UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE

Title of Unit I Can Build a House Grade Level 3

Science Time 5 days - 1 week
Curriculum Area(s) This unit is designed for a class that is a majority of
native English-speakers with a few ELL’s.
Frame
Developed by Crystal Yang

IDENTIFY DESIRED RESULTS

Programs of Study Foundations
What program foundations form the emphasis of the unit? What big ideas from the program of studies will you include?

General Learner Outcomes:

Topic B: Building with a variety of materials

● 3-6 Use, safely, a variety of tools, techniques and materials in construction activities.
● 3-7 Construct structures, using a variety of materials and designs, and compare the effectiveness of the various materials and designs for their
intended purposes.

Science Inquiry: General Learner Expectations

● 3-1 Investigate the nature of things, demonstrating purposeful action that leads to observations and inferences.
● 3-2 Identify patterns and order in objects and events studied; and, with guidance, record observations, using pictures, words and charts; and make
predictions and generalizations, based on observations.

Attitudes:
● 3-4 Demonstrate positive attitudes for the study of science and for the application of science in responsible ways.

(Alberta Government, 1996)

Essential Question
What is the big, overarching question guiding your unit plan?

Essential Question: How can I successfully build a dream dog house?

Inquiry Questions: What is a “structure”? What makes a structure stable? What are the differences between structures? What kind of
materials can I use to build a structure? What makes one material different from another?

The Alberta K-6 Science Program of Study states in their rationale that the curriculum is designed to stimulate children’s “natural curiosity”
(Alberta Government, 1996). The program engages children in the inquiry process and problem-solving to help them confidently find
Adapted from Wiggins, Grant & J. McTighe (1998)
answers to their own questions, and to be prepared for the ever-changing world (Alberta Government, 1996). My purpose in this unit is to
not only help English native-speaking students access these educational goals, but learners of the language as well. This unit will engage all
learners through many hands-on activities that teach the basic concepts of architecture and design.

Unit Plan Outcomes

What are the program of studies general outcomes and specific competencies to be covered in your unit?
What will students understand, be able to do, be able to apply?

● Students demonstrate a sense of wonder for science.

● Students can identify the parts of a building.
● Students can use tools appropriately.
● Students can choose appropriate materials to create stable structures.
● Students can build a variety of structures
● Students can build with a variety of materials.
● Students can work together.

UNIT PLAN RESOURCES

What resources will you require? Will there be guest speakers/field trips to plan for?
Will you need particular resources/materials/technologies?
Sources:

Alberta Education. (1996). Programs of Study: Science Grades 1-6 [Website] Retrieved from
http://www.learnalberta.ca/ProgramOfStudy.aspx?lang=en&ProgramId=379983#483809

Alberta Government. (2003). Supporting English Language Learners [Website]. Retrieved from
https://www.learnalberta.ca/content/eslapb/search.html

Ball, J. A. (2018). What Makes a Building Strong. South Egremont, MA: Red Chair

Coelho, E. (2004a). Chapter 2: An inclusive classroom environment. In Adding English: A guide to teaching in multilingual classrooms
(pp. 42-43). Toronto, ON: Pippin Publishing Corporation.

Coelho, E. (2004b). Chapter 10: Creating a supportive language learning environment. In Adding English: A guide to teaching in
multilingual classrooms (p. 186). Toronto, ON: Pippin Publishing Corporation.

Adapted from Wiggins, Grant & J. McTighe (1998)

 Coelho, E. (2004c). Chapter 8: Understanding second language acquisition. In Adding English: A guide to teaching in multilingual
classrooms (pp. 167-175). Toronto, ON: Pippin Publishing Corporation.

Ritchie, S. (2011). Look at That Building! A first book of structures. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press Ltd.

Wesley, A. (2000). Science and Technology: Stability. Toronto, ON: Pearson Education Canada Inc.

Materials:

Ball, J. A. (2018). What Makes a Building Strong. South Egremont, MA: Red Chair

Ritchie, S. (2011). Look at That Building! A first book of structures. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press Ltd.

Special Snowflake. (2017, Jan 30). The Cutest Therapy Dog Ever [Video File]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkUUTxqi3WU

Wesley, A. (2000). Science and Technology: Stability. Toronto, ON: Pearson Education Canada Inc.

Lab Materials (for every small student group):

Stability: 3 cardboard tubes of the (short, meidum, tall) of the same thickness, and a box lid

Load: photocopy paper, 2 cardboard squares, a ruler, and a 500 g mass

Balance: 4 spools, 6 masses (20 g each), and heavy cardboard from a packing box (20 cm x 20 cm)

Shapes: bristol board strips (10 cm x 2 cm), paper fasteners, a paper punch, and scissors

Dream Dog House Project: Materials will be determined by the school budget and what is already available in the school’s resources.

