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Park Project

 

 

 

 

What’s your park going to look like?

Designing a Park

With your own ideas -- and those of your community -- in mind, it is time to design a park for middle school students.  Here are some things to keep in mind:

INTERESTS OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS: 
___What is it that would make a park a cool place for middle school students to hang-out? 
___How will you make the park interesting to as many different middle school students as possible?

NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY: 
___How does your park meet the needs of the community?

GETTING THERE: 
___How are people going to get to your park?
___Drivers need parking, and bicyclists need bike racks.

ACCESS: 
___How are people going to get in and around your park?
___Will there be paths for walkers, bicyclists, and skaters?
___And don't forget people with disabilities - make sure your park is accessible to them.

LANDSCAPING: 
___This can include trees, gardens, flowers and other living things of course, but landscaping can also involve using rocks and hills and lakes to your advantage.
___What about art?
___Do you want fountains or sculptures in your park?
___What style of architecture would you select for any buildings you may include in your park?

GENERAL FACILITIES: 
___Restrooms, trash cans, and water fountains are essential. Tables and chairs are nice. So is protection from the sun and rain, as well as lighting for park visits conducted at night.

SPORTS FACILITIES: 
___Will your park include softball diamonds, soccer and football fields, basketball and tennis courts, a swimming pool, or skateboarding parks?

OTHER FACILITIES: 
___Would you like to have concerts in the park? If so, think about including a bandshell in your design. ___Maybe you would like to have a snack bar or outdoor cafe as well!

RULES AND REGULATIONS: 
___Every public space has to have rules. You might want to set park hours, guidelines for acceptable and unacceptable activities, and noise restrictions as part of your park rules.

ENERGY USE: 
___What will the source of energy be for the park facilities? (Fossil fuels, wind, hydroelectric, solar, nuclear, or geothermal)  What are the pros and cons of the choice you made?

 Now it's time to put it all together.

 1. Make a map of your park using a set scale.
 2. Write a report about your park.
 3. Write a letter of support to the City Council.
 4. Present your park plan to the class.

The Map—(Rough draft due May 15, final draft due May 21)

The scale drawing should be made on grid paper to maintain accuracy of measurements.  (You can put more than one section of grid paper together to make a bigger drawing)  The rough draft is due Tuesday, May 15.  The final draft is due Monday, May 21.  Your design should satisfy the following constraints:

___The park should meet the needs of middle school students (and possibly the rest of the community).

___Part of the design should include at least two objects or landscapes that have each of the following shapes:  rectangles, triangles, parallelograms, and circles.

___Dimensions as well as perimeter and area should be given for at least two items with each shape.

___Your park design needs to use a scale, for example, 1 cm (on the grid paper) equals 1 meter (in the park).

___The design should be neat, clear, and easy to follow.

Report—(Rough draft due May 15, final draft due May 21)

The report should be 2-4 pages double-spaced, with 12 point font.  (The rough draft can be handwritten)  The rough draft is due on Tuesday, May 15.  The final draft is due Monday, May 21.  The report is a write-up of your park design.  Things that need to be covered in the report include the following:

___A description of how the park meets the needs of middle school students and/or the rest of the community?

___The report should include explanations about the dimensions of the items in the park. 

___Your calculations for finding area and/or perimeter should be included as well as explanations of what the measurements mean and why they are needed. 

___The report needs to be well organized including introductory paragraphs as well as concluding paragraphs. 

___You need to write about what kind of energy source you would choose for the park. 

___You may also write about how the park fits into the neighborhood you are planning it for.

 

Letter to City Council—(Due May 17)

Write a one-page letter (double spaced and in 12 pt. font) trying to convince the Madison City Council to support your park plan.  Justify the choices you made about the size and quantity of items in your park.  In the letter, you should address the following:

___What type of park is it?

___How does the park meet the needs and interests of middle school students?  Is there a need for a new park?

___What are the park rules?  (For example, are dogs allowed, how about music?)

___How will the park be paid for?  Are you asking the city to put money towards the project?

 

Presentation—(On May 22)

Prepare a presentation to be performed on Tuesday, May 22.  The presentation can be based off of the written report to limit the amount of work you have to do. 

___The presentation should be 3 to 5 minutes long.

___The presentation should include two visual aids to demonstrate your point(s).  One visual aid should be your map.  The other is your choice. 

___The presentation should be persuasive.  In other words, try to convince us that the park should be built. 

___Audience members will act as members of the city council and will vote on the park proposal.  You will receive five extra points if you convince us that the park should be built.
Scoring Rubric

A total of 100 points are possible for the project:  31 for the scale drawing, 34 for the report, 15 for the letter, and 20 for the presentation.

