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June 1, 2011
Surviving in nature can be very challenging. Each year there are hundreds of
people who get stranded in the wilderness (Aramic et al., 2009). A person can survive
without water for up to twelve days. The location and temperature is a big factor in
survival. The survival rate for humans is much higher if there is water present or close
by. Also, temperature is also an important factor because freezing temperatures require
knowledge of how to remain warm and extremely hot temperatures would require a
person to know how to stay hydrated. “Learning how to care for major needs such as
shelter, water, fire, and food in the wilderness can give individuals a strong sense of
In order to survive, a person should remember important survival tips that would
benefit them in any situation they may find themselves. The first thing some people may
do is panic, but it is important to remember to stay calm. Panic will cause a person to
lose their logical judgment and not make wise decisions (Aramic et al., 2009). A person
will need to remember to stay calm and not make rash decisions and remember to stay
positive. There are limited resources when people are stranded so it is important that
not always have the proper supplies to survive in the wilderness. A person will need to
improvise because of this lack of supplies. Each and every move should be made
Another factor in surviving in the wilderness is whether or not the person is alone
or if there is someone else to accompany him or her. This would change the dynamic
completely because alone, one has only his or her self to depend on to survive. If there
are two or more people, he or she has to take into account that they need more of every
supply in order to survive. If more people are stranded, it can also help their chances of
survival because they have more people thinking of a plan and have different
information to contribute.
A good tip for surviving is to remember to S.T.O.P (Stop, Sit, Observe and Plan).
Some people go all over the place and wear themselves out when they should always
remember that panicking does not solve problems. The first letter in S.T.O.P. stands for
“sit”. If lost, a person should sit down and think about where he or she is going and what
the next logical move should be. The person should also save energy because it will be
needed later. The “T” stands for thinking. A person trying to survive should plan out the
next move before making that move. If two people are stranded together, they should
make sure there is open communication before deciding on the plan and it should be
agreed upon. If there is only one person stranded, he or she needs to keep an open
mind before deciding on a plan. Next, victims observe their surroundings. This is
designated by the “O” in S.T.O.P. People should look around to see what natural
resources are available. Lastly, a plan should be made. The plan needs to be logical
and help the victim(s) survive. The time of day would have a huge factor because if it is
close to dark the victim needs to designate a shelter fast to stay warm, keep the animals
out and have a place to sleep. The weather would be a factor because if it is cold the
victim needs to be able to start a fire and have other materials to stay warm (Aramic et
al., 2009).
cautious in order to not poison themselves with harmful plants. In general, unless fruit is
recognizable such as bananas or apples, it should be left alone. Wild berries are
another favorable fruit. Of course the blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, and mulberry
would be the most popular if these plants are growing in the wild. It is generally easy to
spot a berry that can be consumed. The rule is that if the berry looks like a berry that
could be purchased from the grocery store, it can be eaten in the wilderness. A berry
that is white in color could be an ivy berry which is poisonous (Shepherd, 2011). Wild
fruits can be poisonous and make a person sick if they are not ripe enough. Surprisingly
acorns can be used as a means of nutrition if one is near source that would produce
them. “The acorns of the white oak are sweet and only slightly bitter and, when properly
prepared…” (Merrit Lyndon Fernald, 1986). Plants can also be used for medicinal
There are several types of wild flowers that can be used as sources of nutrition.
The dandelion is one of the most popular kinds of edible plants. The roots of the
dandelion can even be ground and used as a type of coffee. If marshes are present, the
cattail is also an edible plant. While these are only some examples it would be important
to research edible plants in the area that is intended for travel (Wild Edible Plants,
2011).
If an injury occurs or illness, there are several plants that can be used for
medicinal purposes. One plant that is common across the United States is the fern. The
fern can be used to relieve stings, burns and cuts after it is rolled on the hand and get
the juices of the plant surface. If sage is present, it is one of the best natural medicines
anti-fungal plant. While these are just two of the most common medicinal plants, it is
important to research the area being visited in order to know what could be used in case
of an emergency (18 of Nature's Most Powerful Medicinal Plants, 2009). Mint is also a
plant that, if found, can be used to cure fevers, colds, headaches, and diarrhea to name
The landform is also a factor in survival. One major landform is the ocean. The
oceans cover seventy percent of the world (Landforms of the World, 2009). The
problem if one was stranded in middle of the water (Landforms of the world, 2009). In
March of 2009, four men were on a fishing trip when the boat capsized. Only one
remained with the boat, and the other three had to survive the elements never catching
a break from the waves and were never found. If the person was stranded near the
ocean, it could be a way to get food such as fish, shellfish and other sea creatures;
water would also have to be filtered because of the high salt content in ocean water. A
person should not drink straight from the ocean because it will dehydrate his or her
body. Another factor to consider would be if the water is contaminated; the water could
be contaminated from a natural disaster such as an oil spill like the famous BP oil spill in
the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. This would also contaminate the plant life; therefore,
knowing the surroundings and events that may have occurred there will play a big part
in survival.
