‘Questions for #2: Melissa Erickson’s comments are in Green, Rachel Wrolstad in Magenta, Joe Birkholz's are in Blue, Black text is a group collective answer. 1. Whats the content of your unit? How do you feel it fits into the full scope (or theme) of the class? THEME OF CLASS: MARS OR BUST! Driving Question: Should we go to Mars? Mathematics: Mathematical Modelling using differential equations. Students should be able to create and/or modify basic ordinary differential equations to model various real-world situations. They will then apply this ability towards creating their own equations relevant towards justifying their opinions of whether or not we should go to Mars. Physics: In this fun, interactive card game, students experience the fundamentals of the engineering design process, with a hands-on, critical-thinking, authentic approach. Using collaboration and problem-solving skill, they develop a mission that meets constraints (budget, mass, power) and criteria (significant science return). The “card game’ involves the students selecting cards that represent various considerations & constraints for design. They will also be working collaboratively to build a rocket with available materials and challenged to maximize the Payload their rocket can carry as part of considering limitations of transferring materials to Mars. History: Through studying the history of human exploration and expansion, students will examine the cause and effect of exploration. Why do human beings explore? What are the catalysts of exploration? What are the social, political, and economic outcomes of exploration? ‘Students will support their argument if human beings should go to Mars with historical evidence. 2. What do students need to know before they begin the unit? Mathematics: Students should come into the unit with a basic understanding of derivatives and integration as well as all prerequisite mathematics courses. Physics: Students will need grade level math skills including algebra and trigonometry. However, consideration for students lacking those skills will be taught / refreshed as needed. History: Geography: nations that are doing the exploring, and areas that are being explored that will one day become “nations.” ‘3. Whatare the unit objectives? What will you expect student to know by the time you have finished the unit? How will you know they know this? Mathematics: Students will learn how to create mathematical models using ordinary Gifferential equations. They should be able to articulate the various types of behavior these models are capable of demonstrating. They will be able to test those models to see if the model ‘comes out with valid predictions, or whether they need to modify the model in some way to better predict the real-world scenarios. Models will be assessed on how well they model the behavior they are trying to predict. Physics: Students will create an engineering model. In order to create the model, students will define an appropriate mission, analyze criteria and constraints in design of mission. They will identify and explain specific components of the design cycle and complex relationship between science and engineering design. Students will use their strategic knowledge of design to answer “Should We Go To Mars?”History: Students will be able to examine a historical exploration (ie. Lewis & Clark, Magellan, Columbus, Cortes, etc.) and articulate the cause and effect of exploration. They will be able to use historical evidence (primary and secondary texts) to support their argument on the benefits/dangers of exploration. Taking their understanding of the past, and looking at the history of space exploration (benefits: scientific advancements, human good, etc. dangers: Challenger, Apollo explosions) and making the connections between past events make arguments for future exploration to Mars. Progress can be assessed through Quick Writes at the beginning of each class, can also be checked through Exit Slips for accountability purposes 4. What are some potential ideas for final assessment? Is a test the best measure? A group project? Brainstorm and explore at least three possible assessments and evaluate the pros cons of each? Cumulative End Project Presentation Components Part I: Persuasive Presentation Students will give 3-5 minute presentations of a 3-subject conclusive summary by video or powerpoint (or other method upon approval) to the group at large (auditorium). This presentation will address the specific groups’ conclusions about whether we should go to. Mars or not. The scope of the presentation is a summary of their evidence from each class, and why it made them reach their overall conclusion. © Project completion will include demonstrating knowledge and application. The math requirements will be shown in their gallery walk. Physics knowledge can be evaluated through periodic quizzes to establish independent comprehension. Part Il: Gallery Walk Portion Students will be creating with their groups (3 member groups) a stand-alone trifold Presentation of their mathematical modelling, and historical reasoning, and a mode! Physical habitat designed to withstand air pressure differentials to be presented in a gallery walk (lunchroom) > Their gallery walk presentation and group presentation will be combined and uploaded as a packet to YouTube Channel for presentation to the celebrity audience members. PROS of Group Project: Engaging for the students. Active and fun! CONS of Group Project: Challenging to assure individual mastery. Assecond assessment is a formal unit exam,PROS of Final Exam: Can individually test critical knowledge components. CONS: Difficult to adapt for variety of learning styles and assess unit mastery. > We did not choose a final exam as an adequate means of assessment owing to the limited scope of such an exam. Athird assessment type is an oral defense of their learning. PROS: Kids are able to use their own words to describe what they learned from historical, mathematical and physical constructs. CONS: Time consuming to grill each kid individually in each classroom, > We did not choose to do an oral defense because that is terrifying for the students. 