Overview
Rationale
Objectives
Strategies
Classroom Activities
Annotated Bibliography / Resources
Appendices
Standards

This eight-week unit is designed for a ninth grade gifted English class. However, it can easily be adapted to any grade and ability level. The primary objective of this unit is to provide students with the tools and skills necessary to create concrete representations of abstract ideas and emotions. The abstract ideas in this case will revolve around the environment while the concrete representations will take the forms of film, photographs, and poetry about the environment. As a result of the energy and enthusiasm that is engendered by a project that allows an active and creative approach to learning, students will understand the empowerment these forms of expression offer. Students will examine what they know about the environment in general and then investigate local environmental factors and issues. Armed with some knowledge of the ecology of their neighborhoods, students will identify environmental topics for further research. All aspects of this unit should remain as personal to the students as possible. Therefore, they will videotape pertinent locations in their own neighborhoods that speak to environmental concerns. To help guide their investigations and expand their resources, students will interview family members and friends about interesting facts and details from Pittsburgh history. After the videotaping experience, students will select specific scenes or subjects to photograph. Becoming aware of the built and natural environment around them should provide students with the ingredients to create inspired environmental poetry. The culminating activity of this unit will be a presentation of the environmental video to a selected audience of students, staff and parents. The grand premiere will take place in a classroom that has been converted to a gallery where the students’ photographs and poetry have been mounted.

I struggled for breath. My heart was pounding, and it seemed that every muscle in my body was aching. But I once again mustered up enough strength to toss, actually it was more a "drop" than a toss, another heavy, wet tire onto the pile. "Kathy," I gasped, "that’s it! I think I’m dying. I can’t toss another tire." I slumped against a nearby tree, taking huge gulps of air as I wiped the sweat off of my forehead. As my breathing and heart rate slowly returned to normal, I began to take note of the lush, green surroundings as drizzling rain blanketed the scene. Who would think that we were in the heart of a busy suburban residential/business location? I could hear birds chirping and something scurrying through the underbrush. The muted laughter and conversation of thirty-some students who continued to drag discarded tires from a ravine seemed to harmonize with nature’s symphony. And then my eyes moved to the grotesque heap of used tires languishing incongruously like a cancerous growth within healthy tissue. I wondered what jerk thought that it was okay to dump such waste here to ruin this scant bit of wetlands, so rare in an urban area.

Most of the students who participated in this volunteer clean-up activity expressed the same sentiment. While they felt invigorated by the outdoor physical exertion and the camaraderie of their peers, they were also struck by the carelessness and disregard exhibited by those responsible for illegally creating the tire mess. For some, city-dwellers that they are, it was the first time that they seriously thought about the condition of their environment and the threat of deliberate pollution.

I would like students to express their ideas about the environment in some creative genre. However, it is sometimes difficult for students to articulate such abstract feelings, feelings about the beauty of nature, the destructiveness of man’s irresponsible behavior or the complex intricacies of their immediate surroundings. I think that students can use art and poetry as a venue for conveying these feelings. To that end, I will guide ninth grade-gifted students in creating a collection of environmental poetry accompanied by original photographs and original film. Both the photographs and film will incorporate the elements of poetry that enable the finished pieces to have a powerful impact.

Students will first complete background research on the ecology of Pittsburgh, with a particular focus on their own neighborhoods. I am hoping that they will make discoveries that surprise them about their environment and that they will share these discoveries with family, friends and classmates thus igniting a true passion for supporting a healthy environment as well as a passion for expressing their beliefs through writing and visual representations.

Some of these discoveries may include the realization that the once beautiful church across the street now looks crumbly and in disrepair because of the effects of acid rain. Maybe a student learns that her grandmother’s cataracts were caused in large part by the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays that easily creep through the diminished ozone layer. Perhaps students will find out that the haziness that often envelops their neighborhoods is not an ordinary, healthy occurrence. Rather, it is caused d by sunlight that contacts tiny pollution particles. The feared news that someone in the family has cancer or that a healthy mother gave birth to a baby with defects may encourage students to pay attention to information about toxic air pollution or sources of radiation that can result in such tragedies. A number of students have asthma. Once they begin to examine their environment, they may realize that indoor air quality may have something to do with their condition.

Certainly the activities in this unit will raise questions, questions such as: what is acid rain? What are some of the toxic air pollutants? What causes problems with indoor air quality? How can we stop ozone depletion? How do the various types of pollutants affect us? What are the effects of "bad’ water? How clean is Pittsburgh’s water? What can we do to keep the air and water clean? What can I do in my own house to make the environment safer? The search for answers to these and many other questions should activate a sense of responsibility and commitment among students to cleaning up the environment, even if the focus is only on their immediate environment. While the activities in this unit focus on awareness and knowledge rather than student actions to save the environment, the result should be a strong foundation for pursuing further action.

This motivation can be enhanced by activities that keep students interested and actively involved. Students seem to enjoy using new gadgets and media devices, especially cutting-edge, expensive ones. Therefore, integrating technology and media skills will provide students with further motivation for producing a valuable product by the end of the unit. As students complete their research reports, they will use the digital camera to take pictures of places they refer to in their reports. Students will also use the digital video camera to capture footage of these areas. Students will keep a journal of observations as well as a record of photographs and film footage they take. This record is essential for completing additional assignments. Once students feel knowledgeable about environmental issues, they will select three of their photos to inspire three poems that reflect deep feelings or observations about the environment.

