SciTech 2007 GREEN Project
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Summary
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Project Title: SciTech 2007 GREEN Project Teacher(s): Jennifer Murphy School / Academy: San Diego Educational Complex, SciTech Grade Level(s): 12 Core Subject(s): Contemporary Voices Career Technical Education (CTE) Class(es): {{{classes}}} |
Contents |
Theme
SciTech students will design and implement a 'Green' website which is comprised of their own ideas and works from English and Art classes.
This website will contain an up to date electronic magazine which will be comprised of ongoing student work throughout the semester.
The development of this 'Green' website is related to and supports SciTech's theme of science and technology.
Content Standards
Identify the content standards that students will learn in this project (two to three per subject).
| Subject | Content Standard | Assessment |
| 11th and 12th grade English Language Arts | Reading Comprehension
(2.1, 2.5, and 2.6)
Literary Response and Analysis (3.2, 3.4, and 3.8)
Writing Strategies (1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, and 1.9)
Writing Applications (2.3 a-c and 2.6 a-d)
Written and Oral English Language Conventions (1.1, 1.2, and 1.3)
Listening and Speaking Strategies (1.1)
Speaking Applications (2.1 a-c and 2.4 a-d)
| Homework, quizzes, tests, assigned readings, essays, journal entries, and a 'Green' website! |
| Artwork and Design | TBD | Recycled artwork |
| Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Flash | TBD | Designing Website |
Begin with the End in Mind
- A. What is being produced?
- SciTech students will produce a website regarding aspects of a "Green" environment.
- B. How is that being assessed?
- The website will be assessed for content, accuracy and comprehensiveness.
- C. What is the individual student producing?
- Individual students will be contributing articles, illustrations and artwork, and technological material related to their "Green" website.
- D. How is that being assessed?
- Each student will be responsible, as per rubric definitions, for satisfactory, timely completion of reading, written and demonstrative assignments.
- E. What is the group producing?
- The SciTech students will be producing a body of academic work relating to the benefits and consequences of not having a "Green" environment.
- F. How is that being assessed?
- Each student will be accountable for timely completion of assigned academic tasks as judged by overall standards driven rubric.
Media:scitechgroupprojectrubric.doc
Media:scitechoralpresentrubric2.doc
Media:scitechpowerpointrubric3.doc
SCANS Skills
Identify key SCANS skills students will demonstrate in this project.
| SCANS Skill | Assessment |
| Resources and planning | Students will select goals, time lines and priorities allocating timely and adequate scheduling. |
| Interpersonal relations | Cooperative teams will distribute roles and work insuring group errort and opportunities for development of team leadership as well as teamwork. |
| Information acquisition and utilization | Students research, evaluate, organize and communicate to each other relevant information to reach group goals. |
| Technology | Students choose procedures, tools and software incorporating their usage to design relevant aspects if their production of a "Green" website. |
| Basic | Utilizing reading, research, writing and technological skills students will locate, understand and interpret information for oral communication of the final phase of this project which will be their "Green" website. |
Driving Question
What do we mean by a "Green" environment?
Significant Question
In what ways can teens significantly contribute to recyling efforts so that this becomes an integral part of their learning and daily lives?
Plan the Assessment
Step 1
(Define the products and artifacts for the project)
- Products and artifacts will be the research papers, essays and other written materials; Readings from text books, handouts and other reading material; recycled materials into artwork, posters and original artwork for journals and other related art projects.
- During the Project students will take advantage of published literature regarding "Green" environments through nature writing, magazine and scientific articles. Students will read and research pertinant information and comment through written essays, journals and illustrative artwork.
- Using compilation of readings, writings and artwork, students will assemble a website relative to their academic endeavors regarding a "Green" environment.
Step 2
(State the criteria for exemplary performance for each product)
*Reading for content information/Active Exploration
Students gain new knowledge and understanding of a realistic, authentic and complex situation.
*Academic, rigorous, thematic writing
Student compositions/essays are project driven, persuasive and insightful regarding "Greening" theme.
*Artistic Endeavor of "Greening" project
Students display multiple high-performance and insightful artistic skills to create real-world artwork.
*Website
The final product is a culminating professional exhibition illustrated presentation depicting the consequences of not being environmentally aware and being in tune with the "Greening of America."
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: Written documentation | |||
| Knowledge and skills needed | Already have learned | Taught before the project | Taught during the project |
|---|---|---|---|
| How to conduct research and write objective articles, essays utilizing English standards | Writing conventions, rough draft and editing methods | Research concepts, objectivity in written work, observing stylistic non-fiction writing | Research methodology, writing objectively and concisely, essay format |
| Write fictionalized short stories, poetry and journal entries | Fictionalized style of writing, poety forms, keeping a journal | Writing fiction, poetry and journal entries | Utilizing themes from readings on ecology students will create fiction in forms of poetry and journal keeping |
| How to design and provide artwork for posters, flyers and recycled artwork | Elements and principles of art and designs; social issues and art | Technologies of works of art | Creating art that communicates a universal theme taken from written documentation |
| How to create technological products for showcasing ecological studies | Powerpoint, Microsoft and Internet usage skills | Powerpoint, Microsoft and Internet usage skills | Utilizing computers, software and graphics design a website |
| Ability to exhibit and present an persuasive technologically produced advertisement | Use of computer, and camera skills to produce verbage with photographic illustrations | Use of computer, camcorder and camera skills to produce verbage with photographic illustrations | Through the use of the computer, cam-corder, writings and artwork, students will be able to persuasively advertise their message and research findings |
What project tools will you use? Project will incoporate usage of: English and Art Standards; Research and Essay Guidelines; Student Journals, Posters, Artwork and Flyers; PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Dreamweaver, Flash and Internet Websites; Computers, Cam-Corders and Cameras.
