Digital Unit Plan Template

Unit Title: Beat the Heat- Human Impact on Environment

Name: Sara Hoffman

Content Area: Earth Science

Grade Level: 6

CA Content Standard(s)/Common Core Standard(s):

MS-ESS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
MS-ESS3-5. Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.
Big Ideas:
1.
2.
3.

How has human activity caused a global rise in temperature?

What risks are associated with our current climate change?
How can we change human behavior on a global scale?

Unit Goals and Objectives:

1.
2.
3.

At the end of this presentation, students will be able to provide 3 pieces of evidence that show global rise in temperature as a direct result of human activity.
By the end of the webercise, students will be able to explain 4 risk factors associated with climate change.
After this lesson, students will be able to explain the beneficial and negative characteristics of 3 alternative energy solutions that reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Unit Summary:
In this unit students will assess the impact of human activity on the environment. Students will gather data spread over the last century to investigate the rise in global
climate change. Using data for evidence, students will state a claim whether climate change is primarily a natural occurrence or mostly prompted by mankind's misuse of
natural resources. Students will go on to research specific human activities that are the greatest contributors to our current climate change. In order to inspire awareness
and change in human behavior, students will compare alternative energy sources and share their own ideas of how humans can significantly reduce their impact in the
immediate future.
Assessment Plan:

Entry-Level: SURVEY- In the Human Impact Survey

students will be answering questions based on what

they already know about factors that have contributed
to the rise in global temperature in the last century.
Since this is an assessment of students previous
knowledge it is not important to search for the correct
answer.

Formative: QUIZLET FLASHCARDS- Students will be

reviewing flashcards provided by Quizlet. These
flashcards will include both definitions of vocabulary
and explanations of certain processes such as the
Carbon Cycle. Some vocabulary words include Carbon,
Fossil Fuels, Oxygen, Deforestation, Atmosphere,
Ozone, and other important vocabulary in Chapter 3.
QUIZ- There will be a quiz to show if students
understand which factors are making a harmful impact
on the environment. The quiz will cover contributing

Summative: HUMAN IMPACT GLOGSTER

PRESENTATION- In groups, students will create and
present an online poster using Glogster. This poster
will include 4 different media aspects (picture, graph,
audio, video) that contribute to the content of the
presentation. The goal of this presentation is to create
awareness of how climate change produces extreme
weather, droughts, and record breaking temperatures.
Students will explain how society can cope with these
issues as well as ways to reduce our contribution to
climate change.

factors/human activities as well as the effects these

processes or actions have on the environment.
ONLINE MESSAGE BOARD- On an online message
board, Wallwisher, students will be provided a prompt
from the teacher. Students will respond to the prompt
and comment and build off of ideas from other students
in an online forum.

LETTER TO POLITICIAN- Individually students will be

writing a letter to a Congressman urging them to pass a
law of their choice regarding human impact on the
environment. Students will need to evaluate solutions
that lesson human impact and create a bill that will
change human activity to benefit the environment.

WEBERCISE- The Webercise will allow students to

explore several different websites that provide various
perspectives and engaging activities. Students will
evaluate information found on each side and answer
key concept questions.
Lesson 1
Student Learning Objective:
At the end of this
presentation, students will be
able to provide 3 pieces of
evidence that show global
rise in temperature as a
direct result of human
activity.

Acceptable Evidence:
Students are to complete
their guided notes with
complete sentences and show
understanding of correlations
between human activity and
the rise of global
temperatures.

Instructional Strategies:
Communication
Collection
Collaboration
Presentation
Organization
Interaction

Lesson Activities:
Prezi Presentation and Guided Notes

Acceptable Evidence:
Students will be expected to
complete the webercise with
complete sentences and use
data collected from each
website to support answers.

Instructional Strategies:
Communication
Collection
Collaboration
Presentation
Organization
Interaction

Lesson Activities:
Webercise

Acceptable Evidence:
Students will need to show
support and reasoning as to
which alternative energy
source will have the most
environmental advantages as
well as being economically
practical.

Instructional Strategies:
Communication
Collection
Collaboration
Presentation
Organization
Interaction

Lesson Activities:
Decision Making Graph

Lesson 2
Student Learning Objective:
By the end of the webercise,
students will be able to
explain 4 risk factors
associated with climate
change.
Lesson 3
Student Learning Objective:
After this lesson, students
will be able to explain the
beneficial and negative
characteristics of 3
alternative energy solutions
that reduce carbon dioxide
emissions.

Unit Resources:
Weebly: www.weebly.com
Prezi: http://prezi.com/bo-s26iof1vo/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
Rubistar: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php
Teacher Site: http://sarahoffmanscience.weebly.com
Digital Unit Plan Site: http://mshoffmansscienceunit.weebly.com

Useful Websites:
EPA: Quick facts about Climate Change

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/basics/facts.html
NASA: Interactive Global Ice Viewer

http://climate.nasa.gov/interactives/global_ice_viewer
Simulation: My 2050, United Kingdom

http://my2050.decc.gov.uk/
Biodiversity and Human Activities, Ecokids.ca

http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/biodiversity/human_activities.cfm
National Geographic: The Human Footprint Video

http://youtu.be/ZQdejn_RxBQ?list=PLPZEzWO7FBLllKpdwCFC8BeZ75UohpDcr
Natural Resources Defense Council

http://www.nrdc.org/
Cambridge University Alternative Energy Video

http://youtu.be/Gz_L6KuqvFI
Alternative Energy, altenergy.org

http://www.altenergy.org/renewables/renewables.html
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

https://www2.ucar.edu/climate/faq/how-much-has-global-temperature-risen-last-100-years
NOAA: Why did Earths surface temperature stop rising in last decade?

http://www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-qa/why-did-earth%E2%80%99s-surface-temperature-stop-rising-past-decade
Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions

http://pics.uvic.ca/