Week ________1_________ Main goal for this week: ___Introduction to the Unit/ Project Introduction________ Description of activities Monday

-Creation (class brainstorming) -Listen to music of creation (free write) -Play-doh creation activity (discussion) -Play the creation of everything video to end class and get students excited for next day -Critically thinking, discussing, and writing about what creation means to them, prior to any instruction Tuesday -Introduction to Unit Project -Christianity, Judaism, Islam -Analyze two stories of Genesis in groups -Present analysis to class on board Wednesday -Christianity, Judaism, Islam Creation Stories continued -Compare Koran and Genesis -Examine symbols in Genesis and Koran Thursday -BuddhismHinduism -Group work (1 group reads Buddhism, 1 group reads Hinduism) -Each group then watches YouTube video of the story - Listen to podcasts by teacher -Present their story -Listening to podcasts for directions -Read assigned story in groups -Watch YouTube Video -Create an interactive presentation of story -Create podcast prior to class -Find YouTube videos of stories -Guide reading in groups -Evaluating presentations Friday -Greek Creation Story -Shared reading of story -Each student Tweets as if they are one character in story

What students will be doing

-Group work on 1 Genesis story -Presenting main points of story on board

-Listening to information and critically thinking about Koran-Genesis differences

-Shared and engaged reading of creation story -Microblogging (tweeting) -Sharing tweets with class -Social networking

What/how youll teach

-Guide discussions and writing through asking discussion questions -Allow students to think freely without lecturing -Keep students ontrack, but do not interfere with productive discussion

-Hand-out guidelines and instructions to Unit Project -Explain and answer questions about project -Guide Discussions

-Lecture and present two different texts -Guide discussions through discussion questions

-Guide the shared reading and discussion questions -Guide the tweeting -Keep students on task and keep them from internet browsing

What will be learned (and how will you know?)

-Students should learn to critically think -Learn to creatively write, inspired by multi-media -(See responses to journal questions, see responses on butcher paper

-How to compare and contrast 2 stories -(See presentation on board)

- Identify and explain symbols -(Listen to student responses about symbols in story) -Compare two different cultures literature

-Comparing and contrasting two cultures and their literature -Multi-media experiences -(Presentations show understanding and cultural awareness)

-Learn to identify traits and characterizations of characters -(Look at tweets from students and see if they have represented character accurately)

Week _____2___________ Main goal for this week: _____Students will understand the similarities and differences of NativeAmerican Creation Stories_______ Descriptio n of activities Monday -Introduce the Native-American culture -Reading of a Navajo story -Discuss themes -Introduce skit miniproject (each group will do a skit and reflect on another groups skit) -Reading the Navajo creation story -Discussion Tuesday -Give students groups (5) for focusing on a tribes stories -Students read in groups and discuss themes and important events Wednesday -Working on the skit Thursday -Skit presentation and reflection Friday -Finishing skit presentation -Wrap-up of NativeAmerican Unit

What students will be doing

-Read their groups story together -Fill out a worksheet about the reading (fill in as you go)

-Students will work in groups to come up with a skit that portrays the main events/ideas of their creation story

-The class will take turns presenting their skits and reflecting on the presentation of other groups **A reflection worksheet should be provided for each student to fill out -Students will teach each other the creation story of their NativeAmerican tribe -Student discussion will lead to a highlighting of themes and events for each story

-Groups that did not present the previous day will do so today -Final discussion of similarities and differences among the different creation stories

What/how youll teach

-Shared reading -Discussion questions as you read

-Walk from group to group to touch base and ask questions about the reading -Check for understanding

-Walk from group to group to check progress of skit and make sure that main points are being highlighted -Answer any questions that students may have

-Same as Thursday -Lead closing discussion about common themes and ideas -Highlight ideas such as symbolism, personification, and other vocab

What will be learned (and how will you know?)