UNIT PLAN SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

What will you accept as evidence that learning has occurred at the conclusion of this unit?
Students will present to their class a prototype of a dream dog house
What is the summative performance assessment for the unit?
they have built along with the blueprint they have designed for it. The
Adapted from Wiggins, Grant & J. McTighe (1998)

What is the goal of your summative performance assessment
as framed within the outcomes and competencies? What do
you hope to learn?
How will this assessment inform student learning and your
practice?
prototype will then be subject to a test to see if it can support a small
weight and remain stable.
Students can show their understanding of stability, balance, force, and
what makes a building strong by applying their learning through
designing and building a “dream dog house” prototype. Students will
meet the curricular outcomes through this project: They will “use, safely,
a variety of tools, techniques and materials in construction activities”,
and “construct structures, using a variety of materials and designs, and
compare the effectiveness of the various materials and designs for their
intended purposes” (Alberta Government, 1996). It is the hope that
students will learn how stability, balance, force, and strength interplay in
structures.
If students can successfully design and build a dream dog house
prototype that can withstand a reasonable amount of force, then they
have understood how stability, balance, force, and strength interplay in
structures.

LESSON PLAN SEQUENCE/OUTCOMES

For each lesson in the unit, consider the primary topic/activities, outcome and assessment. Does each lesson build on the next?
Consider the following questions as you plan your sequence of lessons:
What events will help students engage with, explore, explain, elaborate on and evaluate the big idea in the unit?
How will you help guide students to reflect, rethink and refine their work/ideas/understandings?
How will you help students to exhibit and self-evaluate their developing skills/knowledge/understandings?

How will you assess whether

What is the primary objective of this
Lesson #
lesson in your own words?
1. ● Introduce the unit
● Essential vocabulary words
● Hypothesis
● Introduce the big problem
Showing images of architecture around the
world is an engaging hook to the unit and a way
of diversifying learning to make the classroom
learning has occurred in each
What are the primary activities in this lesson?
lesson? How will you employ
formative assessment?
1. Look at images of buildings around the ● Did students successfully
world. Establish that architecture looks follow instructions?
different in each culture, but is present and ● Did students show a
important in every culture. positive attitude?
2. Read anchor: What makes a building ● Can they successfully
strong? by Jacqueline A. Ball categorize vocabulary into
3. Students record essential vocabulary appropriate groups?
Adapted from Wiggins, Grant & J. McTighe (1998)
 more inclusive to different cultures (Coelho, words for the unit from the book. ● Can they compare and
2004a, pp. 42-43). a. Vocabulary activity: Categorizing, contrast differences
This lesson will target writing linguistic
comparing and reading aloud between an architect and an
vocabulary, particularly subject-specific 4. Remind students how to write a engineer?
vocabulary; speaking, such as pronunciation; hypothesis.
and listening linguistic syntax, such as a. conditionals, connecting devices, **Assessment in this unit will be
understanding commands (Alberta and complex sentences. mainly performance-based
Government, 2013).
5. Introduce the big unit problem that through science labs. Observation
students must work towards solving: and note-taking will be the main
“Students will take on the role of an methods of assessment.
architect and an engineer and build a
dream dog house prototype for Norbert
the dog.”
a. Watch “The Cutest Therapy Dog
Ever” video on YouTube to
introduce who Norbert is to class
(Special Snowflake, 2017).
2. ● Understanding “stability” 1. Stability lesson: What is “stability” and ● Did students successfully
● Making structures strong what makes an object stable? What is follow instructions?
● Understanding “balance” stability important? ● Did students show a
● Understanding the importance a. Lab: “Investigate whether short positive attitude?
of stability, balance, and strength structures are more stable than tall ● Were students able to make
in structures. ones with cardboard tubes” activity a hypothesis?
(Wesley, 2000, p. 5) ● Did students understand
There will be labs in every single lesson and all i. Hypothesis, testing, how to test the cardboard
labs will be completed in the classroom. Though recording tubes?
not written out for each lesson, the highlighted
part in yellow will be repeated for most labs in
ii. Use subject-specific ● Did students record the
this unit. Students must become familiar with vocabulary when recording results?
the scientific experimental process as labs will testing results. ● Did students use subject-
become ever more essential in the higher 2. Making structures strong lesson: What is a specific vocabulary (i.e.
grades. “load”? “stability”, “load”, and
This lesson will target writing linguistic,
a. Lab: Building paper towers task to others from lesson 1) when
particularly subject-specific vocabulary and see which can support the 500 g recording their results?
grammar in writing hypothesis statements, but (Wesley, 2000, p. 9).
in the labs, all of the writing linguistic subject- 3. Balance lesson: What is the relationship
specific competencies will be utilized as between balance and load in a structure?
students will be expected to record their
hypothesis testing process and write up their
a. Lab: Try standing in different
lab results. positions.
Adapted from Wiggins, Grant & J. McTighe (1998)

