Lesson 1: Mission Possible

Lesson 1: Mission Possible

Goal: Engage the students in objectives of the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument.

Learning objective:  Learn to be active an active thinker, inform others, listen to others, participate in a discussion, collaborate with group members, and apply what is learned, as well as correct misconceptions about the objectives of the PTNM.

Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects for 6-8 grades:

• o   Reading # 4 - Meaning of words and phrases (figuratively and connotative)
• o   Writing # 10- Routine writing
• o   Speaking and Listening # 1 and 2- engage in discussions and interpret information

New Mexico Science Standards and Benchmarks Strand III Science and Society Strand I: Understand how discoveries, inventions, practices, and knowledge are influenced by individuals and societies.

TIME: This lesson could be broken down into about to 60 minute class periods depending on student abilities and number of students.15 to 30 minutes for steps 1 and 2 which is the intro and journal/discussion and 15-30 minutes for groups to discuss and list different meaning of the Monument. Presentations could last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.

Materials: Journal (note book), Poster board (presentation tools), Map of location of the Monument (BLM site for PTNM)

Background Information: The objectives of the PTNM is to conserve, protect and enhance the unique and nationally important paleontological, scientific, educational, scenic and recreational resources and values of the Robledo Mountains. The Monument is located in the Robledo Mountains and has been used mostly for recreation in the past. In 2009 the area was designated a National Monument. This lesson will be a beginning of a PBL process for students to identify a realistic problem. The process will begin with students learning the problem and what is known and what is needed.

Procedure:

1.    Tell the students that they will begin a project about PTNM. Show them a map of the monument. Write the objective of the Monument on the board.

“To conserve, protect and enhance the unique and nationally important paleontological, scientific, educational, scenic, and recreational resources and values of the Robledo Mountains.”

2.    Have the class journal write about what the objective of the PTNM means and then ask for volunteers to share their journal entry and/or thinking. During the discussion, encourage students to use active thinking by asking students why the think what they do and to model active listening when students are talking. When student give their opinions ask them for facts to support their opinions. It’s ok if they do not have facts because that is part of the process of identifying a problem.

3.    To promote further thinking have the students in groups or teams and then break up the objective (on the board) into three sections:

o   Conserve, protect, and enhance
o   Unique and nationally important
o   Paleontological, Scientific, Educational, Scenic, and Recreational resources and values

4.    Ask students to make these three sections a heading for a list of ideas that come from these phrases. Walk around the groups to monitor and elicit as many ideas as possible for each one. Students make further divided sections as needed. Some probing questions for ideas could be:

o   Is there only one way to have conservation?
o   What ways can something be protected?  Enhanced?
o   Does enhance mean that it must be changed?
o   How do we know it is unique?
o   Does the nation own it? Who is the nation?
o   Who benefits from this unique area?
o   What does paleontological mean? Scientific mean? ….
o   How can mountains be a resource?
o   What is the money value? Community value? What other value might there be for the area?

5.     Provide each group a poster board (or computer, butcher paper) to make a group presentation of their ideas.  Students can make lists, outlines, or illustrate the objectives but the group should agree on what should be included and what should not be included using the cooperative skills needed to complete a task such as this.

6.     Have each group share with the rest of the class. Make sure that the students are identifying themselves as the stakeholders of any BLM project such as the PTNM by asking questions, disagreeing, and providing communication during the presentation.

Evaluation: Students should have formed their own knowledge about the Monument as well as learned what their classmates know demonstrated in the group presentations. A class list could be made on the board of what the class does know and what the class does not know.

Extensions: Ideas could be to encourage students to make word charts, books, or movies that help describe the meaning of the word or group of words other wise known as the Monument objectives. Publish the student’s work by having a presentation event.