Grade Level / 6th Grade / Unit Length / Two Weeks
Unit Overview / Medicines & Vaccines is a two-week standards-based unit that includes a vaccination clinic (simulated vaccines), a medicines presentation by a pharmacist and two project days for students to write and create a five-minute docudrama about the social impact of influenza and the progress modern man has made against this illness. During the project, students will work in groups of four and incorporate concepts and skills from science, math, ELA , media, and social studies. The unit culminates with a presentation of the docudramas to an audience of students and teachers.
The relevant strands are:
Science – Inquiry, Technology & Engineering and the Atmosphere
Math – Functions, The Number Systems, Expressions and Equations
ELA – Reading Literature, Writing
Social Studies – Economics and History
The project supports state standards in science (including communicating scientific understanding, adaptive and assistive engineering, interpreting meteorological data to predict weather), math (exploring functions, fraction operations, and solving one-step equations), ELA (story elements in literature), social studies (identifying how diseases can impact societies).
Within the influenza docudrama, students must consider cross-curricular factors, such as communicating scientific knowledge within a dramatic/video venue, inferring information from a historical fiction and applying to current medical issues.
Grouping Strategy – For this project students will be grouped heterogeneously.
Unit Essential Questions / What are the best descriptions, explanations and models to use when communicating scientific understanding?
What are differences between adaptive and assistive engineering products and how are vaccines and medicines classified?
Why is air pressure an important consideration in medical engineering and technology?
What data is needed to predict the weather and how is this data gathered and understood?
What data is needed to predict the spread of the flu and how is this data gathered and understood?
How can information be inferred from a historical fiction and be related to current medical advances?
What is a function?
How can I use a function to make prediction?
How do I multiply and divide fractions?
How can I create a function to illustrate the impact of the influenza on a population?
How can I use fractions to illustrate the impact of influenza on a population?
What effect did the Black Death have on Europe politically, socially, and economically?
What living habits did Europeans practice that could have aided the rapid spread of the Black Death?
What fraction/percent of Europeans died as a result of the Black Death?
What was the biological cause of the Black Death?
Culminating Event / The culminating event is a five-minute docudrama written, filmed and edited by groups of four students. The students will gather information, concepts and data from science, math, ELA, media, social studies, and guest speakers for use in the docudrama. Students will attend presentations by guest speakers for one-half of project day and will write, film and edit their docudramas on the other 2.5 days. The docudramas will be viewed on the last project day. Students will introduce and summarize their work before each video presentation and will take questions from the audience afterwards. The audience will include students and teachers.
Common Assessment / / STEM Project Rubric / Project Title: Med & Vac
Student Name: ______
Date: ______
Advanced / Proficient / Needs Improvement
STEM Math IA
Components
Functions
25% / Docudrama includes a function. In describing the function, the following must be included.
1. A verbal description of the function. The verbal description should include a description what both the slope and the y-intercept mean in the given situation.
2. An equation that illustrates the input/output relationship of the equation.
3. A graphical representation of the function.
4. A function table that illustrates the input/output relationship of the function. / Docudrama includes a function. In describing the function, the 3 of the following must be included.
1. A verbal description of the function. The verbal description should include a description what both the slope and the y-intercept mean in the given situation.
2. An equation that illustrates the input/output relationship of the equation.
3. A graphical representation of the function.
4. A function table that illustrates the input/output relationship of the function. / Docudrama includes a function. In describing the function, the 2 of the following must be included.
1. A verbal description of the function. The verbal description should include a description what both the slope and the y-intercept mean in the given situation.
2. An equation that illustrates the input/output relationship of the equation.
3. A graphical representation of the function.
4. A function table that illustrates the input/output relationship of the function.
STEM Math IB
Components
The Number System
25% / Docudrama includes a function table that illustrates how many people are predicted to have the flu. The function table must have at least 10 different populations sizes and the function rule must include a fraction.
Each student must turn in their work supporting the function table. / Docudrama includes a function table that illustrates how many people are predicted to have the flu. The function table must have at least 8 different populations sizes and the function rule must include a fraction.
Each student must turn in their work supporting the function table. / Docudrama includes a function table that illustrates how many people are predicted to have the flu. The function table must have at least 5 different populations sizes and the function rule must include a fraction.
Each student must turn in their work supporting the function table.
Science Components:
Inquiry
Tech & Eng
25% / Docudrama communicates clearly:
Two connections between the flu and weather – cite evidence.
One example of adaptive bioengineering related to the flu
One example of assistive bioengineering related to the flu
Two examples of air pressure used in a medical instrument related to the flu
“Communicates clearly” includes showing evidence in the docudrama and explaining evidence. / Docudrama communicates clearly, but with one omission or error:
Two connections between the flu and weather – cite evidence.
One example of adaptive bioengineering related to the flu
One example of assistive bioengineering related to the flu
Two examples of air pressure used in a medical instrument related to the flu
“Communicates clearly” includes showing evidence in the docudrama and explaining evidence. / Docudrama communicates clearly, but with two omissions or errors:
Two connections between the flu and weather – cite evidence.
One example of adaptive bioengineering related to the flu
One example of assistive bioengineering related to the flu
Two examples of air pressure used in a medical instrument related to the flu
“Communicates clearly” includes showing evidence in the docudrama and explaining evidence.
Social Studies
Component
Landscaping and our society 25 % / Identify 4 ways diseases and illnesses can impact societies in the docudrama. / Identify 3 ways diseases and illnesses can impact societies in the docudrama. / Identify 2 ways diseases and illnesses can impact societies in the docudrama.
ELA Component
R.A.F.T.
25% / Written using the correct voice, expressed ideas clearly, 1-2 grammar errors, offered 2 examples from the book / Written using the correct voice, expressed ideas somewhat clearly, 1-2 grammar errors, offered 1 example from the book / Written using the correct voice, ideas are NOT expressed clearly, 1-2 grammar errors, did NOT offer an example from the book
Unit Objectives / I can communicate scientific understanding using descriptions, explanations and models.
I can describe and explain adaptive and assistive bioengineered products.
I can use data (medical or meteorological) to make predictions (about the spread of the flu or changes in the weather).
I can infer information from a historical fiction and apply it to a real-world medical scenario.
Strands (main ideas taught in unit)
ELA / Reading Literature, Writing
Math / The Number System, Expressions and Equations, Functions
Science / Inquiry, Technology & Engineering, The Atmosphere
Social Studies / Geography and History
Vocabulary
ELA /
  • weary- physically or mentally exhausted
  • destitute- lacking food, shelter, and clothing
  • salvage- to save
  • solemn- grave, serious
  • ail- to cause pain, to be ill