Students will use all speaking linguistic strand-
specific competencies when they are working
together in their labs as they will be working
with their peers and expected to express their
own ideas.
All of the listening linguistic strand-specific
competencies will be used as well in the labs as
students will be expected to listen to their
peers’ ideas (Alberta Government, 2013).
3. ● Understanding “forces” and the
importance of withstanding
them.
● Know which shapes are the most
stable
The lesson component will target writing
linguistic, particularly vocabulary, grammar,
syntax, and discourse. It will also address
editing when students are asked to compare
their work with a peer. (Alberta Government,
2013).
The same ELL strands addressed in the labs in
lesson two will be addressed again in the labs
for lesson three.
4. ● Understanding ties, struts, and
structures
● Understanding the steps
required to build a house
● Students create a blueprint of
their dream dog houses
The lesson component will target writing
b. Lab 2: Masses on cardboard
supported by stools (Wesley, 2000,
p. 11).
1. Forces lesson: What are “forces”? Why are
they important to take into account? What
are the different kinds of forces (ie. push,
pull, stretch, bend, twist, rub, and
squeeze)? What causes forces? Can use
TPR to demonstrate the different forces.
a. Lab: Identify all the forces shown in
the image from Science and
Technology, on page 13 from the
materials list (Wesley, 2000).
i. Write complete sentences.
ii. Compare work with a
partner when done.
2. Shapes Lesson: Identify shapes, helpful
with visuals. Which shapes are the
strongest?
a. Lab: Testing shape cut-outs by
adding forces.
b. Gather after lab to discuss results.
Lesson on how triangle shape adds
strength to structures.
1. Ties, struts, and structures lesson: Define
struts, compression, ties, and tension.
a. Label the struts and ties in the
image from Science and Technology,
on page 19 from the materials list
(Wesley, 2000).
i. Write complete sentences.
Compare work to a peer.
● Did students successfully
follow instructions?
● Did students show a
positive attitude?
● Can they successfully
identify forces?
● Were students able to make
a hypothesis in the shapes
lab?
● Can students explain how
the shapes responded to the
added force?
● Did students record the
results?
● Did students use subject-
specific vocabulary when
recording their results?
● Did students successfully
follow instructions?
● Did students show a
positive attitude?
● Can they identify and
explain a tie, strut, and a
structure in the picture (and
playground)?
Adapted from Wiggins, Grant & J. McTighe (1998)
 linguistic, particularly vocabulary, grammar, ii. If time and weather permits, ● Did students identify
syntax, and discourse. It will also address take students outside to concepts learned in Look at
editing when students are asked to compare
their work with a peer (Alberta Government,
identify struts and ties in the That Building! book by Scot
2013). school playground (Wesly, Ritchie?
2000, p. 9) ● Did students properly
The philosophy stated in the Alberta Program of 2. Read Look at That Building! by Scot sequence the process of
Study for Science is that children’s curiosity is a Ritchie. building a house?
natural starting point for learning, that learning
builds upon what they currently know and do,
a. Stop and pause to get students to ● Did students label ties,
and that children learn best when identify what they have learned in struts, forces, and
they are actively involved (Alberta Education, the book’s images as you read to the rationalize the shape(s)
1996). Therefore, taking students to the class. chosen for their design?
playground is beneficial in helping them b. Lab: Put the photocopied building
connect their learning in class to their out-of-
school life.
stages from the book in the correct
sequence.
Reading Look at That Building! by Scot Ritchie, 3. Teacher will show examples of blueprints
will address listening linguistic vocabulary, for houses side by side with the real
syntax, socio-linguistic, discourse, and auditory houses. Teacher will explain what a
discrimination. Getting students to identify
concepts learned in the book address speaking
prototype is.
linguistic vocabulary and pronunciation 4. Students start working on the big unit
(Alberta Government, 2013). problem: They will draw a blueprint of
their dream dog house and properly label
The lab addresses the same speaking and its components.
listening linguistic strand-specific competencies
as the labs in lesson two and three.
5. Students are given time to build their ● Dream dog house prototype work time ● Did students successfully
dream dog house prototypes. After, ○ Teacher will float around helping follow instructions?
students will present their prototypes students. ● Did students show a
and blueprints to the class. ○ Teacher will ask hypothetical positive attitude?
questions to aid students in ● Can students build a
Presenting their houses and blueprints to the critically thinking about their successful house prototype?
class will address speaking linguistic design choices. e.g. “If you do ___, (a.k.a. can it stand on its
vocabulary, grammar, syntax, strategic,
sociolinguistic, discourse, and pronunciation. It
will your building be ___?” own? Can it withstand
will also address listening syntax such as ● Student Presentations reasonable force?)
vocabulary and syntax when answering ○ Present work ● Can students rationalize
questions from the listeners (Alberta ○ Answer any questions from peers their design choices?
Government, 2013). ○ Test it against force. (i.e. small ● Do students speak with a
weights) clear voice and present
their work in an organized
Adapted from Wiggins, Grant & J. McTighe (1998)
 manner?

