School: City As A School
Content Area Connections: Science
Grade Level:
Email: Vielca Anglin <vielca@cityas.org>
Unit Description: As cities increase in population and water becomes more scarce, growing food hydroponically is a modern solution that lowers the inputs of water and energy needed to sustain a food system. In this course, students apply life science and physical science concepts to growing food hydroponically. They analyze readings, participate in discussions, and review data to grapple with their understanding of how science applies to food. Chemistry concepts are reinforced through hands-on labs that require students to test different substrates, create nutrient solutions, measure electrical conductivity & pH, design a hydroponics system and manipulate variables to create and discover the ideal conditions for hydroponic growth of plants(crops).
Project Information:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/173b88wzvg3sBorpfNxWVHRme2Bc7f2C7?usp=sharing
Planning Documents:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Cuo8V_SFlvQYa8grWydag5mIAY0CDSTR?usp=sharing
Weekly Assignments:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wYgwGP_xPWJj2x29wcz9D9N-VVqZ5TsH?usp=sharing
Weekly Lesson Slides:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tovSAo06R1klwcZDsMpyjb0DXxvUn8UZ?usp=sharing
Samples of Student Work: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FIi6uW6lE9_lc6mxAnr_TL-AjBeJsveq?usp=sharing

School: 02M303 The Facing History School
Content Area Connections: ELA, Other
Grade Level: 9
Email: Sara M Berger sara@facinghistoryschool.org
Unit Description: Students will gather background information about the Holocaust and the range of Human Behavior. Students will learn about the atrocities of the Holocaust and its effect on victims, bysanders, perpetrators, upstanders and survivors. Students will create video clips that memorialize their learning and the need for people to understand and learn from the injustices of the past to make the present and future a better place.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1O_VyU8_RIGvQ1d282f6QwcbmMwPy0U-6
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1q-LTo_MEiWN-TtCNhUBTqSXt2K_lTpyy
Rubric:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1YM_HGZcLjpQl3sNZ8nxLY9KcBlhSQa2X
Samples of Student Work:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=15NXLJvf0SB5Ftb1CFOsrnuVKVfGhFm-R

School: 02M413 School of the Future High School
Content Area Connections: ELA
Grade Level: 8
Email: Alexandra Stumpf astumpf@sof.edu
Unit Description:

My dystopian literature unit introduces students to the features of this genre using a text set created by a diverse group of authors. Authors include Kurt Vonnegot, David F. Walker, Bao Phi, and Kenyan film writer Wanuri Kahiu (CRE Scorecard - Representation). In all of these stories (with the exception of Kurt Vonnegot’s Harrison Bergeron where characters’ racial identies are not explicitly stated), characters of color are the protagonists, and work to save themselves from the oppressive state they find themselves in (CRE Scorecard - Representation 1, 6, 7, 8). I also selected these stories to help us study how humans cope with societal problems that are bigger than themselves (CRE Scorecard - Accurate Portrayals). Students also briefly learn about the subgenre of Afrofuturism within science fiction literature to show how creators and fans have resisted the white male domination of this genre.

After getting a sense of multiple ways authors approach dystopian literature to give social commentary about a societal issue, we then learned about George Orwell and read Animal Farm. This text clearly veers away from the goals listed in the CRE scorecard; however, it supported the predetermined history curriculum, so we read it. We were able to use the framework about how individuals challenge systems to help us analyze the power dynamics in Animal Farm. Students then wrote literary analysis essays using our essential questions for the unit.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=16pvP1_QQrzsGXS1U2HashawdKjSBUTQk_cZ2jN6z9dg
Rubric:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1DORIb6m65WLhsv5f8aISflaiDcoGUASdQnaBW5dKl40
Samples of Student Work:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1YfWqB69x_nb95YxvsVMqWRM2Jm9XSwiRYOIusw08vqA
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Noa9BOvLUDITA8HWryq5eCMwi_llxVb1UAKM6n1h2C4

School: 02M449 Vanguard High School
Content Area Connections: ELA
Grade Level: 10,9
Email: Jennifer Cruz-Flores jcruz@vhsnyc.org
Unit Description: This literary analysis unit focuses on works of literature from diverse authors about diverse characters. These characters experience prejudice and discrimination as they come to terms with their identities. Students use character analysis to examine how experiences with prejudice and discrimination impact human development while trying to make personal connections and intertextual connections. Each performance task asks students to create a visual representation of their thinking, using slides or one-pagers, before writing a formal analysis of the work.

Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1uMOiDwToZWZbLlM8yVMmR0f42_OLYLVV
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Vteyw7eVpifZnuL5LRIA8xeyuAvJbmqG
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Rl7wrHTE2D8umOkLK75syBJ343SqxX69
Rubric:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Lg0EjkADOw8PyJsOBKmjsm9kxioIYVus
Samples of Student Work:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1GV3WTIC9cnYcflyavphCNKHYZsZw37Qp
https://drive.google.com/open?id=16SuBAxigIvXTvrr1Y8hkHEiSegACzeUn
https://drive.google.com/open?id=175zAtclf_FmNHnnH-VIUW9efFWFhJRRc

School: 01M458 Forsyth Satellite Academy
Content Area Connections: Science
Grade Level: 10, 9
Email: Jessica Holzer jessicaholzer@forsythsatellite.net
Unit Description: In this course students will use their understanding of enzymes, and the design thinking process, to think critically about their world and engineer an enzyme that can change it. Students will carry out investigations to explore what enzymes are, describe their role in chemical reactions, and discuss the factors that affect how enzymes function. All learning will take place through analysis of texts, videos, and images, and through active participation and engagement in small and large group discussions, and experimental investigations. Students will connect their learning to social, political, or environmental concerns that affect them and their lives by designing an enzyme that they can use to address a problem that is affecting a community they care about. Students will use the design thinking process (empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test, revise and redesign), independent research, and peer feedback discussions to design, revise, and redesign their enzyme. Students will demonstrate what they learn by presenting their enzyme to a panel of investors who will decide if they want to invest in the enzyme. Students will learn how to create concise, coherent, and persuasive arguments and a visual presentation. They will present a pitch presentation to a panel of investors.

Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1eaZggL9BFjmk66rJzqGkSXxkwC3BKCoY
Rubric:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1UfCkqYwGJfsC1oFWyYmxYQExgSXIpoFE
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1vLTt_TAgDUuiwNdnBRIOOISryoBxZrQr
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1FffNLvdGxU4IhQGH26yoxJZ4LJJPH2aq
Samples of Student Work:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1x3Fep4kdffWBm6qhcjb9L05ODCx5KtV6
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1AUwVDRhUoFeI3Z8TD6GhpK9scrMooSZE

School: 02M459 Manhattan International High School
Content Area Connections: ELA, Social Studies, Art
Grade Level: 12, 11, 10, 9
Email: Jane Lawrence janekanglawrence@gmail.com
Unit Description: In this unit students will encounter and read about global issues where art is a vehicle to share the underreported story. Uncovering news outside of mainstream media through the visual arts develops media literacy skills and allows another means for students to have a powerful and just voice to share news. The visual arts contribute to society by communicating the news to multilingual classrooms, homes and communities. This growth mindset for a more empathetic and collective voice to amplify the lives of others can create a better listener of each person too. ​​
Through this art project based unit MLL students will explore news stories supported by the Pulitzer Center and witness how the visual arts is globally used to communicate underreported stories. MLL students can benefit from using art as a vehicle for communication, as it is a fluid language spoken by all. 4 Pulitzer Center supported news reports will be explored together. Vik Muniz Wasteland and JR & Agnes Varda’s Faces Places will be viewed in class as an example of empathy in motion. Lessons will be supplemented with an introduction to contemporary artists who use their work to tell stories of underrepresented individuals and groups. During each class students will engage in class discussions in various ways including circles, small groups, graphic organizers, and note catchers.
Looking at examples of Pulitzer Center’s supported news stories and how artists interpret and share global issues, students will begin adapting and creating their own visual response. The students will create a linoleum or woodblock print focusing their visual art skills to tell a story of a person or people whose voices deserve to be amplified. As students create their prints they will also be required to film their work in progress (similar to a journal). These videos will include dialogue explaining the artistic process and conclude their filming with a conversation with a viewer outside of class. The conversation will record reactions to both the print and the underreported story.

Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rQRVDrf-Ltyh4j5L0-nr7Yhbmj7gKXRJ
Rubric:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1eEAGEQmpeuTRuKhVuyBCtuSWiJuDarK5
Samples of Student Work:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=14HzRP9HSe9Esd3ogq1xUDG3nAGjkwfLt

School: 06M348 Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School
Content Area Connections: Social Studies
Grade Level: 10
Email: Devora (Danielle) Courtney devora.courtney@gmail.com
Unit Description: Why do seemingly ordinary, good individuals do bad things? This big question frames the study of genocide, in which many perpetrators are ordinary citizens who consciously or unknowingly contribute to the attempt to annihilate a target group. This unit explores the reasons why and how humans can be made to act in evil ways. It begins with an examinaiton and analysis of Granovetter’s threshold theory (the point at which someone enters into a collective action like a riot), a discussion of questionable studies like the Zimbardo prison experiment and the Milgram study, and a screening of The Wave, a short film based on a true experiment in which a teacher simulated a youth movement in his school to show students how easy it is to fall prey to dangerous ideology like that of Nazi Germany. Following a case study of the Holocaust in which the same question is posed, the unit culminates in an individual research essay in which students select a particular genocide. They utilize this genocide as the lens through which they explore the question: “Why do ordinary people participate in genocide?” The topics and choices of the unit allow for student choice, voice, inclusion, and representation as well as for deep connection to current issues of racism and political strife.

Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1e4KbyUTNl00Bs39-z3mi7Kc1dwKDaN6H
Rubric:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1j-76lppaca4AfkARd-sWXViAWHNH8CHo
Samples of Student Work:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1tqUugFQw_6hwl7T9wTtDFUFY8h1-Juet
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1nUKJ3hulhXUbk-c7nqZU2Vg6Uw0vNvo_

School: 02M459 Manhattan International High School
Content Area Connections: ELA, Math, Social Studies
Grade Level: 12, 11
Email: Dara Valconcha dvalconcha@mihsnyc.org
Unit Description: Looking for a way to get students interested in mathematics, their native language, and social studies? Understanding how populations grow or shrink is a fascinating concept for students. In this unit, students explore population trends in dif erent countries in the world by assuming the role of a demographer by using infographics, which are graphic visual representations of information, data, or knowledge. These statistical tools can improve cognition by enhancing the human system’s ability to see patterns and trends. The primary infographics used are the bar graph, pie chart, line graph, pictograph, and the population pyramid, which help show how populations are composed and how they are changing. These infographics are used to compare population information between dif erent countries from the past, present, and future. As students look at population trends in their own country and in other countries of their choice, they talk about the social, economic, and political ef ects of those trends on their country and the world as a whole. Students may choose to present their output by way of a slide presentation or video recording. Students should be able to use the result as a portfolio project for either Native Language or Math.

Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=13TcYEM2aVezx_UwJiZzwlxTPk77oghts

Rubric:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1GNDokbeSKewbEKk5C8siENUvPBgxrj4B
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1JgytyhIt9oC91_UafclTidjx1Yh2Vk7f
Samples of Student Work:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SYEhhgISAn9ozE52hxr4XrgyT5aEHxvw
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Gm4kYahL4kD9ntDFemQ_OlK3Xgz8efLt
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1UQFywY0_NReR_jEBFpWJsUVmUtVikZhy
Colombia Demographics
Gabon Demographics

School: 02M294 Essex Street Academy
Content Area Connections: Science
Grade Level: 10, 9
Email: Rosa Moshi rosa@essexstreetacademy.org
Unit Description: This is the second unit of a Water Science course, following a unit on properties of water and followed by a unit on water filtration. This unit is called Water in a Changing Climate. The content is focused on the role of water in climate change and ways that water is being impacted by climate change, and students are asked to put their learning into action in the project. The unit begins with a survey to assess students’ thoughts, feelings, and opinions about climate change. At the end of the unit, students retake the survey and explore the data to make claims about ways this unit may have impacted student opinion. After the survey, students learn some key content about climate change as it relates to water, have a chance to think locally about the impacts of climate change in NYC, and look critically at who they think is to blame and who is most impacted by climate change. Finally, students take part in an online challenge where they choose actions that feel meaningful and doable to them that they can take to draw down climate change. They do research on the importance of their actions, document them, and reflect on the process. Finally, students make slides summarizing, celebrating, and sharing their actions, and the slides, along with several student videos were used to highlight their work in our school’s Town Meeting.

Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1JnqAK6LBJCIs9vMqsiVn-yO5ogus-S3R
Rubric:
Rubric - Rosa Moshi.pdf - Google Drive
Samples of Student Work:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ZJ69Q7NbJSwheJ8wWtulqfvRe8JB-Iq_
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-Zp8fEheLd-CwbDXgiOMu4Ntb6hiNjth
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sRBxFTHG1J5cQw6JDwqHtsk_6I2D35jI

School:06M348 Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School
Content Area Connections: Art
Grade Level: 12, 11, 10, 9, 8
Email: Megan McMahon m.mcmahon@wheelsnyc.org
Unit Description: Why do people make art? Though some artists focus on personal expression or relaxation, other artists are driven to make art as a catalyst of social change. One prolific printmaker from Oakland, California, Favianna Rodriguez, creates art to galvanize viewers to take action in support of a broad range of social issues: migration, gender justice, climate change, and racial and cultural equity. She teamed up with the ice cream company Ben&Jerry’s to create a flavor of ice cream, “Pecan Resist”, featuring her artwork on the label. The proceeds from ice cream sales were directed to nonprofit organizations that work to further the causes Rodriguez supports. While some Ben & Jerry’s customers embraced the flavor, others who did not share similar views felt as though Ben & Jerry’s should refrain from commenting on social concerns. Conversely, some of Rodriguez’s fellow activists felt as though collaborating with any corporate entity, even one with openly similar political alignment, was betraying their convictions.
During this unit, students will observe and analyze a variety of Rodriguez’s artwork, examining elements of style, her artmaking process, and her use of color. They will learn the basics of color theory and explore watercolor as a medium. Students will create a collaborative piece celebrating Rodriguez’s work, and research causes of concern to them to ensure authenticity in the purpose behind their creative processes. They will then create ice cream flavors and labels for pint-sized ice cream containers that draw attention to their concerns. Students will write reflections and share their work on FlipGrid. To examine the controversy behind Pecan Resist students will research and discuss the relationship between corporations and political grandstanding and will learn about a variety of boycotts throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Students will participate in a Socratic Seminar during which they will discuss their opinions about the role of the consumer and social change. As an extension for those who finish early, students can write a letter to Favianna Rodriguez, propose their new flavor to Ben & Jerry's, and/or create buttons to draw attention to the cause they promote. The culminating projects will be displayed on the school's Instagram account and shared during the Arts Showcase. The containers can be repurposed as small planters.

Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
Art as Activism and the Role of the Consumer – Focus_ Favianna Rodriguez and Ben & Jerry’s - Google Docs - MEGAN MC MAHON.pdf - Google Drive
Rubric:
Ice Cream Label Design Task Sheet and Rubric - Favianna Rodriguez - Google Docs - MEGAN MC MAHON.pdf - Google Drive
Samples of Student Work:
Link to Student Work - Google Docs - MEGAN MC MAHON.pdf - Google Drive

School: 02M407 Institute for Collaborative Education
Content Area Connections: Social Studies
Grade Level: 10, 9, 8
Email: Annie (Andrea) Scavelli annie@iceeducate.org
Unit Description:
Shrouded under veils of patriotism and lore, the American Revolution is a hallmark example of the whitewashing of history. In this unit, students 1) contextualize primary sources to come to their own understanding of truths of the revolution and 2) evaluate these truths alongside myths they were taught or that continue to be perpetuated in our current society.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
Unit Lesson Plans
Rubric:
Unit Project + Rubric
Samples of Student Work:
Sample Student Project

School: 02M449 Vanguard High School
Content Area Connections: Social Studies
Grade Level: 9
Email: Brett Gardiner Murphy bmurphy@vhsnyc.org
Unit Description: In this unit, students learn the history of European colonization in the Americas and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, starting with the Portuguese and Spanish. The early lessons begin by focusing on the different perspectives of the groups involved, including understanding how this might affect the way that they tell the history or write their sources. The main part of the unit, though, is driven by their website project. Together, we learn about Brazil as a case study of colonization and slavery, going through three main questions: 1) What was slavery like in this country? 2) How did enslaved people resist? 3) How has the African Diaspora shaped this country, and how do we see these affect this place today? Students then select their own country in Latin America or the Caribbean to research the same three questions, ultimately producing a website to share their knowledge with others. Many students select a country related to their family’s background for this project, and a number of them often comment that they have never studied their own history in a class before.

Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1F9Oc2XNkJhZvG_czivPGMTAyNe8iMOK1
Rubric:
Website Rubric - Brett Murphy.pdf - Google Drive
Samples of Student Work:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1swV_vJa4mNJbeOZqwMfiBsDus_QtHy59AjQFQ8AnkQk

School: 02M449 Vanguard High School
Content Area Connections: Social Studies
Grade Level: 10
Email: Starr Butler sbutler@vhsnyc.org
Unit Description: This unit investigates the history of Haiti from its indigenous population to its current black population. Considering the demographic and cultural background of learners, certain enduring social issues such as colorism are addressed by examining the root cause of its existence. Additionally, to promote historical empathy students were able to determine how western intervention in Haiti in the past has contributed to its current economic and political circumstances today. The rationale behind this method and the content taught was to address any misconceptions and preconceived biases initially had by students in Haiti.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=12fnfdp9xKFPwzzyec7J7gk2c361II99K
Rubric:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sGqgn93GKERIDMQtfbKUVZiIHfZI8t3x
Samples of Student Work:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1y75g9OXXgWwAF9hFSEbrAn7BgPEBbWyW
https://drive.google.com/open?id=16KCVwQK1n0-0t-XhIJphIrI9jVub00V1
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1TKJRyCjkHs10AkTcbxu1nvVk5GPJJsqK

School: 06M348 Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School
Content Area Connections: Other
Grade Level: 10
Email: Jessica Sharoff j.sharoff@wheelsnyc.org
Unit Description: In this expedition, we will explore the connections between natural resources mined from the Earth, the products we all consume and their relationships to social justice. Students will start the unit by learning about illegal mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Peru, and the consumer role we all play in this conflict. Next students will examine what a mineral is, the characteristics of a mineral, and how it can become a CONFLICT mineral. After exploring mining and extraction processes, students will research mining and its impacts in a location of interest to them. Next, we will identify minerals using diagnostic properties (streak, luster, breakage, and hardness, conductivity) and sometimes ambiguous properties (color, taste, touch, smell). Using these analysis skills students will test a collection of minerals to find the best suitable replacement for CONFLICT gold that is found in our technology devices. Students will write a lab report to showcase their data, results and final conclusions. These conclusions will be compared to ongoing research in the scientific community. At the end of the expedition, students will reflect on how what they consume and buy impacts the world around them through a PSA, letter or poster, or Socratic Seminar. This expedition can then be used as a gateway to other Earth science curricula such as, the understanding that minerals are the building blocks of rocks and that there are three main types of rocks cycled here on Earth.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1KnfCxOUP5F6j3i-o9H22CBtsX79K0emk
Rubric:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=15zusMx12znT7JVh6nK_lvmJtOqrVEDlp
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rQo35v_AK4DwmJQd1F-czoBJX8Jmh4aF
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1TYdeXb61tArWO2N3zbbTxKJS5_J_l9TH
Samples of Student Work:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1REz5M0OJXg2pnLvQneetuMkEh5iMyCji
https://drive.google.com/open?id=11-1yWkOSYVfLD-k0xFOTB04OVOlziGTC
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1defZb4REAlovmOMvrw-pojmoqhIkyICB