Publication of the final pieces in this unit will give students an added sense of pride and accomplishment in their efforts. They will create a gallery to display the photos and poems. Students will also use the film clips they gathered for their reports to create a short film about the ecology of their neighborhoods. Each student will create his/her own film segment while several student editors will create transitions and after-effects to link the segments together. Each student will contribute information to be used in the introduction of the film. Students will use Adobe Premiere to complete the film project. This gives every student an opportunity to learn how to use the media equipment and software. The student editors will be chosen from those who decide to use this unit as their Long Term Project. The Long Term Project is a requirement of all gifted students. They must complete at least thirty hours of work outside of the classroom, and the final piece must include a research component, a written component and a presentation component. So, this unit is ideal for fulfilling these requirements for any student who wants to dedicate extra time to this Pittsburgh project. Time outside of the classroom is essential to completing this project in a timely manner. As a culminating event, the class will have a grand showing of the photo-poetry gallery and the creative documentary to which parents and selected staff will be invited. Preparing for this grand showing will also a motivating factor for producing quality work.

The activities in this unit require that students improve their research and writing skills as well as their technology skills. Ninth graders who learn how to use the digital camera, the digital video camera and the Adobe Premiere program for editing video will then have these resources to use in other projects as they progress through high school. The assignments address the District standards and the New Standards Portfolio requirements. The standards and the portfolio requirements are described in the "Strategies" section of this unit plan and are listed in the Appendix.

By the end of this unit students will be able to demonstrate effective use of research tools. These tools include databases, specific Internet sites, encyclopedias and authentic first person interviews. The quality of the reports, film, photos, poems and oral presentations will reflect the level of research skills they have acquired. In conjunction with this search for information, students will be able to cite their sources correctly. Evidence of this skill will be reflected in the Works Cited and Bibliography sections of their assignments. Students will also be able to demonstrate effective use of the digital camera by shooting several high quality pictures of their neighborhood environment. Students will also demonstrate effective use of the digital video camera by producing high quality video recordings of neighborhood scenes and pictures. Students will be able to analyze and evaluate the pictures and film footage they have collected and then select the most appropriate photos and segments for their final presentations. Students will demonstrate their ability to read functional documents by following the instructions for using Adobe Premiere to edit their video segments. Students will also demonstrate knowledge of environmental terms and issues through written and oral reports and through class discussion. Students will demonstrate their knowledge of poetic devices and the elements of effective poetry by incorporating specific devices and elements into their environmental poetry. They will synthesize their knowledge of the environment with their skills in writing and speaking to create their final presentations.

Students will research information about the built environment as well as water, air and land pollution with a particular focus on the county in which they live, Allegheny County. Students will access scorecard.org Internet site for local statistics and other information about the environment. Scorecard is an environmental defense group that keeps track of environmental statistics and issues for areas across the United States. Students need only enter their zip codes to obtain environmental information and statistics about their hometown. They will use this researched information as the basis for class activities and projects in this unit. They will complete the "built environment" piece individually since that will provide a starting point for the video segment that each student will create after the research is completed. Students will research the other topics in pairs. This cooperative activity will help them to complete the assignments in a timely fashion. They will keep the same partners for each research topic so that they can move on to their next topic if they finish the current one early. All students will receive a syllabus to follow so that they can move ahead on activities if they wish.

Background Information

The class will start this unit with a discussion of neighborhoods by making observations about the areas that feed into their high school. David B. Oliver High School is a comprehensive public high school on the Northside of Pittsburgh. This community’s population reflects a wide spectrum of ethnicity, religions, economic strata, and cultural orientations. However, most of our students come from working class and low income families. Also, our students are drawn from various sections of the city because of our magnet programs in law and JROTC. Indeed, the student body represents nineteen distinct neighborhoods. Therefore, they bring an interesting prospective to this assignment. Students will have an opportunity to compare and contrast their neighborhoods in terms of the topics they explore.

First, students should interview someone who can give them interesting information about their neighborhoods. For instance, one student lives on Avery Street. This street was named after Charles Avery, a rich businessman who was instrumental in the success of the Underground Railroad in the Pittsburgh area. Another student lives on Homewood Avenue which was once the main business corridor of the community complete with a theater, two bakeries, a butcher’s shop, a grocery store, two drugstores, two shoe stores, two dress shops, a G.C. Murphy’s and a bank - all within three blocks. Only the bank remains today. The architecture reflects the old, the restored, the remodeled and the new; all of which tell a part of the story of Homewood’s history. Students will then write a descriptive essay about their neighborhood and share it with the class. This piece should focus on a dominant impression and use vivid details that make the neighborhood come to life. Later, students will produce photographs and video that capture the essay’s theme.

After the neighborhood introductions, students will begin to take a closer look at the environment. Since the opening discussions about the neighborhoods will necessarily include a focus on buildings, students should understand what the built environment is and what effect it has on the human condition. The built environment is exactly what the term implies. It consists of buildings, bridges, monuments; anything that man has built. Many adults have taken the time at some point to make note of the fascinating structures that Pittsburgh boasts. However, teenagers are often unaware of intriguing features of their surroundings. Seldom do they marvel at the power of a bridge or notice the intricate stone carvings on buildings. That strange little house with the odd turrets that they pass everyday is merely part of the blurred background scenery. Some architects feel that is just as it should be. They believe a well-designed structure should do its job without getting in the way. Buildings -- their structure, function and appearance -- are clues to how those who came before us lived. This includes not only well-known structures such as Clayton or the Block House, but ordinary houses that retain markers of times past. For instance, many old houses still have coal bins. These bins remind us of how homes were once heated and of all the social issues surrounding the coal industry in Pittsburgh. Students will use what they learn from the built environment to reflect on their current conditions and make some predictions about the future.

