I. Curricular Framework

Concept:

Scale

Essential Question:

Why are whales a good subject for the study of scale?

Bridge:

Whale Songs

Content:

More on Whales

Outcomes:

II. Standards Aligned

III. Instruction and Assessment

1. Connect: Connecting to the Concept Experientially

Objective: To sensitize students to communicative behavior by observing and recording ways humans communicate.

Activity: Begin by asking these questions as you speak, "What am I doing right now?" "How am I communicating with you?" Watch me, what do you observe? "Are there other ways for me to communicate with you?" Have students take five minutes to talk with two or more of their classmates around their desks. They can talk about some favorite TV shows or books. Tell them to observe what their classmates do as they talk in order to communicate. What might they be saying with hands, body movements, or in order to communicate differently from another? Ask students to keep a simple journal for the next day. They should make careful observations about how they and their friends, family, or community members communicate with each other. Explain that students will have an opportunity to share their observations the next day.

Assessment: Participation in activity and discussion.

2. Attend: Attending to the Connection

Objective: Students will share some of their findings from their observations of human communication. Students will recognize that animals also create ways in which to communicate.

Activity: Ask for sharing of the journals which were kept. Ask the students if they saw any patterns in the way people communicated. Also ask them what people did to communicate different feelings such as anger, happiness, humor, etc. Lead the discussion from human communication to animal communication. Ask the students to share the way their pets communicate with them. Conclude with a discussion of whales and how they communicate.

Assessment: Student contribution to group discussion, quality of journal observations.

Assessment, Phase One, Level of Engagement, Fascination:

3. Image: Creating a Mental Picture

Objective: Students will recognize the "composition" and communicative qualities of humpback whales' songs.

Activity: Play for the class the recording of humpback whales' songs. Students are asked to sketch or create drawings with crayons while they listen to these songs. Their drawings should reflect what they think the whale is trying to communicate by singing their song.

Assessment: Students participation in the activity and quality of their crayon drawings or sketches.

Assessment, Phase Two, Seeing the Big Picture:

4. Inform: Receiving Facts & Knowledge

Objective: Students will discover more about whales through music, art, reading and writing.

Activity: Teacher prepares lecture using materials in the Bibliography under “Resources” to provide more exposure to the study of whales through the above mentioned disciplines.

Assessment: Student attention and recognition of previously taught characteristics and attributes.

Assessment, Phase Three, Success with Acquiring Knowledge:

5. Practice: Developing Skills

Objective: To reinforce students' understandings of concepts presented in the various content areas.

Activity: The Whale Game -see bibliography, worksheets, learning stations, Audubon computer packet, making of a piece of scrimshaw, and independent inquiry time.

Assessment: Student participation and interest.

Assessment, Phase Four, Success with Acquiring Skills:

6. Extend: Extending Learning to the Outside World

Objective: Students will plan the creation of a Whale Calendar.

Activity: Students will reflect upon their learning experiences in the various content areas and plan the creation of a whale calendar. This calendar should incorporate each segment of the interdisciplinary unit.

Assessment: On task behavior of students, quality of synthesized information into calendar pages.

7. Refine: Refining the Extension

Objective: To auction the Whale Calendar during the school open house. To celebrate each other's work.

Activity: The teacher will hold a class auction, selling the Whale Calendar Creations during Open House at school.

Assessment: Participation and enjoyment of learning. Final product completed.

8. Perform: Creative Manifestation of Material Learned

Objective: To have students share with their classmates their calendar creation so that peer editing can occur. To have students look critically at their own work and the work of their classmates. Finally, to create their finished product ñ the whale calendar.

Activity: Students will share their calendar with their classmates and ask for peer editing. The students will then reflect upon the suggestions made by their peers and work to create their finished calendar.

Assessment: Quality of student contribution to their classmates. Ability to critique work for substance and originality

Assessment, Phase Five,Performance, Creative Use of Material Learned: