SLASL: Unsolved Mysteries: What did you really eat last night?
Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education
UNIT TEMPLATE: Text-Based STEM Inquiry
This template provides an approach for creating a science investigation that includes reading-focused inquiry to build student science literacy skills. The template was created to support library media specialists and STEM teacher cohorts in the School Librarians Advancing STEM Learning project, led by the Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management (ISKME) in partnership with Granite State University, New Hampshire, and funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
Part I: Unsolved Mysteries: What did you really eat last night?
Part II: Background on LMS and Science Teacher relationship:
This lesson was created by Library Media Specialist Lori Zeman, AP Environmental teacher Kortney Kavanagh, and Photo & Design teacher Justin Pierce. Lori’s strengths were identified as text-based inquiry and the curation of resources. She requested to see Kortney model what inquiry looks like in a science classroom. Kortney’s strengths were science content knowledge and she requested to see Lori model how students can use text-based inquiry. Justin has experience with project based learning and project/technology design. Justin, Kortney, and Lori plan to incorporate their literacy, creativity, content knowledge, and inquiry skills to design this lesson and implement it with Kortney’s AP Environmental students after they take their AP exam.
Part III: Unit Description:
This unit includes four lessons and two student working days that culminate in students designing an interactive audio and visual display using emaze. The purpose of this visual display is to document their journey throughout the process of becoming familiar with the traceability (and sometimes lack thereof) of beef, produce, and seafood regulations. With their visual displays, they will be able to educate their family, peers, and the public about food consumption choices and provide background knowledge about its origins.
Using inquiry-based reading and reading apprenticeship strategies, students will explore an anchor text as well as two supplemental texts which they will use to develop their own essential and supporting questions to guide their research. AP Environmental students will explore a variety of texts and resources to increase their knowledge and awareness of where our food (seafood, beef, and produce) in the United States originally is located, how it was obtained, and the laws that govern the process behind the scenes.
Part IV: Standards
AP Environmental Science does not have NGSS/State STEM Standards but below are the standards listed to be covered in AP Environmental Science:
Fishing Techniques
Aquacultures
Feeding a growing population
Laws and Treaties regarding food and spread of disease
Organic farms, GMOs etc
CCSS Science Literacy Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.2: Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.9: Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.
Part V: Unit Essential Question
In what ways can we educate ourselves and the general public on where our food comes from and how can we regulate it while keeping the process simple, safe, and effective?
Driving Questions:
In what ways does your local food supplier provide information on your food? What method of providing information is most effective and why?
How can one bring awareness to the traceability of different food types?
Part VI: Goals for Using Inquiry:
The goal for using inquiry in this unit is to have students evaluate, analyze, and annotate the provided texts and compare their findings with the most up to date research they are able to discover. The science teacher, the design teacher, and the media library specialist have selected an anchor text about government amendments written in 1906 in response to the scandal brought on by Upton Sinclair’s, “The Jungle.” These government amendments outline stricter requirements for the meat processing industry and show the origins of government regulating food in the United States.
The goal for using inquiry in this unit is to have students examine the anchor text as an open invitation to inquiry about food safety and its regulations and acts.
Anchor Text
Annual Report of the Bureau of Animal Industry (1906) by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
Supplemental Texts
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
Do You Know Where Your Seafood Comes From? by Zisser,Glaser and Seggerman
Part VII: Summative Assessment Description and Rubric
Ongoing digital timeline (individual)
Virtual presentation tool (Canva) that students continually build as the unit progresses that documents important dates throughout the food inspection laws beginning in 1906. These dates are found in their academic texts as well their independent research.
Assignment directions here.
Reflection Paper (individual)
A reflection paper detailing what students learned, why this topic is important, and what specifically do students feel is important the public should be aware of regarding these laws and regulations.
Rubric for the Reflection Paper is here.
Interactive Display (heterogenous groups)
Using Emaze, students will create a display that documents their obtainment of knowledge throughout this entire unit. The Emaze will utilize audio recordings, video recordings, and their own personal discoveries and reflections about the evolution of food traceability.
Rubric for the Emaze presentation is here.
