Author Archives: Rhonda Carrier

About Rhonda Carrier

Rhonda is an international educator who has worked in Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Jordan, Japan and the U.S. She has been a ES/MS/HS teacher, head of department, technology director, curriculum coordinator, house parent, university lecturer, adjunct professor.

Science Links: Health

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Science Links for Grade 5 students

Sleep

Food and Nutrition

Emotional Health

Science Links: Heart and Lungs

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Science links for Grade 5 students

Science Links: Life Cycles

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Science Links for Grade 5 students

 

Dinosaur Science

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The grade 2 students went to Dinosaur World this week, so they are excited to learn anything about dinosaurs. Today they investigated the dinosaur videos on PBSkids.org. One of the girls turned to me after a few minutes watching the videos. She pointed to the man on the screen and said, “He is a paleontologist!” I was amazed that she knew the word and could pronounce it. They obviously had learned more than that the T. Rex was a large dinosaur. They had learned which scientists study old, extinct plants and animals, that some animals become extinct and about being careful searching for fossils. It seems the fossil search was a highlight of the trip.

Creative Arts: Purpose and Culture

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Grade 8 Project
Enduring Understanding:

  • Visual art reflects individual, community, and cultural differences throughout the world.
  • Visual art can portray different views, opinions, and interpretations.
  • Art influences technology and technology influences art.

Guiding Questions

  1. What is the purpose and meaning of your art? What is the purpose and meaning of the art of the artist or museum you selected to study? How does it represent you and your culture?
  2. What are the purposes for which cultures create art?
  3. Who owns art? How is art saved, displayed, distributed and licensed?

Design Cycle

  • investigate
  • design
  • plan
  • create
  • evaluate

Technology Standards
Communication and Collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:

  • interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
  • communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.

Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving & Decision-Making: Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:

  • plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.

Digital Citizenship: Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students:

  • exhibit leadership for digital citizenship.

Technology Operations and Concepts: Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems and operations. Students:

  • select and use applications effectively and productively.
  • transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.

View rubrics and student products on the wiki: http://icscreativearts.wikispaces.com/home

Art Book pages by E. Prendergast

Grade 6 World Cultures

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Enduring Understanding:

Students will understand how ancient civilizations developed and how they contributed to the current state of the world.

Essential Questions

  1. How did the earliest civilizations begin and develop?
  2. How has their development contributed to the world we live in?

How did physical geography influence the location and success or decline of early civilizations?

  1. Identify the major physical features of the regions where ancient civilizations flourished.
  2. Describe how these features influenced the success or decline of the civilizations.
  3. Compare maps of these ancient civilizations to current political maps and make inferences about the continuing affects of physical geography on cultural development.

What role has religion played in human development from ancient times to modern?

  1. Explore the importance of religion in the cultural expression of ancient civilizations (e.g. customs, artistic expression, creation stories, architecture of sacred spaces).
  2. Identify key tenets of the major world religions (i.e. Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism).
  3. Analyze how religious ideas influence current issues.

How are the systems of power, authority, and governance used to establish order in ancient civilizations still present in today’s modern governments?

  1. Identify forms of government within these civilizations.
  2. Compare those forms to existing systems of governance in today’s world.

How did the people of early civilizations use innovation and technology to meet personal and community needs?

  1. Identify innovations in manmade structures over time (e.g. irrigation, roads, building materials) and their influence on meeting needs.
  2. Examine the evolution and importance of writing.
  3. Identify cultural expressions that reflect these systems (e.g. architecture, artistic expression, medicine, philosophy, drama, literature).
  4. Compare social classes, vocations, and gender roles within ancient civilizations.

Rubrics and samples of student work are on the class wiki: http://icsworldcultures.wikispaces.com/home

Treasury in Petra, Jordan

Essential Questions based on UbD unit at
http://www.uen.org/core/socialstudies/sixth/eueq.shtml

Solar System Review

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Grade 5 Solar System Unit

Enduring Understanding: While the composition of planets varies considerably, their components and the applicable laws of science are universal.

Essential Questions

  • What predictable, observable patterns occur as a result of the interaction between the Earth, Moon, and Sun?
  • What causes these patterns?
  • How are planets and other objects in the Solar System similar and different to Earth?
  • What implication does this have for the existence and sustaining of life?

Supporting links and videos are on the Grade 5 science wiki:

http://icstampagr5science.wikispaces.com/Solar+System

NASA Apollo 8 mission image

Florida Research

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Grade 4 Florida Research Project

Enduring Understandings:

  1. Studying history helps us to understand Florida today.
  2. Geography, location and climate affected the development of Florida.
  3. Florida was settled long before the Europeans arrived in 1492.
  4. European influence on Florida had a lasting impact.
  5. Good citizens work together to solve problems and to make a difference.

Guiding Questions

  1. Who were the first people of Florida and how did they use their environment to meet their basic needs?
  2. How have the different cultural groups in early Florida influenced our state?
  3. What are the characteristics of the geographic regions of Florida?
  4. Why is Florida’s location important culturally, politically, and economically?
  5. How has Florida’s physical geography and resources contributed to people’s decision to make Florida their home?
  6. How has Florida’s physical geography and resources contributed to people’s decision to make Florida their tourist destination?
  7. How do the citizens of the state work together to solve problems?
  8. How can citizens make a difference?

Resources

Student Products are on the class wiki: http://icsflorida.wikispaces.com/

An Anhinga dries its wings after fishing in a fresh water pond

 

FETC Other Recommended Websites

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I was happy to finally meet Kathy Schrock, whose work I have followed and used for many years. Her website is the basis for a large portion of the research model that we use here at Incarnation. View Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Almost Everything.

A few other good website to check out are: