Brief Description

Square of Life: Studies in Local and Global Environments is an Internet-based Collaborative project in which students investigate their local environment and share that information with other students from around the country and the world.
Participants will:

• Identify living and non-living things in their school yards.
• Share their findings with other participating classes.
• Look for similarities and differences in the reported data.
• Prepare a final report or presentation based on their findings.

Technology Standards

• 1T-E2. Demonstrate increasingly sophisticated operation of technology components
• 4T-E1. Use telecommunications efficiently and effectively to access remote information and communicate with others in support of facilitated and independent learning
• 4T-E2. Use technology tools for individual and collaborative writing, communication and publishing activities to create curricular related products for audiences inside and outside the classroom

• 1SC-E1. Identify a question, formulate a hypothesis, control and manipulate variables, devise experiments, predict outcomes, compare and analyze results, and defend conclusions
• 1SC-E3. Organize and present data gathered from their own experiences, using appropriate mathematical analyses and graphical representations
• 1SC-E4. Identify and refine questions from previous investigations
• 2SC-F2. Understand that scientific inquiry has produced much knowledge about the world, that much is still unknown, and that some things will always be unknown
• 2SC-F3. Understand that science involves asking and answering questions and comparing the results to what is already known
• 3SC-F3. Describe and explain the interrelationship of populations, resources and environments
• W-E4.Write an expository essay that contains effective introductory and summary statements and fully develops the ideas with details, facts, examples and descriptions

Academic

• Using their prior knowledge, students will predict what contents they may find in their Square of Life. Their list should include at least three items from all three categories: Plant, Animal and Non-living.
• Students will work in cooperative groups to select a location and establish a Square of Life using the materials provided. Students will then make observations and an examination of the contents. Students will draw a model and must include examples from at least two categories.
• Working in their cooperative group, students will compile a list of all contents discovered and will sort their findings into three categories for a compilation of the class’ data. Those categories are: Plants, Animals or Non-living. Groups should also include a comparison of what they predicted they might find with actual results.
• Students will write an expository paper outlining their results from the Square of Life activity. Using the rubric developed in class, students will strive to score a three (adequate) or a four (exceptional).

• Students will photograph their Square with the digital camera.
• Students will submit the class data to our collaborative project site and/or share with our project partner.

• Students must know how to care for and use the digital camera.
• Students will need to know how to access the Internet to submit the class data on the collaborative project site or to share with our project partner.

Clipboards for group work
Paper for drawings/pencils
Meter sticks
Four 1 meter pieces of ½” pvc pipe and four pvc elbows for each group of students
Digital camera/disk
Chart/butcher paper

Accommodations for Special Needs

Gifted Students This lesson opens a door to examination of our environment and issues surrounding growth in our community. Additional studies of other areas in and around our school might lend to students bringing recommendations about types of vegetation used at our site or in their neighborhoods. It provides opportunities for problem solving community issues about water usage. It also provides students an opportunity to involve and assist others in a cooperative and problem- solving role.

Sheltered English Immersion Students Square of Life is designed for all students to actively participate in the observation and collection of data. Students can get assistance with their follow-up writing assignment as needed. Students could dictate to a buddy for assistance with their writing. They could also tape their presentation orally and then get assistance writing it as needed.

Special Education Students This activity offers students a hands-on approach to learning and is sensitive to a variety of learning styles. Students will have an opportunity to demonstrate multiple tasks in a cooperative group and group members are expected to support and assist others as needed. Students may get help with drawing their model from their investigation. Written work can be dictated to a buddy if necessary. Tape recording ideas to assist with writing is also possible.

Procedures

1. Students will preview the Square of Life website http://www.k12science.org/curriculum/squareproj/ prior to outdoor activities as teams.
2. Students will be assigned groups for Square of Life teams and a team leader is given a clipboard, paper and pencils for their group. Students will also need a hard surface to complete their drawing. Each group also receives four pieces of ½” pvc pipe and four elbows to make their square.
3. Groups will be asked to brainstorm what “contents” they may find in their square.
4. Once outdoors, students will select a Square site. Next, they combine the pvc pieces to build a one meter square and lay it over their site. Finally, the group leader records data on contents discovered. This process should take about thirty minutes.
5. Next, students simply sketch whatever they see in their square. Remind them to look under rocks and other movable objects. Again, allow about thirty minutes for students to complete their drawings. About five minutes before the end of the activity announce that they should finish up their sketches.
6. In the classroom, ask students to share what they found. Were the items they expected to find present? Were they surprised at any of the things they found?
7. Students should keep their sketches and notes for use in preparing a class list for submission to the Project Database. The teacher now has group volunteers record all findings on the class compilation charts. Again, refer to the website under Teacher Area for specific suggestions/procedures if needed.
8. An assigned student reports class results according to the directions on the Square of Life website.
9. Students will write an expository account of this activity following the compilation and submission of findings into the Project Database.

Students are expected to participate in group activities and will be evaluated by teacher observation.
Students will submit a drawing of their Square. Students will develop criteria for evaluation of their drawing and help develop a 4- point rubric. Students should strive for at least a three from the rubric. Grades will be determined by self- evaluation and teacher evaluation according to those criteria.

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/view_rubric.php3?id=659195

Student writing will be assessed according to 6 Traits of Writing. We have developed a 4-point rubric to assess their writing. Students should attain at least a three from the rubric.

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/view_rubric.php3?id=730306