I am a special education / hearing impaired teacher. Currently I work with ninth-grade hearing-impaired students at Hill Regional Career High School in the resource room along with three other teachers with students of their own. Resource is a credit class for special education students. I will be teaching my unit to the students who have a resource period next school year.
Tenth-grade students are given the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT), and are expected to pass in order to receive a high school diploma. It is an unfortunate fact that many of our students fail the test and have to take the test a second time in the 11th grade, often this test is also failed and eventually they are required to take a CAPT class in the specific area they failed and than pass an exam at the end of the class. Writing (persuasive essay) as well as Science (weather) are areas on the CAPT. This unit will assist in both of these areas.
Climate changes, global warming and a rising sea level appear to have serious adverse impacts on human and animal life on our planet and are the cause of great concern. The effect of global warming on weather patterns is frequently blamed for an apparent increase in intensity of weather - related disasters such as windstorms and hurricanes, among others. The responsible climate changes result from natural and human factors.
There is evidence supporting and arguing against linking human-induced climate change and extreme weather conditions. After learning about the above natural disasters, the students will choose a disaster and read different views. The students will take a stance and write a persuasive essay to convince others to their way of thinking.
(Developed for Resource/Science, grades 9-11; recommended for Science, grades 8-10)
