Lesson Title: Adopt-a-planet Math
Topic/Focus Area: Solar System

Lesson Overview
Content Standards
Objectives
Activities
Resources
File Attachments
Assessment
Additional Comments

Subject(s): Mathematics

Grade Level(s): 8, 9

Name: Leticia Rodriguez
Taught: Math
Phone:
E-mail:
School: Brawley Union High

,



Lesson Overview




Standards

Subject
: English-Language Arts
Grade
: Ninth & Tenth
Strand
: Reading
Substrand
2.0 : Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials)

Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They analyze the organizational patterns, arguments, and positions advanced. The selections in Recom-mended Literature, Grades Nine Through Twelve (1990) illustrate the quality and complexity of the materials to be read by students. In addition, by grade twelve, students read two million words annually on their own, including a wide variety of classic and contempo-rary literature, magazines, newspapers, and online information. In grades nine and ten, students make substantial progress toward this goal.


Concept
: Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text

 
 
California High School Exit Exam (2)
STAR California Standards Test
Standard:
2.3
Generate relevant questions about readings on issues that can be researched.

 
 
California High School Exit Exam (3)
STAR California Standards Test
Standard:
2.4
Synthesize the content from several sources or works by a single author dealing with a single issue; paraphrase the ideas and connect them to other sources and related topics to demonstrate comprehension.

 
 
STAR California Standards Test
Standard:
2.6
Demonstrate use of sophisticated learning tools by following technical directions (e.g., those found with graphic calculators and specialized software programs and in access guides to World Wide Web sites on the Internet).

Strand
: Writing
Substrand
1.0 : Writing Strategies

Students write coherent and focused essays that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned argument. The writing demonstrates students’ awareness of the audience and purpose. Students progress through the stages of the writing process as needed.


Concept
: Organization and Focus

 
 
California High School Exit Exam (2)
STAR California Standards Test
Standard:
1.1
Establish a controlling impression or coherent thesis that conveys a clear and distinctive perspective on the subject and maintain a consistent tone and focus throughout the piece of writing.

Concept
: Research and Technology

 
 
California High School Exit Exam (1)
STAR California Standards Test
Standard:
1.3
Use clear research questions and suitable research methods (e.g., library, electronic media, personal interview) to elicit and present evidence from primary and secondary sources.

 
 
California High School Exit Exam (1)
STAR California Standards Test
Standard:
1.5
Synthesize information from multiple sources and identify complexities and discrepancies in the information and the different perspectives found in each medium (e.g., almanacs, microfiche, news sources, in-depth field studies, speeches, journals, technical documents).

 
 
California High School Exit Exam (1)
Standard:
1.6
Integrate quotations and citations into a written text while maintaining the flow of ideas.

 
 
STAR California Standards Test
Standard:
1.7
Use appropriate conventions for documentation in the text, notes, and bibliographies by adhering to those in style manuals (e.g., Modern Language Association Handbook, The Chicago Manual of Style).

Concept
: Evaluation and Revision

 
 
California High School Exit Exam (2)
STAR California Standards Test
Standard:
1.9
Revise writing to improve the logic and coherence of the organization and controlling perspective, the precision of word choice, and the tone by taking into consideration the audience, purpose, and formality of the context.

Strand
: Written & Oral Conventions
Substrand
1.0 : Written and Oral English Language Conventions

Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions.


Concept
: Grammar and Mechanics of Writing

 
 
California High School Exit Exam (4)
STAR California Standards Test
Standard:
1.3
Demonstrate an understanding of proper English usage and control of grammar, paragraph and sentence structure, diction, and syntax.

Concept
: Manuscript Form

 
 
STAR California Standards Test
Standard:
1.4
Produce legible work that shows accurate spelling and correct use of the conventions of punctuation and capitalization.

Strand
: Listening and Speaking
Substrand
1.0 : Listening and Speaking Strategies

Students formulate adroit judgments about oral communication. They deliver focused and coherent presentations of their own that convey clear and distinct perspectives and solid reasoning. They use gestures, tone, and vocabulary tailored to the audience and purpose.


Concept
: Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication

 
 
Standard:
1.6
Present and advance a clear thesis statement and choose appropriate types of proof (e.g., statistics, testimony, specific instances) that meet standard tests for evidence, including credibility, validity, and relevance.

 
 
Standard:
1.7
Use props, visual aids, graphs, and electronic media to enhance the appeal and accuracy of presentations.

Student Learning Objectives


Activities

  1. Students and teacher explore science course text to establish a concept our solar system.


    Students will select (adopt")a planet of the solar system other than Earth to research.


    Teacher reviews and guides students through science text source to elicite and establish an appropriate list of planetary features for further research.


    Academy visits library for orientation. Then again, visits library to locate alternative research text sources.


    Teacher guides students through "No Plagerism" note taking strategy pracitce. Students apply strategy to science text research notes.


    Class visits computer lab to preview selected sources and internet research options.


    Teacher demonstrates outlining format and posts model.


    Teacher establishes writing lab format for research paper production. (See attachments.)


    Students gather essential notes from research sources, assemble informatoin topically into outline format.


    Students consult with Math and Science staff to establish and plot appropriate graph and chart formats.


    Students integrate science and math components into drafting of Adopt-a-Planet report.


    Class discusses and establishes rubrics for paper evauation and presentation reports.


    Students prepare presentations of papers using posters, overhead projectors, power point or other computer generated visuals for
    physical phenomena and data manipulation.
  2. Students present Adopt-a-Planet reports using visual/tehcnology aids.

    Class and teacher use established rubrics to evaluate:
    1. revised papers
    2. group Adopt-a-Planet presentations

Resources

Content Resources (books, articles, etc.)
Exploring Earth Science, New Jersey, Prentice Hall 1999.

Beasame, Pam. 1000 Facts About Space. New York: Kingfisher 1992.

Harrington, Phillip and Edward Pascuzzi Astronomy for All Ages. Old Saybrook, CT:Globe Pequot Press, 1994.

Mcohe, Dinah L. Astronomy: A Self Teaching Guide. New York: Wiley, 1989.

Pearce, QL. Stargazer's Guide to the Galazy. New York: Doherty, 1991.


Web Resources
Puzzlemaker.com (Puzzlemaker.com)

www.seds.org/nine planets/nine planets/nine planets.html (www.seds.org)


Hardware/Software Resources (computers, CD-ROMs, TV, VCR, etc.)
Computers connected to Internet. Use school computer lab.

Overhead projectors.

LCD or facility w/ LCD projector

Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators.


File Attachments

download the file Student 1
  — Student1.doc   (274 KB)

download the file Student 2
  — student2.doc   (325 KB)

download the file Student 3
  — student3.doc   (785 KB)

download the file Adopt-a-Planet Outline Format
  — Adopt-a-Planet Outline.doc   (19.0 KB)

download the file Report Rubric
  — Planet Report Rubric.doc   (24.0 KB)

download the file Presentation Rubric
  — Presentation Rubric.doc   (70.0 KB)

download the file Presentation Results
  — Results Data.doc   (71.0 KB)

download the file Planet Project Powerpoint
  — Project powerpoint.ppt   (8.59 MB)


Assessment
1. Process and assembly: throughout this Adopt-a-Planet project, students must complete steps or stages. These will be logged by students and their Adopt-a-Planet groups. Credit value will be based upon degree of completion and punctuality in each stage.
2. Final production will be evaluated by rubric scoring. One set of scores will be averaged from the student rubrics, a second by the teacher. Both sets will be entered and averaged.
Additional Comments