Timeline |
Big Ideas |
Lesson Overview | Eliciting and Engaging the Student | Developing the Ideas | Checking for Understanding |
Timeline: ~1 day
Discipline: Any |
BIG IDEA 1: What is a case study and how should we approach it?
Essential Questions:
|
In these three lessons students are introduced to the case study approach. Lesson 1-1 asks students to discuss how they prefer to learn. Lesson 1-2 is a description of the what the students should expect. Lesson 1-3 is a discussion the challenges, strategies, and benefits of working in teams. |
Lesson 1-1: Introduction to Learning Styles
Lesson 1-2: Expectations for the Case Study
|
Ask the Questions: 1. What concerns do you have about the upcoming case study? What are you excited about? 2. Have you worked in teams before? What was it like? |
|
Timeline: ~1 day
Discipline: Social Studies
|
(Inception) BIG IDEA 2: Choosing paper or plastic has societal, environmental, and economic repercussions. Essential Questions:
|
In these lessons, students are introduced to the topic of the case study and become invested in it. Students are polled on environmental sustainability and watch an inception video on a plastic bag ban, and discuss the impact of this ban. |
Lesson 2-1: Polling the students
|
Ask the questions:
1. Who does the plastic ban impact?
2. Which statements in the video were true?
3. Which statements in the video were untrue?
|
|
Timeline: ~3 days
Discipline: Science, Environmental Studies, Social Studies |
(Engagement) BIG IDEA 3: Defining environmental sustainability and recognizing its scope. Essential Questions:
|
Through these lessons students become engaged in the topic of environmental sustainability.
Students will research and debate over the question of paper vs. plastic, will participate in a sticky-note activity to determine the 3 pillars of sustainability, and will create a class list of environmental sustainability issues. Each team will pick an issue. |
Lesson 3-1: Engagement Question
Lesson 3-2: Sticky-note Activity
|
Ask the question:
|
|
Timeline: ~1 week
Discipline: Science |
(Research) BIG IDEA 4: Scientific inquiry skills can be used to address issues in environmental sustainability. Essential Questions:
|
In these lessons, students collect background information on their topic, write a research question, and collect data and information to answer their research question |
|
Lesson 4-2: Writing a Research Question
|
Discuss with each team whether they have gathered enough information to answer their research question. Do they have the evidence to support their position? Are they missing a piece of information? |
Timeline: ~1-2 days
Discipline: Science, Social Studies |
(Create) BIG IDEA 5: Scientific communication can be used to issues in environmental sustainability. Essential Questions:
|
In these lessons, students will draw a conclusion based on their research, communicate their conclusion to an audience outside the classroom, and present their team’s project to the class. |
Lesson 5-1: Drawing a conclusion |
Lesson 5-2: Communicating Your Findings
|
Ask the following questions: Compare and contrast yours and your classmates communication pieces. What do you think these communication pieces will accomplish? |
Timeline: ~1 day
Discipline: Any |
(Reflect) BIG IDEA 6: Reflection is a tool for improving your scientific inquiry skills and for identifying the next steps for addressing environmental sustainability. Essential Questions:
|
In this lesson students will reflect on their process recognize their strengths, their opportunities for growth, and what they have learned and accomplished. | Lesson 6-1: Reflect |