SCT '07 - H2Ohhh!
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Summary
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Project Title: H2Ohhh! Teacher(s): Kimberly Haagen, Chris Sego, JJ Johnson, Maureen Cottrell School / Academy: SCT at Kearny High Complex Grade Level(s): 10 Core Subject(s): History, English, Biology, Math, Media/Tech Career Technical Education (CTE) Class(es): {{{classes}}} |
Contents |
Theme
As a science school with an environmental focus, the theme of this project is to create a self-directed interactive museum exhibition in relation to the world of water and how life is affected by its usage. In today's 21st century world, students need to be more aware of how water is vital to our survival, sustanance, and future. Students must be aware of their own "water footprint" and how water impacts every facet of our lives. With a final panel presentation defending their results, students will build background knowledge from the professional community and tackle diverse subjects such as: water consumption and distribution, water filtration and production, environmental effects relating to supply, industry mass production of diverse water products and its effects, or environmental consequences of water supply. Springboarding off our "Water Day" awareness fair, students will create and develop a project that will educate others about how water affects our lives. The end result should be a new awareness about the importance of water with an epiphany of "H2Ohhh!!!!"
Content Standards
| Subject | Content Standard | Assessment |
| Biology 1,2 | Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other four strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations. Students will: Select and use appropriate tools and technology to perform tests, collect data, analyze relationships, and display data. | Field Work Data Collection: Water Shed Monitoring and research data analysis: water footprint. Formal lab reports: department rubric used. |
| Biology 1,2 | Ecology:
SWBAT analyze how stability in an ecosystem is a balance between competing effects: Impact of changes in an ecosystem on organisms and biodiversity System interdependence: trophic levels and the physical environment How water cycles between biotic and abiotic components | Community System Interdependence/ Interactions. Apply the 10% Law of Energy Transfer and Biomass to targeted ecosystem. |
| Biology 1,2 | The fundamental life processes of plants and animals depend on a variety of chemical reactions that occur in specialized areas of the organism's cells. As a basis for understanding this concept: Students know cells are enclosed within semipermeable membranes that regulate their interaction with their surroundings.
Students know enzymes are proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions without altering the reaction equilibrium and the activities of enzymes depend on the temperature, ionic conditions, and the pH of the surroundings. | Life Processes in the context of Environmental Factors and Homeostatic Mechanisms
Cell Transport Osmoregulation. Design a lab exploring the impact of various solute concentrations on cell mass. Determine the isotonic concentration. Analyze cell viability under these conditions. |
| Multimedia | Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works. | Preparation of storyboards and script writing, movie production, publications. |
| Multimedia | Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences. | Presentation of the final product to the selected audience and panels |
| Multimedia | Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks. | Top projects will showcase in museum and for other public audiences |
| English 3,4 | 2.0 Reading Comprehension
2.1-Analyze the structure of workplace documents 2.3-Generate relevant questions 2.4-Synthesize the content from several sources | Read and analyze informational articles relating to water consumption and distribution, global warming, water footprint, and the environmental impact of how water affects lives locally, nationally, and globally. |
| English 3,4 | 1.0 Writing Strategies
1.1 Establish a coherent thesis 1.3 Use clear research questions. 1.4-1.7 Develop main ideas, synthesize information, and integrate citations. 2.0 Writing Applications 2.3 Write expository compositions | Create focused questions and generate answers through research. Organize information in a logical and comprehensible manner to educate others through interactive exhibition. |
| English 3,4 | 2.0 Speaking Applications
2.2 Deliver expository presentations. | Present final interactive exhibition to panel. |
| World History | 10.3.2 Examine how scientific and technological changes and new forms of energy brought about changes. | Research Notes & APA Bibliography |
| World History | 10.3.3 Describe growth of cities and effects on environment | Research Notes & APA Bibliography |
| World History | 10.4.1 Describe the rise of industrial economies and their link to imperialism and colonialism | Research Notes & APA Bibliography |
| World History | 10.10.1 Understand the challenges in the regions, including their geopolitical, cultural, and economic significance and the international relationships in which they are involved | Research Notes & APA Bibliogrpahy |
Begin with the End in Mind
- A. What is being produced?
- Students must create a traveling, interactive, multi-media museum exhibit analyzing a water issue in our environment. The students' exhibits will target specific audiences. Teams will do community outreach to raise public awareness by taking their exhibits "on the road" to local elementary and middle schools, neighborhood groups, and businesses.
- B. How is that being assessed?
- Students will present their exhibits to a panel of industry/ community representatives and students from other small schools.
