UbD Template 2.0
Name(s) of Unit Creators: Sarah Cesarek & Elise DeMoully
Individual Partner Contributions to creation of unit: Elise DeMoully-Recorded; Both shared insights and
contributed ideas for the unit plan at 50% each.
Stage 1 Desired Results
ESTABLISHED GOALS (Standards)
Iowa Core Curriculum: Science:
Life Cycle Content Standard:
Understand and apply knowledge of
life cycles of plants and animals.
Plants and animals have life cycles
that include being born, developing
into adults, reproducing, and
eventually dying.
Plants and animals closely resemble
their parents.
National Arts Standards:
6. Content Standard:
Making connections between visual
arts and other disciplines
Achievement Standard:
Students will
a. understand and use similarities
and differences between
Transfer
Students will be able to… independently use their learning to explore the
life cycles of plants, animals, and insects.
Students will be able to… represent their understandings and imagination
through the use of art media.
Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS: (full
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
sentences)
-How does the environment affect
Students will understand that…
living things?
-What are some of the needs of
 All living things change and
these living things?
grow in certain ways
-What are the different types of life
depending on the type of
cycles and how do they differ
organism they are.
between plants, insects, and
 All living things have their
own needs and these must be animals?
-How is art reflected in our natural
fulfilled for them to survive.
surroundings? How is art
 The environment has a
particular role in the survival represented in the life cycles of
characteristics of the visual arts and
other
arts disciplines
b. identify connections between the
visual arts and other disciplines in
the curriculum
Evaluative Criteria (Rubrics)
 Diorama Rubric
 Writing Journal Rubric
 Research Report/Presentation
Rubric
(all attached to form)
of living organisms.
 Art can be found in all forms
of nature.
organisms?
Acquisition
Students will know…
Students will be skilled at…
-Key terms and vocabulary related
-Exploring the different stages of the
to the life cycles of organisms
life cycles and can identify each
-That every living thing is part of a
stage
life cycle
-Using graphic organizers to chart
-That each organism has its own life their thoughts, understandings, and
cycle
questions
-The impact the environment has on -Explaining the cause-and-effect
living things
relationships of living systems
-The art style of Eric Carle
-Representing nature using the art
concept of paint and collage
Stage 2 - Evidence
Assessment Evidence
PERFORMANCE TASK(S):
Simulation: How the environment plays a role in the life cycles of animals,
insects and humans. This simulation allows students to participate as a
particular organism and deal with pollution and contamination of food.
The students then can predict possible outcomes as to what might happen
to the different organisms.
Research project: Students will research a living organism and note its
species, its life cycle, the environment in which it lives, its survival needs
and other important facts. They will present their information in whichever
way they feel comfortable and confident in doing.
Diorama: Using the research of a living organism that was done for their
presentation, students will create a diorama of its life cycle, environment
and things needed for survival. These will be displayed in the hallway for
the school to observe.
OTHER EVIDENCE:
Vocabulary Quizzes
Journals and Reflections
Data Collections
Artwork
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Summary of Key Learning Events and Instruction
Unit Time Frame: 2 weeks (10 days)
Materials:
 Clipboards for each student
 Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar
 Eric Carle’s The Tiny Seed
 Science Journals/Notebooks
 YouTube video: Life Cycle of a Butterfly
 Construction paper
 Paint
 Brushes
 Glue
 Scissors
 Potting Soil
 Plastic Cups
 Flower seeds
 Watering Can
 Growth Chart
 Index Cards for Vocabulary Flash Cards
 Dictionaries for each table
 Simulation materials—pasta, role cards, Ziploc bags, yarn, chart paper
 Laptop Cart
 Shoe box for Dioramas
 Store bought flowers
 Plastic Wrap
 Hammer or other similar tool
 Unit quiz
Introductory Activities:
 Students will begin their adventure on an Art Walk—they will look in nature to find beauty and art in their
surroundings. Students will note in their journals the colors, textures, and shapes that they notice on the
art walk. (Creating Meaning text, page 179 – 1 day) M
 As a whole class the students will be introduced to and read two children’s books by Eric Carle: The Tiny
Seed, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. (2 days-1 book each day) M
Developmental Activities:
 Students will watch a video on the life cycle of the butterfly—beginning with the caterpillar egg to the
butterfly hatching from the chrysalis. Students will take notes in their science journals about what they see
during the video. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AUeM8MbaIk -- 1 day) M
 Students will model the life cycle of either a) plants, b) animals or c) insects using the art style similar to
Eric Carle in their own little picture book. (1-2 days) A
 As a class, students will grow their own flowers. (Initial day plus 2 weeks to allow for growth) A
 During the flowers life cycle, students will monitor and record data on its growth and appearance over the
two week time period. (Initial day plus 2 weeks of growing time) A
 Students will work in pairs to identify key words—given by the teacher—and look these words up in the
dictionary. The vocabulary words will be shared with the class to create a “Life Cycle Glossary”. (See “How
Does Your Garden Grow Lesson Plan attached--1 day) M
 Using the new vocabulary terms and what the students know about the plants’ life cycle, they will write a
journal called “I’m a Little Seed!” and tell a short story about their life as a growing plant or flower. (See
“How Does Your Garden Grow Lesson Plan attached—1 day—homework assignment) T
 Students will participate in a simulation of the life cycles and the effects of the environment. Students will
then make predictions about the possible outcomes that might happen to each organism. (See attached
lesson plan for details. – 1 day) A
Closing Activities:
 Students will research a particular organism and note their findings in whichever way they feel best
portrays their understandings; i.e. essay, poster, brochure, diagram, presentation. (2 days) T
 Students will create a diorama in which they present their understandings of their researched organism. (3
days – in class and take home work) T
 Using the flowers grown by the students—or store bought flowers if they have not reached desired
growth—the students will do an art activity called Pounding Flowers. They will put their flower on
construction paper and put clear plastic wrap over the top of it. With the teacher’s assistance and
guidance, students will pound the flower using a hammer over the top of the plastic wrap. When the
flower and wrap are removed, the imprint of the flower and its color will remain on the construction paper.