Project Timeline
Media:scitech07timeline.doc Projected Timeline for SciTech PBL: “Design and Create a ‘Green’ Website or EMagazine.”
- What challenges or problems might arise in the project?
A tremendous amount of foresight and effort has gone into the design of this project, nevertheless we do anticipate several situations and challenges: a. What to do with individual students who do not contribute or carry their own weight. b. Getting students motivated and involved (Buying in to the project). c. Scheduling of field trips and guest speakers to coincide with classroom projects. d. Buy in from supporting staff (teachers and administrators) and campus activities. e. Technical problems with equipment and software.
Manage the Process
List preparations necessary to address needs for differentiated instruction for EL students, special-needs students, or students with diverse learning styles.
Although this project will be closely supervised by teachers, it will be student driven with as much autonomy given to students so that they feel empowered by their achievements. Special support in the form of AVID and GATE teaching methodologies of Socratic Seminar, Clustering and Differentiated Learning will further assist the needs of differentiated instruction for EL students, special needs students and students with diverse learning styles. Further, although students will be individually responsible for their own products and accomplishments, they will be required to work in groups which will give them additional support.
Checking for student understanding will be accomplished through written, oral and graphical demonstration of student products and progress.
How will you and your students reflect on and evaluate the project?
Students and teachers will reflect and evaluate the project by constantly communication regarding what is working, what did not work well and what could have been done to improve the project. In addition to ongoing communication and evaluation there will be a debriefing at the end of each month to ascertain the prior month's work and accomplishments and to preview what the next month's products, efforts and activities will entail.
1st Quarter Update
1. Date project began or Date project will begin.
Well really...this project began over the summer! I started it with my 12th graders in my Contemporary Voices class on the first day of school, September 4, 2007. It will end when their course ends on February 1st, 2008. This is what we have produced so far...
2. Challenges encountered since the project began or Challenges encountered while preparing to begin the project.
The biggest challenge for me has been not having anyone that I worked with over the summer work on this project with me. One teacher did not complete the summer course and the other was given another assignment right before school started. Not having anyone to help me out in terms of bouncing back ideas or listening to worries and challenges has been a difficult yet humbling experience. I have also noticed that some of the students are getting bored with the same theme running throughout the course, which is Global Warming.
3. How you have overcome the challenges or How you expect to overcome the challenges.
I am working on ways to combat this, ie. I am having them use technology more and they are going to start reading different types of materials.
4. Any revisions to the Driving Question, Assessment, or what is being produced. If no revisions have been made, report no revisions have been made.
I have not made any revisions as of yet.
5. General response from the students participating in the project. If the project has not begun, try projecting how you think the students will respond to the Driving Question and the assessment being used for the product being produced.
Most, if not all of my students have appreciated learning something that is current and has never really been discussed in any of their classes before. They also like the fact that we work in groups a lot. I have been using a bunch of techniques from the AVID institute that I went to over the summer as well. We are about to start using more technology and I think that that will make my students even happier. They are going to prepare and create an advertisement of their own regarding Global Warming...I am looking forward to it!
2nd Quarter Update (1 February 2008)
1. What have you, as a team, learned from this project experience?
Working by myself as opposed to the team that started out has been successful, frustrating, fulfilling, and reflective. It has taught me that not every plan goes as it's supposed to and also that you don't have to rely on others to be successful.
2. What surprises have you, as a team, encountered during this project?
The biggest surprise for me has been time. I was surprised that time went by so fast and that I didn't have enough time to finish the plan to completion...meaning...it's still a work in progress.
3. What have you, as a team, done to address the diverse needs of a diverse classroom of students?
I was able to use different materials in class so that students were able to use the universal techniques I taught them but they were able to tackle what they had the ability to take on...for example, students read 3-10 paqe articles, watched films, listened to lyrics, participated in Socratic Seminars and drew pictures based on their interpretation.
4. What do students say has been the most difficult part of this project?
Sticking with the same underlying theme all semester...the environment.
5. What do students say has been the most valuable part of this project?
Learning about what we as humans are doing to the environment...I know...kind of one in the same, but they really did like learning about the environment. They just said a bit of spice would have been nice.
The following four photos 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?
This project has enabled me to bring more up to date topics into my classroom. Not only do I feel as if I am teacing the kids skills that they need to learn in college regarding their reading and writing techniques but I am also keeping them up to date with current issues that our world is facing. That has been very exciting for not only me but my students as well!
2. What kind of attention has this project created on your campus?
Most of the teachers at SciTech are buzzing about the whole Preoject Based Learning thing. They really like the fact that it was an on going theme throughout my content are and also the fact that we created something useful for the entire school to use as a resource.
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?
We could implement some type of assessment on the actual website to see how user friendly it is. Students could check out the website and then give feedback on their likes and dislikes as well as their suggestions. I think that what students think about the website would be our ultimate assessment...
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 teachers absolutely LOVE it! Check it out for yourself on the link below!
5. Photos.
http://scitech.sdhs.sandi.net/Greenbeat/index.html
