Project-Based Unit

Project-Based Unit

Title of UnitPromoting Economic Awareness Of The Mt. Washington Valley

Subject Area	Grade Level	Time to Complete
Social Studies intergrated with math, writing and public speaking	Grade 4	End Of September Start Up 4 6 weeks

Author’s Name	School Address	Phone, E-mail
Jill Garland Elaine Hennigan	John Fuller School 51 Pine St. No. Conway, NH03660	603-356-5381 (phone)

Framing Question

[Insert your framing question and sub-questions (if applicable) here.]

(Teacher) How does the economic environment of Mt. Washington Valley affect your family’s decision for living here?

(Student) Pretend that you are grown up. How are you going to make a living here?

Workplace or Community Context

[Describe the "real world" context for your project here.]

I. Use Mt. Washington Valley School To Career Guest Speaker List.

Janice Crawford will be our first and primary contact. Each part of the math problem will use a speaker. (Newspaper, A Realtor, A Financial Planner, An Insurance Representative)

II. At our John Fuller Open House students will encourage all adults attending to help build our bar graph by including their occupations.

III. Channel 3 will video student’s public speaking presentations.

The Project
Overview

[Describe, in detail, what the students will do and/or produce for the project here.]

During this unit students will become familiar with different types of careers connected with Mt. Washington Valley.
Students will gain some historic knowledge of the tourism industry as a driving economic force.(This will segue into our next project: The History Of Mt. Cranmore.)
We will develop an understanding of the basic strategies needed in solving a multi-step math problem.
Students will be gathering data, organizing a spreadsheet, creating different types of graphs, and interpreting data.
.We will write a persuasive piece stressing voice.

Students will articulate a career opinion utilizing research-based data.

Alignment with New Hampshire Curriculum Frameworks

[In the table below, list frameworks and describe which component of your project addresses each framework.]

Framework	How it is addressed in your project
Social Studies(economic strand): "Students should apply economic concepts and reasoning in analyzing the character of the workplace and marketplace, and preparing to become effective in these settings. Students will be able to discuss current economic trends in Mt. Washington Valley and how it affects them."	Since only one framework standard is being integrated across the Social Studies, Math and Writing curriculums the multi-step math problem, the persuasive writing piece and the public speaking component all address the standard.

Timeline

[In the table below, break your project down into achievable steps or milestones and describe each. Also, in sequence, list and describe classroom and workplace activities that support your project.]

Project Step or Supporting Activity	Description
Guest speaker Janice Crawford	She will give an overview of employment opportunities in the valley.
Classroom brainstorming of available job opportunities in the valley.	Begin with individual lists, to small group lists, to whole class expanded list.
Parental Involvement during Open House	Using categories from the brainstorming sessions a graph will be presented for adults to input their occupations.
Computer Lab	Using the excell program the students will enter graph data, create a spreadsheet, and make different types of graphs.
Build a Budget Booklet using info from guest speakers on each category in the budget sheet.	Complete a monthly budget sheet following these steps: choose a job, research hourly pay rate or salary, select a place to live, buy or lease a car, allow for living expenses.
Persuasive Writing Piece	Each child will choose a career/job. Their persuasive writing will focus on voice. Final activity will involve oral reading of piece by guest reader. The class will then decide who the author is through the voice of the writer.
Public Speaking using persuasive writing piece	Building speech and language specialist will teach, observe and evaluate student progress.
Channel 3 video	After practicing the public speaking pieces will be videoed by Channel 3.

Project Resources

[Include published curricula, texts, lessons you developed, materials, technology, people and places that you will use as resources for the project-based unit.]

Multi-step math problem

Booklet will include the following:

Choice of job or profession that’s available in the M.W.V.
Research hourly pay rate or salary.
Choose a place to live.
Buy/lease a car.
Basic weekly living expenses (ie. food, clothing, utilities )
Concluding statement based on interpretation of data.
Optional challenge WHAT IF ???? How are you going to be able to buy a big "WANT" after a years worth of work?

Public speaking prompt

In my opinion ___________ is a good job for me in the Valley because. . . .

Assessment

[Describe, in detail, how you will assess the project. Include rubrics that you will use to score student products.]

Oral Presentation Rubric

Observed Standard 10Points

The speaker can be heard by everyone in the audience

The speaker shows interest and enthusiasm

The rate of speaking is appropriate

The speaker makes eye contact with individuals throughout

the audience

The presentation is organized with a beginning, body of

information, and conclusion

There is a clear focus to the presentation

Appropriate support and elaboration are given to the

main idea

Visuals aids are well done, can be seen by all and add

to the presentation

The presentation is the appropriate length

The presentation is creative and interesting

TOTALS

"Voice" Rubric

___________The tone and flavor of the piece fit the topic, purpose, and audience well.

___________Clearly, the writing belongs to the writer and no other.

___________Narrative text is open, honest, and revealing.

___________Persuasive text is thought provoking, lively and compelling.

MATH RUBRIC

Outstanding Acceptable Unacceptable

Organization and Contents	Computation is specific and accurate. Budget sheet is well organized and complete.	Computation is mostly accurate. Budget sheet is apparent but flawed. Work is for the most part complete.	Computation is inaccurate. Budget sheet is mostly incomplete.
Problem Solving and Reasoning	Solutions are complete and reasonable.	Most solutions are complete and reasonable.	Most solutions are incomplete and not Reasonable.
Communications	Materials include many modes of communications such as words, diagrams, equations, graphs and charts. Self-evaluation of progress is insightful.	Materials include a few modes of communication. Work is sometimes, but not always, clear and accurate. Self-evaluation of progress is limited.	Limited modes of communications. Work is unclear, incomplete, or inaccurate. Unable to evaluate one’s own progress.

Implementation Plan

When do you plan to implement your project-based unit?

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.

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