Social Justice

Goal: Students will research a social justice issue and determine possible causes and solutions of the problem.

Guiding Questions: Through research and writing an argumentative, call to action essay, students will answer the following questions:

Why is your chosen social justice issue a problem?
How does this social justice issue present itself in society in relation to the world?
Why is it important to promote social change?
How do you suggest we, as a society, work toward fixing/improving this issue?

Standards

Oklahoma Academic Standard for English Language Arts
- 10.1.R.3 Students will engage in collaborative discussions about appropriate topics and texts, expressing their own ideas clearly while building on the ideas of others in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings.
- 10.1.W.1 Students will give formal and informal presentations in a group or individually, providing textual and visual evidence to support a main idea.
- 10.2.R.1 Students will summarize, paraphrase, and synthesize ideas, while maintaining meaning and a logical sequence of events, within and between texts.
- 10.3.R.2 Students will evaluate points of view and perspectives in more than one grade-level literary and/or informational text and explain how multiple points of view contribute to the meaning of a work.
- 10.3.W.2 Students will compose essays and reports to objectively introduce and develop topics, incorporating evidence (e.g., specific facts, examples, details, data) and maintaining an organized structure and a formal style.
- 10.3.W.3 Students will elaborate on ideas by using logical reasoning and illustrative examples to connect evidences to claim(s).
- 10.6.R.1 Students will use their own viable research questions and well-developed thesis statements to find information about a specific topic.
- 10.6.R.2 Students will synthesize the most relevant information from a variety of primary and secondary sources (e.g., print and digital), following ethical and legal citation guidelines.
- 10.6.R.3 Students will evaluate the relevance, reliability, and validity of the information gathered.
- 10.6.W.1 Students will write research papers and/or texts independently over extended periods of time (e.g., time for research, reflection, and revision) and for shorter timeframes (e.g., a single sitting or a day or two).
- 10.6.W.2 Students will refine and formulate a viable research question, integrate findings from sources, and clearly use a well-developed thesis statement.
- 10.6.W.3 Students will integrate into their own writing quotes, paraphrases, and summaries of findings following an appropriate citation style (e.g., MLA, APA, etc.) and avoiding plagiarism.
- 10.6.W.4 Students will synthesize and present information in a report.
- 10.7.W.2 Students will create visual and/or multimedia presentations using a variety of media forms to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence for diverse audiences.
AASL Standards Framework for Learners
- 1.A. Learners display curiosity and initiative by: 1. Formulating questions about a personal interest or a curricular topic. 2. Recalling prior and background knowledge as context for new meaning.
- 1.B. Learners engage with new knowledge by following a process that includes: 1. Using evidence to investigate questions. 2. Devising and implementing a plan to fill knowledge gaps. 3. Generating products that illustrate learning.
- 1.C. Learners adapt, communicate, and exchange learning products with others in a cycle that includes: 1. Interacting with content presented by others. 2. Providing constructive feedback. 4. Sharing products with an authentic audience.
- 1.D. Learners participate in an ongoing inquiry-based process by: 1. Continually seeking knowledge. 2. Engaging in sustained inquiry. 3. Enacting new understanding through real-world connections. 4. Using reflection to guide informed decisions.
- 2.B. Learners adjust their awareness of the global learning community by: 1. Interacting with learners who reflect a range of perspectives. 2. Evaluating a variety of perspectives during learning activities. 3. Representing diverse perspectives during learning activities.
- 3.A.2 Learners identify collaborative opportunities by developing new understandings through engagement in a learning group.
- 3.D. Learners work productively with others to solve problems by: 1. Soliciting and responding to feedback from others. 2. Involving diverse perspectives in their own inquiry processes.
- 4.A. Learners act on an information need by: 1. Determining the need to gather information. 2. Identifying possible sources of information. 3. Making critical choices about information sources to use.
- 4.B. Learners gather information appropriate to the task by: 1. Seeking a variety of sources. 2. Collecting information representing diverse perspectives. 3. Systematically questioning and assessing the validity and accuracy of information. 4. Organizing information by priority, topic, or other systematic scheme.
- 4.D. Learners select and organize information for a variety of audiences by: 1. Performing ongoing analysis of and reflection on the quality, usefulness, and accuracy of curated resources.
- 5.A. Learners develop and satisfy personal curiosity by: 1. Reading widely and deeply in multiple formats and write and create for a variety of purposes.
- 5.B. Learners construct new knowledge by: 1. Problem solving through cycles of design, implementation, and reflection. 2. Persisting through self-directed pursuits by tinkering and making.
- 5.C. Learners engage with the learning community by: 1. Expressing curiosity about a topic of personal interest or curricular relevance. 3. Collaboratively identifying innovative solutions to a challenge or problem.
- 5.D. Learners develop through experience and reflection by: 1. Iteratively responding to challenges.
- 6.A. Learners follow ethical and legal guidelines for gathering and using information by: 1. Responsibly applying information, technology, and media to learning. 2. Understanding the ethical use of information, technology, and media.

