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Exploring Places, Exploring my World An Integrated Curriculum Unit By Pierre Doyon Natalie Knott Andrew Churchill EDEM 644 Prof. Low June 2006.

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Presentation on theme: "Exploring Places, Exploring my World An Integrated Curriculum Unit By Pierre Doyon Natalie Knott Andrew Churchill EDEM 644 Prof. Low June 2006."— Presentation transcript:

1 Exploring Places, Exploring my World An Integrated Curriculum Unit By Pierre Doyon Natalie Knott Andrew Churchill EDEM 644 Prof. Low June 2006

2 Genesis of the Unit Constructing My Knowledge Five years (Original based on Neil Postman “Teaching as a Subversive Activity” Vygotskian frame work (ZPD) Experience existed Went back to theory Start over

3 Inquiry method Postman, N. Teaching as a Subversive Activity, pp. 31- 33) self-confidence in their learning ability; pleasure in problem solving; a keen sense of relevance; reliance on their own judgment over other people's or society's; no fear of being wrong; no haste in answering; flexibility in point of view; no need for final answers to all questions, and comfort in not knowing an answer to difficult questions rather than settling for a simplistic answer.

4 Target Population Cycle 2 -Third grade students (7 - 8 year olds) Concrete operational (make it real) Ethnically diverse (use as resource) Middle class (funds of knowledge?)

5 Age a factor (7 -8) Need physical stimulation (walking, games integrated into unit) Change subject often (or they will get bored!) Need both fine and gross motor activities Art activities also integrated

6 Concrete Operational Concrete representations from own life Lots of visuals and realism Lots of “hands on” activities Keep discussion to what they can feel and see Don’t talk about it, go there! “The more immature the learner is, the simpler must be the ends held in view and the more rudimentary the means employed... organization of activity in terms of perception of the relation of consequence to means applies even with the very young.” (Dewey, 1938)

7 Constraints Runs all day long (8:30 - 4:00) NO breaks NO Recess Lunch WITH STUDENTS Must be diverse and take advantage of teachable moments

8 Goals and Objectives Teach social sciences (city: form and functions) Teach overview of History to prepare for later curriculum and deductive reasoning Teach critical thinking

9 Guiding Questions: What is a city? Why are we here? Who are we? Who was here before us? (History) How does a city develop? (History)

10 Theoretical Framework Constructivism Interdisciplinary Units Importance of Place Dialogic Multiple Intelligences

11 Theoretical Framework Constructivism: Theory of teaching and learning –Views student as meaning maker Rejects knowledge as independent from knower Places student (rather than knowledge) at the center of the teaching and learning process “Engages students in the knowledge production process”Joe Kincheloe: Critical Constructivism, 2005 (p.3) “Human Beings are not built in silence, but in word, in work, in action-reflection” Paulo Freire: Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 1970 (p.88)

12  An understanding of what it means to create positive experiences  A rejection of ‘banking methodology’ and embracing of the dialogic  An appreciation for the importance of place  An embracing of multiple intelligences  A commitment to activity based interdisciplinary learning Five Principles that further inform our Constructivist Approach:

13 Positive Experience  Ground learning in student’s natural curiosity of the world around them  Associate learning with the joie-de-vivre of discovery  Challenge students by developing their capacities to act intelligently in novel situations “How many students were rendered callous to ideas, and how many lost the impetus to learn because of the way learning was experienced by them? How many acquired special skills by means of automatic drill so that their power of judgment and capacity to act intelligently in new situations was seriously limited? How many came to associate the learning process with ennui and boredom?” John Dewey: Experience and Education, 1938 (pp.27-28)

14 Dialogic  ‘ teaching as listening’  Student Centric  Rejects transmission as a methodology “In my own research, this foregrounding of happenstance has come to be expressed in the phrase, ‘teaching as listening,’ where listening is offered both figuratively and literally. Figuratively, listening offers a powerful alternative to the metaphors of teaching that focus on the monological (such as ‘transmission,’ ‘telling,’ ‘voice,’ or ‘empowerment’). Listening is necessarily dialogical, intermingling of another’s words with the text of experience” Brent Davis: CCD:20 years of JCT, 1999 (p.336)