Mountains are another landform a person could be stranded on. Mountains make
up about one-fifth of the world’s landscape (Anderson, Anderson, Mynn, & Barrientos,
2009). Almost eighty percent of the Earth’s water originates from the mountains
(Anderson, 28). This would be valuable information so that a person trying to survive in
the wilderness could locate a water source. There also tends to be animals such as fish
or other wildlife searching for food near water sources. For a person who is trying to
survive in a mountain setting, food and water might be more accessible than other
landforms as they are more common. Trees and other vegitation would suffice for
creating a shelter from the elements as well. Mountains can range from being very dry
to very wet, so the location of the mountain would depend on whether there is a lot of
rain or not.
The desert is known as the land of little rain (Anderson, 28). Out of all of the
landforms, the desert is the driest biome. There is little rainfall because the desert is
located where equatorial air falls down toward the Earth's surface and rain does not
occur when air rises (Anderson, 28). There are xerophytes plants that provide water like
the cactus, which a person could also eat. The cactus plant is derived from the rose
family and originated from the West Indies. These plants can survive several years
through a drought. The animals in this environment will be hard to find because they
tend to camouflage themselves to avoid predators. These animals have also adapted to
avoiding the heat. Most can be found at dawn or hiding in the shade. Shelter in the
desert would also be an issue. It would be important to find a cave or tree to shade one
from the blistering sun and hot conditions. Deserts can be rich with oil and coal. These
natural resources can become useful when building a fire and can be used for other
No matter where a person may end up stranded, knowing a few facts about what
he or she may need to do will be key in his or her endurance of the elements. A person
may be without help for a few hours or a few days; just a small amount of knowledge
will help keep the victim alive until help arrives. People have lived off of the wilderness
often in history, it is important to know that it can still be done if the need arises.
References
18 of nature's most powerful medicinal plants. (2009). From WebEcoist:
http://webecoist.com/2008/09/30/most-powerful-potent-medicinal-medical-plants-in-
nature/#
Anderson, J., Anderson, J., Mynn, C. C., & Barrientos, M. (n.d.). A plea for environmental
awareness. From http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/mountain.htm#
Aramic, D., Brary, R., Hunt, D., Lenenger, C., Marano, W., Marlin, B., et al. (2009). Wild
survival. From http://www.wildsurvival.com/survival-preparedness/
Merrit Lyndon Fernald, A. C. (1986). Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North Carolina. General
Publishing Company.
Shepherd, A. (2011, January 7). How to: Eat berries in the wilderness. From
http://camping.wonderhowto.com/blog/howto-eat-berries-wilderness-0117957/
Steven Foster, J. A. (1999). A field guide to medicinal plants and herbs . Houghton Mifflin
Company.
life as he or she overcomes situations which he or she never have thought they would
encounter. Our unit is based on each pair of students being able to give information
about survival to his or her peers. The students will have simulations, learn about edible
plants and animals and medicinal plants. This is a situation that they do not expect to be
in or probably would not want to be in. The students will also have to be able to use a
GPS unit to get through the woods and be able to create their own path.
This perspective is based off Homer's "The Odyssey." This would be a journey of
epic proportions and anyone who could be stranded somewhere and need to survive,
minus the muses and one eyed monsters. Survival has been explored in such novels as
“Hatchet” by Gary Paulson and “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer. In both of these novels
a person is unexpectedly placed into a situation in which they need to know certain
skills in order to survive. While both of the main characters in the books do not travel far
from their camps, they still complete a life journey of epic proportions as they try to
know what is required of them in order to survive. This is the type of situation that will
show their survival skills, their strength and knowledge, and need for survival. It is not
something that can be taken lightly because the consequences will be fatal. Students
will need to know how to eat, how to create a home to protect themselves from the
elements as well as what they can eat and use for medicinal purposes in case the
plenty of events where they will need to make decisions and be able to stick to them.
