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Objective: Raise awareness about the illegal trade of exotic animals as pets.
Description: Students pick an animal from the IUCN red list within Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered and Extinct in the Wild sections, research the information about the animal and find out about its habitat, and conditions the animal needs for survival and how is it affected by the illegal trade and climate change. You will act as a scientist and activist whose task is to protect this animal and ensure its survival. You will collaborate with your peers for review sessions and in the end, create an infographic about the animal which later you will publish on social media to share with as many people as you can.
These are the initial MYP criteria I have to use for assessing the Summative Assessments, which I will adapt to the context of this project.
The duration of this unit will be 8 weeks, I see students once a week for 45 minute period. I will be introducing this topic slowly, raising their interest and preparing them emotionally to take action in saving animals initiative. The idea of this project came to me while shopping on Chinese biggest shopping app Taobao I bumped into the section where you can buy a pet. It was shocking, then reading about it online, I've seen someone complain to the company for delivering a dead puppy. They get shipped to customers like a pair of shoes in a box with no air water or food. It got even scarier when I've found some exotic animals being sold freely online. Animals whose natural habitat is far away from China. Finally, I have found a video from National Geographic about Illegal Trade of Exotic Animals in China. I started the unit from asking students to list all the strange things they have seen being sold online. I have repeated it in 4 groups I teach, and animals popped up in each class. Then I show students the video about Exotic Animals Trade
For the Formative Assessment, I sent the video to students in the online group we have on Wechat (Chinese social media app), they have to annotate it and share their thoughts and feelings about the video.
Next class, I will introduce the IUCN Red List and students will start researching to pick the animal of their choice. This will be an individual project so they could target more animals and raise awareness about more species. Next, I will introduce Infogram and will use I do, We do, You do an activity to scaffold their infographic design process.
Students need to do the following:
1. Conduct desk research about the animal, make bibliography cards and come ready with the first draft of the poster.
2. In groups of 3 students provide feedback for the draft of the poster by writing comments as well as providing verbal feedback.
3. The verbal feedback needs to be audio or video recorded and submitted to the teacher.
4. Create the final version of the infographic and submit it on Managebac before the deadline.
Intermediate and Final Feedback Plan:
1. When students begin working on their research, I will remind them about our previous class regarding the reliability of internet sources, then I'll show them how to create bibliography cards for further reference. When they work on their own, I always walk around the classroom providing feedback and advice on what to do next, I'll review their bibliography cards and give feedback on how to organize the information better. At this stage, I will provide students with checklists and guides of what to assess in their peer-reviews.
2. The second activity is peer review sessions, students will be grouped in groups of 3. I will be joining small groups to listen to their conversations, provide immediate feedback since they all will submit audio or video files of their peer-reviews that I will review and evaluate.
3. After the feedback sessions are over, students will continue working on their infographics. I will do several rounds of drafts and approve them to make sure their works are on a good level for the final submission.
Remediation Plan
After this Project, assuming all students had satisfactory results, except for 3 students, #1 is not challenged enough, finished the activity quickly and needs more challenge, #2 has failed in English Conversation criteria, due to lack of English Skills. #3 did not participate, has failed in the first criteria, content was copy and pasted without proper citations, no structure and poor implementation in general, failure in 1st criteria caused failure in all the other criteria. These student examples are a collective image of some of my real students. I planned this rubric assuming my highest English Classes, however, I have 2 classes that have very low almost non-existent English, and most of the times they fail due to lack of understanding, as all of my instruction is in English. So for these classes, I will provide dual language instructions and criteria, also, will work with the homeroom teachers, who can help me ensure the students' understanding of the project. In the project introduction, I will provide the terminology and the new vocabulary, as well as phrases necessary for the proper implementation of the project and the peer-review sessions.
Student #1:
I can have the student to contact the local zoo or wild animal circus shows, local government or wildlife agency to find out how can they be involved in protection initiatives. Or he can investigate more about this problem going into the zoos or circus shows, conduct participant observation and report on what he has seen, especially backstage if he can get there. Later, this student can share his picture report or story with the class.
Student #2
Provide student with vocabulary/phrases, but explanations and details the student will need to try to fill in in English if he still struggles, I will allow using Chinese.
Student #3
I will choose the "no opt-out" strategy, and will let the student finish it giving some extra time, I can let him do the paper version due to his lack of computer skills, give him reference to the library and the animal encyclopedia there that he could use to pick any animal from it and draw a poster based on the information in the book.
Altynai, this is an in depth project which you presented well. I think you came up with great strategies for those students who might have difficulties or find the project too easy. For the student who is also having trouble in English you might also want to try the flip classroom where you might find a video that is in English but with Chinese subtitles. You can assign the video to watch at home and then have the student verbally give you a report on it in English.
How will you determine you student groups? Will you also have them great a goal checklist so they might be kept in check to make sure they are using their time wisely? For those struggling with
English could the create a poster that was more picture orientated? They could label the pictures in English.
Remediation Plan: Student 1: This is a great idea and gives them practical insight and experience that they can’t get from books or even videos. On a practical note, the concern I would have with this type of assignment is how you will manage the student’s behaviour and attitude toward the people they interview. As the goal of the project is to raise awareness of the illegal trade of animals as pets (obviously zoo and circus animals are not pets) impassioned students may get carried away without proper supervision and guidance in preparing the surveys.
Perhaps you could have excelling students take this project to the next stage and use the data they researched and their infographic to lobby the government or specific groups that have the power to take action on this issue. Part of their task could be to first research and identify the key people or agencies to lobby.
Students 2 & 3
I will address 2 & 3 together as I think that lack of participation may well be as a result of low English ability. Obviously you know your own students better than anybody; however, as you mentioned that the majority (possible all) of your students are ELLs and so you will have those that don’t try because of the English problem and those that do try yet have difficulty because of the English issue. Of course, there will always be students who just don’t try.
I like the way you’ve planned to help these students. Allowing them to use Chinese may be an option; however, if they have failed the English language criteria because of their lack of English then using Chinese is not really a way of reteching or helping acquire the language skills they need. I think allowing Chinese for the student who doesn’t participate would fit well with the ‘No Opt Out’ approach you want to take. This is a way of saying, you can do it in any language, in any format you want, AND YOU WILL DO IT! I like this approach; I think it really sets the tone for all students. Also, do you have a plan for managing non-participating students as the project progresses rather than waiting for the final evaluation? Perhaps having strategies in place like the ones we research in Module 4 to help struggling students. If they are defiant and refuse to participate, giving them limited options can work: “You either do it now or you do it in your break time.”
I think overall, I would recommend selecting one area to focus on for remediation, either English ability or non-participation. Then work on the other one in future projects.
Great advice, guys! Thank you! I will incorporate all of that in Activity 2.
@Mike, as for contacting the local government authorities, I have inquired about that via Chinese colleagues, it is impossible in this country's realities. So I will have to use other options. And yes, the student who is not challenged enough, depending on how he/she feels about the project, I will need to see if the student is willing to take it further. Regarding pet/zoo or circus question, I will give a student a choice, if the student is willing to target a bigger problem of illegal trade of exotic animals, cruel treatment in circus shows, or the zoos, that have plenty of problems on their own, the student can go on in that direction. As for participant observation, or interviews, good suggestion! I will be accompanying that student myself, as middle schooler cannot leave school unchaperoned, and prepare the student prior to the visit about the ethics, and data collection procedures.
With the remediation plan to challenge the student, could this potentially get the student in trouble? Are there many avenues in China that can be contacted to give these students access to this type if information. Maybe you could use this student to come into, if they are not already there, your lower level classes. Maybe have that student come up with a plan to help you reteach it to those students. They might understand things differently coming from one of their peers.
For the student who is struggling in English you might want to have him dictate his thoughts to either you or a peer. Maybe someone who understands Chinese could ask him questions to explain further. The direct questioning might help him to understand a little more.
I love the no opt out option, it is a rule in my own classroom. Students think that their lack of English skills gives them the get out of the assignment free card. They need to know that there is always another way. Giving him those alternative options is a good start.
Overall I think this project is presented well and your follow up plan is appropriate.
Thank you Rebekah, I don't think they'll get in trouble for an observation report, I won't let them conduct interviews, and knowing my students I think they'll be happy with exploring the internet for the documentaries and doing a review of those. But you are right since my initial idea for the project was more activist than this, I think your advice on teaching lower students is a great idea, I'll include that in my final plan! thank you!
