As the Regional science fair coordinator for the South side of Chicago, I have always wondered why the number of participants from neighborhood schools were so low. Why were the demographics of African- american students, specifically girls so low relative to other ethnic groups? Well, in lieu of recent budget cuts I accepted a position at a neighborhood high school. The experience is surreal and after actually teaching in an Englewood neighborhood school, I know the answer. Due to minimal funding and very few resources most students are rarely exposed to true science. My students come to high school lacking the basics of science. The rationale behind it is at the elementary level teachers simply don't have the time nor the wherewithal due to numerous testing mandates and constraints to teach science. Unfortunately, science is rarely incorporated into the curriculum if at all.
Therefore, I will expose my students to the nature of science. The nature of science considers characteristics, values and assumptions that scientific knowledge is based and how scientific knowledge is developed. The nature of science tenets allows students to be subjective, inferential, imaginative and creative and doesn't require expertise to be understood. Which is appropriate for any grade level. My goal is provide my students with a knowledge base that expands beyond their immediate surroundings. Culturally the majority of students have yet to go outside the Englewood community. As a matter of fact, most have yet to visit the downtown area which is literally ten miles in distance. In the article Disciplining The Mind, the authors' recommendations correlate directly with the nature of science tenet (science is culturally and socially embedded) and depicts what the future requires of each student. " They must be able to integrate disciplinary perspectives to understand new phenomena in such fields as medicine, climate science and economic development. In doing so the disciplined mind resists oversimplification and prepares students to embrace the complex of the modern world" (V.B Mansilla & H Gardner, 2008) .
The lesson I have chosen will meet standard based requirements centered around Environmental Science content while simultaneously introducing students to Global Warming's impact on climate change and the human population. Gardner& Mansilla recommend teachers can focus on a four- fold approach to education. Their beliefs are teachers should help students identify essential topics in each discipline. As it relates to science,observation, inquiry and problem- solving is some of the major components. Hence, the many faces to explore the unknown and the real world. Furthermore, because science involves inquiry it serves as the focal point for all scientific investigations to begin. I will approach the chosen topic in several ways which is one of Gardner's methods of developing disciplinary competencies "By providing a variety of entry points, teachers not only reach more students but also invite their students to think about important problems in multiple ways mental agility that characterizes the disciplined mind " ( H.Gardner 2006).
The big Ideas for this lesson will include the "Science" of global warming, global warming basics, designing and proposing debates/ solutions, and an investigation of Climate Politics. The science of global warming will have students consider the various lines of evidence showing that the climate is changing and that humans and green house gas emissions are the ones responsible for this change. I know fully well all of these ideas are rather ambitious and may require as substantial amount of time. However, I agree with Gardner's'suggestion for develop competencies "Spend considerable time on these few topics, studying them deeply. By encouraging students to examine multiple perspectives on a topic and study them in depth, teachers help students become young experts in different topic areas" (H. Gardner 2006). Lastly, I would like for students to become very comfortable and acquainted with global warming. According to the article Disciplining The Mind, "To thrive in contemporary societies young people must develop the capacity to think like experts" (H. Gardener 2006). Therefore students will conduct research using a variety of resources to explore perspectives in global warming. Students will read various texts enabling them to formulate ways to combat the effects of global warming. My overarching goal is for students to share what they have learned within their communities, thus promoting global warming awareness locally.
According to Disciplining of the Mind, teachers should develop students performances of understanding. " Performance of understanding invite student to think with knowledge in multiple novel situation, they show whether students can actually make use of classroom material once they step outside the door" (H.Gardner 2006). Moreover, the performance of understandings chosen will utilize three of the six facets of understanding described in the book Understanding By Design. The first facet of understanding is students will have perspective, " see and here points of view through critical eyes and ears see the big picture (Wiggins & McTighe 1998). The performance of understanding is my students will participate in group brainstorming sessions and class discussions related to the impact of the greenhouse effect and global warming. Also, students will also be required to form definitions of the greenhouse effect based on prior knowledge, class discussion, and any previously viewed diagrams. The second facet of understanding is Explain, "Provide thorough and justifiable accounts of phenomena, facts and data ( Wiggins & McTighe 1998). The performance of understanding is students will take a position on global warming and support this viewpoint with reasons, facts and examples gathered during lesson activities. The next performance of understanding students will conduct research using a variety of primary sources to explore perspectives in the global warming debate. Conducting research correlates directly with the facet of apply, "Effectively use and and adapt what they know in diverse contexts ( Gardner & McTighe 1988). The last performance of understanding requires students to analyze global warming diagrams and resources to obtain a clear understanding of this scientific process. Also, students will hypothesize about the effects of global warming on the climate and the world's populations. Therefore incorporating the facet of understanding of interpreting by which "they can tell meaningful stories offer apt translations, provide a revealing historical or personal dimension to ideas and event, make subjects personal or accessible through images, anecdotes and models" ( Gardner & McTighe 1988). Please note I recognize that some of the performance of understanding identified above may have some overlap with the facets of understanding. I did the best I could with the alignment.
My ImagineIt project will take place in the heart of Englewood. The focus group will consist of an eleventh grade Environmental Science class. I am not actually sure of the number of students just yet, but due to decline in enrollment I predict about 20. The classroom will consist of all African-american low income students of which about 45% of them are diverse learners. The class will meet on a daily basis for fifty one minutes of instruction. I want to share that a typical neighborhood school has excessive and chronic attendance issues. The curriculum will include a variety of topics ranging from . Normally, the curriculum requires climate change to be taught at the end of the school year, however for the validity of the ImagineIt project I will flip the curriculum to the beginning of the school year. The technology is limited and accessibility may be difficult. However, I plan to use my surface pro 3 when applicable and allow students to gain access to technology via my access points. I will definitely have to monitor the classroom closely which will provide a bit of a challenge. I would like to mention my administrator is aware of the fellowship and the benefits for our students. I am expecting him to provide full support. Of course, where feasible and within budget.
The STEM disciplines will vary, some adapted from the mandated curriculum others from multiples resources, however they will all make up the unit on global warming and climate change. I am always searching for new ideas for my students. In a nutshell I would like for my students to be able to make predictions about the effects of global warming, compare various viewpoints regarding global warming, formulate their own opinions about global warming while completing multiple projects in the process. All lessons will be designed and modified to suit the needs of my students. Due to below average reading scores my students struggle with severe vocabulary deficits and phonemic awareness which makes comprehension a seemingly daunting task.
My pedagogical approach will vary greatly due to to the breadth and depth of the content. I will begin using the lecture strategy as a form of introduction to the lesson but also to review general terminology that I know my students haven't been exposed to or possibly even seen. Using the lecture strategy will also allow me measure and gauge student interest an on going basis. I definitely do not plan to lecture the entire class period but just as a vehicle to to introduce the content. For the remaining lessons that follow, I plan to serve strictly as the facilitator. Discussions is the next strategy that will be used and is critical to the content. Students will discuss what they know and ask any questions they have in small groups. The small group discussion will serve as a platform for classroom discussion which is a vital prelude to a healthy debate. Writing is another instructional strategy critical to the lesson, I will require my students to write an essay taking a position and supporting it with evidence from research. In this instance student should be able to apply what they learned through reflection. Since, I would like for my students to eventually promote global awareness in their communities, using the service learning strategy is a plus because my students tend to scramble for hours. The current level of the class is juniors so students may be more inclined to participate in order to fulfill service learning hour requirements. Lastly, I will implement the utilizing independent projects strategy. All students at the junior level should be able to execute and a research a creative project from beginning to end. Although, my students have academic deficits and extenuating circumstances I still want to promote rigor in the classroom while exposing them to the norm. In fact they may even surprise themselves. I already know they are more than capable, it just requires a little effort.
Due to the limited technology availability in the school, I won't be able to incorporate as nearly as much as I would like to. But I will say, that actually utilizing technology other than a basic power point or video speaks volume. That being said I will use my own you tube videos and I am so excited. I will show students how to make videos for their projects using video maker and imgflicker to make to make their own memes. I will also incorporate my deep play component and have students build online portfolios. Usually my students make posters using construction paper and colored pencils but now I will use pikochart. An ambitious goal is to incorporate zoom so that I can communicate effectively with students. As previously stated attendance is a major issue and this would serve as an excellent tool. Although, it may seem like I am simply skimming the surface, my journey as a digital immigrant has just begun.
Therefore, I will expose my students to the nature of science. The nature of science considers characteristics, values and assumptions that scientific knowledge is based and how scientific knowledge is developed. The nature of science tenets allows students to be subjective, inferential, imaginative and creative and doesn't require expertise to be understood. Which is appropriate for any grade level. My goal is provide my students with a knowledge base that expands beyond their immediate surroundings. Culturally the majority of students have yet to go outside the Englewood community. As a matter of fact, most have yet to visit the downtown area which is literally ten miles in distance. In the article Disciplining The Mind, the authors' recommendations correlate directly with the nature of science tenet (science is culturally and socially embedded) and depicts what the future requires of each student. " They must be able to integrate disciplinary perspectives to understand new phenomena in such fields as medicine, climate science and economic development. In doing so the disciplined mind resists oversimplification and prepares students to embrace the complex of the modern world" (V.B Mansilla & H Gardner, 2008) .
The lesson I have chosen will meet standard based requirements centered around Environmental Science content while simultaneously introducing students to Global Warming's impact on climate change and the human population. Gardner& Mansilla recommend teachers can focus on a four- fold approach to education. Their beliefs are teachers should help students identify essential topics in each discipline. As it relates to science,observation, inquiry and problem- solving is some of the major components. Hence, the many faces to explore the unknown and the real world. Furthermore, because science involves inquiry it serves as the focal point for all scientific investigations to begin. I will approach the chosen topic in several ways which is one of Gardner's methods of developing disciplinary competencies "By providing a variety of entry points, teachers not only reach more students but also invite their students to think about important problems in multiple ways mental agility that characterizes the disciplined mind " ( H.Gardner 2006).
The big Ideas for this lesson will include the "Science" of global warming, global warming basics, designing and proposing debates/ solutions, and an investigation of Climate Politics. The science of global warming will have students consider the various lines of evidence showing that the climate is changing and that humans and green house gas emissions are the ones responsible for this change. I know fully well all of these ideas are rather ambitious and may require as substantial amount of time. However, I agree with Gardner's'suggestion for develop competencies "Spend considerable time on these few topics, studying them deeply. By encouraging students to examine multiple perspectives on a topic and study them in depth, teachers help students become young experts in different topic areas" (H. Gardner 2006). Lastly, I would like for students to become very comfortable and acquainted with global warming. According to the article Disciplining The Mind, "To thrive in contemporary societies young people must develop the capacity to think like experts" (H. Gardener 2006). Therefore students will conduct research using a variety of resources to explore perspectives in global warming. Students will read various texts enabling them to formulate ways to combat the effects of global warming. My overarching goal is for students to share what they have learned within their communities, thus promoting global warming awareness locally.
According to Disciplining of the Mind, teachers should develop students performances of understanding. " Performance of understanding invite student to think with knowledge in multiple novel situation, they show whether students can actually make use of classroom material once they step outside the door" (H.Gardner 2006). Moreover, the performance of understandings chosen will utilize three of the six facets of understanding described in the book Understanding By Design. The first facet of understanding is students will have perspective, " see and here points of view through critical eyes and ears see the big picture (Wiggins & McTighe 1998). The performance of understanding is my students will participate in group brainstorming sessions and class discussions related to the impact of the greenhouse effect and global warming. Also, students will also be required to form definitions of the greenhouse effect based on prior knowledge, class discussion, and any previously viewed diagrams. The second facet of understanding is Explain, "Provide thorough and justifiable accounts of phenomena, facts and data ( Wiggins & McTighe 1998). The performance of understanding is students will take a position on global warming and support this viewpoint with reasons, facts and examples gathered during lesson activities. The next performance of understanding students will conduct research using a variety of primary sources to explore perspectives in the global warming debate. Conducting research correlates directly with the facet of apply, "Effectively use and and adapt what they know in diverse contexts ( Gardner & McTighe 1988). The last performance of understanding requires students to analyze global warming diagrams and resources to obtain a clear understanding of this scientific process. Also, students will hypothesize about the effects of global warming on the climate and the world's populations. Therefore incorporating the facet of understanding of interpreting by which "they can tell meaningful stories offer apt translations, provide a revealing historical or personal dimension to ideas and event, make subjects personal or accessible through images, anecdotes and models" ( Gardner & McTighe 1988). Please note I recognize that some of the performance of understanding identified above may have some overlap with the facets of understanding. I did the best I could with the alignment.