15 Place Based  Utilize student’s natural connection with place  Begin with the local/tangible to develop appreciation for the global “In Western Societies today, education is usually aimed at producing young citizens who can function anywhere in the post-industrial world. This emphasis may be a mistake. Not only does such an education deprive young people of the knowledge they need to care for the places in which they grow up, it also fails to provide them with an understanding of what place means in the lives of people in other parts of the world.” Nel Noddings: Educating Citizens for Global Awareness, 2005 (p.57)

16 Multiple Intelligences  Inclusive of how different people develop meaning of the world  Challenges students to use different mediums to develop meaning “We are taking students with unidentified talents: teaching them in a way that leaves these talents unidentified; and then assessing their achievement in a way that leaves the talents still unidentified. We have thus created a vicious cycle in which our current ability tests predict academic success fairly well, but only because we teach and assess achievement in ways that recognize the talents of just a handful of our students.” Robert Sternberg: “Ability Testing, Instruction, and Assessment of Achievement: Breaking Out of the Vicious Cycle.”, 1998 (p.5)

17 Activity Based Interdisciplinary Learning  Holistic  Contextual  Relevant Tanner and Tanner describe the process of learning within this approach as working from “whole to part and then back to whole at a continually richer, deeper and wider level”(p.272). They further assert that this approach better meets “student demands of curriculum relevance”(p.266) and that “school learning is more likely to be carried over into life outside of school if school studies are directed at life situations”(p.266). Tanner & Tanner: Curriculum Development, 2007

18  Directedness vs. emergence of curriculum  Paid for experience with certain expectations  pressure towards directedness  Centrality of criticality  Young age  laying the foundation for criticality not explicitly focusing on issues of race, gender, class, power Two qualifications vis-à-vis our theoretical approach:

19 Multi-layered

20 * “central role of schooling involves engaging students in the knowledge production process” (Kincheloe, 2005)

21 What else are we teaching?

22 What are my family stories? What are my family stories? When and how did my family get here? When and how did my family get here? Where did they come from? Where did they come from? What kind of place do I live in? What kind of place do I live in? What are my favorite places to go/least favorite to go to? What are my favorite places to go/least favorite to go to? How do I get around my city? How do I get around my city? What can I learn about my World by exploring places in my city from the past and the present? What keeps my favorite places running? What work do people do in my city? What kinds of houses do people live in my city? How do people travel in my city? What kind of houses did people live in - in my city, in the past? How did things work-in my city, in the past? How did people travel-in my city, in the past? What work did people do-in my city in my past? What is the geography of my city ? Where in the World is my world? Assessment and Evaluation Resources QEP Lesson 1 Final Lesson Showing what I know? Project Plan

23 Cross Curricular Competencies Intellectual Personal and Social Communications Related Methodological Broad Areas of Learning Environmental Awareness and Consumer Rights and Responsibilities Subject Areas Geography, History, Citizenship English Language Arts Mathematics Student World Vision Q.E.P. The roots of our past give strength to our ways creating a future for new yesterdays. K.Younk

24 Hook! What are my family stories? When and how did my family get here? Where did they come from? What kind of place do I live in? What are my favorite places to go/least favorite to go to? How do I get around my city? Visit from Pierre Courier du Bois or Polly Pioneer Woman Teacher dresses up as a historical character and tells the students stories about his or her way of life, when and how they came to the new World, what kinds of homes they lived in… Student brainstorm interview questions for family members to help them find their family stories Storytelling Day; students come dressed in costume and tell their stories. Evaluation Teacher Resource

25 English Language Arts To use language to communicate and learn To use language for thinking and learning To interact in collaborative group activities in a variety of roles To use language to communicate information, experiences and points of view Competencies Cross Curricular Competencies To communicate appropriately To construct his/her identity Storytelling RUBRICS Communications-related Competency

