Tag Archives: Partner Talk

Activity involves partner talk

Species distribution in aquatic environments

Teacher Note: Depending on the length of class time available, this lesson may take 2-3 sessions to complete.

Learning Outcome
Students will describe factors that affect productivity and species distribution in aquatic environments.

Steps to the Lesson

  1. Discuss key vocabulary.
  2. Watch a video on how human activity and government policy has impacted a river system in British Columbia.
  3. Complete a Graphic Organizer while viewing the video.
  4. Conduct an investigation on how to save endangered rivers in British Columbia.
  5. Reflect on the process.

CONNECT

Goals:

  • Students will analyze how federal policies and human activity have affected aquatic systems in British Columbia.
  • Students will identify and analyze alternatives to issues affecting endangered rivers in British Columbia.

Task:
Students will conduct an investigation on endangered rivers in British Columbia and write proposals for alternative solutions on how to save the respective rivers.

Activate Prior Knowledge:
Students complete a mind map activity entitled ‘The Many Ways People Use Water’ found in the McGraw-Hill Ryerson textbook BC Science 8 (page 359). While completing the activity, students should focus specifically on what human activities impact river and lake systems.

Predict and Question:
In Canada, there is a plentiful supply of water and we rarely pay attention to how much water we use in our daily lives or how our actions impact local aquatic areas like rivers and lakes.

What are the students wondering about how human activity has impacted their local rivers, lakes and oceans?

PROCESS

Video Guidelines:

Before viewing the video, students need to understand the meaning of the following terms.

Key vocabulary to discuss: anadromous, confluence, extinction, fathom, mitigate, resident (Definitions)

Students watch the following video and track their thinking using the Graphic Organizer. Students should try to identify some key effects and implications of federal policy on the Sinixt Nation.

Reminder: It is important to stop throughout the story and give students (A/B partners) opportunity to talk or respond to the story.

Videos

Screen Shot 2015-05-04 at 1.46.11 PM

Video Length (4 mins)

 

Having viewed the video above, students need to share their ideas from the video Graphic Organizer (A/B partner recommended). Teachers ask student pairs to share their main ideas and generate a list of ideas and evidence on the board or overhead. Teachers lead class discussion on the significance of the ideas generated (and those not generated) and how federal policies have impacted the environment and Aboriginal people on the Columbia River system.

TRANSFORM

Now that students have learned how federal policies and human activity have impacted a regional river system (Columbia River), students will now conduct an investigation on how to save other endangered rivers in British Columbia. Working in A-B partners or groups of four, students conduct an investigation activity found in the McGraw-Hill Ryerson textbook BC Science 8 (pages 444-445). Using the chart provided on page 445 in the textbook, students will choose a local river (or river of their choice) to research and write a proposal to save an endangered river. Student groups report out their proposals to the class in the form of an oral presentation, using either poster boards, written reports, or Powerpoint presentations.

REFLECT

Upon completion of the investigation activity, students complete a Reflection Sheet to reflect on what they liked/disliked about the investigation process and how their thinking towards how Canadian Federal Government policy impacts the environment and Aboriginal people has changed.

Extend learning or next lesson

One of the key ideas from the video is the impact that Canadian federal government policies have had on an Aboriginal population in British Columbia (Sinixt nation). There are many other examples of how government policies have affected the environment and populations in Canada. Some of these include:

  • Governments adopting (or not adopting) Kyoto Protocol emission targets.
  • The Canadian federal government imposing a moratorium on seabed oil and gas exploration off the coast of British Columbia.
  • The Canadian federal government policies regarding pollution standards in the Alberta northern Oil Tar Sands.
  • The Kashechewan Reserve water crisis in Northern Ontario.

Students can complete a research report on these and other issues affecting the environment and Aboriginal populations in Canada.

The Impact of Highways and Vehicle Traffic

Teacher Note: Depending on the length of class time available, this lesson may take 2-3 sessions to complete.

Learning Outcome

Students evaluate the human impacts on local ecosystems.

CONNECT

Goal: Students will discuss and evaluate the effects that highway construction and vehicle traffic have on local animal populations.

