AoI Making a Difference in Teaching

8/4/2019 AoI Making a Difference in Teaching

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Background Overview

This material was developed to be used during an 8th grade Language Arts class. It

was designed as an interdisciplinary unit emphasizing the connection between

literature and American history. Most students in the class read To Kill a

Mockingbird, though alternate titles with similar themes were often used. Such

titles include but are not limited to Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry, The Aleutian

Sparrow, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and more.

The purpose of this power point is to show how changing the AoI will influence the

content and the direction of some of the learning in the classroom. Looking at

this complex task through the common text of TKAM eases the discussion and

allows teachers to fill in many details on their own, because as Americans we

share a common understanding of this book.

Any AoI Overview can be inserted. Of course, IB puts out a great one that you can

insert if your staff is not familiar with it.


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TKAM Highlights The story takes place during three years of the Great Depressionin the fictional "tired old town" of Maycomb, Alabama. The narrator,

six-year-old Scout Finch, lives with her older brother Jem and their widowed father Atticus, a middle-aged lawyer. Jem and Scoutbefriend a boy named Dill who visits Maycomb to stay with his aunt for the summer. The three children are terrified of, and fascinated

by, their neighbor, the reclusive "Boo" Radley. The adults of Maycomb are hesitant to talk about Boo and, for many years, few have

seen him. The children feed each other's imagination with rumors about his appearance and reasons for remaining hidden, and they

fantasize about how to get him out of his house. Following two summers of friendship with Dill, Scout and Jem find that someone is

leaving them small gifts in a tree outside the Radley place. Several times, the mysterious Boo makes gestures of affection to the

children, but, to their disappointment, never appears in person.

Atticus is appointed by the court to defend Tom Robinson, a black man who has been accused of raping a young white woman, Mayella

Ewell. Although many of Maycomb's citizens disapprove, Atticus agrees to defend Tom to the best of his ability. Other children taunt

Jem and Scout for Atticus' actions, calling him a "nigger-lover". Scout is tempted to stand up for her father's honor by fighting, even

though he has told her not to. For his part, Atticus faces a group of men intent on lynching Tom. This danger is averted when Scout,

Jem, and Dill shame the mob into dispersing by forcing them to view the situation from Atticus' and Tom's points of view.

Because Atticus does not want them to be present at Tom Robinson's trial, Scout, Jem, and Dill watch in secret from the colored

balcony. Atticus establishes that the accusersMayella and her father, Bob Ewell, the town drunkare lying. It also becomes clear that

the friendless Mayella was making sexual advances towards Tom and her father caught her in the act. Despite significant evidence of

Tom's innocence, the jury convicts him. Jem's faith in justice is badly shaken, as is Atticus', when a hopeless Tom is shot and killed while

trying to escape from prison.

Humiliated by the trial, Bob Ewell vows revenge. He spits in Atticus' face on the street, tries to break into the presiding judge's house,

and menaces Tom Robinson's widow. Finally, he attacks the defenseless Jem and Scout as they walk home from the school Halloween

pageant. Jem's arm is broken in the struggle, but amid the confusion, someone comes to the children's rescue. After being carried

home, Jem realizes the mysterious man who helped them is Boo Radley.

Maycomb's sheriff arrives and discovers that Bob Ewell has been killed in the struggle. The sheriff argues with Atticus about the

prudence and ethics of holding Jem or Boo responsible. Atticus eventually accepts the sheriff's story that Ewell simply fell on his own

knife. Boo asks Scout to walk him home, and after she says goodbye to him at his front door, he disappears again. While standing on the

Radley porch, Scout imagines life from Boo's perspective and regrets that they never repaid him for the gifts he had given them.

To Kill a Mockingbird, Wikipedia, 26 October 2010, 7 November 2010.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Depressionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reclusehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_segregationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_segregationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_drunkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloweenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloweenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_drunkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_segregationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_segregationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reclusehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Depression


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An Overview of the AoI

Taken from the OCC


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Guiding/Unit Question

or

Subject/Content/Concept

Health and Social Education

Human Ingenuity

Approaches to Learning

Environments

Community and Service

How do I think and act?

