Mary Houk

Text Set - Hunger Games

TCH 306

Explanation of unit:
The young adolescent novel, the Hunger Games, has been the center for discovering texts that relate to
discipline specific topics covered throughout the book. For science, I focused on the central topic of the
environment. The book discusses many scenarios where the environment rapidly changes, such as the
weather. It also touches on how these environmental changes impact the characters and animals. Some
essential questions that may be discussed during this unit include: How does the change in the
environment affect us? Why should we be aware of changes in our environment or atmosphere?

TEXTS:

1. Science News for Students

Earth & Environment. (2003). Retrieved March 24, 2018, from
https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/topic/earth-environment
a. Description: Science News for Students is an online platform that holds many articles
relating to different science standards. The site allows you to search by topic, filter by
standards and reading level, and has videos embedded in most articles. I chose this text
because it gives students many choices for articles they wish to read about that all
relate to certain standards. Additionally, student can individually choose their reading
level that best fits their academics needs. This specific feature is extremely beneficial for
a classroom full of diverse learners who may be at different levels. This text relates to
the Hunger Games novel because the book has many situations when animals or
environmental factors are changed through technology and human impact. This online
text provides students with more in-depth articles relating to the scenarios that occur in
the novel, along with the specific standards provided.
b. Standards:
 LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms
 MS-LS1-5 Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how
environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.
 MS-LS4-5 Gather and synthesize information about the technologies that have
changed the way humans influence the inheritance of desired traits in
organisms.
c. Literacy Strategies:
 Consolidating and Reconnecting: 10 Most Important Words would be a
beneficial activity for this text because students will read different articles of
their choice and this activity will test student understanding of the article. This
activity could lead to partner or group work which will allow students to share
different articles they read.
 Extending and Reflecting: The Socratic circle activity would also be a great way
to bring the class together after students have had sufficient time to explore the
text and read a few articles on their own. The circle will allow each student to
share their findings along with holding students accountable for reading
different news articles.
Mary Houk
Text Set - Hunger Games
TCH 306

d. Flip Analysis
The features that are easy to read include the links along the side of the site
F—FRIENDLINESS to choose which topic of articles to read, such as environment, ecosystems,
What features are easy earth, ocean, etc. Once you choose a topic, many articles appear with large
and difficult to pictures, a sound link, or a video link. The features that will be difficult for
understand? students is filtering the articles for certain standards, grade level, or
readability level.

The terms will differ depending on the articles students chose to read
L—LANGUAGE about. Most of the language in the articles relate to topics about animals,
What terms might be ecosystems, and environment.
new

This text interests’ students because it offers a wide variety of articles and
I—INTEREST they get the choice of what they want to read about.
How interested will
students be in this
text?

Students will need some prior knowledge on information they are looking to
P—PRIOR get out of the articles. Many of the articles are about animals and different
KNOWLEDGE habitats so they will need to find articles relating to the standards chosen
What do students which deal with environmental factors and human influences.
already know about
this topic or what is
being asked of them?

2. National Geographic for Kids

Kids' Games, Animals, Photos, Stories, and More -- National Geographic Kids. (n.d.). Retrieved
March 24, 2018, from https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
a. Description: National Geographic for Kids is a fun and engaging online platform filled
with videos, games, articles, and mini quizzes. I chose this text because of the appealing
looks and variety of activities it offers. This text can also be incorporated into different
disciplines because of the wide range of activities and content found within. This text
relates to the Hunger Games because the game aspect allows students to get a brief
experience of what is may be like to survive in the games. This engaging and more kid-
friendly text will appeal to middle school students because of the gaming and
technology nature, but also opens doors for great discussion about the novel.
b. Standards
 MS-LS2-2 Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among
organisms across multiple ecosystems.
Mary Houk
Text Set - Hunger Games
TCH 306

 MS-LS2-5 Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and

ecosystem services.
 LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms
c. Literacy Strategy
 Monitoring and Checking- An observational notebook would be a useful strategy
to use for this text. Students may write, draw, or record any observations or
thoughts they are having while interacting with this text.
d. Flip Analysis
The features that are easy to understand include the bright circles at the top
F—FRIENDLINESS of the page with titles for where to navigate, such as videos, games,
What features are easy animals, shop, etc. The overall layout of this text is very appealing and easy
and difficult to to navigate around.
understand?

