NOTES AND SUGGESTIONS FOR
Planning a Tiered Unit
Content Area: Change Over Time (Dinosaurs)Time Frame Needed: ______
GVC Standards and Benchmarks:*get from the GVC book
Students know and understand how organisms change over the time in terms of biological evolution and genetics. (3.4)
* Identify fossils as the reason we know that dinosaurs ever existed. (3.4.4a)
Identify observable patterns and changes in their lives and predict future events based on those patterns (for example, seasonal weather patterns). (6.3)
Students read to locate, select, and make use of relevant information from a variety of media, reference, and technological sources.
* Recognize organizational features of printed text to locate information (for example, page numbering, alphabetizing, glossaries, chapter heading, table of contents, indexes, captions). (5.a)
* Recognize organizational feature of electronic information (e.g., pull-down menus, keyword searches, and icons) to locate information. (5.b)
* Organize, sort and summarize information as it relates to a specific topic or purpose from various media sources. (5.c., 5.d)
* Select appropriate definitions from the dictionary, glossaries, and other sources. (5.f)
Students write and speak for a variety of purposes and audiences.
* Apply a simple, formal process to communicate ideas that convey purpose and meaning, including: personal narratives, friendly letters, brief expository pieces, story retellings, short narratives to entertain, descriptive paragraphs. (2.a, 2.d)
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Essential Questions:
*See essential questions for this content area
*Which ones will be addressed through this unit?
How do changes in the environment effect changes in living things over long periods of time?
Concepts and Themes:
*What are the big ideas addressed in this unit? (Examples might include power, conflict, change)
Change over time
Unit Questions:
*post these in the room
*not yes/no questions
*guiding the curriculum
What are the elements of non-fiction?
How do readers use the elements of non-fiction to help them understand the text?
How do writers organize what they have learned through research to share with others?
What are the characteristics of the different types of dinosaurs?
How do dinosaurs compare with animals alive today?
How did the dinosaurs change over time?
Mastery Level: Tier 1
Basic Skills*things the students have to know to answer the unit questions
*all kids must know!
*pretest this information
How do we know about animals of long ago?
How do fossils form over time?
How do weather patterns over time affect patterns of life over time?
Locate and use elements of non-fiction text
Access and organize information needed for research into written format / Key Vocabulary
*can include names
*consider how you will teach this
dinosaurs
extinct
skeleton
fossil remains
fossil trace
flat teeth
pointed teeth
skull
rotates
sunrise
sunset
phases
reflects / Procedures
*what the students have to know “how to” do to answer the unit questions
*skills students need to successfully apply the content in other areas
Students must be able to:
Compare the characteristics of different types of dinosaurs and compare dinosaurs to animals today
Compare fossil remains with trace fossils and infer what living thing became a fossil
Compare shapes of teeth and infer what the dinosaur ate
Explain moon phases and patterns
Explain that it takes 24 hours for the earth to rotate around the sun and how that affect sunrise and sunset
Describe the repeating pattern of seasons from year to year
Activities:
*have initiating activity to begin (activate prior knowledge)
Whole Group: KWL chart: pose unit questions and begin with facts that students already know about this concept.
Unit questions:
What are the characteristics of the different types of dinosaurs?
How do dinosaurs compare with animals alive today?
How did the dinosaurs change over time?
Read: The Pebble in My Pocket by Meredith Hooper
Tier 1: Write the research paper using 1 resource (book)
Read Science Discovery Works trade book, How Big Were the Dinosaurs?
Research question 1: What are the characteristics of the different types of dinosaurs and how do they compare with animals today?
Resource 1After listening to the book, students will complete planner page with direct instruction from the teacher. Research question will be posed, student responses will be recorded on the board for reference.
Assessments:
*have a rubric or another way to have baseline requirement before moving to next tier
*minimum expectation = proficiency
Use 2nd grade research paragraph rubric (these points are based on earning a 3)
Notes:
*Must show understanding of mastery level before moving on to enrichment level
*includes the “non-negotiable” content
*gifted kids should be able to move on if they already know the content, BUT can’t assume they already know the content
Enrichment Level: Tier 2
Outcome:*apply understanding of unit questions
*bridge tier 1 and tier 3
Considering characteristics of dinosaurs and how they compare to animals today, students will go to the website and choose a dinosaur to read about. They will complete the Resource 2 research planner and follow rubric guidelines.
Thinking Skills Focus:
*see “rigor” document
*think of Bloom’s taxonomy
*only have 2-3 to keep focused
Students will compare and contrast the features of the dinosaur chosen to animals today.
Students will use those comparisons to think about how animals have changed over time.
Activities:
*independent with little guidance
students will watch United Streaming video Exploring Dinosaurs on student computers, then complete the Writng Alive 2nd resource page
Assessments:
*have a rubric or another way to have baseline requirement before moving to next tier
*minimum expectation = proficiency
Use 2nd grade research paragraph rubric (these points are based on earning a 3)
Notes:
*more independent at this level
*how to show understanding of unit questions in a different way
*additional thinking, NOT more work
*not necessarily more fun
*must show understanding of enrichment level before moving on to sophistication level
*who will participate (all students, most, some)
*how will it be delivered (centers, field trips, contracts, homework, small group projects)
*how does this fit in with the overall goals for the unit? How will it be assessed?
*remember: is it ok to send a kid to the next grade if they don’t do the assignment?
Sophistication Level: Tier 3
Outcome:*apply understanding of unit questions as they relate to the real world
*wrestle directly with the essential questions
Thinking Skills Focus:
*see “rigor” document
*think of Bloom’s taxonomy
*only have 2-3 to keep focused
Inquiry:
*a question the students grapple with
*no ceiling—completely open-ended
*could be a question that teacher or experts in the field struggle with
*use the essential questions for this
What happened to the dinosaurs?
Delivery Method:
*how to find the information from inquiry
*could include articles, professional journals, discussion groups, community members
Project website
Activities:
*guidance will be required
In small groups, students will read about the history of dinosaurs by clicking on tabs (Before the dinosaurs, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, After the Dinosaurs)
Students will complete Resource 3 planner with 2 important ideas answering the essential question: How do changes in the environment effect changes in living things over long periods of time?
Assessments:
*dialog (feedback)
*minimum expectation = proficiency
Conference with teacher
Use 2nd grade research paragraph rubric (these points are based on earning a 3)
Notes:
*real-world application (global influence)
*the teacher guides more at this level (discussions, etc.)
*might include the “essential” question, but only a few will actually get a chance to ponder and answer this
*GT teacher can help find resources for this level
*might end up cross-curricular type topics
End of Unit Wrap Up:
Whole Group Activities:*share what was learned (skit, test, reflection, etc.)
*everyone participates in this
As a whole group, discuss and fill in What We Learned section of KWL chart. Discuss questions not answered. Discuss inferences about what might have happened to the dinosaurs based on what we have learned.
Materials:
KWL chart
Final Assessments:
*Will there be a final assessment that everyone takes or will the assessments embedded in the tiers be sufficient?
Assessments are the rubrics used for Writing Alive (adapted to child friendly version)
Notes