We’re 99.9% genetically identical. Born in the bellies of stars, gestated in Earth’s waters—only *just* beginning to crawl, gasping, ashore; only *just* beginning to gaze, bleary-eyed, upon the heavens from whence we came.
How far *might* we yet soar…?
Read MoreTch Channel—manna from the heavens. Not only do they generously supply solid video examples, but they offer up all supplementary material as well.
Here Patricia Price walks us through Socratic Circles and simply and clearly demonstrates our responsibility to make it their responsibility—and she uses Common Core language to do it.
Read MoreSWBAT—Students will be able to. We start every lesson with this ritual to center and focus students so they know their goals, maps and measurements. (italics will just be practiced, not spotlighted).
SS.4.1.3—Identify state capital <SF, our state capital...;)>, and describe the various regions of California, including how their characteristics and physical environments (water, land, veg, climate) affect human activity.
SS.4.1.5—Use maps, charts and pictures to describe how communities in California vary in land use, vegetation, wildlife, climate, population density, architecture, services and transportation.
SS.4.1.1—Explain and use the coordinate grid system of latitude and longitude to determine the absolute locations of places in California and on Earth.
SS.4.1.2—Distinguish between the North and South Poles; the equator and the prime meridian; the tropics and the hemispheres, using coordinates to plot locations.
SS.4.1.3—Identify the state capital and describe the various regions of California, including how their characteristics and physical environments (e.g., water, landforms, vegetation, climate) affect human activity.
SS.4.1.4—Identify the locations of the Pacific Ocean <label it Atlantic, etc>, rivers, valleys and mountain passes and explain their effect on the growth of towns.
SS. 4.1.5—Use maps, charts and pictures to describe how communities in California vary in land use, vegetation, wildlife, climate, population density, architecture, services and transportation.
SS.4.2—Students describe the social, political, cultural and economic life and interactions among people of California (from the pre-Columbian societies to the Spanish mission and Mexican rancho periods).
SS.4.2.1—Discuss the major nations of California Indians, including their geographic distribution, economic activities, legends and religious beliefs; and describe how they depended on, adapted to, and modified the physical environment by cultivation of land and use of sea resources. <what tribes lived here? how did they use the resources? what tribe lives here now? how are they using the resources? <tie in bridge>
SS.4.2.2—Identify the early land and sea routes to, and European settlements in, California with a focus on the exploration of the North Pacific (e.g., by Captain James Cook, Vitus Bering, Juan Cabrillo), noting especially the importance of mountains, deserts, ocean currents and wind patterns.
SS.4.2.4—Describe the mapping of, geographic basis of, and economic factors in the placement and function of the Spanish missions; and understand how the mission system expanded the influence of Spain and Catholicism throughout New Spain and Latin America.
SS.4.3.4 Study the lives of women who helped build early California(/bridges—e.g. Roebling)
SS.4.4.—Students explain how California became an agricultural and industrial power, tracing the transformation of the California economy and its political and cultural development since the 1850s.
SS.4.4.2—Explain how the Gold Rush transformed the economy of California, including the types of products produced and consumed, changes in towns (e.g. Sacramento, San Francisco) and economic conflicts between diverse groups of people.
SS.4.4.4—Describe rapid American immigration, internal migration, settlement, and the growth of towns and cities (e.g. LA).
SS.4.4.6—Describe the development and locations of new industries....oil and automobile industries, communications and defense industries and important trade links with the Pacific Basin.
SS.AS.CAST.4.1—Students place key events and people of the historical era they are studying in a chronological sequence and within a spatial contest; they interpret time lines.
SS.AS.CAST.4.2—Students correctly apply terms related to time, including past, future, decade, century and generation.
SS.AS.CAST.4.3—Students explain how the present is connected to the past, identifying both similarities and differences between the two, and how some things change over time and some things stay the same.
SS.AS.CAST.4.4—Students use map and globe skills to determine the absolute locations of places and interpret information available through a map's or globe's legend, scale, and symbolic representations.
SS.AS.CAST.4.5—Students judge the significance of the relative location of a place (e.g. proximity to a harbor, on trade routes) and analyze how relative advantage or disadvantages can change over time.
SS.AS.REPV.4.1—Students differentiate between primary and secondary sources.
SS.AS.REPV.4.2—Students pose relevant questions about events they encounter in historical documents, eyewitness accounts, oral histories, letters, diaries, artifacts, photographs, maps, artworks and architecture.
SS.AS.REPV.4.3—Students distinguish fact from fiction by comparing documentary sources on historical figures and events with fictionalized characters and events. <vs. Papa's Bridge>
SS.AS.HI.4.1—Students summarize the key events of the era they are studying and explain the historical contexts of those events.
SS.AS.HI.4.2—Students identify the human and physical characteristics of the places they are studying and explain how those features form the unique character of those places.
SS.AS.HI.4.3—Students identify and interpret the multiple causes and effects of historical events.
SS.AS.HI.4.4—Students conduct cost-benefit analyses of historical and current events.
outside, discuss
If possible, it would be awesome to go outside and build a rope suspension bridge between two trees (53)—"our survival depends on our ability to build a bridge to the other side." Barring that, I invite the kids to discuss + sketch at their table clusters how we might accomplish our goal while I amble + listen in. Then we all gather at the Sharea, and we invite a few of our crewmates to step up and speak + illustrate for their group; one drawing the foundation, another the cables, another the deck (span?—clarifying op), discussing each along the way. What are our roots? How do they work? How can we trust strings + twigs to hold our weight? (Indiana Jones, hunters, nomads, shipwrecked, etc.
power point? intro centers here, remind kids to jot notes/ideas/?;s into field bks
brooklyn/john roebling/problem solving (56, 59) —foundation/caisson58, twizzlers50, spin a cable
george washington bridge/othmar ammann/foresight-futurevision (63) —build sus bridge60,
golden gate/strauss/adaptability (66) —ttc67
centers—caisson58, twizzlers50, spin a cable (57), hang a suspension bridge (60), ttc! (67),
(BK 53‚ Hang a bridge between two trees/pillars (story? Indiana Jones?—trees + pillars work bc roots/foundation>caisson)
After Opening Up Shop, we orient ourselves by focusing our lens on the ideas on the horizon—endeavoring to ignite hearts + brains + Tomorrows.
Read MoreInspiration from teachers, from storytelling to lesson planning, in between and beyond.
Nothing is writ—all is evolving. These units, these blogs—this whole project is a perpetual Work in Progress, honing toward complete units for sharing, discussing and forever improving.
Please shout if you have any ideas or questions!
#ShineOn.
(in case you're wondering—bolded items are generally future links!)
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Tips, ideas or fellow #BrainBattalions? Please, reach out!