-The Navajo perspective of the creation story -Understanding assessed through discussion and student answers

-Individual groups will become experts on the story of their NativeAmerican tribe -Worksheet that was passed out will be collected at end of week

-Students will transfer their reading of their creation story into the medium of the skit to cover main points of the story -Skit will be presented

-Through presentation students will have a good grasp of the 5 different creation stories and their themes -Analysis by discussion and presentation

-Students will understand how stories share common themes and be able to use literary methods to discuss and analyze the stories -Reflections will be collected

Week ________3_________ Main goal for this week: ____African Creation Stories_________________ Description of activities Monday -Short lesson on symbolism -Slideshow of African Art from various cultures -Have students volunteer to identify and analyze symbols in African Art Tuesday -Groups (arranged with high, medium, low reading level) will search through several different African creation myths (Nigerian, Mali, Zambia, Guinea etc.) -Choose one and start identifying symbols in the myth -Working in groups and doing shared reading of myths -Choosing a myth -Underlining and analyzing symbols in chosen myth Wednesday -Groups will create a work of art (story board, sculpture, cave drawing, glogster etc.) of their myth and use 4 symbols from their story Thursday -First half of class finish the work of art in groups, plan short presentation of project -Second half- Short presentation of project, (explain symbols and how they are portrayed) -Working on project and planning presentation -Present artwork project (all students should speak in presentation!!) Friday -Finish last artwork presentations if not finished day before -Work on Final Creation Project! -Make sure symbols are in the final project -Have group start on explanation/respons e of the project in paper form -Working in groups to make progress on their final project -Start writing 2-3 explanation paper of the Creation project

What students will be doing

-Listening and taking notes on symbolism -Viewing slideshow on art -Participating in group discussion of connecting symbolism to the African Art

-Collaborating on their work of art -Looking back at African Art slides -Summarizing story through images -Incorporating symbolism in their work of art

What/how youll teach

-Basic definition and how to find symbolism -The different forms of art in each African Culture -Leading group discussion of symbolism and African Art -The way to find symbolism and way to analyze it -Through their responses in the discussion and ability to apply symbolism to African Art

-Walk around class and make sure groups are staying on task -Help shared reading -Guide identification of myths

-Again, walk around class and guide projects -Give students ideas of possible art ideas -Make sure each artwork has four symbols

-Walk around class, make sure students are done with project and ready to present -Listen to and evaluate project, presentation, and participation -How to work in groups -Public speaking skills -The ability to find symbols and articulate their meaning -All shown through presentation an project

What will be learned (and how will you know?)

-Shared reading comprehension through conversations between students -Ability to find and analyze symbols through their group work on myth

-The ways different cultures tell stories -The ability to tell stories in different mediums

-Walk around room and make sure students are on track with project -Make sure symbolism is in project -Explain the requirements of the 2-3 page response paper -Communication and group cooperation -The ability to reflect on and articulate ideas and purpose of project

Week _______4_________ Main goal for this week: _________Evolution and Final Project Presentation_____________________________________________ Descriptio n of activities Monday -Introduction of creation from the scientific perspective of evolution -YouTube clip of Simpsons -Short article reading and discussion Tuesday *Computer Lab Day -Newspaper article on controversy of teaching evolution in schools -Looking at the various court cases on the controversy of teaching evolution Wednesday -Short reflective discussion on yesterdays activity -Work day that gives students the class period to finish up their unit project Thursday -Final Project Presentations Friday -Final Project Presentations

What students will be doing

-Watch YouTube Clip http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=faRlFsYmkeY -Read

-Learning about the core elements of evolution and why its teaching is http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/ controversial

-Finishing up their Unit Projects

-Presenting project

-Presenting project

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What/how youll teach -Students work together in small groups of 3-4. -Groups focus on 3-4 pgs of reading and create a concept map that will be copied and distributed for the class. -Short 5 min. presentation about main points that were read about -Students will be assessed by the completion of a concept map and short presentation on the main points of the reading -Students will work in pairs and will be assigned one of 10 cases to research more about using outside sources (School library, -Walk around the class to check in with each group and answer any last minute questions students have -Students will teach the class via their projects -Students will teach the class via their projects

What will be learned (and how will you know?)

-Worksheet turned in

-Projects assessed Thurs/Fri

-Students will understand the elements required to make a creation story -Projects will be assessed by fulfillment of requirements and individual reflections

-Students will understand the elements required to make a creation story -Projects will be assessed by fulfillment of requirements and individual reflections