Key Concepts: Change, Causation, Reflection
Related Concepts: Adolescence, biological and physiological change, development, milestones, rites of passage
Change- We are ever-changing in an ever-changing society and world, and those changes begin to accelerate at our age
Causation - Our wants and needs can cause our behaviors to change, and our behaviors and choices can cause our circumstances to change
Reflection - reflecting on experiences often enables us to understand them differently, especially as we gain distance from them (in time and figuratively speaking)
Lines of Inquiry:
•Physical, social and emotional changes during adolescence
•Recognizing how our development affects sense of self
•Factors that contribute to well being during adolescence
Teacher provocations (guiding questions):
Related Concepts: Adolescence, biological and physiological change, development, milestones, rites of passage
Change- We are ever-changing in an ever-changing society and world, and those changes begin to accelerate at our age
Causation - Our wants and needs can cause our behaviors to change, and our behaviors and choices can cause our circumstances to change
Reflection - reflecting on experiences often enables us to understand them differently, especially as we gain distance from them (in time and figuratively speaking)
Lines of Inquiry:
•Physical, social and emotional changes during adolescence
•Recognizing how our development affects sense of self
•Factors that contribute to well being during adolescence
Teacher provocations (guiding questions):
- What are some differences between a child and an adult?
What similar challenges do young animals and young people face as they grow?
What are some ways that different cultures mark the passage into young adulthood?
"With freedom comes joy and peril" - what does this mean to you? (pitfalls and privileges of growing up)
Provocation: social media statistics. What are some positive and negative aspects about social media?
How can we learn to make good choices? (risk-reward calculations, inhibition response.. etc)
How do we know when we are grown up? (age is not the best indicator)
When in Rome: What is “propriety” anyway? How are standards different among other cultures (or even other states!)
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the development of the attributes of the learner profile? - LP : Balanced, Reflective, Inquirer
- Social: respect, responsible, committed
- Communication - all skills
- Thinking - Acquisition of knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, evaluation
- Research - Formulating questions, planning, collecting data, presenting, observing
- Self-management- fine motor, spatial awareness, organization, time management, prioritization, listening, group roles
Math Connections: - exponents, surveys, data/graphing, mean median mode,
Language Arts Connections - memoir, coming of age stories, nonfiction related to development and successful choices
Resources: - Guest speakers, "Growing Up WIld", choose your own adventure book example, book creator app, iPads, sketchbooks, journals
- Field trip - Museum of Math, possible Phila Zoo
- Guest speaker, Dr. David Mandell M.D. Ph.D (availability and date TBD)
Ways to Extend Learning at Home: - Watch Brain Games with your child - focus on the ones where misdirection and assumptions come into play
- Tell your child some stories about when you entered middle/high school
- Ask questions about what your child is learning and discussing. Find connections to your own experiences and memories
- Explore a sound "decisions for young people" book such as "7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens" by Steven Covey. Take it in bite-sized chunks, slowly and one at a time.
Possible actions for parents to look for and communicate to teachers: - reflecting on one's choices or the choices of others (possibly siblings) - journaling
- increased independence, better hygiene habits
- Increased confidence
- more openness towards discussing developmental and sensitive topics of adolescence
- Spanish Language Connection: "Pilar en la Playa" a girl has an awakening about economic and class differences while growing up
- PSPE Connection: While grade 5 students learn about body changes in the classroom, they will continue that learning in PSPE. Our focus this unit is on games from around the world. As children play these games, they will study what athletes do for their bodies to achieve peak performance.
- Fine Arts Connection: 1) How artists express emotions through color alone (Rothko) 2) Examine how symbols are universal - define yourself through personal symbols 3) To create sculptures of our own bodies through tape art