RESOURCE BASED LEARNING UNIT USING BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY (MAD COW DISEASE)

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SUBJECT/CONTENT AREA: Food Science (Interdisciplinary course team taught by two Science and Family and Family and Consumer Sciences teachers) assisted by the library/media specialist

PURPOSE/GOAL: To use resource based learning to research mad cow disease, a complex, current, real world problem. To integrate critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills into the Food Science curriculum with emphasis on evaluation of information retrieved. The Food Science course meets the four Illinois state science goals for learning.

CONTEXT/SETTING/ENVIRONMENT: Fenton High School is a suburban Chicago high school with 100 faculty members, serving a population of about 1300 very diverse learners. Thirty percent of the students belong to minority groups and 5% have limited English proficiency. Over 13% are identified as below poverty level and receive free lunch services. Nine percent of the students at Fenton are identified as Special Education. The Fenton High School strategic plan acknowledges the need to infuse our curriculum with opportunities for students to learn critical thinking skills, problem solving, and communication skills. This project is part of "Success is on the Menu," a five year project funded by the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois State Library.

TIME FRAME FOR CARRYING OUT PROJECT: This unit will be taught during second quarter of the first semester, and will last four weeks. The entire 55 minute class period every day will be devoted to the project. Students will have the first two days to define the problem, organize groups, and focus research questions. Methods of information searching appropriate to the Fenton High School Information Network and the Internet will be taught the next three days. The remaining three weeks will be devoted to research as well as creating and writing web pages.

LEARNER DESCRIPTION: 25 students, grades 10-12, mixed ability levels, including some English as a Second language students. Prerequisite is successful completion of Year One science coursework.

LEARNER OUTCOMES: At the completion of this unit students will be able to:

• Plan and conduct a search of magazine and newspaper indexes on the Fenton High School Information Network to locate current, relevant articles on their subtopic
• Plan and conduct a search of the Internet for relevant information
• Critically evaluate information retrieved
• Correctly cite all resources
• Create an HTML document with links to other pages and sites on the Internet

PROJECT:

ASSESSMENT OF STUDENTS: Performance based assessments will include:

• Search strategy logs
• Student-generated project evaluation rubric
• Learning journals or thinking logs
• Know/need to know boards

EVALUATION OF PROJECT: I will determine what worked and didn't work through the use of:

• Student self-evaluation using project evaluation rubric
• Evaluation by teachers and library/media specialist : Were student outcomes achieved?
• Feedback from assistant library/media specialist or other staff members
  
  
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