Unit Of Practice

INVITATION

 The purpose of this UOP is to introduce my students to the nature/life sciences and desert habitats.  They will need to research a desert plant and an animal, and then share their information with the class.  I will make available books and Encarta for their use.  This unit will be an interdisciplinary study of a life science area that will incorporate language arts, art, reading and writing as well as science.  The completed projects build on the students’ basic knowledge of writing and sentence structure and assign them a report to complete.

  STANDARDS

I teach in a multi-grade setting and will gear assignments accordingly.  Listed below are the standards that will be met in this unit.

FIRST GRADE GEOGRAPHY STANDARDS

STUDENTS WILL:

1. Construct a simple map using a map key and symbols.

THIRD GRADE GEOGRAPHY STANDARDS

STUDENTS WILL:

1.  Construct a map using map key and symbols, map scale, title, compass rose including intermediate directions, and boundaries.

THIRD GRADE READING STANDARDS

17.  Understand the function of organizational features and use them to locate information. (example: table of contents, index, glossary)
18.  Use reference tools to locate information. (example: dictionaries, maps and globes, encyclopedias, periodicals, Internet

THIRD GRADE WRITING STANDARDS

1. Write to share information or inform a specific audience.
2. Use vocabulary appropriate for the content.
3. Use complete sentences in writing.
4. Use grammar concepts and spelling patterns in writing. (example: verb forms, singular/plural nouns, compounds, blends)
5. Organize and write about information according to topic.

  TASKS

Introduction lesson will include some basic vocabulary words and what the meanings of them are, such as habitat, cactus, and weather.  We will make a list of things that we need in our human habitat and compare it to a list of things in a desert animal habitat.  This will include the weather of a desert and the basic climate.  Incorporating the Power Point show will be a part of this lesson.

The next step will involve the students picking a desert animal and creating the creature out of clay and researching and writing a short report on it to present to the class.  This project will involve two class periods.  This animal will be saved to become part of the final project to be completed

The next two lessons will be about picking a plant that is found in the desert and making it out of either clay or paper and writing and presenting the report to the class.  This project must also be saved for the shadow box biome project.

The students will create a simple map of a desert and create a key that includes the following – basic directions, landforms, a key showing plant life, animal life, depending on the grade of the student.  The students will need to use markers, paint and pencil and paper to complete this project.

The final project will be a shoebox biome of the desert and will need to incorporate the previously made projects.  To complete their projects students will need to have a shoebox, construction paper, glue, clay, sand, paint, markers, and scissors.  The project will include the animal and plant that was previously made.

Here is a list of classroom resources that will be used be either the student or myself to use.

v      The Living Desert by Dinah Brown

v      1000Facts about the Earth by Moria Butterfield -- Pages 36 & 37: 44 & 45

v      Science is….  By Susan v Bosak – Page 80, and 356

INTERACTIONS

For this unit there will be some group interaction and the rest will be individual effort.  Each student will be involved in the role of researcher, summarizer and producer.  I will have to directly instruct them in the processes involved to complete the projects.  The projects will be graded by the rubrics created for each project.

SITUATIONS

The activities will take place in the classroom.  The students will need to make use of the computer and Kid Pix program to complete their reports.  There will need to be a table with the supplies necessary to complete the 3-dimensional projects.   I am planning to allow for two class periods to work on projects during the Guided Reading time. There will be due dates for projects and ample time to get them completed. 

ASSESSMENT

Below will be the rubrics for the 3-dimensional projects and reports and the final project.

  RUBRIC FOR THE PLANT AND THE ANIMAL

  RUBRIC FOR THE REPORT ON THE PLANT AND ANIMAL

RUBRIC FOR THE SHOEBOX HABITAT

TOOLS

The main resources that the students will use will be books of reference about deserts, the encyclopedia, and Encarta.  The students will have had to previously had practice with report forms.  They will have studied their own habitat and what is needed for their own existence.

Homepage