Faria International School Adaptations

PYP Next Homeroom (Year 3) Sharon Arese, John Walters, Risa Aoki

Summary

Adaptations

Subject Year Start date Duration

English, Science, Social Year 3 Week 1, October 6 Weeks
studies

Description
In this unit of inquiry students will explore weather patterns, the 4 climate regions and geography of the globe
investigating how living things adapt to the environment.

Inquiry

The Central Idea

Living things adapt to their environment.

Transdisciplinary Theme

Where we are in place and time

An inquiry into orientation in place and time.

The relationships between, and the interconnectedness of, individuals and civilizations, from local
and global perspectives.

Lines of Inquiry

- People adapt to surrounding environment. (change)

- Earth’s physical geography and various climates have an impact on living things (causation)
- Actions that prepare inclement weather (responsibility)

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Adaptations
 Faria International School Adaptations
PYP Next Homeroom (Year 3) Sharon Arese, John Walters, Risa Aoki

Learning Goals

Connections: Transdisciplinary and Past

Who we are investigated inherited traits.
Plant adaptations will connect to any greenhouse, school or classroom garden.

Learning Goals and Success Criteria

LEARNING GOALS
Know (content)
-Define climate (different types)
-Define the types of weather
-Seasons vary based on climate region-
-Identify climate by region (around the world) -
-Elements of weather (moisture (humidity), air temperature, air -pressure, wind, precipitation, clouds and fog)-
-Weather is made in the atmosphere
land formations and geographic location impact climate
-Living things adapt to climate

Understand (concepts)
-Climate patterns vary by regions
-Why people’s understanding has changed over time
-That we discover patterns through observation
-The different ways living things adapt to weather (inventions incl.)
-Weather and climate are different
-Designs are in place to protect from extreme weather hazards

Do (skills)
-Create a graph based on data
-Analyze weather data
-Make predictions based on data
-Analyze and defend an opinion of weather related inventions/designs to mitigate hazard
-Research and report their understanding of a type of weather or invention

CO-CONSTRUCT SUCCESS CRITERIA

The Summative Assessment will be a reflective tool where students use their inquiry journals, climate region graphic
organizer notes and the murals to be able to address the central idea and each line of inquiry. They will act as a travel
guide and suggest a place in the world to visit and elaborate on the specific living things that will be encountered in that
place. Additionally they will give recommendations for adapting to the climate, especially any wild weather that might be
encountered. Their summative assessment will become part of a class World Travel Book. (See attachments)

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 Faria International School Adaptations
PYP Next Homeroom (Year 3) Sharon Arese, John Walters, Risa Aoki

Key and Related Concepts

Key Concepts

Causation

Change

Responsibility

Developing IB Learners

Learner Profile

Inquirers

Knowledgeable

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 Faria International School Adaptations
PYP Next Homeroom (Year 3) Sharon Arese, John Walters, Risa Aoki

ATL Skills

Approaches to Learning

Research Skills

- Information literacy - Formulating and planning, data gathering and recording, synthesizing and interpreting,
evaluating and communicating

Formulating and planning

Outline a plan for finding necessary information.

Data gathering and recording

Gather information from a variety of primary and secondary sources.

Record observations by drawing, note taking, charting, tallying, writing statements, annotating images.

Synthesizing and interpreting

Draw conclusions from relationships and patterns that emerge from data.

Media literacy - Interacting with media to use and create ideas and information

Locate, organize, analyse, evaluate and synthesize information from a variety of trusted sources, social
media and online networks.

Self-management Skills

- Organization - Managing time and tasks effectively

Plan short- and long-term tasks.

Set goals that are challenging and realistic.

Action

Student-initiated Action
The IB recognizes five types of student initiated action: participation, advocacy, social justice, social entrepreneurship, and
lifestyle choices. In this unit, students could engage in participation and advocacy by making different choices about their
personal practices (cleaning up litter, riding bikes), and/or encouraging others (carpool, volunteer for agencies) to think
about how they can help maintain balance within our ecosystem.

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 Faria International School Adaptations
PYP Next Homeroom (Year 3) Sharon Arese, John Walters, Risa Aoki

Assessment & Resources

Ongoing Assessment

People adapt to surrounding environment. (change)

-Inquiry journal notes from speakers, videos, books and articles
-Climate region graphic organizer notes from initial inquirers workshop and added information from student expert groups
-mural

Earth’s physical geography and various climates have an impact on living things (causation)
-Inquiry journal notes from speakers, videos, books and articles
-Climate region graphic organizer notes from initial inquirers workshop and added information from student expert groups
-mural

Actions that prepare inclement weather (responsibility)

-PSA brochure

Making flexible use of resources

Visible Thinking : http://www.visiblethinkingpz.org
Engineering a house lesson https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/a_house_for_me
Google Maps : https://www.google.com/maps
Weather https://kidsweatherreport.com/
Background Knowledge Videos:
Variation in animal Trait https://www.generationgenius.com/videolessons/variation-of-traits-video-for-kids/
Brain Pop Heredity https://myccsd.instructure.com/courses/723/modules/items/159127
Innate vs Learned behaviors https://myccsd.instructure.com/courses/723/modules/items/159127
Plant adaptations http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/plants/plant-adaptations.htm
Weather vs Climate,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbAWny7FV3w&t=200s&disable_polymer=true
Climate around the world:
https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-climate-around-the-world/
https://www.brainpop.com/science/weather/climatetypes/

Polar Climate-
https://goo.gl/Buvii3

https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-polar-climates/
https://beyondpenguins.ehe.osu.edu/issue/peoples-of-the-arctic/a-house-of-snow-and-ice
http://www.scienceforkidsclub.com/polar-climates.html

Desert Climate-
https://goo.gl/RjjXEW
https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-deserts/

Tropical Climate-
https://goo.gl/S8YHVO
https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-tropical-climates/

Temperate Climate-
https://goo.gl/oR7RE2
https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-temperate-or-mild-climate/
Books:

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 Faria International School Adaptations
PYP Next Homeroom (Year 3) Sharon Arese, John Walters, Risa Aoki

National Geographic Kids Everything Weather: Facts, Photos, and Fun that Will Blow You Away
by Kathy Furgang; "WOW! Weather!" , by Paul Deanno; Tornadoes! by Gail Gibbons; Hurricanes, by Gail Gibbons;
Hurricanes by Seymour Simon; Tornado!: The Story Behind These Twisting, Turning, Spinning, and…, by Judy Fradin; The
Kids' Book of Weather Forecasting (Williamson Kids Can! Series)
by Mark Breen; When the Sky Breaks: Hurricanes, Tornadoes, and the Worst Weather in the World (Smithsonian), by Simon
Winchester; Extreme Weather: Surviving Tornadoes, Sandstorms, Hailstorms, Blizzards, Hurricanes, and More! (National
Geographic Kids), by Thomas M. Kostigen; The New Weather Book (Wonders of Creation), by Michael Oard; The Everything
KIDS' Weather Book: From Tornadoes to Snowstorms, Puzzles, Games, and Facts That Make Weather for Kids Fun!, by
Joe Snedeker; National Geographic Pocket Guide to the Weather of North America, by Jack Williams and Jared Travnicek;
DK Eyewitness Books: Weather: Discover the World's Weather from Heat Waves and Droughts to Blizzards and Flood, by
Brian Cosgrove; Facts about Weather: Interesting Facts about Lightning, Rain, Wind, Snow, Tornadoes, and more! (Facts
about Stuff), by Sadler Mars; Climate and Weather Books for Kids | Children's Earth Sciences Books, by Baby Professor;
The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth: Understanding Our World and Its Ecosystems, by Rachel Ignotofsky;The Climate
Zones (Map Basics), by Kristen Rajczak; Tropical Climates (Focus on Climate Zones), by Cath Senker; Desert Climates
(Focus on Climate Zones), by Cath Senker; Temperate Climates (Focus on Climate Zones), by Cath Senker; Polar Climates
(Focus on Climate Zones), by Cath Senker;

World Affairs Council of Oregon is a wonderful local resource. The culture boxes from each country are filled with realia,
books, images and lessons to help students explore.
https://www.worldoregon.org/global_classroom

Contact a local museum for a similar resource.

Local Parks Department
Local Zoo

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 Faria International School Adaptations
PYP Next Homeroom (Year 3) Sharon Arese, John Walters, Risa Aoki

Learning Experiences

Designing engaging Learning Experiences

While these learning engagements follow an inquiry cycle, the phases of the cycle are not linear. Therefore, the learning
experiences address each line of inquiry throughout the scope of the inquiry.

Tuning In (gathering data about students existing thinking and knowledge, motivating; exciting, engaging):

-Wild Weather gallery walk. Students silently engage with each photograph writing connections and/or questions.
-Think/Puzzle/Explore - Making Thinking Visible Protocol After the gallery walk where students engage with images in
inclement weather from all over the globe, the class will capture a list of thoughts a list of questions and ideas to explore.
-Book Immersion. Students choose a wild weather book to explore focusing on one type of extreme weather such as
hurricanes, tornados, cyclones, sand storms, hail storms, blizzards.
-Using Google “My Maps”. Students pair up to report the cause of the extreme weather and place a symbol of that weather
on a map of the globe. My Maps is a link the teacher can share with the students. -When the pairs post their information on
the My Maps, all students will see each other’s work. Global patterns should emerge when all the students have reported.
-Students create a Public Service Announcement brochure explaining their weather pattern’s cause and providing
information to prepare in case of an emergency.
-Revisit Think/Puzzle/Explore protocol and lead the students to the central idea and lines of inquiry:
Living things adapt to their environment.
-People adapt to surrounding environment. (change)
-Earth’s physical geography and various climates have an impact on living things (causation)
-Actions that prepare for inclement weather (responsibility)

Finding Out (gathering new information, having shared experiences, and stimulate curiosity through new experiences/
learning):

Whole group research plant and animal life. Students learn about plant adaptations and practice note taking skills together
in a whole group, then apply their learning to the small group climate zone research project.
-Adaptations video (see web resources)
-Plant adaptation reading passages (see attachments)
-Who would win plant powerpoint (see attachments)
-Introduce a variety of plants to the classroom
Venus fly trap - try to place thi sin an empty fish tank and introduce insects.
-Amaryllis - place three amaryllis in three different locations in the classroom. Place one near natural light, one with some
light and one without any light at all (in a closet). The amaryllis will grow quickly and surprise your students as it adapts to
the available light.
-Inquirers workshop. Students explore a variety of climates capturing an overview of information in their graphic organizer.
(see attachments)
Climate Research Project:
-Students break out into 1 of the 4 climate zones (polar, temperate, desert, and tropical) read the provided articles and
books and practice their note taking skills in their inquiry journal.
-The students monitor the daily weather report. Weather report for kids (see web resources)
-1 day to read the articles, 2 days to read online about their climate zone, and take notes on their planner following
questions on the provided graphic organizer. (see attachments)
What is the weather like in the summer?
What is the weather like in the winter?
What extreme weather might this place experience?
Why do homes look the way they do in this climate zone?
What clothes do people wear in this climate zone? Why these clothes?
What does transportation look like in this area? Why does it look this way?

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 Faria International School Adaptations
PYP Next Homeroom (Year 3) Sharon Arese, John Walters, Risa Aoki

What do people do for entertainment in this climate zone?

What kind of plants grow in this climate zone? What are their specific adaptations to survive in this climate zone?
What animals live in the habitats in these climate zones?
Do the plants and animals in these climate zones influence what the food is like for people?

Sorting Out (comprehending, making meaning, answering questions, interpreting questions):

-Students within the expert groups divide the team into pairs who are responsible for finding out more specific information
about the following: plant life and adaptations, animal life and adaptations, human culture (clothing, faith, food, local
economy, etc).
-The team will set goals each day based on the information located and visual representation

Going Further (opportunities; students pursue questions and interests; learners work independently, small group):
-Climate zone mural-
The climate zone small groups will create a mural with examples of the following: plant, animal life, map of cities that are
within the zone, latitude and longitude of where the zone is located on the globe, weather patterns within that zone,
geographical features, examples of adaptations due to the weather, climate, geography
Expert groups determine how they will display their new learning on the mural using the provided rubric.
-Design a house that will withstand the elements in a given climate. Lesson plan Students create a house that will withstand
elements. Instructions and Rubric (See Attachments)

Reflecting and Acting (activated throughout the cycle, students apply learning; assess final understanding and growth of
skills/learner profile):

-Student teams present their research in front of the co created mural while the class adds notes to their graphic organizer

Supporting Student Agency

Students have choices to research weather, plant, animal and people from a climate zone. They have the ability to
investigate whatever is most interesting. Additionally they will work individually, in pairs and on teams to construct
knowledge collaboratively.

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 Faria International School Adaptations
PYP Next Homeroom (Year 3) Sharon Arese, John Walters, Risa Aoki

Reflections

Sharon Arese Oct 28, 2018 at 9:11 AM

I feel llike the plants activities that demonstrated the direct relationship between living things and their environment
were the most successful.

John Walters Oct 28, 2018 at 11:21 AM

Yes, the more observable the relationship, the greater impact it had on students and thier understanding.

Risa Aoki Oct 28, 2018 at 12:42 PM

I feel like the global differences in human adaptations were difficult for students to grasp, compared to plants and
animal adaptations. We might want to consider bringing a panel of people from drastically different climates for them
to discuss and then share items they use in their lives!

John Walters Oct 28, 2018 at 2:23 PM

That's a great idea, let's think of how to prepare for this next year!

Risa Aoki Oct 21, 2018 at 8:23 AM

I feel like we should connect with the science classes to incorporate more labs and deomonstrations

John Walters Oct 21, 2018 at 9:43 AM

I agree. I spoke with the head of the department and they do cover adaptions in one of their units. We should talk about
integrating these two units next year.

Sharon Arese Sept 28, 2018 at 9:11 AM

In this unit we have built on student learning about personal narratives. We broke down the process sequentially:
planning, pre-writing, introduction, draft, conclusion, revision. This scaffolding worked well, although I would like to add
one more point at which I give written feedback to students. This time students received only verbal feedback from me
until the draft. Next year I plan to give written feedback on their plan as many seemed to have forgotten what we had
discussed.

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 Faria International School Adaptations
PYP Next Homeroom (Year 3) Sharon Arese, John Walters, Risa Aoki

John Walters Sept 28, 2018 at 11:21 AM

I agree, and I would also like us to introduce another point for peer assessment. Students could read each other’s plans
and give warm/cool feedback before we give written feedback. This means we can comment on the peer feedback too,
and it will give us an idea of how successfully the students are interpreting the criteria.

Risa Aoki Sept 28, 2018 at 12:42 PM

We will need to make sure students write their name with their feedback so we can follow up on misconceptions.
One issue I had with my class was the submission of the draft without the conclusion. I think we should switch the
conclusion scaffolding to before the draft submission, as many students wrote a conclusion even though I said they
could wait until we had done the lesson.

John Walters Sept 28, 2018 at 1:53 PM

Perhaps you could use their attempted conclusions during the conclusion lesson so they are improving rather than
starting afresh? We could look at adjusting the lesson rather than changing the order, what do you think?

Risa Aoki Sept 28, 2018 at 2:32 PM

Yes ok, let’s discuss it during our next planning meeting.

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 Faria International School Adaptations
PYP Next Homeroom (Year 3) Sharon Arese, John Walters, Risa Aoki

Stream & Resources

https://kidsweatherreport.com/
1

lotus.jpg
1

https://www.generationgenius.com/videolessons/variation-of-traits-video-for-kids/
1

House1.jpg
1

http://www.visiblethinkingpz.org
1

JAN Environment: taking positive action

2
11 Formative Individual Project Friday at 11:05 AM

During our inquiry we identified that animal migration is a result of insuffiecient resources in their
environment. Identify a resource that is being lacking and produce a poster to guide the local
community towards improving our local environment. Your poster should address the consequences of
forced animal migrations.

Students will sharing their existing understanding through a 'Wild Weather Gallery Walk", then
2
exam how living things adapt to their environment.

moss.jpg
2

Students within the expert groups divide the team into pairs who are responsible for finding
2
out more specific information about the following: plant life and adaptations, animal life and
adaptations, human culture (clothing, faith, food, local economy, etc).

Student teams present their research in front of the co created mural while the class adds notes
2
to their graphic organizer

FEB House Design Presentation

3
7 Summative Individual Project Thursday at 3:35 PM

The climate zone small groups will create a mural with examples of the following: plant, animal life,
map of cities that are within the zone, latitude and longitude of where the zone is located on the globe,
weather patterns within that zone, geographical features, examples of adaptations due to the weather,
climate, geography
Expert groups determine how they will display their new learning on the mural using the provided rubric.

OCT Plant Adaptation Presentation

3
26 Formative Individual Project Friday at 10:05 AM

Presentation on the research findings of how plants adapt to different climates.

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 Faria International School Adaptations
PYP Next Homeroom (Year 3) Sharon Arese, John Walters, Risa Aoki

graphic_organizer_in_climates.pdf
3

HTWW_inquirers_workshop.pdf
3

3 Climate_zone_notes.pdf
4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmiQEQwRm2k
4

https://www.worldoregon.org/global_classroom
4

NOV Expert's Game

5
16 Formative Individual Project Friday at 4:05 PM

Each team designs a game to teach other teams on how animals adapt to climates

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbAWny7FV3w&t=200s&disable_polymer=true
5

Small groups will create a mural with examples of the following: plant, animal life, map of cities
5
that are within the zone, latitude and longitude of where the zone is located on the globe, weather
patterns within that zone, geographical features, examples of adaptations due to the weather,
climate, geography.

SEP Weather Poster

6
20 Formative Group Project Thursday at 3:00 PM

Create a poster for the weather you have chosen.

Design_and_Engineering_House_Building.pdf
6

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p15IrEuhYmo
7

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