Unit 1: American Indians
PBL Unit: American Indians Survival Guide
You are an FBI Special Agent with an important mission: to help our citizens survive a country-wide crisis. How could people survive with no Internet, power, or the other man-made resources we have come to rely on? What if we had to live off the land? First, consult with experts on this topic, American Indian Tribes. Then create a Survival Guide that will be distributed around the country to help people survive in each region of the United States.
Before You Begin
1. Group - Discuss expectations with your partner about what it takes to be a great group member. Each group member will fill out the Leadership Self-Assessment at the END of this project.
2. Preview Project - Read over project instructions and plan ahead.
3. Create PBL Folder - Create a new folder on Google Drive called "Your Name's American Indians PBL". This is where you will save EVERYTHING for this project. Share the folder with your partner AND Ms. Kerley: [email protected]. Make sure you give you partner and Ms. Kerley permission to edit this folder.
Research
4. Make a Copy of Research Document - Open the Research Document. Click "file - make a copy" to save your own copy to Google Drive. Move YOUR copy of the planning sheet to your American Indians Project folder.
5. Complete Research Document - Complete the Research Document using 4th grade textbook or books from the media center. Ms. Kerley must check and initial each conference on your planning sheet before you move on.
Create
Now that you are an expert, it is time to report for duty! Report to the Director of Secret Operations (Ms. Kerley) for a description of the region you are being sent to go help.
7. Create Survival Guide - Use your research to determine which of the 6 environments you are in. Create a Survival Guide (paper or Google Docs) that will be distributed to American citizens in this region. Include the following:
8. WOW Factor - How will your group go above and beyond? It's your choice! Here are some ideas:
Reflect
9. Present - Present your Survival Guide and WOW Factor with group of students. Due dates will be discussed in class, written in your agenda, and shared on Google Classroom.
10. Project Self-Assessment - The Project Self-Assssment is at the end of your planning document. You and your partner will fill this out TOGETHER. Please use complete sentences to evaluate your work and be specific. Show how many points you deserve for each category, then calculate the grade you think you deserve. (The teacher will grade your project separately, but will look at what you wrote for input.)
11. Leadership Self-Assessment - Each student will reflect on how well they collaborated with their group members using the Leadership Self-Assessment (click "file-make a copy" so you can edit your own).
12. Submit - "Turn in" your project by making sure the following is saved in your American Indian PBL folder on Google Drive:
Before You Begin
1. Group - Discuss expectations with your partner about what it takes to be a great group member. Each group member will fill out the Leadership Self-Assessment at the END of this project.
2. Preview Project - Read over project instructions and plan ahead.
3. Create PBL Folder - Create a new folder on Google Drive called "Your Name's American Indians PBL". This is where you will save EVERYTHING for this project. Share the folder with your partner AND Ms. Kerley: [email protected]. Make sure you give you partner and Ms. Kerley permission to edit this folder.
Research
4. Make a Copy of Research Document - Open the Research Document. Click "file - make a copy" to save your own copy to Google Drive. Move YOUR copy of the planning sheet to your American Indians Project folder.
5. Complete Research Document - Complete the Research Document using 4th grade textbook or books from the media center. Ms. Kerley must check and initial each conference on your planning sheet before you move on.
- Textbook Link (username and password in agenda)
- American Indians Website
- American Indians BrainPop
Create
Now that you are an expert, it is time to report for duty! Report to the Director of Secret Operations (Ms. Kerley) for a description of the region you are being sent to go help.
7. Create Survival Guide - Use your research to determine which of the 6 environments you are in. Create a Survival Guide (paper or Google Docs) that will be distributed to American citizens in this region. Include the following:
- A front cover with a title (must include the region you have been assigned) and the authors' names.
- A Table of Contents to help your readers find what they are looking for quickly (includes main idea and page number).
- A map of the United States that showing where the region you are assigned is located. Be sure to include a title and key.
- A detailed description of the region you have been assigned: climate, resources, plants, animals (include pictures)
- The name of the tribe that lived in the region and how they used resources for food, clothing, and shelter.
- Write a detailed procedure for how to make a meal, create an item of clothing, or build shelter using the resources available.
8. WOW Factor - How will your group go above and beyond? It's your choice! Here are some ideas:
- Create a 3D model of a United States region in a shoe box - show how the American Indian tribe used resources to survive there.
- Record a TV show showing how to use the resources of your environment for food, shelter, and clothing.
- Write a narrative story about how you (an FBI agent) helped people in a specific region learn how to use their resources to survive.
- Come up with your own idea!
Reflect
9. Present - Present your Survival Guide and WOW Factor with group of students. Due dates will be discussed in class, written in your agenda, and shared on Google Classroom.
10. Project Self-Assessment - The Project Self-Assssment is at the end of your planning document. You and your partner will fill this out TOGETHER. Please use complete sentences to evaluate your work and be specific. Show how many points you deserve for each category, then calculate the grade you think you deserve. (The teacher will grade your project separately, but will look at what you wrote for input.)
11. Leadership Self-Assessment - Each student will reflect on how well they collaborated with their group members using the Leadership Self-Assessment (click "file-make a copy" so you can edit your own).
12. Submit - "Turn in" your project by making sure the following is saved in your American Indian PBL folder on Google Drive:
- Research Document (including Project Self-Assessment)
- Survival Guide Google Document
- Leadership Self-Assessment (one per PERSON)
American Indians Study Resources
There are several ways to review and study Georgia Habitats:
1. Google Drive Folder - Study the big ideas from the Research Document in your Google Drive.
2. Study Island - This is a great website to use to learn about and practice material we are learning about (American Indians is currently listed as a 4th grade standard).
1. Google Drive Folder - Study the big ideas from the Research Document in your Google Drive.
2. Study Island - This is a great website to use to learn about and practice material we are learning about (American Indians is currently listed as a 4th grade standard).
- Username: Student ID number
- Password: 10 digit birthday (mmddyyyy)