Download T+A

PROJECT OVERVIEW PART 1: DEFINE
Name of Project:
Masters of Disasters
Duration: 6 weeks (1 contact
hour per week)
Subject/Course:
Social Studies
Grade Level: 6th
Other subject areas to
be included, if any:
Reading, Writing
Project Idea
Students will investigate the significance of natural disasters on the effect on physical environment and human activities
and develop a plan of action for preparedness as well as selecting a “cause” (a community recently suffering from that
disaster type who has needs that can be addressed by students).
Summary of the issue,
challenge, investigation,
scenario, or problem:
Driving Question
How can we protect ourselves and others from natural disasters?
Content and Skills
Standards to be
addressed:
Social Studies
6 – G6.1.1 Contemporary Investigations – Conduct research on contemporary global topics
and issues, compose persuasive essays, and develop a plan for action. (H1.4.3, G1.2.6,
See P3 and P4)Natural Disasters – Investigate the significance of natural disasters and
describe the effects on human and physical systems, and the economy, and the
responsibilities of government.
6– G5.2.1 Describe the effects that a change in the physical environment could have on
human activities and the choices people would have to make in adjusting to the change
(e.g., drought in northern Mexico, disappearance of forest vegetation in the Amazon,
natural hazards and disasters from volcanic eruptions in Central America and the
Caribbean and earthquakes in Mexico City and Colombia).
ELA
S.DS.06.04 plan a focused and coherent informational presentation using an informational
organizational pattern (e.g., problem/solution, sequence); select a focus question to
address
and organize the message to ensure that it matches the intent and the audience to which
it
will be delivered.
T+A
21st Century Skills
Collaboration
T+A
E
T+A
E
Other:
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education
1
to be explicitly taught and
assessed (T+A) or that
will be encouraged (E) by
project work, but not
taught or assessed:
Presentation
T+A
Critical Thinking:
T+A
Presentation Audience:
Presentation (choice of tools – movie, podcast, brochure, drama, etc.) that teaches others
about the natural disaster, the effects on human and environment, emergency preparedness,
and awareness of disaster victims/communities. The group shares their “cause” (current
victims) with the class. And the group creates a Survival Guide based on their research.
Group:
Culminating
Products and
Performances
Individual:
Each group member has jobs delineated for research component: historian (past disasters),
reporter (current victims), meterologist (anatomy of that disaster), geographer (effects on the
earth/environment), sociologist (effects on people). Each member presents their findings to
their group and helps to put together the presentation.
Class:
X
School:
X
Community:
X
Experts:
Web:
X
Other: iTunes Music
Store – Podcast Channel
PROJECT OVERVIEW PART 2: DESIGN
“Grabber” to
launch inquiry &
generate interest:
Show movie vignette of natural disasters…discuss what they have experienced or know about from the news. Then
give them the "memo from FEMA" requesting their assistance in Mission Masters of Disasters.
Assessments
Practice Presentations
X
X
Notes
X
X
Checklists
X
Rough Drafts
Concept Maps
X
Online Tests/Exams
Other:
Quizzes/Tests
Formative
Assessments
Journal/Learning Log
(Checkpoints
During Project)
Preliminary Plans/Outlines/Prototypes
Written Product(s), with rubric:
X
Other Product(s) or Performance(s), with rubric:
Summative
Assessments
___________Survival Guide__________________________
_______Multimedia Presentation_____________________
(End of Project)
Oral Presentation, with rubric
Peer Evaluation
Multiple Choice/Short Answer Test
Self-Evaluation
X
X
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education
2
Essay Test
Other:
.
Debriefing
Methods
Journal/Learning Log
(Individual,
Group, and/or
Whole Class)
Whole-Class Discussion
Survey
Resources
Needed
X
X
Focus Group
Fishbowl Discussion
X
Other: Reflective Checklists
On-site people, facilities:
6th Grade classroom teacher, computer creation lab,
Equipment:
Computer lab, digital cameras, video cameras, projectors
Materials:
Websites (hotlist), graphic organizers for information, rubrics, books
Community resources:
Find regional experts to communicate w/ via email, skype, video conference (maybe
FEMA)
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education
X
3
PROJECT TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE
Project: Masters of Disasters
Course/Semester: Social Studies – 6th Grade
Knowledge and Skills Needed by Students
to successfully complete culminating products and
performances, and do well on summative assessments
Information on disasters: description, effects, history of, etc.
Scaffolding / Materials / Lessons to be Provided
by the project teacher, other teachers, experts,
mentors, community members
Graphic Organizers, web resources, United Streaming, experts

Collaboration and Teamwork

Presentation Skills
Graphic organizers, rubric expectations, checklists, teacher
interviews
Checklists, mini-lessons by project teacher, modeling

Connection of disaster to personal background knowledge
Reflection journaling, discussions

Persuasive writing/communication
Mini lessons, modeling



© 2008 Buck Institute for Education
4
P R O J E C T
Project: Masters of Disasters
M O N D A Y
C A L E N D A R
Start Date: September 2009
T U E S D A Y
W E D N E S D A Y
T H U R S D A Y
PROJECT WEEK ONE
GRABBER
video of natural
disasters - YouTube Natural Disasters and
Human Dignity
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
Discuss natural disasters
and their first hand
experience or things they
have heard
PLANNING
Develop questions we
might ask someone who
was a victim about a
natural disaster
PERSONAL LINK
H.W. interview a friend,
relative or email from my
expert list to ask
someone about a personal
experience with a disaster
PROJECT WEEK TWO
RE-ENERGIZE
Discuss student
interviews, show
another disaster movie Disaster Overview
PREPARATION
Break into teams by doing
the Post-It grouping - each
person wear a Post-It with
a disaster that really
interests them and then
find 4 others with the
same choice or interest
TEAMWORK
Do teamwork mini
lesson, then each group
do a group discussion
and proposal for their
team's plan, determine
individual jobs:
historian, reporter,
meteorologist,
geographer, sociologist
NOTE: 1st 3 jobs work
on oral preso....last 2 jobs
work on survival guide
PROJECT WEEK THREE
RE-ENERGIZE
Read a news article or
show a news video clip
of a recent disaster.
FORMATIVE
Whole class leader report
- give oral synopsis of
progress to class and
questions or concerns
about their work
RESEARCH:
Mini lesson on searching
the web and validity of
web material. Alan
November's site
www.bie.org
WORK TIME
Teams continue work on
project with teacher
doing group spot checks
and support
F R I D A Y
www.bie.org
WEEK FOUR
RE-ENERGIZE
Show a clip from an
organization that was
created to help a
specific disaster (like
Katrina) and discuss the
"cause" portion of the
project.
FORMATIVE
Group verbally reports on
what victims they are
thinking of using for their
cause
GROUP WORKTIME
Finish date for research.
Begin preparing survivial
guide and presentation.
WEEK FIVE
RE-ENERGIZE &
FORMATIVE
Go over rubrics for
presentation and
survival guide. Each
group reflect on status.
WORKTIME
Groups will work to
complete survival guide
and presentation.
WEEK SIX
SAME AS WEEK 5
WEEK SEVEN
PRESENT and
DISPLAY
Groups will present
their information, their
cause and show their
survival guide
DEBRIEF
Whole class will discuss
the successes and will
choose a cause through a
vote.
DEBRIEF
Individuals will do a
group survey to evaluate
their own as well as their
group's success.
www.bie.org
www.bie.org