Timeframe: 8 weeks
Learning Team: Two high school Language Arts classroom educators, two school librarians
Activities and Resources: Hyperdoc inquiry journal, Google Classroom, direct instruction, discussion, teacher curated resources, student curated resources, trade books, conferencing, Maker proposal form, rubric, reflection survey, Galley Walk presentations
Student-Designed Products: video, interactive poster, symbolic art, interview transcript, video slideshow, clothing/ textile, 3D graph, short stories/fiction, infographic

Culture and World Literature

Goal: To develop an understanding of why culture is important and why people should learn about specific cultures through the reading of a world literature novel. Students independently read a world literature novel centered around a culture. After reading, students began exploring how to discuss culture and some background knowledge of cultural anthropology. Ultimately, students had to imagine they were creating an exhibit about the culture of your novel (or writing a research paper synthesizing their research.
Guiding Questions
- Why is this culture important?
  - What are the most influential/impactful aspects of this culture? (on the people who are a part of this community or the influence globally)
- Why should people learn about this culture?
Standards
- Oklahoma Academic Standard for English Language Arts
  - 10.1.R.3 Students will engage in collaborative discussions about appropriate topics and texts, expressing their own ideas clearly while building on the ideas of others in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings.
  - 10.1.W.1 Students will give formal and informal presentations in a group or individually, providing textual and visual evidence to support a main idea.
  - 10.2.R.1 Students will summarize, paraphrase, and synthesize ideas, while maintaining meaning and a logical sequence of events, within and between texts.
  - 10.3.R.2 Students will evaluate points of view and perspectives in more than one grade-level literary and/or informational text and explain how multiple points of view contribute to the meaning of a work.
  - 10.3.W.2 Students will compose essays and reports to objectively introduce and develop topics, incorporating evidence (e.g., specific facts, examples, details, data) and maintaining an organized structure and a formal style.
  - 10.3.W.3 Students will elaborate on ideas by using logical reasoning and illustrative examples to connect evidences to claim(s).
  - 10.6.R.1 Students will use their own viable research questions and well-developed thesis statements to find information about a specific topic.
  - 10.6.R.2 Students will synthesize the most relevant information from a variety of primary and secondary sources (e.g., print and digital), following ethical and legal citation guidelines.
  - 10.6.R.3 Students will evaluate the relevance, reliability, and validity of the information gathered.
  - 10.6.W.1 Students will write research papers and/or texts independently over extended periods of time (e.g., time for research, reflection, and revision) and for shorter timeframes (e.g., a single sitting or a day or two).
  - 10.6.W.2 Students will refine and formulate a viable research question, integrate findings from sources, and clearly use a well-developed thesis statement.
  - 10.6.W.3 Students will integrate into their own writing quotes, paraphrases, and summaries of findings following an appropriate citation style (e.g., MLA, APA, etc.) and avoiding plagiarism.
  - 10.6.W.4 Students will synthesize and present information in a report.
  - 10.7.W.2 Students will create visual and/or multimedia presentations using a variety of media forms to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence for diverse audiences.
  - Timeframe: 8 weeks
  - Learning Team: Two high school Language Arts classroom educators, two school librarians
- AASL Standards Framework for Learners
  - 1.A. Learners display curiosity and initiative by: 1. Formulating questions about a personal interest or a curricular topic. 2. Recalling prior and background knowledge as context for new meaning.
