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Urban Prairie - Teacher Page

Project Description

Everything in our environment affects us. Whether it’s a small insect or a large flower, everything has a place in society. Urbanization has destroyed many indigenous species of plants and insects. As part of Mayor Daley’s Urban Garden Project and the Illinois State Prairie Project, students will recreate a prairie on school property, in order to maintain an awareness of how important our surroundings are to humans and our survival.

Project Goals

Essential Question:

How do we protect and preserve our environment?

Specific Questions:

How do we restore small areas of land to natural biomes?
How do we introduce native species to the natural biomes?
How do we impact the community in order to gain resources and support?
How does an individual maintain the restored areas?

Illinois and CPS Learning Standards

State Goal	CAS	CFS
7	A	7
10	A	1

Unit Prerequisites

· Use word processor.

· Understand scale.

· Use ruler.

Performance Tasks

Access:

Investigate the native species of plants, butterflies and birds that are found in our region, including migratory butterflies and birds.
Inspect different web sites to gather data on prairies.
Survey the student and community population on the knowledge of prairies.

Interpret:

Evaluate the location and health of the plants that have been planted.
Judge the location of butterfly and other prairie plants.
Analyze and interpret data to deliberate on attitude toward the garden.

Produce:

Design a survey questioner for the two populations involved.
Create a map of existing plants.
Create a plan for future plantings.
Create a plant field guide to use for the identification of the plants in the garden.

Communicate:

Debate the questions necessary to report on attitudes and knowledge of the community.
Describe the garden as it is now and how it will be at the end in a scale drawing.
Persuade parents and other students to care for prairie garden using the data acquired via the survey published in the brochure.

Evaluate:

Check the accuracy of the scale drawings.
Critique the questions in the attitude survey.
Evaluate graph formulated from the survey.
Check for accuracy in drawing and information of the guide.

Performance Assessment Plan

Making A Map: Prairie Garden

Teacher name: E. Hidalgo

Student Name ___________________

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Neatness of Color and Lines	All straight lines are ruler-drawn, all errors have been neatly corrected and all features are colored completely.	All straight lines are ruler-drawn, most errors have been neatly corrected and most features are colored completely.	Most straight lines are ruler-drawn, most errors have been neatly corrected and most features are colored completely.	Many lines, corrections of errors, and/or features are not neatly done.
Color Choices	Student always uses color appropriate for features (e.g. blue for water; black for labels, etc.) on map.	Student usually uses color appropriate for features (e.g. blue for water; black for labels, etc.).	Student sometimes uses color appropriate for features (e.g. blue for water; black for labels, etc.).	Student does not use color appropriately.
Labels - Accuracy	At least 90% of the items are labeled and located correctly.	80-89% of the items are labeled and located correctly.	79-70% of the items are labeled and located correctly.	Less than 70% of the items are labeled and located correctly.
Map Legend/Key	Legend is easy-to-find and contains a complete set of symbols, including a compass rose.	Legend contains a complete set of symbols, including a compass rose.	Legend contains an almost complete set of symbols, including a compass rose.	Legend is absent or lacks several symbols.

Public Awareness Campaign: Prairie Survey

Teacher name: E. Hidalgo

Student Name ___________________

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Research/Statistical Data	Students include 4 or more high-quality examples or pieces of data to support their campaign.	Students include at least 3 high-quality examples or pieces of data to support their campaign.	Students include at least 2 high-quality examples or pieces of data to support their campaign.	Students include fewer than 2 high-quality examples or pieces of data to support their campaign.
Brainstorming - Problems	Students identify more than 4 reasonable, insightful barriers/problems that need to change.	Students identify at least 4 reasonable, insightful barriers/problems that need to change.	Students identify at least 3 reasonable, insightful barriers/problems that need to change.	Students identify fewer than 3 reasonable, insightful barriers/problems that need to change.
Brainstorming - Solutions	Students identify more than 4 reasonable, insightful possible solutions/strategies to encourage change.	Students identify at least 4 reasonable, insightful possible solutions/strategies to encourage change.	Students identify at least 3 reasonable, insightful possible solutions/strategies to encourage change.	Students identify fewer than 3 reasonable, insightful possible solutions/strategies to encourage change.
Campaign/Product	Students create an original, accurate and interesting product that adequately addresses the issue.	Students create an accurate product that adequately addresses the issue.	Students create an accurate product but it does not adequately address the issue.	The product is not accurate.

Category

1

2

3

4

DATA

Written description is missing pertinent information. Common or scientific name is missing. Spelling errors and grammar errors.

Written description is inadequate, missing lots of information. Common or scientific name is missing. Spelling errors are numerous

Written descriptions are missing important information. Common or scientific name is missing. Spelling errors.

Written description of the plant will have correct information and include common and scientific name. No grammar errors.

COLOR

Colors chosen are not correct.

Coloring is poorly done

Coloring is okay.

Color chosen is correct and well done.

AESTHETICS

Looks messy and done in a hurry.

Looks incomplete.

Looks better, but flaws in spacing and coloring.

Looks perfectly spaced and colored.