Hopefully, the students will learn more about survival skills and be able to use them if
Ants on a log for lunch? They’re not bad when roasted over a fire! In this unit, you will
learn what you need to do in order to survive. You’ll learn how to create a shelter,
gather food, and heal your wounds in case you ever get stranded in the wilderness. Be
prepared, you never know what Mother Nature will throw your way!
Content Outline
I. Landforms
A. Oceans
1. Oceans take up 71% of the earth’s surface
2. Less than 10% of the ocean has been explored by humans
3. The average temperature of the ocean is 39 degrees Fahrenheit
4. Good source of food supply(fish)
B. Desert
1. Approximately 1/3 of the earth’s surface is covered by deserts
2. The Sahara is the world's largest hot desert, covering the maximum
surface area among all other hot deserts!
3. Antarctica is the world's largest cold desert!
4. The average rainfall is less than 10 inches on average.
C. Forest
1. Deciduous Forest
a. Found in the eastern US and Canada
b. The soil is very fertile and support many types of plants
c. Animals that live here must be adaptable to cold winters
2. Coniferous Forest
a. Found in coastal areas with mild winters and heavy rainfall such as
the Pacific Northwest
b. High levels of precipitation (50-200 inches per year)
c. Evergreens are generally found in these forests
3. Tropical Rainforest
a. Tropical wet climate
b. More types of trees than any other area in the world
c. About one-fourth of all medicines come from the rainforest
II. Edible Plants
1. Beech Tree
a. The nuts that are found on the beech tree can be eaten
b. Can be a substitute for coffee
2. Blackberry/ Raspberry
a. Grows in open sunny areas at the margin of woods
b. Berries can be eaten
3. Dandelion all of this plant can be eaten
4. Lotus plant
a. The whole plant is edible raw or cooked.
b. The plant can be dug into the fleshy parts from the mud and
bake or boil them
5. Cactus
a. Found in deserts across the world
b. They are a good source of water and food
6. Edible insects
A. Bugs are an excellent food supply for nutrients
a. Can be eaten raw, boiled or roasted
b. Can be found under rotten logs, by trees, and in most moist shady
parts
B. Grasshoppers, worms, crickets, and ants are examples of bugs that can
be eaten
7. Medicinal Plants
A. Blackberries can be used to treat cuts and inflammation
B. Aloe Vera
a. Used for allergies, abscesses, abrasions
b. Burns, boils, blisters, bruises, bladder infections
C. Paper Birch can be used for antibacterial and anti-inflammatory
D. Dandelion- the root can be used to treat kidney, liver and bladder aliments
E. Jewel Weed- crushed leaves can be made into a poultice to treat a rash or
inflamed skin, including irritation from Poison Ivy
resources and work together to get back to civilization. No one knows when or how they
could get stranded away from everyone else. The Chilean Miners had no clue that they
would be stranded in the mines for sixty-nine days or the Carnival cruise ship
passengers that they would be stranded out to sea for almost a week. Disaster can
happen anywhere and to anybody. These types of disasters show us our will to live and
make it out alive. Each day we will present a clip of a real life situation where a victim
was stranded. We will discuss what would be the best plan of action and how our
students would handle that situation. We will then watch how the victim handled the
Unfortunate events happen all the time. There are times the car breaks down,
campers get lost, a family vacation goes wrong, or a person just happens to be in the
wrong place at the wrong time. When these situations happen, a person must use their
resources and intelligences in order to make it out alive. The students at camp will
discover how diverse it is to be stranded on different landforms and how to make it back
to civilization.
In the first lesson, the students will learn about plants and which ones are edible
and have other uses such as medication through a simulation as well as hands on
activities that allow them to explore materials they may have with them if stranded.
Once the students learn about plants that would help them if stranded, they will be
introduced to Google Sites, which they will use throughout the week in order to create a
help them given a stranded situation. Students will have a chance to taste foods which
contain bugs such as “Chocolate Chirpie Chip Cookies”. After reflecting on getting to try
foods that contain bugs, students will work on survival skills such as purifying salt water
into drinking water and exploring how survival skills would be essential on each
landform. They will need to re-visit Google Sites and add a page to their original page
On the third day, students will explore using a handheld GPS system. They will
use the GPS in order to navigate the courses that are given to them. After having a
chance to explore, they will be able to create their own course and add it to their Google
The students will be creating a final project of a survival webpage using Google
Sites. This site will allow other to learn about the survival skills that the students learned
about over the course of the week. Since the students will also be creating a GPS
course, other students will be able to use that if their school owns similar GPS
constantly changing. The students will have to learn how to survive if all the sudden the
most of the technology was taken away. They will not be able to use a cell phone to call
home or text someone their location. Instead they will be working together to find
technology in order to send a message to someone to help them find their way back.
