This curriculum unit was developed from the Learning Through Performance in Middle School Math and Science Project. The goal of the project was to develop, pilot, and research the efficacy of a 6th grade math course and science course that are designed to align with 6th grade Common Core Mathematics Standards and Next Generation Science Standards. The curriculum was designed to exemplify the use of project-based learning as the primary instructional approach, and instructionally embedded performance-based assessments as the primary assessment strategy. The rationale for building project-based learning units was to support greater student engagement and deeper learning of rigorous content through authentic, real-world applications of math and science. The rationale for building performance-based assessments into each unit of study was to support more reliable and valid measurement of individual students’ learning and performance on relevant math and science concepts and practices.
All of the curriculum materials were designed to have teachers participate in professional development to help support them in the design approach as well as implementing the materials in their classroom. If you would like further information about professional development services, please contact us.
Unit Overview
Learning Task 1: Get Started on the Culminating Project
In the Culminating Project, students will work in teams to create a tour of a specific location in their community. During the unit, the teams will represent ratios, convert units of measurement, and work with unit rate to determine distances to the location in terms of stride length, walking rate, and the time it takes to walk the entire tour. The teams will
present their tours to another class, other teachers, parents, community members, and so on.
Learning Task 2: Ratios and Measurement Conversion
In this Learning Task, students will focus on measurement and conversion of distances between important places at their tour location. They will estimate the walking time between their tour location, school, and neighborhood, and share the ways that distance and time are used in tour examples from Learning Task 1 and students’ lives (google map directions, etc.). Students will learn to show equivalency between ratios in various ways and eventually decide which of those ways works best for them.
Learning Task 3: Find Your Stride Length and Walking Rate
Students will find their walking rates and stride lengths, and use ratios and unit rates to compare the two. They will use this information to determine the time it will take someone to walk to different locations in their tour.
Culminating Project: Community Tour
Students produce a scaled map of their Community Tour including interesting sites, distances, times for different modes of transportation, and numbers of steps taken. If possible, have community members take the tour!
Individual Performance Task
Students individually complete a performance task to display evidence of student mastery of the skills related to this unit.