Part VIII: Prior Knowledge Needed
During the course of regular instruction during AP Environmental Science, students will have already learned:
General fishing techniques used both domestically and internationally.
Food contamination and spread of disease.
Sustainable farming.
Sustainable fishing.
CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation)
Knowledge from the video Food Inc.
Part IX: Student Learning Objectives
The student will be able to identify consumption of seafood on a local and global level by reading, annotating, collaborating and sharing golden lines from an academic text.
The student will be able to analyze the evolution of the legality of beef, produce, and seafood by creating a digital timeline of the acts and regulations concerning food safety since 1906.
The student will be able to evaluate government amendments while investigating and discussing the reasoning behind why each act and regulation was enacted.
The student will be able to write a reflection paper that details what students learned, why this topic is important, and what specifically students feel is important the public should be aware of regarding these laws and regulations.
The student will be able to create an interactive informational display that will be used to educate the local peers, family, and community on seafood traceability.
Part X: Text Set Description
Text Title & Hyperlink | Text Purpose | Text-Dependent Questions (created by the teacher/librarian to help students analyze the text in a specific sequence) | Accommodations for Diverse Learners |
Annual Report of the Bureau of Animal Industry (1906) Link to the text. | This is the Anchor Text, designed to provide an informational reference point about past regulations that were enacted in 1906 in response to The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. It directly correlates to supporting the Essential Question. The ATOS level of the text is an 11, which is appropriate for the 10th grade year. Linked here is the Qualitative Analysis of the Complexity. The Qualitative Analysis shows that text is classified as very complex. | 1. What do you observe about the style in which the amendments are written? 2. What challenges does the language of the time period present when analyzing the amendments? 3. Explain a possible reason why the amendments are so purposeful with their details. Choose a specific area and describe in your opinion why it is written that way. | Specific chunks will be chosen before the lesson to support students in breaking down the reading into manageable sections. It will be broken into 3 sections by the amendments ( 6, 7, and 8). Students will be placed in heterogeneous groups of 3 - 4 students. They will be encouraged to share their questions and thoughts within their small groups for clarification and enrichment with each other. |
Supporting Text #1 The Jungle by Upton Sinclair Link to the text. | This is a supporting text, designed to provide context about the industry before there were strict food processing regulations. It is also the reason the government amendments in 1906 (anchor text) were enacted. Specific excerpts of the text will be provided. As a supporting text it ties directly into our student learning objective #2. The ATOS level of this text is an 8.2, which is a bit lower, hence the addition as a supporting text. | 1. In what ways does this reading support information in the anchor text? How? 2. Please name and explain the jobs within the factory that are discussed. How does each one tie into a regulation presented in the anchor text? 3. What areas of regulation are missing or could be applied to the described injustices discussed in the excerpt from chapter 14? 4. How much of a role does the naming and labeling of meat play in the excerpts? How has that role evolved today? | Anticipatory Guide to establish any prior-knowledge and build context. Link to Anticipatory Guide Golden Lines to break reading down and focus in on cause and effect that the The Jungle may have had on government regulations. |
Supporting Text #2 Do You Know Where Your Seafood Comes From? Link to the text. | This is a supporting text, designed to provide context about the similarities and differences between current regulations on beef, produce, and seafood. It is intended to promote student’s interest and inquiry into learning more about the topic. The ATOS level of this text is an 11.9. | 1. Make a prediction based on the Overview section about why you believe seafood lacks traceability similar to Beef and Produce. Make connections to what we have previously learned about Fishing techniques and seafood from Ecology Unit in AP Environmental Science. 2. What are two interesting facts, laws, or takeaways from the Beef Traceability section? Be ready to justify why you find these two parts interesting. 3. List some similarities and differences between the requirements currently in place on produce and beef. Justify and explain which you believe is the most strictly regulated. | Jigsaw techniques will be used to break up the text by section. Student collaboration will provide opportunity for feedback, conversation and questions to be discussed between the students to further understand the text. |
Part XI: Suggested Lesson Breakdown/Pacing
Day | Student Learning Objectives | Aligned Student Learning Task and Suggested Timing | Formative Assessment | Important Accommodations |
