Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
For this online session, you will extensively explore and review the Unit of Study that you chose.
2. Read through the entire unit and look at all of the materials. Leave yourself some time to do this part…there
are a LOT of materials. You should be familiar with both the teacher resources as well as the student resources.
Read through both what the teacher would read in planning to teach as well as the student reading assignments.
Also look at the supporting materials. On the response sheet (next page) list the key content or focal topics for
your unit.
3. Review the unit of study for the purposes of assessing you level of understanding with the science content.
Using the response sheet (below), indicate your level for the content conveyed in the unit if study according to
the categories below.
For each cell in the table below, use keywords, phrases, or short sentences in the category you believe best
reflects your level of understanding. Include enough detail to use in conversation and for further study in future
assignments. Work to have listings in each category.
4. After completing this task, upload a copy to Canvas and bring a printed copy to class with you to reference
during the next several weeks.
1
Sci 431 – Unit of Study Assessment of Content Knowledge
Unit Name: The Dynamic Nature of rivers Your Name: Hannah Macanas
How humans utilize and manipulate these systems (exploitation of natural resources)
-Aqueducts
How humans utilize and manipulate these systems (exploitation of natural resources)
-Aqueducts
2
Hannah Macanas
SCI 431
White, Van Sickle
October 23, 2018
Question A: Did the teacher resources help you with your content knowledge? Describe
what and how. What about the student resources?
EEI’s units are incredibly thorough. I generally have a pretty strong grasp on the topics
presented in this unit of Rivers, so most of this information is review for me. However, the
organization is great, so I know for other units that I might not be so familiar with, it will be
relatively easy for me to navigate. However, the section on erosion has a great real-life practical
example (finding the safest spot along the river to build a house) that I never would have
thought to incorporate on a lesson about erosion. The examples and descriptions in the
Teacher’s Manual were very clear and informative, and the visual aids that go along with them
Question B: What question(s) do you have or what would you like to know more about
regarding related content (not pedagogy) in preparing to teach the unit? Choose at least one
content question.
I personally feel headwaters are an import aspect of rivers that often get overlooked.
How did headwaters form, how are they sustained and what significance does it play on the
Question C: What outside resources did you find and access? List. What additional content
knowledge did you advance for yourself via study of these additional resources?
Headwaters:
https://www.watereducation.org/aquapedia-background/headwaters
3
Information about headwaters. Headwaters don’t necessarily dictate the strength and
flow of a river. Headwaters are often sustained through melted ice and snow.
Watersheds:
I have some material from an environmental science class that goes in depth into
watersheds, and how to use a topographic map to locate watershed boundaries (ENVS 308:
Ecotopia)
This lesson has a little experiment that demonstrates the amount of energy needed
from water to move sediment of different sizes. This is demonstrated by placing different types
of pebbles or sand in a water bottles, filling them up, and then disturbing them and noticing
If teaching this lesson in Humboldt County, we are so lucky to have so many different
and dynamic rivers right here in our backyard! I would definitely take advantage of that! I could
perhaps bring in different soil/sediment samples and we could use those in the above
experiment, or perhaps try to have them guess which river the samples are from, or what part
4
Hannah Macanas
SCI 431
October 30, 2018
NGSS Connections
1. Which NGSS standards are strongly addressed in your UoS, list and describe connection.
MS-
Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth's materials and the flow of
ESS2-1.
energy that drives this process.
This unit will have students study models of river systems and learn that the
changing and recycling of Earth’s materials through weathering,
sedimentation, and deposition has a direct effect on ecosystems.
MS- Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing
ESS3-3. a human impact on the environment.
This unit will have students evaluate historical solutions to meet the human
need for fresh water and arable soil for agriculture. Then have them use that
knowledge to assess the impacts of future solutions on both human
populations and riparian habitats in and around a river system.
MS-
Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human
ESS3-4.
population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's
systems.
This unit will have students study how human habitats have thrived near river
systems for thousands of years, and that they continue to do so, often with
negative consequences on multiple natural systems.
MS- Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient
ETS1-1. precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant
scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural
5
environment that may limit possible solutions.
This unit will have students study information that considers how rivers benefit
humans and the consequences of damage due to flooding and erosion, and to
use multiple criteria, including long-term consequences, to evaluate an
engineering design solution.
2. Are there examples of three dimensional learning connecting a DCI, SEP, and CCC? If so,
describe and explain how all three dimensions are included. If not, clearly state the missing
dimension(s) and make some suggestions of how the lesson might be modified to incorporate
all three dimensions. It might be useful to review the NGSS slides from class and think back
to our building standards exercise.
Yes, all three dimensions are present throughout this unit. For example, Disciplinary
Core Ideas include Earth’s Materials and Systems, specifically referring to rivers as systems and
the materials include the different sediments present in rivers and how the energy from the
river connects to other things. Another DCI is Human Impacts on Earth’s Systems, which is
addressed by talking about how humans utilize rivers (transportation, food, etc.) as well as how
the directly impact them (dams, hydro power plants, etc.). Another DCI is Defining and
Delimiting Engineering Problems which can be addressed by having students consider the
dynamics of rivers, erosion, etc. when considering building designs or construction placement.
