Mt. Washington Valley School To Career Partnership

Project-Based Unit
Title of Unit Continental Agriculture

Subject Area	Grade Level	Time to Complete
Science	Third & Fourth	First term

Author’s Name	School Address	Phone, E-mail
Lori Palmer, Karen Shackford	Freedom Elementary Loon Lake Road, Freedom, NH	539-2077 freedom@worldpath.net

Workplace or Community Context

Milton Mills Farm Museum
Behr Farm
Senior Community Member
Local Farmer
Freedom Historical Society

Alignment with New Hampshire Curriculum Frameworks

Framework	How it is addressed in your project
Science Curriculum Standard 1a Students will work in small teams to investigate problems, but form own conclusions	Students will identify variables within an experiment.
Science Curriculum Standard 2D Describe and defend decisions that they have made involving themselves and their environment. Identify and gather information needed to make a decision on a science-and/or technology related issue. Describe the possible consequences of various alternative decisions to a science and/or technology related issue.	Students will ask their questions about changes in farming technology. Students will ask their questions about changes in farming technology.
Science Curriculum Standard 3b Students will be able to: Identify and describe the basic requirements for sustaining life, e.g. plants and animals need food for energy and growth. Conduct an investigation which illustrates how the environment affects the viability of plants or animals within that environment.	Students will plant seeds and observe what happened when watered and not watered Students will examine the needs of several organisms and determine how the conditions of a particular habitat can limit the kinds of organisms living there. Students will be able to identify and describe the basic requirements for sustaining life i.e. water, light, and soil.
Science Curriculum Standard 6b Students will demonstrate their understanding of the meaning of stability and change and will be able to identify and explain change in terms of cause and effect.	Students will be able to indentify and describe several ways in which things may change.
Science Curriculum Standard 3d Students will develop and increasing ability to understand fundamental structures, functions, and mechanisms of inheritance found in microorganisms, fungi, protests, plants, and animals.	Students will observe and identify the structures of a seed. Students will identify the structures of a plant. Students will understand the functions of plant structures.
Language Arts/SAU 13 Curriculum Standard 6 Students will demonstrate competence in using reading, writing, listening, and viewing to communicate effectively.	Lesson 4,5,6 Students will listen and read for information. Students will take notes of important details. Students will answer questions in written form. Students will use the library to gain information on their selected topics concerning the development of farming technology.
Social Studies Curriculum Standard 16 Students will demonstrate the ability to employ historical analysis, interpretation, and comprehension, to make reasoned judgements and to gain understanding, perspective, and an appreciation of history and its uses in contemporary situations.	Lesson 3,4,5,6 Students will find out about technologies and products that have appeared and disappeared in a community member's lifetime. Students will use the library to gain information on their selected topics concerning the development of farming technology. Students will listen for information Students will take notes of important details Students will formulate questions to ask about progress in farming machinery in pairs.
Science Curriculum Standard?	Students will identify the plant cycle Students will understand that leaves make food. Students will understand that seeds form in flowers or cones.

Timeline

Project Step or Supporting Activity

Description

Motivating Activity (Day 1 and 2):
Take apart a seed.

Procedures:
1. Introduce the unit and go over the use of science journals using complete sentences, neat handwriting, and detailed observations.
2. Give the students two bean seeds and have them measure and record the size of each in their science journal. Record how they look and feel.
3. Soak the seeds overnight and observe again and record the observation.
4. Divide the beans in half and observations.
5. Answer questions in the third grade science text on page 6 and 7.

Lesson 1: (Day 3)
Planting Seeds

Procedures:
1. Students will plant seeds according to the directions in the third grade science text on pg. 7 and 8.
2. Students will plant a third set of seeds using sand for the soil.
3. Teachers will lead a discussion concerning variables in an experiement and their importance.
4. Students will read page 9 and 11 of the third grade science text and predict what they think will happen to their plants. They will record their predictions.
5. Students will measure and record the growth of their plants over a two week period and then answer questions in the third grade science text on pg. 9

Lesson 2: (Day 4)
Information gathering

1. Students will read in the third grade science text pages 13-16 paying attention to the bold face words, pictures, captions, and section titles.
2. Students will answer the questions on page 17 of the 3rd grade science text in their science journals.

Lesson 3: (Day 5)
Field trip to the Milton Farm Museum

1. Students will participate in the field trip and formulate questions to ask about progress in farming machinery in paris.
2. Student's will chose an appropriate topic to research on farm technology in pairs

Lesson 4: (day 6)
Speaker on farming technology and its changes.

1. Students will listen to the speaker and ask appropriate questions. A follow up discussion will take place to discover what they learned.

Lesson 5: (day 7,8,9,10)
Research farm technology.

1. Students will look up information on their selected topic and produce a visual product and a written pice explaining what their ropic is and what it does, and when it was developed.
2. Students will orally present their information to the class and invited guests.

Lesson 6: (day 11)
SR.S.V.P. Community Speakers.

1. Students will listen to the speaker and ask appropriate questions.

Lesson 7: (day 12 & 13)
parts of a plant and their functions.

1. In small groups students will read pgs. 18-22 in the third grade science text and discuss the reading.
2. Students will pull up some grass with and without roots and do the experiment on pg. 23 of the science book.
3. Students will diagram the parts of a plant and write the functions of each in their science journal.