As part of the discovery process about the built environment each student should select one structure in his/her neighborhood to analyze in terms of its impact. Students will share their written observations with the class. Since they have already completed a report on their neighborhoods, the variety of buildings to choose from should be fresh in their minds. In considering the impact of the building on the natural environment, students should discuss what the building says about the past as well as what it implies about the future. As a result of this analytical observation, a student may realize that the new parking garage down the street provides spaces for those who want to shop in her neighborhood business district, thus boosting the revenues available for community growth and improvement. However, she may now consider the price of this convenience. The parklet that used to occupy that corner no longer exists. Gone are the flowers, trees, shrubbery, grass, birds, butterflies, squirrels and laughing children that used to inhabit that area. In its place is a structure that invites noise, exhaust fumes, trash, overloaded storm drains and of course, money. The question to consider now is whether or not the gaining of a structure to increase money flow into the neighborhood was worth the loss of valuable urban green space. Other questions may include how environmentally friendly the parking garage is. Did the developers incorporate safeguards for air and noise pollution? Did they design the garage in such a way that some green space could be maintained? Will trash be taken care of adequately? Each student will present details about the structure he/she selects that provoke these kinds of questions. This activity should spark student interest in the built environment and its effect on terrestrial habitats and the impact on the quality of human life. When students prepare their media presentations, they will include pictures of the buildings they described

Another aspect of the environment that students will examine is water pollution. They will work in pairs to complete and present a report on some aspect of water pollution. The topics include: The Clean Water Act, watersheds, acid rain, water pollution caused by: agriculture, water pollution caused by resource extraction, water pollution caused by air depositions, and water pollution caused by urban run-offs and sewer overflows. Students will use one day in the school library to complete their reports. They will use scorecard.org to find current, local information on their topics. Each group will give a five-minute presentation the second day. Before each report is presented, students will jot down what they already know about the topic in their journals. After each report, students will jot down new and interesting things they learned about the topic. This list should include some misconceptions they had about the topic. Students will then share their new insights with the class.

For instance most students have heard of acid rain, but some of them may think that the term refers only to rain and that the rain itself causes acid-like damage to skin and foliage. Students would write this idea in their journals. The report will reveal detailed information about acid rain. This term describes rain, snow, fog, and particles caused by sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides released by power plants, vehicles and other sources. Acid rain harms plants, animals and fish, and erodes building surfaces and national monuments. In addition, acidic particles can hurt people’s lungs and reduce how far we can see through the air. Acid rain looks, feels and tastes just like clean rain. Its effects are not direct. Walking in acid rain or even swimming in an acid lake is no more dangerous than walking or swimming in clean water. However, the pollutants that cause acid rain also damage human health. These gases work in the atmosphere to form fine sulfate and nitrate particles that can be transported by the wind and inhaled deeply into people’s lungs. Fine particles can also penetrate indoors. Many illnesses and premature deaths have been attributed to these particles.

Students should also find interesting information specifically about the Pittsburgh area. For instance, according to a Post-Gazette article on Earth Day by Larry J. Sweiger, for decades the Monongahela River was polluted with cyanide-laden pickle liquors from the mills and the slaughterhouses on Herr’s Island dumped raw blood into the Allegheny River. Nearby Lake Erie was very polluted with oxygen-depleting algae from raw sewage and Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River which flows into Lake Erie had so much petroleum in it that it actually caught fire twice. Mine drainage damaged Pennsylvania’s 10,000 miles of rivers. In fact there was so much coal in the rivers that a power company on the Susquehanna River set up a river dredge and collected enough coal to run a power plant for thirty years.

Student reports will show that other sources of water pollution in Allegheny County include agriculture and resource extraction. In Allegheny County nineteen percent of surface water that has beneficial uses is threatened by these sources of pollution according to Scorecard. Water sources such as rivers, lakes, ponds and reservoirs are threatened by sediment, nutrients and metals from farms and mines. Also, one of five watersheds that Allegheny County shares has serious water quality problems according to the EPA.

Students will come across articles like the Post-Gazette one, and they will be excited about sharing the information with their classmates. After listening to all the reports, students should enter new and accurate information into their journals. This process helps students to recognize their misconceptions and to retain new information better.

Students will follow this same routine for reporting on air pollution and land pollution. The topics are air pollution from mobile sources, air pollution from area sources, air pollution from point sources, toxic chemical land releases from manufacturing. Pittsburgh has historically been known as "The Smokey City." Even today, people across the country think that Pittsburgh skies are gray and a film of soot covers everything by mid-afternoon. Indeed, Pittsburgh air has a bad history. According the same Earth Day article by Sweiger, in 1948 a four-day temperature inversion left a sulfurous cloud over Denora. It posed a hazard for 12,000 residents. Twenty died and 5, 910 became ill. For many decades more that 100 tons of soot fell to the ground in Allegheny County. Fresh snow became black within 24 hours. There was so much soot that that the soil was black more than six inches deep. Over the years Pittsburgh has done a tremendous job of cleaning up the problems caused by the steel mills and other factories. However, as in most big cities, problems still exist, and air quality continues to be a major environmental issue. According to Scorecard, as recently as 1990 Allegheny County ranked among the worst 20 % of all counties in the United States for non-cancer hazards from hazardous air pollutants. In 1996 Allegheny County ranked in the worst 20% of all counties in the United States for emissions of PM-10.

