Appendix A: Sample Units
Unit for Theme Week: The Sixties
Middle School Teachers,
Oakdale Christian School Grand Rapids, Michigan
Reported by Ruth Posthumus, teacher
(Details concerning the teaching of the unit can be obtained from the teachers at Oakdale Christian School.)
"An Interdisciplinary Theme Week fits the specific goals of Oakdale Christian. Oakdale Christian School seeks to assist Its students to develop healthy self-esteem, enthusiasm for learning, personal and corporate responsibility for self-development, rational and effective problem solving skills, and a personal commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ" (Oakdale Christian School Statement of Mission).
Other specific goals that directly relate to Theme Week are:
1. The curriculum will be integrated.
2. The students will take responsibility for their own learning and for the learning of others.
3. The teachers will work together in teams both in planning and in teaching.
4. The students' interactions will be as important as the subject matter that is taught.
5. The students will be grouped heterogeneously across grade levels to provide a positive ethos.
6. The parents will be involved.
7. The community will be involved.
8. The courses, both mini-courses and end product classes will be exploratory in nature.
9. The learning will be both teacher directed and student directed.
10. The block time scheduling will give greater flexibility.
11. All students will have the opportunity to succeed.
12. There will be opportunity for small group learning.
September
The planning for Theme Week began at the beginning of the school year. The administrator and two middle school teachers began with a brainstorming session and brought proposals for a topic and a time schedule
to the middle school staff. The Sixties was chosen as the theme, and the last seven days of the first semester were chosen as the time frame.
Throughout the month of September the administrator and two teachers developed a tentative structure. It was proposed that during the first three days of Theme Week the students would take a series of eight mini-courses that would introduce content and research options that students would explore during the last four days of Theme Week. The proposals for the three day mini-classes were:
It was proposed that on the last four days of the Theme Week experience the students would be involved in three major end products. Each of these end product classes would meet approximately two hours per day.
1 . Each student would be involved in the writing, reporting, and producing of news.
2. Each student would be involved in some form of forensics (interpretive reading, skits, acting, etc.).
3. Each student would be involved in the development of a major display.
A Thursday evening Open House for the community was also proposed.
October
The proposal was accepted and middle school teachers were given a memo in which they could choose several courses that they would feel comfortable teaching as well as which end product team they would like to be involved with. The administrator and two teachers made the final mini-course teaching assignments and determined the end product teaching teams. The Open House date was set.
It was decided by the staff to inform the parents of the Theme Week plans at parent-teacher conferences
and to provide an opportunity for parent input. Each teacher provided a sign up opportunity in which parents could identify contact persons and areas of expertise and experience.
The administrator and committee of teachers also gave the other teachers a list of suggested resource people and suggested items to be covered in the course. The middle school teachers met and discussed the suggested resource people and course content. The purpose of this meeting was to clarify the subject matter of each minicourse as well as to share with each other any additional information about the courses.
During October it was also decided that band and orchestra would continue to meet during Theme Week. Their studies would also be integrated into Theme Week, and they would perform at the open house on Thursday night.
November
During this month teachers planned their mini-courses. The administrator also provided substitutes for each teaching team for one day during the month of November. The teaching teams spent their day in the library. That day was beneficial for mini-course preparation, but It was extremely beneficial for end product course preparation. Having colleagues to share ideas with was both stimulating and productive.
December
The following course descriptions were turned in during the month of December.
Elections of the 1960s
The course will cover:
1. The presidential elections, winners and losers, 1960 Kennedy/Johnson vs. Nixon/Lodge 1964 Johnson / Humphrey vs. Goldwater / Miller 1968 Nixon/Agnew vs. Humphrey/Muskie
2. The 1968 Democratic Convention, Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden, Richard Daly
3. Religion and politics
The format for the course will be data collection and sharing of information. Video clips of the election will be shown, the movie A Look for New Meaning-Student Protests will be shown and discussed.
Music, Art, and Television
The students will form groups according to artists, musicians, and TV personalities. The students will use magazines, pamphlets, books, handouts, and records to design collages. The students will plan an artistic happening including fashion, jargon, music, and food.
Grand Rapids Local Scene
The course will show the physical changes that have taken place in Grand Rapids by comparing slides taken In the '60s with slides of the same locations taken in the '80s.
Students will use the Grand Rapids Press to show how Grand Rapids reacted to events taking place in our nation and across the world during this time period. Students will discover this information by looking at copies of news articles to answer questions in a game format (Jeopardy).
