Kindled Minds

Unit Title: Design a School for 2050 A project for students in 9-10th grade by Amanda Youngblood

Amanda Youngblood 8/24/2009

Theme: Target Grades: Design and school improvement 9-10

Essential Questions: How does educational/school design affect learning? How can schools be improved so that they facilitate learning and function more effectively for students, faculty, and staff? What will schools look like in the future?

Formative Assessment (ongoing): checklist based on reading

essay rough draft

interview

area evaluation

teacher observation

Summative Assessment (cumulative): model of school

final presentation to panel of judges, peer review board o Essay (written component) o Visual component (PPT, 3-D Model, Posterboard, etc.) o Oral Presentation

FCAT Areas Addressed:

Words & Phrases in Context: vocabulary

Main Idea, Plot & Purpose: Reading texts

Answering questions based on text

Creating checklist based on reading and applying it to a situation

Essay

Comparisons & Cause/Effect: viewing sample schools

comparing/contrasting sample schools with current school

Reference & Research: synthesizing information from readings to create project

reading and analyzing data from charts and graphs

creating charts, checklists, and graphs

Writing: essay

ongoing short responses

Activities & Strategies: Bloom’s Taxonomy Addressed

Day 1: 1. Read about what a floorplan is. 2. Using the online tool, design a classroom that you’d

Knowledge: K Comprehension: C Application: Ap

like to learn in and explain why you’d like to learn. (K, Ap, MI-S, MI – L, MI - IA)

3. Brainstorm in groups: classroom essentials, school essentials – make lists. (K, MI – L, MI – LM, MI – IE)

Day 2: 1. Into unit 2. Groups design logo and assign roles. (MI – S) 3. Jigsaw reading: “8 Principles of Educational Design”

– share with groups, go over as a class. (C, MI – L, MI – IE, MI – K) or complete cloze worksheet.

Day 3: 1. Discuss with group what effect the environment has

on learning and write 2 to 3 paragraphs regarding the effect that environment has on learning. (C, MI – L)

2. Read “Educational Design’s Effect on Cognitive Learning” if time.

Day 4: 1. Present images of sample schools and sample

classrooms. Discuss similarities and differences. Identify the “uniqueness” of each image.

2. In groups look at sample schools. Identify and list elements they have that make them innovative. (An, MI – S, MI – K, MI – IE)

3. Sketch a rough concept of their proposed groups. (Ap, MI-S, MI-IE)

Day 5: 1. Read “10 Educational Trends” and list trends.

Discuss with groups and have groups brainstorm how to address these trends. Discuss with class. (C, MI – L, MI – IE)

2. Begin work on project. (Ap, S, MI – S, MI – LM, MI – K, MI – IE)

Day 6: 1. Read “Shared Visions” (C, MI – L) 2. In groups work on survey to use in interviews. (Ap,

MI – L, MI – LM, MI – IE) 3. Look at floor plans and practice designing a room.

(C, Ap, MI – S, MI – IA, MI – IE) Day 7:

1. Read “No More Bland Interiors”. Discuss how to make schools more colorful and interesting. (C, Ap, M I – L, MI – LM, MI – S, MI – IE)

2. Create checklist for school evaluations. (C, Ap, MI – LM, MI – IE, MI – K)

3. If time, work on essay. (S, MI – L) Day 8:

Analysis: An Synthesis: S Evaluation: E

Multiple Intelligences Addressed: Linguistic (words): MI-L Logical/Math: MI – LM Spatial (pictures): MI – S Kinesthetic (body): MI – K Musical: MI – M Interpersonal (people): MI – IE Intrapersonal (self): MI – IA Naturalist (nature): MI – N

1. Go to computer lab to work on typing essays or doing research.

2. OR do area evaluations – each group goes and uses checklist developed to evaluate a different space in their school: lunchroom, gym, media center, auditorium, hallways, bathrooms, etc. (C, Ap, MI – N, MI – IE, MI – IA, MI – K, MI – S)

Day 9: 1. Read “Master Classroom” 2. Analyze evaluations from area evaluations OR

complete area evaluations. (An, MI – L, MI – LM, MI – IE, MI – IA)

3. Work on project (S, MI – all) Day 10:

1. Read “Design for Learning” 2. Discuss multiple intelligences. (C, MI – L, MI – IA, MI

– IE) 3. Work on project. (S, MI – all)

Day 11: 1. Work day (S, MI – all) 2. Some students may go to the lab to type essays if

possible. 3. OR discuss advertising techniques, using examples.

(This is helpful for the presentation but may be addressed in an earlier unit.)