5. What are at least four formative assessments you could use throughout your lesson to “check-in” on student leaming? List and explain; be specific about what these are and what they measure. If you use them, reference any outside sources or texts you consulted to help you create the lessons. Mathematics > Homework problems as they go through making simple models to more and more intricate versions. Individual assessment of students is possible, as well as personalized constructive thoughts and longer commentaries. These would be constantly assigned. There will be a few problems assigned daily. Along with having homework assigned for learning the basic structures of the data, students will be given sample scenarios using that type of structure to model. They will be guided through the process many times before they are asked to pick a scenario and research the relevant numbers to go with it > Quiz: To assess where they are as far as the most fundamental concepts are concerned. This just has to do with the basic structures of the various types of models, Since this is individual, it will measure each student's personal grasp of the content without outside assistance from classmates/teacher. Its to let both the student and teacher know where they personally are at in regards to the materials without outside assistance. The quiz will be given around the midpoint of the unit. It won't be very longitime consuming, > Pre-Final ODE Algorithm graphic organizer checks. Although the graphic organizer of the ode solution methods is a final summative project for the students, they will be working on it throughout learning the various types. | will have them periodically assess with their partners what their chart currently lookslike. They can discuss if any changes need to be made to either of their charts. ( This will be after each topic or two is covered, roughly. > Think-along guide (p 225 APG - modified). During the initial portion of the unit, the mathematics modelling scope of subject is covered with a brief series of 3 minute video segments. After each portion of the video, students will discuss with their partners, three questions, and record their responses. [What real-world problem was being modelled? What type of mathematics was used to model it (broad scope, like statistics, trigonometry, etc.)? What effect did the creation of the mathematical model have on the problem? Physics’ > Laboratory Notebook (Cornell Notes Style): Daily recording of what the day's goal is. Recording problems to solve with solutions including why choices are made in solving their problems. Periodic lab notebook update time during class (3-5 minute break from activity to write / reflect). Review as | walk through class for participation. They will leave post-it notes (or sheets of paper) indicating what they want me to review when | take a classes books for ovemight review. This way | can be sure to address items important to the student while scanning the notebooks. (The post-it note idea came from the readings we did, but | can't find the originating source). Beginning of the year will have frequent lab notebook reviews, fewer as the year progresses and students become more self driven. Answers to problems will be compared to lab group members or posted answer sheet. > Thumbs Up / Down: Talking to groups on progress and seeing where they are stumped. Guiding through solution process until they are back on track. This will be employed frequently to monitor understanding and redirect attention to the task at hand. If only one or two thumbs down, | may address the individual or lab group in a small way, if many are thumbs up, we will take a break for me to address the class as a whole and correct the understanding, > QAR. p.133 Buehl "Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning” They have a packet to work through in conjunetion with NASA Marsbound Mission site has many levels of questions (direct answer, elements added together to answer, NASA - Student, Student Originating answers). The answers to the questions in the individual student packets involve all the QAR style question / answer relationships. Students will demonstrate the varying levels of interaction with the material and their deeper understanding will help form their answer to “Should we go to Mars?” > BID/A Questioning Chart p. 52 Buehl “Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning’ This will be when students start reading the background information for their Marsbound engineering plan. This is a Before Reading / During Reading / After Reading chart to prompt the students to create their own questions about the Mars planning mission and engage them as part of the process. These questions will help guide their group planning decisions that need to be made.World History: > Quick writes periodically (or every day) to assess students understanding about previous lessons and how they fit into the overall theme. Can also be used to assess progress on overall theme. It creates thinking and synthesization of salient points and themes, and helps the instructor know if they need to reteach or focus on certain areas. > RAFT. Because history seems so distant and not relevant, RAFTS are a great way of checking for understanding and comprehension. Being able to think outside of their own experience and from the perspective of another person is a very valuable skill, and how a student answers a RAFT helps inform their level of understanding, as well as the knowledge of the content. /daretodi ss comffile/vi Jigsaw%20¢ 2_97.pdi/343814352/RAFT_Jigsaw%20centers K12_97.pdf) > QAR. QARs help you check the basic understanding of the content of a text, as well as the themes and relationships between texts and ideas. Ownership of knowledge is also an aspect as they relate the text to themselves, which is a motivating factor. (Used Content Area Reading and Literacy, Alvermann, Phelps, and Ridgeway, pg. 199-208) > Semantic map, to help guide vocabulary. If there are is a lot of content thrown at students, or a large theme that can be broken down into smaller components and easier to digest. It can also be used as a activity by yourself (as a student) or as an opening activity to gauge how much students have retained from previous lessons (Content Area Reading and Literacy, Alvermann, Phelps, and Ridgeway, Pg. 239-240). 