Unit 3: Agriculture

ELA: ___________

Math: ___________

Science: ________

Social Studies: ____

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Grade Level8th Grade

Unit Length Two Weeks

Unit Overview

This transdisciplinary unit on Agriculture will educate our students in the fundamentals of planting and sustaining crops linked to East Tennessee. This area of the country depends on farming and there is a great need for students to understand agricultural science. Armed with knowledge about crop sustenance, students can delve deeper into possible solutions for this area’s most prevalent need, hunger.

In “Feeding America: Exploring Raised Bed Gardening” students will have the opportunity to build raised bed structures and fill each one with the appropriate measure of sand, gravel, and compost depending on the size of the bed. Ben Hunter, with the Agriculture Office, will come during the final 2 project days to assist and educate students on the construction and maintenance of the raised bed vegetable gardens. Plants will be chosen depending on the cycle for planting and harvesting. A Master Gardener, Ben Hunter, was used as a resource for supplies, and he will also lend his expertise to the students as they build, fill, and plant. In addition to the construction of the raised beds and the planting, students will be researching and designing an experiment that will use the plants in the beds. Using the scientific method, students will be able to design an experiment, construct a hypothesis, and manipulate the variables involved with growing plants. Students will then be able to examine the differences between physical and chemical changes and the impact it has on plant growth.

Since the raised beds will have a soil mixture, science will be able to tap into various principles of chemistry and introduce physical and chemical changes with mixtures leading to changes in the soil chemistry that will ultimately change the rate of growth of the plant. Once again students will use the scientific method along with their research techniques to qualify their hypotheses. In math, students will use trigonometric ratios to understand the properties of the raised bed design. The structure of the raised beds will serve to support the student’s knowledge of triangles and allow them to investigate the properties of angles and triangles to their relationships to the sides and lengths. Students will use those relationships to explain trigonometric ratios. Students will also use information from their research in science, to estimate how many people could be feed using their own group’s raised bed system. In American History, students will learn about the differences in commercial and subsistence economies. They will be able to identify the characteristics of each and apply those characteristics to different

Innovation AcademyUnit Plan Template

Literature, Writing

Similarity, Right Triangles, Trigonometry, Congruence

Colonial ResistanceDeclaring IndependenceThe American Revolution

Embedded Inquiry, Matter

economical needs of various regions. Students will also continue to build on the recognition of America’s natural resources, emphasizing crop resources. In English/language arts, students will read the novel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor. This novel is about two classes of people who have one thing in common, the need to have abundant crops. Students will discuss the novel as a piece of literature and relate the lessons learned about the importance of crops to establish towns and sustain lives.

Unit Essential Question(s)

How have the development and analysis of agriculture practices influenced the economy and culture of the United States?How does congruency in the design of the raised beds contribute to the reliability and validity of crop yield experiments and data analysis?

Culminating Event

The culminating event for “Feeding America: Exploring Raised Bed Gardening” will start with students determining a problem statement, which is the first step of the scientific method. The objective will be for students to develop a problem statement relating to physical or chemical changes within the raised beds that will affect plant growth and crop yields. Students will then find existing research on their problem statement then write their hypothesis based on their research. Students will write up the procedures and their materials list. In conjunction with the scientific research, math will incorporate an investigation of congruence and the real world relevance of using congruence in order to be time and cost efficient.

The second phase of the culminating event will be the actual building and filling of the raised beds. Twenty-three beds will be built per specifications. Each group of four students will have the responsibility of a raised bed throughout the school year and each student will be responsible for a section within that raised bed. Twelve 4 X 8 X 6 beds will be built, eight 4 X 4 X 17 beds will be built, and three 4 X 8 X 17 beds will be built. Students will assemble the beds using screws since the holes will be predrilled in the lumber. Once the beds are constructed, the fill of sand, gravel, and compost will be distributed and layered in the beds depending on its size. Students will be given a choice on which plants to grow depending on the season. Students will then plant with the variables in mind for their physical and chemical change experiment. Through the school year, students will be given time to cultivate the gardens and to harvest the crops. Two seasons of harvesting are expected.

