Seeing Florida Through Different Eyes and Perspectives

Unit Summary:        Individual Project:

á       Students will pick one aspect, feature, or element of Florida’s natural world and prepare a presentation for the class of at least 8 to 12 minutes which will include a presentation board that brings the students choice to life from a variety of perspectives.

á       Each student, after choosing a unique element of the Floridian natural world, will find descriptions of that plant, animal, bird, insect, or geographical feature in literary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, song, photography, history, geography, and  science discussions. 

á       Using insights from research in literature, science texts and reports, newspapers, magazines, internet sources, artistic media, and their own observations, students will find and describe representations of the focal point of their presentation from artists, authors, and scientists.

á       After evaluating their research data, students will create a written and visual presentation. 

á       Students will take notes from each resource consulted and record the notes with the appropriate bibliographic information from each of those sources in a daily research log.

á       Students will construct an annotated bibliography (a two to three sentence summary of the source with the basic bibliographic information) of at least 12 sources they have consulted. 

á       Each student will construct at least a three page description of his or her element in which that student will offer personal observations, (appropriately) quote observations and descriptions from his or her research, and describe how each perspective the student describes of his or her Floridian feature or element offers a unique view.

á       Each student will construct an “I Am” style poem and a scientific definition poem defining his or her research subject.

á       Each student will construct a creative story of at least 3 pages using his or her project element as a central focus.

á       Students will cite and describe research from at least two pieces of literature or poetry, from at least three artist representations, and from at least three scientific works in his or her presentation. The student will use those descriptions as the introductions to parts of the visual presentation which can be accompanied by examples from books, magazines, computer presentations, artwork, and music. 

á       Each student will construct and deliver a one and one half to two page summary and conclusion explaining what the student learned as a result of producing the project and what greater understanding the student came to as a result of seeing a specific element of the Floridian environment through the eyes or perspectives of several different individuals.

á       Students will take notes on each presentation by other students and will identify the focal point of the presentation, will identify three sources of information cited during the presentation, and will summarize, in a paragraph, how viewing that feature of the Floridian environment from several different perspectives offers a new or greater understanding of that element. 

á       No student can pick the same feature or element that another student has chosen.  Student choices will be made by presenting to the instructor an annotated list of three initial research sources (2 cannot be internet sources), and if two students pick the same element, the first student with an accurate resources’ list will get his or her choice. 

á        Students will keep a daily annotated log of the time spent on the project which will be turned in with the written project materials. 

á        Students will construct a presentation board of cardboard using specific dimensions.

Student Requirements: A research project consisting of the following:

A written portfolio consisting of :

            1.  at least a three page description of an element from the Floridian natural world in which the student will offer personal observations and (appropriately) quote observations and descriptions from his or her own research.

            2.  an “I Am” style poem and a scientific definition poem defining his or her research subject.

            3.  notes from each resource consulted with the appropriate bibliographic information.

            4.  an annotated bibliography of at least 12 sources.

            5.  a daily annotated log of the time spent on the project.

6.     a completed rubric self-assessing the project.

7.     a creative story of at least 3 pages

            8.  a one and one half to two page summary and conclusion explaining what the student learned as a result of producing the project and what greater understanding the student came to as a result of seeing a specific element of the Floridian environment through the eyes or perspectives of several different individuals.

            9.  notes on each presentation by other students which will identify the focal point of the presentation, will identify three sources of information, and will summarize (in a paragraph) how viewing that feature of the Floridian environment from several different perspectives offers a new or greater understanding of that element

The presentation consisting of:

            1.  a personally constructed presentation board

            2.  presentation materials and artifacts that bring the student’s choice to life from a variety of perspectives.    

            3.  an 8 to 12 minute oral presentation of the research project.

