Interdisciplinary Units That Work

1. Interdisciplinary Units That Work Presented by NYSUT’s Subject Area Committee Sylvia Smyntek-Gworek - ELA Kathleen McIntosh - Science

2. NYSUT Subject Area Committee • New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) • We are made up of a committee of teachers –just like you – that have been appointed by fellow teachers and the NYSUT Board to respond to the needs of fellow teachers. • We listen to and work with teachers, professional organizations, and SED to provide an educational voice for our profession and discipline. • Go to NYSUT.org if you would like more information about educational issues in New York State

3. Units • Interdisciplinary Spelling • Newspaper Unit • Animals That Aren’t Cuddly

4. MST StandardPerformance Indicators • 1.1 Compare and contract the parts of plants, animals and one-celled organisms. • 4.1 Observe and describe the variations in reproductive patterns of organisms, including asexual and sexual reproduction. • Observe and describe developmental patterns in selected plants and animals (e.g., insects, frogs, humans, seed bearing plants). • 5.1 Compare the way a variety of living specimens carries out basic life functions and maintains dynamic equilibrium.

5. Social standards • Standard 3 Geography • Use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we live. • Standard 5 Civics & Government • Use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the U.S. And other nations; the U.S. Constitution; the basic civil values of American Constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights and responsibilities of citizens.

6. ELA Standards • ELA STANDARD ONE: Students will read, write, listen and speak for information and understanding.

7. Some READING benchmarks: • -Locate and use school and public library resources to acquire information. • Compare and contrast information from a variety of different sources • -Preview informational texts, with guidance, to access content and organization and select texts useful for the task

8. Some WRITING benchmarks: • -Take research notes, using a note-taking process, with assistance • Use outlines and graphic organizer to plan reports, with assistance • Use paraphrase and quotation correctly • -Cite sources, in footnote and bibliography, using correct form, with assistance.

9. Interdisciplinary Spelling

10. Spelling lists used in ELA are generated by other subject area teachers.

11. Requirements • Subject area teachers with vocabulary that needs to be reinforced provide a list and fill-in-the-blank questions. Words and worksheet are presented and completed in English class. Graded worksheets are then sorted and passed along to the subject area teacher who also takes a grade.

12. Advantages • Important vocabulary and concepts are presented to students twice by two different individuals. • The worksheet provides another opportunity to reinforce concepts. • Trading graded papers between classes and teachers reinforces the fact that correct spelling and capitalization is necessary in classes other than English. • A great way to review for any test.

13. Modifications for Special Education • Special Education students copy spelling lists and receive worksheets along with their classmates. At the discretion of the special education teacher some students receive printed spelling lists. • Special education students frequently begin worksheets in academic support and spelling tests are modified according to IEPs.

14. Example : Science Name______________________________ Science period ________Cell words mitosis organic nucleus proteins ribosome organelles chloroplast carbohydrates cytoplasm respiration membrane lipids mitochondria osmosis compound resolution mutation lysosome diffusion function __________1. Compounds that contain carbon are ___ compounds.__________2. The control center of a cell is called the ______.__________3. Small structures inside the cell are called ____.__________4. The part of a cell that controls what enters and exits the cell is the cell ___________.

15. Example: Social Studies - War of 1812 Massachusetts Virginia charter Crusades royal colony cash crops tobacco proprietor House of Burgesses Pennsylvania compact investors Nothwest Passage New York monopoly colony joint-stock company Mayflower Pilgrims Georgia -Fill in each sentence with a vocabulary word. 1. Crops that are sold for money are __________________ 2. William Penn founded this colony. ___________________ 3. ____________________ was founded by James Oglethorpe. 4. The Dutch were the original settlers in ________________ 5. Settlers traveled over the Blue Ridge Mts. to expand ___. 6. Pilgrims bound for Virginia landed in this colony. ______

16. Example: Spanish Name _____________________ Spanish period __________ aficionado conquistador desperado vigilante renegade cilantro guacamole jalapeno quesadilla huarache poncho serape sombrero canasta vaquero barracuda incommunicado armada pueblo hacienda I. Fill in each blank using a spelling word. 1. The cows were protected at night by the _________ 2. The cowboy slept under his ___________________ at night. 3. Mom ordered a chicken __________________ for dinner. 4. Billy the Kid was a ___________________ in the Old West. 5. She bought a new pair of ___________________ for summer.

17. Example: Art • Name ______________ ART period ____________ • monochromatic criticism papier-mâché' intermediate analogous geometric collage complementary aesthetics tactile opaque emphasis mosaic calligraphy illustration caricature contour portrait proportion • 1. The art of beautiful writing is called ________.' • 2. In ____________ drawing, your hand and eye move at the same time.

18. Example: FrenchName _________ French period __________French words and phrases have made their way into the English language. We use many every day and may not even realize it! Complete these sentences with a French word. You will not use any more than once.1. He waved and called _________________ as he left.2. He brought his fiancée (that’s another French word) a beautiful ____________________ of red roses.3. My older brother eats like a pig (he is porcine) so he enjoys going to a restaurant with a _____________________.

19. Newspaper Unit

20. The final product is the front page of a newspaper. It contains a student generated masthead, and a minimum of 4 articles written in core academic classes.

21. Requirements • One teacher willing to coordinate separate components and produce the final product. (art teacher) • At least 4 teachers willing to participate • Time: 2-7 days of class time for each teacher who participates. • Total project time: about 6 weeks

22. Students: • Write articles in all core classes which are graded by individual teachers before being forwarded to the art teacher. • Work with groups in art class to choose articles that will be used in their newspaper. Groups create a masthead and do the layout of their page. • Must each contribute one article to the group’s newspaper

23. Examples: • English - introduction of unit and requirements • Social Studies - a political cartoon that is jointly prepared in art and social studies • Foreign Language -factual article about France. It can be monuments, cooking, art, music, biography, or the Tour de France. • Science - advertisement for an element in the Periodic Table • Math - a computer generated graph, using data from student surveys or internet information Note: These articles can be about whatever topic you are currently covering in class.

