Standards:

While I intend to implement this unit into all four content areas, but I will be focusing primarily on Literacy and Science (with limited social studies as well).

PA Common Core Writing & Reading for Science and Technical Subjects
CC.3.5.6-8.C CC.3.5.6-8.B CC.3.5.6-8.A CC.3.5.6-8.I CC.3.6.6-8.E CC.3.6.6-8.F CC.3.6.6-8.B

PA Common Core English Language Arts

CC.1.2.6.A, CC.1.2.6.C, CC.1.2.6.D, CC.1.2.6.F CC.1.2.6.G* CC.1.2.6.H CC.1.2.6.I CC.1.2.6.K

Curriculum Materials: Pens, paper, markers. Smart board. Laptops. Posters for billboards. Trip Slips. Camera. Internet Access. Ability to print. Notebooks. FOSS Kits. FOSS Environments Textbook. P.H. Math Textbook Imagine It Textbook White boards.

National Council for the Social Studies

I: Culture and cultural diversity II: Time, continuity and change III: People places and the environment IV: Individual development and identity V: Individuals, groups and institutions VI: Power, authority and governance.

Knowledge of Students and Context: My sixth grade students are keenly interested in scientific learningparticularly in a hands-on fashion. My students also portray great passion when it comes to fascinating information that is relevant to their lives. Through investigating ways to incorporate science, in a way that students can explore current issues in the world, I stumbled upon environmentalism and ecology as a potential topic. Conveniently this is something that Im not only passionate about, but its something that will be extremely relatable to our upcoming science unit on environments. I want to students to learn how to research topics that interest them and hone in on their passion and express it in the form of organized advocacy. There are so many resources in our immediate neighborhood that I hope to employ in my lessons and expose them, so the learning can have a lasting impact beyond my lessons.

What

Lesson How

Why
Theories of Teaching and Learning:
Tomlinson & McTighe; Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design. -Investigating a backwards design approach in creating an integrated unit. The aim is to first set a topic with enduring understandings and essential questions then focus on the learning activities/lessons. Bloom; Blooms taxonomy of cognitive objectives. -Proven theory in eliciting higher order thinking and depths of knowledge. I aim to move away from students gaining strictly procedural knowledge (which is prominent in our class). Bransford, Brown & Cocking. How People Learn. -Aim to broadly educate students rather than train them to perform particular tasks. Connecting content areas to a larger theme and an enduring understanding. Lemov; Teach like a Champion. -Many fascinating and proven techniques that are useful for especially a novice teacher. Specific areas: wait time, format matters, right is right, ratio, gathering data, call and response, and cold call.

Teaching Methods: Shared reading-> New format for literacy. Guided reading-> Good for dif. instruction. Direct instruction->Vital to scaffolding. Guided practice-> Helps engagement. Student research/investigation of topics. Presentations-> Blooms Taxonomy Synthesis Student Investigation-> Blooms Taxonomy analyze. (Science)

Educational Philosophy and Beliefs

Students will participate in exploratory learning. Students should learn by doing. I am a proponent of a slow release of cognitive work from the teacher modeling to the students working independently. (I, We, You) This method ensures proper scaffolding for students who need it. I believe in holding students to the highest of standards and pushing them to new academic heights. This can have intrinsically motivating affects. I believe in hands-on, relatable and applicable content to further a students learning. This relates to Blooms Taxonomy and a higher order of thinking. I believe in students teaching one another. This is something is not familiar to my students but will explore through my inquiry question. I am a proponent of conversation, and discourse in the implementation of a lesson. This is something Im not familiar with but will explore through my inquiry question.