Overview -

What will be taught?  The unit is a service-learning project, which will incorporate skills from all subject areas. The children produce jars of cookie and soup mix to be sold. All proceeds are donated to a charity of the children's choosing.

What will students do and learn? Rationale &endash; Purpose for the unit as a whole. The WHY questions.

Why would you teach this unit? This unit covers skills taught in the 3/4 curriculum and will give children the opportunity to apply those skills in an authentic community service project.

Why would this qualify as an Engaged Learning unit? The unit is hands on. The children will use acquired knowledge from across the curriculum to demonstrate their understanding through a variety of activities to produce a product. The children will choose the charity, create products and advertising and raise money to donate to the charity.

Why is technology an important component of this unit? The children will use technology to research and find information on various charities, as well as, to create and design advertising for their products.

Why is this project authentic/meaningful, and challenging for students? The students helped develop the product to be sold. They are using skills acquired in math, social studies, reading and writing in a real world context.

Goals - Content, Cognitive and Social - The WHAT questions

What new attributes (knowledge, skills, attitudes) do you expect students to gain?

The children will be able to answer the much asked question "Why we have to learn this stuff?" and appreciate the application of "school skills" applied in the real world.

What school, district, state standards are addressed?

Illinois State Learning Goals

Language Arts

1A. Apply word analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehend selections

1C. Comprehend a broad range of reading materials

3A. Use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization and structure

3B. Compose well-organized and coherent writing for specific purposes and audiences

3C. Communicate ideas in writing to accomplish a variety of purposes

4A. Listen effectively in formal and informal situations

4B. Speak effectively using language appropriate to situation and audience

5A. Locate, organize and use information from various sources to answer questions, solve problems and communicate ideas

5B. Analyze and evaluate information acquired from various sources

Mathematics

6B. Investigate, represent and solve problems using number facts and operations

6C. Compute and estimate using mental math, paper and pencil methods, calculators and computers

6D. Solve problems using comparison of quant5ities, ratios…

7A. Measure and compare quantities using appropriate units, instruments and methods

7B. Estimate measurements and determine acceptable levels of accuracy

8C. Solve problems using systems of numbers and their properties

10B.2 Analyze data, draw conclusions and communicate the results

Social Studies

15B. Understand that scarcity necessitates choices by consumers

15D. Understand trade as an exchange of goods or services

18B. Understand the roles and interactions of individuals and groups in society

Art

2A.1 Demonstrate knowledge of the processes and tools utilized in creation of the visual arts

3. Demonstrate their knowledge of the basic visual arts skills by producing various art-work

Learning Activities - The activities required to achieve the goals.

The How questions

Student Assessment- Enables student and teacher to measure student's attainment of goals.

What are my scoring characteristics? (What do I want to measure? What is an important outcome of this unit?)

The children will produce a quality product, sell the product, keep track of sales and supplies, as well as distribute the product. The children will be monitored for accuracy and quality of work and all products.

How will I measure and communicate student progress on the goals?

Student progress will be discussed daily in whole class discussions as to what is working and what needs improvement. Solutions will also be discussed. Students will also conference with teachers individually as needed.

How will students demonstrate their knowledge and skills?

Work quality and accuracy. Improvements over the length of the project will also be considered.

Management

How will you manage student work individually and in groups? - What resources will you need to do this unit?

Resources needed will be paper, poster board, markers, pencils, materials to the cookie and soup mixes, measuring cups, rubber gloves, bags, calculators, order forms….

How will the room(s) be arranged?

The room must have several large tables so the children can have several assembly lines working. 1 will be needed for the soup mix makers, 1 for the cookie mix makers, 1 for the label-recipie attackers, 1 for bag decorators and 1 for the label cutters. You will also need space for accountants to calculate and do work.

Where will equipment and materials be located to promote maximum use?

Each assembly line will have all materials needed to complete their tasks at their tables.

How will students with special needs be helped?

Accommodations are individual and as necessary.

Unit Evaluation

What will I need to do, be aware of, and/or gather while teaching the unit in order to answer these questions:

What was effective? What wasn't effective? What will I do differently next time?

The teacher will need to take notes and monitor progress daily. Changes and improvements can be made as needed.