Megan+Emerson

Megan Emerson’s Writing for Change Unit Plan //The Environment and How We Affect It// Appropriate for 11th Grade English Approximate School Population: 1500, Suburban High School The environment on a global scale plays a critical role to human survival. People are totally dependent upon the Earth, and what Earth can provide. The Earth supplies our oxygen, water, and food resources be it plant or animal. Without these basic things human beings could not survive. And yet, despite this knowledge the environment is harmed on a daily basis. The rain forest is quickly being destroyed; the ozone layer is being damaged by air pollution; our water supplies are being polluted. Aside from these problems, there are many endangered plant and animal species that are threatened by human activity and production all over the world. While survival is important, it is also important to look at the environment and nature as a work of art. We need to appreciate the beauty of nature, and learn how to be mindful citizens in how we use our resources, and what the implications are for how we use those resources. Do we run the risk of polluting? Do we run the risk of depleting? Do we run the risk of causing a species to become extinct? How do we give back to the environment? How do we replenish what we have taken? How do we use our resources effectively? These are all questions that every global citizen should be aware of. This unit plan is meant to teach students to become environmentally appreciative and mindful citizens. The unit plan is meant to teach them about different environmental concerns at the local, state, country, and global level, and how they can make a difference.
 * Why is this unit plan important?**

Students will be divided into groups to focus on an environment issue of their choice. The groups will be divided according to local, state, country, and global environmental issues. Once these groups are established (by student choice), the students in each group will be responsible for finding appropriate texts and resources that will enable them to learn more about their area/environmental issue. The texts/resources can range from books (fictional or non-fictional), news articles, journal articles, reliable internet sources, reliable television sources (such as National Geographic, Discovery Channel, etc.), or any other reliable source they feel would be appropriate to learn and then teach the class about. The idea behind the unit plan is for every student to learn about an issue at each level, ie, the groups will be assigning reading to their peers and presenting on the issue. The teacher will observe and monitor the readings for quality/quantity to ensure feasibility of the work load.
 * Reading** **and Research Activities**

While students are researching on their own, the teacher will provide materials and opportunities to learn about environment related issues through other mediated genres. Throughout the six weeks of this unit plan, the teacher will provide opportunities for the groups to work together in class, as well as provide materials to read about general environment/nature concerns happening in the world at the present time (such as the BP oil crisis, 2010), which can be discussed in class. The teacher will also provide the opportunity to watch movies/documentaries about the environment/nature, such as the Discovery Channel’s series documentary //Life//, which features documentaries about various plants and animals. If possible, the teacher will arrange to take the class on a field trip to a local wildlife/land preserve in order to enhance the learning experience about the environment and nature. Also if possible, the teacher will arrange for guest speakers to come in and talk about environmental issues/concerns, such as a college professor from a university, or biologist, or a representative from an organization concerned with environmental issues.

//Daily Journaling:// Journaling will be a constant part of the class work for the whole school year. During the environment unit plan, students will need to utilize their journals as a learning log. While journaling is a part of the daily routine, every Friday students must use their journals to reflect on their learning of their topic over the week, and how this knowledge is shaping their opinions and thoughts about the environment.
 * Writing Assignments**

//Letters of Concern:// Environment issues are very political in nature. Many political issues are addressed by the public through correspondence or demonstration. Each student will be required to write a letter to someone that influences environmental policies. For example, the group that is focusing on a local environmental issue could write to the town mayor; the group focusing on the state could write to a senator or the governor; the group focusing on the nation could write to legislators, senators, or the president; the group focusing on a global issue could write to a leader in the country with the problem, or a member of the U.N., or an ambassador. The goal is for the group to brainstorm who would be an appropriate authority to write to, and then each student is to craft an individual letter to that person in order to persuade him/her to their cause. It will be important for students to understand that these letters are not meant to be angry rants, but rather constructive and persuasive arguments towards addressing/changing an environment problem. The letters are to be well thought out with the purpose of actually sending them to the person they are writing to.

//Group Paper:// Each group will have to turn in a 6-8 page paper about their topic. The paper should be reflective of their learning process, and the group process. The paper must have a strong thesis statement with reliable sources to back it up. The paper must address the problem/issue at hand, and what can be done about it. The proposed solutions must be logically supported, and can range from political solutions to scientific solutions to societal solutions.

//Commitment to Environmental Change Paper:// At the end of the unit after everyone has presented on their topics, each student is to write a 3-4 page paper about how they will change the environment for the better. The students can choose to stay within their topic of concern, or can branch out to something completely different. The idea at this point in the unit is to have given students a strong appreciation for how important the environment is, and that each person can make a difference in maintaining the environment. They need to demonstrate genuine self reflection about what they learned, and how their new found knowledge can be applied in their every day lives.