The teacher will give a flavor of what life was like In the '60s fads and fashion, cruising the circuit, urban renewal, drive-ins, development of freeways, Grand Rapids Tackers, the beach, etc.
America In Turmoil
This course will focus on the following topics:
1 . Assassinations: John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr.
2. Black Movements: Leaders Freedom Marches, Riots, Highlighted events
3. American Politics, Political Groups, and Figures: Black Panthers, White Panthers, SDS (Weathermen), The Chicago Seven
Students will follow the following format:
1 . Introduction/ Background to above topics.
2. "Problem" sheets will be distributed and students will work in small groups to find information regarding the assigned topics. Questions will be the standard Who? When? Where? What happened? Why?
3. A "pull -it -together" session during which findings will be shared and each student will develop a set of notes for end product courses.
Sports - Explosion and Expansion - Becoming Visible
Day 1
Info Blitz
A. Teams - pro and college
Day 2
Day 3
1968 World Series (Detroit Tigers)
Vietnam
Day 1 - Trace U.S. involvement in a visual timeline format.
A. 1963 - Buildup of American advisors, Ho Chi Minh Trail - lifeline for the North Vietnamese
B. 1964 - Gulf of Tonkin resolution, Search and destroy missions
C. 1965 - Bombing of North Vietnam, Battle of ChuLat
D. 1965-66 - Doves, Hawks Draft exemptions, deferments, National Guard Role of Blacks in Vietnam
Days 2 and 3
A. How progress was measured - body count, days in field, security of roads and railroads
B. Guerrilla warfare
The Space Race
Day I Historical overview-timeline and film
Day 2 Rocket propulsion
Day 3 Getting into orbit-introduction to the physics of orbiting spacecraft. Focus on energy needs, speeds necessary, etc. Use John Glenn's first orbital flight and Apollo 11 moon landing as primary examples.
A World In Crisis
Day 1 1960 United States/Soviet Relations
U-2 Episode: The students will map the events of the U-2 episode while the teacher tells the story of Francis Gary Powers.
Day 2 October 1962, The Cuban Missile Crisis
The teacher will use Robert F. Kennedy's book Thirteen Days to attempt to re-enact the feeling of crisis during those 13 days. The students will be assigned the names of the Executive Committee of the National Security Council. Original quotations, letters, and documents will be used whenever possible.
Day 3 Africa-gaining independence
Twenty-nine nations became independent during the 1960s. The students will use an almanac and atlas to discover which nations and how many nations on the continent of Africa became independent during the 1960s. Students will recall the American struggle for independence. What struggles, issues, consequences, benefits, etc., are a result of independence? How long will it take before the unique qualities of the African nations are recognized and they are no longer referred to as "Africa"? The students will gain an awareness of language, population, resources, literacy rate, etc. for each of the nations.
A teaching format summary was prepared to ensure variety in teaching style.
End Product Classes
The end product class formats were determined by the teaching teams. The news production end product class was divided into two parts. The eighth graders were involved in a video production, and the sixth and seventh graders were involved in the production of newspapers.
Video Production
The students will write, direct, and produce a thirty minute "Evening News" show with G.R.T.V. The students will be divided into nine teams-one anchor team and eight teams of correspondents. Each correspondent team will be responsible for coordinating the entire news production.
Each correspondent team is responsible for the following:
1. Determine and get approval for the exact stories you will be covering.
2. Locate specific graphics (pictures, album covers, video tapes, etc.) that will accompany your story.
3. Write out your script word for word.
4. Select at least one person from your group to be on camera.
5. Practice ... Practice ... Practice.
The eighth graders spent the last day of Theme Week at the studio taping their production. They finished their work at 5:00 P.M.
Newspaper
The students will put together a newspaper which will highlight major features of the '60s in the following areas:
1. National
2. International
3. State
4. Local
5. Editorials and letters to the editor
6. Sports
7. Fashions and Fads
8. Entertainment
Forensics
The possibilities for dramatic productions were limitless. The teaching team handed out pages of possibilities for skits, debates, speeches, readings, and lip-synchs. The students added numerous other ideas from their three-day mint-course blitz. Every student in the middle school was involved in at least one dramatic performance. For four days. two hours a day, the students practiced their work in every available corner of the school. The teaching team became directors, producers, choreographers, electricians, and encouragers. Discipline was never a problem; getting students to stop and eat lunch was.
The results were performed in a coffee shop atmosphere at the Open House. There were twenty-six performances ranging from a dramatic presentation of the Cuban Missile Crisis to a lip-synch of the Supremes.
