Intel® Teach Program
Thinking with Technology Course
GENERATION Z: WHO ARE WE?
Unit AuthorFirst and Last Name / Sara Mattson-Blume
School District / MISD
School Name / MIMS
School City, State / Neopit, WI
Unit Overview
Unit Title
Generation Z: Who are we?
Unit Summary
Generation Z has hit middle school with a different set of values and experiences than most of the teachers. What is their identity? How can math help students define their identity as a collective group?
During this unit students will explore “What is Generation Z?” and “How do I fit?” First, Students will determine a list of characteristics that define them as a group. Secondly, students will research one area by choosing one data question, gather data, and create a graphical represenation of their data. Students will then produce a culminating multimedia project that illustrates their learning about Generation X, draws conclusions about their data findings, and explains who they are in relationship to the data. Mathematics is embedded in the process so that students can answer the question: How can math help me understand my world?
Subject Area
Math
Grade Level
6th- 7th grade
Approximate Time Needed
Over three months- one class period a week
Unit Foundation
Habits of Learning Taxonomy
Remember, Understanding, Apply, Evaluate, Positive Attitudes and Perceptions about Learning, Acquisition and Integration of Knowledge, Extension and Refinement of Knowledge, Meaningful Use of Knowledge, Managing Impulsivity, Metacognition, Thinking and Communicating with Clarity and Precision, Creating, Imaging, and Innovating
Targeted Content Standards and Benchmarks
Wisconsin Mathematics Standards
E.8.1 Work with data in the context of real-world situations by formulating questions that lead to data collection and analysis, designing and conducting a statistical investigation, using technology to generate displays, summary statistics, and presentations. E.8.2 Organize and display data from statistical investigations using appropriate tables, graphs, and/or appropriate plots. E.8.4 Use the results of data analysis to make predictions, develop convincing arguments, draw conclusions.
ITSE Standards
1.Creativity and Innovation Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes, create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
2. Communication and Collaboration Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media, communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats, contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.
Student Objectives/Learning Outcomes
Students will define Generation Z. Students will compare and contrast Generation Z with Generation X and Baby Boomers. Students will create, conduct, and analyze a survey for data relating to characteristics of Generation Z. Students will create a graphical representation of theirdata using technology. Students will
Curriculum-Framing Questions
Essential Question / How can math help me understand my world?
Unit Questions / How do I compare to my peers? How can we use data to define us as a class? How is Generation Z different from Generation X or the Baby Boomers? How can data collection and analysis help us define Generation Z? How can data be represented for others to understand?
Content Questions / How do I collect data accurately? What research question will help me determine who we are as a generation? What is Generation Z? What is a Generation Gap? How do I show data correctly in a graphical representation?
Assessment Plan
Assessment Timeline
Before project work begins / Students work on projects and complete tasks / After project work is completed
· Brainstorm List of characteristics of Generation Z turned into a wordle document.
· Participation in a discussion about characteristics of generations. Rubric for thinking skills and discussion contributions. / · / · Project timeline checklist
· Peer evaluation of survey components
· Peer evaluation of created graphs
· Graphical representation rubric / · / · Multimedia presentation rubric / · Student self-assessment
· Final Reflection: How can Math help me define my world?
Assessment Summary
We will begin with an assessment of prior knowledge with the wordle documents. We will look at their contribution to discussions over time with the discussion rubric. The checklist will be a student way to track their progress. The Graph rubric will be used by all for assessment. The question rubric will be class determined as we discuss good question making and survey design. The multimedia rubric will be used to create a final grade. The reflection is an observational assessment that documents student thinking.
Visual Ranking Elements (Complete this section if this tool will be used in the unit)
Visual Ranking Project Name (For the Visual Ranking workspace)
Generation Z: Who Are We?
Project Description (For the Visual Ranking workspace)
Students will rank areas of their lives that are most important to them.
Prompt (For the Visual Ranking workspace)
Rank the following values from most important to you to least important to you.
Sorting List (For the Visual Ranking workspace)
Practice Ranking (For your future quick reference)
Teacher ID: smattson / Password: what I use regularly
Practice Team ID 1: Team01 / Password: Team01
Practice Team ID 2: Team02 / Password: Team02
Unit Details
Prerequisite Skills
Ability to use Web 2.0 applications pertinant to data collection and graph making.
Knowledge of structure of a survey.
Knowledge of themselves and characteristics of a generation.
Instructional Procedures
What’s important to you? A Visual Ranking Tool will be used to spur a critical discussion about values and comparing values to others. We will discuss how it’s hard to compare with others and difficult to quantify. We will talk about values being different between parents and teens and start to discuss the idea of generation gap.
What is a generation? What describes Generations? What are the characteristics of your generation?
A series of short online videos showing life in the 60’s, 80’s and the 2000’s will be viewed by the students. In teacher directed teams, students will list characteristics of the people, things, or values they see in the videos as well as ones they can think of on their own. These will be collected and grouped on post it notes on large chart paper. The teacher will model using Wordle to create a graphic representation of the qualities all groups found for one generation. Teams will create wordless using the the others. Discuss what words define the generation.
The vocabulary: generation, generation gap, Generation Z, Generation X, and Baby Boomers, will be introduced and defined by the same teams using MIMS vocabulary grid. Mini sharing presentations will occur where students share their definitions, etc to teach the others. A quick presentation rubric will be reflected upon after, to help students start to see what qualities are needed for a good presentation. The following discussion questions will be raised: 1) What defines a generation? What defines your generation? Introduce the Essential Question: How can math help us understand our world? Exit card will be self assessment of discussion participation and thinking skills used.
