Learning Tasks for Tuesday, April 1

Essential Question:  How does Project-Based Learning teach 21st Century skills?

Objectives:  I can...
-research current issues affecting society.
-define Project-Based Learning.

1.  Writing into the Day

2. Introduction to Project-Based Learning

PBL:  Real-world projects for applied, collaborative learning... not for an individual product!

• Create a Google Doc and title it "Unit 3 PBL - [Your Name]"
• Using credible web sources, write a definition of project-based learning.
• List at least five characteristics of PBL.
• Have you ever participated in PBL in any of your classes (past or present)?  Explain.  If not, does PBL sound like an effective way for you to learn?  Why or why not?

3.  Brainstorming Current Issues

1. Spend five minutes researching and listing current issues affecting society.  List as many as you can in your Google Doc... think both big and small!!! 
2. Using classroom charts, categorize each issue from your list under the level(s) of society that it affects: local, national, and/or global.  Some issues might be listed under more than one level.  For instance, global warming obviously occurs at a global level, but doesn't it also have local consequences?  Hmmm... Think about it!
3. Look around- what patterns do you notice? Which issues appear on all three charts? On only one chart?
4. Using the LucidChart app in Google Docs, create a cluster chart demonstrating how these issues are connected.  Consider the people they affect, the locations in which they occur, the nature of the issue (e.g. environmental, social, political,...) etc.

3.  Career-Focus
Select three of the issues on the walls that a person in your intended career field might be interested in.  Select one of these issues and write a TPEQEA paragraph explaining how someone in your career field would address that problem.

4. Vote!

On a notecard, indicate your first and second choice of an issue to address with our PBL projects.  You will be working on this project for about two weeks, so be sure to put thought into it!  Based on your responses, I will organize you into peer groups.  Groups will be announced during class Thursday.

5.  Exit Ticket

Look back at the Career-Focus issues you selected.  How interested would you be in working with those issues? Rate your interest from 1 (Not at All Interested) to 10 (Super Interested!).

Learning Tasks for Monday, March 31

Essential Question:  What are the best ways to persuade an audience?

Objectives:  I can...
-persuade my peers to approve my policy.
-receive and apply feedback to my policy.

1.  Warm Up

Read this article on Food Deserts in NC and add the information to your Current Events Chart.

2. Preparing Presentations

1. Before you present your policies to the class, you will have ten minutes to plan.  What main selling points will you use to convince your fellow citizens of Dome-Sanford to approve your policy?  How much will your policy cost?
2. Get pre-presentation feedback from one other group.  What suggestions do you have for each other?  Identify one plus and one delta.
3. Take ten minutes to make suggested changes to your presentation.

3. Policy Presentations
Let's get some policies passed!!!  Remember to fill out your evaluation sheet for each group.

4.  Evaluation and FINAL VOTE

• Be sure to offer at least two pluses and two deltas for each group.  What did they do well?  What could they improve?

• Which policies will make it into Dome-Sanford's Social Contract?  We we vote on each policy- majority wins!

5.  Exit Ticket
How is the process we used to create and vote on policies similar to the US government?  Dissimilar?

Week of March 24-28

Learning Tasks for Monday, March 24

Essential Question: How do leaders solve societal problems?

Objectives: I can...

...evaluate the impact of a current event.

...write a policy brief based on research and what I know about Sanford.

...plan my product and presentation.

1. Writing into the Day

What qualities make a good leader? A poor leader? Explain.

2.  Selecting Fearless Leaders

Who should fill our leadership roles in Dome-Sanford?  Create a list of nominations on the white board, then write a brief speech (one paragraph) endorsing either yourself or a classmate for a leadership position.  Once you have finished, share your speeches with the class.  We will then hold a vote in accordance with the Dome-Sanford Social Contract.  Did you decide to hold votes by ballot, rock-paper-scissors, etc.?

3) Task Force!

The Sanford government has $50 million for all projects. Budgets and policies will be voted on.

Decide on the biggest problems Sanford would face under the dome.

With others in your society roles (i.e. farmers, medical, etc.), determine how to address that problem.

Project components:

Write a policy brief. (ex: Who will farm? What will be grown?)

Write a budget proposal. (ex: corn seeds)

Consider WHO and WHAT will be needed to make the policy work. How much will resources cost?

Create a product. (ex: Create a model farm.)

Present your policy brief. 

Learning Tasks for Tuesday, March 25

Essential Question:  How do leaders solve societal problems?

Objectives: I can...

-evaluate the impact of a current event.

-write a policy brief based on research and what I know about Sanford.

-plan my product and presentation.

WE ARE STILL TRAPPED IN DOME-SANFORD!!!!! :O

1) Warm Up: What current issue do you wish you could solve? Why hasn't this problem been solved yet? How do you think it can be solved?

