Verb Tenses: Animal-Style Unit Portfolio Presentation Lisa McCandlish

This unit will help students explore four verb tenses: simple present, present progressive, past, and future using an animal-related theme. The students will work on various activities to reinforce their understanding of the verb tenses as well as to discover new animal facts and information. Unit Summary

Curriculum-Framing Questions Essential Questions -When did this happen? Unit Questions -What are some examples of extinct animals? -What are some examples of endangered animals? Content Questions -What tense(s) would you use to describe an extinct animal? -What tense(s) would you use to describe an endangered animal? -What tense(s) would you use to describe an animal that you see at the zoo?

Animal-Style Verb Tenses This project will help my students develop 21 st Century skills by: Communicating and collaborating with their peers Articulating thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively through speaking and writing about animals Assuming shared responsibility for collaborative work on PowerPoints and/or brochures Exercising flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal

Gauging Student Needs Assessment Purpose of Assessment -To gather information about what students already know and what they want to know about verb tense. What I want to learn from my students? -I want to know what my students already know about the various verb tenses. Do they understand when to use each tense? Do they know how to form each tense? How I have tried to promote higher-order thinking? -I ask students to do research on extinct and endangered animals to analyze why or how animals become extinct or endangered. How the assessment information helps me and my students plan for upcoming activities in the unit? -If students have difficulty understanding when to use the simple present or present progressive, I can provide various examples and activities to help with clarification. If students have difficulty in forming the irregular past tense, I can provide them with various resources and a lot of practice to master this skill.

My Goals for this Course To discover new ways to teach the four basic verb tenses so that the students have a better understanding of when to use each one and how to form them To learn other ways technology can be utilized in my classroom To share and collaborate with other teachers

Goals for My Students To clarify the four basic verb tenses so that the students have a better understanding of when to use them and how to form them To determine how and/or why animals become extinct or endangered To teach the students how to effectively use technology in the classroom and help them prepare for their future with technology