6. How will you use variety in your lessons and formative assessments to make sure you address all types of leamers? (Meaning diversity in your clasrooms well as Gardner's ‘multiple intelligences ~ see graphic. Mathematics: The lesson components will include teacher modelling, with many visual representations, peer collaboration for students who are audio based leamers, graphic organizers for students to build structures of the types of data and have a better feel for which models fit into which category. It will actively engage students while they synthesize the more conceptual side into the more procedural side of the content. Physics: That's one of the really cool and fun things about teaching physics. The class inherently invites diverse lesson formats and therefore formative assessments. The lab Notebook allows for intrapersonal reflection and processing of information and is a support for ‘group discussion and exploration. Lab experiments invite kinesthetic, spatial and interpersonal teaming in the form of group work to perform the experiment and evaluate the outcome. There are big ideas that are easier to present in a lecture format to minimize student distraction and quizzes are a quick way to see individual progress in processing the science, which generally favors the logical-mathematical. Quick Quizzes are a nice exit ticket to see if they got the coreidea of the day. | really like GoFormative.com for creating a quiz that students can log into and answer. This will be used for solving periodic problems (logical-mathematical) just to practice key physics equations or vocabulary usag which works with the linguistic. History: the history portion of this unit will all be geared around one theme: exploration Different types of formative assessments can be used in meaningful and engaging ways to accomplish similar goals, but should also be creative enough that students may do it multiple times and not get bored. Giving students choices in how to complete an assessment (i.e. RAFT) can function for this as well. 7. What will you do if these summative assessments do not show student learning? How will this impact your unit plan? Mathematics: If the formative assessments have been showing poor progress, the schedule will halt and the topics which are giving the students trouble should be retaught using an alternate method. Some of the scope of the project must be given up to get students on board with the more essential concepts. Physics: First assess if the formative assessment probed the right question. Possible the assessment didn’t show the learning even though the students are learning. If confident that the students are not learning what was intended, do a mid-stream adjustment to reteach the concept and assess again. If formative assessments are used frequently and adroitly, the ‘summative assessment should not have any surprises in outcome other than to indicate that I, as the teacher, failed to assess effectively or teach what | wanted the students to learn. History: If summative assessments do not show student learning, teacher may need to reteach concepts, and find different texts that can accomplish the goal. In history class, there are primary texts that are sometimes difficult to understand because they use language and words in a different way than we do now. However, if a teacher has done their formative assessments well, and differentiated, this may not be a problem. One must always be prepared, though. 8. Will you use a textbook? Any other materials? Explain. Mathematics: Students will be following a textbook (it is a good resource where all the ‘materials are compiled), but additional supplemental materials be created by me for the ‘modelling portions. The textbook will only be used for a reference to the basic model types and basic ODE solving techniques. Much of the additional content will be created using the ‘student's imagination and internet to find realistic empirical data constants to use for their applied problems. Physics: Students will be able to reference a textbook either in class (“Concepts of Physics” or online oK-12 Flexbook Textbooks for guidance in problem solving. However, they will be working primarily with 4 packets that refer to NASA online for videos, reading, and website research. They will be using physical materials to build a rocket with goal of maximizing @ payload, team building activity to explore challenge of controlling activities from a planet away, construction & building materials to explore habitat on Mars challenge. History: | will not be using a textbook, rather | would be using primary and secondary ‘sources. In history classes, primary sources are the best source you can use because it was written by somebody who was there and experienced the things that are being studied, One ofthe main state standards is based around understanding and evaluating historical texts, so a teacher should strive to use them as much as possible. 9. How will you help your students to care about the content? How will you connect it to their current, real lives? Mathematics: | do think that finally figuring out what mathematics can be used for besides balancing a checkbook is interesting for the students in itself. As a hook at the very beginning of the unit to help the students ‘buy into’ the possibilities of Mathematical Modelling, | will play the TED talk ‘The Mathematics of Love’, s/w. ks/han 1e_mathematics_of love?language=en. In it, he very “actual human being, not scary mathematician” Hannah Fry, uses mathematical modelling to analyze and predict trends about something that students care very much about. It's also amusing. Students will also be able to constantly connect the data to their lives because they will consistently be making their own models. It will allow them to explore mathematics as well as subjects that they are particularly interested in at the same time. Physics: The experiments and group challenges will go far in engaging as they are active and appeal to students desire for social learning. Connections to their current, real lives have multiple connects: How would you vote to support a NASA human mission to Mars? College bound kids get their physics class in a fun way. Non college bound kids may have their eyes opened to "I CAN do science!”