Day 12: 1. Models due for review. (S, E, MI – S, MI – K) 2. Essays due for peer review. (S, E, MI – L, MI – IA) 3. Work on presentations. (S, MI – all)

Day 13: 1. Go over or create rubric. (E, MI – L, MI – LM, MI –

IE, MI – IA) 2. Finalize presentations. 3. Present projects to class for peer review. (S, E, MI –

all) Day 14:

1. Present projects to panel judges. (S, E, MI – all) 2. Go over peer reviews of projects.

Day 15: 1. Continue presentations if necessary. 2. Debrief projects and groups.

ESOL Strategies: Use pictures to explain key trends and principles.

Peer tutor – partner with student to increase understanding

Present/integrate information about education in home country.

Read out loud to a peer or the teacher.

Resources:

Texts:

8 Principles of Educational Design

Educational Design’s Effect on Cognitive Learning (optional)

10 Educational Trends

Shared Visions

No More Bland Interiors

Master Classroom

Design for Learning

Floor plan information

Sample schools – pictures and textual information Technology:

computers

Microsoft Word or other word processor

Microsoft PowerPoint for presentations (or other presentation software)

Internet access (research) Misc:

architect to come and speak to the class (if you can find one)

graphing paper (for floor plans)

tri-boards or posterboard (for presentations)

markers, colored pencils, etc.

pencils and erasers

Sunshine State Standards: LAA141: select and use pre-reading strategies that are appropriate to the text, such as discussion, making predictions, brainstorming, generating questions, and previewing to anticipate content, purpose, and organization of a reading selection. LAA142: select and use strategies to understand words and text, and to make and confirm inferences from what is read, including interpreting diagrams, graphs, and statistical illustrations. LAA143: refine vocabulary for interpersonal, academic, and workplace situations, including figurative, idiomatic, and technical meanings. LAA144: apply a variety of response strategies, including rereading, note taking, summarizing, outlining, writing a formal report, and relating what is read to his or her own experiences and feelings. LAA241: determine the main idea and identify relevant details, methods of development, and their effectiveness in a variety of types of written material. LAA242: determine the author’s purpose and point of view and their effects on the text. LAA244: locate, gather, analyze, and evaluate written information for a variety of purposes, including research projects, real-world tasks, and self-improvement. LAA245: identify devices of persuasion and methods of appeal and their effectiveness. (only if addressing this in the unit) LAA246: select and use appropriate study and research skills and tools according to the type of information being gathered or organized, including almanacs, government publications, microfiche, news sources, and information services. LAA248: synthesize information from multiple sources to draw conclusions. LAB141: select and use appropriate prewriting strategies, such as brainstorming, graphic organizers, and outlining. LAB142: draft and revise writing that is focused, purposeful, and reflects insight into the writing situation; has an organizational pattern that provides for a logical progression of ideas; has effective use of transitional devices that contribute to a sense of completeness; has support that is substantial, specific, relevant, and concrete; demonstrates a commitment to and involvement with the subject; uses creative writing strategies as appropriate to the purpose of the paper; demonstrates a mature command of language with precision of expression; has varied sentence structure; and has few, if any, convention errors in mechanics, usage, punctuation, and spelling. LAB143: produce final documents that have been edited for correct spelling; correct punctuation, including

commas, colons, and common use of semicolons; correct capitalization; correct sentence formation; correct instances of possessives, subject/verb agreement, instances of noun/pronoun agreement, and the intentional use of fragments for effect; and correct formatting that appeals to readers, including appropriate use of a variety of graphics, tables, charts, and illustrations in both standard and innovative forms. LAB242: organize information using appropriate systems. LAB243: write fluently for a variety of occasions, audiences, and purposes, making appropriate choices regarding style, tone, level of detail, and organization. LAB244: select and use a variety of electronic media, such as the Internet, information services, and desktop publishing software programs, to create, revise, retrieve, and verify information. LAC143: use effective strategies for informal and formal discussions, including listening actively and reflectively, connecting to and building on the ideas of a previous speaker, and respecting the viewpoints of others. LAD241: make appropriate adjustments in language use for social, academic, and life situations, demonstrating sensitivity to gender and cultural bias. LAD242: understand the subtleties of literary devices and techniques in the comprehension and creation of communication. (only if addressing this in the unit)

Notes & Comments: This is adapted from Target’s School Design Contest. I usually teach advertising and propaganda in some way prior to this. Also, I only use this with my upper level reading students since the texts are quite technical and often pretty advanced. If possible, try to get faculty and outside resources involved in the project judging since it provides some incentive to really work hard. I also make my students dress in business professional outfits – no jeans, t-shirts, tennis shoes, shorts, mini-skirts, etc. This project can also be extended to last for longer than the 3-4 weeks here. I was limited by the end of the school year.