jueves, 22 de mayo de 2014

Final Project: Beyond the Stars.



UNIT: Beyond the Stars.
COURSE: Year 4. Primary Education.
SUBJECT: This unit integrates contents from Science, Literacy and Arts.

Different aspects of the unit will be dealt with in order for pupils to make a final task that will be the main basis   for assessment. We can see this final task with is divided in two parts in a while.









Space aicle from Jose Martínez Alcolea

This unit is divided into session.

SESSION ONE:
The teacher elicits information for children in order to know previous ideas and missconceptions.



Contents 2 inquiry skills from Jose Martínez Alcolea

Session 2. It is essential that the pupils and families know exactly what it is expected from them and that should be done from the very beginning. So in this session I give them the objectives for the unit and explain them clearly what is the final task:


Final task earth from Jose Martínez Alcolea

Session 3: Activities to demonstrate that the Earth is round.
First, in groups, they try to explain why we don´t see a ship when it is far away. Then we work with this Powerpoint presentation:



Earth is round 2 from Jose Martínez Alcolea

Session 4. We work on the size of Earth, Moon and Sun and their spherical shape.


Size comparison earth_moon_sun from Jose Martínez Alcolea

Session 5. We make an experiment with an orange, a lamp and a stick to demonstrate that Earth orbits on its axis and how day and night happen.




Day and night experiment from Jose Martínez Alcolea

Session 6. We make a TPR game to practise vocabulary: axis, to rotate.... and they prepare a drawing showing and explaining in some sentences how day and night happen.

Session 7. Sun sets and rises and shadows.



Shadows worksheet from Jose Martínez Alcolea

Session 8 and 9 and 10 Two sessions will be devoted to clarify aspects related to seasons and moon. It is important that they see that both of them, the Earth and the moon orbit. During these sessions we´ll see some powerpoint presentations, some sheets and also some guided investigation.





Earth gb from Jose Martínez Alcolea

Sessions 11 and 12. We work a tale in class: "Baby Brains" and in groups  they invent a new ending according to some given aspects of language to be taken into account: At least five verbs in past, some adverbs....

Sessions 13 and 14. They practise with all the information they have, these days they play some computer games and make a true- false game.



Sessions 15 and 16. These sessions are devoted to prepare the first part of the final task. There are some important stuff posted on the blog page and they are given different books and references to work with. They are also given a sheet that give step by step instructions and make them focus on the minimum contents.




Instructions for final task from Jose Martínez Alcolea
Materials to prepare the task

Session 17 and 18. Pair work. Each pair choose a planet from the solar system. They are given sheets with information about that planet and different books and internet links to prepare it. We review how to make questions and so we remember information about earth. They prepare the interview and finally they perform it,


Questions an alien should know from Jose Martínez Alcolea

You have some of the performances in the blog.

Session 19. Self assessment and evaluation of teacher and group.

Session 20. Feedback about the task and who wnats to be a millionaire game.

As you can see, It is a long unit. You can see some materials and performances here:
Blogger

JOSÉ MARTÍNEZ ALCOLEA.

Our wall.

Here you have a photo of our wall with some of your tales about "Baby Brains" an also your final tasks.

Interviews.

You are a superstar!!! The first person in a different planet. Here you have some of your performances. Congratulations!

Lorena´s clarification about orbiting.


domingo, 11 de mayo de 2014

Beyond the stars.

We have read an exciting adventure about comander Orion and his crew in a very extrange planet. The spacecraft is broken and the can´t go back to Earth! They are trying to fix it when they see something!!!
What do they see? How do they feel? Will they manage to go back to Earth?
You in your groups, invent an exciting final part for this story! So we get five completely different stories. After revising parts of a story and taking notes about what we can´t forget when writing it ( punctuation marks, verbs in the past form,....) we write it.
Your five stories are amazing! Congratulations!!!

viernes, 9 de mayo de 2014

Summarizing information for final task.

As you know you are in a extrange planet full of aliens and you have to make a report with all information you can give about the Earth if you want to go back. Now imagine I am the alien. This is the most relevant information you need to give!