UNIT PLAN (Four Lessons) - BIOMES and ECOSYSTEMS

Biomes and Ecosystems

(Based on Educational Leadership Policy Standards)

Annie Jacobs

The following unit plan integrates the core curriculum with the arts for a boarder view of differentiation and fostering success of all students. By facilitating the development, communication, implementation, and evaluation of a shared vision of teaching and learning that leads to students’ academic progress and school improvement, we foster metacognition leading to critical thinking skills relevant to student success in the twenty-first century.

This unit also embraces school climate, communication and community relations, and student academic progress that is measurable progress based on established standards.

Unit Overview and Objectives

The objective of this science unit on biomes and ecosystems is to teach and reinforce science and social studies, and English curricula through an art-infused and interactive process and under sheltered instruction lens. In these lessons, the framework for language development will be linked to previous knowledge students have gained from past lessons. The teacher will use interactive, non-threatening activities and interactions for cooperative learning and sharing. Vocabulary, visual cues and possible support for ELLs in other language classes can be transferred to support the connection. Further, with an increase of vocabulary to support understanding, this will maximize interpersonal communications and teamwork. In terms of self-awareness and seeing through diverse viewpoints, intrapersonal relations will be developed in these lessons.

Content Goals

Content goals are based on the TESOL ESL Standards to acquire and understand concepts and language used in the mainstream (inclusive) classroom: biomes, ecosystems, weather, animals and using map skills to identify location of these ecosystems are goals in this unit. Other goals are self-awareness and empowerment within the class setting, fulfilling student needs for diverse and effective communication and a positive learning environment for student understanding, comprehension and success.

Unit Plan, Biomes and Ecosystems

Unit Overview and Objectives

Content Goals

Learning Strategies

A variety of activities are used to instruct students in language and content. The activities incorporate skills that increase in complexity as is included in state standards from Bloom’s Taxonomy (Love, 2009). General vocabulary and concepts are introduced at the beginning of the unit and in each of the four separate, connective lessons.Specific vocabulary for each ecosystem: desert, forest, grassland/ prairie are incorporated throughout each lesson.

Extra Vocabulary

Students will be looking at different biomes of the world. Additional words like rainforest, temperate deciduous forests, and tundra will be added to the vocabulary list as students’ progress.

TESOL’S ESLS for Students in This Unit

Goal 1 (social)

To share and request information in social settings
To explore alternative ways of saying things
To seek support and feedback from others
To practice new language
To use context to construct meaning

Goal 2.1 (Academic)

To follow oral and written directions
To participate in class discussions
To ask and answer questions
To request information and assistance

Goal 2.2

To compare and contrast information
To gather information
To retell information
To select, connect and explain information
To analyze synthesize and infer from information
To understand and produce technical vocabulary and text features according to content area.

Goal 2.3

To apply basic reading comprehension skills
To actively connect new information to what was previously learned
To use color, line and shape to communicate through illustrations.
To reflect essential learning using the creative process: conceptualization need to cite

Standards

Content Standards Science

SS. MS. 5.1 The student will plan and conduct investigation in which

An understanding of the nature of science is developed and reinforced.

SS. MS. 5.5 The student will investigate an understand kingdoms of living things;

vascular and non-vascular plants; vertebrates and invertebrates.

SS.MS. 5.6 The student will investigate biological characteristics of ecosystems.

SS. MS. 5.7 The student will investigate and understand how the Earth’s surface is

constantly changing due to natural and human impact (Virginia Department

of Education, 2006).

SS 17.A.2aCompare the physical characteristics of places including soils, land forms, vegetation, wildlife, climate, natural hazards.

SS 17.A.2bUse maps and other geographic representations and instruments to gather information about people, places and environments

SS 17.B.1bDescribe physical components of ecosystems.

SS 17.B.2bExplain how physical and living components interact in a variety of ecosystems including desert, prairie, flood plain, forest, tundra.

SS. MS. 5.5 The students will investigate biological characteristics of ecosystems.

SS. MS. 5.25 The students will compare and contrast natural and constructed environments, (Virginia Department of Education, 2006).

English Language Proficiency Standards

ELP Standard 1, Level 2, 3-5, Speaking: Ask or provide the meaning of words, phrases, or uses of relevant resources;

ELP Standard 1, Level 2, 3-5, Reading: Use visually supported context to derive meaning and facilitate fluency;

Content Standards Art

Visual Communication and Production

5.1 The students will synthesis information to produce works of art.

5.3 The students will use elements of art to express ideas, images, and emotions.

5.5 The students will use the principles of design to express ideas and create images.

5.7 The students will collaborate with others to produce a work of art that characterizes a

period in history or contemporary issue.

5.9 The students will demonstrate an understanding of symbolic meaning by

incorporating symbols.

5.12 The students will express ideas through artistic choices.

5.13 The students will use technology.

5.25 The students will compare and contrast natural and constructed environments (Virginia Department of Education, 2006).

ESL Standards

EL.MS 2.3To apply basic reading comprehension skills.

To actively connect new information to what was previously learned.

To use color, line and shape to communicate through illustrations.

To reflect essential learning using the creative process: conceptualization.

To explore alternative ways of saying things.

EL.MS 2.2 To select, connect and explain information.

To analyze synthesize and infer from information.

To understand and produce technical vocabulary and text features

according to content area (Virginia Department of Education, 2006).

Objectives

Content Objectives

1. Students will identify and differentiate the biomes and ecosystems and diverse

components using a collaborative process .

2. Students will demonstrate understanding these environments by creating a poster

with visual cues.

3. Students will identify components using the artistic process to share their research.

Language Objectives

1. Students will listen to and read instructions and use the creative process as they

participate in group activities to create a quality product that reflects knowledge

and understanding about biomes and ecosystems. Students will share this product

(brochure) with the class using visual cues and vocabulary about the environment.

2. Students will write a reflective paper or poetry expressing their

knowledge of the environment and links to previous study about communities and

interdependence through the eyes of an organism.

3. Students will exhibit simple and expanded use of oral sentences in responses to

acquired knowledge. Responses will show cohesion and organized information to

support main ideas.

Vocabulary Objectives

1. Students will successfully determine diverse biomes and ecosystems through

research (reading) and collecting illustrations representative of their research.

Students may also use color, line, and texture (the elements of art and

design) to support research through visual cues. Students will match and write

appropriate key words and sentences to describe characteristics of biomes

and ecosystems. These will be included in the brochures to be shared by oral

presentation and listening by the class.

2. Students will successfully complete a creative writing activity using key vocabulary

and descriptors and expression to determine comprehension level.

3. Students will use pictorial and graphic representation of the subject material

with interactive support.

Lessons Overview on Biomes and Ecosystems

The objective of each lesson in this science unit on biomes and ecosystems is to teach and reinforce science and social studies, and English curricula through an art-infused and interactive process and under the sheltered instruction lens. As previously stated in the unit overview, structured in these lessons, the framework for language development will be linked to previous knowledge students have gained from past lessons. Each teacher will use interactive, non-threatening activities and interactions for cooperative learning and sharing. Vocabulary, visual cues and possible support for ELL students in other language classes can be transferred to support the connection. Further, with an increase of vocabulary to support understanding, this will maximize interpersonal communications and teamwork. In terms of self-awareness and seeing through diverse viewpoints, intrapersonal relations will be developed in these lessons.

Lesson one of the unit on biomes and ecosystems will include creating a word bank for each ecosystem with definitions to use as a dictionary and reference as students discover new information about biomes and ecosystems. Lesson two of the unit will include gathering information using books, web sites, and magazines to demonstrate comprehension and communication in alternative ways. Lesson three on biomes and ecosystems will include comparing and contrasting two books through a making of a Venn diagram to demonstrate critical thinking. Lesson four will conclude the unit and have students making brochures on ecosystems and presenting them to their class. This activity incorporates all strategies and skills acquired through scaffolding and the sheltered instruction protocol design. Students will write individual reflections. Students will describe and explain what they have learned from this unit. They may also choose to create a reflective poem as part of writing. Throughout the lessons, this interactive and teacher-assisted, student-centered methodology will provide diverse opportunities for learning and expressing new knowledge and language in alternative ways. This process will also create strong foundation for the continued learning process students will experience with confidence.

This lesson will bring all reading, research and activities to a point of comprehension analysis and sharing of the newly gained knowledge. Students will be connecting the new information about biomes and ecosystems and relating this information back to communities and interdependency in ecology. They will display knowledge in two ways. First students will divide into teams to create three posters of each ecosystem to present to their classmates and ESL class to share their learning comprehension of this science unit. Students will choose to represent appropriate animals and plants in their habitats.

