OverviewIn this learning module, students will learn about what kinds of people choose to put themselves in danger to become explorers and adventurers. We will investigate different types of explorers and their impact on, and beyond our plant. Students will consider where we would be without explorers, and why their work is important. We will evaluate explorers influence on the generation and development of ideas, discussing whether or not we would like to be explorers. The students will be introduced to some explorers who have made significant contributions to our earth’s development, and use virtual reality to explore unknown terrains. We will also be going on a field trip to explore the bird park (Tsarasaotra Park).
Goals
ObjectivesStudents will:
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Day 1
Subject: Social Studies
Topic: Introduction to Explorers/Entry Point
Activities:
Strategies: blended learning, collaborative learning, discussions, didactic questioning, brainstorming, debating
Topic: Introduction to Explorers/Entry Point
Activities:
- Flipped Learning - Students will watch “The Explorer” (North Face, 2011), and discuss what exploring is with their guardians.
- Students will rotate through three stations answering the following questions, discussing first then doing a placemat activity writing their answers. Upon completion we will discuss their answers as a class
- Why do you think explorers explore
- What qualities do you think explorers have?
- Where do explorers explore?
- Whole class discussion on what is an explorer. Coming up with a working definition
- Design exploration journal cover including pictures and words that describe explorers and exploration – Write personal definition of an explorer on the first page.
- Look at the book ‘Journey’ (Becker, 2013). Discuss the places, terrains, landforms, buildings and qualities of the girl in the story. Debate and assess why or why not, the main character is an explorer.
- “The Explorer” (North Face, 2011) – Youtube
- Chart paper with guiding questions
- Journey (Becker, 2013)
- Exploration Journals
Strategies: blended learning, collaborative learning, discussions, didactic questioning, brainstorming, debating
Day 2
Subject: Social Studies
Topic: Motivation for Exploration
Activities:
Strategies: blended learning, discussions, didactic questioning, reading and listening, concept formation, brainstorming
Topic: Motivation for Exploration
Activities:
- Flipped Learning - Biography of Christopher Columbus for Children: Famous Explorers for Kids (Free School, 2015)
- Parts of an explorer anchor chart brainstorming – qualities of an explorer
- Read “You Wouldn’t Want to Sail with Christopher Columbus” (MacDonald, 2014)
- Place Christopher Colombus on Explorers timeline
- Do a think pair share of Columbus’ motivations for exploration
- Write and illustrate explorer motivations flip book (glue in exploration journal)
- Students will write and opinion piece on why they would like or would not like to be an explorer
- ‘You Wouldn’t Want to Sail with Christopher Columbus’ (MacDonald, 2014) book
- ‘Explorer Motivations’ (Feldhaus, 2014) student flipbook
- ‘Biography of Christopher Columbus for Children: Famous Explorers for Kids’ (Free School, 2015) YouTube video
- ‘Parts of an Explorer’ anchor chart
- Exploration Journals
Strategies: blended learning, discussions, didactic questioning, reading and listening, concept formation, brainstorming
Day 3
Subject: Social Studies
Topic: Types of Explorers/Dangers of Exploration
Activities:
Strategies: blended learning, brainstorming, reading for meaning, research, cooperative learning, discussions, concept formation
Topic: Types of Explorers/Dangers of Exploration
Activities:
- Flipped Learning - The Danger and Excitement of Underwater Cave Diving (National Geographic, 2015) – Students will discuss the dangers that different types of explorers may face with their guardians
- Discuss the video from last night – telling the class that underwater cave divers are one type of explorer. In small groups, students will brainstorm a list of as many explorers as they can think of, and then present their lists to the class
- Individually, students will select one type of explorer and use texts and online sources to research the dangers of that type of exploration, writing an entry into their exploration journal.
- Discuss the following dangers that early explorers may have faced or feared. Have students use the “Exploring the Unknown” (Rockin' Resources, 2014) template to creativity illustrate a sign stating one of the reasons why some Europeans did not want to explore. They will evaluate the reason and determine why explorers had such may have chosen not to explore for these reasons. Sign will be glued in exploration journal.