- C. What is the individual student producing?
- Individual students will analyze their "Water Footprint". They will explore their H20 impact on a daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, and lifetime basis. Student teams will then target a local water issue for exploration. Each team member will be assigned one of the following roles: project manager, multi-media liason, recorder, or editor. Finally, all individual work will be incorporated into a group multi-media project.
- D. How is that being assessed?
- In biology, formal lab reports for their "Water Footprint" and Water-Shed Monitoring project will be graded using a rubric. In History and English, research notes will be graded using a rubric based on APA format. The multimedia presentation will be graded by a community panel using a rubric assessing mastery of technical applications, content expertise, and public speaking skills.
- E. What is the group producing?
- A professional touring museum exhibit including a documentary imovie, tri-fold, and oral presentation to raise community awareness.
- F. How is that being assessed?
- Community/industry professionals, SCT staff and student peers, and other small schools faculty and students will review the projects during a Gallery Exhibition. Each reviewer will be given a project rubric. Each presenting group will receive a total points earned. Group team members will then use the merit system to determine each individual's points earned.
SCANS Skills
| SCANS Skill | Assessment |
| Interpersonal: Works as member of a team, exercises leadership, and works with a diversity of people. | Designation of roles and responsibilities within group; works to meet project deadlines, interacts with professional community utilizing their knowledge and experience, and negotiate with group members to solve internal conflicts peacefully and professionally. |
| Information: Acquires and uses information. | Students will acquire and organize research in a coherant manner. Synthesize information from various sources. Utilize technology to process information. |
| Basic Skills: Reads, writes, performs arithmetic and mathematical operations, listens, and speaks. | Reading: Researches and interprets information in articles and graphs. Writing: Communicates data and analysis through writing. Creates reports, graphs, and flow charts. Arithmetic: Performs basic computations and conversions through various mathematical techniques. Listening: Receives, interprets, and responds to verbal messages. Speaking: Organizes ideas and communication orally. |
| Technology: Works with a variety of technologies. | Students will choose and understand equipment including computers, related technologies, and solve problems with computers and technology. |
| Personal Qualities: Displays responsibility, self-esteem, sociability, self-management, integrity and honesty. | Exerts a high level of effort and maintains a positive view of self. Demonstrates understanding, friendliness, adaptability, and politeness in group settings. Assesses self accuracy, sets personal goals, and exhibits self control and ethics. |
| Thinking Skills: Thinks creatively, makes decisions, solves problems, visualizes, and reasons. | Creative thinking: Generates new ideas. Decision-making: Specifies goals and constraints, considers risks and alternatives. Problem solving: Recognizes problems and devises plan of action. Aesthetic value: Organizes and processes symbols and visuals. Reasoning: Utilizes critical thinking strategies. |
Driving Question
What's Water Worth? (WWW)
Significant Questions
Suppose the tap went dry - What now? Could you live without water? How long? Where does our water come from? Bottled water or tap? Why do we need to conserve water? What is my water footprint? Why is most beach water not clear? Why should I care about the glaciers melting in Greenland? What is a water-shed? What is healthy, drinkable water? What is healthy freshwater?
Plan the Assessment
Step 1
Early in the Project:
1. Water fair kickoff as a hook to spark the students interest, meetings with influential groups of people and organizations, and network contacts.
2. Calculating their water footprints, students will detemine the amount of water required for their daily functioning.
3. Selection of roles either manager, editor, recorder, multimedia specialist.
4. Selection of audience and topic, audience will be defined as elementary schools, professional groups, or others to be approved.
5. Frontloading and brainstorming of water topic choices, no limits but the topic and project proposal will be approved via a template turned in by the students.
During the Project:
1. Research the topic of their choice using a variety of sources.
2. Individual work - Roles have been defined as follows:
Manager will manage and make sure everyone is on task and doing their part
Recorder will be responsible for gathering all the raw data and keeping track of the progress of the project.
Editor will make sure print work is of professional quality for the trifold, press releases are formatted, emails with the mentor are up to industry standards.
The multimedia person will be recording all the events via video, putting together the documentary, filming editing and producing the final product.
Group work - Outline of topic, storyboarding, script writing and taking part in the documentary process.
End of the Project:
1. Producing a 3 - 5 minute documentary of their topic using imovie.
2. Producing a trifold display using various multi-media applications.
Step 2
Product: Selection of topic for a targeted audience.
Criteria: A written proposal of the topic that is broad enough for complete coverage of the chosen topic, approved by the team. Topic also has to be put in a format appropriate for the target audience.
