PROJECT OVERVIEW

Empathy is the Key

Name of Project:
Subject/Course: Environmental Science

Duration: Whole year

Grade Level: 10th

Teacher(s): M. Penarroyo

Other subject areas to

be included, if any:

Project Idea
Summary of the issue,
challenge, investigation,
scenario, or problem:

Driving Question
Content and Skills
Standards to be
addressed:

Students will work in groups and complete several projects to enhance their understanding of how their actions impact their
environment.
How does my action impact the environment? Do I really care? How do environmental issues influence citizen decisions in their
daily lives?

Create a computational model or simulation of a phenomenon, designed device, process, or system. (HS- ESS3-3)
Use a computational representation of phenomena or design solutions to describe and/or support claims and/or explanations. (HS-ESS36)
Construct an explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from a variety of sources (including students own
investigations, models, theories, simulations, peer review) and the assumption that theories and laws that describe the natural world
operate today as they did in the past and will continue to do so in the future. (HS-ESS3-1)

Design or refine a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence,
prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations. (HS-ESS3-4)

Evaluate competing design solutions to a real-world problem based on scientific ideas and principles, empirical evidence, and logical
arguments regarding relevant factors (e.g. economic, societal, environmental, ethical considerations). (HS-ESS3-2)
Science investigations use diverse methods and do not always use the same set of procedures to obtain data (HS- ESS3-5)
New technologies advance scientific knowledge. (HS-ESS3-5)

CCSS:

RST.11-12.1
RST.11-12.2
RST.11-12.7
RST.11-12.8
WHST.912.2

Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author
makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account. (HS-ESS3-1),(HS-ESS3-2),(HS-ESS3-4),(HS-ESS3-5)
Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a
text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms. (HS-ESS3-5)
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video,
multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem. (HS-ESS3-5)
Evaluate the hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions in a science or technical text, verifying the data when possible and
corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information. (HS-ESS3-2),(HS-ESS3-4)
Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or
technical processes. (HS-ESS3-1)

T+A
21st Century Skills

Collaboration

T+A

Other:
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to be explicitly taught and

assessed (T+A) or that
will be encouraged (E) by
project work, but not
taught or assessed:

Presentation

x
x

Critical Thinking:

Presentation Audience:

Group:
Culminating
Products and
Performances

Individual:

Happy Fishing Lab

Environmental Issue Investigation
Ecocolumn project
Biodiversity Hot spot project
Endangered species newsletter
Build-A-Biome
The Dream Ecosystem project
Vocabulary assignment
The Lorax worksheet
Ecological Footprint Webquest & throughput shoe
Evolution Webquest
Ecocolumn write up
Biodiversity Webquest

Class:
x

School:
x

Community:
Experts:
Web:
Other:

x
x

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Entry event to
launch inquiry,
engage students:
Assessments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV2EK2bMgwk
Quizzes/Tests
Journal/Learning Log
Preliminary Plans/Outlines/Prototypes
(During Project)
Rough Drafts
Online Tests/Exams
Written Product(s), with rubric:
Summative
__________________________________________________
Assessments Oral Presentation, with rubric
(End of Project)
Multiple Choice/Short Answer Test
Essay Test
Formative
Assessments

x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x

Practice Presentations
Notes
Checklists
Concept Maps
Other:
Other Product(s) or Performance(s), with rubric:
__________________________________________________

Peer Evaluation
Self-Evaluation
Other:

x
x
x
x
x
x
x

Resources
Needed

On-site people, facilities:

Equipment:
Materials:
Community resources:

Library, YPI lab

Computer, printer
School supplies
Family, Pet shop, hardware, plant nurseries
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Reflection
Methods

(Individual,
Group, and/or
Whole Class)

Journal/Learning Log
Whole-Class Discussion
Survey

x
x
x

Focus Group
Fishbowl Discussion
Other:

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PROJECT TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE

Project: Empathy is the Key

Course/Semester: Whole year

Knowledge and Skills Needed by Students

to successfully complete culminating products and
performances, and do well on summative assessments

Scaffolding / Materials / Lessons to be Provided

by the project teacher, other teachers, experts,
mentors, community members
Citing references using MLA and APA format.

Students will learn the two most common formats for citing references using
the website www.citationmachine.net

Students will be given several assignment on how to search for information

on the Web and sort the reliable information from the rest.

Students will hone their ability to properly read, write, present and
comprehend ideas using several mediums and present to different audiences.

Students will learn how to work together with people of their choice or with
people assigned to them. They will learn how to share, advocate and
compromise on issues that are important to their success individually or as
a team.

Webquests, online research

PSA, article reading & annotation, public presentation, letter writing

Group work, individual work

Students will use their imagination to explore, refine and improve original or
existing ideas.

Designing a biome, the dream ecosystem

Students will experiment on new and old concepts while processing

information until a solution has been reached,

Students will demonstrate proper use of technology, become aware of what is

going on locally and globally and develop maturely.

Experiments

Proper use of Internet information, addressing a critical issue in a mature

way

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P R O J E C T

C A L E N D A R

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Project: Empathy is the Key

M O N D A Y

Start Date: August 2015- June 2016

T U E S D A Y

W E D N E S D A Y

T H U R S D A Y

F R I D A Y

PROJECT WEEK ONE

Quality of life Global issues
Vocabulary Assignment

The Lorax

The Ecological Footprint

Webquest
PROJECT

WEEK

Ecological foot print project

TWO

Shrinking our footprints Project

PROJECT

Presentation

WEEK

THREE

Tragedy of the Commons

Happy Fishing Lab

PROJECT

Environmental Issue
Investigation start of project

WEEK

History of Environmental
Movement in the US lecture

Preparation of Survey

PROJECT
Environmental Prophets
lecture

FOUR

WEEK

FIVE

Survey & Results due

Start with letter to editor

PROJECT

WEEK

SIX

Labor Day Dinner Activity

Labor Day

PROJECT
Informational Public Service

Letter to Editor due

Letter to Representative due
WEEK

Presentation to Grade school

class

PSA Presentation in class

PROJECT

SEVEN

WEEK

EIGHT

Evolution Webquest

Basics of Ecology
PROJECT

Food chain/food web

Carrying capacity

Reflection, Revision

WEEK

NINE
Population

Ecocolumn Introduction
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PROJECT

WEEK

TEN

FALL BREAK
PROJECT

WEEK

ELEVEN

Ecocolumn Construction -Observation

Nutrient Cycles and pollution

PROJECT

WEEK

TWELVE

Biodiversity Webquest

Biodiversity Hot Spot Project

PROJECT

WEEK

Bug Biodiversity Lab

THIRTEEN

Endangered Species Newsletter

PROJECT

WEEK

FOURTEEN

Endangered Species Newsletter

PROJECT

WEEK

FIFTEEN

Veterans Day

Build-A-Biome Project

PROJECT

WEEK

Build-A-Biome Project

SIXTEEN

Build-A-Biome Project
PROJECT

WEEK

SEVENTEEN

The Dream Ecosystem Project

PROJECT

WEEK

EIGHTEEN

Thanksgiving Break

The Dream Ecosystem Project

PROJECT

WEEK

NINETEEN

The Dream Ecosystem Project

PROJECT
Review

WEEK

TWENTY
Final Exam

Last Day

2008 Buck Institute for Education