Innovation Academy
Unit Plan Template
Unit 2: Community & Communication
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E
Geography,
History,
Individuals,
Groups, and
Interactions
Embedded
Inquirey
Interdependence
Grade Level
Unit
Overview
O
u
t
Informational
Text, Writing
ELA Teacher
Math Teacher
Science Teacher
Statistics and
Probability
Social Studies Teacher
6th Grade
Unit Length
3 Weeks
During the Community & Communication unit, students will study the local region surrounding
Innovation Academy and examine how communities (human, animal and plant) interact and function
within that region. The unit includes one project, called Guidebook, in which students will produce an
electronic guidebook of the region using iAuthor. The guidebook will document elements of the local
environment, culture, history and geographic characteristics. Writing the guidebook will require students
to work in groups of four and to utilize concepts and skills from Science, Math, ELA and Social Studies.
The relevant strands are:
Science – Inquiry and Interdependence
Math – Statistics and Probability
ELA – Reading Literature, Informational Text, Writing
Social Studies – Geography, Individuals, Groups and Interactions, History
The unit culminates with a presentation of the iBook, delivered by each student group. The presentation
will summarize the contents of each groups’ guidebook.
Unit
Essential
Question(s)
What data pertaining to our community reveals cause and effect relationships?
What data pertaining to our region can be expressed as a graph?
In which biome do we live?
What are the major organisms that live in this area and how are they classified?
Can you identify evidence of interdependence of organisms in this region?
What does the local food web look like?
What evidence is there that materials and energy are transferred through the local ecosystem?
What informational text features are important when relaying information about your community?
How can you clearly summarize information, found within informational text, about your community in a
guidebook without excluding crucial information?
What can you learn about a community’s history by evaluating its historical markers or through an
interview?
How can various data about our county be graphed and interpreted?
What potential information can a map provide?
Culminating
Events
What are the basic components of a map and how do they help in the reading of a map?
What innovation changed communication abilities most drastically?
How do use mean, median, and mode to draw conclusions about a population?
How do use a sampling to gain information about a population?
The culminating event is an iAuthor book presentation prepared and delivered by each group of four
students. The presentation will focus on the information contained in the students’ written guidebook.
Three days of project work will precede the delivery of the presentation. Students will create their iBooks
as they complete the research throughout the project days. The students will deliver their presentation
and watch other groups present on the final project day. The total number of project days is four: three
to write the guidebook and one to deliver the presentation.
Essential questions for the project include:
Can you identify evidence of interdependence of organisms in this region?
What does the local food web look like?
What evidence is there that materials and energy are transferred through the local ecosystem?
How can various data about our county be graphed and interpreted?
What potential information can a map provide?
What are the basic components of a map and how do they help in the reading of a map?
How can you use information gathered through interviews, historical markers, and texts to
communicate information about your community?
How can you use text features to communicate your ideas more clearly?
The presentation supports state standards in science (roles of consumers, producers and decomposers,
matter and energy transference), math (statistics), ELA (speaking and listening) and social studies
(geography and history).
Cross-curricular components of the project include statistical analysis in science and social studies,
proportional reasoning and drawing to scale in producing a map, and the study of regional historical
markers in ELA.
Common
Assessment
STEM Project Rubric
Advanced
Math
Components
Evaluating
Expressions
20%
Science
Components:
The Engineering
Design Process
30%
Social Studies
Component
Mapping of Sullivan
County
20%
Guidebook includes at least
3 graphs of data. Each
graph must include a title,
labels, and an appropriate
scale and interval. The
graphs must be
accompanied with an
analysis that includes a
description of the graph’s
center, spread, and shape.
Guidebook includes a
description of the local
biome and ecosystem (at
least 20 biotic and 10
abiotic factors). At least five
factors must be pictured
and all factors described
with words. A food web
must be drawn with at least
14 elements in it.
Proficient
Project Title: Community and
Communication
Student Name: _______________
Date: _______________________
Needs Improvement
Guidebook includes at least 2
graphs of data. Each graph
must include a title, labels, and
an appropriate scale and
interval. The graphs must be
accompanied with an analysis
that includes a description of
the graph’s center, spread, and
shape.
Guidebook includes at least 1
graph of data. The graph must
include a title, labels, and an
appropriate scale and interval.
The graph must be
accompanied with an analysis
that includes a description of
the graph’s center, spread, and
shape.
Guidebook includes a
description of the local biome
and ecosystem (at least 16
biotic and 8 abiotic factors). At
least five factors must be
pictured and all factors
described with words. A food
web must be drawn with at
least 11 elements in it.
Guidebook includes a
description of the local biome
and ecosystem (at least 13
biotic and 6 abiotic factors). At
least five factors must be
pictured and all factors
described with words. A food
web must be drawn with at
least 9 elements in it.
All 3 of the following are
included in iAuthor: a
visually appealing map of
where Tennessee is within
the United States, a visually
appealing map of where
Sullivan County is within
Tennessee, a visually
appealing map of Sullivan
county with three student
selected locations correctly
mapped. Students also must
include 3/3 from the
following: map scale, map
key, compass rose.
2/3 of the following are
included in iAuthor: a visually
appealing map of where
Tennessee is within the United
States, a visually appealing map
of where Sullivan County is
within Tennessee, a visually
appealing map of Sullivan
county with two student
selected locations correctly
mapped. Students also must
include 2/3 from the following:
map scale, map key, compass
rose.
1/3 of the following are
included in iAuthor: a visually
appealing map of where
Tennessee is within the United
States, a visually appealing
map of where Sullivan County
is within Tennessee, a visually
appealing map of Sullivan
county with one student
selected locations correctly
mapped. Students also must
include 1/3 from the
following: map scale, map key,
compass rose.
iAuthor book includes all of
the following 25 items:
iAuthor book includes 17-24 of
the following 25 items:
iAuthor book includes <17 of
the following 25 items:
Title Page, table of contents,
Headings for each topic, 4
Subheadings, 3 Graphics, 2
photographs, 5 Captions, 2
Maps with labels, 2 charts, 2
different types of print
(bold, italics, underline),
glossary, and an index
Title Page, table of contents,
Headings for each topic, 4
Subheadings, 3 Graphics, 2
photographs, 5 Captions, 2 Maps
with labels, 2 charts, 2 different
types of print (bold, italics,
underline), glossary, and an
index
Title Page, table of contents,
Headings for each topic, 4
Subheadings, 3 Graphics, 2
photographs, 5 Captions, 2
Maps with labels, 2 charts, 2
different types of print (bold,
italics, underline), glossary,
and an index
Student earns 14 - 16 points
on the rubric
Student earns 11 – 13 points on
the rubric
Student earns <11 points on
the rubric
ELA Component
Informational Text
Features
15%
ELA Component
Reflective Writing
Using the TN
Writing Rubric
15%
I can identify a compass rose.
Unit
I can identify a map key.
Objectives
I can differentiate between lines of latitude and longitude.
I can develop a map scale for a map.
I can incorporate informational text features while writing a book about my community.
I can describe abiotic and biotic factors within a biome and the relationship between the two.
I can create a food web for a particular biome.
I can display and interpret numerical data.
Strands (main ideas taught in unit)
ELA
Math
Reading Informational Text, Writing, Speaking and Listening
Statistics and Probability
Science
Inquiry and Interdependence
Social
Studies
History, Geography, Individuals, Groups, and Interactions
Vocabulary
ELA
Math
Science
Social





Credibility- being believable or worthy of trust
Source- the person, text, etc. that supplies information
Imagery- the use of words in order to form metal images in the mind of the reader
Cyberbully- a person who intentionally harms someone’s character online
Climax- the turning point of the plot
STEM Math IA
 Mean—a measure of central tendency that is calculated by taking the sum of the data set and
dividing it by the number of occurrences.
 Median—a measure of central tendency that is calculated by putting numbers in numeric order
and finding the number in the middle.
 Mode—a measure of central tendency. It is the number that happens most frequent.
 Histogram— a diagram consisting of rectangles whose area is proportional to the frequency of a
variable and whose width is equal to the class interval.
 Box –and-Whisker Plot— A bar or diagram using a number line to show
the distribution of data.
STEM Math IB
 Mean—a measure of central tendency that is calculated by taking the sum of the data set and
dividing it by the number of occurrences.
 Median—a measure of central tendency that is calculated by putting numbers in numeric order
and finding the number in the middle.
 Mode—a measure of central tendency. It is the number that happens most frequent.
 Range—The difference between the lowest and highest values.
 Measure of Variation— Measure of variation is a measure that describes how spread out or
scattered a set of data
 Producer – organisms that make food and mass from sunlight and nutrients
 Consumer – organisms that must eat other organisms to get energy
 Decomposers – organism that feeds on and breaks down dead organisms
 Ecosystem – biological community and all the nonliving factors that affect it
 Energy – calories found in food (technical definition – the ability to do work)
 Latitude—distance north or south of the equator, measured in degrees
Studies




Longitude—distance east or west of the meridian at Greenwich, measured in degrees
Map Key—table that explain what symbols on a map represent
Map Scale—a ratio which compares a measurement on a map to the actual distance between
locations identified on the map
Compass Rose—symbol on a map representing directions
Key Questions
ELA
How can you use
information gathered
through interviews,
historical markers, and
texts to communicate
information about your
community?
How can you use text
features to communicate
your ideas more clearly?
Hook for
Unit
Literature /
Informative
Text
Component
Math
How do use mean,
median, and mode to
draw conclusions about
a population?
Science
What are the roles of
producers, consumers
and decomposers in
the local ecosystem?
How do use a sampling
to gain information
about a population?
How do nutrients cycle
through the
ecosystem?
How do I use measures
of central tendency
and measures of
variation to draw
conclusions about a set
of data?
How does energy move
through the local
ecosystem?
Social Studies
What is a compass rose,
map scale, and map
key?
What do lines of latitude
and longitude
represent?
What did Johannes
Gutenberg invent and
what was this
invention’s impact on
the world?
What are the major
biotic and abiotic
components of the
local ecosystem?
How do I use Statistics
to communicate my
conclusions?
Watch this video will be used as the hook for this unit. This video details in very concise terms the
transition in communications the world has seen over recent decades. How this transition of
communication means and capabilities is discussed in terms of how it affects the individual and the
community.
The Giver by Lois Lowry
A science fiction novel about a futuristic community. Jonas lives in a perfect society--no pain, no crime, no
unhappiness. But when he receives his life assignment to be the Receiver of Memories, he discovers
secrets about the past, and the terrible choices that make this world possible. In the perfect future world
in which Jonas lives, twelve-year-old children are given their life assignments at the Ceremony of Twelve.
Jonas is shocked when he is chosen to be the new Receiver of Memories, a mysterious position of honor
held by only one person at a time. He is trained by the previous Receiver, now called the Giver. The
training consists of transferring to him memories of a past--before the imposition of Sameness--that the
others in the community can't even imagine, in which there was war, hunger, and disease, but also color,
weather, and strong emotions. Gradually Jonas comes to understand, and resent, the choices that had to
be made to create his world, and the terrible secrets behind its perfection. Together he and the Giver
concoct a plan to change the way his world works, but before they can carry it out Jonas is forced to
make a decision that may destroy them all.
Students will participate in Literature Circles throughout the book study in order to fully understand the
meanings within the book. Discussion questions will lead them to have conversations comparing and
contrasting the community they are familiar and the Giver’s community. Students will recognize the
freedoms that they have grown accustomed to and consider what life would be without them.
Writing
Closure
Perfect Community Essay
Read the “Is Walt Disney’s Perfectly Planned Community, Celebration, Florida, Creepy or Inspiring?”
Reflect on your recently acquired knowledge of The Giver, biological factors, the statistical data, and the
article to complete the following essay.
Most people have an idea of what they consider an ideal community to be. Some people value good
schools or police protection, while others consider the environment or historical aspects to be the most
important factors. In a one-two composition, explain what represents an ideal community in your view.
Identify what you believe to be the most important features and explain why they are important to you.
Support your position with specific reasons and examples by offering evidence of support that reflect
your learning throughout the project.
Materials
Needed for
Culminating
Event
MacBook Airs
iBooks Author app for each MacBook
Materials for Differentiated Instruction – Remediation:
Excel or other spreadsheet software for graphing
Audiobook version of The Giver
Materials for Differentiated Instruction –Enrichment:
The Giver discussion questions for the literature circles vary by difficulty. They require multiple levels of higher
order thinking.
Standards: Common Core Standards, Tennessee State Standards
ELA
Common
Core
Standards.
Math
Common
Core
Standards.
RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
W.6.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and
information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
W.6.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing
W.6.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing
the inquiry when appropriate.
W.6.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each
source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and
providing basic bibliographic information for sources.
SL.6.4 Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and
details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear
pronunciation
SL.6.5 Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images, music, sound) and visual displays in
presentations to clarify information.
STEM Math IA
7.SP.1. Understand that statistics can be used to gain information about a population by examining a
sample of the population; generalizations about a population from a sample are valid only if the sample
is representative of that population. Understand that random sampling tends to produce representative
samples and support valid inferences.
7.SP.2 Use data from a random sample to draw inferences about a population with an unknown
characteristic of interest. Generate multiple samples (or simulated samples) of the same size to gauge
the variation in estimates or predictions. For example, estimate the mean word length in a book by
randomly sampling words from the book; predict the winner of a school election based on randomly
sampled survey data. Gauge how far off the estimate or prediction might be.
