Ecological and Cultural Significance of Local Parks : Unit Plan
Week One
Essential Questions
What stakeholders are involved in our local park?
How can we use storytelling to communcate out message?
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The focus of the first week is on introducing students to the final assessment task: engaging the local community with the land they live on by means of an exhibition at the local park the students will be studying all year. Students will be required to create an art piece based on the park, and a walking tour of a route of their choice in the park, using a medium approved by the teacher. Students will be asked to keep a Dictionary log throughout the course of the unit as the teacher provides an explanation of the word(s), and its meaning, as well as a visual journal of their learning and brainstorming process.
Lesson 1
Sequence
Teacher will Introduce students to the final assessment task of engaging the local community with the land they live on by means of an exhibition at the local park. After this lesson, students will split into groups to identify the stakeholders involved with the wetland park and share their findings in a class discussion. Teacher will write these ideas on the board and create a list that all students agree on.
Resources
Whiteboard
Worksheet with Final Assessment details and instructions
Assessment
Formative: Teacher will conduct walk-arounds to hear students’ conversations, engagement level and contribution
Differentiation
Information will be delivered in as many formats as possible to ensure teaching styles are accommodating all learning styles. Instructions are conveyed through speech (teacher explanations and student discussions), visuals (images or videos), and text (written instruction on the board/handout).
Students will be split into groups selected by the teacher keeping in mind learning ability levels to ensure group cohesiveness.
Lesson 2
Sequence
Students will brainstorm the information they would like to share with the community about the park, what resources they plan on using, and people they wish to get in contact with to gather such information. They will think of a medium of interest they would like to use to deliver their final walking tour. They will then share their ideas with the entire class using the Jigsaw method. Teacher will write these ideas on the board and the entire class. will collectively generate a rubric.
Resources
Whiteboard
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Assessment
Formative: Teacher will conduct walk-arounds to hear students’ conversations, engagement level and contribution
Differentiation
Classroom discussions
Use of various teaching styles (oral, auditory, visual, sharing with other students)
Students are able to use various methods to deliver their project.
Pair ELL learners with friendly and fluent English speaking students that may also speak the same native language.
Teacher will be mindful of the students’’ learning levels, needs and characters when creating groups, to make sure they can help one another and achieve individual maximum growth.
Lesson 3
Sequence
Learning the power of storytelling. An Elder from a local community will come into the class to share knowledge, stories, traditions and the Indigenous populations’ relationship to the land with the class. Students will have the opportunity to ask the questions they brainstormed in the previous lesson as the teacher monitors the conversation.
Resources
Guest Speaker: Elder from Local Indigenous Community
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Projector
Handouts to follow along with the presentation
Assessment
Formative: Teacher will observe students’ interaction with the guest speaker and interest level.
Differentiation
Teacher will ask the guest speaker to prepare a Powerpoint deck for students to follow along throughout the presentation.
Teacher will prepare handouts to follow along as an extra support material for students with difficulties.
Pair ELL learners with friendly and fluent English speaking students that may also speak the same native language. This way, students that are uncomfortable unable or anxious to questions themselves can be supported.
Lesson 4
Sequence
Verbal storytelling: teacher will conduct a lesson plan on how to tell a captivating story through examples and the use various mediums, such as audio, video or presentation. Students will have the opportunity to choose what method they prefer best and would like to incorporate in their final assessment.
Resources
Projector
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Assessment
Formative: Teacher will observe students’ participation and collaboration effort.
Differentiation
Teacher will use various mediums, such as oral, audio or presentation to teach the concept of storytelling to students with various learning styles.
Lesson 5
Sequence
Students will research an Indigenous myth within anywhere in Canada to create a short story (no longer than 5 minutes). Students have the options of choosing between recording a video, audio recording, or perform a story telling piece in front of the class. They may use props and music if needed.
Resources
Projector
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Assessment
Formative
Differentiation
They may deliver their final project through a learning style that fits them best, such as through speech, visuals (images or videos), and text (written paper).