Standards (National, State, and Local Guidelines) Teaching Methods

We are going to use PA Common Core State Standards to guide • Collaboration through partner work/small
the ELA and Writing Units, in conjunction with the scope and group work and peer editing.
sequence established by the Penn Alexander 3rd Grade team. • Write a persuasive letter to the principal
about why the outdoor space.
Math will follow the Fractions unit from the central math Curriculum Materials • Synthesize information from multiple sources
curriculum, Investigations, to meet the 3rd Grade math scope to create a persuasive argument about the
and sequence • Investigations Math Curriculum outdoor design.
• Being a Writer Curriculum • Interpret information from read aloud and
Social Studies content will meet the School District of • Writer’s Workshop: Persuasive shared reading articles to understand impact
Philadelphia’s suggested overarching questions for 3rd grade Writing of outdoor design on communities and
regarding community. individuals.
• Use primary source picture documents to
Science will be integrated into the unit by using the NGSS analyze the change of parks/playground
practices of questioning and defining problems, engaging in design over time.
arguments from evidence, and obtaining evaluating and
communicating information about green space in cities, and Standards and Requirements
the design of Penn Alexander’s outdoor space.
Guiding Unit
Next Generation Science Standards:

• Cross Cutting Concepts:

• Scale, proportion and quantity
• Structure and
WHAT? HOW? function
• Stability and change
• Influence of Engineering, Technology, and
Science on Society and the Natural World
WHY?
• Disciplinary Core Idea:
• ESS3C: Human Impacts on Earth Spaces
• ETS1.A Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems
oDefine a simple design
problem
reflecting a Educational Philosophy and Beliefs need
Knowledge of Particular Students or a want that Theories of Learning and
and Context includes I believe that educators should provide Teaching
specified opportunities for students to think critically,
criteria for question and build empathy through lessons that • John Dewey – Experiential
- 25 3 grade students
rd
access multiple perspectives. Students should not
success and
- Diverse cultural, racial and constraints only be challenged with work that supports on Learning
religious backgrounds materials, growth in academic skill, but also with time, • Howard Gardner – Multiple
- Majority of the students have or cost. developmentally-appropriate content that intelligences
•ETS1-2 challenges them to think deeply about the world
attended PAS from Kindergarten around them. Content provided should be
• Vygotsky – scaffolding
Engineering Design
-3 grade
rd oGenerate relevant to students lives, but also provide and
- All live within the PAS catchment compare opportunities to explore interests that are not
multiple directly within the students’ environment. Rather
in West Philadelphia
possible than explicitly providing answers, I will act as a
solutions to facilitator that guides and support students as a
problem they work through most content to create a based
culture of inquiry and exploration.
 on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
• Practices:
• Asking Questions and Defining Problems
• Developing and Using Models

PA State Guidelines - ELA:

• E03.C.1.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons
• CC.1.2.3.I: Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the same topic.
• CC.1.2.3.B: Ask and answer questions about the text and make inferences from text; refer to text to support responses.
• CC.1.3.3.H Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters.
• CC.1.3.3.D Explain the point of view of the author.
• CC.1.4.3.I Support an opinion with reasons.
• CC.1.4.3.K Use a variety of words and sentence types to appeal to the audience.
• CC.1.4.3.H Introduce the topic and state an opinion on the topic.

Philadelphia Public Schools Scope and Sequence:

Identify the basic needs of all people and how their needs are met in a community
• Become proficient in utilizing map skills.
• Define a natural resource (in respect to land)
• Recognize the importance of natural resources and the need to protect them

School Guidelines:
• Writing Unit: Persuasive Writing
• Math Unit: Fractions