Learner Description:

Third and fifth grade students from Anne Sullivan School in Prospect Heights, IL combined their efforts in an integrated unit on community and body systems to create an Organ Donor Project .

Overview: Brief description of the unit

Our goal was to research and learn about organ donor programs. This was a big topic; we covered many divergent areas. Starting an organ donor program was the ultimate goal. Third grade studies communities, while fifth grade studies the major organs in the body. Our hope was to tie the two together, gaining the understanding and knowledge needed to recognize the importance of the organ donor program in Illinois, the USA, and the world.

What will be taught?

The third grade explored their various communities, while each fifth grade class studied the various body systems. Broadening the students' awareness of the need for Organ Donors through research and guest speakers, we hoped would motivate them to start their own Organ Donor Project at Sullivan School, in their community, and across the state.

How will it be taught?

Technology from books to the internet were used to acquire information, seek out community representatives, and make the connections needed to start an Organ Donor Project. A representative from the Regional Organ Bank of Illinois and an organ donor recipient visited the classes, showing the importance of existing donor programs.

What will the students do and learn?

Students created the class's direction. After brainstorming, they searched for information to increase their awareness of the need for organ donors. From that point, they made contacts via e-mail, snail mail, the telephone, interviews, and guest speakers. Students sought information and collected data which determined the direction of their project, which includes: a booklet containing persuasive essays, a HyperStudio tracking the process, a persuasive video, a presentation at Tech 2000, a visual trifold, a visit to the local high school Driver's Ed class, student generated surveys, an advertising billboard, and community pledges. Information gathered motivated their desire to share their knowledge, persuading others to become organ donors.

How can third and fifth graders make an effective impact on society's awareness of the need for organ donations?

Rationale: Purpose of the unit as a whole

During the Organ Donor Project, students learned relevant and authentic issues related to health, life and death, supply and demand, human compassion, financial complications, government and private industry, as well as the power of youth. Learning together in multi-age, heterogeneous groups, students challenged their community to assist, allowing them to increase society's awareness of the need for organ donors. When students took ownership of their learning and set their goals, the community's overwhelming response made them realize the impact they could make on their community. Students gained an awareness of the need for organ donor programs, but more importantly, they learned the power of their influence, and that this power can create effective change. Technology was an effective tool which allowed the students to communicate and to produce an effective product. Learning was ongoing. Each day presented a new challenge with a new direction.

The Engaged Learning indicators were implemented throughout this unit.

Most if not all Engaged Learning indicators were addressed.

Vision of Learning

responsible for learning, strategic, energized by learning, and collaborative

Task

authentic, challenging, and multidisciplinary

Assessment

performance based, generative, ongoing, and equitable

Instructional Model

interactive and generative

Learning Context

collaborative, knowledge-building, and empathetic

Grouping

heterogeneous, equitable, and flexible

Teacher Roles

facilitator, guide, and co-learner

Student Roles

explorer, cognitive, apprentice, teacher, and producer

Indicators of High Technology Performance were also met:

Access

Operability

Organization

Engagability

Ease of use

Functionality

Technology was the informational tool which guided the Organ Donor Project. Most research was collected from the web. Communication to various organizations and agencies was accomplished via e-mail or snail mail or telephone calling. Digital camera photos, email letters, a persuasive essay booklet, a video, a HyperStudio, a trifold, a school survey, and community pledges created the total package. Students presented their project at Tech 2000 to Illinois legislators. Also, they were invited to Hersey High School to present their video to the Driver's Education students in hopes of having future drivers sign their driver's license as organ donors. Eller Media agreed to loaning a billboard to advertise the need for organ donation with our student logo displayed, and Oprah's Oxygen has interviewed Jessica Cowin, a heart transplant recipient, who presented our Organ Donor Booklet for Oprah's viewing. Final presentations, including both the organ donor agenda as well as the compilation of the project, will take place at a Parent Night on May 2 and at the district's Board of Education meeting on May 10.

Goals-Content, Cognitive and Social:

In third grade students studied communities and the impact communities have on society. Students contacted their local communities asking for information and maps. They found the location of homes and businesses on the maps. Then students researched their communities on the internet and collected and recorded significant and meaningful data. The students then learned the governmental structure of their communities, their state, and their country.

Body System are required learning in fifth grade. Students were responsible for learning the facts about the organs and how to care for their body. Language Arts activities engulfed writing activities: business letters, friendly letters, thank you notes, envelopes, appointment schedules, interview questions, expository writings, persuasive writings, a press release, invitations, telephone manners, script writing, and commercial writing. During their presentations (Tech 2000, Hersey High School, Parent Night, BOE) , public speaking was maximized. Web searching for information was a constant. Also, relating this new knowledge to current events was quite timely: Walter Payton, piglet cloning, Sean Elliott, congressional regional issues versing need issues. Students addressed a social issue and made a positive effect.

What state standards does the unit address?