Activate Prior Knowledge: With a partner, students complete a T-chart comparing the pros and cons of highway construction. Conduct a class discussion on how the construction of highways affects local animal population and migration patterns.

Key vocabulary to discuss: air pollution, noise pollution, displacement, traffic, traverse, confused, vibrations, strewn, society.(Definitions)

Predict and Question: Ask the students what questions they may still have regarding the construction of highways and the impact on local ecosystems. Predict the most significant effect of local highway construction.

Task: Students will demonstrate their understanding of the impact of highway construction on local ecosystems through independent projects.

PROCESS

Reminder: It is important to stop throughout the video and give students (A/B partners) the opportunity to talk or respond to the video. Students can track ideas on the T-chart during the video.

Video

Screen Shot 2015-04-30 at 1.18.10 PM


(Video Length: 2 mins)

A/B Partners – Students complete their T-chart sheets and share their ideas with both their partners and class.

TRANSFORM

Students then complete one of the following options to demonstrate their understanding and extend their thinking of how highways and traffic affect local animal populations.

  • Write a letter to the regional government authority detailing the effect of highway construction on local wildlife.
  • Create a poster which takes a position either for or against a proposed new highway being built near the community.
  • Create a television/radio commercial promoting a side for or against a proposed new highway being built near the community.
  • Write a play/dramatization of how a new highway will affect local animal populations from the animals point of view. (ie. Writing in role of a deer/bear etc…)
  • Write a newspaper article which covers the construction of a new highway being built in the community.

(Consider allowing 2-3 classes to complete these activities.)

REFLECT

On the back of their T-chart sheets, students write two new ideas they learned in the discussion around the human impact of highway construction on local animal populations.

Extend learning or next lesson

Students contact their local governmental authority and access an aerial map of their community to select the best location for a new highway corridor.

Organisms as Part of Interconnected Food Webs

Teacher Note: Depending on the length of class time available, this lesson may take 2-3 sessions to complete.

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

  • analyse the roles of organisms as part of interconnected food webs, populations, communities, and ecosystems.

CONNECT

Goals:

  • The students will gain an awareness of environmental stewardship from a West Coast Aboriginal perspective.
  • The students will understand the concepts of ecological pyramids and interconnected food chains.

Task:

Students will select one animal from a local ecosystem and create a presentation that represents their understanding of food chains and food webs.

Process:

  1. Discuss key vocabulary.
  2. Discuss the difference between a food chain and food web and complete a food chain exercise of a local ecosystem.
  3. Play a game that highlights the process of how a food chain works.
  4. Complete a graphic organizer while viewing the video.
  5. Students complete a demonstration assignment of their understanding of food chains and food webs.

Activate Prior Knowledge:

Discuss the following vocabulary and brainstorm ideas of the respective definitions on the board.

Key vocabulary to discuss: Stewardship, indigenous, perspective, assets, potlatch, elders, traditional territory, hereditary chief, floodplain, fry, riparian, watershed, producer, consumer, primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary. (Definitions)

Predict: Discuss the difference between food chains and food webs and predict what would happen to a local ecosystem food chain if one element was removed.(A/B partner talk suggested)

Question: Teachers distribute a food chain diagram and students, in A/B partners, complete a food chain of local ecosystem. Reference Enchanted Learning for explanations of food chains.

Distribute the Krill Grill Record Sheet and play the game Dining at the Krill Grill. Students record results of the game on their record sheets. Discuss the questions at the end of the activity to reinforce understanding of food chains.

PROCESS

Video: Students watch the following video and use a What’s Important and Why sheet to highlight five keys points that focus on land stewardship.

Reminder: It is important to stop throughout the video and give students (A/B partners) opportunity to talk or respond to the video.

Videos

Screen Shot 2015-04-28 at 3.11.07 PM

(Video Length: 6 mins)

TRANSFORM

Students will select one animal from a local ecosystem and create a presentation that represents their understanding of food chains and food webs. For example, a poster could be created with a food chain on one side and a food web on the other. Other possibilities include a Powerpoint presentation, drama presentation, modifying the Krill Grill game to one’s local ecosystem.

REFLECT

Students discuss what stewardship initiatives are in place in their local region/province/country and write, on the back of their video sheet, three ideas of how they can assist these initiatives.

Extend learning or next lesson

  • The National Geographic web site describes a ‘real world’ example of food chain disruption that may be occurring with Antarctic krill. Study more about the Krill at National Geographic and write a research report on the factors affecting global krill populations.
  • Create playing cards of animals in a local ecosystem (ie. bear, cougar, mouse, birds) and have students play a version of the ‘war’ card game to reinforce the levels of a food chain.

How first Nations have preserved identity and culture

The preservation of Cowichan First Nations culture

since first contact

Learning Outcome

Students describe how societies preserve identity, transmit culture, and adapt to change.

CONNECT

Goal: Students will be able to identify the elements of Cowichan First Nations culture that have been preserved since first contact.

Task: Students write to explain the challenges faced by First Nations peoples attempting to preserve their culture.

Activate Prior Knowledge: Give pairs of students the following words to discuss: fluent, contact, territory, obligation, prohibited, ancestors. Have students generate their ideas and share with the class. (A/B partners)

Predict and Question: Have students make predictions about the video based on the words and information shared. Give them the title and ask how it has changed their thinking. Questions: What are you wondering? What questions do you have?

PROCESS

Reminder: It is important to stop throughout the video and give students (A/B partners) opportunity to talk or respond to the information. Students can track ideas on the T-Chart during the video.

Videos

Screen Shot 2015-02-17 at 3.21.11 PM

Click above to view video

(Video Length: 6 mins)

A/B PartnersShare elements that have been preserved and have a class sharing of ideas. Model T-Chart on the board/overhead. All ideas should be listed on the left hand side. Discuss with the students how important the described elements are to the Cowichan First Nations people and what other elements have been preserved (i.e textiles, food preservation, etc.).

Students record or extend their list of ideas on the T-Chart. Students then, individually or with a partner, brainstorm how those elements were preserved. It is more important for students to have the conversation around possible reasons than to focus on “the right” answer.

TRANSFORM

Students write to explain the challenges faced by First Nations peoples attempting to preserve their culture. The length of this writing piece can be determined the teacher (ie. essay, paragraph) but the intention is for individual accountability.

REFLECT

Review which elements of the Cowichan First Nations culture have been preserved since first contact.

Reflection: On the back of your T-Chart, write two things you now know about First Nations culture that you didn’t know before. Write one question that you still have about the topic.

Extend learning or next lesson

Research other Aboriginal cultures in Canada (i.e. Cree, Mohawk, Inuit) and investigate what elements of their culture have survived since first contact.

Free Verse Poetry Writing

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

  • interact and collaborate in pairs, small groups, and large groups to comprehend and respond to a variety of texts.
  • speak and listen to make personal responses to texts, by describing reactions and emotions.
  • read, both collaboratively and independently, to comprehend a variety of literary texts, including poetry in a variety of narrative and lyric forms.
  • read, both collaboratively and independently, to comprehend a variety of literary texts, including student generated material.
  • explain and support personal responses to texts read and viewed, by describing reactions and emotions.
  • write effective imaginative texts to explore ideas, information, and understandings to make connections and develop insights.

Steps to the Unit

  1. Read and research various free verse poems.
  2. Compare and contrast three free verse poems to three different genre poems.
  3. Brainstorm evaluation criteria for student written free verse poems.
  4. Create individual free verse poems for presentation in class.
  5. Reflect on the process.

CONNECT

Goals:

Students will:

  • develop an understanding of free verse style poetry.
  • read a variety of Aboriginal poems in the free verse style.
  • create their own free verse poem to present to the class.

Tasks:

Students will create their own free verse poem describing themselves and how they relate to their family, school, community, and world around them.

Activate Prior Knowledge:

Poetry as an art form may predate literacy itself. Many ancient works in prehistoric and ancient societies appear to have been composed in poetic form to aid memorization and oral transmission. Poetry often uses particular forms and conventions to expand the literal meaning of the words, or to evoke emotional or sensual responses.(wikipedia.org)

There are many forms and genres of poetry that students may have read (ie.sonnet, haiku, acrostic, cinquain) and each has their own unique structure of language. For the context of this lesson, students will read poems which follow a free verse or lyric free verse form.