Crosscutting Concepts are also present in this unit. For example, when students examine
the cyclical nature of rivers and their relationship to the ecosystem, as well as how rivers
change over time, they will be exploring the cross cutting concept of Stability and Change. Also,
when studying the human impact on rivers, students will be exploring the crosscutting concept
of Cause and Effect as well as the Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society
6
Finally, this unit also includes Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs). The SEPs Asking
Questions and Defining Problems and Engaging in Argument from Evidence are both addressed
in this unit. By having students consider the relationships between humans and rivers, we can
implement these SEP by having students identify problems associated with these relationships
as well as posing questions and potential solutions. Students can then argue the associated
benefits and challenges. Lastly, the SEP Developing and Using Models can be incorporated by
having students study and then create their own model of a deltas to enhance their knowledge
7
Hannah Macanas
SCI 431
October 30, 2018
d) Looking at one lesson only, describe what the teacher is asking students to do that aligns
In this lesson, students read about and explore how rivers benefit humans. After filling
out worksheets and doing additional research, students are then asked to write a short piece
explaining how we benefit from rivers and support their claims with evidence they have
8
Hannah Macanas
SCI 431
November 6, 2018
1. For each of the phenomena above, list a couple observations and a couple of questions
about the phenomena you are viewing.
Plants:
Observation: One is clearly less vibrant than the other.
Sun Size:
Observation: A billion times bigger?!
Question: Where are these large starts located?
Who discovered them and when?
What kinds of planets revolve around these stars, if any?
2. For each of the above identify one grade level Performance Expectation (PE) and Disciplinary
Core Idea (DCI) that this phenomena could be used to help teach.
Plant
PE: 3-LS1-1. Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles
but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death.
9
Car Collision
PE: 4-PS3-3. Ask questions and predict outcomes about the changes in energy that occur
when objects collide.
PS3.C: Relationship Between Energy and Forces: When objects collide, the contact forces
transfer energy so as to change the objects’ motions.
Sun Size
PE: 5-ESS1-1. Support an argument that differences in the apparent brightness of the sun
compared to other stars is due to their relative distances from the Earth.
3. Think about your Unit of Study. Look through your own images on your phone or images
online and find one that you might use in the classroom as a phenomena in conjunction with
your Unit of Study. Do this individually, there will be a chance to share your phenomena with
partners or others in class next week.
a. Share a copy of the image or video link
Ucayali River, Peru
10
11
12
1.
13
2.
14
3.
15
4.
16
5.
17
6.
18
7.
19
8.
20
9.
21
10.
22
11.
23
12.
24
13.
25
14.
26
15.
27
16.
28
17.
29
18.
30
19.
31
20.
32
21.
33
22.
34
23.
35
24.
36
25.
37
26.
38
27.
39
28.
40
29.
41
30.
Hannah Macanas
SCI 431
Julie Van Sickle
December 9, 2018
This project was a wonderful to get familiar with the curriculum we might be working
with in the future. I worked on this project with a partner, and we had selected a California
Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) curriculum. The unit we selected, The Dynamic
Nature of Rivers was geared towards middle school. I was excited going into the project
because I am familiar with and have a fascination with rivers and water.
As a future elementary school teacher, I have always been a little nervous about
needing to know so much about everything in order to be an effective teacher. This project
took a little bit of that pressure off. If there does happen to be a subject I’m not super familiar
with, curriculum like EEI provide teachers with supporting information, visual aids, and links to
resources for you to be able to gather any additional information that you may need.
This project was also valuable by showing just how easy it is to incorporate different
subjects across contexts and still be able to meet state standards. This is exciting because it
provides opportunity to break out of the traditional mold and provide students with an
While looking into this unit, I realized just how much potential there is when delving in
to new material. I also realized how easy it could be to incorporate local connections with the
provided curriculum. It is important to make these local connections so students have the
opportunity to apply what they have learned to the world that they are a part of. I believe that
42
The actual process of conducting the investigation into this unit was relatively simple.
Each piece of the project that was assigned fell in line with the way EEI set up their unit. It was
really easy to follow and pick apart the things that were helpful, and the areas in which I may
need more professional development and outside resources. In hindsight, I almost wish I had
chosen a topic that I knew less about, to see just how helpful it would have been to use when
Overall, I feel my partner and I did a good job at understanding the layout and content
of the EEI curriculum. Our presentation went well and I felt confident during the presentation. If
I could have changed something, I probably would have explained the individual units/lessons a
I will definitely continue to explore EEI curriculum and find ways to incorporate it into
my future classroom. There are so many tools and fun ideas that should fit nicely with both
NGSS and Common Core standards. The content presented by EEI may also pair nicely with
other curriculum like FOSS that will likely be adopted by schools and districts that I’ll work in.
43