UbD in Action 5-6th

Here is a current bulletin board that focuses on our writing standards.  It is interactive.  We can use examples of writing from our class or examples from state testing sites.  Students debate what makes a piece of writing below average, average, or above average and write our reasoning on color-coded sticky notes.  Students transfer their understanding of the standards and writing rubrics to judging a variety of models.

Writing Topics Graph 5-6th

We collected a quick version of our interests for starting a unit on informational writing and research processes.  We were given unlimited votes, but a limited amount of suggestions for topics, due to time constraints.  The graph lends itself to a quick making questions or drawing conclusion review.  Seeing as I've left it up on the board, it's easy morning work for tomorrow!

Top Interests for kids: Movies, Animals, Rides, Famous People, Etymology (Names), Cars
Standards (Interests for teachers): Cause/Effect, Colonial History: Economy, Religion, Trade, Exploration

Questions Merging Any Two Categories:

1. What was the effect of the horse, pig, cow, chicken, etc. on colonial life?

2. What effects did the colonists have on the animals of North America?

3. Compare and contrast an amusement park to Colonial America.
4. Who is the most important famous person from the great exploration of the New World?  Why?
5. Compare a famous person from today to a famous person from the 1400's-1600's.
6.  What effects did the Columbian Exchange have on animals?
7.  Why were the countries and colonies in the Americas named?  Explain the reasons of three commonly used names we use today that were developed in the 1500's.
8.  How is transportation the same or different than the 1500's?
9.  How is money the same and different from in the Colonial times?