24. Hydrogen • H • Hear ye! Hear ye! • Meet the #1 element. It’s the first, it’s the best! Its atomic number is 1! • It’s colorless • It’s odorless • It’s a gas • Used as a rocket fuel • Used to make methanol • Used to make ammonia • Used to make WATER • Buy now! Comes as a solid, a liquid or a gas. Great prices while supplies last!

25. Social - cartoon

26. French • Write an article in your own words on one of the following aspects of French culture using the background information provided. • The History of France • Geography of France • City Life/Rural Life of France • The Loire Valley and the Chateau • Paris, the City of Light • Art or Music • French Cuisine • Le Tour de France

27. Other details: • The library media specialist helps with research. • Some teachers require bibliographies which are not included in the newspaper. • The English teacher is available to proof read any article.

28. Inclusion of Special Education Students: • In our district special education students do not take art in seventh grade. They have a full year of reading instead. They write the same articles as other students. They are then grouped together and, along with their special education teacher, attend art class for about a week to work on their masthead and layout.

29. Animals That Aren’t Cuddly

30. This is an integrated project involving science, English, and social classes. Students will work to gather information about two animals. They will compare the external and internal structures of these animals as well as their reproductive methods and patterns of development.

31. Written Report on Two animals • Animals assigned randomly • One animal is a mammal/bird • One animal is a fish/amphibian/reptile/insect • All students (except a few special education students) get different animals

32. Format • Title Page • Written Report on two animals • Internal structures • Scientific names • Geographic areas and habitats • Eating habits • External appearances • Reproduction • Bibliography

33. Requirements: • English teacher • 2 spelling units - animal words and report words (double graded with science) • Preliminary correction of section 1: Internal Structures which is a prerequisite for students receiving their animals • 4-5 half class periods to present examples (good and bad) and to help with organization of individual sections of the report • Reminders of deadlines on a regular basis • Proofreading and correction as requested by individual students

34. Social Studies teacher • Reinforces requirements for map: continents and oceans labeled, key, location of animals • Discusses range as determined by geographical factors such as deserts, mountains and extreme temperatures • Corrects map and section 3, Geographic range and habitat • Total class time: 1 day

35. Science teacher • one day for intro • 8-9 days for research • 10 minute segments of 5-6 classes to present examples and to help with organization of individual sections of the report • Proofreading and correction on an as- requested basis • Occasional reminders and explanations during the 2 project due date..5 weeks between the end of the research and the

36. Library Media Specialist • Has worked with students several times previously preparing bibliographies. • Introduces students to library print sources, WorldBook Online and other data bases. • Presents a template for preparing a bibliography which is used throughout middle and high school. • Corrects and grades all student bibliographies. This is done in time for students to easily correct and recopy a perfect bibliography for their finished report. Note: She is then showered with gifts by grateful English and science teachers!

37. Title page -include your name, names of animals, your science and English periods -decorated with images that portray both of your animals

38. Written report - Internal Structures • Students receive a graphic organizer (see hand out) which helps them as they research information on two body systems. They use the same two organ systems for both animals so that they can see similarities and differences.

39. Written report - Scientific names and types • A short paragraph which gives the scientific name of each animal using correct form • It also includes the type of animal. For example: bird, insect, or mammal

40. Written report - Geographic areas and habitat • Tells where each animal lives • Briefly describes the habitat

41. Written report - Eating habits • What the animal eats is the easy part. • What eats the animal is much harder but students are encouraged to use good research and thinking skills to find out. • Humans are excluded from the entire report

42. Written report - External appearances • A detailed description that includes measurements in metric units • See graphic organizer • Some students tend to be too brief and need encouragement to add detail

43. Written report - Reproduction • Includes information on: • How often and in what seasons young are produced • Appearance and average number of young at birth/hatch • Size of young at birth/hatch • Which parent (if any) cares for the young • How long it take young to mature

44. Total length of written report is 3 - 6 typewritten pages.(or 6-12 handwritten)

45. Bibliography • Must be in correct form • Is graded by Library Media Specialist • Must have a minimum of 6 sources • 2 sources must be print • 2 sources must be internet • 2 sources can be print or internet

46. Map • Students are given a blank world map • Social Studies teacher reminds them • Of continent names • How to make a key for the map • To use common sense when showing where animals live (I.e. “all over the world” does not usually mean deep ocean or the arctic)

47. Other details • Several sections of the report are collected early and given a preliminary grade. They are then returned for editing before being included in the final report. • Students need to be reminded to be sure to have a working printer and enough black ink if they type the report at home. • Extra credit is offered for turning in the report early, including extra sources in the bibliography, and including drawings, pictures or models. • Every student does complete this report - eventually!

48. Special Education Modifications • Academic assistance students have the same requirements. Academic assistance teacher sets individual deadlines for each section of the report. • Many special education students receive the same two animals. This makes research and writing manageable for the teacher to assist and supervise. • Students with extremely limited abilities research one animal and do not complete the compare/contrast component of section one.

49. Contact us atsgworek@wilson.wnyric.orgorkmcintosh@wilson.wnyric.org

50. PDF files for the Newspaper Unit, the Animals That Aren’t Cuddly Unit, and Interdisciplinary spelling worksheets can be found at:www.wilson.wnyric.orgclick on “Middle School”, “Departments”,“Kathleen McIntosh”,“SAC workshop”