 Assessment:  Assessment will be done through the project rubric, the written portfolio with checklist, informal observations of participation in the project (participation grade), and as an audience member listening to presentations (presentation grade)

Suggestions for research subject:

 Florida birds, mammals, reptiles, flowers, trees, plants of any kind, insects, rivers, springs,  or lakes..  examples (over 200 choices):

Alligator

American crocodile

American Kestrel

American Oystercatcher

Anhinga (water turkey or snakebird)

Armadillo

Atlas moth

Bald Eagle

Barn owl

Barnacle

Barred owl

bat

Black Bear

black racer

Black Skimmer

Black Vulture

Black Widow spider

bluebird

blue crab

Blue Jay

Blues (butterflies)

Bobcat

Bobwhite Quail

Bonefish

Brown Pelican

Bull Shark

Burrowing owl

Cabbage Palm

Cardinal

Catbird

cedar tree

Cobia

Conch

Copperhead

coquina

Coral Snake

Cottonmouth Moccasin

coyote

Crested Caracara

crow

Cuban Anole

Cypress Tree

Dolphin (fish)

Dolphin(called Porpoise)

Downy Woodpecker

dragonfly

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

Eastern Striped Skunk

Egret

fiddler crab

fire ant

Flamingo

Florida Beach Mouse

Florida Bog Frog

Florida Mink

Florida Panther

Florida Scrub Jay

Flying Squirrel

Fox Squirrel

fox (gray or red)

gar 

gecko

ghost orchid

Gopher tortoise

gray squirrel

Great Blue Heron

Great Horned owl 

Green Anole

green flash

green turtle

Grouper

Gulf Sturgeon

Hammerhead Shark

horseshoe crab

Indigo snake

Jellyfish

key deer

key lime

King Mackerel

King snake

Kingfisher

Largemouth Bass

Limpkin

Little Green Heron

Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Mako shark

Mangrove tree

Marlin

Marsh rabbit

Mockingbird

mole

Monarch Butterfly

mosquito

opossum

orange

orange tree

Osprey

Permit

Peregrine Falcon

Pileated Woodpecker

Pilot Whale

Pine Barrens Tree Frog

Raccoon

Red Drum (Redfish)

Red Shouldered Hawk

Red Tailed Hawk

Red-winged Blackbird

red wolf

right whale

Ringneck snake

River Otter

Roseate Spoonbill

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Sabal Palm

Sailfish

sanddollar

sandspur

Saw Palmetto

Scarlet Ibis

scorpion

Screech Owl

Sea Gull

sheephead

Shrike

shrimp

skink

Slash pine

Snapping turtle

Snipe

Snook

Snowy Egret

Soft-shelled turtle

Spanish moss

Spotted seatrout

Spotted Skunk

stone crab

Swallow-tailed Kite

Tarpon

tern

Tiger Swallowtail

Tuna

Turkey Vulture

Wahoo

West Indian Manatee

Whippoorwill

White Pelican

White-tailed deer

Wild turkey

Wild hog/boar

Wolf spider

Wood duck

Wood Stork

Any major Florida river:  Ichetucknee, Wakulla, Withlachoochee,  Apalachicola, Suwannee, Finhollaway, Manatee, HillsboroughSt. St. Johns, Kissimmee, or Crystal

Everglades

Any major Florida lake:  Lake Placid, Lake Tarpon, or Lake Okeechobee

Any major Florida bay: Apalachicola Bay, Tampa Bay, Boca Ciega Bay, or Biscayne Bay.

Wildlife Refuges: Ocala National Forest, or  Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Any major Florida spring:  White Springs, Silver Springs, Blue Springs, Wakulla Spring, or Weeki Wachee Springs. Any major swamp: Big Cypress Swamp or Green Swamp.

Curriculum Framing Questions

* Essential Questions

What aspects of the Floridian natural world most interest middle school students?

Why is any single Floridian feature worth examining in detail?

What are the relationships between the focal point of the student’s research and other elements in the Floridian environment?

How many perspectives can students find which offer views of their presentation’s feature?

What differences can be observed or understood when seeing the same object from the perspectives of an artist, a scientist, a photographer, a poet, a writer, or an environmentalist?

* Unit Questions

What constitutes an effective oral and visual presentation?

What factors do the presentations students observe have in common?

Which presentations are unique and why?

How does looking at a single object or feature from a range of perspectives help us see or understand that element better?

* What Will Students Learn?

Students will learn how to gather research from a variety of sources for a focused presentation on an individual element of the Floridian natural world, how to take effective notes on the research information, how to record bibliographic information to cite research sources, how to construct an annotated bibliography, and how to utilize that information in an oral and visual presentation.

