Scope and Sequence of this Unit
This unit will span four months in the second semester of the school year; during this time there are several scheduled interruptions in the calendar for school breaks and state testing. Students work in groups for much of this unit while simultaneously working on individual shorter projects. Our schedule will most likely focus work on this project 2-4 days a week with set days for research, discussion, and studio work time.
Three phases will guide students' learning through out the four-month exploration; understanding the environmental health issues facing urban environments, investigating the environmental health issues facing our community in Emeryville and design of the ECCL, and applying new knowledge around environmental health issues to redesign a space within the ECCL. The first phase, lasting about two weeks will introduce students to the environmental issues facing urban environments and ask students to identify and analyze these risks. The second phase of this unit will run approximately four weeks and require students to investigate an urban environmental health issue within the design of the ECCL with a partner. The third and final phase of the unit students will apply all that they have learned about urban environmental health issues to a design challenge working within small groups.
Through out each phase of this unit, students will engage in small group and whole class discussions using Project Zero Thinking Routines to focus on deepening understanding and exchanging ideas around the issues of environmental health and the ECCL project. Students will use graphic organizers (visual representations of knowledge, concepts, and ideas) to organize their data. They will analyze and communicate their findings with others through the use of a learning wall (visual representation of collective class learning that displays information progressively). A class set of iPads and a SMART Board will aid in research, planning, mapping activities, presentations, and documentation.
Every community faces a series of questions it must consider when entering a redesign process. Given Emeryville's urban environment, it is important that my students explore, research, and understand the environmental health issues that are unique to urban environments and make meaningful connections to their own neighborhood. There are numerous concerns facing urban environments that my students could explore, however I have identified four that I feel will engage and be relevant to my students and their experiences. These include: Obesity and Absence of Physical Activity, Safety and Personal Security, Air pollution and Respiratory Health, and Absence of Green/Recreational Space. I am anticipating that some issues such as safety and personal security will be easy for my students to identify at first, however I want them to look beyond what they know and explore why each problem exists within the context of our community. In order to guide students it will necessary to understand each environmental health topic, identifying Guiding Questions, instructional strategies, and ongoing assessment methods. To help students develop consistent research strategies, each of the four urban environmental health topics will be introduced through a series of similar learning activities.
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