Displays
Every student participated in the production of at least one display. The following displays were placed in the gym for the Thursday night Open House:
1 . A timeline of the '60s including information gleaned from all of the mini-courses.
2. A collage of record jackets (thanks to the parents). At the Open House a student DJ played records at that display.
3. Political cartoons.
4, A graffiti wall with signs and sayings of the times.
5. A display of the artists of the decade.
6. Tie-dye display.
7. A model of Cape Canaveral including various rocket models.
8. Enlarged baseball cards with drawings of '60s baseball personalities.
9. A drive-in theater complete with a cardboard car and slides of Grand Rapids In the 1960s.
10.A large chart of the draft lottery numbers with the birthdays of the students' fathers on it.
Open House
The culmination of Theme Week was an evening Open House for the parents and community. All students participated in the Open House. One half of the gym was set up as a coffee house, and the dramatic presentations were performed from the stage. The displays were arranged throughout the gymnasium. The newspapers were handed out to the guests and placed on the tables. The eighth grade GRTV news video was displayed repeatedly throughout the night.
The students served their parents coffee. A press release In the local paper covered the event.
Media Center
The Media Center was a hub of activity throughout Theme Week. The media specialists collected materials from as many local private schools as possible. They also provided space for materials that teachers collected from a wide variety of sources including the public library and local film libraries.
Evaluation
There was no formal written evaluation of Theme Week; however, the teachers spent several hours discussing and evaluating Theme Week. It was obvious, by continuous comments, that the parents and students were excited by the project. It was reported over and over again that the project stimulated conversations at home. The Open House was a great success and the gym was crowded from 7:00-9:30.
The major criticism from teachers was the lack of adequate planning time. All suggested that a Theme Week topic for the next year should be determined before summer break.
The Sixties Theme Week project was an exhilarating educational experience that met the specific goals of Oakdale Christian School.
Look Around!
Christian Awareness Unit for Junior High Students
S.C.S. and CSI District 11 Curriculum Resource Banks
Writers: Peter Busink, John Byl, Henry Contant, Ary De Moor, Peter Kleine, and Phil Van der Bos
(Note: Only parts of the unit are presented here. The complete unit may be ordered from the British Columbia and Alberta Resource Banks listed in Appendix B.)
Thematic Statement
God created human beings in his own image. In all aspects of their daily life people are called to mirror the very image of their Creator. Through the fall into sin, we have separated ourselves from God and, consequently, often reflect an image other than our created one. Through our own sin and that of society around us, we may have a poor self-image that does not do justice to our calling as responsible image bearers; one that may, for example, be reflected in insecurity, depression, loneliness, or a sense of being lost. Sometimes we may try to cover this up through false bravado or fake superiority. Also, some people have an inflated view of themselves and fall to recognize both the God-given limits of their abilities and their sinfulness. Through the grace we possess in Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit, we may learn to mirror God's image as outlined in Scripture and in this way grow in our relationship with our Creator, our neighbor, the creation, and ourselves.
In this unit, students will analyze what it means to be image bearers of God. They will be shown that submitting their lives to Christ is the starting point for developing a proper self-image. They will explore how their own self-image has been shaped: the influences of a secular society, of the Christian community, of school, of their peers, of their own thinking and acting and faith. The unit will then lead them to a clearer understanding of their roles as image bearers who, when redeemed in Christ, can restore their distorted self-image and experience joyful growth and life celebration. The students will be helped to see that while our lives will continue to be marred by sin and its effects, it is by exercising this "mirroring pro; cess" that we develop a "knowing" of God as Father through Christ, a concern for our neighbors, a wholesome view of creation, and a reason for self-worth.
Unit Objectives
A. To recognize that a self-image develops within a context: the community around you and your relationship with others may shape your self-image.
B. To consider biblical passages that deal with proper self-image and self-worth in relation to our Creator.
C. To explore and understand why students may feel inferior to, superior to, or different from their peers.
D. To show how a proper view of the self leads to responsible living and action.
OBJECTIVE A: To recognize that a self-image develops within a context: the community around you and your relationship with others may shape your self-image.
Activity 1: Develop an awareness of community
a. Study the words community, communal, communism, communion, and communicate. What seems to be common to all these words? Perhaps students may list some other words that have as their root, communa, which is Latin for community, or communts, Latin for common. Try to show a similarity between these words so that students may gain an understanding of the meaning of community.
b. Read the short story, The Fun They Had, by Isaac Asimov. What seems to be one of the overriding themes in this short story?
