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Welcome to Three Cups of Tea Unit Plan - week one

This unit is designed to prepare students for reading Three Cups of Tea - Young Readers Edition. This is an important book, heavy in culture, geography and vocabulary that is unfamiliar to many students in the U.S. The goal of this Unit is to give sixth and seventh grade students enough background knowledge so they may better appreciate and understand the story.

The book and its themes will be integrated in to five curricular disciplines so that students may hear a lot of the same language in most of their classes throughout the week.

The following is a basic outline of what will happen this week.

The teacher will create a blog for the class, which will serve as a central location for accessing the resources and activities. Students will also be accessing this blog when they are reading the book to respond to posts. This is where students will be submitting their work, rather than handing in paper to the teacher. The idea is that everyone can see the comments to make the entire experience more collaborative. Web 2.0 tools used in this unit: [|Google Earth] [|Blogger.com] [|Wikispaces] [|Internet (for research)] [|Voicethread] [|Google Docs] [|Skype]

MLRs
= = //__Language Arts__// Formulate questions to be answered while reading. Reflect on what has been discovered and learned while reading, and formulate additional questions. Understand stories and expository texts from the perspective of the social and cultural context in which they were created.

__// Social Studies //__ Describe the effects of historical changes on daily life. Develop maps, globes, charts, models, and databases to analyze geographical patterns on the earth. Use a variety of materials and geographic tools to explain how the physical environment supports and constrains human activities. Demonstrate an understanding of why certain areas of the world are more densely populated than others.

NETS For Students
**Communication and Collaboration** Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students: - interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media. - develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures. Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students: - process data and report results. Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students: - select and use applications effectively and productively - transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.
 * Research and Information Fluency**
 * Technology Operations and Concepts**

NETS For Teachers
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers: - promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes. - model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S. Teachers: -design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity. Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers: - demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations. - communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats.
 * Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity**
 * Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments**
 * Model Digital-Age Work and Learning**

Assessments
The assessments used in this unit are informal. Teachers will do check-ins through class discussions and blog posts. There will be more formal assessments regarding comprehension once classes begin working in the book.