//Michigan// //11th Grade ELA High School Content Standards (for writing)// CE 1.1.1: Demonstrate flexibility in using independent and collaborative strategies for planning, drafting, revising, and editing complex texts. CE 1.1.2: Know and use a variety of prewriting strategies to generate, focus, and organize ideas (e.g., free writing, clustering/mapping, talking with others, brainstorming, outlining, developing graphic organizers, taking notes, summarizing, paraphrasing). CE 1.1.3: Select and use language that is appropriate (e.g., formal, informal, literary, or technical) for the purpose, audience, and context of the text, speech, or visual representation (e.g., letter to editor, proposal, poem, or digital story). CE 1.1.4: Compose drafts that convey an impression, express an opinion, raise a question, argue a position, explore a topic, tell a story, or serve another purpose, while simultaneously considering the constraints and possibilities (e.g., structure, language, use of conventions of grammar, usage, and mechanics) of the selected form or genre. CE 1.1.5: Revise drafts to more fully and/or precisely convey meaning—drawing on response from others, self-reflection, and reading one’s own work with the eye of a reader; then refine the text—deleting and/or reorganizing ideas, and addressing potential reader’s questions. CE 1.1.6: Reorganize sentence elements as needed and choose grammatical and stylistic options that provide sentence variety, fluency, and flow. CE 1.1.7: Edit for style, tone, and word choice (specificity, variety, accuracy, appropriateness, conciseness) and for conventions of grammar, usage and mechanics that are appropriate for audience. CE 1.1.8: Proofread to check spelling, layout, and font; and prepare selected pieces for a public audience. CE 1.2.2: Write, speak, and visually represent to develop self-awareness and insight (e.g., diary, journal writing, portfolio self-assessment). CE 1.3.4: Develop and extend a thesis, argument, or exploration of a topic by analyzing differing perspectives and employing a structure that effectively conveys the ideas in writing (e.g, resolve inconsistencies in logic; use a range of strategies to persuade, clarify, and defend a position with precise and relevant evidence; anticipate and address concerns and counterclaims; provide a clear and effective conclusion). CE 1.3.7: Participate collaboratively and productively in groups (e.g, response groups, work teams, discussion groups, and committees)—fulfilling roles and responsibilities, posing relevant questions, giving and following instructions, acknowledging and building on ideas and contributions of others to answer questions or to solve problems, and offering dissent courteously. CE 1.4.1: Identify, explore, and refine topics and questions appropriate for research. CE 1.4.2: Develop a system for gathering, organizing, paraphrasing, and summarizing information; select, evaluate, synthesize, and use multiple primary and secondary (print and electronic) resources. CE 1.5.1: Use writing, speaking, and visual expression to develop powerful, creative, and critical messages.
 * Learning Objectives**

//Week 1// Monday: Introduce and explain the unit goals and assignments. Give each student a detailed explanation (in printed form, like a syllabus) so they can always be aware of what is expected of them throughout the unit. Decide on groups: local, state, national, global. Ask students to write down their choices from favorite (#1) to least favorite (#4). The teacher will organize students into respective groups based on their top choices.
 * Unit Outline**

Tuesday: Group work day. Use the day to brain storm ideas based on prior knowledge. Go to media center to use internet and library sources to help generate ideas.

Wednesday: Class instruction/discussion day. Teacher will bring in newspaper articles to read in class about current environment issues, and after reading will discuss as a class.

Thursday: Group work day. Go to media center to use internet and library sources. Students should have a solidified plan and idea about what to present at this point, and should be starting the process of selecting readings for their peers.

Friday: Class instruction/discussion day. Teacher will begin showing relevant parts of //Life// to the class for about 40 minutes. The remaining part of class time will be for journaling.

//Week 2// Monday: Group work day. Going to media center.

Tuesday: Class instruction/discussion day. Teacher will have reading materials to be read in class and then discussed.

Wednesday: Group work day. Going to media center.

Thursday: Class instruction/discussion day. Teacher will show parts of a documentary about an environment disaster, such as Chernobyl, for about 40 minutes. The remaining part of class will be for discussion.

Friday: Guest speaker on environment issue. If speaker does not take the whole class period, students will journal after he/she is finished presenting. If speaker takes whole class period, students will do assigned journal entry on Monday.

//Week 3// Monday: Group work day. Going to the media center.

Tuesday: Group work day. Going to the media center.

Wednesday: Group work day. Going to the media center. On this day, the teacher will conference with each group to check on progress. Groups should have decided on selected readings to assign to peers, and should present teacher with bibliographic information so he/she can prepare materials to be distributed to students. Groups should limit readings to 30 pages.

Thursday: Class instruction/discussion day. Teacher will have reading materials for the class, which will then be discussed after reading. Friday journaling will take place at the end of this class to compensate for the next day’s class time.

Friday: Field trip to a land/wildlife preserve. Students will be led on a guided tour by a professional who works for preserve. Students will be invited to be interactive and to ask questions while on the trip.

//Week 4// Monday: Class instruction/discussion day. Teacher will show relevant parts of //Life// for about 40 minutes, and the remaining class time will be used for discussion.

Tuesday: Group work day. Going to media center. At this point students should be focusing on group paper and presentation. If some haven’t, then it is necessary they start doing so at this point.

Wednesday: Group work day. Going to media center. Students should be working on group paper and presentation, and/or letters of concern.

Thursday: Group work day. Going to media center. Students should be working on group paper and presentation, and/or letters of concern.

Friday: Group work day. Staying in classroom to devote time to writing letters of concern. The first group will be presenting the following Monday, and teacher will have the necessary reading materials to be distributed to class to be read by Monday. The last 10 minutes of class will be for journaling.

//Week 5// Monday: Local Group presentation. This group will need to turn in their paper on this day. After group is finished, teacher will hand out the second group’s assigned reading for Thursday.

Tuesday: Group work day in classroom. This day should be used for finishing group papers, presentation materials, or letters of concern.

Wednesday: Group work day in classroom. This day should be used for finishing group papers, presentation materials, or letters of concern.

Thursday: State Group presentation. This group will need to turn in their paper on this day. After group is finished, teacher will hand out the third group’s assigned reading for Monday.

Friday: Letters of Concern are due. Students will share their letters with their classmates. Teacher will provide envelopes and stamps so that letters can be mailed. Commitment to Environmental Change paper will be assigned at this time. Journaling will be done during the last 10 minutes of class.

//Week 6// Monday: National Group presentation. This group will need to turn in their paper on this day. After group is finished, teacher will hand out the fourth group’s assigned reading for Thursday.

Tuesday: Teacher will show relevant parts of //Life//, or another movie/documentary about the environment. Students can work quietly on their Commitment to Environmental Change paper if they would like to. If the fourth group needs some time to work together, they may do so in the media center.

Wednesday: Teacher will continue showing relevant parts of //Life,// or other movie/documentary about the environment. Students can work quietly on their Commitment to Environmental Change paper if they would like to. If the fourth group needs some time to work together, they may do so in the media center.

Thursday: Global Group presentation. This group will need to turn in their paper on this day. After group is finished, students can either work on their Commitment to Environmental Change paper, or do the final journal entry relating to the environment unit plan.

Friday: Commitment to Environmental Change papers are due. Students will have the opportunity to share with the class. This day will be a summation day devoted to what students have learned on their own and from each other over the past six weeks.

I designed this unit to be very versatile, so to suggest particular resources is difficult to do. If I were to really implement this unit in a classroom, I would prefer to wait to see what the students were presenting so I could try to find outside materials that were relevant to the ideas of the students. The goal of this unit was to allow students to own their work, and to also learn how to work collaboratively to create proposals/solutions to real world issues. I also want this unit to be used as an opportunity for students to self reflect on their actions and opinions about the environment, and how their words can impact future change.
 * Additional Information/Comments About the Unit**

I can assume that when assigning this unit, students will pose the question of what can they write and research about. Some of the ideas I would give them are as follows:

-preserving the rain forest -protecting endangered species -the BP oil crisis - sky farms -ozone layer depletion -overpopulation -nuclear energy -invasive species -renewable energy -land degradation -water pollution -resource depletion -air pollution -the effects of pollution in new industrial countries, like India

Those are just some of the broader ideas. I would like to give each group the opportunity to narrow those ideas down to more specific issues based on level they are working on (local, state, national, global). This unit, as I have mentioned, is intended to be versatile, and this is a basic framework for how it could function. I realize that the framework for the scheduled daily assignments are based on the most ideal circumstances. Of course I realize there are other classroom obligations that would need to be addressed during the week, or the opportunity for guest speakers or field trips sometimes cannot happen. If anyone wants to try this unit, feel free to modify as need be. Thank you for reviewing my ideas about a writing for change unit plan. I hope my ideas have inspired those who have read my unit.