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PBL Unit Name: When Disaster Strikes
Facilitator Name: Julianna Briere
School Practicum Location: Ben Davis High School-Indianapolis, IN
Grade: 10 (11, 12)
Subject(s): Chemistry (some Biology)
Course Name: Chemistry
PBL Unit Description & Content Topics Addressed: Students learn about disasters that have happened or could happen and the aftermath that survivors must navigate. Working in collaborative groups and as a class, students research and are introduced to various survival equipment. They explore how some items work and how some survival strategies compare to others via lab activities and demonstrations. Challenged by our community partner, teams then create a design for a survival kit (bug-out bag or other form) that will be presented to a public audience of their choosing.
A. Learning Goals: Content Knowledge & Skills Addressed (Standards)
Standard 4: Reactions
• C.4.1 Describe, classify, and give examples of various kinds of reactions: synthesis (i.e., combination), decomposition, single displacement, double displacement, acid/base, and combustion.
• C.4.2 Predict products of simple reactions as listed in C.4.1.
• C.4.3 Balance chemical equations and use the law of conservation of mass to explain why this must be true.
Standard 6: Thermochemistry
• C.6.2 Distinguish between the concepts of temperature and heat flow in macroscopic and microscopic terms.
• C.6.3 Classify chemical reactions and phase changes as exothermic or endothermic based on enthalpy values. Use a graphical representation to illustrate the energy changes involved.
• C.6.4 Perform calculations involving heat flow, temperature changes, and phase changes by using known values of specific heat, phase change constants, or both.
Biology techniques are also introduced in the water purification lesson. Students use nutrient and MacConkey agar plates to test various purification methods.
Chemiluminescence and Fluorescence are explored in the glow stick segment.
B. Authenticity & Relevance (Real-World Connections) : Students see disasters and emergencies in the media almost daily. With the speed of information today, teens see worldwide events almost instantly. Furthermore, there is an inundation of post-apocalyptic and dystopian themes in literature, movies, and video games targeted toward this age group. Teens are typically fascinated by both the real-world angle of survival and the fantastic fictional side.
In my classes, I also have a large contingent of JROTC students who would naturally benefit from, if not be interested in survival techniques.
C. Driving Question: How can we, as survivors, be prepared for a disaster?
D. Entry Event: Students enter a destroyed classroom. Lights are low, red emergency lights are blinking. Ceiling tiles are askew and there is caution tape everywhere. Their teacher is dressed in flannel and jeans with a vest, boots, and a backpack. A section of a survival book is read and students are asked about what the characters are feeling and thinking. Clips of disasters are shown. Then a Firefighter talks about the difference being prepared for a disaster makes. He also talks about how important chemistry is to rescue and firefighting work. He then challenges them to use their chemistry skills to help the community be prepared for a disaster. They are to show the community how they can assemble a kit, or bug-out bag that is ready to go when an event happens.
E. Benchmarks & Scaffolding: Students receive feedback on project days. These days work as a check-in with the instructor as the group adds to their project. Group recorders are posted daily to track the efforts of each member of the group in the group accountability log.
+Group norms and contract
+Define an audience
+Group declares form and delivery method for project
+Class determines list of needs
+Group chooses at least 1 item from each category on list of needs for project
+Group obtains permissions necessary for delivery
+Group adds a combustion element to project and science booklet
+Group adds FRH to project and science booklet
+Group adds Ice Pack to project and science booklet
+Group adds a method of water purification to project and science booklet
+Group finalizes product
+Group presents product to class
+Delivery of product to audience
F. End Products: Students choose the form and delivery method of their project. The following suggestions were provided.
Form:
website
thinglink
commercial
video
drama
brochure
slide presentation
speech/demonstration
physical kit
virtual kit
Delivery:
social media
email to numerous people
Hang/Post in a public area
perform in public or classroom other than ours
post online and send out links
G. Formative & Summative Assessment Activities:
Group Evaluation Form-Students assess their team members as part of their collaboration grade.
H. Rubric: When Disaster Strikes Rubric & Group Project Declaration
I. Employability (21st Century) Skills Addressed: Collaboration and Presentation (see rubrics above)
J. Community Partners:
Robin Nicoson III
Deputy Chief, Decatur Township Fire Dept.
Program Coordinator, Emergency Services Education Center, Indianapolis
Planning Team, Indiana Task Force 1
K. Inquiry: Students explore the science behind five products through laboratory activities. Students are able to be creative with their choices when designing their product and in choosing how it will be delivered to the audience.
L. Student Voice & Choice: Students first choose their audience. They then choose the form and delivery method for their project. This is wide open, so students will likely need some guidance to narrow down their options. A decision matrix helps scaffold the groups' decision process.
M. Required Materials and/or Tools:
Entry Event:
Craft Paper for mind map
backpack of survival gear (I obtained many items from my community partner, my Boy Scout, and the camping section of Walmart)
Caution tape, disaster signs, and emergency lights (amazon)
Book: I Survived Hurricane Katrina By: Lauren Tarshis
Journals, 1 per student
Group folders
Lessons/Labs:
variety of fire-crafting supplies (safety matches, strike anywhere matches, weatherproof matches, flint and steel, lighter, magnesium bar and flint and steel, battery and steel wool)
paraffin wax (gulf wax) and strike anywhere matches
MRE (for demonstration and tasting)
FRH pouches, at least 1 per group (extras to replace duds)
calorimeters
basic lab equipment
Medical Ice Pack to open
Ammonium Chloride
Emergency water pouches if making DIY ice packs
Carolina kits--glow stick lab
cheap packs of glow sticks for decoration and demonstration
Carolina kits--water testing
pond water samples (or equivalent)
Project materials will depend on the form chosen by the group. Most projects can be digital or require very few materials. Students will need access to a device to conduct research and likely develop their project and presentation.
N. Examples of Student Work: Student work labs/activities from days 5, 7, and 8 (listed above under Benchmarks and Scaffolding) and 3 Final Product Posters
O. Notes from the Facilitator:
Revisit the driving question and NTKs often.
Define your audience and refer to them often. Students often do not understand that a poster hung in the classroom is not reaching the community.
The more you can get outside people in, the better (Audience, Experts, Community Partner). Students bring their best when they know outsiders are watching.