How am I changing?

How can I look after myself and others?

Growing upValues of right and wrong

Bullying

Respecting others

Honesty

Standing up for others

Courage

How do we live in relation to each other?

How can I contribute to the community?

How can I help others?

Community values climate of prejudiceStratification in society

Peer pressure & how to break it

What happens when you go against societal norms?

How and why does man create?

What are the consequences?

How can the courts have unfair verdicts?

What are the consequences of the kids games for

them and for Boo?

What are the origins of the book?

How did/does TKAM impact our understanding of

our own society and history?

Why did Harper Lee write the book?

How do we live?

What resources do we need?

What are my responsibilities?

Natural, Built, Virtual Environments

Many people consider the town to be a character.

So how does the built environment impact the

story?

- Town layout- Tree with a knothole- Different classes Maycomb, the Ewells,

Calpurnia

How do I learn best?

How do I know?

How do I communicate my understanding?

Communication, Transfer, Organization, Thinking Skills,

Collaboration, Info. Lit., Reflection, Knowl. &Skills

Socratic Seminars

Scored Discussions

5 D Model

Research skills international sources; summarizing

Persuasive Writing

Organizing notes note cards?

Communication Skills

Guiding/Essential Unit Question

or


To Kill a MockingbirdPossible Concepts:

Equality

JusticePrejudiceFamilyWisdomCourageRespectResponsibilityGrowing UpFriendshipLoss of Innocence


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A Closer Look at ATLTo Kill a Mockingbird - ATL Skills

Organization Collaboration Communication Information Literacy Reflection Thinking Skills Transfer Knowledge & Skills

Timelines Socratic Seminar Socratic Seminar Research Text-to Text Socratic Seminar Metamorphing The Depression

Note Cards Scored Discussion Scored Discussion Evaluating Sources Text-to-Self Scored Discussion Global Issues Determining a

Theme

Persuasive

Arguments

Persuasive Essay International

Resources

Text-to-World Reasoning Model Great

Depression

International Issues

5D Model Formualting an

Opinion

5D Model Civil Rights

Meaning from Text Defending anOpinion

Persuasive Writing

Reflective Listening


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If I Choose CSSignificant Concept:

Compare and Contrast Prejudiceand Racism; Understand the

injustice that can result from pre-

judging others

Essential Unit Question:

To what extent doessocietys attitude impact theway we think and act?

Communication:

Socratic Seminar Question: Discuss how

the role a person plays in society impacts

how others think of him.

Writing Prompt: Identify a character other

than Tom Robinson whose perception by

others is inaccurate. Explain how this

affected the character and how he/she

responded.

Thinking Skills:

5D Model Research an international

situation where you feel that someone is

the victim of prejudice or racism

Unique Task:

Determine an action plan that you can

take that will address the issue you

researched.


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If I Choose HSESignificant Concept:

(Prejudice & Racism) OR

Students will appreciate the role

that adults and peers play in

determining who they

are/become as adults

Essential Unit Question:

(In what ways do I judgeothers?)

In what ways do thosearound me influence

who I am and who I

will become?

Communication:

Socratic Seminar: How do those aroundus help to build our character?

Writing Prompt: Think about how you act

around others. Are you the same

person all the time or does your character

never change? Explain your response

with specific examples where you justify

your actions.

Thinking Skills:

5D Model - Research a world leader or

organization that reflects a value from the

book that you agree with.

Unique Task:

Collect valuable wisdom from family

members to contribute to the school

Wisdom Tree.


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If I Choose HI

Significant Concepts:

Racism and prejudice are still

issues that must be overcome

today. Fair is not Equal.

Essential Unit Question: How important is it to be fair

to everyone?

Communication

Socratic Seminar: Is profiling justified?(Remember you must use examples from

the text as well as the real world.)

Writing Prompt: TKAM is considered an

American classic. What do you think?

Defend your position.

Thinking Skills:

5D Model: Structure the project through

the design cycle

Special Project:

Choose a situation in the book where a

character makes an important decision.