Product: Defining team roles
Criteria: The team assigns 1 person for each job that is not open to change.
Product: Water Footprint activity
Criteria: Students will complete a calculation to show how much water useage is involved with their everyday life. This activity is aided by online resources that help students see how many liters of water are involved with production, transport, delivery and use by the students in every aspect of their life.
Product: Water Fair project
Criteria: Participation in the water day, gathering network materials from speakers, observing what different water activities are in place in the region,
Product: Frontloading and brainstorming of water topic choices
Criteria: Participation in group discussions on what makes a good topic, how to craft their topic with the targeted audience in mind. Topic must cover a regional (San Diego County) issue.
Product: Research the topic of their choice using a variety of sources.
Criteria: Appropriate use of time, good teamwork, high levels of communication between team members, and contacting business people outside the school system.
Product: Individual work
Criteria: Each person will keep the group moving forward by completely doing his job at the appropriate points in the project.
Product: Group work
Criteria: The group will meet the timelines set by the teaching team to produce the outlines, storyboard, script and final product.
Product: 3 - 5 minute documentary
Criteria: The group will produce a documentary that is up to 5 minutes long that completely covers the topic of their choice and is language and content appropriate for their target audience.
Product: Trifold
Criteria: The students will produce an authentic and visually appealing display that can be used as a part of the traveling exhibit. The primary multimedia tool will be powerpoint that can be printed out and pasted into the trifold presentation.
Product: Panel presentation
Criteria: Students will present their work to a panel composed of professionals and fellow students. They will create a presentation that uses a variety of multimedia skills, soft skills, communication skills, and presentation skills. They will be graded on a point system by the professionals and fellow students.
Map the Project
| Look at one major product for the project and analyze the tasks necessary to produce a high-quality product. What do students need to know and be able to do to complete the tasks successfully? How and when will they learn the necessary knowledge and skills? | |||
| Product: Interactive Multimedia Museum Exhibit | |||
| Knowledge and skills needed | Already have learned | Taught before the project | Taught during the project |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power Point | X | ||
| iMovie | X | ||
| Storyboard | X | ||
| Interviewing | X | X | |
| Research Skills | X | X | |
| Field Data Aquisition and Analysis | X | X | |
| Editing and Proofreading | X | X | |
| Image Editing | X | X | |
| APA Bibliography and Citations | X | X | X |
| Public Speaking: Informative and Persuasive Oral Reporting | X | X | X |
| Organizational Skills: Time Management, Team Dynamics, Leadership, and Communication | X | X | |
What project tools will you use? Computers, APA Manuals, Industry Mentors, Wet Lab, Tri-fold Boards, Team Binders, Digital Cameras, Camcorders
Project Timeline
Water Project Timeline
Water Footprint- First weeks of Oct.
Water Day Fair -Oct. 25
Launch Day-Oct. 26-A day &Oct. 29-B day
Field Trip to Museum of Natural History & Museum of Art-Oct. 30
Proposals due-Nov. 1-A Day &Nov. 2- B Day
Proposal returned-Nov. 6
Begin Research-Nov. 7
End Research-Nov. 16
Project must be finished-Dec. 10
Presentation to panelist- Dec. 11, 12, 13
- What challenges or problems might arise in the project?
Scheduling conflicts with business/ industry connections may not fit project timeline. Devoting enough time to project on an A/B schedule. Pre-skills that are necessary to create a museum exhibit. Members of team lacking workable common planning time.
Manage the Process
Students will need to become aware of how their water footprint impacts the environment. Then students will brainstorm ideas with the help of their English and History teachers to help focus their project.
Teachers will choose the groups for this project to balance ELL students, students with learning disabilities, grade level, and advanced students as equally as possible. Roles and responsibilities will be explained and students will be allowed to choose the job that best fits themselves. The 10th grade teachers will meet once a week during their prep period to discuss and solve any ongoing problems. In the Media, English, History, and Biology classes, individual work will be assessed throughout the process to check students' progress. Every three to four weeks, Project Managers from approximately 30 groups will meet with the 10th grade team teachers at lunch to discuss problems and disseminate information.
How will you and your students reflect on and evaluate the project?
The evaluation of the project will be done by panel members which will consist of SCT grade 10 teachers, industry members, and students from other science small schools (DMD and CIMA). Students will write a reflection in their English or History class that concentrates on the process of group dynamics and the information gained through the project.
1st Quarter Update
Wow! What a beautiful day. We began our project on October 11, 2007 by taking over 90 students to Mission Trails Park to do Water sampling.
