WWA Unit Overview 2012-13

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WHO WE ARE An inquiry into the nature of self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human

Enduring Understandings: ✤Although we might have learning strengths, we can develop in other ways. ✤Understanding different ways of learning enables people to respond to their own learning needs.

Students will investigate their strengths and weaknesses through the lens of multiple intelligences, different learning styles & thinking styles.

Lines of Inquiry •Learning and thinking styles •How we determine our learning needs •How to be a better learner

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Central Idea Understanding different ways of learning enables people to respond to their own learning needs.

Action What will you do differently once you are aware of your own personal learning styles?

Teacher Questions: 1.What makes a good learner?

2.Who is smart?

Key Concepts: Function: Understanding how we learn & think and how it determines what we learn Connection: Understanding there is a connection between what I learn & how I learn Reflection: How we relate what we learn to our own way of learning Related Concepts: Learning: Exploring different ways of learning Intelligence: Trying different tests to help us decide what type of learner we are Attitudes: Creativity: What does it mean to be creative when looking at how we learn?

Confidence: How do we deal with the fact that we don’t all learn the same way?

Attributes: Reflective: Students will have many opportunities to try different activities in order to identify their own learning styles Balanced: Through the different activities students will have an opportunity to discover why they need balance in their lives.

Transdisciplinary Learning in Math & Literacy Mathematics

Literacy

Data Handling Constructing Meaning: • Understand that we can collect data about learning, thinking, & intelligences to display & interpret using simple graphs • Understand that we can use the databases we have created to answer questions and solve problems • Understand that scale can represent different quantities in graphs • Understand that mode and median can be used to summarize a set of data Transferring Meaning into Symbols: • Collect, display and interpret data about our personal learning style using graphs • Identify, read and interpret range, scale, mode & median on graphs Applying with Understanding: • Design a survey to collect data for our inquiry and systematically collect, organize and display this information in graphs in graphs • Select appropriate graph forms to display

Introducing and establishing literacy routines: • Take responsibility for their own learning and develop independent work habits • Listen attentively and speak appropriately in small and large group interactions

Unit Vocabulary

metacognition respond visual connection auditory kinesthetic

Reading: • Develop personal preferences, selecting books for pleasure and information • Participate in collaborative learning experiences, acknowledging that people see things differently and are entitled to express their point of view Writing: • Write to reflect and explore a variety of graphic organizers • Reflect on themselves as learners by becoming aware of their thinking strategies

spatial interpersonal intrapersonal intelligence learning linguistic

Transdisciplinary Skills: Communication Speaking: in small groups share knowledge & understanding clearly Listening: to others & understanding Thinking Metacognition: think about how you think Self-Management Organization: organize your process journal in a way that suits your learning needs Codes of Behavior: be respectful of people’s learning needs by behaving appropriately

naturalistic musical creativity confidence balanced function

logical enable creative reflection reflective multiple

Success Criteria for this Unit of Inquiry 1.Use subject-specific vocabulary in discussions and written work 2.Explain learning and thinking styles and multiple intelligences 3.Describe your learning style and explain how knowing this will help you learn better.

4.Explain how you will/have developed other learning and thinking styles

What Can You Do As Parents?

•Use the unit vocabulary when discussing the unit •Discuss different learning & thinking styles and what you believe yours & your child’s to be. He/she may ask to interview you or someone else you know, please set time aside to help them with this.

•Ask your child questions to encourage thinking. Don’t give them all the answers, encourage them instead.