- Sea monsters
- The sun boiling the ocean
- Slow ships
- No maps
- The Dangers and Excitement of Underwater Cave Diving (National Geographic, 2015)
- Chart paper
- Exploration Journals
- “Exploring the Unknown” (Rockin' Resources, 2014) template
- iPads
- Explorers library bin
Strategies: blended learning, brainstorming, reading for meaning, research, cooperative learning, discussions, concept formation
Day 4
Subject: Social Studies/Science
Topic: Being an Explorer
Activities: Fieldtrip to Tsarasaotra Park
Strategies: Experiential learning, field observations, situated learning, research projects, role playing, blended learning, active learning
Topic: Being an Explorer
Activities: Fieldtrip to Tsarasaotra Park
- Flipped Learning – “The Wilds of Madagascar - Wildlife and Adventure on Africa’s Largest Island” (Natural Habitat Adventures, 2015) – Discuss with a guardian some of the things you might see on your exploration in Tsarasaotra Park
- Students will go to Tsarasaotra Park which is located on 27ha of land that includes a lake. It is a privileged place for the reproduction of aquatic avifauna of Madagascar. This park is protected by WWF, Birdlife International, Peregrine's Fund and the Malagasy government. This is a great refuge for over sixty species of birds.
- Students will take the role of an explorer of this new environment
- Students will use a graphic organizer (teacher created) to guide them in planning their journal entry, and to write and draw anything they notice.
- Students will use their iPads to take photo and video documentation of their exploration.
- In their exploration journals, students will use their graphic organizer, photos and videos to write about the flora and fauna that they observed, as well as any additional artifacts. They will also discuss the weather conditions, equipment and problems faced in their exploration in detail. Students will be encouraged to incorporate sensory details in order to best convey their experiences. They will select and print up to five photos from their exploration, label them and provide a detailed caption.
- Students will present their unique explorations to the class.
- Ipads
- Colour printer
- Exploration graphic organizer (Teacher created)
- Exploration journal
- Peer checklist (Teacher created)
- Bus/3000AR entrance fee
- “The Wilds of Madagascar - Wildlife and Adventure on Africa’s Largest Island” (Natural Habitat Adventures, 2015)
Strategies: Experiential learning, field observations, situated learning, research projects, role playing, blended learning, active learning
Day 5
Subject: Social Studies
Topic: Exploring the Unknown
Activities:
Strategies: blended learning, simulations, focused imaging, listening and viewing, discussion, active learning
Topic: Exploring the Unknown
Activities:
- Flipped Learning – “Kids having fun exploring nature” (Kidsplorers, 2015) – Watch the kidsplorers video. Compare and contrast it with your experience at the bird park. Do you think these kids are good explorers? Why or Why not?
- Students will work on finishing their exploration journals from yesterday, printing photos and documenting their exploration. While students are writing, reviewing and editing their exploraitons, and their peers.
- In groups of 5, students will be using Google Cardboard to view the Discovery VR 360 video (Mantas flying on the Edge). They will then discuss with the teacher what they would want to further explore under the sea, questions they have, and dangers of this type of exploration. They will draw and document their under the sea exploration by writing 3 descriptive sentences.
- “Kids having fun exploring nature” (Kidsplorers, 2015)
- Google Cardboard viewers
- 5 iPhones (we are an apple school)
- Discovery VR app
- Exploration Journals
- Colour printer
- Peer review checklist (teacher created)
Strategies: blended learning, simulations, focused imaging, listening and viewing, discussion, active learning
Assessment
The exploration journals will be used as both reflection portfolios and learning response logs throughout the Explorers unit. Students will write a reflection for their work in their journal at the end of each week, self-assessing their work. Anecdotal notes will be taken as a form of ongoing formative assessment of observations, questioning, presentations and discussions. These will be written on post it notes attached to each students unit of inquiry (UOI) rubric. They will then be translated onto the rubric at the end of the unit. Formative feedback is essential to for students to guide their instruction throughout the unit. This week, students will also, peer and self-assess the quality of their bird park exploration journals using the checklist. The teacher will evaluate their responses using a rubric.