26 What can I learn about my World by exploring places in my city from the past and the present? What would an artist ask? What would a physical education specialist ask? What would a scientist ask? What would a mathematician ask? Multiple Intelligences

27 Can I find out how people travel in my city? Are too many people traveling alone in cars? Can I use a survey, tally and graph to find my answers? Is there a problem with the air in my city? I can use this information to take action? What kinds of homes do people live in in my city? What kinds of homes did people live in in the past? How many people live in my city? What kinds of jobs do they do? What jobs were there in the past? How did peoples of the past buy what they needed? How is space being used in my city? Can I use math to find out? Are there enough green spaces and parks? Are there any areas not being used? Can I used this information to take action? How was area measured in the past? How have the tools of math changed over time? What would a mathematician ask?

28 What plants and animals can I find in my city? What plants and animals could be found in the past? If there is a difference, can I find the reason? How were plants and animals used in the past? How are they used now? How has us moving in affected the animals living here? How has wildlife changed its habits to survive our creating a city? How is the air and water quality in my city? How do we take care of our garbage? Do we recycle in our city? How does our climate affect how we live? What would a scientist ask?

29 How healthy are the children/people in my city? What would a dentist and doctor say about the health of children in the city? How healthy were people in the past? What do children do in the summer? Are there enough summer sports programs in my city? Can everyone afford them? Do people use them? What did children do in the summer in the past? Do people bike or walk to places close by? Are there enough bike paths and bike stands in the city? If there is a problem, can I use this information to take action? Is there too much noise, litter and pollution in my city? Can I create a plan and communicate the benefits of healthy living to the people in my city? What would a physical education specialist ask?

30 Where and what kinds of art can I find in my city? What is it’s purpose? Is art valued and how can I find out? How is art used in my city? Is graffiti art? Is there space for graffiti in my city? Who are our artists and what message are they trying to communicate? Have people ever had arguments over art in my city? How were these arguments resolved? What kinds of art could I find in the past? Are there traces of it left in my city? How was art used in the past? How was it created? What materials were used in the past? What would an artist ask?

31 What do I want the students to learn, ask, and do? Lesson 1: What kinds of homes do people live in, in my city? Broad Area of Learning Environmental Awareness and Consumer Rights and Responsibilities Focus of the lesson:  To understand certain characteristics of his/her environment, spatial representation (orientation, mapping, drawing etc)  To realize that they are an integral part of their environment and can therefore affect change. Methodological Competency To adopt effective work habits Personal and Social To construct his/her own identity Mathematics To reason using mathematical concepts and processes To communicate using mathematical language Cross Curricular Competencies Subject Based Competencies Guiding Questions What do I know about my city? What do I want to know? How will I find out?

32 Lesson Plan: Setting the stage Whole class activity/ Pairs: Brainstorm Teacher writes the question: What makes a city a city? on chart paper. Think –Pair-Share activity to wake up the students brains.Think –Pair-Share Children are asked to brainstorm the answers. Teacher explains the rules of brainstorming. Whole class activity: Map Teacher and student explore a large map of the city. Children then place flags, marking where they live on the map. The teacher then places a flag marking the school on the map. They then discuss who lives furthest, closest etc to the school. They discuss what you can see near their homes, near the school. Individual Activity: Log Book The students then write or draw their ideas about what a city is. This serves as a benchmark to show growth in the concept of city. Whole class activity: Reading time The teacher reads the book “Town Mouse, Country Mouse” by Jan Brett to the class. The class discusses using a Venn Diagram to sort and classify information. They complete the Venn on log book page 2. this will be revisited at the end of the unit to show any changes in their thoughts, ideas or concept knowledge. Snack: teacher explains that after snack they will have a very important visitor to the class. Whole class activity: Visit from Pierre Courier du Bois: Teacher dresses up as a historical character and tells the students stories about his or her way of life, when and how they came to the new World, what kinds of homes they lived in…and answers questions they may have. The students are told they must interview their families and find a story to tell the class. Teacher asks the students to brainstorm questions to help the students find out where their families came from and when and how they came to Canada. The teacher scribes the questions and the students record them in their log book. The teacher goes over the criteria for storytelling and they discuss and negotiate the rubric. Students taste Vinegar pie provided by Pierre. Pierre explains that fruit wasn’t always available or affordable so Pioneer Women mad vinegar pie. It had a lot of sugar to cut the vinegar. Sometimes they would add lemon juice if they had some. What other problems might people face if they couldn’t get fresh fruit? The children graph whether they liked the pie or not.What other problems might people face if they couldn’t get fresh fruit? Math Geography, History and Citizenship Physical Education and Health Activating background knowledge Math Geography, History and Citizenship English Language Arts Personal and Social Cross Curricular

