The lessons
are organized to concentrate on big ideas, each addressed
by a learning cycle. At the completion of each big idea’s
learning cycle students should be able to answer the corresponding
essential question.
Typically,
each learning cycle contains four lessons. The lessons associated
with a specific learning cycle may take from a couple of days
to a few weeks to complete. The first lesson engages the students'
interest in the big idea, prompting them to demonstrate the
background they bring to the topic and to ask questions. In
the second lesson, students explore the big idea, searching
for answers to their questions and expanding their understanding
of the concept. The third lesson is an opportunity for students
to explain the big idea. In the fourth lesson the students
apply what they learned to a new situation.
The
world history learning cycles of all three units address National
Standards for Social Studies. In Dawn of New Revolutions
and Disease & Epidemics students
explore concepts World’s
history. These two units also address biology, language
arts and general mathematics.
-
In "Dawn of New Revolutions: Revolitionizing
biology to meet Needs",
described below, students investigate how revolutions,
conflict and change, and resource management impact
human health.
Students develop an understanding of basic genetics,
photosynthesis, plant reproduction and introductory
toxicity issues in relation
to pesticides and genetically modified foods.
-
In "Diseases
and Epidemics: Architects of History", described
below, students explore how the study of diseases, epidemics
and disease
management
offers opportunities for exploration of biological evolution,
immune systems, interaction between humans and their
environment, and interaction among organisms.
At the
end of the unit, the students will be able to apply their
new scientific
understanding to the Major Project where they produce
a product to demonstrate what they learned in the unit.
-
For "Dawn
of New Revolutions: Revolutionizing
Biology to meet Needs", students
piece together the myriad of conflicting factors that
complicate the world of international decision making
and debate these factors from the perspectives of various
nations, in a United Nations style debate.
-
For "Diseases
and Epidemics: Architects of History",
after connecting with a public health official,
students provide a public
service message concerning a local health concern.
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1 |
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What
is disease and what are the possible
origins of disease? What characterizes an infectious
disease? |
Big
Idea |
Most
of the diseases we are familiar with are the result from
the impacts of external factors, (biological and
chemical), genetic, or developmental. Infectious diseases
are transmitted person to person, via contaminated food & water,
and/or via animal vectors. During a disease,
some aspect or aspects of the body’s
normal state is disturbed and homeostasis is not maintained. |
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2 |
|
How
does the body defend itself? What is immunity? |
Big
Idea |
The
immune system is an interacting system of specific and
non-specific components that protects the body through
physical, chemical and cellular means. |
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3 |
|
Bugs
are bugs right? How different are different microorganisms
and how does that affect the damage they inflict and how
they are dealt with? |
Big
Idea |
Pathogenic
microorganisms take a variety of forms and correspondingly
impact the body in different manners |
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4 |
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How
do medications work? How are specific pathogens dealt with? |
Big
Idea |
Building
upon our understanding of natural immunity has allowed
the development of vaccinations and antibiotics and a greater
understanding of disease. |
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5 |
|
Where
do new diseases come from and how do they ‘beat the
system’ we have in place to defend against them? |
Big
Idea |
Diseases
emerge & re-emerge over time. The emergence of a disease
can be impacted by behavioral practices. |
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1 |
|
How
do humans modify plants and animals to suit their agriculutral
needs and what impact does that have on the larger ecosystem? |
Big Idea |
Humans
modify the environment and change interactions between
specific organism within an ecosystem through this modification.
Genetically Modified Organisms are an example of this
modification and are prevalent in agriculture. They are
seen both positively and negatively by people across
the world. |
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2 |
|
What
is the relationship between the sun and living organisms? |
Big
Idea |
Photosynthesis
is the process by which plants make sugar using energy
from the sun. Sugars are a basic building block for growth
of the plant |
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3 |
|
What
is the role of insects in plant reproduction? |
Big
Idea |
The
interaction between insects and flowering plants is central
to many plants reproduction |
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4 |
|
How
do human affect their environment? |
Big
Idea |
Humans
modify the environment using physical, chemical & biological
means and in doing so may impact multiple systems. |
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5 |
|
Why
is there such diversity on life? |
Big
Idea |
DNA
is a large polymer comprised of four bases that code
for the creation of proteins. DNA carries the genetic
instructions for all living organisms. |
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6 |
|
How
do species change over time? |
Big
Idea |
Changes
in DNA occur through mutation, random or intentional.
Some mutation affect a single organism, other affect
the species. Only mutations in reproductive cells create
variations that change offspring and potentially the
species. |
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