Unit Title: Diary of a Stranded Kid
Title Content Hook Proposed
Activities
Day 1 Mayday, The students will As soon as the Survival
Monday Mayday! learn about edible students walk in tell Stimulation
plants; cactus, wild them that they are all (give the
berries, acorns, going on a trip to the students a list
dandelion, beech Bahamas. They are of materials and
tree, lotus plant and taking a plane and they have to put
cattail. They will leave in the next few them in order of
also learn about minutes (have the importance and
medicinal plants seats set up similar to explain.
such as ferns, a plane with a few Go out to the
sage, paper birch, objects around them. woods and find
aloe, jewel weed, The students should some plants.
blackberries and sit in the seats and Bring them
mint. pretend they are on back in and
the plane). The plane look up to see if
ride is going smoothly they are edible.
over the Atlantic The students
Ocean until all of a will also work
sudden there is a lot on their survival
of turbulence (tell the webpage.
students to role play
with a PowerPoint
with pictures of a
plane behind them).
Day 2 This land We will talk about There will be dead The students
Tuesday is your each landform bugs on the students’ will sample
land… including what desks. The students bugs. They will
This land plants, animals, will be asked if they rate the items
is my climate and other would ever consider left from the
land… natural resources eating the bug. crash in order
that can be found in of importance
the wilderness. There will be samples and work on
They will learn of bugs (purchased their webpage.
about edible bugs. from the store and
prepared) for the
students to eat.
Day 3 Can you The students will The students will The students
Wednesday hear me learn about GPS have a car GPS will go through
now? systems and how system, a cell phone the woods
they are useful. and a hand held GPS using their GPS
system. They will systems. They
have to choose which will also
one is better to use to continue with
get out of the woods their webpage
and explain why page and
using their podcast.
background
knowledge.
Day 4 The day The students will The students see a The students
Thursday of rescue learn how weather clip on getting out of will learn
and other natural the Amazon. survival skills
disasters affect and about
their survival rate. weather. The
students will
finish their
webpages.
DIARY OF A STRANDED KID- LESSON 1
MAYDAY, MAYDAY!
A person could survive off just eating plants from the wilderness
III. PLANNING
D. ESSENTIAL QUESTION: WHAT PLANTS ARE SAFE TO EAT OR USE FOR MEDICATION IF YOU
(ONE OVERARCHING LESSON WERE STRANDED IN THE WILDERNESS?
QUESTION )
The students will be assessed on how well they worked
E. ASSESSMENT: together while they are looking in the woods for plants and
(PERFORMANCE TASK) WHAT animals through teacher observation and on the plants that
WILL THE STUDENTS DO TO
SHOW YOU THAT THEY
they are able to bring back that are either edible or medicinal.
MASTERED THE CONTENT? They will also be assessed on their list of the insects they
can eat.
VI. Edible Plants
A. Beech Tree
B. Blackberry/ Raspberry
a. Grows in open sunny areas at the margin of
woods
b. Berries can be eaten
C. Dandelion all of this plant can be eaten
D. Lotus plant
F. CONTENT a. The whole plant is edible raw or cooked.
LIST THE CONTENT FOR THIS b. The plant can be dug into the fleshy parts
LESSON ONLY. from the mud and bake or boil them
(OUTLINE THE CONTENT YOU E. Cactus
WILL TEACH TODAY-T HIS MAY a. Found in deserts across the world
COME FROM YOUR CONTENT b. They are a good source of water and food
OUTLINE)
VII. Edible insects
As soon as the students walk in tell them that they are all
going on a trip to the Bahamas. They are taking a plane and
G. HOOK: leave in the next few minutes (have the seats set up similar
(DESCRIBE HOW YOU WILL to a plane with a few objects around them. The students
GRAB STUDENTS’ ATTENTION should sit in the seats and pretend they are on the plane).
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE
The plane ride is going smoothly over the Atlantic Ocean until
LESSON. BE CREATIVE.)
all of a sudden there is a lot of turbulence (tell the students to
role play with a PowerPoint with pictures of a plane behind
them).
Script
Pilot- Attention passengers aboard flight 4325, this is your
pilot speaking. It seems as though we have hit some
turbulence. No need to worry, we will pass it within the next
few minutes. Thank you and enjoy your ride.
Passenger 3- Am I dead?
(Everyone starts finding the following items that are laid out
on the ground. The students are expected to grab the items
and walk quickly to the other side of the classroom.)
These are the materials the students will have close to them:
A ball of steel wool
A small ax (plastic)
Can of Crisco shortening
Newspapers (one per person)
Cigarette lighter (without fluid)
Extra shirt and pants for each survivor
One quart of rubbing alcohol
A compass.
Family size chocolate bars (one per person)
Luggage
DVD’s
Books
Passenger 2- What did everyone find?
Tell the students that the simulation is over. Ask them how
they felt. Did they get into the role playing? Then tell the
students to get into pairs. They need to discuss how they
would rate each item from the most important to the least
important in pairs. One person should be designated as the
recorder and each pair will need to be able to explain their
decisions.
Each pair will present their list and explain why they chose
that item as being important. Allow time for questions and
input from the audience.
5. Small ax
Survivors need a constant supply of wood in order to
maintain the fire. The ax could be used for this as well as for
clearing a sheltered campsite, cutting tree branches for
ground insulation, and constructing a frame for the canvas
tent.
8. Compass
Because a compass might encourage someone to try to walk
to the nearest town, it is a dangerous item. It’s only
redeeming feature is that it could be used as a reflector of
sunlight (due to its glass top).
Then play the video of the plane crash, but pause the video
before it tells the students how the victim survived. Then ask
the students to think about what they would do if they were
on that plane and were the only people that survived. Tell the
students to think about how they would come up with a plan
for survival (2-3 minutes). Have a 5 minute class discussion
on each pairs plan. Encourage groups to ask each other
questions about their reasoning. Ask the students how they
would handle being stranded. Do you think that you are
strong enough to try to survive? What would be your first plan
of action? Do you think you would be too upset to find the
shelter and food needed to survive? What are some real life
situation that they can remember hearing about in the news?
Script
Pilot- Attention passengers aboard flight 4325, this is your pilot speaking. It seems as
though we have hit some turbulence. No need to worry, we will pass it within the next
few minutes. Thank you and enjoy your ride.
Passenger 1- Geez I hope this isn’t too bad. I get very nervous flying.
Passenger 2- The pilot said that everything would be fine. I’m sure there is no need to
worry…
Passenger 3- I don’t know about you guys, but I think this plane ride is getting worse. I
have a bad feeling about this.
Pilot- Attention passengers aboard flight 4325, it seems as though we will need to do an
emergency landing. Please fasten your seat belts and prepare for a rough landing.
Thank you.
Passenger 1- Oh gosh, please let everything be ok.
Passenger 3- Am I dead?
Pilot- Is everyone ok? We need to grab all the useful items we can find. We only have
one minute to grab what we need.
These are the materials the students will have close to them:
A ball of steel wool
A small ax (plastic)
Can of Crisco shortening
Newspapers (one per person)
Cigarette lighter (without fluid)
Extra shirt and pants for each survivor
One quart of rubbing alcohol
A compass.
Family size chocolate bars (one per person)
Luggage
DVD’s
Books
Passenger 2- What did everyone find?
Passenger 3- There’s no way we can carry all of these items. We need to decided
which ones are the most important and why once we get to a safer place.
DIARY OF A STRANDED KID- LESSON 2
SOMETHING’S A LITTLE BUGGY AROUND HERE
A person could substitute bugs in their diet and get enough nutrition.
III. PLANNING
WHAT ARE DIFFERENT WAYS BUGS CAN BE PREPARED IN ORDER TO
D. ESSENTIAL QUESTION: RECEIVE NUTRITION FOR SURVIVAL?
(ONE OVERARCHING
LESSON QUESTION ) WHAT NATURAL RESOURCES CAN YOU USE FROM EACH LANDFORM
TO HELP YOU SURVIVE?
E. ASSESSMENT: The students will be assessed on their webpage. One group
(PERFORMANCE TASK) will be responsible for creating a page on the experience
WHAT WILL THE eating bugs (they will have to collect data from the other
STUDENTS DO TO SHOW group) and the other group will have to create a page about
YOU THAT THEY the correct way to build a shelter and resources found on
MASTERED THE landforms.
