The Students
My students for this unit will be fourth or fifth graders. My classroom is comprised of 20 to 26 students, about half of them male and half female. We are a very diverse classroom made up of students from different ethnic backgrounds such as, Hispanic, African American, and Caucasian. My students vary in levels, from proficient to intervention.
In New Haven, Connecticut the school population is comprised mainly of African American and Hispanic students. The population is as follows: African American students represent about 55%, Hispanic students about 30%, Caucasian students about 11%, and 4% other. The particular school that I teach at is a low socioeconomic school in which most, if not all, students receive free breakfast and lunch. It is also among the low performing schools, as measured by the state CMT (Connecticut Mastery Tests).
Throughout the year, we study science through literacy and language arts activities. We also focus on the science curriculum. The New Haven science department issues science kits for each grade level. In the fourth grade, students completed a science unit on motion and force. Students also studied the Earth and its atmospheres and oceans. Therefore, this unit will serve as a supplement for the Earth unit.
Students really enjoy science units. The science kits are very thorough and full of hands-on activities. The most difficult part for the students seems to be the vocabulary because most of my students are LTSS students (they receive Language Transition Support Services). Therefore, vocabulary is a key factor in this unit.
My goals for this unit are to teach children to reason and think on their own. Children will use the scientific method, make connections, and think critically. My unit will touch upon many concepts but most importantly it will focus on "the basics." For example, students will learn about the Sun and Earth. The Sun is vital for life on Earth, without its light and warmth life as we know it would not exist. Students will also learn about greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect. Students will do hands-on experiments. Most importantly, students will learn about the consequences of global warming and what we can do to help.
The purpose of this unit is to teach students about the most important environmental problem of the 21 st century, global warming. The unit will focus on many key concepts. It is important that students learn about this topic, global warming, because it relates to life. As teachers, it is our duty to make students aware of such pressing issues like global warming. My students will be given the facts. My hope is that students will not only understand what global warming is, but also want to help. I hope I motivate my students to make immediate changes in their homes and community, simply starting by educating and encouraging their family.
Through my experience, readings, and knowledge from this seminar, The Science of Global Warming, I will create a unit that will provide elementary school teachers with activities about the Sun, Earth, and global warming. These activities will match district wide goals and will fit in perfectly with the science curriculum. After learning about these topics, I hope students will be excited and curious about all aspects of science. Most importantly, I hope students will understand the consequences of global warming and be ready to help and make a difference in the world.
For many of the facts about the Sun and Earth, I relied on my reading of Universe by William Kaufmann and Roger Freedman. For the facts about global warming, I have used many reliable websites and the book titled, An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore. All of my sources opened my eyes to new ideas.
There are many ideas that should be discussed in this unit. The topics that I suggest are as follows:
The Sun
The Earth
Greenhouse Gases/Greenhouse Effect
Global Warming
Consequences
Ways to Help
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