33 Whole class activity/ Pairs: Brainstorm Teacher writes the question: What makes a museum a museum on chart paper. Think – Pair- Share activity to wake up the students brains.Think – Pair- Share Children are asked to brainstorm the question. Students, guided by teacher, come up with a list for what makes a museum a museum. Teacher tells students they are going to create a museum to help people in the present, their parents, discover what they learned in camp and also to help people in the future understand how we live today. The theme of the Museum Display is to be “My City, Montreal” Group Work: Planning Students divide into groups and make decisions about what is important to show in the museum about our way of life in the city of Montreal. What makes our city different and special. They may use artifacts and digital pictures gathered during the month. They then gather the artifacts they need. They need to label their objects and decide on how to display them. The students prepare what they will say when the visitors arrive at their display. Whole class activity: Students and teacher decide how and where each display will be situated. The teacher asks the groups to create posters communicating the ideas in their displays. Teacher may need to do a mini lesson on signs vs posters. Some students elect to create a map for visitors, write and color invitations for the parents, create brochures explaining the museum, send an invitation to the local TV station. Methodological Competency / Personal and Social Media Literacy Methodological Competency Lesson Plan: 2 Montreal Museum GOAL: To exercise critical judgment Teach history and city RUBRIC

34 * Actual rubric generated by students once they understand the “codes and conventions” of museums Level 1Level 2Level 3 (Accepted) Level 4 Communicate Learning to others through artefacts I didn’t really work very hard on my museum My museum did not make sense. I did not give labels to explain my exhibits. I showed I understood the main idea. Some of my museum was good and same was not. Some labels did not explain what I was talking about. I showed things that explained my learning. My ideas were mainly on topic. I gave explanations to help explain my museum I have many of ideas and I showed them in my museum. My ideas were on topic and my explanations made sense. I gave more than one example.

35 Communication Assessment Oral presentation of their theory of “what happened to Hochelaga” To Use Language to Communicate and Learn Level 1Level 2Level 3 (Accepted) Level 4 Communicate s information to others through talk I could not explain any ideas about the topic. My comments did not make sense. I did not give examples to explain my talk. I showed I understood the main idea. Some of my comments were “extras” and not on topic. I gave examples which connected to some of my talk. Some examples did not explain what I was talking about. I talked about my ideas. My ideas were mainly on topic. I gave examples to help explain my main ideas I have many of ideas and I used them in my talk. My ideas were on topic and made sense. I gave more than one example. Shares a tentative stance on the topic.(synthesis) I am not sure what the topic is about. I have no opinion to give. I am not sure how I feel or what I think about the topic. I still need to think and talk some more. I can tell you what I think about the subject. I have a clear opinion and viewpoint on the topic. I can “prove” or support my viewpoint with examples and research.

36 Multiple Intelligences What can I learn about my World by exploring places in my city from the past and the present? Verbal-Linguistic The student:  reads various texts; literary, popular and information based  writes various texts; lists, instructions, stories  Takes part in storytelling  participates in response and planning discussions  reflects, self assesses and sets goals Logical-Mathematical: The student:  designs methods to tally types of homes, modes of transportation and number of green spaces  forms a hypothesis, records observations, predicts and draws conclusions  uses Venn diagrams, and charts  tallies, measures Visual-Spatial The student:  uses Venn diagrams, graphs and charts  represents a city by creating a diorama  creates maps, murals  draws a plan for a park or green space Bodily-Kinesthetic The student:  goes on a walk to investigate their neighborhood  play an eco-tag game  use scientific equipment  builds a rain gauge  perform an Earth Day Dance Musical-Rhythmic The student:  creates and performs a song about their city/history  listens to music from the past and present and responds by creating and performing a dance  creates and performs a chant, jingle or rap to encourage students to take care of the environment Interpersonal The student:  works in collaborative groups researching, experimenting, presenting and performing  self assesses how their group worked as a team Intrapersonal The student:  writes a reflection about environmental issues  reflects while listening to music from various cultures  acts on his/her own feelings when creating a dance in response to the music. Natural: The student:  sorts, collects and labels various leaves found in the environment  designs and makes a terrarium to observe the water cycle  communicates knowledge of the water cycle and plant, animal and human needs  recycles, composts The theory of Multiple Intelligences was developed by Howard Gardner in 1983. It suggests that instead of one intelligence that can be measured, people have many intelligences that can be grouped into 7 or 8 categories. This unit touches on the intelligences in the following ways.

37 Materials and Resources BooksLessons from the Field Bishop, N. (). Forest Guide. : Scholastic. Dreher, D. (2005). Explorers Who got Lost. : Tor Books. Harmon, D. (2000). Cartier. : Chelsea House. Hutchins, P. (1987). Rosie's Walk. USA: Scholastic. Johmann, C. (). The Lewis and Clark Expedition. : Williamson Publishing Company. Maestro, B. (). Exploration and Conquest. : Lothrop, Lee, Shepard. Sweeney, J. (). Me on the Map. 1996: Knopf books. Canadian Railway Museum Mont Sainte-Hilaire Biosphere Reserve Ecomuseum Biodome Lachine Museum and Windmill Papier Turgeon Guest Speaker McCord Museum of history Mont Royal Stewart Museum, St Helene’s Five Nations Iroquoian Village Atwater market At Lester B Pearson Board we have a database, The Interactive Community Database, available to teachers to help find resources in Montreal. Once logged in, teachers can find ideas for fieldtrips, guest speakers and judges for contests. If, for example you are doing a class project on garbage, you could look up a recycling plant which allows for class trips. This is great support for teachers teaching a child centred, project or inquiry based curriculum. It is also possible for students to obtain special passwords where they can peruse the site and not be able to book field trips---obviously We even created a rubric to evaluate this teachable moment turned curriculum project. Kevin explored the site… Rubric Developing Questions

38 Assessment and Evaluation Goal and purpose of assessment and evaluation Elements of our assessment plan: Clear objectives and criteria Rubrics built with the students Teacher created rubrics Teacher, peer and self assessment Feedback throughout the project Final project to tie the learning together

39 Trackers MethodologicalPersonal and SocialIntellectualCommunications Cross-curricular competencies are the thread that link the various subjects, content and activities together to form the interdisciplinary unit of study. These trackers are designed to help the teacher record the competencies as they occur throughout the project.

40 Week 1Week 2Week 3Week 4 ThemeNatural science and first nations Explorers French Regime & Medieval technology British Rule and 19 th century technology Canada: The Industrial age and beyond Guiding QuestionsWhat is a city? Why are we here? Why did people leave home to explore? Why did the English want Canada? Why did Canada become a country? EnvironmentalWhat is our environment? Where do we live and why build a city here? Ecology of Pre-European Lachine Rapids [PD1]. [PD1] Ecology of St. Lawrence valley How does the environment affect us? How doe we effect the environment (Fur trade and its effects on ecology). Relation between local and global citizenship (What do we do in a city and how does that effect world environment) How can we make the environment better for the future? The reading and discussion of articles, stories etc. “why do different stories have different interpretations” Creation stories (Owl, Eagle, etc.) “Where is Hochelaga?” (stories told NOT read) Wolf Island (ecology) French Courrier du Bois stories. Champlain book Cartier Book The Dorchester (train) The Last Spike Aboriginals now Women and WW II Flag flap PoliticalWho are we (origins)How was Canada ruled by the French (Mercantilism) How was Canada ruled by the British (Colonialism) Why did Canada become a country Minor questionsWhat happens to cities? How does where you live decide the tools you use? Are there “Lost cities” How did people travel 400 years ago? What was here that they couldn’t get at home? What can you make with steam? If most travel is on boat, how can you get across country? What is a country? [PD1] Trip demonstrates causal relationship between geography and history – why build a city here, because you can’t take a boat any further