. What things do they need on Mars that you need in your life? What is your “mission plan” to have those things? | think that using fun, engaging formative assessments are the best way to get students to care about the content. By asking questions in a QAR, or creating a fun RAFT to work on will help the content come alive and place them in the shoes of people in history. It’s using content as a way of teaching and modeling empathy, which is an important trait for getting along with other humans. 10. How might you integrate technology into your lessons or your assessments? Mathematics: Students will be consistently either Creating their models on a computer aided mathematical graphing program, like d-field, p-plane, and geogebra (all are free Programs). They will also frequently use the internet to find relevant, realistic data values for their models. Physics: Computers, internet, overhead Projectors, cell phones, calculators will all be used extensively in the course of watching “The Martian”, timing activities, calculations, research and source material. Cell phone slo-mo video and calculator functions are highly useful in observing and assessing projectile labs. History: Students will be creating a podcast for their summative assessment in my content area, so that will be a fun and engaging experience. | would also use apps like Socrative and Mastery Connect as a way of fostering discussion between students as well as checking level of assessment. 11, How often will you use partner vs. group vs. individual work? Why? Mathematics: For the majority of the homeworks and group work, students will be actively collaborating with their tablemates of group. The reason is twofold. The first reason is that mathematics is better learned collaboratively. Also, if they were to ever goon to do mathematical modelling in the future, they would work in teams. That is just how those types ofprojects are done. Giving the students a small taste of what being a mathematician could be like might just push more of them into having an interest in the field. Physics: Much of their work will be done as a "Mission Team’ in small groups. Some problem practice will be shared with elbow buddies. Individual work will be shown in quizzes, ‘thumbs up/down formatives and lab notebook use. This will allow me to see that all are being held individually accountable while still working on a group project. History: For readings, the that accompany readings have to be done individually, but discussion will almost always follow. It allows students to see different perspectives that they may not have caught before. The big summative assessment (podcast) will be group work, because it will be fun for the students and fostering teamwork and community is an important human trait. 12. How will you encourage a growth mindset instead of a fixed mindset in your lessons? Mathematics: Encouraging a can-do attitude in the students will be fostered through primarily the lens that: failure in mathematics is acceptable. | know that | would have been driving this particular idea throughout the entirety of the year. Collaboration where the group's members are all constantly pulling each other up is a favorite tactic with mathematicians. | hope that the students are able to encourage each other to achieve higher levels of competency. Physics: When lessons are complete, do a review with the class and ask how they ‘would change things if certain constraints were modified or lifted. Pass or Practice has been my philosophy for teaching for many years. Discuss some fantastic failures in science, such as silly putty, as examples of successful failures. History: | will encourage cooperative work amongst students, rather than pitting them against each other through their answers and discussions. Rather than creating giant macro-level goals and achievements, incremental micro-level strategies that encourage and acknowledge achievement will help student be more confident and unafraid to step up. 13. How will you differentiate (change based on individual student needs) both formative and summative assessments? Mathematics: The initial formative assessment, of filing in the assisted reading guide (watching guide in this case), is modified to allow students to discuss after each segment. This will allow the students who have any learning disabilities, or language barriers more time to digest the materials, as well as having others there to clarify meanings. The homeworks are also very collaborative efforts for the students, where a lot is worked on in pairs, where the students can assist one another. The final assessments, both also have very supported structure. The algorithm sheet is a discussion topic nearly daily, where students will frequently compare theirs with their neighbors, and discuss where changes need to be made. The final group project also assumes a lot of collaboration. It is a main facet of the project to work as a team, The only purely individual component is the quiz. The quiz is however, very basic. For the students with leaming disabilities, they may be given more time to complete the quiz. For the English language learners, since it is a quiz on mathematics vocabulary, and basic facets of the content, which all of the students had to learn, | don't believe a modification is necessary. Physics: For both assessments, | can give alternate quizzes on GoFormative.com to individual students as needed. Depending on the level of differentiation needed, | could printout the online reading and highlight key passages to assist with QAR and