Day 1 Slides Presentation link. | The student will be able to evaluate government amendments while investigating and discussing the reasoning behind why each act and regulation was enacted. The student will be able to create an interactive informational that display that will be used to educate the local peers and community on seafood traceability. | 1.Extended Anticipatory Guide for the Amendments 6, 7, and 8. 2. Jigsaw Reading with RA strategies 3. Group Share with classmates who had the same section of the reading 4. Group Share with classmates who had a different section of the reading 5. Gallery walk of thoughts and comments about each amendment. During the gallery walk, students divide themselves evenly between the student work. Students then silently review their peers thoughts. 6. Students will be introduced to the web based design tool to create their visual and audio interactive display project (Link to a simplified example EMAZE template). | 1. The teacher will monitor students as they read independently to observe the number of annotations made. 2. The teacher will monitor how students with the same section of text are comparing, collaborating, and sharing their annotations. 3. The teacher will monitor how students with different sections of the text share their information and teach others in the class about their amendment. 4. The teacher will provide an organized, open forum for students and groups to share interesting takeaways from the text. | 1. The (teacher/LMS) will provide the article ahead of time to students with high need. 2. The (teacher/LMS) will provide a list of defined vocabulary for the student to use during the 2nd reading. |
Day 2 Slides Presentation link. | The student will be able to evaluate government amendments while investigating and discussing the reasoning behind why each act and regulation was enacted. The student will be able to create an interactive informational that display that will be used to educate the local peers and community on seafood traceability. | 1. Read and annotate the text individually. Choose a golden line (quotations or key statements that have special meaning or strike them as important) from the text. 2. Group students by their golden lines and have them share why they choose this as a standout within their group. 3. Within their groups, have the group choose one word to represent how they feel about the text. These words will be posted on large post-it paper. 4. Students will participate in a Gallery Walk and visit each post-it and provide textual evidence to support each group’s feeling. (this can range from a few words to a sentence) | 1. The teacher will monitor students as they read independently to observe the number of annotations made. 2. The teacher will monitor and help guide students in understanding how to choose the right Golden Line from their texts. 3. The teacher will provide feedback and suggestions to students sharing their information and help students teach information in a clarifying manor in order for other students to understand the information. | 1. The (teacher/LMS) will provide the article ahead of time to students with high need. 2. Students will be allowed to choose their original groups. Dependent on the golden line they choose, this will re-group the students.
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Day 3 Slides presentation link. | The student will be able to identify consumption of seafood on a local and global level by reading, annotating, collaborating and sharing golden lines from an academic text. The student will be able to analyze the evolution of the legality of beef, produce, and seafood by creating a digital timeline of the acts and regulations concerning food safety. | 1. Students will be assigned either the beef or produce section and will independently read, analyze, and annotate the text for 10 minutes. (Students will only be reading the beef and produce portion of the text on Day 3. Seafood portion is used on Day 4). 2. Students will create a T chart on Beef and Produce regulations that highlights important dates, facts, and takeaways from their reading. As a table, students will collaboratively work on this section and teach each other about the section they did read. 3. Students will be introduced to using an online website called Canva, where they will learn how to create a digital timeline. 4. Students will create a digital timeline of laws and regulations in the food industry that were included in the article as well as through further research. Link to CANVA example. Link to CANVA expectations. | 1. The teacher will monitor students as they read independently to observe the number of annotations made. 2. The teacher will monitor and help guide students in sharing their knowledge at their tables about the section they were assigned to read. 3. The teacher will provide an organized, open forum for students and groups to share interesting takeaways from the text. | 1. The (teacher/LMS) will provide the article ahead of time to students with high need. 2. Students will be allowed to choose their table groups but will be assigned the produce or beef section by counting off as a 1 or a 2. Each number will be responsible for a different section. |