41 GeographySituate self in city: 1.Find home on map of Montreal and mark. 2.Make local map, create map to find way back after visiting unknown site (park) 3.Learn about Natural geography of Montreal Situate self politically: Quebec, Canada St, Lawrence Valley (make a topographic map using plaster) Compass – create and use own Quebec and Great lakes. Use Internet t pinpoint where we are going Canadian Geography World Geography History- Natural History - First peoples -first contact -Medieval and 17 th century French -Great Peace (1701) -18 th -19 th century and conquest Métis - 19 th and 20 th century - Technology and problems TransportationHow do we travel in a city? How did we used to travel? Take bus, trains, boats and metro to field trips. Importance of boats in travel. Take a ferry across the St. Lawrence. Importance of canals, ride boat along canal. Importance of trains, Ride modern train to canal, ride train at train museum Science- Rock formations - Fossils - Magnetism - Wind & Astronomy (for guiding sailors) - Compass - Dams, dynamos, and electric generation -Transportation -Trains Math- Calculate time using sun dial -Graph home types (apt., house, condos, etc.) Graph transport used to get o school -Adding distances from one area to another- Calculating time to get from Montreal to Chambly by horse, foot, boat. Calculating distance across Canada by train. Language ArtsOral tradition – story telling Writing letters homeJournal WritingPhoto journal

42 Critical thinking(construct thesis) What happened to Hochelaga Why the city was built and developed the way it did How did the French affect First peoples and first peoples affect the French. British conquest – were there any “good guys – bad guys?” (look at various perspectives) Develop possibilities for the future of this and other cities. Art (MI)Corn husk doll Dream weavers Beading Bead work turtle, bear and wolf animals beaded Use plaster to build 3-D topographical map Painting with water colour Model canoe Posters for a place we have visited Make own Flag of Canada Music (MI)First Nation songs (Shelly McCumber) Courier du bois song (French) Log rafter SongsExpo 67 theme Trips (MI) Mount Royal Park Redpath Museum Lachine Rapids Kanawake Old Montreal Fort Chambly Maison St Gabriel Fur trade muséum (Lachine) Fort Stewart McCord Museum Railway Museum Lachine Canal (boat) Miron Quarry Film clips Pocahontas Vs. New World 500 Nations vs. Last of the Mohicans Nouvelle France Vs. Canada: a Peoples’ History Last Spike vs. Riel Games (MI) Peach Pit game Corn Husking race Des Boulles Chess May pole Hop scotch Computer simulation (Age of Empires III) Sports (MI)LacrossSoccerCricketHockey (cosmo)

43 Lesson - Where was Hochelaga?

44 First problem Present facts (here in 1534 – gone 1608) Children hypothesize Where was it (give description from log) Go to location (look for it) Draw attention to composting trees Discuss where the “ruins” could be RUBRIC

45 Activates : Critical thinking Formulate questions and consult various sources in order to answer the questions Come up with possible solutions Make connections between what they already know and new information Justify their opinions taking into account various perspectives

46 Resources Developed on Trip Collect wood and stone that can be used for tools (actually create at school) Collect samples of flora (identify when back at school) Curriculum of experience: discuss how tired they are from walk – relate back to explorers and discuss transportation (springboard to next section “Exploration”)

47 Problems to be solved Where was it (physically)? What happened to it? How can we tell (evidence)? Can we ever find it? Can we ever really know if we don’t? How do we get there? How did Cartier get there What happens to cities if no one lives there?

48 More questions to stimulate thought What about other places? Has this ever happened before? Why? Could it happen to us(need for ecological action)

49 Thank for listening… this is only our beginning!


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