The following Illinois State Standards were addressed:

Applying word analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehension

Applying reading strategies to improve understanding and fluency

Comprehension over a large range of reading materials

Writing to communicate for a variety of purposes

Listening and speaking effectively in a variety of situations

Using Language Arts to acquire, assess, and communicate information

Demonstrating and applying a knowledge and sense of numbers, including operations Estimating, making and using measurement

Using algebraic and analytic methods

Collecting, organizing, and analyzing data, using statistical methods

Understanding the fundamental concepts, principles and interconnection of the life, and physical sciences

Understanding the relationship among sciences, technology and society in

contemporary contexts

Understanding political systems

Understanding economic systems

Understanding social systems

Understanding principles of health promotion and prevention and treatment of

illnesses and injury

Understanding human body systems and factors that influence growth and

development

Promoting and enhancing health and wellbeing through the use of effective

communication and decision-making skills

Learning Activities:

Third graders researched their communities using the internet. They telephoned local communities for information. They questioned their parents on the structure of their local governments. Once information was reviewed, verified, and shared additional research was found on the internet. Facts were written down and shared in small groups through classroom presentations. The election process was studied during the primary elections. Students viewed videos and used their social studies textbook to study the structure of local governments as well as state and federal government. The students will study the state of Illinois in depth during the month of May. This will serve to connect their community knowledge with their state knowledge and their understanding of the federal government. Geography was also included, using various map skills to locate continents, countries, states, cities, businesses, schools, recreational facilities, and homes.

Fifth graders researched information on the circulatory system through books, videos, web sites, interviews, experiments, and CD's. Starting with a KWL strategy, they decided to research the circulatory system and present their finding to the class in a teaching format: a video, a HyperStudio, games,a cartoon book, or a Talk Show. A student generated rubric guided each project. Some students invited guest speakers; others contacted the local paramedics team to present a tour of their life support truck. A third group opened a heart health clinic for younger students. All students were required to pass an oral and a written test: trace a drop of blood, define and list the four parts of blood, list the main parts to the circulatory system and its function, name and explain the three main blood vessels, and share various ways to care for the heart.

Once the ROBI representative informed the students of the need for organ donations, students were inspired to pursue an Organ Donor Project. They established their goal, which was to raise organ donor awareness through advertising. Internet research was conducted in order to increase base knowledge of the issues. Newspaper articles were read and discussed. Brainstorming sessions resulted in the formation of committees, which wrote to various organizations and individuals, seeking advice and assistance. Email, snail mail, and telephone calling were used to communicate information. Student generated rubrics were created to guide persuasive essay writings. Essays were published in an Organ Donor Booklet, following the Writer's Workshop format. Students elected to contact various groups in diverse ways: a school survey and logo contest were conducted, asking for students' opinions on organ donation; a video was produced to persuade viewers to become organ donors; a HyperStudio presentation was created to outline the project, to trace the events and to record the process; and posters were designed to advertise in area businesses. Students were responsible for presenting their project to various groups: Tech 2000 Conference in Springfield, IL; Hersey High School's Drivers' Education class; Parent Night; a highway billboard; the Rosie O'Donnell Show; Oprah's Oxygen; Board of Education School District 23; and district staff. Throughout this project, students were required to reevaluate their progress and determine the next effective step in order to accomplish their goal. The project is ongoing.

Student Assessment:

Teachers kept anecdotal notes, and mini lessons for all types of writing were taught and evaluated.

Third grade assessed their Community Unit through classroom presentations and small group work. Students were asked to share their knowledge first with their expert groups and then with the entire class. Students were given written assessments on newly acquired knowledge. The use of the internet for research was observed and web sites were verified for validity and recorded for future use. KWL was used throughout the unit to assess prior knowledge and to confirm the acquisition of new knowledge.

Health units were taught in each fifth grade class. Unit tests and hands on projects, measuring background knowledge as well as newly acquired knowledge, were required in each health body system unit. Students were also required to write a five paragraph essay, following the ISAT criteria, about the OrganDonor Project to place in their district green folder.

The KWL strategy was used to initiate the Organ Donor Project. Once the parameters of the project had been determined, students created rubrics to guide their research and their writing.

Technology was used to help evaluate the Organ Donor Project. The project's process and product helped determine proficiency and knowledge in: Claris, AppleWorks, HyperStudio,internet searches, e-mail, fax, telephone calling, duplicating, scanning, digital camera, video camera, laminating, and record keeping.

Resources:

Background knowledge directed to the curriculum becomes available through text books, videos, web sites, magazines, CD's, and personal interviews. The most influential affect on student attitudes was made through the guest speaker from ROBI, Ms.Duncan, and the organ transplant recipient, Jessica Cowin. Students valued their messages. It provided the impetus to create a plan of action and the courage to carry it through. Technology made it effective: IMAC computers, ibook computer, Inspiration software, Claris, HyperStudio, pie graph making, digital camera, video, VCR, scanner, and printer. The more computers available, the more productive the students.

Management:

Students were required to complete the curriculum based unit according to their grade level directives: paper and pen test, performance assessment, and oral recitations. Students were also required to complete persuasive essays individually; however, papers were edited by peer groups. Committee work was collaborative. Interest based groups worked together to complete the required goal. Students worked between two classrooms, in the library, and in the computer lab. Equipment was used on site and stored in the classrooms when available. Students adapted their environment to their need. No special arrangements were made.

