Project MAX: Maximizing Access and Learning

Pennsylvania Department of Education

Standards-Aligned Unit Planning Process

1. Unit Overview Content Area: Science
Grade Level: 9-12th grade
1a. Brief description of the unit of study Title: Under the Sea
Students in the class have shown an interest in fish and in swimming, therefore, the science unit chosen is based on
ocean life using the SAS Portal.
1b. Grade level standard(s) to be addressed Standard - 3.1.10.A3 Compare and contrast the life cycles of different organisms.
Standard - 3.1.12.A2 Evaluate how organisms must derive energy from their environment or their food in order to
in this unit of study
survive.
Standard - 4.2.10.C Explain the relationship between water quality and the diversity of life in a freshwater
ecosystem.
2. Learning Targets

2a. Learning targets (concepts and 2b. Prioritized learning targets (concepts and competencies) for students with complex instructional needs
competencies) for all students Find similarities and differences between living and nonliving ocean life.
Demonstrate understanding of living and Identify key characteristics of ocean life and related material.
nonliving things in and out of the ocean.
2c. Key vocabulary for all students 2d. Prioritized key vocabulary and ideas for students with complex instructional needs
Living things
Bodies of water: Large amount of water on Earth. Examples include but are not excluded to oceans, rivers, lakes,
Nonliving things
ponds.
Basic needs
Life cycle: Many of changes that living things go through.
Life cycle
Basic needs: What living things need to survive.
Ocean plants
Ocean animals
Bodies of water
3. Instructional Process

Universal Design for Learning Principles:

Multiple Means of Representation, Expression and Engagement

Instructional Barriers to Access Accommodations

Components and Modifications
Instructional Materials, Assessment
Practices Resources and

August, 2013
 Project MAX: Maximizing Access and Learning

Pennsylvania Department of Education

Tools

A. Provide multiple Create sensory table - Water table (sensory Formative: Have the Students are nonverbal Students can use
opportunities for where students can see table) students create their own and actively participate communication
students to see what ocean life and sand life -Sand diagram using the tools in group work. board/binder to
ocean life needs to grow and how it changes over -Stuffed animals/ and objects provided for communicate in groups
and change. time. figurines of ocean them. to complete activity.
animals
Matching chart with the -Chart with the life cycle Summative: Students
life cycle of a fish of a fish will turn in or verbally
explain their choices of
Working in small groups objects and reasoning
or as a class behind diagrams.
B. Read aloud a book Read out loud as a class tarheelreader.org/2014/0 Formative: Have Students are nonverbal Teacher will read and
that introduces and with stuffed animals/ 9/08/the-oceans-2/ students discuss what and cannot read at grade students will repeat key
discusses different forms figurines to go along -Bingo cards they know about ocean level. vocabulary words.
of ocean life. with the ocean life -Bingo chips life before, during, and
mentioned in the book. - Sticky tack after reading the book. If the student is
nonverbal, have words
Students will play Bingo Summative: Students programmed or placed
using the information can complete exit ticket into their AAC in
read in the book. with 3 different facts advanced.
they learned about 3
different animals in the
book.
C. Identify what the Play magnet fishing -Globe/ map that shows Formative: Students can Some students might not Students can verbally
ocean is compared to game, where they will major bodies of water complete a KWL chart be able to write on the explain their answers or
other bodies of water identify bodies of water -Finding Dory with information they graphic organizer. communication
and what organisms live and organisms that live -Magnet Fishing game know about ocean life boards/binders to orally
there. there. with facts on ocean life and what they want to participate in the
and bodies of water know. discussions.
Watch videos -Blue cloth for Magnet
Fishing game Summative: Answering Students can hold up
Think Aloud method true or false questions. true and false cards to
demonstrate knowledge
of activity.
D. Provide opportunities Have students visit local -Swimming at the Formative: Using peer Some students are not Students can verbally