2) Current Event Table

1. Read and annotate the article here.
2. Fill in the second row of the table you started last week!
3. Complete the project planning sheet. 
4. Write your policy paragraph on the back.
5. Plan your presentation.
6. Set goals for what you need to accomplish tomorrow.

3) TASK FORCE: Project Planning Time!

Goal for today: Finish the sheet, the policy paragraph, and have your product planned.

Goal for Thursday: Create your product.
We will present on Monday!

Reminders: Sanford has $50 million dollars total. Tell us how much your policy will cost!

4) Study Hall!

5) Exit Ticket: Why are government roles important?

Learning Tasks for Thursday, March 27

Essential Question: How can I promote my policy for Sanford under the dome?

Objectives: I can...
-write a convincing policy brief.
-create a product that promotes my policy.
-evaluate my work.


1. Warm Up: Current Event Share Out
-Get with your Task Force group!
-Find an article related to your topic. Suggestion: Go to npr.org and type in your issue.
-Fill in the third row of your table using the article you chose.
-Read the class what you put in your table.
-Help each other relate each issue to concepts in other classes.

2. Task Force Planning Time
-Create a specific list for what you need to get done today. Write this on your sheet in the SMART goals box on the bottom right front corner.
-Make sure you have written your policy. Use the tips below to help.
-Create your product. Ideas: Pamphlet about group meetings, menu for a food shelter, list of jobs people could apply for, interview tips for people looking for jobs, build a model car, draw a map of where farms will be, sketch a garden, create a map showing bike paths to promote biking instead of driving. 
-Ask one other group for feedback on your project.

***Tips for writing a TPEQEA Policy Brief***

Topic: What is the problem your policy will address?
Point: Summarize your policy.
Example: Tell a detail about your policy.
Quote: Use a quote from one of the sites you used when you were doing research.
Elaboration: Why does the quote you chose support that your policy is the best policy?
Analysis: Why should the Town Council fund YOUR policy?


3. Exit Ticket
Give yourself one of the following emoticons to evaluate your success in finishing your list of tasks for today.

:-)                          :-/                     :-[                     :-(                    :*-( 

Learning Tasks for Friday, March 28

FAMILY FUN DAYYYY!!!

1.  Study Hall (15 minutes)

2.  Apples to Apples:  AVID Edition
Write ten adjectives on the rainbow cards.
Write twenty nouns on the white cards.

3.  TED Talk:  Txting is killing language.  JK!!!

Discuss:  How is texting affecting language?
Watch Here

4.  Exit Ticket

Predict how Americans will speak in the year 2050.  What language and language patterns do you think they will use? Why?

Week of March 17-21

Learning Tasks for Monday, March 17

Essential Question:  How would I survive if I could not leave Sanford?

Objectives:  I can...
-list problems that could occur in Sanford.

-propose parts of a social contract.
-write a limerick.

1. Writing into the Day

2.  The Dome Descends....

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

So, here's the scenario:  a dome has just descended on Sanford, preventing everyone from entering or leaving!  All communication with the outside world has also ceased, including text messages, emails, phone calls, etc.  Commence freak out!!!!!! :O

• With a partner, predict all the problems that will occur in Dome-Sanford.  We will share our predictions with the class.
• Using this LucidChart, create a cause & effect diagram showing how some problems will cause other problems.  For example, running out of water is a problem, but what other problems could it cause?
  

NEXT:  Every society needs a social order in order to function properly.  Think of a society as a machine; various roles are needed in order to make the society function.  What types of roles are vital to a society?

• With your partner, create a list of our dome society's needs and add them here.  Think about current industry, jobs, and needs in Sanford to help get your brains turning.  What else would we need if nothing can enter Dome-Sanford? 
• Looking at our class list of roles, choose a role to fulfill in Dome-Sanford.  It's up to you guys to determine how many people should fill a role.  If all the roles cannot be fulfilled, what will happen to our society???

NEXT:  Now that everyone has a role, we need a social contract.  A social contract is an agreed-upon set of rules that a society abides by.  Staying in your role, think of the rules that you would need/want in the Dome-Sanford social contract.

• With your partner, create a list of proposed rules for Dome-Sanford.  How should people act?  What should people do?  How will we enforce these rules?
• Write your proposed rules into our collaborative Social Contract.

3. Conclusion

Write a brief story or limerick about life in Dome-Sanford.  If you aren't sure how to write a limerick, please see here.

Learning Tasks for Thursday, March 19

Essential Question:  How do rules and order help societies function?

Objectives: 
I can identify local current issues.
I can create rules to establish order.

I can predict and address social issues.

1.  Warm-up

• Set up the table below in either a Google Doc or notebook.

• Take several minutes to read through the following current event article:  NC probes wastewater dumping at Duke plant

• Fill in the first row of your table using information from the article.

• Discuss how this problem would be different if it happened under the dome.