Unit Evaluation:

The Organ Donor Project had

Sincerity, Value, Purpose, Flexibility, Academics, Power, and Effect.

Class Debriefing Notes-4/25/00

What was effective: What worked?

Discovering there are many types of organs.

Learning what an organ donor is.

Knowing how to help one another.

Learning how to make an impact on society.

Knowing you can donate a cornea.

Transferring bone marrow is one way to help sick people.

Learning that dozens of people need organs and don't get them.

Signing a driver's license to become an organ donor.

Discovering Tech 2000 was a great way to teach others about our project.

Realizing our idea became a big project.

Learning ROBI is the Regional Organ Bank of Illinois.

Learning organs are needed at any age, old and young.

Hearing the Cowin family's story about heart transplants.

Learning famous people and unfamous people get organs.

Discovering young people get organs first.

Researching that some people can not be organ donors because of their religious beliefs.

Realizing many more organs are needed.

Learning organ donation is very important.

Telling others that family members can donate.

Telling your parents you want to be an organ donor.

Learning you can donate some organs, not all.

Working on all types of computers.

Learning how to use an iBook computer and set up an airport.

Finding out the organ is free, but it is expensive to get put into you.

Proving people can be very healthy after transplants, Jessica Cowin and Sean Elliot.

Reading that scientists are cloning pigs for organs.

Reading that organs are not always sent to people who need them first.

Realizing Kids have POWER! We can influence adults.

Learning to work with older and younger kids together.

Becoming friends.

Organizing the project.

Writing Business Letters.

Getting a Hot Mail address.

Writing E-Mail.

Making an email schedule.

Writing snail mail/address envelopes.

Using the digital camera.

Processing the photos.

Importing the photos to the HyperStudio.

Practicing how to create HyperStudio presentations.

Writing thank you notes.

Using telephone manners.

Writing a script.

Using the video camera to tape a commercial.

Rehearsing /acting out our commercial.

Learning to make speeches:eye contact/posture/rate/content.

Collecting data

Making a pie graph on the computer from the survey data.

Researching

Using web site sheet to collect research.

Searching for internet data.

Drawing Organ Donor logos that have a purpose.

Learning how to run a contest.

Searching the web for information and addresses.

Contacting important people.

Drawing with Kid Pix.

Sending a fax.

Organizing a book.

Laminating our booklet.

EDITING TAKES FOREVER and ever and ever!

Collating.

Creating parts of a book: Cover/Title Page/ Table of /Contents/ Dedication, Acknowledgement/Persuasive Essays/Web sites/About the Author.

Learning the heart is one of the most important organs in the body.

Learning that practice is needed for a video project.

Researching the Secretary of State's office helps Organ Donor projects,

and he send things to pass to other people to tell them about organ donation.

Learning that Government people;

Jesse White, Gov. Ryan, Senator Sullivan, Representative Porter, and Representative Carolyn Krause, helped us with our project.

Accepting only some businesses respond.

Accepting that President Clinton promised to write back, but he didn't.

Accepting that some people listen to kids, others ignore.

Learning that Allstate agreed to show organ donor posters in their office.

Teaching that logos must be meaningful.

Meaningful logos take a lot of time.

Amazingly, important people were given copies of our Organ Donor Booklet, Oprah's Oxygen and Rosie O'Donnel.

Learning you can make a difference if you are an organ donor.

Learning you can be effective.

What wasn't effective?

What will I do differently next time?

Start sooner.

The project took time away form our school textbooks.

Some people didn't respond to our letters.

Some people didn't reply to our snail mail.

We need to do more things to advertise.

Sometimes it was boring, waiting for an answer.

We were not convincing to all the students at Sullivan School.

Some news people didn't care about our project.

Some people at Tech 2000 ignored us.

Tech 2000 was too big to talk to everyone.

Scheduling was difficult.

Fifth graders did too much of the work.

Independent responsibility was a problem for some.

We need more opinions and facts to persuade people.

We waited to use computers.

Computers keep freezing.

We should write to people who are more involved with the project.

Keeping everyone academically involved was difficult at times.

What would I change?

Brainstorm some solutions to the problems.

Use a suggestion box.

Two groups should brainstorm ideas together before writing persuasive essays or business letters.

We should meet after school to work on our project and use AR reading time.

We could teach from the book in the a.m.and do projects in the p.m.

Classes should meet at the same time each day.

Only send e-mail twice(do not annoy).

Ask neighborhood businesses for help.

Start small-grow bigger.

Write better e-mail messages -be convincing.

Combine different groups and ideas (talk, write, research, read newspapers)

From the class lists of ideas, brainstorming and write a form letter.

We need to tell more people.

Hold an Open House for area businesses.

Get posters done.

Posters should have a better message written on them.

Participate in the Prospect Heights 4th of July parade.

Sponsor a Summerfest booth.

Put Organ Donor HyperStudio on the servers.

Ask to explain the Organ Donor HyperStudio to other classes in our school.

Tell our parents that we want to be an organ donor.