School: 03M505 E.A.R. West Side HS
Content Area Connections: ELA
Grade Level: 10, 9
Email: Lilit Suffet Lsuffet@schools.nyc.gov, LDC, WS High School ILT
Unit Description: The purpose of this module is to give students an opportunity to analyze a short story, which is a common practice in the study of literature. A literary analysis is a particular structure for writing about short stories and other literary texts such as poems and novels. In a literary analysis, we closely examine a text to see how the author uses literary devices to reveal aspects of the human condition or experience. In the text central to this unit, 100 Miles Per Hour, Upside Down and Sideways, a car is treated as a main character and students analyze how the author uses the interaction between the car and its owner to develop a theme.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
unit-plan-Literary Analysis - - Kristen Gripp.pdf - Google Drive
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pj33eut_FlJE8rAwkZHklVPsMTlsQOff
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1a443edepVRTBZmY40YzlkfX9p_EAJ8EO
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1mliFJIX5c3gxonnV7uOpeOShiBmvmIpP
Rubric:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1lANxapAZisE3jV1opNtGxUZubWraubiP

School: 02M432 Murray Hill Academy
Content Area Connections: ELA
Grade Level: 9
Email: Josh Burstein jburstein@schools.nyc.gov, Erica Dirico, Eric Viets
Unit Description: This unit examines the power and the limitations of human perspective and introduces literary theory as a branch of literary study. From there, it explores four literary lenses (Marxist Theory, Psychoanalysis, Feminism and Structuralism). Each unit has a motivation/engagement opening. From there, it will explore vocabulary specific to the literary lens. Then, it provides an opportunity to read a non-fiction overview of the literary lens while using metacognitive markers and other reading strategies to aid with comprehension. It contains two or three texts which will be examined from the particular perspective of the unit's lens. Finally, after much reading and discussion, the unit calls for an argumentative response from the perspective of the unit’s lens based on the fiction texts read.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan/ Rubric:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1DsOqxsjdQJnh5AZE8uBzDw-RADL8hC_W7YAqVb--SHI

School:05M285 Harlem Renaissance HS
Content Area Connections: Social Studies
Grade Level: 11, 10
Email: James Caputo Jcaputo2@schools.nyc.gov Daniel Mason
Unit Description: This unit is focused on the time period of 1945-1991. After WWII, the Unites States and Soviet Union were global superpowers, competing in an ideological battle for support. Lessons in this unit will focus on world events that took place during this time. Students will practice with content and skills that are covered on the global Regents exam. As such, students will have to work through Regents-level materials with the support of the teacher and eventually independently. This unit will help support students growth and understanding of world issues. Hopefully by the end of the unit, students will have a greater appreciation of the events today that are still shaped by the Cold War.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan / Rubric:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1orhCeYwiFDBqnl9uFnGz-hx5BsXT0IkT

School: 02M544 Independence HS
Content Area Connections: ELA
Grade Level: 12, 11
Email: Alana DiGiacomo alanadigia@gmail.com
Unit Description: Students will explore the theme of growing up, which is a universal experience, with a variety of short texts that reflect multiple cultural backgrounds and perspectives. The poem, “On Turning Ten,” is written by a Caucasian male, but the poem does not reveal the speaker’s race, culture, gender, sexual orientation, or any other features of their identity. The story, “The Rights to the Streets of Memphis,” by Richard Wright, is a memoir by an African-American male from a working class, single parent family. “The Stolen Party,” is about a young, lower-class Latinx female whose mother is a maid for a rich family. “The Worst Birthday” is an excerpt from Harry Potter, who is different from most by virtue of his being a wizard, which means he is isolated in fantastical, yet relatable, ways. “Born Worker” focuses on a Mexican immigrant growing up on the West Coast, a boy whose parents are laborers. The texts reflect a variety of racial, cultural, ethnic, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds that many of our students can relate to.
The unit begins with a familiar task for students, reading texts and using purpose-driven annotation to find central ideas and literary terms. Then, they reflect personally on the texts and their own experiences of growing up and forming their identities. They answer guiding questions that help structure their writing and encourage them to share more about who they are and who and what has most affected their identities as they have grown up. Once they’ve gotten more comfortable with sharing their experiences with each other, both in writing and in informal class discussions, we encourage them to take more risks in using the protocol of a Socratic Seminar. In the Socratic Seminar, they use evidence from the stories and sentence stems that teachers provide to respectfully share ideas and opinions with each other and learn from each other. They use notes from the Socratic seminar to write their Regents-based central idea task. The unit culminates in students using Animoto to create a trailer for their favorite text from the unit, which allows them to demonstrate their knowledge while building relevant digital skills.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan / Rubric:
CRSEAlignedUnit - ALANA DIGIACOMO.docx - Google Drive

