TransitionPANGAEA Unit:A Year in Profile

Barbara Vogt; Toni Ann Rasch; Gail Luciano

Survival in the 21st Century continues; speakers; Advisor –Advisee; Peer Relationships; Self; Behaviors; Spatial and Chronological Writing; Mythology; Creation Myths; Oral Tradition; Descriptive Writing; Creation Writing; Classifying; Vivid Verb; Figurative Language; Folklore; Drama; Plant and Animal Farm; Longitude and Latitude; Auditory Illustration; Question; Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy; Genetics; Adaptation and Life Skills; Theory of Evolution; Civics and Politics; Extinction and Adaptation; Time line; Food Prep; Music Theory and Art; Etymology, Diction, Word Roots; Astrology; Tools for Trade and Survival; Transportation; Topography and Geography; Painting, Dancing, Pantomimes, Clothing and the Arts; Word Problems and Mathematics; Distance, Proportions, and Ratio; Health and Nutrition; Hiking and Survival; Public Speaking; Technology Skills and Work Programs; and College Readiness Skills.

ALPHA-OMEGA TRANSITIONUNIT: PANGAEA Day 1- GOAL 1 (Mythology): The student will understand the

importance of creation mythology (cosmogonist mythology) to different cultures.

Objectives: The student will create a continent and a myth about that

continent and compare it to Pangaea. The student will define oral tradition and explain the factors that

effect oral tradition. The student will identify cosmogonist myths according to

classification: Creation by a Supreme being; Creation through emergence; Creations by world parents; Creation from the cosmic egg; and Creation by earth divers.

ALPHA-OMEGA TRANSITIONUNIT - PANGAEAActivities:1. Illustrate and write an continental creation myth – surrounding the

birth of this continent.2. On the white board write Pangaea. Each student will illustrate

(with dry erase markers and white boards or poster boards a descriptive paragraph about Pangaea).

3. Play environmental sounds. Students will write descriptive paragraphs of the sounds they hear as they relate to a continent’s creation. Use imagery.

4. Define oral tradition and explain the factors that effect oral tradition.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONUNIT - PANGAEAA. Brainstorm Activity: 1. Oral Tradition (Define) 2. Provide examples B. Word Identification Skills 1. Cosmogonist (Tales) Greek a. Cosmo – world/universe b. gony – origination or production 2. Pour quoi – (Why Tales) French

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITION UNIT - PANGAEA 3. Mythology- Identify myths according to classification.

A. List classification (Creation by a Supreme being; Creation through emergence; Creation by World Parent; Creation from the Cosmic Egg; Creation by Earth Divers) on the board or poster board.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITION UNIT - PANGAEA Continue: 3. Identify Myths B. Story Telling Session with Music Read the cosmogonist myth “The Woman

Who Fell From the Sky: Divine Woman the Creator.” Then, Class have a class discussion: Classifying, Identifying Pour quoi Tales and explain the role of oral tradition to this myth.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITION UNIT - PANGAEA C. Read Cosmogonist myths and discuss

during class. D. Give each student a myth to read for

homework. The student will classify the type of myth, identify any pour quoi tales, and explain the role of oral tradition to this myth. (Remember the factors that effect Oral Tradition).

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT E. Have a Storyteller come into the class and

tell a story from their culture. Then, discuss and classify, identify pour quoi tale(s), and explain the role of oral tradition to this story.

Divide into Cooperative Learning Groups (2 day activity)

Turtles Coyotes Finches Iguanas

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Conclusion Activity for Goal 1: (Will substitute as End- of- Unit

Assessment. First Day: Each group will design/create (using magazine or

computer images) a poster of the group’s continent. (One class period for designing and, if time allows, begin the following assignment. Complete for homework.) (Individually– write a cosmogonist myth with the statement, “In the beginning…” to explain your group’s creation.

Each story will be an example of one of the types of cosmogonist myths discussed during class. Also, each will include:

One “pour quoi” tale (explaining how your group’s animal came into existence and illustrations. Second Day: Shared reading of stories to class. Classify the read stories during class discussion.

* Note the different version of stories describing same creation.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Goal 2: (Science) The students will understand adaptation and

the factors which allow for this process. Behavioral Objectives: 1. List five animals, five plants, and five land forms which were

seen in the PowerPoint. 2. Locate the five largest islands on the map and know the

longitude and latitude. 3. Write a theory of how animals and plants arrived on the

islands. 4. Define gene, trait, generation, adaptation, behavioral

adaptation, food getting adaptation, Darwin and the Theory of Evolution.