Common Assessment

STEM Project Rubric Feeding America: Exploring Raised Bed Gardening

Advanced Proficient Needs Improvement

Math

Component

Correctly proved the Law of Sines.

The Law of Sines was proven with 2-3 mistakes within the proof

The Law of Sines was proven with 4 or more mistakes OR was not proven at all

Correctly proved the Law of Cosines.

The Law of Cosines was proven with 2-3 mistakes within the proof

The Law of Cosines was proven with 4 or more mistakes OR was not proven at all

The Law of Sines OR The Law of Cosines was used to prove that the raised beds are congruent.

The Law of Sines OR The Law of Cosines was used to prove that the raised beds are congruent, and contained 2-3 mistakes.

The Law of Sines OR The Law of Cosines was used to prove that the raised beds are congruent, and contained 4 or more mistakes, OR congruence was not proven at all.

Science Component:

Problem/Question

Correctly identifies the dependent and independent variables.

Correctly identifies all control variables.

Correctly identifies the control and experimental groups.

Correctly identifies the dependent or independent variable but not both.

Correctly identifies most control variables but 1-2 variables are not identified

Correctly identifies the control or experimental groups but not both.

Incorrectly identifies the dependent and independent variable.

Correctly identifies most control variables but 3 or more variables are not identified

Incorrectly identifies the control and experimental groups.

Research 5 reliable resources are cited

Research identifies at least 2 physical and 2 chemical changes that take place in plants

Research includes at least one peer reviewed scientific journal

3-4 reliable resources are cited

Research identifies at least 1 physical and 1 chemical change that takes place in plants

Research includes one journal

Less than 3 resources are cited

Research identifies physical or chemical changes but not both

Research does not include a scientific journal

Unit ObjectivesStrands (main ideas taught in unit)ELA Reading Literature

WritingMath Similarity

Right TrianglesTrigonometryCongruence

Science Embedded InquiryMatter

Social Studies

Colonial ResistanceDeclaring IndependenceThe American Revolution

VocabularyELA Allusion – an implied or indirect reference especially in literature; the act of making an indirect reference

to somethingBias – an inclination of temperament or outlook; a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment; prejudiceSensory detail – details of or relating to sensation or to the sensesTension – a state of latent hostility or opposition between individuals or groupsMood/tone – style or manner of expression in speaking or writing

Math Congruence – equal in size and shapeAcute angles – angles whose measure is less then 90O

Trigonometry – a branch of mathematics that studies triangles and the relationships between the lengths of their sides and the angles between those sidesSine – the trigonometric function that is equal to the ratio of the side opposite a given angle (in a right triangle) to the hypotenuseCosine – the trigonometric function that is equal to the ratio of the side adjacent to an acute angle (in a right-angled triangle) to the hypotenuse

Science Matter - material substance that occupies space, has mass, and is composed of atoms.Density - the mass of a substance per unit volumeState of Matter - One of the four principal conditions in which matter exist - solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.Physical Change - Physical changes are concerned with energy and states of matter. A physical change does not produce a new substance.Chemical Change - Chemical changes take place on the molecular level. A chemical change produces a new substance.

Social Studies

Boycott- Withdraw from commercial or social relation with as a punishment or protest.Duties- Taxes levied by a government in relation to imported items.Exchange- An occurrence in which people give things of similar value to each other.Militia- An army composed of ordinary citizens rather than professional soldiers.Speculate- Invest in stocks, property, or other ventures in hopes of gain but with the risk of loss.

Key QuestionsELA Math Science Social StudiesWhat textual evidence can I find in the novel to strongly support an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferentially?

How can I use the definition of congruence in terms of rigid motions to show that two triangles are congruent if and only if corresponding pairs of

What are chemical and physical changes that occur within plants?What effect will altering the chemical and physical changes within plants have on plant

In what ways did Britain tighten its control over the Americas?

How was Britain interjecting itself in the economic matters of the

What is the theme of this novel and how do the characters, setting, and plot help its development?

How does dialogue reveal particular aspects of the characters In the novel?

How does word choice impact tone/mood?

How is the element of suspense developed in the novel?

sides and corresponding pairs of angles are congruent?

How can I explain the criteria for triangle congruence (ASA, SAS, and SSS) follow from the definition of congruence in terms of rigid motions?

How can I understand that by similarity, side ratios in right triangles are properties of the angles in the triangle, leading to definitions of trigonometric ratios for acute angles?How can I explain and use the relationship between the sine and cosine of complementary angles?

How can I use trigonometric ratios and the Pythagorean theorem to solve right triangles in applied problems?How can I understand and apply the Law of Sines and the Law of Cosines to find unknown measurements in right and non-right triangles?

growth and crop yield?How can I identify the common outcome of all chemical changes?How can I compare the particle arrangement and type of motion associated with different states of matter?How can I apply an equation to determine the density of an object based on its mass and volume?How can I recognize that in a chemical reaction the mass of the reactants is equal to the mass of the products?How can I interpret data from an investigation to differentiate between physical and chemical changes?

colonies?

What democratic traditions were being threatened by Britain’s Parliament?

What persuaded the colonies to declare their independence from Great Britain?

How did the Revolutionary War divide some Americans?

How was it possible that American Patriots gained their independence from the most powerful country in the world at that time?

Hook for Unit

So God Made A Farmer Video Students will view Paul Harvey’s “So God Made a Farmer” video. Students will gain insight as to the daily contributions and sacrifices the American farmer makes in order to provide for both his family and his community. For over 200 years now agriculture has played a major role in the development and sustainability of these United States. This country was founded in part because of the vastness and richness of its soil and the bounty of crops that have been harvested throughout the centuries. The American dream is rooted in the belief that with hard work and determination anything is possible. The farmer lives this dream each and every day.

Literature Component

Students will be reading the novel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor. This novel was set in Mississippi in 1933. In the novel, the livelihoods of two classes of people depend on the cotton crops. When the two classes conflict, the crop and its value are used as leverage. Students will be able to determine the central theme of the novel and analyze how the background of Mississippi in 1933 and their dependence on crops contributed to the theme. Students will be able to draw on their knowledge of the construction of raised beds and planting of a garden to support their literary analysis. Sensory details within the novel will be emphasized and students will incorporate their own sensory details into

their journal writing that will merge information from the novel with their knowledge of raised bed gardening.

Writing Closure

Students will practice technical writing by preparing a lab report from the experiment conducted during the unit. The lab write-up will include the following sections:TitleAbstractIntroductionMaterials and MethodsResultsDiscussion or ConclusionReferences or Works CitedStudents will then have the opportunity to submit the finished work to a peer-reviewed student journal.Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic and convey a style appropriate to the discipline and context as well as to the expertise of likely readers.

Materials Needed for Culminating Event

Lumber:(73) 2 X 4 X 8 Pressure Treated(73) 2 X 6 X 8 Pressure Treated(25) 2 X 12 X 8 Pressure Treated

Hardware:25 lb. 2 ½ Deckscrews with star drive

Materials:22 Tons of Dirty Sand9 Tons of ½ screen or rock dust gravel5 cubic yards of compost

Equipment:Drill, Screw drivers, Gloves, Shovels, Wheelbarrows

Various Vegetable Plants and/or seeds

Standards: Common Core Standards, Tennessee State StandardsELACommon Core Standards.

Reading Literature 8.1 – Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.RL8.2 – Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.RL8.3 – Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provide a decision.RL8.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.RL8.6 – Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader create such effects as suspense or humor.

Writing 8.3 – Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequence. W8.3a – Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. W8.3b – Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

W8.3c – Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence, signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another, and show the relationships among experiences and events. W8.3d – Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events. W8.3e – Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.

Speaking and Listening 8.2 – Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats and evaluate the motives behind its presentation.

MathCommon Core Standards.

G.CO.B.7 Use the definition of congruence in terms of rigid motions to show that two triangles are congruent if and only if corresponding pairs of sides and corresponding pairs of angles are congruent.

G.CO.B.8 Explain how the criteria for triangle congruence (ASA, SAS, and SSS) follow from the definition of congruence in terms of rigid motions.

G.SRT.B.6 Understand that by similarity, side ratios in right triangles are properties of the angles in the triangle, leading to definitions of trigonometric ratios for acute angles.

G.SRT.C.7 Explain and use the relationship between the sine and cosine of complementary angles.

G.SRT.D.9 Derive the formula A = ½ ab sin(C) for the area of a triangle by drawing an auxiliary line from a vertex perpendicular to the opposite side.

G.SRT.D.10 Prove the Laws of Sines and Cosines and use them to solve problems.

G.SRT.D.11 Understand and apply the Law of Sines and the Law of Cosines to find unknown measurements in right and non-right triangles (e.g., surveying problems, resultant forces).

ScienceTennessee State Standards.

GLE 0807.9.1 Understand that all matter is made up of atoms.GLE 0807.9.2 Explain that matter has properties that are determined by the structure and arrangement of its atoms.GLE 0807.9.3 Interpret data from an investigation to differentiate between physical and chemical changes.GLE 0807.9.7 Explain the Law of Conservation of Mass.SPI 0807.9.2 Identify the common outcome of all chemical changes.SPI 0807.9.6 Compare the particle arrangement and type of particle motion associated with different states of matter.SPI 0807.9.7 Apply an equation to determine the density of an object based on its mass and volume.SPI 0807.9.11 Recognize that in a chemical reaction the mass of the reactants is equal to the mass of the products (Law of Conservation of Mass).

Social StudiesTennessee State Standards.

8.2.spi.5. Identify various forms of taxation (i.e., tariffs, sales tax, excise tax).8.4.spi.1. Identify the rights, responsibilities, and privileges of a member of the United States of America (i.e., Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Constitution, Bill of Rights).8.4.spi.5. Identify how conditions, actions, and motivations contributed to conflict and cooperation between states, regions and nations.

8.5.spi.4. Recognize causes and consequences of conflict, (i.e., French and Indian, revolutionary War, War of 1812).8.5.spi.6. Classify the characteristics of major historic events into causes and effects (i.e., exploration, colonization, revolution, expansion, and Civil War).8.5.spi.14. Recognize the course of conflicts including major battles, alliances, strategy, leadership, resources, or technology using a diagram for the Revolutionary War.

Notes: For more information or additional materials, please contact the following:

Appendix A

Group work rubric

Skills 4 Advanced

3Competent/meets

expectations

2Progressing/does not

fully meet expectations

1 Beginning/does not

meet minimum expectations

Score

Contributions/participationAttitude

Always willing to help and do more, routinely offered useful ideas.Always displays positive attitude.

Cooperative usually offered useful ideas.Generally displays positive attitude.

Sometimes cooperative, sometimes offered useful ideas. Rarely displays positive attitude.

Seldom cooperative, rarely offers useful ideas. Is disruptive.

Working with others/cooperation

Did more than others – highly productiveWorks extremely well with others, never argues

Did their part of the work – cooperative.Works well with others, rarely argues.

Could have done more of the work – has difficulty, requires structure, directions and leadership, sometimes argues.

Did not do any work – does not contribute, does not work well with others, usually argues with teammates.

Focus on task/commitment

Tries to keep people working together. Almost always focused on the task and what needs to be done. Is very self-directed.

