Learner Inquiry Project - March 18, 2020

Describe your project idea, learners, and context (approximately 300 words)

In this 7th grade science unit, students learn about Geology and Plate Tectonics as they explore the geological stories of places. 

First, they will learn about Earth's beginnings. They will understand how our planet was formed and how the internal structure of the Earth leads to the movement of plates. They will begin to understand that the landscape we see out the window isn't static; it's constantly changing. We will focus on the concept of scale as they see the Earth's history modeled on non-human time scales. Eventually they will understand that the Earth is in constant flux with the surface changing shape over thousands and millions of years.  Second, students will look at a case study: The White Mountains. They will learn about the 3 major mountain building events in New England's history and the long period of glaciation that followed. 

Third, they will choose their own place of interest and work to connect people to the story of that place. What is the geological history of this place? What are the available natural resources? What are the major landforms and why are they there? What is its possible future? For some students, the project will end there, but others who are willing and able to extend their project can look at the intersection of culture and geoscience. How do landforms and natural resource distributions shape the cultures and societies that evolve in a place? How does the land shape the people?The full story of a place includes the geology, culture, and the interplay between the two over vast expanses of time. Finally, students will be asked to get creative. Students will become content creators as they leverage technology to connect people with the story they wish to tell. They might create websites, use social media, record a podcast, or give a presentation locally. The requirement will be that they create something shareable and then share it.

RESOURCES 

1. Provide at least four resources for educators/guides/coaches/managers leading this experience - these can be tutorials, videos, content information, or so on.  

The "teacher corner" includes resources like NGSS Perforance Expecatations, Vocabulary lists, student language Learning Targets, and content websites for teachers to use while teaching the unit.

2. Select at least three technology-based reference tools that learners will use

Students have a list of re

3. Select at least three technology tools that learners will use to create new knowledge.  These should be active, learner-centered, collaborative uses of technology. 

• For at least two of your tools need to be using your tools at the modification and redefinition state of the SAMR framework.
• For each tool, please provide a link and a few sentence guide of how learners will use the tool and include how the use of those tool fits within the SAMR framework

DISCUSSION (Pahomov and Siegel p.25)

• Identify the inquiry question(s) for learning
• Describe how your project promotes open inquiry where learners do not all have to arrive at the same ending place with the content or product.
• Identify what learners need to learn, and then what is variable, making connections to your content area or domain standards
• Build a flexible framework for assessment/evaluation (create at least one rubric for learners)
• Provide a reflection about how you have planned for real-world, collaborative and learner-centered experience
• What barriers might you, or learners face in this experience? How might you address them?
• What are you most excited about with the plan you’ve created?