Day 4 Slides Presentation link. | The student will be able to analyze the evolution of the legality of beef, produce, and seafood by creating a digital timeline of the acts and regulations concerning food safety. The student will be able to create an interactive informational that display that will be used to educate the local peers and community on seafood traceability. | 1. Students will receive the seafood portion of the article from the previous day. They will read and individually annotate the seafood portion of the article for 10 minutes. 2. Individually and then collaboratively, students will fill out a Metacognitive Reading Log to collect their thoughts. Link to the Metacognitive Log here. 3. The teacher will assign the students an assignment using the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch app. The purpose of this assignment is to visit a local grocery store’s seafood department to see where their seafood is originating and with the use of the app, discerning multiple criteria about the food. Assignment requirements here. 4. Students will spend the rest of the class period working on their Canva Timeline | 1. The teacher will monitor students as they read independently to observe the number of annotations made. 2. The teacher will monitor and help guide students in filling out their metacognitive reading log. 3. The teacher will provide an organized, open forum for students and groups to share interesting takeaways from the text. | 1. The (teacher/LMS) will provide the article ahead of time to students with high need. 2. Students will be grouped heterogeneously for this activity. |
Day 5 (90 minute block: 90 minutes of students working on their Canva & Emaze) | The student will be able to create an interactive informational that display that will be used to educate the local peers and community on seafood traceability. | 1. Students will be given a 90 minute class period to continue collecting documentation of their learning journey and work on their Emaze final project. | ||
Day 6 | Working day + Introduce Essay |
Part XII: Attachment of Student Work Examples
Meat Your Maker
Extra Extra
Project Link: https://www.emaze.com/@AQZOWIZZ/untitled
Rubric Link: https://drive.google.com/a/cms.k12.nc.us/file/d/0B-aUz2ixyTHrM1BTa0V2ejU1VEk/view?usp=sharing
Fact or Fiction
Part XIII: Teacher and Librarian Reflection on the Implementation of the Unit
Kortney:
Being a science teacher I have done a lot of hands on PBLs or labs here students are creating, prototyping or doing a lab investigation. It was fun to see students having just as much fun doing a PBL that was literacy based. It opened my eyes to more opportunities and routes that I can go in the classroom in my future. Having a flexible schedule to plan and implement this lesson was helpful, and working with other teachers and getting their insight or perspective on the project helped create an overall arching theme that included literacy, science, history, art, etc. The students enjoyed getting to work with other teachers, we even moved to Mr. Pierce’s classroom on some days to work on our eMaze project and the students enjoyed this. I found it not as stressful when we broke up parts of the lesson and relied on each other for help. This project was implemented with an AP class after their Ap exam but it proved that it could be done with a standard or honors level class as well. In the future, I would work on tweaking the literacy portions of the lessons to make them a little more fun, but I would keep the portion of the project where the students go out into the community - that was their favorite part and they couldn’t stop talking about that!
Lori:
Having this opportunity to collaborate with STEM content teachers was a great experience for me because it allowed me insight into how well literacy blends with other subjects. Taking the time to sit together and plan the unit as a collaborative group invested all three of us into the project and got us excited about seeing the students turn our ideas into reality. When it came time to implement the project, I was able to get coverage for the media center and it was Mr. Pierce’s planning period so we all 3 were able to co-teach the lessons and get to know Kortney’s students. We broke up which parts of the lessons we were the main facilitator and played to our individual strengths.
The students were AP level students so they did well with the RA strategies we used when working with the text set. If they hadn’t been AP students, in hindsight, we would have had to spend more time discussing with annotating looked like and why it was important.
Overall, the students said they enjoyed learning about the evolution of food safety regulations (their text) and the new technologies we taught them (canva and emaze) but that their favorite part was going out into grocery stores and learning more about how what they learned actually affected their local grocery stores. So I feel good about the prep work
Justin:
Finding new and exciting ways to build inquiry through literacy strategies has been impactful to my own teaching practice. Collaborating with these STEM teachers has been a great growth experience in terms of planning and applying strategies that are efficient and conducive to the high school classroom. Being able to build from the ground up with these teachers has been exciting and inspiring. You could also see this excitement in the students as they watched three different subject area teachers come together to build a better understanding of an issue that relates to us all. I believe our strategies worked well but the flow of the lessons could possibly be adjusted. Getting the students out into the community and recording their own experiences was definitely the highlight of the lesson for me.