Adopt an Animal: A PBL Unit
5/18/2019
The last PBL unit of the school year is an example of an interdisciplinary approach where students used reading, writing, math, and science skills in an authentic real-life situation with real results. This unit aims to answer the driving question: "How can we, as life scientists, persuade the community to adopt an Alaskan animal?" Key Knowledge & Skills: In reading, students read nonfiction texts, learned how to identify main idea & details; learned how to look for relevant details using different books; and learned how to synthesize information. ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.2 Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea. ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.9 Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the same topic. ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently. In writing, students learned how to write a persuasive speech with a strong thesis statement and details that support it. ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1.A Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons. ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1.B Provide reasons that support the opinion. ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1.C Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reasons. In science, students learned about animal adaptations: how habitats change and how animals use behavioral and structural adaptations to survive and reproduce. NGSS 3-LS3-2.Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment. In math, students learned about area and perimeter. MATH.CONTENT.3.MD.D.8 Solve real world and mathematical problems involving perimeters of polygons, including finding the perimeter given the side lengths, finding an unknown side length, and exhibiting rectangles with the same perimeter and different areas or with the same area and different perimeters. So what was the project about? Studens chose an Alaskan animal they were going to study. They read books about their chosen animal during reading workshop. They wrote a persuasive speech during writing workshop. They learned about their animal's habitats and adaption in science class. During technology class, they learned how to use the green screen and DoInk app. Students showcased their art skills when they created their animal's habitat in a pizza box. It is the class ultimate goal to persuade people to donate to Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Watch the videos below and hopefully you will consider helping the Alaskan animals through the AWCC. Remember that the kids wrote their own speech, created the background or the habitat they're in and filmed on their own.
Student Reflection:
Congratulations to
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Jessica GrahamMs. Graham graduated from the University of Alabama with a BS in Early Childhood/Elementary Education, and is currently working on her master's in reading. She enjoys hiking, traveling, arts & crafts, and playing the ukulele. Archives
April 2021
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