This unit on sound is an integrated unit, which covers many of the Language Arts and Science standards required by the State of Connecticut. Through the integration of the book
Helen Keller Courage in the Dark
by Johanna Hurwitz, many language arts standards are being addressed.
Content Standard 1: Reading and Responding:
Students will be able to describe the text by giving an initial reaction to the text and describing its general content and purpose.
Content Standard 1.1:
Students in K-4 will describe the thoughts, opinions and questions that arise as they read, view or listen to a text and use information from the text to summarize the content. Throughout this unit students will meet this standard through response journals, after listening to the text of Helen Keller.
Another subset of Content Standard 1 states that students will interpret the text by using prior knowledge and experiences. Students in K-4 will use what they know to identify or infer important characters, settings, themes, events, ideas, relationships or details within a work. An example from the unit of this standard is allowing the students to role-play Helen Keller’s daily tasks using what they have learned from the text.
The unit lends it self to fulfilling many of the science goals and standards for students in grade K-4. According to the Connecticut Department of Education, " By the end of grade twelve in science, students will know the basic concepts of biology, chemistry, physics, and earth…and will be able to apply scientific skills, processes and methods of inquiry and real world settings." This unit is in alignment with several content standards for students in grades K-4.
Content Standard 1: The Nature of Science
Students will experience an inquiry-based learning environment in which they are free to ask questions, seek information and validate explanations in thoughtful and creative ways.
Content standard 1.2:
Students will raise questions about their surroundings and seek answers by making careful observations and trying things out.
Content Standard 1.4:
Students will describe things as accurately as possible, because careful, complete observations enable people to compare their observations with those of others.
Content standard 1.5:
Students will use their senses to make observations about the natural world and discuss findings.
Content Standard 1.7:
Students will design and conduct simple experiments, keep accurate records of their findings, and communicate their findings.
(State of Connecticut, 6/25/03)