Second, students will choose an animal or plant from one of the ecosystems and display their knowledge of this animal or plant by creating a poem to share with the class. This interactive integration of processes of reading, writing, speaking and listening is a wonderful assessment for individual learning. Students have the opportunity to show and tell what they know and understand in diverse ways. This continued learning process will foster relationships and students will experience confidence.

Target Population

The students are a heterogeneous grouping of18 ninth through twelfth graders of mixed ability coming from a variety of language backgrounds including general, gifted, special needs and ELL students. Instruction is focused on cross-content language development. Links are made between science, social studies, literature and art. Students will become familiar with specific content and vocabulary related to biomes and ecosystems. They will use higher order thinking skills to make connections with the unit previously taught on communities and interdependence and connections of all life. The cross-curricular approach reinforces language, utilizes sheltered instruction strategies and functions as scaffolding for the mainstream classroom.

Standards

Content Standards Science

SS. MS. 5.1 The student will plan and conduct investigation in which

An understanding of the nature of science is developed and reinforced.

SS. MS. 5.5 The student will investigate an understand kingdoms of living things;

vascular and non-vascular plants; vertebrates and invertebrates.

SS.MS. 5.6 The student will investigate biological characteristics of ecosystems.

SS. MS. 5.7 The student will investigate and understand how the Earth’s surface is

constantly changing due to natural and human impact (Virginia Department

of Education, 2006).

Content Standards Art

Visual Communication and Production

5.1 The students will synthesis information to produce works of art.

5.3 The students will use elements of art to express ideas, images, and emotions.

5.5 The students will use the principles of design to express ideas and create images.

5.7 The students will collaborate with others to produce a work of art that characterizes a

period in history or contemporary issue.

5.9 The students will demonstrate an understanding of symbolic meaning by

incorporating symbols.

5.12 The students will express ideas through artistic choices.

5.13 The students will use technology.

5.25 The students will compare and contrast natural and constructed environments (Virginia Department of Education, 2006).

ESL Standards

EL.MS 2.3To apply basic reading comprehension skills.

To actively connect new information to what was previously learned.

To use color, line and shape to communicate through illustrations.

To reflect essential learning using the creative process: conceptualization.

To explore alternative ways of saying things.

EL.MS 2.2 To select, connect and explain information.

To analyze synthesize and infer from information.

To understand and produce technical vocabulary and text features

according to content area (Virginia Department of Education, 2006).

Objectives

Content Objectives

1. Students will identify and differentiate the biomes and ecosystems and diverse

components using a collaborative process .

2. Students will demonstrate understanding these environments by creating a poster

with visual cues.

3. Students will identify components using the artistic process to share their research.

Language Objectives

1. Students will listen to and read instructions and use the creative process to

participate in group activities to create a quality product that reflects knowledge

and understanding about biomes and ecosystems. Students will share this product

(brochure) with the class using visual cues and vocabulary about the environment.

2. Students will write a reflective paper or poetry expressing their

knowledge of the environment and links to previous study about communities and

interdependence through the eyes of an organism.

3. Students will exhibit simple and expanded use of oral sentences in responses to

acquired knowledge. Responses will show cohesion and organized information to

support main ideas.

Vocabulary Objectives

1. Students will successfully determine diverse biomes and ecosystems through

research (reading) and collecting illustrations representative of their research.

Students may also use color, line, and texture (the elements of art and

design) to support research through visual cues. Students will match and write

appropriate key words and sentences to describe characteristics of biomes

and ecosystems. These will be included in the brochures to be shared by oral

presentation and listening by the class.

2. Students will successfully complete a creative writing activity using key vocabulary

and descriptors and expression to determine comprehension level.

3. Students will use pictorial and graphic representation of the subject material

with interactive support.

Learning Strategies

Goals and lessons are based on the TESOL ESL Standards to acquire and understand concepts and language used in the mainstream (inclusive) classroom: biomes, ecosystems, weather, animals and using map skills to identify and demonstrate location of these ecosystems are goals in this unit. Creating verbal summaries and expressions that reflect knowledge and critical thinking skills through use of vocabulary in creative writing to share is a reflective assignment for expansion and discussion. Other goals are self-awareness and empowerment within the class setting, fulfilling student needs for diverse and effective communication and a positive learning environment for student understanding, comprehension and success. Students will be connecting the new information about biomes and ecosystems and relating this information back to communities and interdependency in ecology. They will display knowledge in two ways. First students will divide into teams to create brochures of each ecosystem to present to their classmates and ESL class to share their learning comprehension of this science unit. Students will choose to represent appropriate animals and plants in their habitats.