Content Areas: Math, Science

1. What overarching or general CONCEPT is central to both of your content areas?

Change

2. What UNITS, in particular, would revolve around this concept

Unit Topic for Content 1 (Math):

SOL 7.10
a) determine the slope, m, as rate of change in a proportional relationship between two
quantities and write an equation in the form y = mx to represent the relationship;
b) graph a line representing a proportional relationship between two quantities given
the slope and an ordered pair, or given the equation in y = mx form where m represents
the slope as rate of change;

Unit Topic for Content 2 (Science):

SOL 6.5
The student will investigate and understand the unique properties and characteristics of
water and its roles in the natural and human-made environment. Key concepts include
a) water as the universal solvent;
b) the properties of water in all three phases;
c) the action of water in physical and chemical weathering;
d) the ability of large bodies of water to store thermal energy and moderate
climate;
e) the importance of water for agriculture, power generation, and public health; and
f) the importance of protecting and maintaining water resources.

3. What UNDERSTANDINGS and/or ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS might you explore related to this
concept. List and describe their application/importance in both content areas
NOTE: You should include your concept in your Understanding statements.

o ONE essential question useful for BOTH content areas’ units:

1. What examples of change do you see in your everyday life and how do they affect the
systems in your life?
o Essential questions more specifically designed for each individual content area’s unit:

Content 1 (math): How can the change in one variable affect the relationships among all
of the variables?

Content 2 (science): How can the changes in water affect everything around you?

4. Identify what SKILLS students could exercise or practice within these units

Content-Specific Skills:

● Content 1 (math):
1. SWBAT graph a line representing a proportional relationship between two
quantities given the slope and an ordered pair.
2. SWBAT graph a line representing a proportional relationship between two
quantities given the equation in y = mx form where m represents the slope as
rate of change.
3. SWBAT determine the slope as a rate of change in a proportional relationship
between two quantities.
4. SWBAT write an equation in the form y = mx to represent the relationship
described above.

● Content 2 (science):
1. SWBAT construct a diagram demonstrating water’s polar property.
2. SWBAT compare the phases of water in all three phases.
3. SWBAT demonstrate how water plays a role in chemical and physical
weathering.
4. SWBAT describe how water changes from one phase to another.

5. Identify the KNOWLEDGE or VOCABULARY you’d address in each of these units.

● Content 1 (math):
○ Slope
○ Proportion
○ Rate of change
○ X-intercept
○ Y-intercept
○ Equation
 ● Content 2(Science):

Phase Water cycle

Solution Solvent

Water sources Physical weathering

Chemical weathering Solid

Liquid Gas

Thermal energy Climate

Agriculture Power generation

Public health Resources

HOOK:

Describe how you’d go about connecting students to this concept as a “hook” into your units.
You may use any of the strategies from Chapter 4, a children’s book, or any other ideas you
have. Try for a Hook that could apply to BOTH content areas. If that’s too difficult, you can
devise two different hooks (one for each content area).

Anticipation Guide (Science):

An anticipation guide gives students a series of statements that are either “debatable” or are
common misconceptions. Students either agree or disagree with a series of statements before
they are introduced to the content, and the teacher then tallies up the results. The students
then defend their thinking on why they chose to agree or disagree before the lesson begins.
After the lesson, the students revisit their decisions and describe why they might have changed
or their reasoning might have changed. This activity fosters discussion and critical thinking and
can elicit students’ questions and participation.

Dynamic water: Agree or Disagree

 Before Class After Class
Water destroys salt so that
the salt is gone forever.

Water can be a liquid (water)

and a solid (ice) but it cannot
be a gas.

The more energy put into

molecules, the faster the
molecules move.

Air gets hotter quicker than

water.

When water changes its

phase, it is not able to change
back to its original phase.

When water boils, the

bubbles that are released are
oxygen bubbles (or air
bubbles)

When steam disappears, it

has turned into air.

Source: Doubet, Hockett. Differentiation in Middle & High School, 2014

As students finish their anticipation guide independently they will be directed to the following
site to explore the states of matter more in depth. Having the students explore the site also
levels the playing field so that all students can have a common background on the content.

Common Misconceptions About States and Changes of Matter

and the Water Cycle — Water, Ice, and Snow

Concept Invitation (Math):

 1) Hand out index cards and ask the students to write their own definition for “change”
(preferably without using the word change in their own definition) independently.
2) After they have had some time to write their own definition, put up an “official”
definition of “change”. (example:)
a) to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different
from what it is or from what it would be if left alone:
b) to transform or convert

3) Provide the students with different topics (based on their interests) and ask the
students to pick one.
4) Students who picked the same topic will get into a group and discuss how “change”
operates in their area of interest.
5) After the students have has a chance to discuss, they will present their discussion to the
class. (this can be through a demonstration or another creative outlet)
6) After the presentations, the whole class redefines or expands on their initial definition
for “Change”
7) Bring the activity together by introducing a big understanding, such “how slope
represents a rate of change” or “how proportions represent change”
8) Come back to a whole class discussion to explore how these big ideas relate to their
interest-based application.

Source: Doubet, Hockett. Differentiation in Middle & High School, 2014