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Comments (6)
Rebekah Ekekwe said
at 6:33 pm on Apr 28, 2018
Altynai, this is an in depth project which you presented well. I think you came up with great strategies for those students who might have difficulties or find the project too easy. For the student who is also having trouble in English you might also want to try the flip classroom where you might find a video that is in English but with Chinese subtitles. You can assign the video to watch at home and then have the student verbally give you a report on it in English.
How will you determine you student groups? Will you also have them great a goal checklist so they might be kept in check to make sure they are using their time wisely? For those struggling with
English could the create a poster that was more picture orientated? They could label the pictures in English.
Mike Daly said
at 9:24 pm on Apr 28, 2018
Remediation Plan: Student 1: This is a great idea and gives them practical insight and experience that they can’t get from books or even videos. On a practical note, the concern I would have with this type of assignment is how you will manage the student’s behaviour and attitude toward the people they interview. As the goal of the project is to raise awareness of the illegal trade of animals as pets (obviously zoo and circus animals are not pets) impassioned students may get carried away without proper supervision and guidance in preparing the surveys.
Perhaps you could have excelling students take this project to the next stage and use the data they researched and their infographic to lobby the government or specific groups that have the power to take action on this issue. Part of their task could be to first research and identify the key people or agencies to lobby.
Mike Daly said
at 9:26 pm on Apr 28, 2018
Students 2 & 3
I will address 2 & 3 together as I think that lack of participation may well be as a result of low English ability. Obviously you know your own students better than anybody; however, as you mentioned that the majority (possible all) of your students are ELLs and so you will have those that don’t try because of the English problem and those that do try yet have difficulty because of the English issue. Of course, there will always be students who just don’t try.
I like the way you’ve planned to help these students. Allowing them to use Chinese may be an option; however, if they have failed the English language criteria because of their lack of English then using Chinese is not really a way of reteching or helping acquire the language skills they need. I think allowing Chinese for the student who doesn’t participate would fit well with the ‘No Opt Out’ approach you want to take. This is a way of saying, you can do it in any language, in any format you want, AND YOU WILL DO IT! I like this approach; I think it really sets the tone for all students. Also, do you have a plan for managing non-participating students as the project progresses rather than waiting for the final evaluation? Perhaps having strategies in place like the ones we research in Module 4 to help struggling students. If they are defiant and refuse to participate, giving them limited options can work: “You either do it now or you do it in your break time.”
I think overall, I would recommend selecting one area to focus on for remediation, either English ability or non-participation. Then work on the other one in future projects.
aj265117@... said
at 11:13 am on Apr 29, 2018
Great advice, guys! Thank you! I will incorporate all of that in Activity 2.
@Mike, as for contacting the local government authorities, I have inquired about that via Chinese colleagues, it is impossible in this country's realities. So I will have to use other options. And yes, the student who is not challenged enough, depending on how he/she feels about the project, I will need to see if the student is willing to take it further. Regarding pet/zoo or circus question, I will give a student a choice, if the student is willing to target a bigger problem of illegal trade of exotic animals, cruel treatment in circus shows, or the zoos, that have plenty of problems on their own, the student can go on in that direction. As for participant observation, or interviews, good suggestion! I will be accompanying that student myself, as middle schooler cannot leave school unchaperoned, and prepare the student prior to the visit about the ethics, and data collection procedures.
Rebekah Ekekwe said
at 11:34 am on Apr 29, 2018
With the remediation plan to challenge the student, could this potentially get the student in trouble? Are there many avenues in China that can be contacted to give these students access to this type if information. Maybe you could use this student to come into, if they are not already there, your lower level classes. Maybe have that student come up with a plan to help you reteach it to those students. They might understand things differently coming from one of their peers.
For the student who is struggling in English you might want to have him dictate his thoughts to either you or a peer. Maybe someone who understands Chinese could ask him questions to explain further. The direct questioning might help him to understand a little more.
I love the no opt out option, it is a rule in my own classroom. Students think that their lack of English skills gives them the get out of the assignment free card. They need to know that there is always another way. Giving him those alternative options is a good start.
Overall I think this project is presented well and your follow up plan is appropriate.
aj265117@... said
at 11:53 am on Apr 29, 2018
Thank you Rebekah, I don't think they'll get in trouble for an observation report, I won't let them conduct interviews, and knowing my students I think they'll be happy with exploring the internet for the documentaries and doing a review of those. But you are right since my initial idea for the project was more activist than this, I think your advice on teaching lower students is a great idea, I'll include that in my final plan! thank you!
You don't have permission to comment on this page.