Also 1,336, 449 people in Allegheny county face a cancer risk one hundred times the limit set by the Clean Air Act. This air cancer risk comes from mobile, area and point sources. Toxic chemical land releases are also a problem in Allegheny County. In 1998, this county ranked 726 out of 996 in the United States in terms of these chemical releases from manufacturing facilities. Certainly these kinds of statistics are scary, and they should shock students into awareness of the man-made hazards that their generation must now address. Now they may see the value of plants, trees and other vegetation in a different light. They help to clean the air. After learning the facts about air pollution students may be more willing to help water the plants at home and in the classroom. Perhaps they may be interested in helping with the planting that volunteers do in the neighborhood and on school grounds. Maybe clean-up projects around green areas will have more significance to them. These are just small steps in becoming pro-active for the environment, but they are important steps.

Now that students are armed with more knowledge about environmental issues, they will begin to plan a photograph display, a video documentary and a series of environmental poems that will reflect their recent insights into the value of protecting the environment. Creating these final pieces will help students to revisit and reflect on the issues presented in this unit. The individual creativity that the projects require add personal value to the work they do. They will also develop a sense of empowerment through their ability to convey complex abstract feelings through quality concrete representations of those ideas. Students will also have a sense of pride in displaying their accomplishments in this unit.

The Documentary

Each student must create a film segment that presents a description of their neighborhood and commentary on environmental issues they have studied. Students will use the descriptive essay they wrote at the beginning of the unit to create a storyboard for their video. Before creating the storyboard, however, students will revise the descriptive essay to include their insights about environmental issues. The new knowledge they have about the environment may change the dominant impression that they want their descriptions to have. For instance, a student may have described his Mount Washington neighborhood that has a spectacular view of The Point in downtown Pittsburgh as being beautiful and upscale. Now he may see the flaws in the picture. He may now notice that air pollution over the city is visible and unhealthy, or that there are no trees on his street so that the polluted city view will not be obstructed. In his revision, he may want to include the idea that behind the beautiful façade lurks hazards. The storyboard should outline the places that they will film as well as the narration that will accompany the film selections on the storyboard. Students should aim for creating a dominant impression that makes a significant statement.

We have only one digital video camera. Therefore, students may sign it out for only one day. After everyone has had a chance to videotape their scenes once, students may sign the camera out again to reshoot. While this process is going on outside of the classroom, students will work on their poems in class. The poetry assignment is described below. When students have completed their filming, the class will begin to preview the segments and make suggestions for editing and improving each piece. Students will focus on the following criteria when giving feedback on the videos. The video should be clear and steady. Students should use the tripod to help in this respect. Students should do the narration while they are videotaping. This will save time when they are editing their film. Therefore, the narration should be clear, even-paced and expressive.

The video segment should clearly reflect the ideas suggested in the narration. For each video, students should make suggestions for improvement. With the assistance of the district media specialist, students will begin to edit their segments using Adobe Premiere. In order to complete the video aspect of this project in a timely manner, students will have to do some of the work during out-of-class time. They may come in during their lunchtime or after school. When the individual segments are completed, two or three student volunteers will string them together. They may add additional film clips and special effects transitions to pull the whole piece together. The media specialist will assist them with this aspect of the project. These student editors will also design titles and an introduction for the video. Most of this work must be done after school. The students who volunteer to do this should keep a time log and a journal so that they can use this project as their Independent Long Term Project for the year.

The Photographs

Students have had a chance to take a number of pictures with the digital camera. They have also written reflections about various environmental issues. Through class discussion students will brainstorm ideas of the types of photos that would best illustrate their overall feelings about the environment or their feelings about a specific environmental issue. Students may want to take additional pictures from which to choose. Students must choose three of their photos that evoke strong feelings about the environment and then write a series of three poems that convey their ideas. They will use Adobe Photo Shop to edit the photos.

The Poems

Students will create three environmental poems. They will begin this assignment by reading several examples of environmental poetry including contemporary pieces by Gary Snyder and classic poems by Thoreau and Wordworth. Students will note the basic elements of poetry that make these poems effective. Some of the poetic devices that students will review and use effectively in their poems include voice, diction, imagery, figures of speech, syntax and sound devices. Voice is evident through the speaker’s tone in the poem. Tone is the speaker’s attitude toward the subject. The diction or word selection along with the syntax, the order of the words, is crucial to creating the desired effect. The theme of the poem travels via the imagery, the details that appeal to the senses. The power of the imagery is enhanced through figures of speech, nonliteral comparisons such as similes and metaphors. The rhythm of the poem entices the reader to fall under its spell while the sound effects such as alliteration; onomatopoeia, assonance and consonance bring the words to life. All these devices work together to produce the overall effect of the poem. Since students will have already studied and worked with these devices during previous units, this activity acts as a refresher lesson. Class discussion of the model environmental poetry selections will give students a chance to revisit these basic elements before writing their poems. After students complete the first drafts of their poems, they will participate in a read around to give and receive feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Each poem must be at least twelve lines. The poems must reflect an effective pattern, an effective progression and an effective ending. The pattern may be a grammatical structure that is repeated, significant words or phrases that are repeated, the length of the lines, the repeated use of figurative language such as metaphors and similes, or other structures that the students choose. However, the poems should not contain end-rhymed lines. The effort to make the lines rhyme often causes students to lose sight of the meaning. Progression refers to the movement of the poem. The details may progress from the least important to the most important, from things on the earth to things in the sky, from the biggest item to the smallest item – any approach that takes the idea in the poem to a different level. For the ending to be effective it must have impact. The ending may be a surprise, an expected result, a question, an insightful observation – whatever the writer can devise that makes the ending really say something. The meaning must be clear and should be conveyed through concrete images. The reader should easily be able to see the relationship among the three poems. After receiving feedback from the class, students should make final revisions and then type their poems.