There is a lot of language in this text about animals and ecosystems.

L—LANGUAGE Students should understand basic terms about ecosystems and an animal's
What terms might be role in an ecosystem.
new

Students will be interested in this text because of the variety of fun features
I—INTEREST it offers that relate to many learning styles. Many students will find interest
How interested will in the video clips, while others may learn more content playing games or
students be in this reading short articles.
text?

Students should have prior knowledge on animals and their possible

P—PRIOR interaction with their environment. Students may also need knowledge on
KNOWLEDGE food chains, biodiversity, or levels of organization within an ecosystem.
What do students Students will discover in video, game, or article form how animals truly
already know about interact within their ecosystem.
this topic or what is
being asked of them?

3. Smog City
Johnson, C. (2006). Smog City 2. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from
http://www.smogcity2.org/whoweare.html
a. Description: Smog City is an online simulation where you are viewing a city and
controlling different environmental aspects. Students will get a first-hand look how air
quality is affected by a variety of factors such as cars, factories, population, and more. I
chose this text because it is an authentic presentation of how the atmosphere can
change. This text brings the information read about in a science textbook to life by
allowing students to observe what city air will actually look like from pollution. This text
relates to the Hunger Games because each character comes from different districts, or
Mary Houk
Text Set - Hunger Games
TCH 306

cities, which all differ in air quality, population, quality of life, etc. Students may use this
text to recreate what life is like in these different districts in the novel.
b. Standards:
 MS-ESS3-2 Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future
catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate
their effects.
 MS-ESS3-3 Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and
minimizing a human impact on the environment.
 MS-ESS3-4 Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in
human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact
Earth's systems.
 MS-PS1-3 Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic
materials come from natural resources and impact society.
c. Literacy Strategies
 Activating and Connecting: Quick sketches and quick writes would help spark
student interest for this simulation by starting a quick write and asking “what
would happen to the world if…”
 Monitoring and Checking: The Semantic features analysis strategy would allow
students to create a chart to compare concepts or vocabulary from the
simulation and how it relates to the classroom or school environment.
d. Flip Analysis
The features that are easy to understand in this text include the pictures
F—FRIENDLINESS and graphics. A difficult feature to understand may be changing the
What features are easy controls for the simulation.
and difficult to
understand?

Some terms that may be new to students include emissions, energy source,
L—LANGUAGE consumer products, industry, and ozone. All these terms are found in the
What terms might be control section of the simulation.
new

Students will be interested in this text because it acts as an authentic visual

I—INTEREST representation of concepts often read about in textbooks. Students can
How interested will control and change aspects of this simulation for their own personalized
students be in this experiences.
text?
Mary Houk
Text Set - Hunger Games
TCH 306

Students should have some knowledge on human impacts of the

P—PRIOR environment. They will discover more in depth about air quality and the
KNOWLEDGE effects of pollution, population change, emissions, and weather. The
What do students purpose of this text is to provide a visual representation for what a city will
already know about look like under different human impacts.
this topic or what is
being asked of them?

4. Tree House Weather Kids

Friend, D., & Scherer, J. (n.d.). Tree House Weather Kids. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from
http://extension.illinois.edu/treehouse/
a. Description: Tree House Weather Kids in an online learning tool that walks students
through different weather concepts using audios and pictures. Embedded in the site
there are more activities for students to use such as comics to read, a
matching/identifying game, and other games related to weather. I chose this text
because it holds a lot of useful information in an easy to read format. It also supports
visual, auditory, and linguistic learning styles. This text relates to the Hunger Games
novel because in the novel characters are dealing with varying weather patterns and
changes. This site provides further information about weather, seasons, air pressure,
wind, clouds, and moisture that students can learn more about to better relate to the
characters.
b. Standards:
 ESS2.C: The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes
 ESS2.D: Weather and Climate
 MS-ESS2-1 Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth's materials and the
flow of energy that drives this process.
 MS-PS1-4 Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle
motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is
added or removed.
c. Literacy Strategy
 Consolidating and Reconnecting- The 3-2-1 strategy could be beneficial for
students and teachers with this text. Students will write information they
learned, ideas they were interested, and one question they still have. The
question will allow the teacher to understand where the students stand with
these concepts and if further instruction needs to occur. This strategy can act as
an in-class activity along with a formative assessment.
d. Flip Analysis
Mary Houk
Text Set - Hunger Games
TCH 306

The features of this weather learning site are easy to understand. The bright
F—FRIENDLINESS and bold colorful headings allow students to choose which aspect of
What features are easy weather related topics they wish to focus on. A difficult feature students
and difficult to may overlook is clicking through the topics and discovering more audio and
understand? video clips.

