UNIT PLANNING TEMPLATE

ORILLIA CAMPUS
BACKWARD DESIGN/DOWNWARD DESIGN CROSS CURICULAR PLANNING MODEL
Subjects /Strands: Science; Understanding Life Systems Biodiversity
Language; Writing
Grade(s): 6
Dates of possible implementation: March 6 March 11 Culminating task due date: March 11

A. BIG IDEA
FOR THIS
UNIT

What is important for students to know? What are the enduring understandings? What is the
big open question to inform learning and link curricula? (consider starting with big ideas in
Science or Social Studies)
Science
Big Ideas
Because all living things are connected, maintaining diversity is critical to the health of
the planet
Humans make choices that can have an impact on biodiversity
Language
Using organized ideas and research to produce a piece of writing
To use effective research to develop ideas and support opinions
It will be important for the students to understand the human impact on biodiversity. They will
need to understand what biodiversity is, and how our footprint impacts the world around us
(both locally, nationally, internationally.) Students will be challenged to understand how all
things are connected. The students will be required to use their writing skills to produce a final
product which proposes an Action to Sustainability. They will be using headings, proper
research techniques and idea generation.
Students will be connecting what they will be learning about sustainability and the human

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footprint with their proposal writing and research skills.

CULMINATING
TASK
Rich
Performance
Assessment
Task pg. 69
Drake Text

Complete explanation of what students will do/write/say to demonstrate their understanding of

the big idea. Will it be individual/group work? How will the task be assessed (mode, tool,
strategy)? Is it differentiated? What Achievement Chart Categories will be addressed?
Achievement Chart Categories
Understanding of Content
Use of critical/creative thinking processes, skills and strategies
Expression and organization of ideas and information
Proposes courses of practical action to deal with problems relating to science, technology,
society and the environment
The students will be demonstrating their understanding by creating a pamphlet proposing a
Call for Action. This Call for Action will be a proposed idea to make their classroom, school,
community, or home more sustainable and reduce their human footprint. The students will be
required to research effects of the human footprint on the world around them, and then use
idea generation to come up with a proposed solution. The students will have the choice of
working in a group of 2 or on their own. They may create their pamphlet on the computer or by
hand.
Differentiation will be in the form of how they find their information-using computer programs
that will speak the text, watching videos. They will also be able to use speech to text
technology to complete their assignment (if required). Differentiation will be provided in being
able to chose groups, the scale of their Call to Action.
The task will be assessed through a self-assessment and a rubric.

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B OVERALL
EXPECTATION(
S)

What will students learn? Select expectations from each curriculum document (may use more
than one subject document) that unit will address.

What specific expectations from the curriculum documents (may use more than one subject)
SPECIFIC
EXPECATIONS will be addressed throughout the lessons?
(S)

LEARNING
GOAL(S)

Clearly identify what students are expected to know & able to do in language they can
understand. What is the strategy/task that will provide information for assessment?
What are the questions that the students will be able to answer at the conclusion of the unit of
study?

C SUCCESS
CRITERIA

How will students demonstrate what they will learn? What will successful acquisition of the
learning goals look like and sound like?
How will we know they have learned it? How will they demonstrate their learning?

ASSESSMENT
TASKS/STRATEGI
ES

Assessment of Learning: What will students say/write/do to demonstrate their learning of

the specific expectations at the end of the unit of study? Does it reflect all or most of the
Achievement Categories? Is it balanced (say, do, perform)? Know, do, be?

ASSESSMENT
TOOLS

Checklist
Rubric
Rating Scale

Anecdotal Comments

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What recording
strategies will
teachers use?
POSSIBLE
ASSESSMENT
STRATEGIES

Feedback Form

Self/Peer AaL/AfL

Other

For / A
Teacher Conference
Observation checklist
Exit Card
Interview
Self Assessment Checklist
Performance Checklist
Concept Attainment, Mind Map, Concept Map
Select Response
Peer Edit
Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down

Spot Check
Teacher Edit
Quiz
Checklist
Question and Answer
Discussion
Self Assessment Response Form
Demonstration
3-2-1
Other

D. LESSONS USING LAKEHEAD TEMPLATE & GUIDELINES

Briefly identify the topic, specific teaching/ learning activity, and specific expectation is for each lesson.
Lessons flow together and scaffold student learning. What teaching skills/concepts expectations are
being introduced for completion of culminating task? Outline or sketch out each lesson in the unit
LESSON
Learning activity,
specific expectation,
teaching/learning
strategies

WHAT TEACHER
WILL DO

WHAT STUDENT
WILL DO

ASSESSMENT
(say write do)

RESOURCES

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ORILLIA CAMPUS

E. LEARNING
EXPERIENCES
AND
DIFFERENTIATIO
N
LEARNING
SKILLS AND
WORK HABITS
TO BE
ADDRESSED
VARIETYOF
LEARNING
EXPERIENCES

Consider differentiation of content/ instruction/demonstration of learning. Is there flexibility

for student choice?
How will the learning be sequenced and scaffolded to support a wide range of learners?
Opportunities for flexible groupings. Are the learning tasks respectful? How are the students
provided opportunities to share responsibility their learning?
Refer to Learning Skills and Work Habits in Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation and
Reporting in Ontario Schools Pg. 10

Ensure that there are a variety of learning experiences provided to match the class and
individual learning profile that you have developed for this group of learners (see next page
for listing)

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Learning Experiences
Inquiry Questions
Anticipation Guide
Brainstorming
Case Study
Choice Boards
Class Discussion
Computer Simulation.
Concept Attainment
0Concept Formation
Concept Creation
Concept Mapping
Critical Dialogue
Cubing
Debate (Formal)
Debate (Informal)
Examine Both Sides
Four Corners
Game
Game Theory
Graffiti
Graphic Organizer
Graph Creation
Graphing
Guest Speaker

Inside/Outside Circle
Inquiry
Jigsaw
Journal Writing
KWL chart
Learning Centres
Learning Contracts
Metaphors
Movie Review/Analysis
Mind Map
Model Building
Note Making (student
generated)
Note Making (teacher
generated)
Numbered Heads
Jigsaw
Panel Discussion
Placemat
P/M/I
Problem Based Learning
Puzzle Pieces
RAFTS
Research (Guided)
Research (Independent)

Report Writing
Response Writing
Response Journals
Role Playing
Round Robin
Simulation
Snowball
Socratic Dialogue/ Rich
Questioning
Song Creation
Teams Games Tournaments
Three Way Debate
Think Pair Share
Think Pair Square
(Graduated)
Think Together Think
Apart
Thinking Routines
Tiering
Values Line
Venn Diagram
Video Clip
Word Wall
Word Web
Other
__________________________

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ORILLIA CAMPUS