(Creating Meaning, page 191 – 1 day) A
 Students will take a unit quiz over the important key terms, vocabulary and processes that were learned
during the 2-week unit. (1 day) M
The teacher will:
 Post the essential questions on chart paper
 Order and prepare materials and visuals for students
 Make vocabulary sheets
 Lead discussions
 Teach mini-lessons
 Prepare graphic organizers and rubrics for assignments
 Prepare activities and quizzes
 Observe students; evaluate participation and progress
 RTI
Elise DeMoully—C&I Science—Spring 2012
Deadly Links: Ecosystem and Pollution Role-Playing Game
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
 Describe consequences that take place when pollutants enter these ecosystems
Materials:




Pasta—varying shapes and colors [2/3 white & 1/3 colored]
Role Cards for each student attached by yarn—attached to plan
Plastic Sandwich Bags
Data Sheet for recording “food”
Procedure:
1. Spread the pasta around an area either outside if the weather permits or in another large open
space. The pasta is the “food” for the fish and otters. Begin by explaining to the students that this roleplaying game is about polluting the ecosystems and the affects that hazardous materials have on
animals in these ecosystems.
2. Divide the students into groups assigning each student with a role card which they will hang around
their neck for the other students to see. The roles are for a class size of 18 and can be adjusted to suit
the class size. The roles include: one eagle, one fisherman and family, two river otters, four catfish, 4
smallmouth bass and six walleye. Once the roles are assigned, the students with the role of the otters
and various fish will receive a plastic sandwich bag to contain their “food”.
3. The first animals to enter the game are the fish, swimming around collecting their food while the otters,
the eagle and the fisherman watch their “prey”. The students gather their “food” and put it into their
“stomach” [the plastic sandwich bags]. After 45 seconds to a minute, the otters, the eagle and the
fisherman are allowed to “hunt” and enter the game collecting fish and “food”. When they tag a fish
they are given the bag of “food” from that fish and then the fish sits on the side. The remaining fish are
allowed to keep hunting until they are tagged. After 2-3 minutes the game concludes.
4. The students then reconvene in a circle bringing their bags of “food” with them. The students who
were “eaten” by the other animals identify themselves and the animal that ate them. The eagle,
otters, the fisherman and the left-over “living” fish empty their bags that they collected onto the floor
and count and record the food pieces by colors (white, purple, green, and orange). The white pasta
is unharmed. Purple pasta is the food polluted with motor oil. Green pasta is polluted with pesticides
from water run-off from the farms. Orange pasta is polluted with other hazardous wastes such as
bleach and other cleaners that are removed from household drains and down to the river.
5. Inform the students that the colored pasta represents these pollutants that invade the water. The
pollutants are harmful to the animals that live in the ecosystem as well as the animals’ prey. When the
otters, the eagle and the fisherman hunted the fish that were contaminated by these pollutants, they,
too, were contaminated by consuming the polluted fish. Even the surviving fish that were not eaten
could be “dead” now because of the pollutants that they ate and swallowed. The eagle will not die
yet, but because of the toxicity of these pollutants in its body, the eggs that the eagle produces [if a
female eagle] will be too thin to hatch successfully. The fisherman who fished for these creatures now
is at home preparing the contaminated fish for his or herself and the family to eat without knowing
that the fish are contaminated.
Closure:
Return to the classroom and talk with the students about what they experienced in this role-playing
activity. Ask the students for their observations about how the ecosystems were affected, how the pollutants
entered the ecosystems and the results that took place. Students may be able to think and give examples
beyond those of this activity. Students will then work in their science groups to complete the reflection questions
attached to the vegetable plant experiment.
Role:
Color of Pasta
White
Purple
Green
Orange
White
Purple
Green
Orange
White
Purple
Green
Orange
Number of pieces
Role:
Color of Pasta
Number of pieces
Role:
Color of Pasta
Number of pieces
Role:
Color of Pasta
White
Purple
Green
Orange
White
Purple
Green
Orange
White
Purple
Green
Orange
Number of pieces
Role:
Color of Pasta
Number of pieces
Role:
Color of Pasta
Number of pieces