LPTP+Carrara+Knoetgen+and+Danielle+Rhone

For additional free online lessons integrating media literacy and critical thinking into the curriculum, go to www.projectlooksharp.org


 * 1. Overview: **

**Authors** : Carrara Knoetgen and Danielle Rhone of Stamford Central School 2.2.1, 2.2.3, 2.2.4; 2.3.1; 2.4.1-2.4.3; 3.1.1-3.1.6; 3.2.1-3.2.3; 3.3.1, 3.3.2, 3.3.4, 3.3.7; 3.4.1-3.4.3; 4.1.4, 4.1.4, 4.1.7, 4.1.8; 4.2.3; 4.3.1, 4.3.2, 4.3.4
 * Topic:** Weather Unit
 * Grade:** 7th Grade Life Science
 * Standards:**
 * AASL:** 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.4-1.1.9;1.2.1, 1.2.3, 1.2.4, 1.2.6; 1.3.1-1.3.5; 1.4.1, 1.4.2, 1.4.4; 2.1.1-2.1.6;
 * NYS Math, Science, and Technology:** 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
 * Timeline:** Approximately 2 weeks.


 * Day(s) || Activities ||
 * Day 1-3 || Activating prior knowledge, conducting guided notes, student experimentation and knowledge construction ||
 * Day 4-6 || Wiki introduction, Safety Plan production, posting, and presentation ||
 * Day 6-8 || Weather lore research, production, posting and presentation ||
 * Days 9 & 10 || Show movie, student notebooks ||
 * Day 11 || Student review of film ||
 * Day 12 & 13 || Review and Final exam ||

2. **Learning Goals** **–** At the end of the unit, students will be able to:
 * Communicate collaboratively using the wiki
 * Evaluate sources of information for accuracy and bias
 * Exercise netiquette and cyber-safety strategies
 * Explain the causes and impacts of weather phenomena

3. **Learning Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes** **-** Knowledge:
 * Students will know how weather phenomena arise
 * Students will know how to protect themselves and personal property in case of a major weather event

Skills:
 * Students will be able to read and create basic weather maps
 * Students will research and create a safety plan for an extreme weather event of their choosing, which they will post on the class wiki
 * Students will e valuate and debunk myths related to weather from various sources and create a presentation of proof, which they will post on the class wiki
 * Students will assess a popular motion picture for scientific accuracy

Dispositions:
 * Students will feel safe and comfortable using the class wiki as a shared learning environment
 * Students will have respect for other contributors to the class wiki
 * Students will feel like experts on the topic of weather

4. **Materials & Resources** –

(2011). //Stamford// //central school.// Retrieved from http://www.stamfordcs.org.

(2011). //New York// //State report cards 2010: Stamford central school.// Retrieved from https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/School.do?county=DELAWARE&district=121701040000&school=121701040001&year=2010

(2011). //SCS Life Science Weather Wiki.// Retrieved from http://scslifescience.pbworks.com/w/page/33607778/Welcome-to-the-Weather-Wiki!

Bakula, N. (2010). The benefits of formative assessments for teaching and learning. //Science scope, 34//(1), 37-43. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Barnett, M., & Kafka, A. (2007). Using science fiction movie scenes to support critical analysis of science//. Journal of college science teaching, 36//(4), 31-35. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Basu, S. (2010). A researcher-student-teacher model for democratic science pedagogy: Connections to community, shared authority, and critical science agency. //Equity & excellence in education, 43//(1), 72-87. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Chung, H., & Behan, K. (2010). Peer sharing facilitates the effect of inquiry-based projects on science learning. //American biology teacher, 72//(1), 24-29. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Dabbagh, N., & Kitsantas, A. (2005). Using web-based pedagogical tools as scaffolds for self-regulated learning. //Instructional science: An international journal of learning and cognition, 33//(5-6), 513-540. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

DiGiano, C., Goldman, S., Chorost, M. (2009). //Educating learning technology designers: Guiding and inspiring creators of innovative educational tools.// New York: Routledge.

Killeen, E. (2011). Watch and learn, learn and produce. //Teacher librarian, 38//(3), 58. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Lawson, T. J., Bodle, J. H., & McDonough, T. A. (2007). Methods & techniques: Techniques for increasing student learning from educational videos: Notes versus guiding questions. //Teaching of psychology, 34//(2), 90-93. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

McTigue, E., & Croix, A. (2010). Visual literacy in science. //Science scope, 33//(9), 17-22. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Neef, N. A., McCord, B. E., & Ferreri, S. J. (2006). Effects of guided notes versus completed notes during lectures on college students' quiz performance. //Journal of applied behavior analysis, 39//(1), 123-130. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Peters, E. (2008). Assessing Scientific Inquiry. Science Scope, 31(5), 27-33. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Simons, B. B. (2000). //Science explorer: Weather and climate//. Needham, MA: Prentice Hall.

Thier, M. (2010). Science and literacy: Tools for life. //Science scope, 33//(6), 32-35. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Wilson, R. D. (2007). Videos that grab attention. //Teacher librarian, 34//(4), 67. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

5. **Anticipatory set** – Do It Now questions will be used throughout the unit to get students thinking about the day’s lesson. These are thought-provoking questions geared towards activating prior knowledge. They prompt students to write and share their ideas. To kick off the unit, we will also give students an idea of the content we will be covering using a Jeopardy game.


 * 6. Direct instruction -** Direct instruction will take place using guided notes delivered via PowerPoint. We will also have students complete experiments for meaning-making, which will be used as jumping-off points for class discussion and reiteration of essential information needed for guided practice. For the wiki, I will give the students a “virtual tour” of the learning space and demonstrate/model posting options and procedures.

7. **Guided practice –** Students will collaboratively create safety plans for major weather events and debunk or prove weather lore, demonstrating their knowledge of the weather content we’ve covered, as well as their ability to use the wiki.

8. **Closure –** Each lesson will be concluded with the same DIN it started with to return to the main points covered during the day’s instruction. To conclude the unit, we will have the students participate in the inquiry-based, film accuracy assessment consultation.

Formative: DIN questions, Jeopardy review game Summative: Collaborative Checklist, Final Exam
 * 9. Assessment –**

Carrara Knoetgen, PK-12 Library Media Specialist cknoetgen@stamfordcs.org
 * Email contact ****:** (optional)

**This lesson was produced during 2011- 2011 as part of a collaboration between Project Look Sharp (PLS) at Ithaca College and four NY State BOCES School Library Systems. The initiative brought together pairs of secondary science teachers and school librarians to develop models for integrating critical thinking and media literacy into secondary science content. The project was supported by federal LSTA funds awarded to the NY State Library by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. To view additional lessons from this series go to:** www.projectloksharp.org.