August, 2013
 Project MAX: Maximizing Access and Learning

Pennsylvania Department of Education

to see and experience resources; virtual field YMCA, they are buddies to fill out the able to write on the explain their answers or
ocean life. trip with PPG Aquarium swimming like fish chart and visit local KWL chart. communication
-Seeing the aquarium at resources. boards/binders to orally
Use Graphic Organizer: the Pittsburgh Zoo and participate in the KWL
Venn Diagram PPG Aquarium Summative: chart and the teacher or
- Whiteboard, text and Participating in an open trusted peer can record
Have the students fill pictures for the Venn ended discussion, responses.
out KWL chart while Diagram reviewing what
visiting the Aquarium. happened during the
experiences at YMCA
and PPG Aquarium.
4. Individualized Student Planning
Student Standards-Aligned IEP Goals Student-Specific IEP Goals Individualized Student Supports

A Given the proper adapted materials,
student A will respond to questions
and participate in activities at grade
level 8 out of 10 times over the
consecutive weekly lessons.
Student A will work cooperatively
in a small group while completing
tasks that require full attention
through given opportunities.
Physical setup of the classroom
Alternative ways of writing
Using manipulatives
Provide frequent breaks
Verbal cues between transitions
Small group instruction

Lesson Plan Summaries:

1. First, we will have a lesson on different bodies of water. Students in the class will learn about the different bodies of water and
the animals that live in these specific bodies of water by playing the Magnet Fishing game. Students will be given a fishing rod
with a magnet. In the water, there will be paper fishes with magnets on them, 2 of each color. Students have to fish for the
matching colored fish. One fish will have the name of a body of water and describe, while the other will list organisms that live
there.
2. Students will listen to a reading of the book The Oceans. During the reading, students will identify and learn about different
types of ocean life. To go along with the book, students will play Ocean Bingo to identify the different forms of ocean life.

August, 2013
 Project MAX: Maximizing Access and Learning

Pennsylvania Department of Education

3. One of our lessons will be on the life cycle of fish. We will use the movie Finding Dory to teach this because it shows Dory as a
little fish, and then as an adult. Students can discuss the differences and the steps in between. Students will then complete a
chart that has pictures of Dory at the different stages of the life cycle, and they can match them.
4. Students in this class will have a lesson on what plants and animals living in the ocean need to survive. Students can take a trip
to the PPG aquarium so they can see first-hand what sea life needs to survive and learn through someone who is well-educated
on the topic. As a class, we will make a Venn Diagram and discuss how living and nonliving things differ and what they have in
common. We will then discuss what fish need to live.
5. At the end, students can create their own ocean. They will be given real materials, such as sand and shells, to build it. In their
ocean, they can include organisms that do not live in the ocean. They can trade oceans with a classmate, and they have to sort
which organisms are ocean life and which are not.

What we changed (Draft 1 to Draft 2).

There were several changes that we made to our Unit Plan after working with Group 1. The biggest change that we made would
be that we used different standards. For draft 1, we used standards that were for 1 st, 2nd, and 3rd grade, but for draft 2, we
changed them to 9th-12th grade standards. This change needed to be made because the students in the classroom are in grades
9th-12th, so the standards needed to be at grade level, and we needed to make accommodations from there. In addition, we
originally planned to read the book Commotion in the Ocean, but that did not fit under the grade level. Instead, we decided to
use the Tarheel Reader website to find a book relevant to ocean life. Finally, we went through and added some more to our
lesson plan summaries.

What we changed (Draft 2 to Final Submission).

Our peers gave some great feedback after our presentation, so we were able to make some changes for our final submission. If
we were not able to actually make the changes, we typed a paragraph below on why the change would be made. For lesson plan
1, if students did struggle to catch the fish, we could replace the magnets with bigger ones, and hand over hand could be used if
they are not able to use the fishing rod independently. We also made it clear that no more that 2 students would go fishing at the
same time. Both lessons 1 and 2 involved the use of the communication cards/ flashcards. The main purpose of these cards is to
be placed in a communication binder if the student is nonverbal, and the flashcard is the alternative use for them is the student
is able to use them because of the size, so we made that more clear. Also, for lesson plan 2, based off of peer feedback, we
added sticky tack to the back of the Bingo chips, so they are easier for students to use. In less plan 4 with the Venn Diagram, we
added that pictures could be used as well as the text to guide students in the activity if needed. We also made it more clear that
the virtual field trip is done as a class, but can be used individually if students enjoy it. We also went through and changed some
of the wording and our materials and instructional practices to fit the unit better.
August, 2013
 Project MAX: Maximizing Access and Learning

Pennsylvania Department of Education

August, 2013