I found that I needed to cut some of my
planned activities. I realize that my teaching style requires that I
plan some time in every unit for improvisation to better address
student needs and interests.
City Wildlife Books Lesson Plan
Community Studies: City Wildlife
A River Ran Wild
Community Studies: City Wildlife
Bean Life Cycle
Community Studies: City Wildlife
Concepts of Print
Community Studies: City Wildlife
Measuring Crayfish Weights
Community Studies: City Wildlife
Using a Balance
Community Studies: City Wildlife
Wildlife Investigation
Community Studies: City Wildlife
|
|
|
