Understanding by Design Project

Project Description

Students in a sixth grade classroom will be split into small groups of 4-5 members to

investigate the true cause of King Tuts death and how his death impacted Ancient Egypt

and the world today. The majority of this project will be done collaboratively, with a

small portion being done individually, but still in a group. The student groups will assign

themselves with their investigative roles and each role has individual questions for

research. Once students complete their individual research, they compare notes with

their group members to determine what they think, as a group, the cause of death was

and the effects of King Tuts death. After comparing notes and coming to their

conclusion, the groups will create a presentation to share with the rest of the class. The

students are able to use whichever web tool they want to create this presentation. After

each group shares their presentations, the culminating activity of this project is a class

round table debate and discussion. The students will have to come up with one final

theory for the whole class, and then discuss the lasting effects of his death. The

students group project will be assessed with a rubric that is sixth grade appropriate. The

round table debate and discussion will be an open-forum and not taken for a grade but

instead used as an informal assessment of their knowledge and grasp of the standards.

Rational

I chose to do this project because it helps students make connections between the past

and today. Since historical records from King Tuts time period are not always accurate,

which is shown by the three different theories that still exist for how he died, this project

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 Understanding by Design Project

requires students to analyze primary and secondary sources for bias. Identifying bias is a

skill they need to have to be well informed 21st century citizens. The project also has

students working collaboratively and learning from each other, which keeps them more

engaged and invested in learning about the past.

Blooms Taxonomy Higher Order Thinking Skills

The highest level of Blooms Taxonomy is create and that is something I want my

students to be driven to do. Given the tools they need, my sixth graders can create

unique and informative content that displays their knowledge. In this project, the

evidence of higher order thinking skills are when the students are developing their

theories for how King Tut died and creating a presentation to share their knowledge with

their peers. Higher order thinking skills are also evident when students are participating

in the round table debate and discussion about the effects his death had on the past and

also the present.

Multiple Intelligences

Although this project is collaborative-based, it does meet the needs of many different

learning abilities. Interpersonal learners will succeed in using their communication skills

and empathy through the collaborative group work and also the round table debate/

discussion. The Verbal-Linguistic learners will benefit from the graphic

organizer/notetaking part of the project, as well as the round table debate and

discussion. Depending on how the groups put together their presentations, the

Musical/Visual-Spatial learners will be able to express their knowledge in whichever way

suits them best. Lastly, the Intrapersonal learners will benefit from the individual

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 Understanding by Design Project

research and graphic organizer components of the project.

Concrete-Abstract Continuum

By having students create a presentation for their peers, they are able to express their

knowledge in whatever means their group chooses. Students can do a traditional

presentation that includes pictures, they could create a video, and/or they could do a

live-action component to their presentation. By giving students the choice in how they

present their findings, they have a better connection to what they are learning.

UDL

There are three main principles of UDL- Engagement, Representation, and Action &

Expression and all of these principles are supported by this project. This project

provides students with choices and options to express what they know, and it uses

technology to assist students in content gathering. There isnt a one-size-fit-all approach

to learning, and tech tools help teachers give students the engaging and customizable

resources to learn new content. This project has students using iPads (or computers-

depending on what is available in the school that day), web tools, and Apple TV, which

supports those three main principles of UDL.

Cognitive Flexibility Theory

Cognitive Flexibility Theory is the theory I chose to incorporate in my lesson because it is

one of my favorites. There are usually many theories at play during a students learning

process, but the key ideas of the Cognitive Flexibility Theory align with my teaching

philosophy. The theory is largely concerned with transfer of knowledge and skills

beyond their initial learning situation (Spiro, Feltovich, & Coulson, 2006). This is

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 Understanding by Design Project

something I believe that this webquest and project has students do the students take

their knowledge about King Tuts potential causes of death, and then have to evolve that

knowledge into their own theory, presentation, debate, and discussion. The principles of

this theory, listed below, also are part of the key components of the project. The

students are utilizing various resources on the topic and comparing their findings, the

instruction is completely student-driven since it is a webquest and student presentation,

and the students have to take what they have learned and apply it to the debate and

discuss how King Tuts death is impacts the present. Students are not relying on teacher-

led instruction, so they can be more engaged in what they are discovering, and what

they are learning will be more meaningful to them since they have the agency in their

learning.

Principles:
1. Learning activities must provide multiple representations of content
2. Instructional material should avoid oversimplifying the content domain and
support context dependent knowledge
3. Instruction should be case-based and emphasize knowledge construction, not
transmission of information
4. Knowledge sources should be highly interconnected rather than
compartmentalized

Understanding by Design Technology Template

King Tut Webquest, 6th Grade Social Studies

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 Understanding by Design Project
Content
Stage 1
Standard(s) (Content):
Kansas HGSS Standards:
#3 Societies are shaped by beliefs, ideas,
and diversity.
3.2 The student will draw conclusions
about significant beliefs, contributions, and
ideas, analyzing the origins and context
under which these competing ideals were
reached and the multiple perspectives
from which they come.
#4 Societies experience continuity and
change over time
4.1 The student will recognize and evaluate
continuity and change over time and its
impact on individuals, institutions,
communities, states, and nations.
4.3 The student will investigate an example
of continuity and/or change and connect
that continuity and/or change to a
contemporary issue
Common Core State Standards
Key Ideas and Details:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support
analysis of primary and secondary sources.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2
Determine the central ideas or information
of a primary or secondary source; provide
an accurate summary of the source distinct
from prior knowledge or opinions.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.3
Technology
Desired Results
ISTE Technology Student
Standard(s):
#2: Digital Citizen
2b
Students engage in positive, safe, legal and
ethical behavior when using technology,
including social interactions online or when
using networked devices.
#6: Creative Communicator
6a
Students choose the appropriate platforms
and tools for meeting the desired
objectives of their creation or
communication
6b
Students create original works or
responsibly repurpose or remix digital
resources into new creations
6c
Students communicate complex ideas
clearly and effectively by creating or using
a variety of digital objects such as
visualizations, models or simulations
6d
Students publish or present content that
customizes the message and medium for
their intended audiences.
NETS Technology Teacher
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 Understanding by Design Project
Identify key steps in a text's description of
a process related to history/social studies
(e.g., how a bill becomes law, how interest
rates are raised or lowered).
Craft and Structure:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.6
Identify aspects of a text that reveal an
author's point of view or purpose (e.g.,
loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of
particular facts).
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7
Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts,
graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with
other information in print and digital texts.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.8
Distinguish among fact, opinion, and
reasoned judgment in a text.
Understanding(s) (Content):
Students will understand what the three
main theories for King Tuts cause of death
were and how his death is significant to us
today
The students will know how to separate
key information from the text using
context clues and guiding questions
Students will be able to develop their own
theory on what caused King Tuts death
and explain the impact his death had on
Standard(s):
#1 Facilitate and inspire student learning
and creativity
1a
promote, support, and model creative and
innovative thinking and inventiveness
1c
promote student reflection using
collaborative tools to reveal and clarify
students conceptual understanding and
thinking, planning, and creative processes
#2 Design and develop digital age learning
experiences and assessments
2a
design or adapt relevant learning
experiences that incorporate digital tools
and resources to promote student learning
and creativity
#4 Promote and model digital citizenship
and responsibility
4c
Promote and model digital etiquette and
responsible social interactions related to
the use of technology and information
Understanding(s) (Technology):
Students will understand digital citizenship
when using iPads to access information
online
Students will know how to use the
webquest site to access provided materials
and assignment information to create a
project for their peers to learn from
Students will be able to collaborate with
their classmates through the use of a
presentation app of their choice
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 Understanding by Design Project
Ancient Egypt and us today
Essential Question(s) (Content): Essential Question(s)
What was the true cause of King Tuts (Technology):
death, and how did his death effect
Ancient Egypt and us today?
How to identify the main idea and key
details in a text?
How do I identify bias in a text?
Stage 2
Performance Task(s (Content):
Using higher order thinking skills, the
students will develop theories based on
the primary and secondary sources found
that will assist in the teaching of their
peers
Other Evidence (Content):
Team/group notesheets
Individual graphic organziers
Stage 3
Learning Activities (Content):
Students will be analyzing primary and
secondary sources about King Tuts cause
of death. They will identify one theory that
they think is the most correct and
explain why. The students will also analyze
King Tuts death to discover how his death
effected Ancient Egypt and how it impacts
us today. The goals of this activity are for
students to understand how historical
records are not always accurate (e.g.
bias/secondary sources written years
How does technology influence the source
of historical materials?
How can we use online webtools to create
a presentation that our peers can learn
from?
Assessment Evidence
Performance Task(s)
(Technology):
The students will create an engaging
presentation using a variety of technology
tools
Other Evidence (Technology):
Presentation (Google Slides, Prezi,
etc.)
Learning Plan
Learning Activities
(Technology):
The majority of this activity requires
students to use either iPads or computers
to access the webquest and collaborative
presentation webtool of their choice.
Through the webquest, students will find
their task, process, and evaluation
requirements for the activity. The
webquest also provides students with a set
of starting links for their research, but then
instructs students that they need to find
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 Understanding by Design Project

later/etc), and for students to understand
how the past effects us today (e.g. why the
discovery of King Tuts tomb changed our
perspective and studies of Ancient Egypt).
Students will compile their findings into a
presentation method of their choice and
then first try to convince the other student
groups that the theory they picked is the
correct one, and then be prepared to
participate in a round-table class
discussion on historical records and the
impact of King Tuts death.
their own sources as well (using website
analysis skills we have been working on
leading up to this activity). Once the
research is complete, the students will
create their groups presentations. The
student presentations will then be
displayed to the class through the AppleTV
in the classroom, with the students
running their presentation through their
own iPads.

Understanding by Design Technology Rubric

Individual Rubric:

5 4 3 2 1 0

Time The The student The student The The The

Manage student was 90% on was partially student student student did
ment was 100% task, used on task, was was off- not
on task, class time used the primarily task/did complete
used class appropriatel majority of off task, not use the
time y and class time did not use class time webquest/
appropriat completed appropriatel class time wisely, did not
ely and the y, and appropriat and/or did attempt to
completed webquest completed ely, and not do
webquest on time the did not complete webquest
on time webquest complete their
on time the portion of
webquest the
on time webquest
on time

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 Understanding by Design Project

Role The The student The student The The The

Question student completed is missing 2 student is student is student did
s completed all but 1 role questions, missing 4 missing 5 not
all role questions, but role or more complete
questions and answered questions, role the
and answered correctly and questions questions
answered them answered and/or did
them correctly most not answer
correctly questions questions
correctly correctly

Presenta The The student The student The The The

tion student contributed contributed student student student did
contribute 1 slide with slide with contribute contribute not
d 1 slide no no da d an contribute
with pictures/vid pictures/vid combined incomplete to
pictures/vi eos to group eos to group slide with slide to presentatio
deos to presentation presentation another group n
group team presentati
presentati member on
on

Participa The The student The student The The The

tion student was mostly made an student student student did
was on task and average was mostly was not
focused, focused, effort to off task unfocused, participate
on task, and participate and off task, in groups
and participated during unfocused made little presentatio
equally during their teams on teams effort to n to class
participate teams presentation presentatio participate
d during presentation , but was n, but
their more off made
teams task than some
presentati others effort to
on participate

Total points: _____/20

Team Rubric:

5 4 3 2 1

Research Report is 5 Report is 4 Report is 3 Report is 2 Report is 1

Report paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph
s in length s in length s in length s in length in length
and/or is and/or is and/or is and/or is and/or is
persuasive mostly moderatel somewhat not

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 Understanding by Design Project

persuasive y persuasive persuasive

persuasive

Research PowerPoin PowerPoin PowerPoin PowerPoin PowerPoint

PowerPoi t is 5 t is 4 t is 3 t is 2 is 1 slide in
nt/ slides and slides and slides in slides in length
includes includes length and length and and/or
Keynote pictures/ pictures/ includes includes a does not
some couple include
videos on videos on pictures/ pictures/ pictures/
each slide most videos
slides videos videos

Research Each team All but 1 All but 2 All but 3 Only 1
Presentat member team team team team
ion participate member members members member
d fully was were were was
throughou participati participati participati participatin
t ng in ng in ng in g in
presentati presentati presentati presentati presentatio
on on on on n

Total points: ____/15

References:

Armstrong, Dr. Thomas, (2013) Multiple intelligences Retrived on July 29, 2016
from http://www.institute4learning.com/multiple_intelligences.php

Blooms Digital Taxonomy. Retrieved on 2016 July 29, from

http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom%27s+Digital+Taxonomy

Cognitive Flexibility Theory (Spiro, Feltovich, & Coulson). [2006]. Retrieved July 29, 2016,
from http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/cognitive-flexibility.html

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) (2016) ISTE standards for

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 Understanding by Design Project

students, retrieved on 2016, July 29 from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/for-

students-2016#

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) (2016) ISTE standards for
teachers, retrieved on 2016, July 29 from
http://www.iste.org/standards/standrds/standards-for-teachers

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