Lesson 8: (Day 14)
Varying light and fertilizer

1. Students will put some plants under a plant light or in a sunny spot, and some plants in a very dark spot. Some of the plants will receive fertilizer in the soil and some will not. All plants will be labeled.
2. Students will discuss variables and the fact that they must only be changed one at a time.
3. Students will write a prediction of what they think will happen in their science journals and record the growth of their plants over a two week period.
4. Teachers will discuss the results with the students.

Lesson 9: (day 15)
Leaves, Flowers and Plant Cycle

1. Students will read pgs. 22-28 in the third grade science text.
2. Students will answer the questions on pg. 29
3. Students will complete a crossword puzzle using the vocabulary words.

Lesson 10: (day 16-19)

1. Students will have a discussion about pesticides.
2. Students will discuss what a debate is and go over rules for a debate
3. Teacher will divide calss into four groups and assign two groups one side and two groups the other side. Students will research their argument.
4. Groups will debate their arguments.

Project Resources

Beans
Soil
Sand
Hand lens
Rulers
Third grade science text
Journals
Milk cartons
Scissors
Plastic Wrap
Masking tape
Library resources: Public Library, School Library, an Internet
Community speakers
Celery
Food coloring
Carrots / beets with stems
Paper bags
Crossword puzzles
Debate rule
paper and pencil test
Grolier Electronic Publishing 1996 article on pesticides

Assessment

Student Science journals
Paper and pencil test
Teacher Observation
Rubric for Research paper
Debate assessment includes group participation, research notes and the debate

Implementation Plan

2. List the steps you need to take to implement your project-based unit. Include approximate meeting dates with your peers and your project-based learning consultant.

The classes will meet on Monday, Tuesday and Fridays.

Mt. Washington Valley School-to-Career Coordinator
PO Box 1066 Conway, NH 03818 Phone/Fax: 603-447-2350

Project Step or Supporting Activity	Description
Motivating Activity (Day 1 and 2): Take apart a seed.	Procedures: 1. Introduce the unit and go over the use of science journals using complete sentences, neat handwriting, and detailed observations. 2. Give the students two bean seeds and have them measure and record the size of each in their science journal. Record how they look and feel. 3. Soak the seeds overnight and observe again and record the observation. 4. Divide the beans in half and observations. 5. Answer questions in the third grade science text on page 6 and 7.
Lesson 1: (Day 3) Planting Seeds	Procedures: 1. Students will plant seeds according to the directions in the third grade science text on pg. 7 and 8. 2. Students will plant a third set of seeds using sand for the soil. 3. Teachers will lead a discussion concerning variables in an experiement and their importance. 4. Students will read page 9 and 11 of the third grade science text and predict what they think will happen to their plants. They will record their predictions. 5. Students will measure and record the growth of their plants over a two week period and then answer questions in the third grade science text on pg. 9
Lesson 2: (Day 4) Information gathering	1. Students will read in the third grade science text pages 13-16 paying attention to the bold face words, pictures, captions, and section titles. 2. Students will answer the questions on page 17 of the 3rd grade science text in their science journals.
Lesson 3: (Day 5) Field trip to the Milton Farm Museum	1. Students will participate in the field trip and formulate questions to ask about progress in farming machinery in paris. 2. Student's will chose an appropriate topic to research on farm technology in pairs
Lesson 4: (day 6) Speaker on farming technology and its changes.	1. Students will listen to the speaker and ask appropriate questions. A follow up discussion will take place to discover what they learned.
Lesson 5: (day 7,8,9,10) Research farm technology.	1. Students will look up information on their selected topic and produce a visual product and a written pice explaining what their ropic is and what it does, and when it was developed. 2. Students will orally present their information to the class and invited guests.
Lesson 6: (day 11) SR.S.V.P. Community Speakers.	1. Students will listen to the speaker and ask appropriate questions.
Lesson 7: (day 12 & 13) parts of a plant and their functions.	1. In small groups students will read pgs. 18-22 in the third grade science text and discuss the reading. 2. Students will pull up some grass with and without roots and do the experiment on pg. 23 of the science book. 3. Students will diagram the parts of a plant and write the functions of each in their science journal.
Lesson 8: (Day 14) Varying light and fertilizer	1. Students will put some plants under a plant light or in a sunny spot, and some plants in a very dark spot. Some of the plants will receive fertilizer in the soil and some will not. All plants will be labeled. 2. Students will discuss variables and the fact that they must only be changed one at a time. 3. Students will write a prediction of what they think will happen in their science journals and record the growth of their plants over a two week period. 4. Teachers will discuss the results with the students.
Lesson 9: (day 15) Leaves, Flowers and Plant Cycle	1. Students will read pgs. 22-28 in the third grade science text. 2. Students will answer the questions on pg. 29 3. Students will complete a crossword puzzle using the vocabulary words.
Lesson 10: (day 16-19)	1. Students will have a discussion about pesticides. 2. Students will discuss what a debate is and go over rules for a debate 3. Teacher will divide calss into four groups and assign two groups one side and two groups the other side. Students will research their argument. 4. Groups will debate their arguments.