We hiked alomost 4 miles, and, no one got lost or hurt along the way.
For some of our students, this was the first time they had ever been responsible for conducting scientific research in the field.
While most of the students were tired when we made it back to the bus, they were a great group because no one complained or whinned about the walking-Way to go class of 2010!
As far as challenges and revisions have gone, we have had our share. The first challenge was that the master schedule did not have students scheduled as we had anticipated. Therefore, we adjusted the project so that groups were selected and met in their biology and mixed media classes. (those classes are A/B) Next year we will adjust the master schedule to make sure that the load between English and history classes are more equitablly split. Next challenge we faced was loss of a lap top cart due to break in. The police came and investigated, and couldn't find any prints!!! (It was nothing like the cool CSI show) As a result, we modified the research based on our limited facilites. Our third and final challenge was that our great, fabulous, terrific Water Day that would have been our kick off event had to be canceled due to the wild fires. However, we managed to get started with the group work but had to adjust the end date in which the kids will be presenting their finished product.
So far our kids have made great comments like, "Wow, you guys were really goofy in that video you made." and "You're kidding me, right?". the students liked the driving question because it was simple but complete, and kind of catchy. Can't wait to update Ralph and Lance on the cool stuff that the kids will develop.
2nd Quarter Update (1 February 2008)
1. What have you, as a team, learned from this project experience?
That there are a number of outside variables that come into play as the year goes on, and it takes a concentrated effort to keep the project on pace. We would like to be in Bora-Bora, but WASC and this project keep getting in the way. Good thing we love Project Based Learning. LOL.
2. What surprises have you, as a team, encountered during this project? Surprise- We found that the students were really more irratated by having to move deadlines. They really like a structured "what do I have to do and when is it do" approach.
3. What have you, as a team, done to address the diverse needs of a diverse classroom of students? Diverse Classroom- on our last trip to do field research, we encouraged students who had never thought of themselves as "scientist" because they weren't like those "smart" people on TV to go and analyze whale sounds using underwater microphones. Oh, and we told them that whales don't like hig school students from Kearny- too sweet!
4. What do students say has been the most difficult part of this project? Most difficult- trying to work on the boat as it was rolling through the ocean. The students found out that the classroom is a rather tame envirnoment compared to mother nature.
5. What do students say has been the most valuable part of this project?
Most valuable- That the data and work they did was going to be used for "real" research and this wasn't a pretend client.
The four photos on the right were taken during the second quarter:
3rd Quarter Update (11 April 2008)
1. How has this project changed the way you each teach your respective subjects?
The cross curricular aspect of the project has resulted in some challenges. When the team comes together to brainstorm it is a fantastic opportunity to hammer out ideas. The issues that come up are not from the ability of the team to work together but more the issue of core subjects being able to cover the needed material for the various classes. This will result in further refinement for project based learning next year. The lessons learned have been invaluable and the team has a strong desire to plan and develop new ideas for next years project.
2. What kind of attention has this project created on your campus?
The campus commmunity has responded with a lot of interest for the water day, field trips, and upcoming water fair. Throughout the project students and faculty were able to see the relevance of things like our water footprint, pollution in local water supplies, and enviromental issues in our oceans. The real world aspect of the facets of the project have resulted in an authentic experience for the students and community. This local connection will be expanded on for next years project.
3. A. If you are producing a product for a client (on site or in the community), what kind of feedback/response have you received from your client regarding the process and the product?
OR
B. If you are not producing a product for a client, how could this project be redesigned to include a beyond-the-classroom, authentic assessment?
This project has been a fantastic springboard for local community and business involvement. The team has made contacts with local Friends of the Canyon groups and together with GIS plan an ambitious canyon mapping and field guide project. This focus on the future entails taking data from this years water projects and using it to further assess conditions in the environment, specifically the local canyons. The location of this years water sampling, Mission Trails, is the feeder for downstream water that will be studied even more. Additional water studies will be done to study the watershed and vernal pools. The idea is to map the canyon as it is to develop a baseline, then study the shifting conditions.
4. What comments have you received from the parents of the students involved in the project and teachers on your campus who are not involved in the project?
The comments of the students that have not been involved in the project, and some of the incoming students to the project have been favorable. Those students see the teams of 10th graders working together and heading out on field trips and say that they "never got the chance to do that". Parents of students involved believe the experience outside of the classroom has been invaluable. Visiting locations where the data is collected means the students are at the source. The team would like to develop more vertical mapping so that the sophomores of next year will have a good foundation in the topics of the water project
5. Photos:
