Murchison Middle School
Science Year 2
Science and Literature: Where Worlds Collide!
Assigned Date: January 9, 2012 Due Date: March 26, 2012
Objective: ACCELERATED level students will link scientific advances discovered through personal reading with past or current scientific and societal issues.
Essential Question: What encourages human ingenuity? What can impede scientific advance? Is scientific advance necessary for a society to thrive? Must science always serve the best interests of mankind? What is the role of science in society today? What are the limitations of science?
IB Objectives: Keeping in mind the Areas of Interaction of: ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNITY and SERVICE, HUMAN INGENUITY, and HEALTH AND SOCIETY, students will examine issues and topics found in literature and link these to significant moments or questions in science.
The TITLE and AUTHOR of your book needs to be at the top of your Guiding Questions and on ANY and ALL products turned in.
This project is required for all accelerated students. It will be counted in the FIFTH six weeks grading period.
Some criteria for this project:
- Choose a book of interest to YOU!
- The book will be an adult level, non-fiction, science-related book. Note: Most of the books in our MMS library are grade level or below. So, be 100% sure your book is above 7th grade reading level book for your Book Study Project (BSP).
- The book may be on a scientist, inventor, disease, research, space, environment, human behavior, societal issues around science.
- Science fiction books will not be allowed for this project!
- No two students will be reading the same book or doing the same topic for this project.
- Students will email me their choice of book title. The first one to email me on any title will earn the right to read that book! If another student wants to read the same book for this BSP,
and it has already been chosen, (s)he’ll have to choose another title.
- I suggest that you read a few book excerpts from a public library or go to amazon.com and read some excerpts so that you know you have chosen a book you are interested in.
- All title choices need to be made NO LATER THAN January 17, 2012
- Guided Response Questions will accompany this lesson and be due on the dates below. These will be on the GRQ sheet as well, and will be checked briefly on the due dates listed.
- Purchasing a personal copy of the book you choose is highly recommended, even at Half Price Books. You may also check out a book at the Austin Public Library if you don’t wish to purchase a book.
- A suggested reading list will be posted on my website on or around January 7th. You may choose something from that list or not. It’s up to you! (Don’t wait on my posting to choose a book)
- If you wish to keep your material together for this long-term project in a folder of some kind that is fine or you can keep it in a place in your science binder if you wish.
Guided Response Questions: On Jan. 30, Feb. 13, and March 5, these questions will be turned in for a quick check by Ms. Green and returned to you. Do all five GRQs for each of the THREE due dates for the GRQs, using the material you have read in your book by the date your GRQ is due. So, space out your reading a bit in order to have sample material to use on each of your GRQs.
Guided Response Questions: (Make sure TITLE and AUTHOR of book are on GQs)
1. Choose a quote from each chapter or groupings of chapters that you believe is important or significant or that you find interesting. Write down the quote and page numbers.
- In your own words, what is the meaning of the quote? Do your best to explain what you think is meant by the words you selected to pull out of context. Explain as if the person reading your information doesn’t know ANYTHING about the book or topic!
- How is the information in this quote or the author’s argument about science in this quote important in terms of the science and overall themes of this book? How does what you selected relate to the topic at hand? Does it raise new questions? Do you agree with it? Why is it surprising? Is it confusing or frightening to contemplate?
- How is the information in this quote or the author’s argument about science in this quote important in terms of the overall field of science? How has or did this topic serve to advance science? What came of it?
- Why is the information in this quote or the author’s argument about science in this quote important to the world (our society and other societies) outside of science? What difference does it make? Are there ethical or moral considerations to take into account?
POSSIBLE CULMINATING ACTIVITES FOR THE BSP:
(NOTE: Plan on a class presentation of 4 to 6 minutes)
- Written summary of the book in essay format( 300-500 words in length or more)with quotations and your own interpretations and commentary included
- Short play or scene from the book(4mins to 6mins in length)
- Interactive activity between the presenter and the class: a lesson you teach, for example a game or some sort of activity, using info from your book
- Creative piece imagining you are the person you read about; for example, a monologue where you assume the personae of the scientist or character, OR a speech written and presented by you to the class on a related topic
- Brochure or pamphlet summarizing the book, publicizing something of importance from the book and an explanation of this brochure or pamphlet to the class
- Artistic representation, i.e. music, drawing, poetry, song, painting(as long as it is representative of the book as a whole)
- Debate write-up, following UIL Debate guidelines & perform 3 to 4 minutes of the debate in class
- Detailed Model or Mobile depicting the main theme of the book or a portion of the book that you interpreted as significant to you and why
- A comprehensive children’s story, depicting the science behind the work discussed in your book, so that children between ages four and eight years of age could comprehend it. Pictures and text need to be a part of the book.
- Regardless of which type of presentation you choose, an ORAL PRESENTATION to the class is required and part of the 50 points in the rubric. You are not allowed to record or videotape your presentation and then show the recording to the class as your culminating activity, unless it’s a minute or less in length and it is a vital part to your culminating activity. Ask your teacher if you need clarification on this.
IBMYP Sciences Assessment Criteria: For your written responses for this assignment, I will use criteria A,B, and C for a total possible of 18 points. Plus 2 for careful book selection. Total possible: 20 points.(Note: Rest of Rubric is attached. This is only 20 points of the total 100 points)
A._____ One World 3 points possible _____
B._____ Communication 3 points possible _____
C._____Scientific Knowledge and Concepts 3 points possible ______
D._____Scientific Enquiry 3 points possible _____
E._____Processing Data 3 points possible _____
F._____Performance in Experiments 3 points possible _____
Careful book selection: 2 points possible
More IB info…
Think: How can you best share the information from your book with the rest of the class? How can you get their attention and inform them about the issues and topics of importance from the book you chose? It can fun, funny, interactive, creative, or serious, down to earth, or in depth reporting. You get to choose. Whatever format you choose, you will be assessed on the following:
i. Communication: Showing that you can use and interpret a wide range of scientific language and present detailed and sometimes complex scientific information appropriately, accurately, and so that your audience can understand it. (The science woven into your literature comes alive!)
ii. Knowledge and Concepts: Your ability to show overall knowledge and understanding of the science and can apply this to an appreciation of the nature of science progress in that field today. You are able to answer questions posed by other classmates about your book or topic.
iii. One World: You demonstrate a clear understanding of the contributions and limitations of science across a range of societal issues. You show good insight into the cultural influences on the practice of science (where present), and demonstrate a good understanding of the moral and ethical considerations that can be associated with scientific developments.
NOTE: A rough draft-looking product is NOT acceptable for your final product. If you choose to turn in a finished product that is rough draft quality, be prepared to start with a grade of 70%. This is being mentioned because a number of projects in the fall were turned in looking as if they were rough drafts, rather than a finished product. Take Pride In Your Work! J(I know Accelerated didn’t do a fall project but inserting this hear for general principles.)
General Grading Rubric for BSP for Accelerated Class
Possible Culminating Activities for the BSP:
Guided Response Questions/Responses:
3 separate pieces, 10 points each=30 points
IBMYP assessment criteria= 20 points
Culminating Activity of your choice=50 points
Note: A detailed rubric more tailored to the student’s choice of their culminating activity will be used for these 50 points
POST THESE DATES IN YOUR AGENDA!
- Check in dates for daily grade towards this project:
- Assigned on Jan.9 _____ begin search for book
- January 17 _____book selection given to Ms. Green
- Check on Jan. 30 _____ completed new notes(Set 1 of GRQs due)
- Check on Feb. 13 _____ completed new notes(Set 2 of GRQs due)
- Check on March 5 _____ completed new notes(Set 3 of GRQs due)
- Due on March 26 _____ Culminating activity Due
- March 26 to March 30 _____ Culminating activity presented to class