Free Verse can be defined as:

A term describing various styles of poetry that are written without using strict meter or rhyme, but that still are recognizable as poetry by virtue of complex patterns that readers will perceive to be part of a coherent whole.(wikipedia.org)

Predict and Question:

Teachers ask the students if they have any questions regarding the structure of free verse poetry. What are they wondering about?

PROCESS

Before students start their writing process to create their own free verse poem, students should read a number of poetry selections to build their awareness of the free verse form. There are a number of different poetry collections available in school libraries and on the internet for students to read.

Some library collections include:

  • Till all the stars have fallen – David Booth
  • Many Voices – David Day
  • Poetry Alive – Dom Saliani

Teachers should select three free verse poems from their chosen resources and pair them up with three poems of different genres. For example, teachers could choose poems using the haiku, sonnet, and a traditional a-a-b-b form. As mentioned above, there are many poetry collections available in libraries and on the internet for teachers to choose from. Examples of haiku, sonnet, and traditional rhyming poems are included below:

Once the poetry pairs have been created, teachers distribute the poems (or display them on a screen using a projector/overhead) and have the students, in A-B partner groups, compare and contrast the poems using a “This is a Free Verse poem/This is Not” approach. In other words, students look at the free verse poem and identify what makes a free verse poem unique. Students should pay attention to elements like:

  • number of words per line.
  • number of syllables per line.
  • rhyming patterns.
  • number of lines in the poem/stanza.
  • theme/mood of the poem.

Then, while looking at the second poem in the pair, students try to identify why the second poem is NOT a free verse poem; using the same criteria as listed above. Students use Venn Diagram to record their observations.

——————————————–

Once the poem pairs have been compared and contrasted by the students, teachers select three new free verse poems, three new non-free verse poems, and distribute all six poems to each student A-B partner group. Then, the students look at all six poems and attempt to identify which poems are free verse and which poems are not. Student partner groups report out their reasons to the class.

As above, sources of poetry include the resources listed above or other anthologies in the school library. Online sources include:

TRANSFORM

Now that the students have a better understanding of the free verse form of poetry, students will create their own free verse poems. Teachers will need to brainstorm with the students the evaluation criteria expected for the finished product (ie. poem length, writing conventions, poetic mood). Students can write their poems using a variety of themes. For example, students can create poems that reflect a personal experience, their favourite hobby, social issues, or global issues like global warming. Teachers can brainstorm different topics for students to connect with on the board.

If some students are still struggling with arriving at a poem theme or topic, students can use an ‘I am’ format similar to the following poems

Teachers should point out some important elements in these poems:

  • The opening line is repeated at the end of each stanza.
  • There is six lines per stanza.
  • The poems reflect not only the students’ thoughts, hopes, and dreams, but the world around them.

Once students have completed their poems, students should present their poems to the class, a small group, or privately to the teacher.

REFLECT

Students reflect on their poems and, using either a writing journal or blank sheet of paper, write on what they have learned about the free verse form of poetry. How has their thinking changed?

Extend Learning or Next Lesson

Students build on their poetry writing skills and research/write other poetic forms such as haiku, cinquain, acrostic, etc.

Lesson 1 Human Impact on Local Ecosystems

The Disappearance of Fraser River Salmon

Learning Outcome

Students evaluate the human impacts on local ecosystems.

Steps to the Lesson

  1. Preview a list of phrases from a video presentation.
  2. Watch a video on Salmon Disappearance in the Fraser River.
  3. Complete a Thinking Yes/Thinking No activity on an issue concerning the Fraser River.
  4. Complete a Hotseat debate activity.
  5. Reflect on new understanding.

CONNECT

Goal:

Students will:

  • gain an understanding of how people impact local salmon ecosystems.
  • develop an awareness of the complexity of the issue surrounding salmon disappearance.
  • understand different perspectives by taking on the role of various stakeholders in the salmon fishery.

Task:

Students will demonstrate their understanding of the human impact on local salmon ecosystems through an informal debate.

