Introduction to GIS – National Geographic Lesson plan (30 Min Activity)

Rope (several different colours including blue)

Internet access

1 computer

SMART Board or Projector

National Geographic. (n.d.). Introduction to GIS [Lesson Plan]. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.org/activity/introduction-gis/

Formative:

Observation

Class Discussion

Questioning

Thumbs up for understanding

Use acronyms or symbols to make GIS easier to understand.

Visuals

Class and group work to introduce GIS technology and set students up with basic GIS skills. Basics of mapping will also be reviewed and human activity in the forest will be explored.

SMART Board or Projector

Software:

• ArcView GIS education license or ArcGIS online map viewer
• Google Earth

Hardware: Computers

Worksheet for Assessment

Alberta Government. (1998). Forest management agreement area. Retrieved from https://geodiscover.alberta.ca/geoportal/catalog/search/resource/details.page?uuid=%7B3956714B-4FD3-414A-9E9F-2A3AD5AEC61A%7D

Esri. (2016, December 5). What is GIS? [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHDCRjAxpI0

Formative:

Classwork – thumbs up/down on understanding

Wonder Wall

Groups set up with blended skills.

Visual supports used when possible.

Ensure subtitles are turned on for video.

GIS/Remote Sensing Continued: Group work to identify forest activity and infrastructure. Students will consider the Caribou populations with respect to GIS information.

Software:

• ArcView GIS education license or ArcGIS online map viewer
• Google Earth

Hardware: Computers

Alberta Government. (1998). Forest management agreement area. Retrieved from https://geodiscover.alberta.ca/geoportal/catalog/search/resource/details.page?uuid=%7B3956714B-4FD3-414A-9E9F-2A3AD5AEC61A%7D

Formative:

Classwork – thumbs up on understanding

Exit slip/worksheet.

Wonder wall

Worksheet

Strategic groupings will be used to balance group strengths.

Worksheet to be done online or paper.

Hard copy, age appropriate maps will be provided for viewing/additional support.

Face time with an ESRI Canada GIS Ambassador for elementary talk: “What is GIS?”

SMART Board/Internet connection

Set up video conference or Facetime

Formative:

Students Questions to subject matter expert.

Forest Journals Review

Observation

Students may draw pictures or write to reflect on their new learning in their Forest Journal.

Visual supports will be used when possible.

Students will connect Indigenous storytelling to math concepts. Students will discuss referent measurements and the measurements that will be taken during their inquiry based data analysis projects in the next few classes. A questionnaire will be written and distributed to the lower grades for analysis in a later lesson.

Examples of different types of data (questionnaires, experiments, databases, electronic media, etc.)

Chromebooks/Computers

4 Corners Signs

SMART Board or Projector

Simon Fraser University. (n.d.). Small number and the big tree [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.sfu.ca/mathcatcher/StoriesMovies/TheBigTree.html

Formative:

4 Corners activity

Teacher review of student designed questionnaire.

Peer discussion of questionnaire.

Video will have captions turned on.

Small group work.

Inquiry projects for the field trip will be finalized. Students will appreciate that certain methods for collecting data are better to use depending on the results required. Preparation of materials and projects for field work.

Forest Journals

Data Collection and Analysis Task Sheets – description, rubric, required elements, checklist, etc.

Wonder Wall

Formative:

Wonder Wall

Inquiry project review with teacher.

Peer review of inquiry question.

Selective, skill-based groupings.

Each student will have a specific role in their group.

Students will complete an inquiry-based field work assessment of the forest area and learn from Forest Ranger.

Rulers

Tape Measures

Forest Journals

Data Collection and Analysis Task Sheets – description, rubric, required elements, checklist, questions to answer, etc.

Checklist for the final report will include: Inquiry Question, Assumptions, Data Collection Rationale, Tabular Data Summary, Graph and Summary/Conclusion.

Field Trip Items:

First aid kit, class list, student lunches and backpacks, permission slips.

Summative:

Data collection and analysis inquiry task.

Formative:

Observation

Student Checklists

Questioning

Forest Journal Review

Strategic groupings.

Each student will be given a role based on strengths.

Students will graph their data and make conclusions and interpretations. As a group, students will compile a final report as summative assessment for their data collection and analysis task.

Graph paper – graphing to be completed by hand

Chromebooks or computers (Google Docs/Sheets report and pictures)

Checklist for Report: Inquiry Question, Assumptions, Data Collection Rationale, Tabular Data Summary, Graph and Summary/Conclusion.

Summative:

Data collection and analysis inquiry task.

Formative:

Observations

Thumbs up/down for understanding

Each student will take the lead on a section of the report.

If students would like to creatively express their report, through another technology media rather than Google Docs/ Sheets (i.e. video, poster, PowerPoint presentation), they may get permission from the teacher.

Combination of visuals and text.

Each student has a role.

The idea of dendrochronology will be presented, and students will explore tree rings in their own school yard and through tree cookie samples.

Wonder Wall

Tree cookies and digital examples of tree rings.

SMART Board or Projector

Paper for tracing.

Talking stick for circle discussion.

Forest Journals

ADLC Education Media. (2014, January 14). ADLC: Elementary science: Tree cookies. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sZJyoURNYc&list=PL_zCkBVfbts5REqvhTd91yVDSSYTxydoX&index=2

Hirst, K. (2019, April 3). Dendrochronology – tree rings as records of climate change. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/dendrochronology-tree-rings-170704

Formative:

Wonder Wall Review

Observations/Questioning

Circle Discussion

Forest Journal Review

Video captions turned on.

Circle discussion “pass” for ELL and differentiated learning students.

Tree cookies and digital pictures of tree ring examples.

Student will connect their life events to the yearly growth of a tree through dendrochronology, further developing the idea of interconnectedness and allowing for personal expression through art.

Paper, Pencils

Paint, brushes, water cups, etc.

Art space

Fun Family Crafts. (2016). My years, in tree rings. Retrieved from https://funfamilycrafts.com/years-tree-rings/

Formative:

Observation (1 year = 1 event) connection to tree ring time

Questioning

Summative:

Student will hand in art piece for assessment.

Students may write the life events in the language of their choice.

Students who have had traumatic life events can also write something new they learned each year, or what they liked to do each year, as a means of connecting time to tree to self.