7.SP.4. Use measures of center and measures of variability for numerical data from random samples to
draw informal comparative inferences about two populations. For example, decide whether the words in
a chapter of a seventh-grade science book are generally longer than the words in a chapter of a fourthgrade science book.
Science
Tennessee
State
Standards.
Social
Studies
Tennessee
State
Standards.
STEM Math IB
6.SP.1 Recognize a statistical question as one that anticipates variability in the data related to the
question and accounts for it in the answers. For example, “How old am I?” is not a statistical question,
but “How old are the students in my school?” is a statistical question because one anticipates variability
in students’ ages.
6.SP.2Understand that a set of data collected to answer a statistical question has a distribution which can
be described by its center, spread, and overall shape.
6.SP.3 Recognize that a measure of center for a numerical data set summarizes all of its values with a
single number, while a measure of variation describes how its values vary with a single number.
6.SP.4 Display numerical data in plots on a number line, including dot plots, histograms, and box plots.
6.SP.5 Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context, such as by:
6.SP.5aReporting the number of observations.
6.SP.5bDescribing the nature of the attribute under investigation, including how it was measured
and its units of measurement.
6.SP.5c Giving quantitative measures of center (median and/or mean) and variability
(interquartile range and/or mean absolute deviation), as well as describing any overall pattern
and any striking deviations from the overall pattern with reference to the context in which the
data were gathered.
6.SP.5d Relating the choice of measures of center and variability to the shape of the data
distribution and the context in which the data were gathered.
SPI 0607.Inq.1 Design a simple experimental procedure with an identified control and appropriate
variables.
SPI 0607.Inq.2 Select tools and procedures needed to conduct a moderately complex experiment.
SPI 0607.Inq.3 Interpret and translate data in a table, graph, or diagram.
SPI 0607.Inq.4 Draw a conclusion that establishes a cause and effect relationship supported by evidence.
SPI 0607.2.1 Classify organisms as producers, consumers, scavengers, or decomposers according to their
role in a food chain or food web.
SPI 0607.2.2 Interpret how materials and energy are transferred through an ecosystem.
SPI 0607.2.3 Identify the biotic and abiotic elements of the major biomes.
SPI 0607.2.4 Identify the environmental conditions and interdependencies among organisms found in
the major biomes.
6.3.spi.1 Identify the basic components of a world map (i.e., compass rose, map key, scale, latitude
and longitude lines, continents, oceans).
6.3.spi.3. Identify the location of early civilizations on a map (i.e. Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Ancient
Chinese, Indian.).
6.3.spi.5. Use a variety of maps to understand geographic and historical information (i.e., political
maps, resource maps, product maps, physical maps, climate maps, vegetation maps).
6.5.spi.5. Identify major technological advances (i.e., tools, wheel, irrigation, river dikes, development of
farming, advances in weaponry, written language, and printing press).
6.6.spi.2. Recognize the impact of individuals on world history (i.e., Charlemagne, Joan of Arc, William
the Conqueror, Ramses II, Julius Caesar, Socrates, Aristotle, Marco Polo, Alexander the Great, King
Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Martin Luther, and Johannes Gutenberg).
6.5.spi.15. Evaluate to what extent civilizations build on the accomplishments of previous civilizations.
Project Days 1 – 3
During Community and Communication project days, students will research the history, geography and ecology of the local region. They will
accomplish all curriculum specific goals during these three days and use the information to produce a regional Guidebook using iAuthor. Science
standards require students to identify ecological features of the region, including major biotic and abiotic factors, consumers, produces and
decomposers and to identify primary populations and describe the biome in which we live. They will also collect data on the way population
numbers have changed over the past thirty years. Social Studies standards require that students understand and be capable of reading maps
utilizing basic components that most maps provide such as a compass rose, map key, and map scale. Students will place within their projects a map
of Tennessee within the United States, a map of Sullivan County within Tennessee, and a map of Sullivan County with three locations of the
student’s choosing identified correctly. These three maps will also feature the mapping components mentioned previously. ELA standards will guide
the students throughout the communication of their research. Students will use text features in the iAuthor book to assist with the reader’s
comprehension. Math standards require students to be able to take data that has been collected and describe it using it’s center, shape, and
spread. Students will also be required to use a sample to draw conclusions about the population.
Project 4
Students will use the information in their Guidebooks presentation summarizing their findings about the region. Student groups of four will present
the information to teachers and peers.