Activate Prior Knowledge:

Distribute sheet containing a list of phrases which come directly from a video presentation discussing the disappearance of the Fraser River salmon. In partners or small groups, students answer and complete the Before section of the phrase sheet in anticipation of the video presentation.

Predict and Question:

Ask the students what questions they may still have regarding how human populations impact local salmon ecosystems. What are they wondering about?

PROCESS

Video

Reminder: It is important to stop throughout the video and give students (A/B partners) opportunity to talk or respond to the video.

Video

The Disappearance of Fraser River Salmon

(Video Length: 6 mins)

Distribute the following articles on the Fraser River. The first article gives factual information about the Fraser River and the second article focuses on the human impact imposed on the Fraser River.

Fraser Facts

Threats Facing the Fraser River

While reading the articles, students need to identify what they feel are five important facts from each article. (Note: This can be done by hilighting text on the printed article or writing on the back of the article pages)

After reading the articles, encourage student discussion about the issues facing the Fraser River. Complete a Thinking Yes/Thinking No sheet using A/B partners and consider the question:

“The Damming of Fraser River tributaries is essential to meet the hydroelectric needs of the BC Lower Mainland.”

Students should consider the ‘Thinking Yes’ side to include the hydroelectric dam companies and their employees. The ‘Thinking No’ side could include local fishermen and environmentalists.

TRANSFORM

Using a ‘Hotseat’ activity, students take on the role of various stakeholders that would be affected by pollution, global warming, disappearing tributaries and the erosion of the Fraser River.

In groups of three or six (three groups of partners), each student (or student pair) takes the role of either the salmon, a construction developer, or an environmentalist. On their ‘Hot Seat’ sheet, students record reasons why they would be concerned about the issues affecting the Fraser River. Once the students have prepared their positions on the issue, the students take turns presenting their side of the issue, allowing for a brief rebuttal from the other two groups. The activity is concluded once each student/student pair has had a chance to present their position in their role.

REFLECT

Using a Reflection Wheel, students summarize in written form and/or illustration, one of the following:

  • four ways that they will be more aware of their environment.
  • four things they learned from the lesson.
  • four ways that they can contribute to deal with the issues discussed in the lesson.

Lesson 2 Pythagorean Theorem

Math

The Geometry of a Ktunaxa Fish Trap

Teacher Note: The Pythagorean Theorem will be discussed in this lesson and should not be used as an introduction to a unit on Pythagorean Theorem. Students will need a basic understanding of right triangles and the Pythagorean Theorem.

Learning Outcomes

The students will:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the Pythagorean relationship by calculating the measure of the third side of a right triangle, given the two other sides.

CONNECT

Goals:

The students will:

  • Translate a 3-D shape into a 2-D shape drawing amenable to geometric calculations.
  • Recognize and then calculate the height of a right triangle given the hypotenuse and the other two sides.

Task:

Students generate word problems using pictures, words, and symbols relating to a video example.

Activate Prior Knowledge:

    1. View drawings of Pacific Northwest Basket Traps.
    2. Watch the following video on the Ktunaxa Fish Trap.

      Reminder: It is important to stop throughout the story and give students (A/B partners) opportunity to talk or respond to the story.

  1. Point out to students that the length of the sticks used in the fishtrap, including the sticks used to create the opening, were about the same. So, if overlap is included for the stick used to form the overlap, the length of each stick would be about 1 metre.
  2. Review the following information Pythagorean geometry:
    • A right triangle has a 90 degree angle called a right angle.
    • The side opposite the right angle is called the hypotenuse.
    • The sides of a right triangle are often labelled a, b, and c, with c being the hypotenuse.
    • The Pythagorean relationship of the sides in a right triangle states that a2 + b2 = c2

PROCESS

Predict and Question:

Given the previous information, ask the students what is the approximate height of a fishtrap. Students discuss with A/B partners the different height possibilities.

Procedure:

Algebra can be used to rearrange the following relationship, for the times that the length of the hypotenuse is known and the length of one of the other sides is known.