Students will learn how to record daily research efforts in a record log.

Students will learn how to produce and present an effective oral and visual presentation with visual aids.

Students will learn, as a result of their classmates presentations, background information on a wide variety of individual elements which make up the Floridian environment.

Students will learn that an individual can view an individual element of the Floridian environment through different perspectives and come to a greater understanding of that thing.

Assessment:

Assessment will be done through the project rubric, the written portfolio with

checklist, and informal observations of participation in the project (participation grade) and as an audience member listening to presentations (presentation grade).

Student Objectives

Students will be able to:

* Learn a wide variety of background information about Florida’s natural

environment and employ that information to make research choices.

* Understand how to compile research for an oral and visual presentation.

* Learn to find usable research on the internet, in texts, and other sources.

* Learn to create an annotated bibliography.

* Learn to synthesize data to describe a single element from different perspectives.

* Learn to present information in a way that meets a prescribed goal.

 

Sunshine State Standards for Language Arts Grades 6-8

 Strand A: Reading

Standard 1: The student uses the reading process effectively.

Benchmark LA.A.1.3.1: The student uses background knowledge of the subject and text structure knowledge to make complex predictions of content, purpose, and organization of the reading selection.

Benchmark LA.A.1.3.4: The student uses strategies to clarify meaning, such as rereading, note taking, summarizing, outlining, and writing a grade level-appropriate report.

Standard 2: The student constructs meaning from a wide range of texts.

Benchmark LA.A.2.3.5: The student locates, organizes, and interprets written information for a variety of purposes, including classroom research, collaborative decision making, and performing a school or real-world task.

Benchmark LA.A.2.3.6: The student uses a variety of reference materials, including indexes, magazines, newspapers, and journals, and tools, including card catalogs and computer catalogs, to gather information for research topics.

Benchmark LA.A.2.3.7: The student synthesizes and separates collected information into useful components using a variety of techniques, such as source cards, note cards, spreadsheets, and outlines.

Strand B: Writing

Standard 1: The student uses writing processes effectively.

Benchmark LA.B.1.3.1: The student organizes information before writing according to the type and purpose of writing.

Benchmark LA.B.1.3.3: The student produces final documents that have been edited for correct spelling; correct punctuation, including commas, colons, and semicolons; correct capitalization; and effective sentence structure.

Standard 2: The student writes to communicate ideas and information effectively.

Benchmark LA.B.2.3.1: The student writes text, notes, outlines, comments, and observations that demonstrate comprehension of content and experiences from a variety of media.

Benchmark LA.B.2.3.4: The student uses electronic technology including databases and software to gather information and communicate new knowledge.

Strand C: Listening, Viewing, and Speaking

Standard 1: The student uses listening strategies effectively.

Benchmark LA.C.1.3.1: The student listens and uses information gained for a variety of purposes, such as gaining information from interviews, following directions, and pursuing a personal interest.

Standard 2: The student uses viewing strategies effectively.

Benchmark LA.C.2.3.2: The student uses movement, placement, juxtaposition, gestures, silent periods, facial expressions, and other nonverbal cues to convey meaning to an audience.

Standard 3: The student uses speaking strategies effectively.

Benchmark LA.C.3.3.1: The student understands how volume, stress, pacing, and pronunciation can positively or negatively affect an oral presentation.

Benchmark LA.C.3.3.3: The student speaks for various occasions, audiences, and purposes, including conversations, discussions, projects, and informational, persuasive, or technical presentations.

Strand D: Language

Standard 1: The student understands the nature of language.

Benchmark LA.D.2.3.4: The student understands how the multiple media tools of graphics, pictures, color, motion, and music can enhance communication in television, film, radio, and advertising.

Benchmark LA.D.2.3.5: The student incorporates audiovisual aids in presentations.

Strand E: Literature

Standard 2: The student responds critically to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama.

Benchmark LA.E.2.3.5: The student recognizes different approaches that can be applied to the study of literature, including thematic approaches such as change, personal approaches such as what an individual brings to his or her study of literature, historical approaches such as how a piece of literature reflects the time period in which it was written.

Benchmark LA.E.2.3.8: The student knows how a literary selection can expand or enrich personal viewpoints or experiences.