The theme for my first quarter is "Water's Influences on Life." Students will learn about water's influences on life through their studies and activities in science, math, and the language arts. By the time this quarter is completed, students are expected to understand the importance of water to life: the multiple properties of water, the many ways water influences life, and how to use mathematical skills to learn about water's value to the earth.
The curriculum anchor subject for the study of water is science. I will be using the Britannica Science System, FOSS. In the first activity, students will become familiar with water's properties. They will learn about how water reacts on various surfaces. The students will also investigate water tension and learn about ways to alter it. They will conclude the first activity by allowing water to flow down an incline allowing students to look at factors that change the speed of the water flow. In the second activity, students will observe properties of hot and cold water. They will explore what properties of water change as water is heated, cooled, and frozen. They will also compare the properties of water as a liquid and as a solid. The focus of my EdPsy 387 final project will be centered around the third activity. With activity three, students will investigate water vapor and the water cycle. They will experiment with evaporation and condensation learning about the factors that influence the rate at which water changes to a vapor. Finally, in the fourth activity, students will observe mystery waters and samples they collect from the community. They will use their senses and water experiments to learn about properties of hardness and water quality. Throughout the whole unit, students will be recording findings in their own "Water Logs." Throughout the science lessons, I will refer to Job Tags. These designate tasks for each member of the group. The 4 jobs are Getter (gets materials), Starter (begins and leads activities), Recorder (records information), and Reader/Reporter (reads instructions, shares group findings, and asks questions of the teacher). Students will often work with team members to complete activities at various centers throughout the room. They will also be utilizing various forms of technology to enhance their learning.
For the language arts connection, students will be reading stories from the Invitations to Literature reading series theme "Earth Patrol: Preserve and Protect." The stories students will be reading are "The Great Yellowstone Fire," a collection of Native American poems, an excerpt from "The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest," and Just a Dream. The students will also read one of three books in literature circle groups. In addition, the students will be involved in several short readings/activities of poetry, short essays, etc. As these stories are read, the students will be involved in various spelling, writing, and grammar enhancing activities.
To incorporate math into the water theme, students will be involved in a variety of math activities. The Everyday math series spirals math concepts. Therefore, students have the opportunity to be involved in many math concepts during a short period of time. When applicable, they will use these skills to learn about water.
My teaching partners teach other subject areas which could be incorporated into this theme more closely. The other teachers I work with are very open to working on team activities. However, I do not feel comfortable making these decisions for my partners. Therefore, I will not be incorporating social studies, art, music, physical education, or library studies in my first quarter unit plan.