ND Curriculum Initiative

Subject & Standards

Needs Assessment/Rational

In completing a needs assessment for this instructional unit, lack of understanding of individual perceptions of what is good and bad is not always aligned with the good and bad of society’s needs. Students lack the ability to see outside of their personal perspective on most given topics, lack of motivation, common interest and various academic levels are identified as major stumbling blocks. Many students come to our school with chemical dependency issues, separation anxiety, depression, FAS, FAE, grieving issues and more. Learning Disabilities and emotional disturbance result in 80% of our student’s education being driven by an Individual Education Plan. Many homes our students are coming from don’t provide a positive perspective on education. Only 15% of the population return from year to year; leaving 85% of the student population coming from other schools - not only in ND, but from around the United States. During the 1st few weeks of school, teacher made tests and oral reading assignments are given to students to confirm instructional levels indicated by the Star Reading Test and Scholastic Reading Inventory. After reviewing the data, the average level of students reading according to the Star and other test is approximately 4th grade level. To add to the demands of the classroom, statewide CTBS TerraNova assessment is now being given in the fall. Understanding individual perspectives and the need to provide for the collective good of society is an essential building block in the foundation of society’s betterment. Many lessons naturally build from this concept: reaching students from different family backgrounds and parts of the country as well as various academic levels. This project is flexible and centers itself in the diversity of our students. With students attending from 33 different tribes and 12 states many perspectives are brought into one classroom. To discuss the conflicts and society’s ability to work cooperatively together in a book gives a common focus to relate to one another without identifying personal conflicts. The project uses prior knowledge, vocabulary building strategies, skimming, brainstorming, discussing, paraphrasing, examining relationships, multiple word meaning, free writing, narrowing the topic, and persuasive writing. It also encourages students development of lifetime reading skills and habits through a high interest level book, activities, and use of technology (i.e. actiview board, internet and classroom set of mobile lap top computers). Student assessment is accomplished through self scored rubric, discussion, writing activities, and chapter quizzes. Students use the rubric to self assess their work before handing it in to me. Reflection of student understanding through Venn Diagrams and how their perspectives have changed from the beginning of this unit compared to the end of this unit.

Understandings & Goals

Enduring Understanding: I want my students to understand that what is good for an individual may not be good for the collective “good of society”. Learning
Goals: 1. Students will be able to identify similarities and differences between the society in which they live and the cultures described in the readings. 2. Students will be able to build opinions and defend them based on the reading. 3.  Students will be able to work with other students to develop a presentation.

Questions Answered

Essential questions: 1. How would you describe the world we live in today?  2. What do perceive to be the good and bad aspects of society?  3. What do you think is the root of evil in our society?  4. If you could get rid of anything in our society what would you get rid of?  5. Do you think that a utopian society/community can exist?
Learning Objectives: 1. Students will be able to compare and contrast our society to Jonas’s society including the freedom of choice, families, career choices, education, and other pertinent information. 2. Students will participate in group discussions 80% of the time. 3. Students will be able to encorporate their opinions of a Utopian Society in their community that they create.

Assessment

What quiz and test items (e.g. simple content-focused questions that require a single, best answer) will provide evidence of understanding? 1. Students will complete vocabulary lessons and the on-line chapter quizzes found on the following website: http://www.mce.k12tn.net/reading17/giver.htm 2. When students have finished reading and discussing the book, they will be expected to take the Scholastic Reading Counts Quiz Venn Diagram and recall worksheets.
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?  Probing questions at the beginning of each chapter or class section asking students to defend their opinions.
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? 1. Students will use the computer to create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the society in which the story takes place with their own society.  2. Students will work together to create a “perfect” community. 3. They will need to find a way to agree on the name of the society, the physical layout of the society and what laws and rules their society should have. 4. They will also need to research what types of governments they could have and then come to a mutual conclusion on which to choose and then decided what types of daily activities the people in their society will be doing.
What other evidence (e.g. observations, work samples, dialogues, student self-assessment) of understanding will you collect? Classroom discussion, student and teacher rated rubrics, group collaboration rubrics rated by students and teacher, student journals and presentations to assess understanding of the book.

Instructional Strategies

Students will use a combination of inquiry-based and problem-based learning to compare and contrast the society in “The Giver” and the society that they come from. Students will also use project-based learning by creating a venn diagram and their own “perfect” communities.