Students must print out two copies of their poems, one for the gallery they will create and one to hand in. Students will turn in the poetry assignment in the following order: title page, one page explanation of what the poems as a group mean, the poems, the evaluation sheet.

The Big Event

Two student directors will organize the presentation of projects completed in this unit. Finished photographs for the environmental poetry and photo gallery will be placed on foam art board, and the poems will also be mounted on the art board. The student directors will appoint two students to hang the photos and poems on the classroom walls in the style of an art gallery. Two other students will create a program that gives a brief summary of the unit and a list of the student participants. Two other students will be in charge of invitations. Two students will act as host/hostesses. Students may invite any of their teachers and the principal and vice principals. Parents will be invited to see this presentation at a later date when the gifted students present their Long Term Projects. Refreshments of punch and cookies will be served at the end of the presentation. This will give students and the audience an opportunity to talk about the presentations in an informal manner.

The sample lesson plans are designed for class periods that are forty-five minutes long. The ninth grade gifted class has no more than fifteen students. Activities may be adjusted for larger classes or varying class lengths. "CO" stands for Communication Standards, and "N.S." stands for New Standards. Both of these are explained at the end of this document on the "District Standards" page.

Lesson One

Topic – Overview of unit

Time - One class period

Objective – Students will demonstrate understanding of the basic requirements of this unit by correctly answering questions on a reflection sheet at the end of class.

Rationale – The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to the many facets of this project and to spark excitement about getting started.

Material – Project syllabus; two rhyming lines of poetry, reflection questions; homework assignment – interview questions, digital camera, parental permission slips for students to take the digital cameras home.

Procedure

1. Start today’s class discussion by asking students to think of what "environment" means. The class should be quiet for about two minutes while everyone ponders this topic.

2. Ask students to jot down their strongest idea about the environment.

3. Next read two rhyming lines that will be the beginning of a class poem about the environment. Each student will add two rhyming lines to the poem as it circulates around the room. Students should write their names after the lines their two lines. This is a fun activity that will be a springboard for discussion and a review of elements of poetry. (Example of first two lines – The environment is the cloak of life for me/ It is more than a meadow, a roaring waterfall or a majestic tree.)

As the poem circulates around the room, ask students to name their neighborhoods and to describe it. They should comment on what they like or dislike about it. Point out that all the things they mentioned are part of the environment.

Pass out the unit syllabus. Give students a few minutes to read it, and then describe the project to the class. Include expectations of the final product. Pass out forms for students to take the digital cameras home. These forms must be signed by a parent or guardian and turned in immediately.

Answer student questions, and then ask them to point out the valuable skills and potential insights that this unit offers.

Students need pictures of a structure in their neighborhood for the activities in Lesson Four. Therefore, show students how to use the digital camera and give each student a chance to take a picture in the classroom. Each student should take the camera for one day and take several pictures in their community. At least one picture must contain a building or other built structure. Students must start this now so that each of them has a picture to use for the built environment assignment.

After explaining the picture-taking activity, distribute the first assignment which asks students to ask someone in their family or neighborhood to tell them as much as they can about the neighborhood, particularly interesting historical details. Students should bring this response to the next class.

Collect the class poem and read it aloud to the class. This should help set the tone of having fun with a serious topic.

Distribute the reflection questions during the last five minutes of class. Students should hand these in on the way out of class.

G. Standards – 100% of the students will contribute to class discussion, the class poem and completion of the reflection sheet.

District Standards – CO 2-3-4-5-6-7 New Standards – R-2

Lesson Two

Topic- Neighborhood sketches

Time – Three class periods

Objective –Students will demonstrate their ability to select effective descriptive details by giving a vivid oral description of their neighborhoods and then writing a descriptive essay about their neighborhoods.

Rationale – In order for students to take ownership of this project, the activities must connect to them on a personal level. Therefore, asking the students to talk about their own neighborhoods rather than Pittsburgh in general, should spark more interest in this activity. There should be a greater willingness to get their ideas across to their audience thus emphasizing the need for using effective descriptive techniques in both oral and written presentations.

Material – Peer feedback sheets

Procedure

Review the unit syllabus and return reflection sheets from Lesson One. Repeat the homework interview assignment.

Each student will be assigned a partner. Partners should not live in close proximity to each other. Students will tell their partners what they found out about their neighborhoods from the interview they completed at home. The students will also describe the neighborhood to their partners. Students will have about twenty minutes to complete this sharing session.

Each student will now describe his/her partner’s neighborhood to the class including the information from the home interview. The rest of the class will complete feedback sheets where they can jot down questions, comments and suggestions for improvement. This activity reinforces the need for details that are clear and vivid enough for someone else to "see" them and repeat them accurately.

If the class has any questions about the interview or neighborhood description, they should direct them to the writer rather than the presenter. .

Peer feedback sheets will be given to the writer.

During the class discussion, students should take notes that will help them with their written descriptions.

Next, students should write an informal outline for their descriptive essay. It should contain the dominant impression and the details that support that impression.

Students will look at several descriptive pieces in their literature anthologies to view models of effective ways of starting a descriptive piece.

Students should now write a first draft of their essays.

Students will participate in a read-around to share their descriptions and obtain feedback and suggestions for the final revision.

Students must hand in the final revised assignment in the following order: title page, final copy of essay, drafts/notes, peer feedback sheets, evaluation sheets.

