Products and Performances
Part I:
During part I, students will create 3 products. The details for these products are explained below:
1. Civilization Proposal - Working in assigned groups, students will write a proposal and project management plan for colonizing a specific region of an imaginary planet identical to earth. The proposal will articulate each phase of the colonization effort, including creating a civilization from scratch. Each phase of the civilization must meet the next level of human needs (as articulated by Maslow, or a similar structure). The logic of the proposal must be supported by research with appropriate citations. This proposal will be submitted to a fictional group of experts (made up of teachers, parents, and community members) prior to the group's presentation of the proposal.
2. Skill Presentation - Working individually and independently, students must learn a skill that would be necessary to one of the phases of their civilization. They may demonstrate mastery of this skill in person, or on video. If the skill involves a physical product, students must also bring a physical sample of their product. This skill presentation will be for the class. Class members will vote on whether the person has the necessary skills to be part of the expedition to New Earth.
3. Oral Multimedia presentation of group proposal - Working in assigned groups, students will create a multimedia presentation (in the format of their choice) to be used during their in-person presentation to the representatives of SpaceX. (Representatives will be parents, teachers, and students from other classes). At the presentation, students will provide copies of their proposal, take turns presenting, and answer any questions the SpaceX reps have about their proposal. The presentation will not be a reiteration of the written proposal, but will include elements of it and be persuasive.
4. Research Notebook - Working individually, students will maintain a paper, or digital, research notebook. The audience for this notebook will be the teacher, the class, and the student's parents. This notebook will demonstrate the student's notetaking, paraphrasing, and summarizing skills. It will also demonstrate understanding of source citation and narrowing the research focus (questions).
5. Final Reflection - Working individually, students will write a short essay discussing how needs affect choices. They will determine whether they made logical choices for their colonies, whether characters made logical choices, and whether they themselves are making logical choices in their daily lives. The audience for this essay will be the students themselves, the teacher, and the students' parents.
During part I, students will create 3 products. The details for these products are explained below:
1. Civilization Proposal - Working in assigned groups, students will write a proposal and project management plan for colonizing a specific region of an imaginary planet identical to earth. The proposal will articulate each phase of the colonization effort, including creating a civilization from scratch. Each phase of the civilization must meet the next level of human needs (as articulated by Maslow, or a similar structure). The logic of the proposal must be supported by research with appropriate citations. This proposal will be submitted to a fictional group of experts (made up of teachers, parents, and community members) prior to the group's presentation of the proposal.
2. Skill Presentation - Working individually and independently, students must learn a skill that would be necessary to one of the phases of their civilization. They may demonstrate mastery of this skill in person, or on video. If the skill involves a physical product, students must also bring a physical sample of their product. This skill presentation will be for the class. Class members will vote on whether the person has the necessary skills to be part of the expedition to New Earth.
- Individual Skill Presentation Rubric will be modified from this.
3. Oral Multimedia presentation of group proposal - Working in assigned groups, students will create a multimedia presentation (in the format of their choice) to be used during their in-person presentation to the representatives of SpaceX. (Representatives will be parents, teachers, and students from other classes). At the presentation, students will provide copies of their proposal, take turns presenting, and answer any questions the SpaceX reps have about their proposal. The presentation will not be a reiteration of the written proposal, but will include elements of it and be persuasive.
- Multimedia Presentation Grading Rubric will be modified from this.
- Oral Presentation Grading Rubric
4. Research Notebook - Working individually, students will maintain a paper, or digital, research notebook. The audience for this notebook will be the teacher, the class, and the student's parents. This notebook will demonstrate the student's notetaking, paraphrasing, and summarizing skills. It will also demonstrate understanding of source citation and narrowing the research focus (questions).
5. Final Reflection - Working individually, students will write a short essay discussing how needs affect choices. They will determine whether they made logical choices for their colonies, whether characters made logical choices, and whether they themselves are making logical choices in their daily lives. The audience for this essay will be the students themselves, the teacher, and the students' parents.
- Final Reflection Rubric will be modified from this.
Reflection Methods
List all reflection methods to be incorporated in your project, including individual, group, and/or whole class, as well as teacher reflection tools. Attach copies of surveys, forms or any other supporting documents, where applicable.
- Learning Log - Students will write in their learning logs weekly. Each entry will be divided into two parts. The first entry will explain what students have learned about researching, writing, citing sources, or creating a presentation. Students will discuss their successes for the week and analyze their need for improvement. The second entry will focus on what the students have learned/decided about how needs affect choices. Students will include examples from the choices they had to make that week for their colony. They may also discuss characters from stories and books read in class or independently. This entry may also include the students' musings on their own needs and choices.
- Group Discussion - At the end of each phase of civilization building, students will informally discuss in their groups to determine whether they have met all of the needs for their potential colony. Students will discuss whether the person in charge of a specific need has made logical choices for meeting the colony's needs and will make adjustments and conduct further research as necessary.
- Class discussion - At least twice during the project, the teacher will direct a class discussion about the affect of needs on choice. This may stem from student questions while conducting research, or it may stem from relevant current events.
- Collaboration Reflection - Students will use this rubric, or a slightly modified one, to evaluate their level of participation in their group
- Final Reflection (also shown above) - Working individually, students will write a short essay discussing how needs affect choices. They will determine whether they made logical choices for their colonies, whether characters made logical choices, and whether they themselves are making logical choices in their daily lives.