School: 01M650 Cascades HS
Content Area Connections: ELA
Grade Level: 11
Email: Lisa A Mazzariello lmazzar2@schools.nyc.gov, Sarah Samimi
Unit Description: In this unit, students are asked to choose a novel from the list provided that matches both their reading level and area of interest. Through a variety of activities and lessons they will immerse themselves in the book through reading, writing, discussion and presentation. The goal is for them to have an understanding of the book’s literal, figurative and thematic meaning and to be able to express this in a variety of formats. The final performance task asks them to take on the role of community advocates who have been asked to identify the many problems facing teens and suggest concrete solutions. They will draw upon their knowledge of the novel and their own life experience to complete this task. This unit utilizes student choice in both content and presentation and attempts to give students a voice in not only what they learn, but how they are learning and presenting that knowledge. The many scaffolds and journal assignments strive to create entry points for all students.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan/Rubric:
The American Novel Unit - English 5_6 2021 - LISA MAZZARIELLO.pdf - Google Drive

School: 03M404 Innovation Diploma Plus
Content Area Connections: ELA
Grade Level:
Email: Carla M. Cherry carla.cherry@innovationdp.org 12, 11, 10, 9
Unit Description: “Poetry and Publishing” is designed to develop students’ ability to analyze the poetic work of poets across various cultural backgrounds and genders, write original poetry, and share that knowledge with their peers. By the end of the course, students will have several poems ready to be submitted for publication, a cover letter for poetry editors, and resources for finding poetry journals to send their work.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan/Rubric:
03M404_poetry_unit - Cherry Carla.pdf - Google Drive

School: 02M570 Satellite Academy HS
Content Area Connections: ELA
Grade Level: 12, 11, 10, 9
Email: Steven Zbaida szbaida@schools.nyc.gov Satellite Academy HS in collaboration with Power Tools.
Unit Description: The students who enter Satellite Academy have transferred from a variety of high schools to this transfer school, many times with a negative view of themselves as learners, an assumption that they have “failed”, and a (perceived or real) lack of high support and high expectations from adults. This unit focuses on welcoming them to this new school environment by highlighting and valuing THEIR voices and experiences. The students will explore self-identity, in particular 1) the ways their cultures/identities have shaped them, 2) how they view themselves as learners and 3) ways that students can define themselves in a strength-based way. 4) the ways that a diversity of experiences can act as both a mirror and window for themselves. Students will then explore and identify their purpose(s), examine diverse examples of resilience, identifying mindsets, attitudes, strategies that they’d like to practice at Satellite. Finally, they will interact with Satellite Academy alumni about ways that the alumni have overcome struggles, practiced resilience, and been successful as a result of their education at a transfer school. This unit culminates with a project where students introduce themselves to the Satellite school community. As a result, students will build community with peers and staff by way of exploring and sharing aspects of their cultures and backgrounds, they will build a sense of self-efficacy through the identification of their purpose(s), and they will access their own resilience and those of others. Finally this will help youth take a strength-based approach to their new journey as students of Satellite Academy.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan/Rubric:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1g-mPfOlgcN9f1Oa01QMDnfu_jAVlgzfP

School: 02M586 Harvey Milk HS
Content Area Connections:ELA
Grade Level: 9
Email: Diandra L D'Amico ddamico6@schools.nyc.gov, Nicole Flynn
Unit Description: In this 4 week unit, students will bridge the gap between literature and reality by exploring texts that analyze relationships, and consider how these stories reflect their own lives and experiences as they transition from childhood into adulthood. As our 9th graders complete the first year of high school, these stories will enable them to examine all the ways they’ve grown in the past year, and reflect on what it means for them, personally, to “come-of-age” as they watch the protagonists in each story do the same. Finally, the classroom will be used as a forum by which to consider what role we play -individually and collectively - in the society we live in, and how growth in these formative years contributes to those roles. As a class, we will ask: What does it mean to come-of-age? What are some factors that unite and distinguish our coming-of-age experience to and from one another? What forms the way that we view ourselves in relation to society? What forms the way that society views us? How do different types of relationships play an integral role in who we become? What can we learn about ourselves by examining the relationships of others? With reference to the protagonists of the stories featured in Color Outside the Lines, students will explore how interracial and LGBTQ relationships are portrayed through various pieces of fiction. These texts examine and hold a lens to issues that are relevant in our current climate; through their exploration, students will not only see aspects of their own identity reflected in their reading, but also use their learning to engage in perspective-taking, problem-solving, SEL and cultural responsiveness. In the short story, “Prom”, the narrator reflects on the budding relationship (and eventual romance) that she shares with her childhood best friend. Despite her fears about the judgment and perceptions of others, when they finally make their debut as a couple at prom and share a first kiss, the narrator realizes that she is more secure and confident in her love than she initially realized. In Mandanna’s story, “Five Times Shiva Met Harry”, we are introduced to two characters in the initial stages of their developing relationship. Despite their evident interest in one another, they must navigate the awkwardness of familial involvement and, more importantly, the way that cultural privilege may prevent people from seeking truth about issues that matter. “Something Gay and Magical” examines the relevence of representation as seen through the eyes of gay teen Oliver, who tries to find literature that represents his experience and interests. It is only when he meets bookstore employee, Winter, that he realizes the desire for representation is not unique to him or his identity: all people should see versions of their identity reflected in the books we read. “Gilman Street” describes the Odyssean journey of a quiet Mexican teen living in 1980’s California as she navigates her identity. Tam, who feels unseen and unimportant now that her best (and only) friend has a boyfriend, spontaneously decides to cut school and go to Berkeley. There, she meets a confident Mexican girl named Lourdes who embraces her heritage and straddles two identities (one of which is a drummer in a rock band). Throughout the text, Lourdes questions her sexuality, her background, and her identity (both who she is and who she wants to be). Ultimately, she realizes that it’s OK to question and to explore these facets of herself and that she is whole, regardless of the uncertainty.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan/Rubric:
DD Unit Plan- Culturally Responsive Unit - DIANDRA D'AMICO.docx - Google Drive