Current Event/Problem	Key Players	Concepts from classes that are related to the issue	Proposed action steps to solve the problem

2.  Roles in Dome-Sanford

On Monday, we discussed which roles would be most important to society in Dome-Sanford.  Now, we need people (you!) to fill those roles.

Here are the roles:

• Farmer (animals and plants)
• Security/Law Enforcement
• Engineers/Tool-Makers
• Psychologist/Therapist
• Doctors/Medical
• Survival Experts
• Power generators
• Religious leaders
• Cook

Each citizen must take on TWO roles in Dome-Sanford.  Which roles are most important and therefore need more people?  It's up to you guys to determine how many people should fill a role.  If all the roles cannot be fulfilled, what will happen to our society??? 

As a society, you need to decide how to make major decisions such as this. You might consider holding a vote, drawing names, rock-paper-scissors, etc.  (hint: this will end up going into your Social Contract later).  Once you have made your role decisions, fill your names into the table here. 
***Note:  We will select our society leaders on Monday!

3.  Social Contract

Now that everyone has a role, we need a social contract.  A social contract is an agreed-upon set of rules that a society abides by.  Staying in your role, think of the rules that you would need/want in the Dome-Sanford social contract.  For instance, if you are in charge of security/law enforcement, what rules would you need to help you do your job?  If you are a doctor, what rules would you need to do your job successfully?

• Based on your role, create a list of proposed rules for Dome-Sanford.  How should people act?  What should people do?  How will we enforce these rules?
• Write your proposed rules into our collaborative Social Contract.

4. Conclusion

Discuss: How will your social contract enable you to more easily make decisions in the future?  Are your rules similar in any way to your local, state, national, or international government? Thinking about the needs of a society, why do you think that is?

Learning Tasks for Friday, March 21

YAY FAMILY FUN DAY!!!

Before heading to the gym for "Survivor: AVID Edition," put any finishing touches on your Social Contract.

Week of March 10-11 (SPRING BREAK!!!)

Learning Tasks for Monday, March 10

1. Writing into the Day

What is the nicest thing you've ever done for another person?  Plan a random act of kindness that you could feasibly perform for someone else.

2.  Family Day!!!!

• Balancing Bird Relay!
• Skits!
• FUN!!!

Learning Tasks for Tuesday, March 11

1. Writing into the Day

Spring Break is right around the corner (31 hours from now, but who's counting?).  If you had an unlimited spending fund, how would you spend your ideal Spring Break?

2.  Study Hall

What class do you need the most help with?  You'll spend the block with Ms. Nickel, Cheatham, Coon, or Jones, depending on what you need to get caught up on!

HAVE AN AWESOME SPRING BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Week of March 3-7

Learning Tasks for Tuesday, March 4

Essential Question:  How is LEC preparing students for college, careers, and life?

Objectives:
I can evaluate and receive feedback on my presentation.
I can provide peers with constructive feedback.

1.  Writing into the Day:


2.  Presentations

• 20 minutes - Put finishing touches on presentations.  Review presentation content with partner- who is covering what during Friday's presentations?
• 25 minutes - Practice with a partner group.  Tell the partner group what you want feedback on.  Take turns presenting and giving each other feedback. After receiving feedback, be sure to make revisions!

3.  Study Hall

• Work on presentation.
• Work on assignments for another class.

4. Conclusion

Are you proud of your presentation?  Why or why not?

Learning Tasks for Thursday, March 6

Essential Question:  What traits are important in a college/university?

Objectives:

I can evaluate my needs as a future college student.

I can write a professional correspondence.

1. Writing into the Day

In your opinion, what are the most important parts of the college experience?  What do you value most in a college- thriving social scene, rigorous academics, location, interesting clubs/extracurriculars.... or maybe some combination of all these things?  

2.  Create and Share:  Finding a College that Fits

With a partner, create a list of "selling points" and "deal breakers" for finding the right college.  What would sell each of you on a particular school?  What would turn each of you away?  Rank each of your thoughts on a line like the one below.  Any college traits that you would like to keep in mind, but aren't necessarily of dire importance, would be in the middle of your line.

Selling Points                               Deal Breakers

3. College Exploration

GO PIRATES!!!!!!! :)

• Choose a school:  Select a college/university that you are interested in attending.
• Develop Questions:  What do you want to know about this school?  These questions can be based on (but are not limited to) your selling points and deal breakers.
• Research:  Browse the school's website, keeping an eye out for your deal breakers and selling points.
• Evaluate:  After perusing the school's website, what questions remain unanswered?  What would you like to know more about?
• Email:  Draft an email to the college using proper business formatting (see sample below!).  Be sure to include the following:
• A brief introduction to yourself and AVID
• Questions that you have about the school
• A request for more information on the school (many schools have TONS of brochures they LOVE to hand out!)

4.  Conclusion

How would the information you receive from your college affect your decision to apply or attend their school?