Math / STEM Math IA
  • Function—a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs with the property that each input is related to exactly one output
  • Domain—the set of "input" or argument values for which the function is defined
  • Range—The set of all output values of a function
  • Slope— the slope or gradient of a line is a number that describes both the direction and the steepness of the line.
  • Rate of Change—a rate that describes how one quantity changes in relation to another. A rate of change is usually expressed as a unit rate.
STEM Math IB
  • Multiplicative Inverse-one of a pair of numbers whose product is 1.
  • Reciprocal-another name for a multiplicative inverse. To get the reciprocal of a number, just divide 1 by the number.
  • Inverse Operation-The operation that reverses the effect of another operation.
  • Product-the answer to a multiplication problem.
  • Quotient-the answer to a division problem.

Science /
  • Air Pressure – force per unit area exerted by air to weight or external force
  • Adaptive Bioengineering – engineering that makes changes to living organisms
  • Assistive Bioengineering – engineering that produces products to help people
  • Model – an object, drawing or construction that represents a real life process
  • Extrapolation – extending trends from data in order to make predictions

Social Studies /
  • Medicine: Compound used for the treatment or prevention of disease
  • Vaccine: Substance used to provide immunity against disease
  • Bubonic Plague: Fatal epidemic disease, most known for impact on 14th century Europe.
  • Medieval: Time period between classical antiquity and Renaissance. Also known as the Middle Ages.
  • Dark Ages: Known as the unenlightened period.

Key Questions
ELA / Math / Science / Social Studies / CTE &
Technology
How can you infer information from a historical fiction and apply it to current medical issues in order to produce a docudrama on influenza?
How can you gain insight by comparing and contrasting two texts based on similar themes? / How can I create a function to illustrate the impact of the influenza on a population?
How can I use fractions to illustrate the impact of influenza on a population? / How do I use models to communicate scientific understanding
How do I use models (gather data and interpret data) to make predictions?
How is engineering used to create adaptive and assistive products? / How did the Black Death affect European society?
How did the Black Death affect Europe’s political structure?
How did the Black Death affect European economics?
What were the biological causes of the Black Death?
Hook for Unit / Watch the “Flu Attack!” (See Resource Folder).
Literature / Informative Text Component / Fever 1793 will be the literature used to form background information needed for the culminating event. This historical fiction portrays a young girl that faces the trials and hardships of the Yellow Fever plague. Laurie Halse Anderson provides insights of the medical practices of the late 18th century such as blood letting. The cause of the fever, mosquitos, is discovered in the text also. The students will assimilate the fictional informationso they will understand the process of discovering the influenza vaccination and the effects of the disease.
Plot Summary
During the summer of 1793, Mattie Cook lives above the family coffee shop with her widowed mother and grandfather. Mattie spends her days avoiding chores and making plans to turn the family business into the finest Philadelphia has ever seen. But then the fever breaks out. Disease sweeps the streets, destroying everything in its path and turning Mattie's world upside down. At her feverish mother's insistence, Mattie flees the city with her grandfather. But she soon discovers that the sickness is everywhere, and Mattie must learn quickly how to survive in a city turned frantic with disease. Scholastic.com
Writing Closure / Students will complete a R.A.F.T. essay based on the characters in Fever 1793. They will select one of the situations and use it to complete a detailed essay. The text may be used for reference, also. Evidence must be included throughout the essay to add validity to the inferences made. Students may choose to write a letter, speech, journal entry, or newspaper article. The point of view for each of the writings varies from President George Washington to a medical doctor.