Does not cause problems in the group.Focuses on the task and what needs to be done most of the time. Can count on this person.

Sometimes not a good team member. Sometimes focuses on the task and what needs to be done. Must be prodded and reminded to keep on task.

Often is not a good team member. Does not focus on the task and what needs to be done. Lets others do the work.

Team role fulfillment

Participated in all group meetings, assumed leadership role as necessary. Did the work that was assigned by the group.

Participated in most group meetings. Provided leadership when asked. Did most of the work assigned by the group

Participated in some group meetings. Provided some leadership. Did some of the work assigned by the group.

Participate in few or no group meetings. Provided no leadership. Did little or no work assigned by the group.

Communication/listeningInformation sharing

Always listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others. Provided effective feedback to other members. Relays a great deal of information – all relates to the topic.

Usually listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others. Sometimes talks too much. Provided some effective feedback to others. Relays some basic information – most relates to the topic.

Often listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others. Usually does most of the talking – rarely listens to others. Provided little feedback to others. Relays very little information – some relates to the topic.

Rarely listens to, shares with, or supports the efforts of others. Is always talking and never listens to others. Provided no feedback to others. Does not relay any information to teammates.

Job proficiency/correctness

Work is complete, well organized, no errors and is done on time or early.

Work is generally complete, meets the requirements of the task, and is mostly done on time.

Work tends to be disorderly, incomplete, not accurate and is usually late.

Work is generally sloppy and incomplete, excessive errors and is mostly late or not at all.

Appendix B

The Engineering Design ProcessComplete the following graphic organizer for your STEM Project. This graphic organizer needs to be completed for each of the

four STEM projects. You will need to use your science notebook to sketch and explain your prototype designs.

STEM PROJECT: __________________________________________

Team Leader: _________________________________________Team Member & Role for Each: __________________________________________________________

Identify the Problem

Explore

Design

Create

Try It OutMake It Better

Engineering Design Process Rubric - Innovation Academy

Engineering Design ProcessPoor1 point

Fair2 points

Good3 points

Excellent4 points

Imagine Little or No evidence of imagine was see as they

worked in a group.

Some evidence of imagine was observed.

Good evidence of the group thinking and brainstorming about what they

were going to build.

They really got together as a group and imagined /

brainstormed what they were going to build.

Plan Little or no evidence was planned out. They did not

plan what they were going to build, nor plan on what materials to use in the

building.

Some evidence of a plan. There was some thought to materials/ building, but not really thought out.

Good evidence of planning done. Materials were listed thought out,

but the plan wasn’t quite complete.

I can really see what you are going to be building. All materials were listed and well thought out.

Design Your design lacked materials that were needed. It was

really hard for me to tell what you built or were building.

Some materials were used correctly.

Good use of the materials and plan. The project was well put together, but there were parts that weren’t

well made.

Great use of materials! You maximized your use of materials.

Time Management

Did not use time well. Time was wasted during the

imagine, plan, and design phase of engineering.

Sometimes used time well. There were times when the group go off task during the

imagine, plan, and design phase.

Good use of time, a few times the group got off task, but for the

majority of the task time was well spent.

Great use of time. The group stayed on task during each phase

of the process.

Participation All or some group members had to be reminded several

times to stay on task.

Most members participated in the building process. Had to be

redirected a few times.

The majority of the members worked together were not

redirected that much.

All group members worked together. The group never had to

be redirected.

Appendix C

Problem Solving using the Scientific Methodo Problem / Question

Variables – What is your independent & dependent variable?

What is your Problem?

Write the problem that your team is solving in question form, including your variables.

o Observations/ Research Observations

How did you use your completed research?

o Formulate a Hypothesis If ___________________________, then ___________________. What is your hypothesis?

o Conduct an Experiment Procedures –

Detailed Materials List –

o Collect & Analyze Results Observation Table

SCIENTIFIC METHOD RUBRIC