Information given for dimensions of a fishtrap:

  • Radius = 15cm. This is one side of the triangle (a)
  • Hypotenuse = 100cm. This side is (c)

Have the students draw and label a triangle to match the problem.

right triangle

Using ‘h’ as the unknown, have students write a formula to match the problem.

h2 = 1002 – 152

Given the above formula, have the students solve the equation and then write a sentence to answer the problem. (Round to the nearest tenth of a centimeter)

quadratic3

TRANSFORM

Students generate word problems using pictures, words, and symbols relating to the video example. For example, a variety of word problems can be created by using the same formula as above and changing the data.

A/B Partners – Student partner groups trade their word problems with other partner groups and solve problems.

REFLECT

When can you use the formula a2 + b2 = c2 to solve a problem in real application? Use examples in your explanation.

Extend learning or next lesson

Students can find examples of right triangles and right triangle shaped objects in the local community to present to the class. The presentation can take many forms such as collages/videos/ photographs/drawings, etc. Students use the visual connection in order to apply the formula a2 + b2 = c2.

Lesson 1 Assessing Human Needs for Survival

Science

Assessing Human Needs for Survival

Learning Outcome

Students assess survival needs and interactions between organisms and the environment.

Steps to the Lesson

  1. Brainstorm and compare survival skills and knowledge from both a historical and modern perspective.
  2. Watch a video of a Sinixt creation survival story.
  3. Create a written piece identifying and ranking survival skills needed in the aftermath of a disaster.
  4. Reflect on the process.

CONNECT

Goal:

Students will be able to identify the important skills and knowledge that human beings require to survive.

Task:

Students will list skills and knowledge that are important to preserve as a group of people struggling to survive.

Activate Prior Knowledge:

Teachers give students an opportunity to discuss the kinds of skills and knowledge that would be important today if a group was faced with challenges to survive (ie. medical knowledge, hunting skills etc.).

In groups of four (two A/B partners groups), students generate what they feel are important survival skills and knowledge and report out to the class. One A/B partner group will brainstorm historical survival skills/knowledge (ie. before first contact with Europeans) and the second A/B partner group will brainstorm survival skills/knowledge needed in the 21st century. Students track their thinking on a Survival Skills/Knowledge T-Chart. Teachers create a class T-chart on the board and compare student responses on survival skills/knowledge from both the historical and modern perspectives. Students then complete the other column of their T-Chart.

Note: This is a comparison and analysis practice that is not about right/wrong answers, but more focused on the discussion an important element to the lesson.

Predict and Question: Have students review the survival skills/knowledge ideas generated in the previous exercise. What skills/knowledge are the same when comparing the historical and modern contexts? What are different? What questions do the students have about survival? What are the students wondering about?

PROCESS

Video

Inform students they will be watching a video on a Sinixt land survival story which was based on a severe drought. Ideas about skill sets and knowledge are only one aspect of this story.

Reminder: It is important to stop throughout the video and give students (A/B partners) the opportunity to discuss ideas they may have about how people adapt to change and what skills might change in the process of adapting. Students track the survival skills/knowledge used by the Sinixt people on the back of their Survival Skills/Knowledge T-Chart.

Reviewing the Sinixt creation story, in A/B partners, students discuss what historical survival skills/knowledge may exist in modern society. How have some of these skills adapted and changed over time?

TRANSFORM

Students consider the following scenario:

They are survivors of a plane crash, in a very remote, mountainous region on the west coast of British Columbia. The area is covered in a thick layer of trees and brush; making the crash site difficult to locate. It will be at least 4-5 days before rescue teams can reach the crash site as foul weather is making it difficult to conduct search and rescue by air. A number of passengers have survived but all of their belongings were burned in the plane wreckage.

Students now create a written piece describing what essential skills/knowledge they, and other crash survivors, will need to survive the in the wilderness before search and rescue teams arrive. They will need to identify and rank the various skills needed; including reasons which justify their choices.

The length of this writing piece can be determined the teacher (ie. essay, paragraph) but the intention is for students to demonstrate their understanding and individual thought.

REFLECT

On the back of their Survival T-Chart, students reflect on how their thinking has changed regarding survival skills and knowledge. What skills would they consider to be the more important?

Extend learning or next lesson

Students could conduct internet searches to discover where similar survival situations have taken place since 2000 (ie. Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina) and what skills/knowledge were crucial during those times of crisis.