My ImagineIt project will take place in the heart of Englewood. The focus group will consist of an eleventh grade Environmental Science class. I am not actually sure of the number of students just yet, but due to decline in enrollment I predict about 20. The classroom will consist of all African-american low income students of which about 45% of them are diverse learners. The class will meet on a daily basis for fifty one minutes of instruction. I want to share that a typical neighborhood school has excessive and chronic attendance issues. The curriculum will include a variety of topics ranging from . Normally, the curriculum requires climate change to be taught at the end of the school year, however for the validity of the ImagineIt project I will flip the curriculum to the beginning of the school year. The technology is limited and accessibility may be difficult. However, I plan to use my surface pro 3 when applicable and allow students to gain access to technology via my access points. I will definitely have to monitor the classroom closely which will provide a bit of a challenge. I would like to mention my administrator is aware of the fellowship and the benefits for our students. I am expecting him to provide full support. Of course, where feasible and within budget.
The STEM disciplines will vary, some adapted from the mandated curriculum others from multiples resources, however they will all make up the unit on global warming and climate change. I am always searching for new ideas for my students. In a nutshell I would like for my students to be able to make predictions about the effects of global warming, compare various viewpoints regarding global warming, formulate their own opinions about global warming while completing multiple projects in the process. All lessons will be designed and modified to suit the needs of my students. Due to below average reading scores my students struggle with severe vocabulary deficits and phonemic awareness which makes comprehension a seemingly daunting task.
My pedagogical approach will vary greatly due to to the breadth and depth of the content. I will begin using the lecture strategy as a form of introduction to the lesson but also to review general terminology that I know my students haven't been exposed to or possibly even seen. Using the lecture strategy will also allow me measure and gauge student interest an on going basis. I definitely do not plan to lecture the entire class period but just as a vehicle to to introduce the content. For the remaining lessons that follow, I plan to serve strictly as the facilitator. Discussions is the next strategy that will be used and is critical to the content. Students will discuss what they know and ask any questions they have in small groups. The small group discussion will serve as a platform for classroom discussion which is a vital prelude to a healthy debate. Writing is another instructional strategy critical to the lesson, I will require my students to write an essay taking a position and supporting it with evidence from research. In this instance student should be able to apply what they learned through reflection. Since, I would like for my students to eventually promote global awareness in their communities, using the service learning strategy is a plus because my students tend to scramble for hours. The current level of the class is juniors so students may be more inclined to participate in order to fulfill service learning hour requirements. Lastly, I will implement the utilizing independent projects strategy. All students at the junior level should be able to execute and a research a creative project from beginning to end. Although, my students have academic deficits and extenuating circumstances I still want to promote rigor in the classroom while exposing them to the norm. In fact they may even surprise themselves. I already know they are more than capable, it just requires a little effort.
Due to the limited technology availability in the school, I won't be able to incorporate as nearly as much as I would like to. But I will say, that actually utilizing technology other than a basic power point or video speaks volume. That being said I will use my own you tube videos and I am so excited. I will show students how to make videos for their projects using video maker and imgflicker to make to make their own memes. I will also incorporate my deep play component and have students build online portfolios. Usually my students make posters using construction paper and colored pencils but now I will use pikochart. An ambitious goal is to incorporate zoom so that I can communicate effectively with students. As previously stated attendance is a major issue and this would serve as an excellent tool. Although, it may seem like I am simply skimming the surface, my journey as a digital immigrant has just begun.