Beacon Lesson Plan Library
The Parkingtons Are Coming
Glenn Rutland
Santa Rosa District Schools
Description
You have been chosen to take in a family of aliens from the planet Pluto. Your job is to decide what important things they need to know before they come. You can send 10 pages from the Almanac. Which 10 pages do you think will help them the most?
Standards
Florida Sunshine State Standards
LA.A.1.2.1.5.1
The student extends previously learned prereading knowledge and skills of the fourth grade with increasingly complex reading texts and assignments and tasks.
LA.A.2.2.1.5.1
The student extends previously learned knowledge and skills of the fourth grade level with increasingly complex reading texts and assignments and tasks (for example, explicit and implicit ideas).
LA.A.2.2.5.5.1
The student reads and organizes information from multiple sources for a variety of purposes (for example, supporting opinions, predictions, and conclusions; writing a research report; conducting interviews; taking a test; performing tasks).
LA.A.2.2.8.5.1
The student extends previously learned knowledge and skills of the fourth grade with increasingly complex texts and assignments and tasks (for example, using reference materials and processes).
LA.C.3.2.2.5.1
The student asks relevant questions and makes comments and observations (for example, gives feedback; draws conclusions; reflects on information; clarifies understanding of content, processes, and experiences.
Florida Process Standards
Information Managers
01 Florida students locate, comprehend, interpret, evaluate, maintain, and apply information, concepts, and ideas found in literature, the arts, symbols, recordings, video and other graphic displays, and computer files in order to perform tasks and/or for enjoyment.
Effective Communicators
02 Florida students communicate in English and other languages using information, concepts, prose, symbols, reports, audio and video recordings, speeches, graphic displays, and computer-based programs.
Critical and Creative Thinkers
04 Florida students use creative thinking skills to generate new ideas, make the best decision, recognize and solve problems through reasoning, interpret symbolic data, and develop efficient techniques for lifelong learning.
Cooperative Workers
08 Florida students work cooperatively to successfully complete a project or activity.
Multiculturally Sensitive Citizens
10 Florida students appreciate their own culture and the cultures of others, understand the concerns and perspectives of members of other ethnic and gender groups, reject the stereotyping of themselves and others, and seek out and utilize the views of persons from diverse ethnic, social, and educational backgrounds while completing individually and group projects.
Materials
- Almanac (same kind for each student)
- Copy of simulation (see Attached File)
Preparations
1. Make copies of simulation for each student.
2. Make copies of rubric for each student.
3. Gather sets of Almanacs.
Procedures
Day One: Divide students into groups of 2 or 3. Have them read over the simulation, The Parkingtons are Coming (see Attached File).
Day Two: Reassemble each team. Ask these teams to review information collected from previous day. Once the 10 pages have been chosen and agreed upon, have teams present their findings to the rest of the class. The teams must state clearly their reasons for choosing these 10 pages. After all presentations have been made, ask students to vote on the team with the most effective information and presentation.
Assessments
Through observation and rubric. Areas to look for are: eye contact, verbal presence, voice, group participation, thought process, and research skills.
Extensions
Students develop own creative problem (working in groups) techniques.
Calculate distance from different planets to earth.
Write a story about their experiences while traveling to earth (from their point of view).
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