CONTENT?
IX. Edible insects
G. HOOK:
(DESCRIBE HOW YOU There will be dead bugs on the students’ desks. The students
WILL GRAB STUDENTS’ will be asked if they would ever consider eating the bug.
ATTENTION AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE There will be samples of bugs (purchased from the store and
LESSON. BE CREATIVE.) prepared) for the students to eat.
When the students sit down, ask them if they’ve ever eaten a
H. INSTRUCTION: bug. Did they like it? What did it taste like? Would they ever
(TELL, STEP-BY-STEP, consider eating a bug?
WHAT YOU WILL DO.)
Tell the students that today they will not just be eating regular
banana bread; we will be eating worm banana bread. We will
also be trying mealworm fried rice and chocolate chirpie chip
cookies. Then the students will be able to sample some bugs,
if the students have parental permission.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Ingredients:
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. oil
3/4 c. water
1/4 c. chopped onions
4 tsp. soy sauce
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 c. minute rice
1 c. cooked mealworms
Directions:
Add water, soy sauce, garlic and onions. Bring to a boil. Stir.
Directions:
They will first discover how to purify salt water into drinking
water as if they were stranded in the ocean. We will place the
salt water in the sun with a collection jar and see how much
water we collect during the hour we have in class. This will be
revisited later in the day and the following day.
Play the video of the firestorm, but pause the video before it
tells the students how the victim survived. Then ask the
students to think about what they would do if they were in that
firestorm. Have the students come up with a plan. Each pair
of students will have a large sheet of paper to describe how
they would get out of that situation (they can draw a picture,
list, or use any other form to represent their plan). Then each
group will present their plan. Leave enough time for the
audience to ask questions.
Show the ending of the firestorm clip and how that victim
survived. Compare their ideas with the victims.
Grading Rubric
One point for each section.
Creating a webpage
Project Rubric
Student's project includes a subpage
Student's project includes eating bugs experience or survival tips from the
boy scout
Student’s project includes images
Student’s project includes factual information
Students worked well as a team by teacher observation
Student's project shows effort with neatness_____
Student's project shows creativity in project _____
Total __________
7=Wonderful effort
4-6=Satisfactory effort
2-3=Some effort
0-1 = Did not attempt
Grading Rubric
Each checkmark counts as one point.
Creating a Plan for Survival
Project Rubric
Students project includes materials in order with explanation
Students found 2 edible plants
Students found 1 medicinal plants
Student found three edible insects
Students worked well as a team
Student's project shows effort with neatness
Student's project shows creativity in project
Total __________
6-7=Wonderful effort
4-5=Satisfactory effort
2-3=Looks like you tried
0-1 = Did not attempt
DIARY OF A STRANDED KID- LESSON 3
HOW DO I GET OUT OF HERE?
B. WHAT 3
ITEMS ARE AFTER THE LESSON,
IMPORTANT FOR
STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO… use the GPS unit and follow the correct path.
STUDENTS TO
BE ABLE TO DO?
STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO… create a path using the GPS that other people can
(DEFINE WHAT
follow.
STUDENTS
SHOULD BE
ABLE TO DO AS STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO… adapt their new survival skills to any situation.
A RESULT OF
YOUR LESSON.)
III. PLANNING
D. ESSENTIAL WHAT SURVIVAL SKILLS ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR MY SURVIVAL?
QUESTION:
(ONE
OVERARCHING
LESSON
QUESTION )
E. The students will be assessed on how well they worked together during
ASSESSMENT: the simulation by peer observation and if they followed the course
(PERFORMANCE correctly.
TASK) WHAT
WILL THE
STUDENTS DO
TO SHOW YOU
THAT THEY
MASTERED THE
CONTENT?
X. GPS
G. HOOK:
(DESCRIBE HOW The students will have a car GPS system, a cell phone and a hand held
YOU WILL GRAB
STUDENTS’
GPS system. They will have to choose which one is better to use to get
ATTENTION AT out of the woods and explain why using their background knowledge.
THE BEGINNING
OF THE LESSON.
BE CREATIVE.)
Put the car GPS, cell phone and hand held GPS on the desks. Tell them
to choose the one that would work the best if stranded in the wilderness.
Then they will have to explain their choice and which one they think
would be the most accessible to them.
