Embedded Files
Learning Goals
Students individually identify key search terms used to find information and identify the relevance of their challenge.
Students collaborate to summarize their research into a brief description of the challenge.
General Description
The objective for the Understand mode is to gain foundational knowledge on the challenge. Through initial research students make sense of the problem and learn what has been done related to the problem.
The teacher will introduce the challenge through two short videos. Students will research the problem individually, then come together in a group to summarize their research to identify the relevance of the problem and the group’s initial definition of the problem.
Activity 1 (10 minute budget)
Teacher introduces the challenge.
1. Teacher shows Waterborne disease and Natural Disaster videos (4 minutes) and hands out the Challenge Scenario. The instructor then explains that in the event of a natural disaster, parts of the USA including the state of Georgia could be like any other developing country and would be susceptible to a waterborne disease health crisis. After giving students time to read over the challenge, the teacher shows a video on the Georgia Emergency Management Association (1 minute).
2. Teacher has students participate in a think pair share to determine what they know about the challenge and what they need to know. The teacher records student responses on post it note paper to segue in to having the students conduct individual research.
Activity 2 (1 hour budget)
Students individually research the challenge and identify its relevance.
Students will use a common search engine to find TWO videos or articles on the challenge. They will record the source they used, the search terms, and a link to it. They will document what they learned by completing the Web Search Document. Teacher can provide and review a Web Search Example Document from a school bus problem example. Students should seek deeper understanding of the problem.
The teacher should be actively engaged with students, ensuring they are recording their search queries and results, and documenting their links. Some students will struggle to synthesize information from longer articles. Emphasis should be placed on students learning about the relevance of the problem.
Teacher conducts a discussion with the class about what students learned about the challenge that they didn't know before. Did that change any of their assumptions?
Activity 3 (15 minute budget)
Students collaborate in groups of 3 to initially define the problem.
1. Teacher asks for one group to volunteer so that the teacher can demonstrate facilitating a definition of the problem. Teacher pauses during the demonstration to highlight facilitation actions that are expected of the students.
2. Students select a facilitator in each group and the groups define the problem in one to two sentences and record their definition on the Web Search Document.
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