School: 03M479 Beacon High School
Content Area Connections: Social Studies
Grade Level: 12, 11, 10, 9
Email: Rebecca Ford rford@beaconschool.org
Unit Description: To culminate our unit on political and ethical beliefs, you will be developing a “Middle Ground” sketch in small groups to try and recognize both the polarity and the common ground between groups of people who have opposing opinions on specific social issues.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
Independent Research and Prototype Innovation - John Leonardo.pdf - Google Drive
Samples of Student Work:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1c5OiY2jEnz3mXwQft_zLC2nGURBaaHR-
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jzWh-1M-8aQQypb4X0KrANftiSWRNbLo
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-RTgGwT60HIN-u4bKoUh9WTmnGVyh_wY
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Ru3tyXT3WZ7tVQzMv8SxL9XrxPtBRvHP
Rubric:
Middle Ground Assignment - Google Docs - Rebecca Ford.pdf - Google Drive

School: 02M534 Harvest Collegiate High School
Content Area Connections: ELA
Grade Level: 10
Email: Lucas Johnson lucas@harvestcollegiate.org
Unit Description:
In 2021, the ALA reported that over 1,597 books were affected by censorship attempts in the United States. Now more than ever banned books are incredibly relevant to the lives of our students. It is no coincidence that the rise of racially diverse, LGBTQ-inclusive, and anti-capitalist content has been met with breakneck censorship campaigns across the country. Unsurprisingly, this moment in our culture war has left many students shocked, frustrated, and intellectually curious. In the first unit of my “Banned Books” class, I have channeled this natural curiosity into a series of student-picked case studies. In these case studies, students spend one to two weeks exploring a controversial topic that they have chosen as a class. Using vocabulary activities, free writes, group readings, and seminars, students develop their literary analysis skills while unpacking selected readings from America’s most controversial books. At the end of each case study, students write a literary analysis “mini-essay” that argues why their book is dangerous, or why its worth protecting.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:

Samples of Student Work:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1cj4fCKPs6vQI76A_28CRyl8qovJeLkIQ
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ZClEk_8gN07tK2CdI2LqdSa9hZW2pOJD
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1arspiZTfDe0CxGEO1Nqa3TVl9ws8nEiK
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ncZy2IN1VOZUI--tfsVs4dmoocNFdSp3
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Wp7epIgUkEsjcJMfosU2VxEaBusnQsPc
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1f8SFCUERfZX4avrYE7mxpbgbukp_WUQk
Rubric:
Banned Books Mini Essay Rubric - Lucas Johnson.pdf - Google Drive

School: 06M423 HS For Excellence & Innovation
Content Area Connections: ELA, Other, Stand alone ENL
Grade Level: 9
Email: Sara Jackson sjackson@hseigators.org
Unit Description: “Finding Common Ground” is an exploration of how we are all connected using a central text about a child soldier from Sierra Leone. How do our experiences help us make connections to others, and how do we share those experiences in meaningful ways to build bridges between individuals, groups, cultures, communities, and society? Designed for English Language Learners, the unit implements all modalities of speaking, listening, reading, and writing, culminating in a photo essay.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan/Rubric:
CRSE Unit - Sara Jackson.pdf - Google Drive

