ND Curriculum Initiative

Subject & Standards

Understandings & Goals

Enduring Understanding:
I want my students to understand that there are 3 main types of rocks; metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous. I also want my students to know properties of rocks and how to classify rocks according to their properties.
<!—StartFragment—>Goal(s):
To name properties of rocks. To classify rocks according to their properties. To understand that there are 3 main types of rocks. To engage in the writing process. With help, to publish a rock report based on the properties of a rock using a word processing document.

Questions Answered

Essential questions:
How are these rocks alike?
How are these rocks different?
What are some of the properties of these rocks?
What type of rock is this?
What are the three main types of rocks?
<!—StartFragment—>Objectives:
The students will sort rocks according to thier properties. The Students will write about how they sorted different kinds of rocks. The students will with help write a report based on the properties of their selected rock. The students will with help use Kidpix to publish their rock reports. The students will describe rocks using the properties of the various rocks.

Assessment

What quiz and test items (e.g. simple content-focused questions that require a single, best answer) will provide evidence of understanding?
  I rarely give tests or quizes in first grade, especially not in science or social studies areas. Rather than quizzes I use more informal authentic forms of assessment. These informal assessements are done over the course of the entire unit. Such as, responding to a journal entry or putting a product into the students portfolio. As well as, using checklists as a way to assess my students understanding of a specific concept or skill while working on a project or activitiy.

What academic prompts (e.g. open-ended questions or problems that require students to think critically and then to prepare a response / product / performance) will provide evidence of understanding?
  Acadmeic promts will consist of students responding to daily teacher created questions in their journals, which are usually reflecting on the skill, concept, or activity during the science lesson.

What performance tasks and projects (e.g. complex challenges that are authentic, mirror the real world and require a performance or product) will you include that will provide evidence of student understanding?
  *Within a group sort the rocks by common properties as well as by opposite properties. *With a partner play a sorting circle game based on common proerties of 2 rocks. *Write a “Remarkable Rock Report” based on the properties of a certain rock. *Use a venn diagram to classify rocks. *Using a worksheet label the 3 main types of rocks.

What other evidence (e.g. observations, work samples, dialogues, student self-assessment) of understanding will you collect?
  I will use teacher observations as well as informal questioning during activities and lessons . I will collect work samples and journal writings will also be collected during the unit to be used as evidence of ongoing student learning.

Instructional Strategies

An inquiry-based teaching and learning strategy will enable my students to engage in active learning experiences by investigating open-ended questions. This teaching and learning style will also help to improve the students ability to compare and contrast properties of rocks. As well as, improve their abitlity to work with others in a cooperative group on hands-on learning experiences.