G. Standards – 100% of the students will contribute to class discussion, the class poem and completion of the reflection sheet.

District Standards – CO 2-3-4-5-6-7 New Standards –WR-2-

Lesson Three

Topic- Research report – Air, water, land pollution; the built environment

Time – three class periods

Objective- Students will find information on pollution and the built environment and share their findings with the class.

Rationale – Now that students have taken a closer look at their surroundings, information on various types of pollution will be more meaningful to them. This activity requires that students research a very limited aspect of pollution and share it with the class. The aim here is to have students deal with small amounts of new information that is meaningful. They can build on this knowledge later if they wish

Material – research assignment and questions; citation sheets

Procedure

Distribute the research report assignment sheet and go over the details. Students will work in pairs to define air pollution, acid rain, the built environment, water pollution and land pollution. Students will find information about these topics as they apply to Allegheny County.

Conduct a class discussion on what students already know about pollution and then present some interesting information about pollution in the Pittsburgh area.

Divide the class into pairs and assign topics. One student should find the definition while the partner should find information about the topic as it pertains to Allegheny County.

Students should go to the computer lab and access the Internet cites listed on the assignment sheet.

Students should take notes and fill out a citation sheet.

Each pair should prepare a written report to turn in and an oral report to share the information with the class.

Each pair should prepare a five-question quiz to give the class after their presentations. This will help to check for understanding.

G. Standards – 100% of the students will complete this assignment. All students should receive a grade of at least 90%.

District Standards – CO 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 New Standards-Wr-4; Sp-1

Lesson four

Topic – The built environment

Time - Two days

Objective – Students will demonstrate a basic understanding of the built environment by discussing the impact of one structure in their neighborhood. They will use the picture of the structure that they took with the digital camera at the beginning of the unit. .

Rationale – Students will begin applying what they are learning about the environment to their own lives by taking a closer look at their neighborhoods. Students have already written descriptions of their neighborhoods, interviewed family or friends about interesting details about their neighborhoods, and completed basic research about environmental pollution. This activity enables students to begin to synthesize all these areas as they prepare to produce visual images of their ideas about the environment.

Material – Assignment sheet

Procedure

Ask the students who researched the definition of the built environment to review it with the class.

Distribute the assignment sheet and go over it. Students should write an essay that discusses the impact of the building on the environment. Give students several examples.

Students should begin their first draft in class and finish it for homework.

Students will read their drafts in the reading circle and show the class the picture of the structure they are writing about. They will receive peer feedback

The pictures and written responses will be posted on the bulletin board in the classroom.

G. Standards – 100% of the students will complete this assignment. All will earn at least a 90% grade.

District Standards – CO 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 New Standards –Wr-6

Lesson Five

A. Topic – Making the video

Time – Two weeks

Objective – Students will create a storyboard and then create a film segment about the environment and their neighborhoods.

Rationale – Creating this film segment gives students the opportunity to not only showcase what they have learned about the environment and their neighborhoods in a creative way, but it also gives them an opportunity to learn how to use the video editing software so that film becomes another effective medium of expression.

Material- Assignment sheet, instructions for Adobe Premiere, video equipment.

Procedure

Distribute assignment sheet and go over the requirements

Students should take out the neighborhood descriptions that they wrote earlier and use these for the basis of the narration of their film Students will use all the information they have collected thus far to create the neighborhood sketch video.

Ask students to complete the video guide that asks what overall effect and message they intend to reflect in their video.

This worksheet also asks students to list the elements in the video that will produce this effect. Before students do this they will take part in a guided imagery activity. Ask them to "imagine" the video first. Students should close their eyes and follow the teacher’s prompts that ask students to walk themselves through the video, narrating as they go. All this should be done silently.

Now that students have a clear idea where they are going with their video, they should create a storyboard. The storyboard identifies the camera shot along with accompanying narration.

Students will share the storyboards with the class and receive peer feedback.

Once the storyboards have been revised, students will begin filming. Each student may sign the camera out for one day to do their filming. They must narrate as they film to save time when editing the film. They should also use the tripod to make sure the images are clear and steady. Students may sign the camera out again after everyone has had a chance to do their firs filming.

Students will begin the poetry section of this unit while students are collecting their film segments. The next lesson will outline the poetry activities.

Each day, one student will show the class their videotape and the class will critique it. The student should take notes for revision.

A media specialist will train students on using the video editing equipment and software. Students will use their neighborhood videotapes during their training so that they can work independently on the video after the media specialist leaves.

Two student directors will be trained on how to add after-effects and polish the final product. These students will work on this outside of class time.

In addition to completing their own film segments, students will participate in other aspects of the finished film such as an introduction or transition shot as determined by the two film directors.

Students will view and critique the finished film and make final suggestions for improvement.

G. Standards – 100% of the students will contribute to the class film project. All students will earn at least a grade of 80%.

District Standards – CO 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 New Standards –Wr-2; Sp-1

Lesson Six

Topic – Environmental poetry

Time – One Week (at same time as film project)

Objective – Students will create three environmental poems based on a single theme. They will incorporate the elements of poetry that they have studied in previous units.

Rationale – One of the main focuses of this unit is to help students to express abstract ideas in concrete terms. Poetry is difficult to write, but it offers a venue for expressing complex ideas in a compact format. Throughout this unit students have been incorporating poetic techniques and elements into their projects – photos, film, essays. This culminating assignment encourages students to reflect on all that they have experienced during this unit and select their best insights about the environment to capture in their poetry and photographs.