5. Explain adaptation and illustrate changes through time. 6. Name and design an continent in cooperation with English,

Math, Social Studies, Physical Education/Heath classes.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Teacher Generated Activities to Fulfill the Above Objectives: 1. List five animals, plants and land forms seen on the

PowerPoint or film. A. Divide class into cooperative groups. Hand out color folders

that have the group name at the top and the day’s activity outlined inside. From this point to the end of the unit, the students will join to their group at the start of class. The groups will be the Turtles, Iguanas', Coyotes, and Cactuses, etcetera. (The same group names will be used in the other curricular disciplines. Rules and accountability would have been discussed at the beginning of the year.)

B. View the PBS, Smithsonian film (1986, On the Shoulders of Giants.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT C. Fill in the given sheet with the required

lists. D. Go over each groups lists, note

similarities, differences. E. Distribute maps of Pangaea. For

homework, label the three closet continents and the five largest islands.

**(See Walk About Gallery or Internet for reference).

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Locate the five largest islands on the map and name

each. A. Review map in class. Discuss island

characteristics. Use Google map to enlarge the area. Review longitude and latitude. Practice longitude and latitude. Crossword puzzle with island names and plant

types. Announce assessment for the next day. It will be

similar to the homework map, with some fill in the blank questions.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT 3. Write a theory of how plant and animal fauna

began habitation on the continent or islands. A. Take assessment B. What would it sound like for the continent or

islands to be born? Play music and even have a recorder to tape the responses.

C. Ask…Prompting…How would you think plants and animals would get to an island from large continents? Write the suggestions on the white board. (brainstorming)

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT D. Explain land bridge, stepping stone

theory, and the concept of the island being a part of a larger land mass similar to Pangaea.

E. Each group takes it group name and traces a path, for example, Turtles from the larger mass to an island. Part of the product may be drawn, but it must also be explained. Minimum, one page. Due tomorrow.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT 4. Define gene, generation, trait, adaptation,

behavioral adaptation, food getting adaptation, Theory of Evolution, and Darwin.

A. Ask…Do animals evolve through evolution? If so, explain in detail.

B. The teacher discusses gene, generation, and trait.

C. See examples of adaptation.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT D. With student examples and interactions

teacher explains the Theory of Evolution and Darwin’s thoughts on evolution.

E. Distribute assignments where the group makes a matching assignment about the Theory of Evolution and Darwin’s thoughts on evolution. The papers will be collected at the end of class and switched between groups at the start of class tomorrow.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT A. Exchange homework and complete the matching

exercise. B. Go back to Day # 3 assignment, “Habitation,” and

take it a step further. Decide if your Turtle needs to change or adapt itself to survive on the new island.

C. Make a list of adaptations on the white board. D. Continue assignment by drawing or illustrating

the changes through time. It would be a 500 year span of adaptation. Write a summary of the behavioral, or structural changes. Maximum 1 page. Attach it to you other assignments.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT 6. Design and illustrate and name an island similar to Galapagos. Due at the end of the overall project. Name of Island: Latitude and Longitude Weather Conditions Plant and Animal Life Adaptations Human Life Map Math Computation Illustration Salt Ceramic Design Music Pictures (drawn or cut) Written Creation Myth

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Mathematics 1. Explain importance of math to early exploration.

Accomplished by role playing and brainstorming. Demonstrate the Pythagorean Theorem.

2. Practice Pythagorean Theorem by pretending to be an explorer.

3. Review ratio and percentages. Write word problems and give them to your neighbor to solve.

4. Interrelate use of Pythagorean Theorem to calculate distance. 5. Guest Speaker: Explains charting, simple navigation,

mapping skills and exploratory tales. 6. compute the distance to find natural resources.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Physical Education/Health 1. Hike to nearby identifiable geographical landscape. A. Obtain parental permission. B. Take 30 minutes supervised hike. Give list of specific artifacts which

you need to be found. (Pre-scope the area so the activity is successful). 2. Rastafarian speaker. Tells the history of island music and shows the

instruments. Group participates in dances. 3. Health Concepts: Nutrition, food survival, smells and tastes of island

foods. 4. Pantomimes. Divide into pairs and mime given topics to your

partner. Teacher monitoring important. 5. Scavenger Hunt. Divide into cooperative groups. Take clues to look

for food, shelter, clothing, companionship, flint, and wood. Present all the components at the end of class. Use pictures for the hunt.