Survey Creation
In teams of 2-3, students will brainstorm good survey questions that would help them define Generation Z. Guiding Questions include: What interests, values, and characteristics do you share that might be different than other generations? How do you fit in? For example, music is important to Generation Z, so a question regarding favorite bands, music types, or ways you listen to music would be a good survey question. Students will use the visual ranking tool to rank the quality of survey questions. A discussion of what makes a good question will be held using the ranking tool and a checklist rubric will be created for students to analyze their questions. Students will then create survey using SurveyMonkey.com and post it to class wiki page. Surveys will be conducted via the wiki page in homerooms (for all of MIMS) during the next week. Students will check their progress against the project timeline checklist. Peers will evaluate each other’s survey.
Data Analysis
Once survey data has been gathered. Students will organize data into tables, stem and leaf plots, charts as their group decides is important and valuable. This section of the unit requires flexibility on the part of the instructor because each group will have a different focus and need small group conferences.
Graph Creation
Students will next determine what kind of graphical representation they will use that will best illustrate their data. Students will use excel to create the graph of their choice. Students will assess their graph based on the graph rubric.
Multimedia Presentation/Interpretation
Bringing the focus back to identity, the students will be asked to creatively communicate what they learned about Generation Z and themselves in a multimedia project. The Essential Question: How can math help me understand my world as well as what makes them a part of Generation Z will be addressed. The rubric for multimedia presentation will be used to assess. Creativity and critical thinking will crucial in this section as students take their graph to another level.
Culminating Screening Night
Students will share their projects with the community, family, and students at a Screening Night.
Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction
Resource Student / The final project is visual, so should be a good outlet for a resource student. Peer tutors and pairing appropriately will help identify vocabulary. The vocabulary graphic organizer MIMS uses also supports knowing words in four ways, so that should also help cement vocabulary.
Nonnative English Speaker / The final project is visual, so should be a good outlet for a nonnative English speaker. Peer tutors and pairing appropriately will help nonnative English speakers identify vocabulary. The vocabulary graphic organizer MIMS uses also supports knowing words in four ways, so that should also help cement vocabulary.
Gifted Student / The final project can be taken to wherever the gifted student wants it go—as complex or as simple. The survey can also include a variety of questions to stretch gifted thinkers.
Materials and Resources Required For Unit
Copyright © 2008 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Page 5 of 11
Intel® Teach Program
Thinking with Technology Course
Printed Materials / MIMS Vocab Organizer, Unit Checklist, RubricsSupplies / Nothing abnormal
Technology -Hardware / Mobile Lab
Cameras
Technology -Software / www.wordle.com
www.surveymonkey.com
Excel
Video Editing- www.animoto.com
Internet Resources / www.MIMSMath.wikispaces.com
Other Resources
Gen X Multimedia Presentation Rubric
It’s time for you to shine. Create your own multimedia project about Generation X and you. Use your graph, data, and survey in the presentation to show what conclusions you can make from your work!
4 / 3 / 2 / 1 /Content: Purpose
My presentation has a theme that makes an important and meaningful statement about my topic. All parts of my presentation relate to the purpose or theme in a meaningful way. / My presentation has a theme. All parts of my presentation make an important statement about my topic. / My presentation has a topic. Most parts of my presentation make an important statement about the topic, but some parts may be off topic. / My presentation seems to have a topic, but many parts are off topic.
Content: Conclusions
I synthesize my own experiences and knowledge with the research to draw important and meaningful conclusions about my presentation’s theme. / I synthesize my own experiences and knowledge with the research to draw conclusions about my presentation’s theme. / I try to use my knowledge and the research to draw conclusions, but some of my ideas are not logical or based on credible evidence. / I rarely draw conclusions, and when I do, they are not logical.
Content: Key Points
I organize my presentation around a few concise points that support the theme and synthesize the most important information I have discovered and the conclusions I have drawn. / I organize my presentation around a few concise points that support the theme. / I include some main points in my presentation, but they may be wordy or missing information. / I do not identify the main points in my presentation.
Multimedia Features
I use graphics, video, sound, and other multimedia features effectively to communicate my theme and create interest. I follow all copyright laws when I use multimedia features. / I use some graphics, video, sound, and other multimedia features to enhance and support my key points. / I use graphics, video, sound, and other multimedia features, but some features detract from my key points. / I do not use graphics, video, sound, or other multimedia features, or the ones I use detract from my key points.
Creativity
My presentation includes unique features that communicate meaningful fresh insights and perspectives in unusual and surprising ways. / My presentation communicates insights in unusual and surprising ways. / I try to communicate fresh insights in unusual and surprising ways, but some of my methods distract rather than support my presentation’s theme. / My presentation is predictable.
Organization
My presentation begins with a slide that builds curiosity and interest in the theme, organizes information in a logical order, and leaves the audience with an important idea about the theme to think about. / My presentation begins with an introduction that describes the theme in an interesting way, organizes information in order, and concludes with a summary of the most important points. / My presentation has an introduction and a conclusion, but they may not engage the audience in thinking about my theme. The order of the information may not help me communicate the theme. / My presentation is missing an introduction or a conclusion and is organized in a way that confuses the audience.
Oral Presentation
I have rehearsed my presentation. I speak clearly and smoothly in an engaging way. I show poise and confidence, interact appropriately with my audience, and handle unexpected problems effectively. / I have rehearsed my presentation. I speak clearly and smoothly. I show poise and audience awareness. / I could have rehearsed my presentation more carefully. Sometimes, my audience loses interest or has difficulty understanding me. / My audience has difficulty following my presentation and understanding me. I did not practice enough.
A======25-28pts