Material – Assignment sheet, elements of poetry review sheet

Procedure

Distribute assignment sheet and go over the assignment

Review elements of poetry using the review sheet

Ask students what they think environmental poetry is. Read several model poems and have students identify the techniques that make the poem effective.

Students must write three poems that will be evaluated as one piece. The poems must be connected through a common theme. Students should brainstorm some ideas. List these on the board.

Read a sample set of three poems and ask students to comment on the theme and quality of the poetry.

Students should begin to write the first drafts of their poems.

Students must select one to three photos that they took with the digital camera to accompany the poems. They may make this selection before, during or after writing their poems.

After students finish their first drafts, they will share them in the reading circle. They will receive feedback for improvement. The class will also give their opinions of the types of photos that they would expect to see with the poems and why. This may help the writer to define the connection between the photos they chose and the poems they wrote.

Students will revise their poems and then write a one-page explanation of what the poems mean.

Students must hand in the assignment in the following order – Title page, one-page explanation, poems, drafts and notes, evaluation sheet.

G. Standards – 100% of the students will contribute to class discussion and completion of the assignment. All students will earn at least an 80% grade.

District Standards – CO 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 New Standards –Wr-2

African American Literature: Voices in a Tradition. Austin Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc. 1992. This anthology is a collection of writings by African American Authors.

Beatty, Jane. Literature and Language. Boston, McDougal Littell, 1994. This is the ninth grade literature anthology.

Bell, Thomas. Out of This Furnace. Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Press. 1976 This novel includes the story of immigrant labor in the Pittsburgh area. It also includes descriptive passages of Pittsburgh’s environment.

Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. Houghton Mifflin, 1994. This powerful book details the destructive effects of pesticides on the environment and on human life.

DiYanni, Robert. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, Drama and the Essay. Boston, McGraw-Hill 1994. This text is an excellent resource for all types of literature.

Environmental Protection Agency. Why be Concerned? Health and Environmental Effects. May 31, 2001, www.epa.gov/air/concerns/ This website hase valuable information about many environmental factors.

Gander Academy. Fresh water and Fresh Water Pollution Web Resources for Students.
Fresh Water Ecology and Pollution. May 31, 2001.www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/water.htm
This website gives general information about the earth’s water as well as suggestions for classroom activities.

"Gary Snyder: Chronology," Modern American Poetry. May 9, 2001.
www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/s-z/snyder/chronology.htm This website list events in the life of Gary Snyder including the dates and titles of his literary works.

Hays, Samuel P. City at the Point. Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Press. 1989. This book examines the experiences of various ethnic and racial groups in Pittsburgh as well as the class structure. In doing so, it gives details of various living environments.

Lorant, Stephan, Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City. Pittsburgh, Esselmont Books, LLC, 1999. This fifth edition chronicles Pittsburgh’s history from the beginning.

Lubove, Roy. Twentieth Century Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Press.
Among other things, this book describes Pittsburgh’s change from a smoky city to a renaissance city.

Scorecard. "About Your Community," May 31, 2001..www.scorecard.org/co…/index/tcl This website gives useful environmental information and statistics about specific communities. The user may type in his/her zip code to obtain local information.

Shank, William. Indian Trails to Super Highways. York, American Transportation Center, 1988. This booklet traces important events in Pennsylvania transportation history from the days of Indian trails to our super highways.

Southern Illinois University. "Writing Across the Curriculum Assignment, Scoring Rubric for Poetry," Environmental Issues in the contemporary World. March 2, 2001 www.science.siu.edu/plant-biology/gibson/PLB301i/poem.htm This website describes an environmental poetry assignment and includes a scoring rubric.

Wackernagel, Mathis and William Rees. Our Ecological Footprint. New Society Publishers, 1996. This book presents the history of Pennsylvania forests and man’s impact on the environment.

WQED Pittsburgh. ‘Bridges and Buildings: Exploring the Built Environment", Pittsburgh History Series. March 14, 2001. www.wqed.org/erc/pghist/units/build/ This website gives an overview of the built environment with links to lesson plans and other information.

African American Literature: Voices in a Tradition. Austin Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc. 1992. This anthology is a collection of writings by African American Authors.

Beatty, Jane. Literature and Language. Boston, McDougal Littell, 1994. This is the ninth grade literature anthology.

Bell, Thomas. Out of This Furnace. Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Press. 1976 This novel includes the story of immigrant labor in the Pittsburgh area. It also includes descriptive passages of Pittsburgh’s environment.

Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. Houghton Mifflin, 1994. This powerful book details the destructive effects of pesticides on the environment and on human life.

Lorant, Stephan, Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City. Pittsburgh, Esselmont Books, LLC, 1999. This fifth edition chronicles Pittsburgh’s history from the beginning.

Scorecard. "About Your Community," May 31, 2001..www.scorecard.org/co…/index/tcl This website gives useful environmental information and statistics about specific communities. The user may type in his/her zip code to obtain local information

This appendix contains the project syllabus and assignment evaluation sheets

Project Description – This eight week unit will give you an opportunity to make some discoveries about the environment. The activities will focus primarily on the environment in your own neighborhoods with an emphasis on learning about various types of pollution. You will express the insights and emotions you develop during this experience in the form of essays, poetry, photography and film. Below is an outline of the major components of this unit.

English I CAS Name _______________________

Descriptive Essay-Neighborhood Sketch Date ____________

Literary Genre – Writing Entry #2 ____ N.S. Rubric Score

Evaluation Sheet

Assignment- Write a descriptive essay that gives a dominant impression of your neighborhood as you see it. Use vivid details that allow the reader to experience a walk down the streets of your community. Start with an introduction that captures the reader’s attention.

My essay has:

1. A captivating introduction 1 2 3 4 5

2. A strong dominant impression 1 2 3 4 5

3. Vivid descriptive details 1 2 3 4 5

4. Effective organization of details 1 2 3 4 5

5. No grammatical / mechanical errors 1 2 3

6. A neat appearance (typed or bl.ink) 1 2

SCALE - A (25-23) B (22-20) C (19-17) D (16-15) E (14-0)

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WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT YOUR ESSAY?

English I CAS Name _________

Pollution Report Evaluation Sheet Date _______

Reading Entry #2 (Reading Informational Texts) ____N.S. Score

Writing Entry # 4 (Report of Information)

Assignment – Working with a partner, use the scorecard.org internet site to write a brief report that defines the assigned pollution topic and explains the status of that topic in Allegheny County. Cite your internet source correctly.

My report:

1. Clearly defines the topic 1 2 3 4 5

Gives specific information 1 2 3 4 5

about Allegheny County

3. Is written in my own words 1 2 3 4 5

4. Is well-organized 1 2 3 4 5

4. Has a correct citation 1 2 3 4

Has no grammatical/mechanical 1 2 3

errors

4. Has a neat appearance (typed/bl.ink)1 2 3

SCALE A (30-27) B (26-24) C (23-21) D (20-18) E (17-0)

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WHAT IS THE MOST INTERESTING FACT IN YOUR REPORT?

English I CAS Name ____________

Persuasive Essay- Date ____________

Evaluation Sheet

Assignment – Select a building or other structure in your neighborhood and write a well developed persuasive essay that presents the impact that it has on the environment. Refer to the information that was given to the class in the "built environment" report. Include a copy of the digital camera picture of your structure.

My essay:

1. Has a strong introduction 1 2 3 4

2. Clearly establishes a position 1 2 3 4

3. Has relevant supporting details 1 2 3 4

4. Is well organized 1 2 3 4

5. Uses appropriate level vocabulary 1 2 3

6. Has no grammatical/mechanical errors 1 2 3

7. Has a neat appearance (typed; bl. Ink) 1 2 3

SCALE A (25-23) B (22-21) C (20-17) D (16-15) E (14-0)

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WHAT IS YOUR STRONGEST POINT ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE STRUCTURE YOU DISCUSSED?

This unit addresses the District’s Communication Standards as well as the New Standards Portfolio requirements.

CO 1 (Communications Standard one) states that All students use effective research and information management skills, including locating primary and secondary sources of information with traditional and emerging library technologies. Students will use our library’s data bases such as Encarta, Access PA and electric Library, the internet and books of about Pittsburgh and the environment.

CO-2 states that All students read and use a variety of methods to make sense of various kinds of complex texts. Students will gain understanding of the readings through question/answer sessions, class discussions and writing assignments .

CO-3 states that All students respond orally and in writing to information and ideas gained by reading narrative and informational texts and use the information and ideas to make observations and solve problems. Students will apply what they read to the construction of their video, poems and oral reports thus demonstrating their ability to make observations and solve problems. The video and poems address environmental problems and solutions.

CO-4 states that All students write for a variety of purposes, including to narrate, inform, and persuade, in all subject areas Students will write for all of these reasons throughout the course of this unit. The video will narrate the neighborhood experience. The research reports will inform the audience about the environment, and the persuasive piece about the built environment will influence opinions.

CO-5 states that All students analyze and make critical judgments about all forms of communication, separating fact from opinion, recognizing propaganda, stereotypes and statements of bias, recognizing inconsistencies and judging the validity of evidence. These areas will be addressed in class discussions, readings and writings about the environment.

CO-6 states that All students exchange information orally, including understanding and giving spoken instructions, asking and answering questions appropriately, and promoting effective group communications. Group discussions and oral presentations in class and in the video address this standard.

CO-7 states that All students listen to and understand complex oral messages and identify the purposes, structure and use. During the course of this unit students will be required to listen to instructions for completing assignments and using new software. These activities require that students demonstrate competency of this standard.

CO-8 states that All students compose and make oral presentations for each academic area of study that are designed to persuade, inform or describe. Students will give oral presentations of their research reports, the built environment piece and their poems.

New Standards Portfolio

The work addressed in this unit can also satisfy many of the requirements of the New Standards Portfolio that all students must assemble throughout the course of each school year. The portfolio contains three major exhibits: The Reading Exhibit, Writing Exhibit and Speaking and Listening Exhibit.

The Reading Exhibit requires evidence that students can effectively read informational texts, public documents and functional documents. Students will be exposed to these types of texts as they do their background research. Students may also include the reading they complete during this unit in their 25 Book Club journal to satisfy the "Evidence of Quantity, Range and Depth" entry.

The Writing Exhibit requires a "Response to Literature" entry. Students will address this by reading a number of environmental poems and then responding to prompts about the reading. Another entry is "Demonstration of Proficiency in a Literary Genre." Since students will specifically work on producing a three poems, they will clearly address this entry. This exhibit also requires a "Report." Students may choose the research information pollution to fulfill the "Report" entry. If students have chosen other assignments to fulfill the Writing Exhibit entries, they may select their poems as a "Free Pick," which is another requirement for this exhibit.

The activities in this unit easily lend themselves to the Speaking and Listening Exhibit. Students will present their research findings and their essays and poems orally to the class. The documentary video the students create is also an oral presentation . These assignments can be used as evidence for the "Gathering and Reporting" entry. Students may also select written responses to video clips in this unit as evidence of the "Viewing Option."