“Don’t Mess with Krueger” is a unit designed to get our students involved and thinking about conservation and recycling in order to apply this to their everyday lives

All students will have an active role in cleaning and preserving an area of Krueger Middle School’s campus. Each class will be assigned a “zone” to adopt and maintain by gathering, massing, and recording waste collection. The results of this data will be used to generate a graph to analyze waste production at school and will also be encouraged to relate this information as it applies to our environment. Along with the data collection and analysis, the project also requires that each student create a map of our campus with accurate coordinates and an accurately labeled graph. Students will also work on descriptive writing and presentation skills. To conclude the project, groups of prearranged students will orally present their findings and create a poster with positive messages on recycling and conservation of resources. The goal and expected outcome of this project is to encourage our students to achieve a sense of pride and ownership for their school and community.

• Checkpoint # 1: September 8 – 12
• Checkpoint # 2: September 29 – October 3
• Final Project Due: October 20 - 24

Students will practice analytical and descriptive writing in early writing workshops. From there, they will use those writing skills to create descriptive paragraphs for the unit posters (checkpoint # 1). They will also create 60-second scripts to aid them in oral presentations of their posters. Checkpoint # 2 will be the rough drafts of the descriptive paragraphs for the poster and the scripts for the oral presentation.

Students will be introduced to the eight vocabulary words necessary for the integrated project. Each student will learn the Frayer Model for vocabulary development (checkpoint #1). Students will be given an assessment of how well they know and can use their vocabulary (checkpoint #2).

The students will utilize all collected data obtained in science and social studies classes and follow an outline provided to complete checkpoint # 1. This information will then be accurately displayed utilizing an x,y axis graph to complete checkpoint # 2. Students will then be graded on accuracy, neatness, and presentation for their final project.

Students will use mapping skills (cartography) to create a map of Krueger for use in the final project. Checkpoint # 1 will be to collect data and apply it to the map. Checkpoint # 2 is the drawing of a scaled and oriented map of the assigned zone of Krueger.

Each period will be assigned a zone from which to gather trash. As a class we will sort the garbage into recyclables and nonrecyclables. The students will mass each pile and record the results. Each student will document the results on a data sheet for checkpoint #1. For checkpoint #2, students will categorize select pieces of waste by physical and chemical properties.

While learning about conservation of resources, students will construct a basic rocket. For checkpoint # 1, students will be graded on utilizing resources with the least amount of waste. Successful flight of the rocket will conclude checkpoint # 2.