6. Survival Skill Relay. Cooperative groups. Climb to reach a coconut, Run from wild animal, cross dangerous river, and hop across hot lava, and bring food back to the shelter. Create more on the white board.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Advisor – Advisee Program Self, feelings and interpersonal relationships are a few of the concerns

we will be dealing with in our year of discovery. Our groups will meet two days a week. See advance organizer for day and time.

Topic 1: Self – Concept Activity: Plan two perfect days for yourself. Start with the time you get

up to the time you go to bed. Do not worry about money or transportation. Be realistic. Write two separate paragraphs.

Wrap Up: Allow each student to share. Topic 2: Interpersonal Relationships – Activity: Feeling and word

search. Wrap Up: Use at least six of these feelings in a story when you

experienced one of the feelings. Topic 3: Peer Relationships – Activity: “Sticks and Stones” Write a response in you journal – Wrap Up: Discuss with the group

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Goal: The student will discern the many links

between people and the land. Topics: Longitude/Latitude Maps Survey look at weather currents Land Formations Mankind Anthropology/ArchaeologyEvaluation: Student journal entries will be read and

evaluated for understanding of the subject matter.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Lesson Plan-Day 1 Focus & Review: During early sailing days, sailors

used the stars to chart their maps. Lines were drawn between the star shapes. Today we are going to learn how to use these lines of latitude.

Objective: The student will identify and label the features of a map/globe and graph given coordinates with 80% accuracy.

Teacher Input: Looking at a globe, one can see lines that criss-cross at specific points.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Vocabulary Latitude Longitude Meridians Equators Parallels Tropics Cancer Capricorn North Pole and South Pole How does the areas/degrees in the affect the

climate weather of a given area

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Many of the decisions made by early

explores/tribes were affected by the weather. Another factor was ocean and wind currents.

Guided Practice: Each group will work with a map finding locations according to their longitude and latitude. They will chart a journey from port of their choice to a destination given randomly in class. Mode of transportation will be a water vessel (sailing or canoe) or by foot (Caravan).

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT A journal entry will be required of each person within

the group. Components of the entry should include: Origination/destination, reference to coordinates (example: crossed the equator, stopped for supplies at ______). Creativity will be encouraged; grammar and spelling not to be graded.

Closure: Whether you follow the stars, use a compass or read a map of currents or roads, there are a few basic things to remember. Longitude is:

Latitude is: Be sure that you understand the terms as we are

going to be using it later in a project. Tomorrow we will be distinguishing the different land forms.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Note: There will be available for those

students having difficulty a crossword puzzle utilizing definitions of some basic geography terms.

Classroom boards will be saturated with a variety of maps for the student’s exposure and exploration.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Lesson Plan – Day 2 Focus & Review: Ever been on an

archipelago? An island? or even a super continent? Ever lived in the mountains? On the coast? If a visitor from outer space were to ask you your galactic address, could you give it to the visitor? Today, we are going to talk about the different land and water formations on the earth’s surface.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Teacher Input: Using Google Map: ¾’s of the

Earth’s surface is covered by water. The larger water bodies are what? Land formations make up the rest of the Earth’s composition. Different terms distinguish the varying sizes and formations.

What are some of the natural forces that might shape/change the earth’s surface? Manmade forces?

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Vocabulary: Continents Pangaea Plates Elevation Continental Shelves Faults Most Common Land & Water Forms

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Think: What affect might global warming have

on this figure? A bit of trivia: Over 77% of the Earth’s fresh

water is found in an ice form. Over ½ the Earth’s fresh water supply is found in Antarctica. Only 22% is found in underground sources.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Game>Geography Roulette Spinner with four colored sections

representing the groups of the classroom is spanned. It is then spanned again for a number 1 – 6, to determine the person. A group score is kept. The selected student will answer the question. The student will also be required to label a large scale map with his/her answer. A maximum of 5 points can be earned by a group for daily bonus.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Independent Practice: The student will web

the words “Earth” and “Pangaea” as it pertains to the day’s lesson. Examples of the various formations will be given.

Closure: Today, we talked about how the Earth is shaped from a topographical standpoint. Tomorrow, we are going to put another piece to the puzzle and begin to see how land formation affect peoples’ lives.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Note: At this time students will be given a

handout about their group project. Each group will design and create a continent or island. The students will utilize paper Mache, salt, or clay as the basis and schemata, fauna, etc, will be left up to the group’s creative design.

For students having difficulty or needed reinforcement, word scrabbles and matching exercise will be available.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT

Earth

Water> oceansRiversBayGulfStrait

ChannelSea

Streams

Land> mountainsDesert; Archipelagos

Cape; CoastIsthmus; Peninsula

Island; PlainsPlateau; Valley

Hills; sand dunes

Natural changes:Faults; earthquakes;

plates; glaciers; volcanoes

Manmade changes:Erosion; Pollution

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT World Scramble What are these continents? Write the

names in the blanks?

1. THORM ERIMACA ______________________

2. IASA __________________________________

3. TALISARUA ____________________________

4. UPEORE ______________________________

5. CIFRAA _______________________________

6. HOUST CAMERAI ____________________-__

7. CARCATTANI __________________________

Matching Look at the words below. Write the land

features under LAND. Write the water features under WATER.

WATER________________

________________

________________

________________STRAIT; BAY; GULF; CHANNEL

LAND________________

________________

________________

________________ISLAND; PENINSULA; PLATEAU; ARCHIPELIGO

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Lesson Plan – Days 3 & 4 Focus & Review According to archaeologists and anthropologists, the

earth was millions of years old before man first appeared. The earth’s surface had already been molded by natural forces. *Audio tape of environmental sound effects playing (Wind, Water, Fire> Water crashing on rocks, rainstorms, even a volcano exploding and etc.) Today, let’s discuss where man fits into the grand scheme of things.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Objective: The student will demonstrate an

understanding of chronological sequence of events through use of a timeline.

Teacher Input: The class is introduced to the “Encino Man”. A five minute clip of the movie is shown to let the students see one point-of-view of the Cro-Magnon man’s life.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Teacher Questions:

How did man learn to adapt to his environment?

How did he co-exist with the environment? How do we know what we do about early

man?

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Vocabulary Java Neanderthal Cro-Magnon Paleolithic Neolithic Archaeology Anthropology

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Guided Practice: Timeline on wall or white board is introduced. As the unit progresses through the year, this will be

a focal point and added to on a regular basis. Begin with: Paleolithic; Glacial Epochs; and Neolithic Ask: What is significant about these time periods? When do you begin to see man becoming more

civilized and less animalistic? Important discoveries> fire and the wheel. Ask: Did man or woman discover the wheel?

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Independent Practice: Wear a safari hat and carry a large spoon > to represent island

life and a shovel. Each group will have a large sand box filled with sand containing

a variety of ‘artifacts’. Working together in groups, make a log or record on everything

that is found.In you log or group record list: What was found? How was it used? What timeframe was the item used? Provide a brief description of the owner’s lifestyle.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Oral Reports: The group will present their oral report the

following day. Ten minutes will be allocated for each group. All reports will be collected. Grammar, spelling and creativity will be looked at in this assignment.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Closure: Indiana Jones makes it look easy and exciting in the

movie, Indiana Jones. However, there is a lot of hard work, digging, patience, logging information and record keeping involved in an archaeologists' life. Yet, without archaeologist and the record they keep, we would not have the information that we do today. The discovery of man, his inventions, and self are still discoveries of today.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Lesson Plan – Day 5 & 6 Focus & Review: A few day ago, we began working on an

island or continent. Today we are going to give your groups an opportunity to work on these projects.

Objective: The students will create an island or continent from an original design from paper Mache’ or salt dough.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Teacher Input and Guided Practice: Work with students, offering assistance as

needed. Check their designs, and ask them if they have met all the requirements.

Independent Practice: Students will complete the artistic portion of

the project. It is to be labeled and a report will be orally presented by the group on the following day.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Rubric Use a rubric for the completed project. The project

will be graded on creativity and the main components given earlier along with the oral-group presentation.

Closure: Cleanup and complete what needs to be done.

Written diagrams will be accepted today or after tomorrow’s presentations.

Note: During this time period, music is played low. Aboriginal (tribal) chants and drum music will be selected.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Ask: How is man/woman’s life different in the

21st century as compared to the past 500 years?

Use the timeline and white board to show the comparisons.

ALPHA – OMEGA TRANSITIONPANGAEA UNIT Ask: How has this lesson changed your views

and perspectives about your environment and record keeping?

Present your answers orally. Earth, Wind and Fire Games: http://www.regentsearthscience.com/geology

_jeopardy.htm