Guess What We Are Doing In TAG?!
1st-2nd Grades – “Pilgrims’ Challenge” – We are learning about the difficulties Pilgrims encountered when arriving to the new land (America). Students learn that at the onset the Mayflower was not the only ship that set out to the new land. There was also a smaller boat called the Speedwell that did not quite make it because of leak and the fear that the boat would sink was left behind and a total of 102 passengers piled into the Mayflower (crowded). The Pilgrims succumbed to sea sickness, scurvy, storms, death, hunger, wet clothes, and unsanitary conditions. Students engaged in mystery lessons to determine what did the pilgrims bring to the new world—lemons, oranges, and apple cider vinegar! Students compared and contrasted the size of the 90 foot long Mayflower with the Symphony of the Seas Royal Caribbean ship. Huge difference! Students learned the differences in not only the size but the amenities and the alarming fact that the Mayflower was not really a passenger ship, but a ship that was to carry supplies and cargo and not meant for human travel. Students continually examine the first Thanksgiving and seeing differences between the first Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving today. Did you know there were no mashed potatoes, turkey, cranberry sauce, or pumpkin pie like today and instead there was lobster, eel pies, wild plums, deer (venison), and roasted duck! Students will work throughout unit on choice boards based on their learning styles and interest where students get to choose activities that allow them to select what would interest then and have the option of working collaboratively with a partner or choose to do individually to complete a task. 3rd Grade – “Endangered (“Where Is The Dodo Bird”?) – This unit jumpstarts with what is the Dodo bird? The students learn and understand what really happened to the Dodo bird and what contributed to its extinction. Students are and will be engaging inductive inquiry lessons, compare and contrast lessons, decision making lessons, and creative problem solving activities, metaphorical expression lessons, and mystery lessons. Through these activities students will address: * terms that are important to know in relation to endangered animals * causes of animals becoming endangered and extinct * the impact extinction has on our world and what we can do about it * the biggest threat to particular animals Throughout this unit the students will engage in Think-Tac-Toe activities where students can choose activities based on their interest and learning style. 4th Grade – “Flight”- This unit allows students to be engaged in various strategies for them to think critically and at a higher level. Students will engage in visible thinking activities – (color, symbol, and image), carousel brainstorming, compare and contrast, 6 thinking hats (problem solving), creative problem solving, SCAMPER, and mystery lessons. This unit will address various essential questions while engaging in these strategies: * How has flight impacted our world? * How do birds fly? * How do the four forces affect flight? * How did the Wright brothers change life in America during the turn of the century? * What risks did the pioneers of flight take in order to create progress? * How does a plane’s design affect its purpose and ability to fly? * What actually happened to Amelia Earhart? * How do Newton’s Three Laws of Physics affect flight? How can you design a successful rocket? 5th Grade – “Epidemic”- This unit starts with understanding the words epidemic, bacteria, and viruses and what they mean. Students will understand how bacteria and viruses are treated and how they can actually travel across the world. Understanding how they travel is important as students examine how to prevent spreading of illnesses. Students will engage in mystery lessons, advanced research, communication skills (presentations), decision making, and creative problem solving. As students engage in these activities students actually follow the Escherichia Coli (E Coli) break out that occurred at a county fair. They are to switch between the roles of health inspectors, nursing staff, and government agencies to find out the source of the outbreak, how to prevent future outbreaks, while they are continuously investigating, interviewing, and examining contagious disease reports (CDRs). Students will continue examining this breakout along with other diseases that could potentially affect us all---not just physically, but emotionally, financially, and mentally. What really happens when things occur in epidemic proportions?! What about a pandemic?!
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Ms. ManningT.A.G. Teacher Archives
September 2018
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