Ask the students if they can name the 6 survival skills. Each student will
have to brainstorm what they believe are the 6 essential survival skills.
Then show them a short PowerPoint on the 6 essential survival skills.
Introduce the GPS systems to the students. Give them each a handout
that shows the directions on how to use the GPS systems.
H.
INSTRUCTION:
(TELL, STEP-BY-
STEP, WHAT YOU
WILL DO.)
Satellite Page
Pointer page basics
Each student will get a page explaining how to use the GPS and will be
able to take it with them outside.
Let the students work with their unit for a few minutes to get used to it.
Then take them outside where the course has already been set up.
The students will have cards and the GPS units, they will need to follow
the course and get the card stamped in the correct stop. At every other
checkpoint on the map, the students will have a small challenge.
At the starting point, have two balloons with a piece of paper on the
inside with directions for the first checkpoint. The students will have to
pop the balloon in order to get the directions (make sure the students
pick up the trash).
Speaking of wild rides, can you imagine what it would have been like to be on Apollo
13? You know, the moon mission that was supposed to do a lunar landing in April of
1970, but had to cancel their landing and return home because of a malfunction?
Everyone always wonders what it must have been like to be one of those astronauts up
there desperate to get home...but you know what I wonder?
I wonder...what was it like for the wives and the children of those astronauts, wondering
if they would ever make it home again? Being able to do nothing but sit and listen to
every news broadcast, every report coming in, but not able to do anything else. They
say listening is better than talking, and that's why God gave us two ears and just one
mouth. But I think I'd scream if I was in that situation and had nothing I could do to to
help, but had to just sit, and wait, and listen!
Anyway, that's what I wonder. But probably you're wondering something completely
different. You're probably wondering what in the world do a turtle, a car, the moon, and
an ear have in common?
And that, my friend, is a wonderful question. I shall leave you with that question now.
The answer, believe it or not, is just one single word...
Then there's ectype, cygnet, cystic and outcry, four words which have four consonants
in a row. But that's not really fair, because the letter Y is really taking on the job of a
vowel in those words.
The second most common structure for six letter words is 'CVCVCC', which makes up
about 11% of all six letter words. In third place is 'CVCVCV', a very nice, evenly spaced
word structure.
CVCVCV.
Very true, and probably never truer than in the field of poetry where "the almost right
word" can kill the tone, the rhyme, or the meter of the poem.
Clearly, that was a poet who had a hard time finding the right word, and so settled not
just for the almost right word, but for a whole string of almost right words!
On a different note, here's a poem by Oliver Goldsmith, who seemed to do a little better
at picking the right words. The poem is a teensy bit more depressing than the limerick,
but at least it flows well!
And by the way, the answer to this puzzle is lightning, not a lightning bug!
At the end, I will have a master copy and will be able to tell if the
students used the GPS correctly.
The students will then have a chance to create their own course and see
if others can follow it in the path they made. This is the sheet each group
will have http://sciencespot.net/Media/GPSHideSeek.pdf. Once they
have completed making their map, they will had it to the other pair of
students to see if they are able to follow the map.
Puzzle #1: Races And Wild Rides
Turtles are fascinating creatures. Do you remember that old story about the turtle and the
rabbit having a race? The rabbit is sure he'll win, because the turtle is such a
tediously slow and monotonous creature. But the turtle wins
because slow and steady is better than fast yet unreliable. And
that is certainly true; if you had a choice between someone you
knew was going to be slow, but was sure to get the job done,
wouldn't you choose that person over the one who starts out going
leaps and bounds but then gets distracted and never finishes
whatever it was he was supposed to be doing in the first place?
Speaking of wild rides, can you imagine what it would have been like to be on Apollo 13? You know, the
moon mission that was supposed to do a lunar landing in April of 1970, but had to cancel their landing
and return home because of a malfunction? Everyone always wonders what it must have been like to be
one of those astronauts up there desperate to get home...but you know what I wonder?
I wonder...what was it like for the wives and the children of those astronauts, wondering if they would ever
make it home again? Being able to do nothing but sit and listen to every news broadcast, every report
coming in, but not able to do anything else. They say listening is better than talking, and that's why God
gave us two ears and just one mouth. But I think I'd scream if I was in that situation and had nothing I
could do to to help, but had to just sit, and wait, and listen!
Anyway, that's what I wonder. But probably you're wondering something completely different. You're
probably wondering what in the world do a turtle, a car, the moon, and an ear have in common?