Activity 2: Help the students to see they are part of a larger body, the community.
List 5 groups that you belong to. Why do you belong to these groups? Is there something about the group you like or dislike?
Activity 3: What effect does the community have on the individual? People are shaped and directed by the expectations others have of them.
a. Reproduce and hand out two separate copies of the following personality profile chart to each student.
1 ) Ask students to pick a favorite person and to write his or her name on one of the profile sheets (#I). Then tell students to fill in the chart, indicating where they feel their favorite person fits in terms of personality. Hand this sheet in.
2) Ask students to write their own names on the other profile sheet (#2). Then allow them a few minutes to fill in their chart with appropriate checkmarks.
3) Hand back profile sheet #1 to the student. Ask the students to compare or contrast their own personality with that of their favorite person. Ask for some examples from the class.
b. List five characteristics that identify you as a member of your family (physical and/or environmental-this allows for adoptive family members).
c. Collect information about your family roots. Make a scrapbook that traces your family lineage back for a number of generations. Include pictures, clippings, and any information which may indicate cultural similarities, denominational affiliations and other items of interest.
d. Using pictures from magazines, construct a collage of the images of people who affect you. This effect may be positive or negative. This is an individual student project.
e. Have students role-play a specific incident about some person in the class, a parent, or a friend. Have others write character sketches of the role played. In this way students will be able to dramatize those traits of others which seem to affect them.
f. Write a description of yourself as your parents or friends see you. Give your description to your parents or friends and ask them if they agree or disagree. This activity will help the students to formulate images of themselves In relationship to the way they see themselves and others see them.
Activity 4: Not only does the community affect you but you also have a-n effect on the community. We must strive to present a clear image of who we are. We have to be careful to mirror the proper image within our community. Others should see us as we really are. "I am what you see!"
a. Ask the following questions of the students:
1) Do you act differently in school, at home, in church? Why?
2) Does our image change to suit others?
Read 2 Corinthians 10: 12-13. Explain in terms of the given question. Read Philippians 2:1-8. How may this passage guide you in the way you present yourselves to others? Memorize Philippians 2:1-4. Read Epheslans 4-23-25. Epheslans 2:10, 1 Timothy 4:11-16.
Explain how each of these passages may help us to develop a proper view of how we should present ourselves.
b. Use Bible passages to support the fact that we must all do our part in helping the entire community to function positively. Read and evaluate with the students: 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12.
OBJECTI'VE B: To consider biblical passages that deal with proper self-image and self worth in relationship to our Creator.
Activity 1: What are images?
a. Help students to think about images. Ask them to define image. Then by demonstration show the students how a mirror may be used to give an image. Reflect the face of one of your students in the mirror. Ask the student what it is they see-is it the real person or the image of one? There are a number of characteristics that may be identified to make the image seem like the real thing (it looks like it); keep in mind these are characteristics and not the real person.
b. Students should be able to relate to television as an image "creator." You may also ask the students to close their eyes and imagine an image of someone-can they tell you about the person without having the actual person available? Have them write a brief description of the image they have.
Activity 2: Identifying with images
a. Bring some works of art to class. You may want to give a brief lesson on the difference between a Rembrandt and a Picasso. Can the students, by being shown an example of each, identify the creator? Ask questions about design. What makes each work identifiable? You may want to use other art forms too, pottery for example. In any case, the students should be able to identify certain characteristics about each art form and therefore be able to classify it according to the creator.
b. Have each student write a paragraph from a particular text. Compare handwritings and see if students can put a name to the various styles. (Make sure the students don't put their name on the original document.)
Activity 3: Now that students have some idea as to what an image is and how they may associate certain characteristics of an image with the real thing, have them start thinking about the image of God. Make certain that you give each student an opportunity to state their idea of the image of God as it is inevitable that each one will "see" him differently.
a. In your own words write a character sketch of God.
b. Discussion topic: What does it mean to be created in God's image?
c. Discussion topic: What is the image of God?
Activity 4: Let the students freely share their ideas about the image of God. You will be able to show them that it seems we all have a slightly different idea about his image. Convince them that the only real way of knowing about God's character, apart from personal experiences, is to study what his Word has to say about him.
a. Select a number of the following texts for students to examine and ask them to identify the characteristic of God's image from each selection, Since people were created in the image of God we are able to know God's image by finding out about the image he has created us with. We realize this may not be the image people reflect today but scripture must be used to teach us the new Image we can once again have through the renewing work of Jesus Christ-the image restorer.