Materials Needed for Culminating Event / Flip Cameras
iPad
MacBook Air with iMovie
Standards: Common Core Standards, Tennessee State Standards
ELA
Common Core Standards. / RL.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.6.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
RL.6.3 Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
RL.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
RL.6.5 Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot.
RL.6.6 Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.
RL.6.9 Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics.
W.6.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
Math
Common Core Standards. / STEM Math IA
Define, evaluate, and compare functions.
8.F.1. Understand that a function is a rule that assigns to each input exactly one output. The graph of a function is the set of ordered pairs consisting of an input and the corresponding output.
8.F.2. Compare properties of two functions each represented in a different way (algebraically, graphically, numerically in tables, or by verbal descriptions). For example, given a linear function represented by a table of values and a linear function represented by an algebraic expression, determine which function has the greater rate of change.
8.F.3. Interpret the equation y = mx + b as defining a linear function, whose graph is a straight line; give examples of functions that are not linear. For example, the function A = s2 giving the area of a square as a function of its side length is not linear because its graph contains the points (1,1), (2,4) and (3,9), which are not on a straight line. Use functions to model relationships between quantities.
8.F.4. Construct a function to model a linear relationship between two quantities. Determine the rate of change and initial value of the function from a description of a relationship or from two (x, y) values, including reading these from a table or from a graph. Interpret the rate of change and initial value of a linear function in terms of the situation it models, and in terms of its graph or a table of values.
STEM Math IB
Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication and division to divide fractions by fractions.
6.NS.1. Interpret and compute quotients of fractions, and solve word problems involving division of fractions by fractions, e.g., by using visual fraction models and equations to represent the problem. For example, create a story context for (2/3) ÷ (3/4) and use a visual fraction model to show the quotient; use the relationship between multiplication and division to explain that (2/3) ÷ (3/4) = 8/9 because 3/4 of 8/9 is 2/3. (In general, (a/b) ÷ (c/d) = ad/bc.) How much chocolate will each person get if 3 people share 1/2 lb of chocolate equally? How many 3/4-cup servings are in 2/3 of a cup of yogurt? How wide is a rectangular strip of land with length 3/4 mi and area 1/2 square mi?
6.EE.7 7. Solve real-world and mathematical problems by writing and solving equations of the form x + p = q and px = q for cases in which p, q and x are all nonnegative rational numbers.
Science
Tennessee State Standards. / GLE 0607.Inq.5 Communicate scientific understanding using descriptions, explanations, and models.
SPI 0607.Inq.3 Interpret and translate data in a table, graph, or diagram.
SPI 0607.Inq.4 Draw a conclusion that establishes a cause and effect relationship supported by evidence.
SPI 0607.Inq.5 Identify a faulty interpretation of data that is due to bias or experimental error.
GLE 0607.T/E.4Describe and explain adaptive and assistive bioengineered products.
SPI 0607.T/E.4 Differentiate between adaptive and assistive engineered products (e.g., food, biofuels, medicines, integrated pest management).
GLE 0607.8.4 Analyze meteorological data to predict weather conditions.
SPI 0607.8.4 Interpret meteorological data to make predictions about the weather.
Social Studies
Tennessee State Standards. / 6.2.spi.6. Analyze how basic economic ideas influenced world events (i.e., supply and demand leads to exploration and colonization).
6.5.spi.11. identify characteristics including economy, social relations, religion, and political authority of various societies (i.e., Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Greek City-States, Roman Empire, Indian, Medieval).
6.5.spi.12. recognize the possible causes of change in civilizations (i.e., environmental change, political collapse, new ideas, warfare, overpopulation, unreliable food sources, diseases).