And that, my friend, is a wonderful question. I shall leave you with that question now. The answer, believe
it or not, is just one single word...
If you're looking at just six letter words, the most common word structure is CVCCVC (a consonant,
followed by a vowel, followed by two consonants, a vowel, and ending with another consonant). In fact,
slightly over a quarter of all six letter words are of this format!
Here's an interesting word: cadeau. It's a French word which means "gift". It's interesting because I
couldn't find any English words in the form 'CVCVVV'. Not that cadeau has anything to do with
this puzzle...you can think of that as a "freebie"...a gift.
Then there's ectype, cygnet, cystic and outcry, four words which have four consonants in a row. But that's
not really fair, because the letter Y is really taking on the job of a vowel in those words.
The second most common structure for six letter words is 'CVCVCC', which makes up about 11% of all
six letter words. In third place is 'CVCVCV', a very nice, evenly spaced word structure.
CVCVCV.
Very true, and probably never truer than in the field of poetry where "the almost right word" can kill the
tone, the rhyme, or the meter of the poem.
Clearly, that was a poet who had a hard time finding the right word, and so settled not just for the almost
right word, but for a whole string of almost right words!
On a different note, here's a poem by Oliver Goldsmith, who seemed to do a little better at picking the
right words. The poem is a teensy bit more depressing than the limerick, but at least it flows well!
And by the way, the answer to this puzzle is lightning, not a lightning bug!
Grading Rubric
One point for each section.
Project Rubric
Student went through the course in the correct path.
Student worked well with partner by teacher observation.
Created a course that others could follow
Total __________
3=Satisfactory effort
1-2= Little attempt
0 = Did not attempt
DIARY OF A STRANDED KID- LESSON 4
THE DAY OF RESCUE
The weather has no affect on someone’s survival. If the person has good survival skills, they can survive
anything.
III. PLANNING
D. ESSENTIAL QUESTION: HOW WILL THE WEATHER HAVE AN EFFECT ON MY SURVIVAL?
(ONE OVERARCHING LESSON
QUESTION )
E. ASSESSMENT: The students will be assessed on how well they work
(PERFORMANCE TASK) WHAT together during the stimulation. They will also be assessed on
WILL THE STUDENTS DO TO
their sub webpage page.
SHOW YOU THAT THEY
MASTERED THE CONTENT?
XI. Survival Skills
XII. Weather
A. Warm weather-
a. heatstroke, heat exhaustion, and heat
cramps.
b. wearing less clothing, if sweating a lot need
to replace lost salts and minerals as well as
water, eat lightly
B. Cold weather
a. frostbite and hypothermia.
b. do not make a shelter of metal, never fall
asleep without turning out your stove or
lamp, never sleep directly on the ground.
G. HOOK:
(DESCRIBE HOW YOU WILL The students will see a clip on being able to survive the
GRAB STUDENTS’ ATTENTION
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE
Amazon.
LESSON. BE CREATIVE.)
Play the video of the victim surviving the Amazon, but pause
the video before it tells the students how the victim survived.
Then ask the students to think about how they would survive
the Amazon. Have the students come up with a plan. We will
then have a class discussion on what we would do differently
than the people in the clip. We will also discuss what steps
the survivors took that were beneficial to their survival.
Have the boy scout guest speaker talk with the students
about the five basic survival skills. He will explain what steps
are the most logical and explain the effects of temperature.
H. INSTRUCTION:
The students will be given strips of cloth that can be used as
(TELL, STEP-BY-STEP, WHAT
YOU WILL DO.)
gauze. First they will have a chance to practice wrapping their
partner’s ankle and wrist before we show the correct way.
Once they have taken a few minutes to try and figure it out on
their own it will be shown to them the correct way to secure
their wrist or foot if for some reason it gets injured.
The last few minutes, show the ending of the surviving the
Amazon clip and how that victim survived. Compare their
ideas with the victims.
Grading Rubric
Two points for each section.
Sub webpage/Discussion
Project Rubric
Student's project includes survival skills
Student's project includes information about landform
Student’s project includes the plan for survival
Student’s project includes voice message
Student’s project includes pictures
Students worked well as a team
Students project is organized
Student's project shows effort with neatness
Student's project shows creativity in project
Student participated in discussion
Total __________
15-20=Wonderful effort
11-14-4=Satisfactory effort
5-10=Little attempt
0-4 = Did not attempt