Lets

Go on an Alberta Road Trip

An Interdisciplinary Approach in Grade 4 aliquam
Engel,C., Leiske, N., Morgan, C., Pryor, S. and Walsh, M.
B.Ed. Community Based, October, 2017

Weekly Overview of Interdisciplinary Unit Plan

Rationale Program of Studies
Our unit plan asks grade four students to plan an Alberta road trip ELA: students learn to communicate their thoughts, feelings and
Week 1 Week 4
where they must research and choose two critical places to visit experiences; establish relationships with friends; and strive to make
What would make a good road trip in Why are National Parks protected?
with the criteria being that one of the destinations must be a sense and order of their world. Students will listen, speak, read, write,
Alberta? Elder visit - story sharing
national park. This project aligns well with the grade four Social view and represent throughout the unit.
Think Pair Share Review prior weeks learning,
Studies curriculum. In particular, the outcomes of valuing Albertas Health: Students will develop effective interpersonal skills that demonstrate
Research/pick 3-5 places ; 1 national specifically week 1
physical geography and examining recreation and tourism in responsibility, respect and caring in order to establish and maintain healthy
park. Map exercise in groups
Alberta. As educators, we felt that this project required an interactions.
Task - Graph the weather along with Engage with Elder on discussion
interdisciplinary approach as there is a natural connection to Math: Students will collect, display and analyze data to solve problems; Use direct and
Calgarys weather. questions
multiple disciplines such as: Mathematics (calculating distance, indirect measurement to solve problems; Gain number sense.
Mark the locations on map of Alberta Portfolio Task?
creating budgets); Science (discussing waste in our world); English Physical Education: This unit emphasizes active living, with a focus on physical activity
What are the Benefits of Why/How are Indigenous
(communicating thoughts, experiences, and feelings); Health that is valued and integrated into daily life. There is a general focus on total fitness
travelling/consequences? peoples important
(having a balanced diet while travelling); and Physical Education and well-being that encompasses the entire experience of movementphysical,
Watch video; Discuss as a class, Group when considering this?
(choosing activities to stay active while travelling). mental, emotional and social dimensions.
discuss pros and cons of travel
Social: Students are introduced to specific geographic skills through an examination of
Exit slips Week 5
Alberta and its cultural and geographic diversity.
Task - Create postcards for the two How do you keep healthy and
Science: Students learn about waste in our world, specifically about wastes
places they have chosen active on a road trip?
produced through natural processes and human technology.
Week 2 Encourage class discussion to explore
Students learn characteristics of trees and their interactions
How do you plan for a trip? the connections among physical
with other living things in the local
Budget skills with Excel activity, emotional wellness and social
environment.
Making a schedule using 24-hour wellness, especially on a class field
clock trip/road trip
Balanced Assessment Diversity Task- mini budget for Oilers game Task - Healthy Meal Plan on a Budget
How do you use a map? Figure out for the Road Trip
Conventional assessments as a form of standardized paper-and-pen tests or The use of various forms of technological assistance such as Google maps, distance and time Task - Daily Physical Activity Plan for
summative assessments have been the dominant form of assessment for the Google photos, and Google Read Write will help students see their travel from Read the story: Mapping Pennys the road trip
last century. In utilizing an interdisciplinary approach to learning, educators one location to another giving a sense of distance to the World by Loreen Leedy Student Self-Reflection Tool based on
must ensure to engage both summative and formative forms of assessment in project. Incorporating the live web cams in National parks to collect data, will Watch song/video; solve questions the rubric
order to achieve balance. According to Chappuis, Commodore, and Stiggins enhance student learning, and bring authenticity to their learning Calculate distance exercises Journal/Photo/Video Essay to
(2010, p. 45), "Balanced assessment systems blend effective assessment use at project. Apps, such as the My Food Guide App for menu planning, as well Exit slip Document Healthy Active Road Trip
the classroom level with interim/benchmark assessment". This unit naturally as utilizing Excel worksheets, YouTube and interactive websites exposes Start budget for class trip plans, including final budget from
weaves formative assessment through the unit plan, so that teachers are best students to tools which will benefit their everyday life, provide differentiation, Week 3 Week 2
positioned to evaluate student learning as it takes place, in order to evaluate and future use of technology. How and why is it important to protect
and provide scaffolding when needed. Having students work toward a final our environment? Final Project
public project, presenting to their peers, with the intention of selecting a Working in assigned groups helps students who need support to foster greater Consider waste and our world; Where in Alberta should our class go on
location for the end of unit field trip, brings a sense of value and authenticity English comprehension. This paired with the use of Google searches in home view Denmark video our field trip?
to the unit. This allows students to become fully vested in the process, and languages, helps to reduce frustrations when planning the road trip for ELL and Research waste reduction ideas Create final presentation to
therefore deepen their learning experience. IPP students. ELL students will be individually assessed using the Alberta ELL Identify possible advantages and convince students of field trip
Benchmarks, therefore allowing teachers to provide supports as needed disadvantages of their chosen location
Incorporating Indigenous holistic views in this project will allow students to according to the ELL support plan in place for our school. Choice is waste reduction ideas. Provide and receive peer feedback
connect Indigenous Ways of Knowing to the sites students have selected to incorporated into our tasks providing students the opportunity to work to Elder visit - seven generation using Peer Coaching Tool
research. Investigating how Indigenous practices help sustain our natural strengths and personal interests, facilitating relationship building in our concept Final Presentations, Vote
resources, initiates student discussion on the impacts the creation of National community. Create a decomposition life cycle
Parks may have on Indigenous peoples. Having an Elder provide support to on typical waste items
student learning provides students with an introduction to Phylomon cards - select a plant
Indigenous epistemology as it relates to our Earth. and tree to research.

By exploring all the different aspects of planning a Link to Webpage

Using an interdisciplinary approach for this project fosters the
road trip, including how a road trip has impacts on
acquisition of foundational knowledge, promotes integration of Easily the environment, it allows students to grasp and
ideas from multiple disciplines and provides insight on how to adaptable to master ideas, learn where and how to find
apply knowledge all of which advance a students understanding of other grades information and apply their knowledge in a real-
how to learn (Carleton College, 2010). and world scenario. (Friesen et al. , 2015).
provinces. http://educ520albertaroadtrip.weebly.com