  - 1.B. Learners engage with new knowledge by following a process that includes: 1. Using evidence to investigate questions. 2. Devising and implementing a plan to fill knowledge gaps. 3. Generating products that illustrate learning.
  - 1.C. Learners adapt, communicate, and exchange learning products with others in a cycle that includes: 1. Interacting with content presented by others. 2. Providing constructive feedback. 4. Sharing products with an authentic audience.
  - 1.D. Learners participate in an ongoing inquiry-based process by: 1. Continually seeking knowledge. 2. Engaging in sustained inquiry. 3. Enacting new understanding through real-world connections. 4. Using reflection to guide informed decisions.
  - 2.B. Learners adjust their awareness of the global learning community by: 1. Interacting with learners who reflect a range of perspectives. 2. Evaluating a variety of perspectives during learning activities. 3. Representing diverse perspectives during learning activities.
  - 3.A.2 Learners identify collaborative opportunities by developing new understandings through engagement in a learning group.
  - 3.D. Learners work productively with others to solve problems by: 1. Soliciting and responding to feedback from others. 2. Involving diverse perspectives in their own inquiry processes.
  - 4.A. Learners act on an information need by: 1. Determining the need to gather information. 2. Identifying possible sources of information. 3. Making critical choices about information sources to use.
  - 4.B. Learners gather information appropriate to the task by: 1. Seeking a variety of sources. 2. Collecting information representing diverse perspectives. 3. Systematically questioning and assessing the validity and accuracy of information. 4. Organizing information by priority, topic, or other systematic scheme.
  - 4.D. Learners select and organize information for a variety of audiences by: 1. Performing ongoing analysis of and reflection on the quality, usefulness, and accuracy of curated resources.
  - 5.A. Learners develop and satisfy personal curiosity by: 1. Reading widely and deeply in multiple formats and write and create for a variety of purposes.
  - 5.B. Learners construct new knowledge by: 1. Problem solving through cycles of design, implementation, and reflection. 2. Persisting through self-directed pursuits by tinkering and making.
  - 5.C. Learners engage with the learning community by: 1. Expressing curiosity about a topic of personal interest or curricular relevance. 3. Collaboratively identifying innovative solutions to a challenge or problem.
  - 5.D. Learners develop through experience and reflection by: 1. Iteratively responding to challenges.
  - 6.A. Learners follow ethical and legal guidelines for gathering and using information by: 1. Responsibly applying information, technology, and media to learning. 2. Understanding the ethical use of information, technology, and media.
Timeframe: 7 weeks
Learning Team: Two high school Language Arts classroom educators, two school librarians
Activities and Resources: Hyperdoc inquiry journal, Google Classroom, direct instruction, discussion, teacher curated resources, student curated resources, trade books, conferencing, Maker proposal form, rubric, reflection survey, Galley Walk presentations
Student-Designed Products: metal sculpture, 3D design and print, painted 3D print, drawn art, painted art, time lapse video, cardboard art, diorama, video slideshow, cooked food and slideshow, Blender 3D video simulation, screencast,

Example Inquiry Units

Elementary Units

1st Grade: Innovation & Adaptation

2nd Grade Units: Symbols & Pollination

5th Grade Units: Disruptions & Unification

Middle School Units

6th Grade Social Studies: Physical Systems & Environmental Challenges

7th Grade Language Arts: Peace Prescription & Take a Stand

8th Grade Science: Sustainability & Waves

High School Units

Physical Science: Alternative Energy & Electro-Magnetic Spectrum and Waves

English 2: Social Justice & Culture and World Literature

Algebra 2: Quadratics & Social Issues Statistics