Grade Level / 8th Grade / Unit Length / 2 weeks
Unit Overview / The transdisciplinary unit of Fossil Fuels will educate our students in the processes used and resources available as the need for alternative energy sources continues to be a driving force for the United States. Students will study the mechanisms of generating energy and the contemporary issue of Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining along with the implications of mining for that natural resource as an energy source. The mountains of Kentucky, West Virginia, and Southwest Virginia are home to some of the largest coal production companies in the country. The news in this area will often have stories regarding the coal mines and the coal miners. The majority of the students are already familiar with the resources of this area; however, they are not informed of the controversial issues related to coal production.
The social studies curriculum lends its historical significance to this unit through the study of the Westward Movement and Manifest Destiny. Students will continue to study through the Jackson era the movement out West for resources and land to live. Coupled with the historical movement for energy needs and land will also be a study of states rights vs. the rights of the federal government. Through the science curriculum, students will be complimenting the theme of energy needs with studying the mechanics of generating power and producing power from fossil fuels. Students will be given the opportunity to build a simple generator. Students will apply their research skills to gather evidence on coal mining, electrical generation, and gasses in the atmosphere to soundly debate the current issue of mountaintop removal mining. The math curriculum will support the argument for or against the effects of mountaintop removal mining by applying the concepts of density based on area and volume. Students will apply geometric volume formulas and shapes, such as cylinders, pyramids, cones, and spheres, to solve problems concerning mountaintop mining and to describe how the land will be changed after the mining. The English/language arts curriculum supports the gathering of evidence from the informative texts to prepare students to debate the issue of mountaintop removal coal mining. Students will apply their skills to evaluate informative texts by determining the author’s purpose in writing and recognizing irrelevant reasoning. This unit will culminate with a debate regarding mountaintop removal coal mining and an argumentative essay. Both will serve as an assessment of the student’s understanding of the topic and the accuracy and credibility of their sources for evidence. Students will be given an opportunity to hone their speaking and listening skills with a debate forum presented to the teachers and then to their peers.
Students will be given the opportunity to listen to a STEM professional from the leading industry in our area that uses coal. The STEM professional is an MACT compliance officer responsible for assuring environmental compliance of coal power plants. Students will be able to get firsthand information regarding the need for coal in the area and the issues attributed to the mining of that coal.
Unit Essential Question(s) / How can I evaluate the pros and cons of techniques used to extract fossil fuels and determine their impact on Westward Movement and Jacksonian Democracy?
How can I apply concepts of density based on area and volume to determine the effect of mountaintop removal mining on the existing terrain?
How can I synthesize research on coal mining, electrical generation, and gasses in the atmosphere to effectively debate the complex issue of mountaintop removal mining?
Culminating Event / The culminating event for the interdisciplinary unit on Fossil Fuels will be in the form of a debate. The eighth grade students are well versed in researching to find information for a paper; however, they have not had to organize their thoughts and evidence for a quick debate format. This debate format will loosely follow a Lincoln-Douglas debate in that there will be strict time allotments to adhere to and a formal, organized style of presenting the pros and cons of the argument. Students will be scored on opening statements, their three arguments and rebuttals, and closing statements. The students will be grouped with five members for their team. Each team will also appoint a leader who will keep the team on task and will assign different roles if need be. The one element that will add a degree of complexity to this debate is that the students must be ready to debate either side of the subject Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining. The groups will not know until the day of the debates whether they are debating the pros of mountaintop removal or the cons of mountaintop removal. Built into the debate format, which will last 46 minutes, are four work periods for the team to regroup with evidence and prepare the next speaker. Each member of the team will be responsible for a segment of the debate.
Day Four - ½ project day with a STEM professional speaker
Day Five - full project day to build a generator and write up the directional process analysis
Day Six - full project day for research on their subject with a STEM professional speaker
Day Nine - full project day for the presentation of the debates in the classrooms
Day Ten - ½ project day for the best debates to be presented to the grade level and visitors
Students will have a plethora of evidence that they have gathered for the debate. After the debate is over, students will have the opportunity to write a position paper where they can support their opinion on the topic with pertinent evidence.
Common Assessments / / STEM Project Rubric / Project Title: The Cost of Creating Energy: Building a Generator
Student Name:
Date:
Advanced / Proficient / Needs Improvement
Math
Component / Students calculate the ratio of volume of copper wire to electrical output measured in watts for each of the three experimental designs and determine which design is most efficient. / Students calculate the ratio of volume of copper wire to electrical output measured in watts for each of the three experimental designs. / Students DO NOT calculate the ratio of volume of copper wire to electrical output measured in watts for each of the three experimental designs and determine which design is most efficient.
Science Component / Students Design and Construct a generator that can generate 2 Watts of power.
Students plan and conduct an experiment to successfully increase the amount of power output from the generator. / Students Design and Construct a generator that can generate power.
Students plan and conduct an experiment that changes the power output from the generator / Students Design and Construct a generator that does not produce power but is theoretically correct.
Students plan but do not conduct an experiment that would alter the power output of the generator.
Social Studies
Component / Students create (2) newspaper advertisements, one for Joseph Henry’s electromagnet and one for Samuel Morse’s and Alfred Vail’s electromagnetic telegraph.
Student includes a drawing of each device, an explanation of how each device works, and the overall contribution that each device has had on American history. / Students create (1) newspaper advertisement, using either Joseph Henry’s electromagnet or Samuel Morse’s and Alfred Vail’s electromagnetic telegraph.
Students include a drawing of the device, explanation of how the device works, and the overall contribution that the device has had on American history. / Students create (0) newspaper advertisements.
Students do not include a drawing, an explanation of how the device works, or a summary of the contribution that the device has had on American history.
ELA Component / A brief overview introduces the subject to be covered. The overview contains what the subject is and how the subject is used.
An exhaustive, detailed materials list follows the overview.
Whole operation is divided into stages with steps that are precise.
Operation contains simple language, accurate verbs, distinct transitions, and a clear chronological sequence. / A brief overview introduces the subject to be covered. The overview does not contain what the subject is or how the subject is used.
A scant materials list follows the overview.
The whole operation is divided into stages with steps that are not precise.
Operation does not contain one of the four requirements: simple language, accurate verbs, distinct transitions, and a clear chronological sequence. / A brief overview is missing that would introduce the subject to be covered.
There is no materials list.
The operation is not divided into stages or steps.
Operation does not contain three of the four requirements: simple language, accurate verbs, distinct transitions, and a clear chronological sequence.
/ STEM Project Rubric / Project Title: The Cost of Creating Energy: Debating Mountaintop Removal Mining
Student Name:
Date:
Advanced / Proficient / Needs Improvement
Math
Component / Student mention geometric shapes, their measures, and/or their properties TWICE during the debate to describe land before and after mountaintop mining.
Students use concepts of density, based on area and volume, and apply them in making an argument for or against the affects of mountaintop mining. / Student mention geometric shapes, their measures, and/or their properties ONCE during the debate to describe land before and after mountaintop mining.
Students use concepts of density and apply them in making an argument for or against the affects of mountaintop mining. / Students DO NOT mention geometric shapes, their measures, and/or their properties during the debate to describe land before and after mountaintop mining.
Students DO NOT use concepts of density, based on area and volume, and apply them in making an argument for or against the affects of mountaintop mining.
Science Component / Student addresses climate change as it relates to greenhouse gasses and the atmosphere at least once during the debate.
Student uses climate change and greenhouse gases in making an argument for or against mountaintop mining. / Student addresses climate at least once during the debate but does not relate to greenhouse gasses or the atmosphere.
Student uses climate change or greenhouse gases in making an argument for or against mountaintop mining. / Student addresses environmental impact but not specifically climate change during the debate.
Student addresses environmental impact but not specifically greenhouse gasses or climate change in making an argument for or against mountaintop mining.
Social Studies
Component / Student mentions at least two historical implications that coal and coal mining has had on America’s social and economic growth during the 19th and 20th centuries. / Student mentions one historical implication that coal and coal mining has had on America’s social and economic growth during the 19th and 20th centuries. / Student DOES NOT mention any historical implications that coal and coal mining has had on America’s social and economic growth during the 19th and 20th centuries.
ELA Component / Has a score of 18-20 on the debate rubric / Has a score of 15-17 on the debate rubric. / Has a score of 12-14 on the debate rubric.
Unit Objectives / I can evaluate the pros and cons of techniques used to extract fossil fuels and determine their impact on Westward Movement and Jacksonian Democracy.
I can apply concepts of density based on area and volume to determine the effect of mountaintop removal mining on the existing terrain.
I can synthesize research on coal mining, electrical generation, and gasses in the atmosphere to effectively debate the complex issue of mountaintop removal mining.
Strands (main ideas taught in unit)
ELA / Reading Informative Text
Writing
Speaking and Listening
Math / Modeling with Geometry
Geometric Measurement and Dimension
Science / Forces in Nature
Matter
Social Studies / Jacksonian Democracy and States’ Rights
Indian Removal Policy
Birth of the Whig Party
Vocabulary
ELA / 1.  Cross-reference: a notation or direction at one place (as in a book or filing system) to pertinent information at another place
2.  Debate: a contention by words or arguments as the formal discussion of a motion before a deliberative body according to the rules of parliamentary procedure
3.  Derivation: a sequence of statements (as in logic or mathematics) showing that a result is a necessary consequence of previously accepted statements
4.  Jargon: the technical terminology or characteristic idiom of a special activity or group
5.  Preface: the introductory remarks of a speaker or author
Math / 1. Volume: the amount of space occupied by a three-dimensional object as measured in cubic units
2. Cross Section: a view or drawing that shows what the inside of something looks like after a cut has
been made across it
3. Fill: to put into as much as can be held or conveniently contained
4. Slope: upward or downward slant or inclination or degree of slant
5. Property: a special characteristic of a geometric object.
Science / 1.  Atmosphere - The mixture of gases surrounding the Earth, held in place by gravity. It forms distinct layers at different heights.
2.  Electricity - energy made available by the flow of electric charge through a conductor.
3.  Generator - any device for converting mechanical energy into electrical energy by electromagnetic induction.
4.  Magnetic Field - the lines of force surrounding a permanent magnet or a moving charged particle.
5.  Electromagnet - a temporary magnet made by coiling wire around an iron core; when current flows in the coil the iron becomes a magnet
Social Studies / 1.  Assimilate: to absorb into a culture
2.  Charter: a written grant
3.  Spoils System: the practice of giving government jobs to political backers
4.  Depression: a severe economic slump
5.  Inflation: an increase in prices and a decrease in the value of money
Key Questions
ELA / Math / Science / Social Studies
How can I determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints?
How can I delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced?