1 MAGIC LAND A Design-Based Learning Project for Second Graders By Marta Rosales James Madison...

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MAGIC LAND

A Design-Based Learning Project for

Second Graders

By Marta RosalesJames Madison School

2008-2010

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Table of Contents

Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------- 3The Magic land Project------------------------------------------------------- 4Second Graders at Work----------------------------------------------------- 6Magic Land Challenges -------------------------------------------------------7How did Magic Land Began ------------------------------------------------- 8NBS Way to Introduce Yourself -------------------------------------------- 9NBS Body Object ----------------------------------------------------------- 13NBS Instant City ----------------------------------------------------------- 16Context for Magic Land ---------------------------------------------------- 19NBS Creature -----------------------------------------------------------------20NBS Shelter ----------------------------------------------------------------- 23NBS Way to Use Nature for Nourishment --------------------------------26NBS Way to Move from Place to Place------------------------------------29NBS Ideal Leader ------------------------------------------------------------32NBS Place of Learning ----------------------------------------------------- 35NBS Way to Protect Magic Land ------------------------------------------ 38NBS Tribute ------------------------------------------------------------------ 41Long-Range Planning Boards ----------------------------------------------44The History Wall -------------------------------------------------------------46Classroom Organization-----------------------------------------------------47Transfer of Learning---------------------------------------------------------48Classroom Meetings ---------------------------------------------------------49Conclusion --------------------------------------------------------------------50

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Introduction

My name is Marta Rosales. I was born and raised in Spain. I have taught second grade students at James Madison School in Pasadena for over twenty years. I was a recipient of Pasadena’s Teacher of Excellence Award in 1995.

The Magic Land project was a Design- Based Learning (DBL) project implemented during the school year 2008-2009 and completed during the school year 2009-2010. The Magic Land project is still been implemented in my classroom.

Students participating in the Magic Land project were English Language Learners (ELL), primarily Spanish speaking. 100% of participants qualified for the free school lunch program.

The Project Teacher

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The Magic Land Project

2008-2010 and Beyond!

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The Magic Land Project

The purpose of the Magic Land project was to develop an integrated, hands-on, standards-based, yearlong curriculum with the intent to increase higher-level thinking skills, transfer of learning, English Language acquisition, and to motivate children to attend school. This was accomplished using the Doreen Nelson’s methodology called the Backwards Thinking™ methodology of Design-Based Learning (DBL). The hands-on activities used in DBL reached a broad spectrum of learners, recognizing the different types of intelligences represented in the classroom.

The Magic Land project consisted of eleven sequential Never-Before-Seen (NBS), three- dimensional designs or challenges. With each challenge, students created components of a three-dimensional model of a city called Magic Land. They developed systems that represented real systems in their own communities. They also created a system of governance for Magic Land and for their classroom.

During this project, I applied Backwards Thinking™ methodology. Each challenge included 6 and ½ steps. First, I identified the theme or concept that I needed to teach. Secondly, I presented the problem from the curriculum. The ½ step consisted of stating the design challenge as 3-D and Never-Before-Seen. For the third step, I created a criteria list that I used for assessment. During the fourth step, students built their models and presented them to the class. While they talked, peers evaluated and offered feedback using the criteria list as a rubric. Students were now ready to learn more about the theme through the guided standards-based lessons. During the last step, students revised and modified their designs.

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Second Graders at Work

Using Backwards Thinking™methodology, students appliedHigher levels of reasoning. Theycreated, justified, evaluated,synthesized, and modified their

citydesigns.

Students discussed, analyzed, and solved issues they encountered in their city throughout city meetings. Similarly, they solved problems in the classroom through classroom meetings.

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Magic Land Challenges

NBS Introduction

1NBS Protection

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NBSTribute

11 NBS Body Object

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NBS Instant City

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NBSCreature

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NBSShelter

5NBS

Nourishment

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NBS Movement

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NBSLeader

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NBSLearning Place

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Magic Land

The Magic Land project

consistedof a yearlongsequence of eleven Never-Before-Seen, 3-

D,challengesorganized into pathways whichincluded guidedlessons

Sequence of Challenges

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How Did Magic Land Began?

We started the school year with the Never-Before-Seen (NBS) Way to Introduce Yourself challenge. This activity provided an opportunity to familiarize students with the Backwards Thinking™ method of Design-Based Learning. They designed 3-D models to introduce themselves in a unique way. Later, they talked about their designs.

The second challenge was to design an NBS Body Object. They brought objects from home.They interviewed their objects and they became them. During this challenge, they familiarized themselves with the design process and its six and a half steps further. They also learned an invaluable lesson about people’s different points of view, concluding we all look and think differently but we all form part of a community.

This conclusion lead to the next challenge. Students were asked to design a Never-Before-Seen Instant City. They followed the criteria list to find solutions for shelters, education, health care, etc. Students concluded designing a city is an undertaking which needs to be planned. They decided to start building each component of the city separately, as a result of this, the Magic Land story began.

Before students began constructing Magic Land, they needed a landform to build their city. They designed the land and divided it into eight land parcels distributed among the classroom’s groups. Once they had their land parcels, they designed NBS Creatures for their land. The creatures were intricate and complex, but they needed to survive the elements. They decided to design NBS Shelters for them. As they began role-playing the Magic Land story, they predicted the many elements needed. The next challenges were to design NBS Ways to Use Nature for Nourishment, and NBS Ways to Move from Place to Place. Once they had designed these components, they concluded they needed NBS Leaders for their land parcels. This was a good opportunity to introduce the concept of democracy and self-governance for Magic Land and for our classroom. The next challenges were NBS Places to Learn, and NBS City Protection. The last NBS challenge was to design a City Tribute to summarize the year’s challenges and to say farewell to Magic Land.

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NBS Way to Introduce Yourself

Pathway 1

The Powerful Idea

We all need to live cooperatively.

The Problem

Sometimes we take people for grantedand forget attributes that define them.

The Challenge

When students built a Never-Before-Seen way to introduce themselves they learned to

identify different ways to introduce themselves to others and identified character traits,

then they compared and contrasted people’s similarities and differences.

Design a Never-Before-Seen Way to Introduce Yourself

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Don’t Wants

Needs

CopyMessFlatUgly

Never Before Seen3-DRepresent your nameor youUniqueSymbolicMemorablePresent in 30 sec.

The Criteria ListThe criteria list was created by the teacher

with students’ input. It was divided into two

sections; the Needs list developed by theteacher and the Don’t Wants sectioncreated by the students. The Needs listincluded the concepts that needed to betaught during the challenge. The criteria

listwas used as an assessment tool whenstudents presented the Never-Before-

Seendesigns. Students used the criteria list toself-evaluate their progress. Students created the

Don’t Wants list

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Students created 3-D symbolic, Never-

Before- Seen way to introduce themselves.

A student justified his design. His peers

offered ideas to modify his product.

I began the first challenge by establishing a problem from the curriculum. Then, I stated the

challenge as a Never-Before-Seen Introduction. Students were perplexed at such a request as I

began setting the criteria. They had difficulty converting their names into a three dimensional

form. As students began building, I had to constantly remind them to check the criteria list for

guidance. Suddenly, Jesus made a connection and concluded that his name could be symbolically

represented by a cross. Immediately, he began advising other students. Students became

motivated by his suggestions and began constructing their 3-D, NBS names. ”My name is also a

flower” said Jasmine as she began creating a 3-D flower with color paper. When students

finished their designs, they introduced themselves using them. They presented their designs in

30 seconds which proved to be difficult for some students because they had not acquired the

notion of time yet. I taught the concept of telling time as a guided math lesson after the

challenge was completed. While they presented, I modeled asking questions and giving

suggestions for modifications.

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Curriculum Integration Chart

California StateStandards

Guided LessonsDeveloped from the Design Challenge

After each challenge, studentslearned concepts throughguided lessons.

Design an NBS Way to Introduce Yourself

Reading 3.3

Compare and Contrast.

ELD Listening

and Speaking

Listen

attentively to information, and orally

identify key details and concepts.

Language Arts Speak clearly

and at an appropriate pace for the

type of communication

(informal discussion,

report to class).

Math 1.0 Statistics, Data Analysis, and

Probability Students collect

data and record,

organize, display, and interpret the

data on graphs and other

representations.

Social Studies 2.1

Placing important

events in their lives in order in

which they occurred.

Write a small paragraph comparing and contrasting your project with your partner’s project.

Students compose three questions and three comments about presenter’s names to be asked after the presentation.

Students present their project orally in detail using appropriate pace and intonation.

Students make a bar graph of the names and the number of letters in each word.

Create a time line placing important events for each year of your life. Write a sentence describing each event.

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NBS Body Object

Don’t Wants

Needs

Don’t want it to be youDon’t want a pictureNo shieldsNo copiesNo 2-D

NBS3-DTransform yourselfCover yourselfInclude detailsRepresents back and frontRecognizableInclude 1 character traitInclude 1 physical traitBecome the object

The Powerful Idea The Problem

Point of view is worth 80 IQ points. Often we have difficulties understanding people’s point of view.

The Challenge

Design a Never-Before-Seen Body Object

When students built an Never-Before-Seen Body Object, they learned to identify attributes that were similar

even when they appeared to be dissimilar, then they analyzed other people’s points of view and appreciated

diversity.

The Criteria ListStudents used the criteria list to evaluate their own progress as they built their design. The Needs list included concepts I needed to teach from the second grade curriculum.

Pathway 2

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NBS Body Object

Students planned and decided on their objects’

character and physical traits.

Students analyzed their objects’ point of view

by becoming the objects.

Students brought objects from home which had special meaning to them and wrote about their

character and physical traits. It was easier for them to select character traits. I concluded the

reason was they were emotionally connected to their objects. Then, they built a Never-Before-

Seen Body Object representing their object. They had questions about the criteria list. “How can we

become the objects?”, said Victoria. Suemy referred everyone to the criteria list and pointed out, “we

have to cover ourselves”. They concluded they needed to build a type of costume. They began to

evaluate their body object against other students’ body objects. After their designs were completed,

they wore them to become that object. Then, they created interviews to ask questions to other

objects in the class. “ Who are you afraid of? Where do you live? Who is your enemy?”. Later, they

found their families and antifamilies among the NBS Objects. I concluded students believed

they were the objects themselves. While they were role playing, they began to understand other

objects’ points of view, thus beginning to appreciate diversity.

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NBS Body Object


The Curriculum Integration Chart included standards-basedactivities stemming from the NBS Body Object challenge.

Design an NBS

Body Object

Reading Understand and

explain common

antonyms and synonyms.

Social Studies Students

differentiate between those

things that happened long

ago and yesterday.

Writing Students write compositions and explain

familiar objects, events and

experiences.

Math Statistics data analysis and probability Represent the

same data set in more than one way (graphs, charts with

tallies).

Math Recognize

fractions of a whole and parts

of a group.

Compose a list of antonyms

using physical traits from your body

object.

Prepare questions to interview your family. Trace the history of your ancestors using

primary and secondary sources.

Plan and compose a

description of you body

object.

Rearrange and create a tally chart with the

families you created with

the body objects.

Create a diagram

representing the fraction of

objects with similar traits.

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NBS Instant City

Don’t Wants Needs

DrawingsViolenceTrashWeaponsDarkness

3-DPlaces to shopPlaces where trash is storedNBSGreen spacesSheltersPlaces where people get wellProtectionWays to move from place to placeEducationEntertainmentWater spacesEnergy

Pathway 3 The Powerful Idea The ProblemWhat we want is not always what we need. We understood our objects’ and our friends

points of view, now we need a community were we can continue sharing our new found knowledge. The Challenge Design a Never-Before-Seen Instant City

When Students built a Never-Before-Seen Instant City and combined their cities together to identify elements and functions in their cities, then they analyzed the complex integration of elements in society.

Criteria ListUsing the criteria list, students familiarizedthemselves with the project’s new terminology,particularly the terms NBS and 3-D, and the list of requirements that apply to any city.

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NBS Instant City

Students arranged their city elements

to build an NBS Instant City.

Students combined the Instant Cities and

evaluated the results.

The third challenge was to build an Instant City. As with the first two challenges, Instant City was

an introduction to DBL and the precursor to The Magic Land Story. As they began constructing,

they realized their structures needed to be Never-Before-Seen. This caused confusion because

they wanted to replicate structures they already knew. I tried to restore their confidence by

referring them to the criteria list. As students began building NBS Instant Cities using recyclable

materials, I noticed some students were checking the criteria list to confirm if they had all

the Needs. They created NBS solutions for transportation, education, shelters, protection,

health care, green spaces etc. Then, they combined all the cities together to form a mega city. As

they categorized the components of their mega city, they realized they had more schools,

hospitals, and parks than they really required for one city. They concluded cities can’t be

built instantly, they require planning. Students decided to slow it down and build all the different

city elements separately to design a new city.

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NBS Instant City


This Curriculum Integration Chartincluded some of the lessons thatI taught during the Instant City challenge. Students made chartsusing solid shapes they found in theirInstant City.

Design an NBS Instant City

Reading

Compare and Contrast.

Social Studies

Students

explain the institutions

and practices of

governments.

Writing

Identify various parts of speech.

Measurement and Geometry

Describe and classify plane

and solid geometric

shapes.

Reading 2.6

Cause and Effect.

Compose a diagram to

compare and contrast two structures in

the city.

Create a law for the city and

debate how the law would be

implemented and enforced.

Generate a list of adjectives to describe each city structure.

Rearrange and chart

solid shapes in the city by

number of edges, faces, and corners.

Justify what would be the

effect of removing one structure in the

city.

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Context for Magic Land

Students created a context for Magic Land in which they would place their new 3-D,

Never- Before- Seen challenges. They proposed to build and design a new city that

would not be Instant.

Magic Land story began as students created a context for their new land. They measured and used grid lines to divide the land into eight land parcels. Later, they distributed the land parcels between the groups using a lottery system. As they were designing their land parcel, I observed students while they worked. They talked about Never-Before-Seen water spaces and landforms. I interpreted this as an indication students were acquiring and using new vocabulary. The new land parcel became the context for future challenges and the new context for learning. They named the new landform “Magic Land”.

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NBS Creature The Powerful Idea The ProblemEverything is done for a purpose. Now we have a landform but we need someone to manage it and take care of it. The Challenge Design a Never-Before-Seen Creature

When students built a Never-Before-Seen Creature to identify their creatures’ physical attributes and how they affected their survival in their city, then they compared and contrasted the attributes andcharacteristics of different species and inferred the reasons why some species have been more successful

thanothers. Don’t Wants Needs

Weak2-DUglyMess

NBS3-DStand by its ownAble to communicate, move, find foodDetailsEvery body part needs to have a functionInclude geometrical shapesInclude the 5 sensesNeeds body protectionNo taller than 2 inches

Pathway 4

Using the criteria list students measuredtheir creatures to be two inches or less whichlead to a math lesson about measurement.Equally, students learned about solid shapesand the five senses. Guided lessons after thechallenge included subjects such as math, science, language arts, and social studies.

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NBS Creature

We had a landform, now we needed someone to live in it. Students built a Never-Before-Seen

Creature to manage their land. “We need to manufacture a Never-Before-Seen body protection

for our creature”, analyzed Abel using our “big” vocabulary word for the week. “This grasshopper is not Never-Before-Seen”, concluded Vicky. Sara evaluated her creature

anddecided she was not pleased with it. “It doesn’t have to be perfect, it is Never-Before-

Seen”,added Jasmine. They built a design with body devices which provided their creature

with waterand food on demand. After they presented their creatures to the class, students

assessed themand concluded that some of them did not meet the criteria list. They decided to revise

and modify their designs .

Students evaluated their creatures andtheir ability to stand up on their own.They received advice from other

students.

Jasmine compared and contrasted hercreature to that of other students and concluded it was larger than required.

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NBS Creature


The curriculum Integration Chartincorporated guided lessons that taught them how to writecompositions describing their creatures and their creatures’ ancestors.

Design an NBS Creature

Writing Students write

compositions that describe and

explain familiar objects, events,

and experiences.

Social Studies

Students explain institutions and

practices of governments.

Science Plants and

animals have predictable life cycles- C-Many characteristics of an organism are

inherited from the parents.

Math Measurement and geometry

Describe and classify plane and

solid geometric shapes according to the number of faces, edges, and

vertices.

Science Compare and sort common objects based on two or more physical

attributes (including color, shape, texture, size, weight).

Compose a paragraph

describing your creature

including many details and functions.

Students will elect a mayor

among the creatures that

they have designed,

creating and using a

democratic voting system.

Write a description of

what your creature’s

parents looked like.

Name and chart all

geometric solid shapes

that your creature contains

according to # of vertices, edges, and

corners

Create a class graph that

includes the physical

attributes of the creatures. Include

sensory details such as color,

size, and weight.

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NBS Shelter

The Powerful Idea The Problem Innovation is a specialty of our species. Our creatures need to find refuge from predators and from the elements. The Challenge Design a Never-Before-Seen Shelter

When students built a Never-Before-Seen Shelter to identify the characteristics of a safe, affordable,comfortable dwelling and how creatures found shelter to protect themselves from the elements, then they

analyzed the reasons why humans have adapted so well to the environment and other species have not.

Don’t Wants Needs

Drawings2-DWeak sheltersFlatUgly

NBS3-DEnergy efficient= or > than 4 occupants ,but < than 8 occupantsStrong against elementsInclude geometrical shapes= or <than 3 inchesNeeds water supplyEnvironmentally safeLet sunlight in

I used the criteria list to introducemath concepts such as =, <, >.andgeometrical shapes. Additionally,students researched science concepts about energy, water, environment, andrecycling.

Pathway 5

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NBS Shelter

As students were placing their NBS creatures on their landform, they decided they needed a place to

live. This idea lead to a new challenge. For the next challenge, students designed a Never-Before-Seen

Shelter. As they checked the criteria list, they measured their creatures and made the shelters larger

than them, but not greater than three inches.” Where does the shelter get the light from?” inquired

Adilene. “I told you the light gets inside through the big glass window”, justified Vicky. “What about

night time”, insisted Adilene. “The moon provides the light at night” decided Vicky. As I listened to

them justify their designs, I concluded students were analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating each

other’s designs thus using higher-level thinking skills throughout the challenge. They debated and

decided to add new elements to their shelters. They included solar power, glass doors, and protective

devices. Some groups placed the shelters near their creatures. Other students became curious about

energy sources. Later, they researched, compared, and contrasted solar power and power plants.

Students observed and evaluated the

features on their shelter to make sure

they had met the criteria.

Students placed their shelter on theirlandform and compared and

contrastedtheir shelters and other shelters.

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NBS Shelter


The curriculum IntegrationChart was a snap shot of all the standards-based lessons taught during the challenge. Therest of the standards-based guidedlessons were written on the Long-Range Planning Boards.

Design an

NBS Shelter

Language Arts 2.6 Recognize cause and

effect relationships in

a text.

Math 1.3 Order and compare whole

numbers by using the

symbols <, >, and =.

Social Studies Students demonstrate

map skills by describing the

location of people, places, and

environment.

Writing 1.3 Understand the

purpose of reference material

(dictionary, thesaurus, and

atlas).

Science 3 Earth

Sciences Compare and sort common objects cased on two or more physical

attributes.

Read OCR story on unit 5 about dinosaurs and

Prepare a booklet using sentences and illustrations,

analyzing the causes and

consequences for dinosaur’s extinction.

Compare and order the number of

occupants in your shelter and the other group’s shelters. Write

number sentences using <, >, or =.

Use your land form to place

your shelter and create a map with a grid

system placing landforms and

shelters.

Use reference books and the

internet to research and

write a persuasive

paragraph on the use of

solar power energy.

Sort all the land form shelters by

shape, color, texture, functions, size, etc. Create a

graph which reflects that information.

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NBS Way to Use Nature for Nourishment

The Powerful Idea The Problem Our resources are not unlimited, we Our creatures need a way to nourish their must use them wisely. bodies to be able to grow and survive. The Challenge

Design a Never-Before-Seen Way to Use Nature for Nourishment

When students built a Never-Before-Seen Way to Use Nature for Nourishment to identify the characteristics that a source of energy should include to help their creatures survive in their landform, then they compared and contrasted the characteristics of various sustainable resources to help us survive.

Don’t Wants Needs

Far away from shelter2-DUglyShelterNot man made

NBS3-DNear the shelterExplain how to get itExplain how to use itNever-endingComes from nature

Pathway 6

The Criteria ListThis criteria list was a modification of aprevious criteria list which proved to be confusing for the students, leading tosolutions neither NBS, nor on-going.By adding “Never- ending ”and “It comes fromnature” to the Needs list students created sustainable solutions that provided nourishmentfor their creatures. I concluded words areimportant!

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NBS Way to use Nature for Nourishment

I stated the next challenge as a Never-Before-Seen Food Supply. It was an error. Another

mistake was the criteria list. As students began building their designs, I realized that all the

groups were producing similar designs. I concluded words were very important when

stating the challenge. I decided to modify this challenge’s original name and criteria list

from “Design an NBS Food Supply” to “Design an NBS Way to use Nature for Nourishment”.

By using the first option students were given the answer to the problem and were creating

containers of food instead of sustainable ways to provide nourishment for their creatures.

By modifying the criteria list and challenge statement, students created very intricated

designs including ways to use their parcel’s natural resources for survival.

Students analyzed their friends’NBS challenges offering

suggestions.

Students explained and justified their system to obtain nourishment.

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NBS Way to Use Nature for Nourishment


The Curriculum Integration Chartincorporated standards-based scienceGuided lessons about life cycles.

Design an

NBS Way to Use Nature

for Nourishment

Reading comprehension Follow step-by-

step written instructions.


understand basic

economic concepts and

their individual roles in the economy.

Listening and Speaking Recount

experiences or present stories: move through a

logical sequence of

events.

Math 5.0

Number Sense

Students model and solve

problems by representing, adding, and subtracting amounts of

money.

Science 3 Earth

Sciences Earth is made of

materials that have distinct

properties and provide

resources for human

activities.

Write a recipe on how to

make a peanut butter and

jelly sandwich. Make the sandwich

following your own

instructions.

Describe the journey and

processes that produce goes

through from the farmer’s hand, processors, and distributors, to

your store.

Read “The Tortilla

Factory”. Retell the

sequence of events that

occur from the corn field to the factory.

Create a list of produce that your creature would need to eat in a week.

Write the prices and decide on the amount of money that it would need to spend on food.

Plant seeds using different types of soil. Classify the seeds according

to soil color. Observe, chart, measure, and evaluate their

growth. .

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NBS Way to Move from Place to Place

The Powerful Idea The ProblemEverything is connected to everything else. Our creatures need to exchange goods and ideas but the distances are too great to walk. The Challenge Design a Never-Before-Seen Way to Move from Place to Place

When students built a Never-Before-Seen Way to Move from Place to Place to identify the features and forces that

made their design move around their landform, then they compared and contrasted machines that use forces of pull

and push.

Pathway 7

Criteria ListStudents controlled the Don’t Wants sectionof the criteria list. However, as theywere getting more knowledgeable about the project’s procedures, they gave suggestions for the Needs list that were included on thecriteria list. They suggested the design needed to be twice as big as the shelter to accommodate twenty creatures and needed to be safe.

Don’t Wants Needs

CopyMessyFlatUglyCrowded

NBS3-DEnergy efficientTwice as big as your shelterAccommodate > than 20 occupantsSafeUses available resourcesCould use forces of push or pullAffordableCover long distances

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Students were extremely engaged while constructing their movement challenge. They

requested to work throughout recess time to complete their designs. I tried to persuade

them to reduce the building time, to keep focused on the task, but they voted to continue

building. I recognized at this point that students were beginning to “own” the project,

becoming emotionally attached to their city. They were creating and role-playing the

Magic Land Story and I had the privilege to be an observer and a participant of their

unique solutions. Their designs included fast and safe vehicles that moved on land,

water, and air. I was pleasantly surprised when they described their systems oftransportation and movement. The most timid of my students explained and

justified hisdesign perfectly and without hesitation. What a transformation!

Students planned and organized their

ideas to build an NBS Way to Move.

Students explained and justified their complicated system to move around Magic Land.

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The Curriculum Integration Chart included science lessonsto encourage students to research about transportationand forces of pull and push.

Design an NBS

Way to Move from Place to Place

ELD Reading and Vocabulary

Development Match words with pictures.

Math Measurement Measurement is accomplished

by identifying a unit of

measurement, and comparing it to the item to be measured.

Language Arts

Reading Apply

knowledge of basic

syllabication rules.

Physical Science

The motion of objects can be observed

and measured.


differentiate between

things that happened

long ago and now.

Write the names of

transportation objects on

index cards. Draw pictures to represent items. Ask a partner to

match each object’s name

with its picture.

Measure your transportation object to be

twice as big as your shelter. Use the cm

ruler. Explain the process in your journal. How long is

your object and why?

Create a list of names of

transportation types. With a

partner, count and show how

many syllables each

word has.

Students use a graph to compare and contrast three tools and three machines that use forces of pull and push.

Interview your family

and create a chart to compare and contrast

ways of transportation we use today

and those used by your grandparents.

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NBS Ideal Leader

The Powerful Idea The Problem We are all designing our own future. Our city needs leadership to execute and coordinate our ideas. The Challenge Design a Never-Before-Seen Ideal Leader

When students built a Never-Before-Seen Ideal Leader to identify the character traits of a good leader for their city, then they analyzed past and present heroes’ individual actions and character and evaluated the difference they made in our lives.

Don’t Wants Needs

CopyLikeness to anyone we knowFlatMeanDictator

NBS3-DMale or femaleInclude two character traits and two physical traits that identify him or her as a good leader= or , than 6cm tallStrongFair

The Criteria ListStudents offered suggestions forthe Needs section of the list. As theybegan mastering the process, their suggestions became more insightful.I coached them into including charactertraits for their leaders. I also included the leader’s size to introduce a math lesson.

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NBS Ideal Leader

We had creatures, shelters, a way to survive, and transportation. We needed someone to manage

and make sure everything worked in Magic Land. The next challenge was to design aNever-Before-Seen Leader. Students were particularly aware of scaling when they

beganconstructing their leader. The criteria stated the leader should be six cm or less. This

was agood opportunity to stop the challenge and introduce a mini lesson on the metric

system. Asthey continued building, their leaders took form, their presentations were outstanding.

They hadcreated a wide variety of NBS leaders. The comments and suggestions were very

insightful and provided valuable feedback to other students. They used the criteria list as a rubric to

evaluatetheir leaders. A student suggested they should elect one of the leaders as the leader of

leaders.I used this opportunity to introduce division of labor and the democratic process in our

class and held elections for our city and our class.

Students compared their leaders against

the criteria list.

Students discussed and evaluated their leaders’ character traits.

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NBS Ideal Leader


This Curriculum Integration Chart taught some of the guided lessons students used to create a system of governance for the city and the classroom such as writing laws for their city and rules for their classroom.

Design an NBS Ideal Leader

Writing Students write a

friendly letter complete with

date, salutation, body, closing, and signature.

Social Studies Students explain

institutions and practices of

governments.

Math

Measurement and Geometry

Use different units to measure the same object.

Language Arts

Use quotation marks correctly.

Science There is a variation among

individuals of one kind within

a population.

Research the life of a hero.

Write a friendly letter

to him/her asking

questions and comments about their

lives.

Students will make a chart describing the

bodies that will make laws, carry

out laws, and judge when laws

are violated. They will include

a list of responsibilities for each group.

Measure your creature

using centimeters and convert

the measurement into inches.

Research famous

speeches from different heroes.

Write a list Research of

quotes that they used in their

speeches using quotation marks

correctly.

Create a Venn Diagram

comparing and contrasting the attributes that

describe a good leader from a bad leader.

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NBS Place of learning

Don’t Wants Needs

DisorganizedSmall spacesFlatMessy

NBS3-DComfortablePlaces to write and readPlaces to express yourself artisticallyTechnologyResource materialSuppliesPlaces to eatPlaces to playPlaces for storage

The Powerful Idea The ProblemFacilitation of learning rather than “teaching for We have creatures in our land,

shelters,information”; we can learn anything at any ways to move, sustainable ways to age given the appropriate environment. survive, and a leader. Now, we need an environment conducive to learning. The Challenge Design a Never-Before-Seen Place of Learning

When students built a Never-Before-Seen Place of Learning to identify the components of a goodlearning environment, the technology available, and the reference material that their learning place

included,then they analyzed their own Place of Learning.

The Criteria ListStudents offered suggestions forboth sections of the criteria list such as places to play. I included resourcematerials and technology that leadto guided lesson on the use of the thesaurus, the dictionary, and internetresources.

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NBS Place of Learning

Magic Land was taking form and it needed places where our creatures’ brains and souls would be

enriched. The next challenge was to create a Never-Before-Seen Place of Learning.Students showed good judgment and reasoning skills while building their ideal Place oflearning. They included places to read, write, investigate, and play. The designs were

strong andsafe. Students demonstrated self-confidence approaching the new challenge. They

displayed asense of independence and good decision making skills I had not experienced before

with othergroups during my teaching career. They showed initiative and spent time researching

and usingreference materials as follow-up lessons.

Students created new features foran ideal place of learning.

Students discussed and analyzed the features on their NBS Place of learning.

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NBS Place of Learning


The Curriculum Integration Chart was displayed on the History Wall to illustrate the type of guided lessons taught during the challenge such as the use of the thesaurusand the dictionary.

Design an NBS Place of Learning

Writing 1.3 Understand the

purpose of various

reference materials (e.g.,

dictionary, thesaurus.

atlas).

Social Studies 2.1

Compare and contrast your

daily life with that of

your grandparent.

Math 1.3 Statistics and Data Analysis

and Probability

Identify features of data sets.

History Social Studies 2.2

Students demonstrate map skills by describing the absolute and

relative location of people, places, and

environments.

Writing 2.0 Students write compositions that describe and explain

familiar objects, events, and experiences.

Organize the classroom reference materials.

Create vocabulary

cards and write two synonyms

and the definition for

each word using the dictionary

and the thesaurus.

Design a booklet comparing and contrasting the

tools and technology that

you use at school and the tools

your grandparents

used.

Make a class a graph that

represents the components of your learning places. Find

the mode and range.

Create a map of your learning

environment. Use a simple

letter-number grid

system to locate items.

Imagine what the perfect learning environment would look like. Write a composition describing that place.

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NBS Way to Protect Magic Land

The Powerful Idea The ProblemCivilization is built on argument, not fighting We have a safe city, but we may need to

find ways to resolve conflicts with other communities.

The Challenge Design a Never-Before-Seen Way to Protect Magic Land

When students built a Never-Before-Seen Way to Protect Magic Land to identify the ways in which groups resolved conflicts in their city, then they compared and contrasted the strategies students at

their school,people in the community, and politicians use to resolve conflict and concluded that communities are

built onargument, not fighting.

Don’t Wants Needs

DrawingsRobotsGunsViolence

NBS3-DReal solutionsPeaceful solutionsSafety devicesStrongPlaces to feel safeTechnology

Pathway 10

Criteria ListStudents constantly reminded each other to compare their designs against the criterialist. They recognized the purpose of it was to assess their own work.

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A student analyzed and evaluatedMagic Land’s new protection

againstpossible enemies.

Students described their city protectionideas while other students askedquestions and evaluated each answer.

It appeared Magic Land was a an ideal place to live. It was peaceful and prosperous. Our creatures worked, traveled, and learned in our land. Not for long! Prehistoric giant creatures started to approach Magic Land. They were outside the landform, but moved closer every day. Students measured the distance and concluded they moved at a rate of five inches daily. Soon they would reach Magic Land. “We need to protect our city”, urged Alex.” Let’s have another challenge”, said Vicky, the class president. She called an urgent meeting and they decided to design a Never-Before-Seen Protection. I was amazed to witness my studentstake charge of the process. “Teacher, we need a criteria list”, said the class president. Students designed elaborated ways to protect Magic Land. Throughout the building process, I observed the students and took notes. I noticed the degree to which higher-level thinking skills were utilized. Their problem-solving ability, and their oral language ability had improved tremendously in the last few months. DBL was definitely the key component missing from my instruction.

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Through the guided lessonsstudents learned about conflict resolution between people and countries.

Design an NBS City Protection


explain the institutions

and practices of US

government and other countries.

Math Measurement and Geometry

Measure the length of

objects using standard and non standard

units.

Writing Identify the purpose of

various reference materials.

Art Demonstrate

beginning skill in the use of tools

and making process, such as

printing art, crayon, rubbing,

collage, and stencils.

Brainstorm problems that we have at our

school and write a

paragraph with your ideas of possible

solutions.

In groups, create a treaty for our

class and another class, describing what both classes would do. Both classes should sign the treaty.

Measure the perimeter of

the protective walls you built

around your city.

Use reference books and the internet to research the United

Nations role.

Create a painting or a

collage to suggest world peace to you.

Writing Students write

clear and coherent

sentences and paragraphs.

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NBS Tribute

The Powerful Idea The Problem Big challenges give us the chance to do great things. As the year comes to an end, we want to

remember and evaluate things we have done in the past. The Challenge Design a Never-Before-Seen Tribute

When students built a Never-Before-Seen Tribute to identify the main idea of each of the ten previous challenges, then they evaluated and synthesized the whole year curriculum.

Don’t Wants Needs

CopyMessyFlatUglyCrowded

NBS3-DUse symbols to represent the challengesTell main idea of at least three challengesUse existing parts of Magic Land to represent the main ideasWearable

The Criteria ListThe last criteria list representeda final assessment of the year’scurriculum. Students synthesizedat least three of the challengesusing existing city parts.

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NBS City Tribute

Students combined their City Tributes and placed

their designs on Magic Land. Later, theycommemorated Magic Land’s completion with aparade.

Students removed elements from Magic Land’s old challenges to design a new challenge summarizing what they had learned during the year.

The last challenge of the year was particularly meaningful to all of us. We were approaching the end of the school year and we decided to honor and pay tribute to Magic Land. Students hadto design a Never-Before-Seen Tribute to Magic Land. Students approached the last challenge of the year with complete confidence. After we set the criteria list, the class president/ City Mayor took the lead and arranged and distributed materials with the help of the city commissioners. As they were building their designs, I observed them carefully. Their conversations revealed a superior use of academic language. I was very impressed ! They used parts of the existing city to build their new design.A student suggested to make a suit and glued the different components on it “just like Body Object”,she announced. Daniel explained his design included a camera that had recorded each of the ten previouschallenges. “Did it record just your parcel’s challenges or the whole city’s?” “We made a statue we canwear on our head”, said Alberto. “I want to make a connection”, Irene said, “It is like the Statue of Liberty”.I opened the Social Studies textbook and we read about it. What a motivating way to learn about a topic! The designs were complex and synthesized the challenges accurately. Students were making connectionsthat evidenced the transfer of learning occurring during the challenge.“ This is like summarizing a story”, “ We are also recycling parts of our city”, said a student.

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NBS City Tribute


The Curriculum Integration Chartincorporated guided lessons in writing to describe the Magic Land Story developed during the year.

Design an NBS City Tribute

Language Arts Identify the

main idea and make

predictions using detail sentences.

ELD Make

predictions about stories. Use simple phrases or sentences.

Mathematics Determine the

duration of time in hours (e.g., 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.).

Science Tools and

machines are used to apply pushes and

pulls to make things move.

Social Studies Compare and contrast basic

land use in urban, rural, and suburban

areas.

Tell the main idea of each of the challenges. Create a small book telling the story of

Magic Land.

Predict what will happen to the city after we conclude our celebration. How would it

continue growing? Write a paragraph about

it.

Decide on the starting time and ending

time of Magic Land’s

celebration. Find out how many hours

and minutes it will last?

Create a tool that will help

you move your design

during a parade by pushing or pulling it.

Use a double bubble thinking map to compare and contrast the use of land in

Magic Land and the city of Pasadena.

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Long-Range Planning Boards

The Long-Range Planning boards represented a whole year’s curriculum and were a visual

representation of the Magic Land story. They included a sequence of DBL challenges for the

year. Each board reflected a month-long curriculum including a 3-D, NBS challenge, the

powerful idea, the California standards, and the guided lessons to be taught during each

challenge. Each board was divided into five channels reflecting the main subjects taught

in second grade. The channels included color coded standards and the lessons for each

standard. The standards were represented by octagons and the lessons by rectangles. There

was a sixth channel to indicate the topics discussed during classroom and city meetings.

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Long-Range Planning Boards

One month Long-Range Planning Board

Subjects

CA State Standards

Follow-up Guided Lessons

Classroom and City Meetings

The Long-Range Planning boards included six channels containing language arts, ELD, math, science, and social studies lessons and standards. The last channel consisted of classroom and city meetings. There were eleven boards, one for each challenge.

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The History Wall

The History Wall was a visual representation of the Magic Land’s eleven challenges. It displayed students’ work representing the standards and lessons included on the Long-Range Planning boards. It integratedthe guided lessons taught, some of the activities completed during each of the challenges, and photographsof students designing and constructing the Magic Land’ project. The History Wall assisted students and parents tovisualize the material learned during the school year through the Magic Land project. The History Wall was divided into eleven panels. Each panel represented a design challenge. It also included the name of the challenge,the Powerful Idea of the challenge, the Problem, and the Criteria List.

A student synthesized information displayed on the History Wall during Back to School Night.

Students and parents analyzed and assessedMagic Land’s History Wall.

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Classroom Organization

Magic Land decentralized the classroomthroughout the use of a system of self-governance where students became

leadersand decision makers, and I became afacilitator. They practiced with the

democraticsystem by creating their own rules,

conductingregular class and Magic Land meetings,and selecting classroom and city leaders.

Classroom Jobs and Magic Land Jobs

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Class Meetings and City Meetings

Through the Magic Land project, students practiced the democratic process. During the Magic Land project, students became better class citizens because they had made their own rules. Therefore, they became better citizens in general. The Mayor/Class president, and the commissioners wore distinctive artifacts to distinguish them from the rest of the class while they were conducting class and city meetings. Meetings were held twice a week to resolve city or classroom issues such as setting rules, procedures for organization, and conflict resolution. Magic Land made problem solving more real and relevant because students were responsible and accountable for their own actions, in both, the classroom and the city.

The class president/City Mayor lead a city and classroom meeting.

The Transportation Commissioner instructed studentsto move their vehicles and justified his request byannouncing a road accident.

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Transfer of Learning Magic Land provided students with the necessary tools to be responsible for findinginformation to create their own knowledge and understanding. They were activelyinvolved in creating, understanding, and learning the curriculum. Through Magic Land’sstory the curriculum became relevant to them. Students were motivated to learn moreabout the challenges. They made connections with the real world and their own livestransferring the new acquired knowledge to new situations. Magic Land providedstudents with the arena to get the motivation and engagement to successfully achievetransfer of learning. As they solved problems emerging from the Magic Land’s

challengesthey learned to solve similar and distant problems in the classroom, and ultimatelyoutside the classroom.

Students compared Pasadena’s laws to Magic Land’s laws and concluded Magic Land was less polluted and had less trash because everyone in Magic Land was required by law to recycle.

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Conclusions

• The Magic Land project used a Design-Based Learning methodology called Backwards Thinking™ created by Doreen Nelson which includes six and a half steps.

• The Magic Land project presented students with a whole year curriculum which was integrated, sequential, hands-on, and contextualized.

• The Magic Land project consisted of eleven 3-D, Never-Before-Seen (NBS) challenges. Each challenge lead to the next, creating a story line called Magic Land Story.

• Each challenge included the name of the challenge, a powerful idea, a problem statement, and a criteria list used by the teacher and the students for assessment.

• The History Wall and Long-Range Planning Boards illustrated the guided lessons and standards taught through the Magic Land project.

• Through The Magic Land project, students gained a deeper understanding of concepts. They made connections with the real world facilitating transfer of knowledge gained from the Magic Land guided lessons and activities.

• Students internalized the curriculum because all of the challenges were hands-on and meaningful to them.

• Students were highly motivated to build their designs and took pride and ownership of Magic Land thus improving class attendance.

• The Magic Land project was proudly displayed at the center of the room. It included all the year’s challenges and became the context for classroom and city meetings facilitating a process of self-governance.

1 MAGIC LAND A Design-Based Learning Project for Second Graders By Marta Rosales James Madison...

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