give a B/DIA Form that is pre-loaded with question prompts. Much of what they do is a team project, so ‘cross-checking frequently allow peers to fill in gaps and keep students performing. | can also speak directly to the one or two students and evaluate understanding in a way that is impractical with 29 students. For the students in this discussion, very little needs to be altered as they are learning new vocabulary with the others. However, exams using the equations may need to be simplified from the word problem based typical exams to guided solutions. This project does not contain such an exam. History: For summative assessments, students will be in groups that have been designed to help students who require differentiation. Formative assessments can be differentiated by using different sets of questions and utilizing reading technology for difficult texts. For ELL students if a translation is available you may be able to supply both. For example, ‘one of my lessons is JFK and the Moon Landing. His Rice University speech is available in a spanish translation at the JFK Library website ” IEK/Histori jlingual-Rice-Universit lingual -Rice-Universit vin-Spanish-Latit ican.aspx ‘14. What will you do if your final assessment shows that most of your students didn't succeed? What if haif didn't succeed? What if only three or four students didn't succeed? Mathematics: As this would take place at the very end of the year, there may not be much to do but assess where the students were hung-up with the process, and then try to plan it more adequately for the next year. If there was stil ime, | could give them feedback, and then allow the struggling students to resubmit the project. This depends on how behind on the concept's learning that they are. If they are very behind, the formative assessments would have hopefully Caught it before this point. What | would do if only a few students didn’t succeed would have to take into account how essential the materials are to further study of mathematics. If they are essential, the students will have to learn them somehow. The best method that I could think of would be for me to not skim over any of the “previously learned” concepts in class until they have more of a grasp on the materials. Physics: First | would take a look at my final assessment. Case 1: Most Fail. if the formative assessments revealed mastery or practice areas as intended and those areas were addressed as warranted so that all / most were showing mastery prior to summative assessment, | would presume that most of my students not succeeding is my fault Given time available, | may create a new, appropriate final assessment to replace the massive failing one or | may throw this one out of the gradebook. Correct for future by changing the focus of my lesson since I started with creating the summative assessment to reflect what they should know. An exit ticket of for students of ‘what went as they expected, what did they leam, what didn't they lean that they hoped they would, what should be changed for next year's class?" would help. Case 2: 50% Fail. ! would still do what's above, but less drastic of a lesson overhaul, more of a tweaking for future, Case 3: Only 3 or 47 | would look closely at who those students are. Are they the students that are showing low engagement no matter what I do? Are they the students in my identified‘differentiated’ group? | would ask the students privately why they think they did so poorly on the assessment. Perhaps their dog died or they had a headache at the time. If they are students needing a differentiated approach, | would review the test with them verbally and see their level of understanding, adjusting the grade. If they are poorly engaged students, | would tell them that | appreciate that they participated in the group and find something to compliment them on i.e.: “your changes to the rocket really improved it for the group - well done!” And finish it with a sales pitch for the next lesson about something I think they will like and tell them | want to get their opinion on when we get to it. Essentially, praise what went well, and prompt for improved performance. History: There are things that you will have to reteach, but maybe you will have to go a little “shallower” with the concepts? Because there is no such thing as a time machine, you will have to look at what worked and what didn't work in the unit and use it to inform the type of instruction that you use in future lessons. You could maybe even try to incorporate themes from this unit again, albeit more informally. The level of this necessity can go down as the level of student success rises. If only 3 or 4 students don't succeed, | think you should be able to work something out with them that you could do to help them more in the future. Teachers are work so hard, but they should always look out for new and better ways to help their students, 15. What will you do if you get off the schedule that you created on your calendar. Mathematics: | will alter the remaining materials for that purpose. Ideally, | would have placed this at a point in the year where there were a few buffer days at the end, so | could stretch the materials that the students have trouble with into more days. Ifit’s at the very end of the year, then I'd simply have to cut out some materials. 1'd take quality of content over quantity every time that | possibly could. Physics: Three options. Condense upcoming material or in-class work time without harming overall goal. Remove a component that can be conveyed simply in a brief lecture rather than two days of group exploration. Extend the lesson into additional day(s). My teaching Partners were flexible on end date, and I left some wiggle room between project completion and Presentation to audience. It's Minnesota - winter happens! History: In my calendar, there are enough days that are classified as “work days” towards the end of the unit that overflow can go into them, and there are always more fun ways that a social studies teacher can introduce and expand on content that has already been taught.