Mrs. Youngblood's project where students design a school. Doesn't have a math/science component, but they could easily be added.

1. Kindled Minds
Unit Title: Design a
School for 2050
A project for students in 9-10th grade by Amanda Youngblood
Amanda Youngblood
8/24/2009

2. Theme: Target Grades:
Design and school improvement 9-10
Essential Questions:
How does educational/school design affect learning?
How can schools be improved so that they facilitate learning and function more effectively for
students, faculty, and staff?
What will schools look like in the future?
Formative Assessment (ongoing):
 checklist based on reading
 essay rough draft
 interview
 area evaluation
 teacher observation
Summative Assessment (cumulative):
 model of school
 final presentation to panel of judges, peer review board
o Essay (written component)
o Visual component (PPT, 3-D Model, Posterboard, etc.)
o Oral Presentation
FCAT Areas Addressed:
Words & Phrases in Context:
 vocabulary
Main Idea, Plot & Purpose:
 Reading texts
 Answering questions based on text
 Creating checklist based on reading and applying it to a situation
 Essay
Comparisons & Cause/Effect:
 viewing sample schools
 comparing/contrasting sample schools with current school
Reference & Research:
 synthesizing information from readings to create project
 reading and analyzing data from charts and graphs
 creating charts, checklists, and graphs
Writing:
 essay
 ongoing short responses
Activities & Strategies: Bloom’s Taxonomy
Addressed
Day 1: Knowledge: K
1. Read about what a floorplan is. Comprehension: C
2. Using the online tool, design a classroom that you’d Application: Ap

3. like to learn in and explain why you’d like to learn. (K, Analysis: An
Ap, MI-S, MI – L, MI - IA) Synthesis: S
3. Brainstorm in groups: classroom essentials, school Evaluation: E
essentials – make lists. (K, MI – L, MI – LM, MI – IE)
Day 2: Multiple Intelligences
1. Into unit Addressed:
2. Groups design logo and assign roles. (MI – S) Linguistic (words): MI-L
3. Jigsaw reading: “8 Principles of Educational Design” Logical/Math: MI – LM
– share with groups, go over as a class. (C, MI – L, Spatial (pictures): MI – S
MI – IE, MI – K) or complete cloze worksheet. Kinesthetic (body): MI – K
Day 3: Musical: MI – M
1. Discuss with group what effect the environment has Interpersonal (people): MI – IE
on learning and write 2 to 3 paragraphs regarding Intrapersonal (self): MI – IA
the effect that environment has on learning. (C, MI – Naturalist (nature): MI – N
L)
2. Read “Educational Design’s Effect on Cognitive
Learning” if time.
Day 4:
1. Present images of sample schools and sample
classrooms. Discuss similarities and differences.
Identify the “uniqueness” of each image.
2. In groups look at sample schools. Identify and list
elements they have that make them innovative. (An,
MI – S, MI – K, MI – IE)
3. Sketch a rough concept of their proposed groups.
(Ap, MI-S, MI-IE)
Day 5:
1. Read “10 Educational Trends” and list trends.
Discuss with groups and have groups brainstorm
how to address these trends. Discuss with class. (C,
MI – L, MI – IE)
2. Begin work on project. (Ap, S, MI – S, MI – LM, MI –
K, MI – IE)
Day 6:
1. Read “Shared Visions” (C, MI – L)
2. In groups work on survey to use in interviews. (Ap,
MI – L, MI – LM, MI – IE)
3. Look at floor plans and practice designing a room.
(C, Ap, MI – S, MI – IA, MI – IE)
Day 7:
1. Read “No More Bland Interiors”. Discuss how to
make schools more colorful and interesting. (C, Ap,
M I – L, MI – LM, MI – S, MI – IE)
2. Create checklist for school evaluations. (C, Ap, MI –
LM, MI – IE, MI – K)
3. If time, work on essay. (S, MI – L)
Day 8:

4. 1. Go to computer lab to work on typing essays or
doing research.
2. OR do area evaluations – each group goes and uses
checklist developed to evaluate a different space in
their school: lunchroom, gym, media center,
auditorium, hallways, bathrooms, etc. (C, Ap, MI – N,
MI – IE, MI – IA, MI – K, MI – S)
Day 9:
1. Read “Master Classroom”
2. Analyze evaluations from area evaluations OR
complete area evaluations. (An, MI – L, MI – LM, MI
– IE, MI – IA)
3. Work on project (S, MI – all)
Day 10:
1. Read “Design for Learning”
2. Discuss multiple intelligences. (C, MI – L, MI – IA, MI
– IE)
3. Work on project. (S, MI – all)
Day 11:
1. Work day (S, MI – all)
2. Some students may go to the lab to type essays if
possible.
3. OR discuss advertising techniques, using examples.
(This is helpful for the presentation but may be
addressed in an earlier unit.)
Day 12:
1. Models due for review. (S, E, MI – S, MI – K)
2. Essays due for peer review. (S, E, MI – L, MI – IA)
3. Work on presentations. (S, MI – all)
Day 13:
1. Go over or create rubric. (E, MI – L, MI – LM, MI –
IE, MI – IA)
2. Finalize presentations.
3. Present projects to class for peer review. (S, E, MI –
all)
Day 14:
1. Present projects to panel judges. (S, E, MI – all)
2. Go over peer reviews of projects.
Day 15:
1. Continue presentations if necessary.
2. Debrief projects and groups.
ESOL Strategies:
 Use pictures to explain key trends and principles.
 Peer tutor – partner with student to increase understanding
 Present/integrate information about education in home country.
 Read out loud to a peer or the teacher.
Resources:

5. Texts:
 8 Principles of Educational Design
 Educational Design’s Effect on Cognitive Learning (optional)
 10 Educational Trends
 Shared Visions
 No More Bland Interiors
 Master Classroom
 Design for Learning
 Floor plan information
 Sample schools – pictures and textual information
Technology:
 computers
 Microsoft Word or other word processor
 Microsoft PowerPoint for presentations (or other presentation software)
 Internet access (research)
Misc:
 architect to come and speak to the class (if you can find one)
 graphing paper (for floor plans)
 tri-boards or posterboard (for presentations)
 markers, colored pencils, etc.
 pencils and erasers
Sunshine State Standards:
LAA141: select and use pre-reading strategies that are appropriate to the text, such as discussion, making
predictions, brainstorming, generating questions, and previewing to anticipate content, purpose, and
organization of a reading selection.
LAA142: select and use strategies to understand words and text, and to make and confirm inferences from
what is read, including interpreting diagrams, graphs, and statistical illustrations.
LAA143: refine vocabulary for interpersonal, academic, and workplace situations, including figurative,
idiomatic, and technical meanings.
LAA144: apply a variety of response strategies, including rereading, note taking, summarizing, outlining,
writing a formal report, and relating what is read to his or her own experiences and feelings.
LAA241: determine the main idea and identify relevant details, methods of development, and their
effectiveness in a variety of types of written material.
LAA242: determine the author’s purpose and point of view and their effects on the text.
LAA244: locate, gather, analyze, and evaluate written information for a variety of purposes, including research
projects, real-world tasks, and self-improvement.
LAA245: identify devices of persuasion and methods of appeal and their effectiveness. (only if addressing this
in the unit)
LAA246: select and use appropriate study and research skills and tools according to the type of information
being gathered or organized, including almanacs, government publications, microfiche, news sources, and
information services.
LAA248: synthesize information from multiple sources to draw conclusions.
LAB141: select and use appropriate prewriting strategies, such as brainstorming, graphic organizers, and
outlining.
LAB142: draft and revise writing that is focused, purposeful, and reflects insight into the writing situation; has
an organizational pattern that provides for a logical progression of ideas; has effective use of transitional
devices that contribute to a sense of completeness; has support that is substantial, specific, relevant, and
concrete; demonstrates a commitment to and involvement with the subject; uses creative writing strategies as
appropriate to the purpose of the paper; demonstrates a mature command of language with precision of
expression; has varied sentence structure; and has few, if any, convention errors in mechanics, usage,
punctuation, and spelling.
LAB143: produce final documents that have been edited for correct spelling; correct punctuation, including

6. commas, colons, and common use of semicolons; correct capitalization; correct sentence formation; correct
instances of possessives, subject/verb agreement, instances of noun/pronoun agreement, and the intentional
use of fragments for effect; and correct formatting that appeals to readers, including appropriate use of a
variety of graphics, tables, charts, and illustrations in both standard and innovative forms.
LAB242: organize information using appropriate systems.
LAB243: write fluently for a variety of occasions, audiences, and purposes, making appropriate choices
regarding style, tone, level of detail, and organization.
LAB244: select and use a variety of electronic media, such as the Internet, information services, and desktop
publishing software programs, to create, revise, retrieve, and verify information.
LAC143: use effective strategies for informal and formal discussions, including listening actively and
reflectively, connecting to and building on the ideas of a previous speaker, and respecting the viewpoints of
others.
LAD241: make appropriate adjustments in language use for social, academic, and life situations,
demonstrating sensitivity to gender and cultural bias.
LAD242: understand the subtleties of literary devices and techniques in the comprehension and creation of
communication. (only if addressing this in the unit)
Notes & Comments:
This is adapted from Target’s School Design Contest. I usually teach advertising and
propaganda in some way prior to this. Also, I only use this with my upper level reading
students since the texts are quite technical and often pretty advanced. If possible, try to get
faculty and outside resources involved in the project judging since it provides some incentive
to really work hard. I also make my students dress in business professional outfits – no
jeans, t-shirts, tennis shoes, shorts, mini-skirts, etc. This project can also be extended to
last for longer than the 3-4 weeks here. I was limited by the end of the school year.