School: 02M565 Urban Academy Laboratory High School
Content Area Connections: ELA, Social Studies, Other
Grade Level: 12, 11, 10, 9
Email: Rachel Wyatt Rachelw@urbanacademy.org
Unit Description: Our course came out of three observations: 1. students love to learn about psychology (and about themselves!) 2. Even teenagers benefit from hearing stories read aloud and 3. children’s picture books can be profound, raising social justice questions, and existential and psychological issues. Thus our course: Picture Books and Child Psychology One of the most theory-heavy parts of the class is this project on Erik Erikson’s social/emotional theory of the stages of child development. In groups of 4, students become experts on one phase of childhood, taking up fundamental questions such as: what’s the importance of early attachment for the youngest children? How do kids develop a sense of autonomy? What are the social-emotional needs of a school age child and how do these needs get met? After studying one stage of childhood, each group is then presented with a basket of children’s picture books, chosen for psychological resonance, diversity of characters and authors, and literary merit. The groups analyze the books, analyzing them for how well or poorly they meet children’s needs, and then chooses together one book to teach to the rest of the class. The project culminates in a group presentation to the class that is part read-aloud, part literary criticism and part psychology lesson, followed by an individual paper.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=13pApRUZ7kafVq_Ewpix62DCfcoPZTGRt
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Fi7XN92VhQSO0mlwEzw1nj0h-sQRSrki
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jFriFNtQqmOMnBlMr261rPdR-RFZxR0-
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1WsgtyZjzLQUOxR7jpFnCeeQy3XT_9s8L
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1M3_DpBe0R-OY7Ahlr_ajG5Tvj5joDy2V
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jXSwjDzA_Gfo2P8R0XoaSHPYqFSeU7Dj
https://drive.google.com/open?id=14pk2QYZJPhTXmkbrh8gWz-IadnxgpDme
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1bgIHNhIesOJpDm316AvaSZMJRPjOgJDN
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1OnZZc8sVOwSlUQtu-9jyBpszbCZp-tcL
Rubric:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1CiiD4KhKr2W40ikLJO6fUF3Idwmymneg
https://drive.google.com/open?id=12ir1QwIKteQNd735A3rlfZpVdi-OCbtO
Samples of Student Work:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1PUvJtzOGZRF7roVWd7AQcBgt3Xtd89XX
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Fy0iNpYmpVs_mE3xD-pjpZ4_0topP8Xh

School: 02M303 The Facing History School
Content Area Connections: Social Studies
Grade Level: 12, 11, 10, 9
Email: Eric Albino eric@facinghistoryschool.org
Unit Description: New York City is one of the oldest settlements in America and yet millions of people inhabit it without knowing its stories. These stories undoubtedly influence the way the city looks and feels today, but one might never know if they didn’t look. In this unit, students will generate their own research questions and explore a part of New York City, bringing a particular story to life for the citizens of that neighborhood today. We will meet with historical institutions and get their input on creating materials to share with the wider world. Students will post QR codes in the area they researched to help others learn more about their community and its influence on the city of today.
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
Copy of NYC History PBL Unit ('21-'22) - ERIC ALBINO.pdf - Google Drive
Rubric:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1iREpjGDoivY3YdK5KgFDBFi0fUuJYE6b
Samples of Student Work:
https://sites.google.com/facinghistoryschool.org/timesquare-info-/home
https://sites.google.com/facinghistoryschool.org/art-impact-in-nyc/home
https://sites.google.com/facinghistoryschool.org/its-hot-as-hell/home

School: 02M534 Harvest Collegiate High School
Content Area Connections: Science
Grade Level: 12, 11, 10, 9
Email: Samantha Adams samantha@harvestcollegiate.org
Unit Description: In this unit, students will engage in long-term inquiry into air quality in New York City (fine particulate matter in particular). Inquiry begins with students asking questions about an anchor phenomenon (images, news headlines and data related to air pollution in NYC and its effects). Students then research the EPA’s six criteria pollutants and design lessons to teach their classmates about what they’ve learned; a deeper dive into particulate matter follows. Students then design their own investigation into whether or not the amount of particulate matter in the air affects the color of the sky. That investigation leads into a deeper, data-driven dive into the relationship between air pollution and health effects (using publically available data from NYC’s Environmental & Health Data Portal), which students use to support an argument about which neighborhoods in the city need additional particulate monitoring. Finally, students collaboratively design their own method to trap particulate matter in their neighborhoods, then compare and contrast the trends in their data to other publicly available data.
Air Quality in NYC [CRSE Unit Plan] - Samantha Adams.pdf - Google Drive
Curriculum Map/Unit Plan:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1QakOx8N5cnD0-jb-2dFA_Np-j4AHLy-Thttps://drive.google.com/open?id=1fK2cEXQjeeB6K8-DKt0atr6Syy82d4_Y
https://drive.google.com/open?id=181Wa2cpmBnolit7aixh0t7zpDEYQX37N
Rubric:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1EygcYC-PU0ctRuO3AUSMrdnRyHgROCZu
https://drive.google.com/open?id=17cEyd8bokHd2tuJA6anlQDHJlVhiGBC_
Samples of Student Work:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ypAPXD0kUqdMdFOuf8LdQosvsUR0kMSQ
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1wsfnZ_vPzGNRt4q2dnMlINfGkxQtmYgu
https://drive.google.com/open?id=16ZRnRnPQJOqf1jRokMbrEB5HU-5VBq99