Diagram the consequences of that

decision. Then create a second diagram

showing the possible consequences of a

different choice.


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If I Choose ESignificant Concept:

It takes a village to raise a child.

The town of Maycomb is a major

character in the book.

Essential Unit Question: How does where we live

impact how we grow up?

Communication

Socratic Seminar: How does the physicallayout of a community (built environment)

impact the lifestyle of its citizens?

Writing Prompt: Choose three characters

from the book and describe their

influence on Scout or Jem.

Thinking Skills

5D Project: Level I Describe the

character of the Town of Maycomb

Research Project Examine a country or

community where the natural

environment adversely affects thecommunity.

Special Project: From your reading, create a

map of Maycomb
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Sciences

Genetics


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Guiding/Unit Questionor



Human Ingenuity


Environments


How do I think and act?

How am I changing?

How can I look after myself and others?

Health implications of genetic diseases

Organ/tissue donation

Understanding genetic traits

Inherited attributes GeneticsPossible Concepts:

Nature vs. Nurture

Ethics

Breeding

Genetic Engineering

Probability

Racial Characteristics

Diabetes

How do we live in relation to each other?How can I contribute to the community?How can I help others?

Understanding special needs physical,

social/emotional

Should we eat genetically engineered food?

How and why does man create?What are the consequences?

Genetic Engineering

Genetic Mapping

Breeding

Cloning

How do we live?What resources do we need?

What are my responsibilities?Natural, Built, Virtual Environments

Nature vs. Nurture

Adaptations

Survival of the Fittest

Diabetes EpidemicHow do I learn best?How do I know?How do I communicate my understanding?

Punnett Square

Probability

Mitosis Dance

Family Tree


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Language BMaterial World: A Global Family Portrait

by Peter Menzel, Charles C. Mann, and Paul Kennedy


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Guiding/Unit Questionor



Human Ingenuity


Environments


How do I think and act?How am I changing?How can I look after myself and others?

Relationship between housing and culture

Learning

about HomePossible Concepts:

What makes a

home?

Houses differ around

the world

A house reflects

environment

Houses show culture

How do we live in relation to each other?How can I contribute to the community?How can I help others?

Compare/contrast housing across the world

Using Material WorldHow are communities arranged?

Examining housing in Haiti

How and why does man create?What are the consequences?

What is the difference between a home and

shelter?

Contrast housing of the common person with

royalty using Material World& research

How do we live?What resources do we need?

What are my responsibilities?Natural, Built, Virtual Environments

To what extent does housing reflect the physical

and cultural environments? (Material World)

How do I learn best?How do I know?How do I communicate my understanding?

Learning vocabulary using different memorization

strategies

Conjugating to be

Forming simple sentences

Knowledge & Skills

Transfer (Lang B to Lang A)

Communication Skills


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Key Points to Remember 1. No body in her right mind would write down this much stuff in planning a unit! You know

as well as I do that when we plan, especially collaboratively, that there are "thousands" of ideas and places

we can go. But, to clarify a point, I wrote down some of the thinking that has gone on in the past.

2. The beauty of MYP is that it narrows the focus.

No more than two ATL skills should be targeted in a unit, even though you can't teach the unitwithout the others.

Choose only ONE AoI for your unit. Then let that AoI guide your EUQ, your thinking, the activities(MYP calls them experiences) that you decide to emphasize. And remember, no matter what the AoI,

there are skills, knowledge and curricular content that will be covered regardless of the lens you put on.

3. Remember, it's all about the concept. If you noticed, we really didn't discuss To Kill aMockingbird. We discussed the ideas and themes that come from the text. Concepts can and should be

applied to more than one book, curricular content, even subject area. This is why MYP is a holistic

program.

Finally, please, please, please, please, please... Any time you need to bounce ideas, want help in planning,

feel like you're on the edge of something but just can't quite get there, I'm your person. The heart of my

role is supporting you in bringing the IB philosophy to your students in a vibrant, meaningful way. That's

what I'm here for.

Documents

AoI Making a Difference in Teaching