New World, Leestown Middle School, Fayette County Public Schools, Lexington, Kentucky

New World

6^th Grade level
Leestown Middle School
Developed by: Robin Black, John Foley, Beth Lindsay

Organizer

How might chemical/biological warfare affect you and your community?

Academic Expectations and Demonstrators

1.1 Students use reference tools such as dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedias, and computer reference programs and research tools such as interviews and surveys to find the information they need to meet specific demands, explore interests, or solve specific problems.

2.16 Students observe, analyze, and interpret human behaviors, social groupings, and institutions to better understand people and the relationships among individuals and among groups.

2.20 Students understand, analyze, and interpret historical events, conditions, trends, and issues to develop historical perspective.

2.33 Students demonstrate the skills to evaluate and use services and resources available in their community.

2.4 Students use the concept of scale and scientific models to explain the organization and functioning of living and nonliving things and predict other characteristics that might be observed.

Essential Questions

Is it a social/political issue or a scientific issue?
Could Lexington be a target for an anthrax attack? Why?

Who might be involved? What might be a motive?

How do we decide that an act is a terrorist act?

How does our observation of terrorist acts influence our fears and prejudices?

What tools might be used to produce a biological/chemical attack?
What is an appropriate response to such an attack? What can we do to predict or prevent such acts?

Does our evaluation of such events have implications for other social policies or norms?

What is the historical/future significance of these current events?

Culminating Performance

Student-produced PowerPoint presentation, Final project will be an assemblage of the PowerPoint contributions of each of the Super Star classes using a variety of media, including writing, video, static images, music, web links, story-boards, cue cards.

Scoring Guide

Criteria	4	3	2	1
Writing	Good sentence structure, correct grammar and usage, completeness, conveys ideas and concepts well through use of own words, addresses targeted audience.	Fair sentence structure, grammar and usage, near completeness, occasionally conveys ideas and concepts well through use of own words, usually addresses targeted audience.	Poor sentence structure, grammar and usage, some completeness, attempts to convey ideas and concepts well through use of own words, occasionally addresses targeted audience.	Disorganized, missing components, incomplete execution, audience indefinite.
Auditory	Accurate, relevant to the topic, school-appropriate	Usually accurate and relevant to the topic.	Occasionally accurate and relevant to the topic.	Not accurate and relevant to the topic.
Visual	Accurate, relevant to the topic, neatness, school-appropriate	Usually accurate and relevant to the topic, generally neat.	Occasionally accurate and relevant to the topic, somewhat neat	Not accurate and relevant to the topic, not neat.
Role responsibility	Student assumes a clear role, cooperates and collaborates effectively.	Student generally assumes a clear role, cooperates and collaborates minimally.	Student occasionally assumes a clear role, does not cooperate or collaborate effectively.	Student is unaware of individual role, does not participate with the group.

Evaluation Component

Teacher will show a news clip of the anthrax scare at Tates Creek Middle School. Students will complete the first two components of a KWL chart (here’s what I Know, here’s what I Want to learn, here’s what I have Learned) on anthrax and biological/chemical warfare on day one of the unit in the Language Arts class. At the conclusion of the unit students will complete the chart stating what they have learned as a result of participation in the unit.

Knowledge (Core Content)

SC-M-3.3.2 Every organism requires a set of instructions for specifying its traits. This information is contained in genes located in the chromosomes of each cell. Heredity is the passage of these instructions from one generation to another

SC-M-3.4.1 Biological change over time accounts for the diversity of species developed through gradual processes over many generations. Biological adaptations include changes in structures, behaviors, or physiology that enhance survival and reproductive success in a particular environment.

SS-M-5.1.1 Different perspectives (e.g., gender, race, region, ethnic group, nationality, age, economic status, religion, politics) result in different interpretations of historical events.

SS-M-5.1.3 History is a series of connected events shaped by multiple cause-and-effect relationships, tying the past to the present.

AH-M-1.1.21 Use electronic/synthesized sounds, electronic instruments, and/or computers to perform music. [PE](1.14, 2.22, 2.33)

Technology Standards

T1.1.1 Demonstrate understanding of the privileges and consequences of AUP

T4.4.2 Access and navigate web sites

T4.4.2.1 URL's

T4.4.2.3 Hyperlinks

T6.5 Create a presentation or product using application software.

T6.5.1 Choose appropriate information for purpose and audience

T6.6 Use digital imaging and audio

T6.6.1 Use digital media for image input and output (camera, scanner, OCR, videodisc)

Skills/Abilities

Obtaining and using resources
Research and analyze
Incorporate media print technology and community resources
Compare and contrast life before and after
Develop materials, including compose music and video
Present and demonstrate using a variety of media
Draw conclusions

Instructional/Assessment Activities

Construct web page, informative links, links to sources of help for families and communities
In the final PowerPoint:

Video vignettes: Tates Creek news excerpt (if possible), guest speakers, raps, student work

Digital photos of storyboards and other organizational work

Web resources as links

Transactive writing piece (portfolio)

Timeline for Unit

Week 1: Week beginning January 7th

	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri
Week 1: Robin (LA)	Intro (TC video clip) KWL	Introduce vocabulary lists	Rap lyrics
Week 1: John (Science)		Internet Scavenger Hunt	Internet Scavenger Hunt	Internet Scavenger Hunt	Internet Scavenger Hunt
Week 1: Beth (Social Studies)		Guest speakers, Historical and scientific background – lecture/ class discussion	Historical and scientific background – lecture/ class discussion	Historical and scientific background – lecture/ class discussion	Historical and scientific background – lecture/ class discussion
Week 2 Robin (LA)	FIRST PERIOD Introduce idea of Round table discussion and need for planning.
Week 2 John (Science)
Week 2 Beth (Social Studies)
Week 3 Robin (LA)	Assign work for PowerPoint, culminating project		Develop questions		Guest Speaker to share Lexington Emergency Plan
(Science)	Assign work for PowerPoint, culminating project	Work on individual parts of the PowerPoint.	Develop questions
(Social Studies)	Assign work for PowerPoint, culminating project	Work on individual parts of the PowerPoint.	Develop questions

Critical Resources

Video camera

A few student workstations accessible in the classroom

Multimedia Projector

Guest speakers

Channel 13

Back to Leestown Middle School

Back to PET Project