This simulation and interactive website introduces many new weather

L—LANGUAGE concepts in detail such as air pressure, wind, clouds, moisture, season,
What terms might be temperatures, wind chill and heat index.
new

Students will be interested in this text because they can go through the
I—INTEREST concepts at their own pace. They can listen to the information being read
How interested will and follow along themselves. The pictures also provide visuals for each
students be in this concept being discussed.
text?

Students may need to be familiar with general weather terms as simple as

P—PRIOR season and temperature, or as complex as air pressure. Using this text,
KNOWLEDGE students will learn many new aspects that impact our daily weather and
What do students climate.
already know about
this topic or what is
being asked of them?

5. National Weather Service

US Department of Commerce, & NOAA. (n.d.). National Weather Service. Retrieved March 26,
2018, from https://www.weather.gov/
a. Description: The National Weather Service website provides weather and climate
forecast for any area in the United States. This text acts as an authentic learning tool to
use in a science classroom. I chose this text because students can observe current and
past weather, read about how to stay safe in a variety of weather conditions, and
explore news stories. This text allows students to take the information they learn inside
the classroom and discover it in different areas around the United States. This text
relates to the Hunger Games because the characters are trying to survive in the
outdoors with dramatic weather changes. This text informs students about safety
protocol and detailed graphs about past, current, and future weather patterns.
b. Standards:
 ESS2.C: The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes
 ESS2.D: Weather and Climate
 MS-ESS2-5 Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex
interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions.
Mary Houk
Text Set - Hunger Games
TCH 306

 MS-ESS2-6 Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and
rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that
determine regional climates.
 MS-ESS3-5 Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the
rise in global temperatures over the past century.
c. Literacy Strategy
 Monitoring and Checking: Reciprocal Teaching can be a useful strategy by
assigning students a “safety” topic to read about and have them teach each
other the information in small groups.
d. Flip Analysis
The main feature that is easy to understand is on the home page, there is a
F—FRIENDLINESS map of the United States that shows the current radar for the entire area.
What features are Students can click on any state or city of the map to discover more
easy and difficult to information the current weather. A feature that might be difficult to
understand? understand are the variety of links to different pages along the top of the
website.

Students may find it challenging interpreting the language of the map and the
L—LANGUAGE symbols and colors used. Additionally, there are many new weather terms in
What terms might be the safety section that students may be unfamiliar with because of their
new background knowledge. Some students might have knowledge about Rip
Current safety near oceans, however other students may be more
knowledgeable in Tornado safety.
Students will be interested in this text because it provides authentic
I—INTEREST information regarding weather. Students can explore many aspects on their
How interested will own and discover new weather patterns they may have never experienced
students be in this before. They can read stories from survivors of severe storms in the safety
text? section and learn in greater detail a variety of information in the education
section.

Students will need prior knowledge on reading radar maps, and how to
P—PRIOR understand weather forecast. Students may be asked to explain what the
KNOWLEDGE humidity levels represent, the difference between wind speed and wind chill,
What do students or the importance of the visibility level.
already know about
this topic or what is
being asked of
them?
Mary Houk
Text Set - Hunger Games
TCH 306

Resources:
1. Earth & Environment. (2003). Retrieved March 24, 2018, from
https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/topic/earth-environment

2. Kids' Games, Animals, Photos, Stories, and More -- National Geographic Kids. (n.d.). Retrieved
March 24, 2018, from https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/

3. Johnson, C. (2006). Smog City 2. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from

http://www.smogcity2.org/whoweare.html

4. Friend, D., & Scherer, J. (n.d.). Tree House Weather Kids. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from
http://extension.illinois.edu/treehouse/

5. US Department of Commerce, & NOAA. (n.d.). National Weather Service. Retrieved March 26,
2018, from https://www.weather.gov/