PRE-SERVICE TEACHER SELF-REFLECTION

● How do you feel your students experienced this unit?
● Were they able to make explicit and self-evaluate their growing understanding, skills and/or knowledge?
● Were you able to make good use of formative assessment for/of/as learning? How did this information impact your summative
assessment?
● Were you successful in reaching all students? How do you know? How did you accommodate for diverse learners and those
requiring accommodations?
● Were there opportunities to address Indigenous, multicultural and interdisciplinary activities and knowledge?
● What went well and what needs refinement? What might you do differently next time?

Pre-Unit Rationale of Language Teaching: Methods, ELL Strands, Differentiation and Correction

All language teaching methods are used in this unit to some extent. The Direct Method is used when introducing new vocabulary words in
lessons through activities such as repetition and drilling. The TPR Method will be heavily used because of the physical nature of labs in
interacting with the lesson material. There will be more speaking and listening in lab work than reading and writing, thus the Communicative
Approach is used when demonstrating learning and working with others. Lastly, because this unit is for a science class, there will be a strong
emphasis on science visuals, and subject-specific words usage in this class. Hence, Content-Based Instruction is the overarching method for
this unit. English will be treated as a tool for learning the science curriculum and will be evaluated like so.

Though communication is heavily emphasized in this unit, writing and reading are not overlooked. Rather than being treated separately,
reading and writing are woven in while teaching the content. Writing is involved in every single lab. Students are expected to write down
their own hypotheses and then record the experiment results using subject-specific words. Newcomers can have access to a dictionary and
fill in a hypothesis sentence frame. Newcomers could also be paired with someone in the class who speak their home language for labs. If
there is no one who speaks their language, pairing them with a friendly native English-speaker classmate will still be beneficial (Coelho,
2004b, p. 186). Writing is also used in labs where students are asked to identify concepts and write complete sentences about them. Research
shows that having a strong foundation in one’s primary language is beneficial in language learning (Coelho, 2004c, pp. 167-168). Newcomers
can identify concepts by writing them in their own language first and then with the help of Google Translate or a dictionary, translate their
writing to English in their best possible ability. Each time a new word or concept is taught, students are expected to write it down and refer
back to them in their labs. Newcomers can be provided with an essential vocabulary list with definitions in English and their home language
at the start of the unit to equip them for the tasks in the unit. Thus, reading is utilized as students are expected to review their notes first
before asking the teacher for help.

The summative assignment is a creative, and open-ended summative project. It should be able to engage all learners because students will
Adapted from Wiggins, Grant & J. McTighe (1998)
become familiar with Norbert by viewing a short introductory video about the dog in class, and the project itself can take on any shape and
design as long as the prototype of the dream house fulfills the requirements of the assignment, which is to design a stable house that can
withstand a reasonable amount of external force. A reasonable amount of materials for the project will be provided by the teacher, and the
assignment will be completed in class.

Corrections on student error will be immediate if it pertains to the scientific concepts taught in class because it is the teacher’s duty to meet
the science curricular outcomes. For example, errors made in lab tasks and errors in student understanding of concepts taught in class will be
addressed immediately by the teacher in a respectful manner. Corrections on student error in language use, on the other hand, will be
minimal because students should be encouraged to speak as much as possible. Research has shown that over-correction can cause students
to become anxious and reluctant in speaking a language, and will hinder their development in that language (Coelho, 2004, pp. 172-175).
Students will only be corrected in their language if it is 1) a major error that will negatively affect their social interaction among peers, 2) an
error that they have made repeatedly. Furthermore, being correct in language use does not have the same priority as being correct in one’s
understanding of the scientific concepts being taught in a science class.

More ELL Ideas from Marcia:

-as a way to start your theme, show your students different pictures of structures like building and bridges - ones that show some of the
concepts you're going to teach like stability.

-elicit the names of structures and try to elicit some vocabulary or concepts to check what the students already know.

-have a game of Jenga with the students - maybe some words like stable, unstable, balance will emerge

-use Lego
https://le-www-live-s.legocdn.com/sc/media/files/primary/engb%20campaign%20elementary%20general%20-
%20why%20teachers%20use%20le%20resources%20-%20testimonial%20stuart%20swann-d62817d3269f98121cc9c787b6f16d98.pdf
I have never used it but I have heard of teachers using it successfully.

Adapted from Wiggins, Grant & J. McTighe (1998)