Learner Description - The students are first and second graders at Eisenhower Elementary School. For the culminating activity of this unit, the students will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of Weather by creating a suitcase, brochure and a slide show presentation for a chosen state in the U.S.

Overview -

What Will Be Taught

A comprehensive Weather Unit

How will it be taught/What will the students learn

-The weather unit will be taught through a wide variety of methods including demonstrations, experiments, guided discussions, books, internet, weather.com, Fodors.com, videos, hands on activities, etc....

-Students will become familiar with various properties of weather and compare and contrast the weather conditions and climates in five different states in the U.S.

-Rationale -

The students will gain an understanding of the impact their weather has on their daily living and environment. It will also give them an understanding of the diversity of climates in our country and the influence it has on sports and activities .

Engaged Learning Indicators

Vision of Learning -

* Strategic - Learner actively develops repertoire of thinking/learning strategies

*Energized By Learning - Learner is not dependent on rewards from others;has a passion for learning

* Collaborative - Learner develops new ideas and understanding in conversations and work with others

Tasks -

* Authentic - Pertains to real world: may be addressed to personal interest.

* Challenging - Difficult enough to be interesting but not totally frustrating usually sustained

Assessment -

* Performance-based - Involving a performance or demonstration, usually for a real audience and useful purpose

* Generative - Assessment having meaning for learner; maybe produce information, product, service.

* Seamless and ongoing - Assessment is part of instruction and vice versa; students learn during assessment

Instructional Model -

* Generative - Instruction oriented to constructing meaning; providing meaningful activities/experiences

Learning Context -

* Collaborative - Instruction conceptualizes students as part of learning community; activities are collaborative

* Empathetic - Learning Environment and experiences set up for valuing diversity, multiple perspectives, strengths

Grouping-

* Heterogeneous - Small groups with persons from different ability levels and backgrounds

* Flexible - - Different groups organized for different instructional purposes so each person is a member of different groups; work with different people

Teacher Roles -

* Guide - Helps students to construct their own meaning by modeling, mediating, explaining when needed, redirecting focus, providing options.

* Co-learner/co-investigator - Teacher considers self as a learner:willing to take risks and explore areas outside his/her expertise;collaborates with other teachers and practicing professionals

Student Roles -

* Teacher - Students develop products of real use to themselves and others

* Producer - Students develop products of real use to themselves and

others.

How is technology going to be incorporated into the unit?

-Ways that technology may be incorporated into this unit could be using internet sites, checking weather daily on weather.com for the five selected states, checking Fodors.com for information on the chosen states, using the computer to create the brochures and slide show presentations.

- This project becomes authentic and meaningful to the students by allowing the students to chose the states they want to learn about. They will do their own research, collect information and decide what they want to include in the brochures, suitcases and slide show presentations. Students take part in creating the rubric and assessments for their projects.

- This project became challenging when they began their research because of the advanced level of materials they were using. The challenge continued as they sorted through materials to decide what was useful information for their projects and presentations.

Goals - Content, Cognitive and Social

What new knowledge do we expect the students to gain?

Students will gain knowledge of thevarious properties of weather. They will be able to compare and contrast weather conditions and climates in five different states. They will have an understanding of how weather impacts their ability to participate in various activities as well as how weather influences their daily attire.

What state standards does the unit address?

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

1B: Apply reading strategies to improve understanding and fluency.

1C: Comprehend a broad range of reading materials.

2B: Read and interpret a variety of literary works.

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 the 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.

5C: Apply acquired information, concepts and ideas to communicate in a variety of formats.

6C: compute and estimate using mental mathematics, paper-and-pencil methods, calculators and computers.

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.

10A: Organize, describe and make predictions from existing data.

10B: Formulate question, design data collection method, gather and analyze data and communication findings.

11A: Know and apply the concepts, principles and processes of scientific inquiry.

12B: Know and apply concepts that describe how living thins interact with each other and with their environment.

12C: Know and apply concepts that describe properties of matter and energy and the interactions between them.

12E: Know and apply the accepted practices of science.

12F: Know and apply concepts that describe the interaction between science,

technology and society.

13A: Know and apply the accepted practices of Science.

13B: Know and apply concepts that describe the interaction between science, technology and society.

26B: Apply skills and knowledge necessary to create and perform in one or more of the arts.

Learning Activities - The activities required to achieve the goals.

The students will use the information about weather to create a brochure, suitcase and slide show presentation. First the students will select five states to study. They will be working in cooperative groups to conduct their research. The students will use the information they have learned to prepare a trip over Spring Break. They will pack a suitcase containing items appropriate for weather related activities. The students will also create a brochure highlighting seasonal activities for tourists. Both classes will create a slide show presentation for each of the five selected states. The students' slide show will act as a teaching aide for the other students.

Student Assessment-

What types of ongoing assessment will be used?

Observation and anecdotal records. Social skills will also be observed as the students interact with one another during class activities and cooperative group activities. Finally, students will also be assessed on their willingness to get involved in their projects as well as creating the end product--the slide show. An important outcome of this unit is for the class to understand the relationship between weather and their daily life.

How will students be engaged in their own assessment?

-Student generated self and peer assessments

-Student generated rubrics for the project.

How can technology be used to aid in assessment?

The student assessments and rubrics will be created on the computer. The computer made brochures and slide shows will also be created on the computer. The students will view the brochures and slide shows to evaluate their peers.

Resources - human, technological, community-based, school-based and traditional.

-Teachers and parents as facilitators.

-Computers, monitors, web sites, internet, Kidpix, trade books, videos, and

travel brochures collected and sent in by parents and teachers.

Management

-Students worked independently, in partners, in small groups and in whole group settings too.

- Students worked in various areas around the classroom and in the computer lab.

-Equipment and needed supplies were located through out the classroom in areas that were accessible to students at all times.

-Students with special needs will always work with a group or peer to work with.

Unit Evaluation

What was effective?

The students were very excited to work on their suitcases, brochures and slide shows.Their interest was maintained throughout the completion of the entire project. They gained confidence in their computer skills and became more competent. They were thrilled to see their work on display. They took ownership and pride in completing their projects. Students with varying needs worked well in cooperative groups. The projects were an excellent way to assess the groups overall knowledge of each state.The slide show presentations were a wonderful method to teach other students about the different states. The state comparisons between classes also furthered the students understanding of seasonal temperature changes. The slide shows allowed for a variety of multiple intelligences while providing a new exciting experience for the children to share information.

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

The brochures were a little difficult for the students to constructand could not have successfully been completed without the help of upper class buddies. Students had difficulties reading many of the internet informational sites. It was challenging to find grade appropriate material and was very time consuming. In the future, we will allow more planning time to be used for student research and will not plan to complete as many activities. Next time, we would encourage the students to select states with less climate diversity. Additional "grade appropriate" materials for each state would be beneficial.