July 23, 2002
To Whom It May Concern:
Re: Middle School Clean Air lesson plan
Enclosed is my lesson plan for the Curriculum Planning Contest to promote clean air issues for our students.
I have found the "Tic-Tac-Toe" method of learning and sharing to be invaluable for my students. As a teacher of language arts and social studies, I can use this approach to challenge students to think outside the box and use their creativity and energies to learn lasting lessons. As you can see from the activities included in the Tic-Tac-Toe lesson, students can choose areas that fit their learning styles and talents. These boxes are interdisciplinary in that they include oral interviews/communication, drama, historical research, technology, language arts/word usage, scientific comparison/contrast, governmental research, art, and a project of their choice. I have found in my teaching career that students have great ideas they want to pursue but traditional methods can sometimes restrict their natural curiosity, so by offering them to create a project of their choosing, they exhibit enthusiasm and interest.
As a language arts/social studies teacher, I would probably enlist the help of the science teacher on my team to perform any field activities related to this project. Prior to our study of air quality/pollution, I would offer an introductory lesson on these issues, with feedback from my students.
Thank you for reaching out into our school community and allowing us to participate in a project that has great significance to us in our everyday lives and make us more aware of our role in creating clean air.
Barbara Groome
8th Grade Language Arts and Social Studies
Asheville Middle School
197 South French Broad Avenue
Asheville NC 28801
255-5305
Lesson Plan - Clean Air
Goal: An interdisciplinary lesson plan for middle school students that focuses on the problems and possible solutions for air pollution in our region.
North Carolina Standard Course of Study Goals from Grade 8:
Science:
2.01 Evaluate data related to population growth, along with problems and solutions.
2.04 Analyze practices that affect the use, availability and management of natural
resources.
Social Studies:
NC Skill I: The learner will acquire information from a variety of sources.
NC Skill II: The learner will use information for problem solving, decision
making, and planning.
Language Arts:
Goal 1: The learner will use language to express individual perspectives
through analysis of personal, social, cultural and historical issues.
Goal 2: The learner will use and evaluate information from a variety of sources.
Goal 3: The learner will continue to refine critical thinking skills and apply criteria
to evaluate text and multimedia.
Visual Art:
Goal 4: The learner will choose and evaluate a range of subject matter and ideas
to communicate intended meaning in artworks.
Theatre Arts:
Goal 5: The learner will research by finding information to support informal
or formal productions.
Technology:
Goal 3: The learner will use a variety of technologies to access, analyze, interpret,
synthesize, apply and communicate information.
Day One: Instructor begins by asking questions, such as:
Why is it important to have a clean environment?
What do you do in your home to help keep our environment clean?
Name the kinds of pollution that you are aware of.
Who knows what the difference is between smog, fog, haze and ozone?
Our lesson and focus will be on air pollution - the problems of air
pollution to our health and environment, and possible solutions.
Let's focus our discussion on air pollution by using a "KWL"
chart:
What do you already KNOW What do you WANT to What have we LEARNED
about air pollution? learn about air pollution? about air pollution?
Day Two: Introduce Tic-Tac-Toe chart. Discuss each possible box and the expectations of students. Invite questions. Encourage students to work together. Discuss possible resources for students to use. Create a time-table for activities and presentations.
Time Projections: Estimation time of one and one-half to three hours per activity. Allow time in class and time outside of class to complete three projects. A good idea might be one project per week for three weeks, with staggered presentations on the fourth week.
Culminating Activity: Presentations to class on information collected and reviewed. Students will receive a rubric for presentations prior to their assigned date and time.
Other suggestions: Video students as they make their presentations and have them watch themselves. Give them feedback and let them critique themselves so that the next time they present orally they can have goals for improvement.
Clean Air! Let's Have It!
Clean air used to be something people took for granted. Not anymore. Look around us. Clean air affects our health and our environment. Look at the tic-tac-toe grid below. You must choose the center block to complete, then complete two more of your choosing. You may work with a partner if you wish. We will spend time in class working on these assignments, but you may also need to work on the assignments at home as well. You will share your projects with your classmates. Your projects are due on the following dates:
Mini-project one:______Mini-project two:______Mini-project three:______
PRODUCE AND SHARE either (1) a puppet show; (2) a four-verse song; or (3) a play regarding the state of air quality and pollution issues in our community. Your production must contain factual as well as helpful information to EDUCATE your audience. / CREATE a glossary of terms associated with air pollution and solutions. Your Glossary should consist of no less than 25 words with complete definitions. / PLAN AND DEVELOP a project of your own choosing regarding improving air quality in Western North Carolina. You must develop a proposal and submit it to your instructor.
HISTORICAL RESEARCH How and where and when did air pollution begin? When did it become a real issue? What is being done to keep our air clean? Who in our government is our "watch dog" to fight industries and individuals who pollute our air? Investigate and write a three- page paper on this topic. / USE THE NEWSPAPER to
chart the ozone reading for a period of ten (10) days. In your chart, note factors such as pollen, UV index and temperature to study. Develop a hypothesis as to what causes the ozone reading to rise. In this mini-project, also include the Ozone Color / Air Quality chart. / DESIGN three posters to help the public increase awareness of ways they can help "Clean the Air." You will have to do research on exactly what people can do. Make your posters professional and eye-appealing. One poster will remain at our school, while two of your posters will be made available to community groups.