Overview of Desert/Ocean Habitat Unit
Rationale:
It is important to study habitats to develop concepts of the interrelatedness between humans, life, and the environment. For some students, Illinois is the only habitat they've ever experienced. I will take my class on a learning adventure to two exciting habitats very different from their own: deserts and oceans. These are excellent opposites to compare and contrast. My ultimate goal is to expand their knowledge base of the world and all its treasures.
Students and Location:
I will be working with Gloria Rainer's second and third grade students at King School in Urbana. A few of the students live in the neighborhood, but most of the students are bussed from Orchard Downs, an international student and family community at the University of Illinois. Some students are refugees. Out of 27 students in my class, only ten were born in the United States. There are six ESL students in the class. One is overcoming a struggle with English communication, while another has much more English to learn before she can communicate effectively with the class. Most of the lessons will be during our planned afternoon unit time, when the ESL students are out of the room, but there will be other thematically related activities involving those students at differing times during the day. I plan on teaching most of my lessons in the classroom, but will also go to the gym and the playground to do activities.
Goals:
In approximately a four week time span, beginning April 1st, I will be teaching the children general knowledge of the habitat attributes, vegetation, animals, and human factors, in the specific settings of deserts and oceans. Students will also be able to think critically about humans' affect on habitats.
Return to the Desert/Ocean Habitat Home Page
Return to the YLP Units Page
Return to the YLP 1995-1996 Home Page