Genesis 1:27,28--people given kingship
Genesis 2:18--people were created to live in a state of communion
Genesis 3:9--God seeks us out
Genesis 3:13-20,22--God was justifiably angry
Exodus 15:22-25--God is a Provider
I Samuel 16:6-12--God seeks out the heart
Job 34:10-15--God Is truthful and just
Ezekiel 18:25-29--The Lord is just
Daniel 3:24-26 --God comes down to us
Jonah 4:6-11 --God pities
Matthew 1:21-23--God humbles himself
Psalm 8--the majesty of God given to people
Matthew 9:27-32--God is a caring, concerned Father
Matthew 5:3-10--TheBeatitudes: righteous, peacemaker, pure in heart, merciful, meek, humble
I Peter 1:13-19 Being holy and worthy
b. Read the poem, once more the creator, to gain further insight into the image of God as seen by Fred W. Tamminga.
OBJECTIVE C: To explore and understand why students may feel inferior to, superior to, or different from their peers.
Activity 1: Ask your students individually to jot down what they feel about themselves in terms of physical attractiveness. What do they like or dislike? What would they change if they could? How do they think they would feel about themselves if they were "better looking"? Depending on the trust established with your class
1) have students share their feelings with each other, or 2) collect the responses and share your findings of the class with them the following day. (Eighteen out of twenty-five people felt .... )
Activity 2: Appearance affects judgments. Collect pictures from magazines showing physically attractive and physically unattractive people. Include pictures of all ages. Present contrasting pictures of each age group to the class and ask, "If everything except what you see in the pictures is equal 1) which child would you adopt? 2) whom would you choose for your friend? 3) who would you choose for a parent or grandparent? 4) with whom would you rather babysit or work?
Activity 3: Analyze commercials and magazine ads that advertise products such as beauty aids, suntan lotions, blue jeans, soft drinks.
Activity 4: Examine traditional childhood literature with your students to see how they center around physical attractiveness, teaching small children to appreciate the beauty cult. (The Ugly Duckling, Sleeping Beauty, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Dumbo, Snow White, Cinderella.)
Activity 5: Compare nicknames given to people with characteristics of the people. Read Gus-Gus Has Fleas by Victor Knowles. Read Unwanted by Edward Field.
Activity 6: Relate 1 Samuel 16:1-23 to the ideas we have been discussing. Write a short skit about the choosing of David to be king. Show the feelings of Jesse, Ellab, and the other rejected brothers.
Activity 1: Discuss what the following people would be like without their natural ability: Wayne Gretsky, Tracy Austin, Albert Einstein, honor student, photographer.
Activity 2: Ask students to conduct interviews with a foreign student in your school, concerning their feelings during the first weeks of school.
Activity 3: View the movie Chariots of Fire and discuss the self-worth and self-image of the main characters.
Activity 4: Study the account of David and Goliath and discuss the self-worth and self-esteem of David and Goliath.
III. Other people's opinions: I am what others say about me?
Activity 1: Lead your students in a discussion of conformity prevalent in different age groups.
Activity 2: Do the experiment of "The Card Game" found in Preparing for Adolescence by James Dobson. Discuss social pressure and fear of rejection.
Activity 3: Read the story "Can you say no?" from Dobson's Preparing for Adolescence. Discuss what students would do if this should happen to them.
OBJECTIVE D: To investigate how a proper view of self leads to responsible living and action.
Activity 1: Review the meaning of a proper self-image.
Activity 2: Discuss with students positive activities in school and in the community which will help us work out our self-image as God intends us to do.
OBJECTIVE E: To deepen insight into some of the changes that are and will take place in students'lives.
Activities for identifying and discussing physical changes
Activities for identifying and discussing emotional changes
Activities for identifying and discussing social changes
Activities for identifying and discussing Intellectual changes
Activities for identifying and discussing decisions that bring about important changes in one's life
Publication lists of additional units may be ordered from the following sources:
John Vanderhoek
Society of Christian Schools in British Columbia
7600 Glover Road Langley, BC V3A 6H4
Al Greene
Alta Vista College
P.O. Box 222
Medina, WA 98039
Ary DeMoor
District 11
Association Curriculum Office
The King's College
10766 97th St.
Edmonton, AB T5H 2M1
Education Coordinator
Ontario Alliance of Christian Schools
777 Highway 53 East,
Box 7220 Ancaster, ON
L9G 3L4