Map
Dimensions and Measurements—24 points
___Dimensions are labeled (3 pts)
___Dimensions are close to dimensions of actual items (9 pts)
___Scale is included (2 pts)
___Rectangles, triangles, parallelograms, and circles are used and described in the project (8 pts)
___Design meets problem constraints (2 pts)
Complete Design—7 points
___Design is reasonable and logical (4 pts)
___Design is neat, well-organized, and includes required items (3 pts)

Report
Mathematics—16 points
___Dimensions are given and correctly match drawing (4 pts)
___Calculations are correct (6 pts)
___Necessary and correct measurements are given with explanations of what the measurements mean and why they are needed (6 pts)
Organization—12 points
___Work is neat, easy to follow, and meets the requirements of the problem (3 pts)
___Information is easy to find (3 pts)
___Grammar and spelling are correct (6 pts)
Energy Source—6 points
___Clear choice is made for what type of energy source will be used (2 pts)
___Appropriate explanation is provided about why that choice was made (4 pts)

Letter
Composition—6 points
___Letter is easy to read and understand (2 pts)
___Justifications are given for decisions (2 pts)
___Reasons are given for why the design should be chosen (2 pts)
Structure—4 points
___Letter is neat (2 pts)
___Grammar and spelling are correct (2 pts)
Middle School Students’ Needs—5 points
___Letter addresses how the park meets the needs of middle school students (5 pts)

 

Presentation
Organization—5 points
___Student presents information in logical, interesting sequence which audience can follow.
Content Knowledge—5 points
___Student demonstrates full knowledge (more than required) with explanations and elaboration.
Visuals—5 points
___Student used two visual aids to reinforce the presentation.  (One must be your map)
Delivery—5 points
___Student used a clear voice and correct, precise pronunciation of terms.

 

 

 

 

Checklist

 

___ Map Rough Draft  (May 15)

___Report Rough Draft  (May 15)

___ Letter to City Council  (May 17)

___ Map Final Draft  (May 21)

___ Report Final Draft  (May 21)

___ Presentation  (May 22)

 

 

Park Project
Completed May,  2007

This is a project that I planned for my student teaching experience at Sherman Middle School.  During this project, the students will be working to design their own park and try to convince the City Council (the rest of the students) to support the project.  On pages six and seven there is a rubric for how the students would be assessed in a formal manner.

 

Wisconsin Teacher Standard Alignment

I believe that this project best aligns with standard 8: The teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the pupil.  While developing the park project plan, I took into consideration the various strengths that students have.  Two of the assessments are in written form while one is in diagram or picture form and the final method is in the form of a verbal presentation.  I have also decided to give the students the choice between the letter to the City Council and the report as one component of their assessment.  All students will still need to draw the map as well as present the park plan to the rest of the class.

There has been research that has indicated that authentic assessment is very important for middle school students, in other words, using real life tasks to assess knowledge.  This can include projects, self-assessments, portfolios, etc.  According to Marzano, Pickering, & McTighe (1993), “Assessment and instruction must be inseparable if the program is to be successful.”  What is being measured should flow directly from what is being taught according to Shrenko (1994).  Also, there should be a variety of different assessment techniques that are offered that allows for the diversity of competencies that students have to be exhibited.  An important thing that much of the research indicates is that self-assessment is crucial to the development of the student, they won’t always have a teacher there to tell them how they are doing and what to change.

The park project utilizes a project-based assessment that is continual in nature.  There is natural assessment that takes place during the whole process of putting together the park plan.  The drawing itself is a good way to assess if the students understand the concept of scale.  Each map is supposed to have a specific scale that is adhered to for the whole map.  It also assesses if the students have group working skills and social skills.  They will be working on this project in groups of two or three.  Making the groups was quite a challenge for some of the students.  Three students in particular were very reluctant to be in any group.

 

UW-Platteville School of Education Knowledge, Skill, Disposition Statement Alignment

KSD1.f. ASSESSES STUDENT LEARNING

As part of this project, I developed a set of rubrics that could help guide the students through what is expected of them.  It was not meant to tell the students how to please the teacher, rather it was designed to lead them on a project-based learning experience.  As a team of teachers, we at Sherman Middle School prefer having real-life learning experiences that are in and of themselves assessments as well as lessons.  When the two are directly linked, it seems much less like a chore for the students.  In their eyes they are doing a project, they’re not taking a test, although we are using their work as a way to assess their learning.  It’s not a surprise to them that we’re using this work as an assessment.  They are told from the beginning.  The students are part of the goal setting because it is their project.  They can choose what elements they are going to incorporate into the park plan and how it matches with other part of the park.

The candidate understands, is committed to, and can develop assessments that are clearly stated and congruent with instructional goals. The students are aware of how they are meeting the established standards and are involved in the goal setting process.

What I learned about teaching

I have learned that assessment is best when the students don’t think of it as an assessment like a test.  Students should go into assessment situations with a limited amount of distress (they should have a healthy amount of eustress).  I have learned that project-based assessment is a wonderful way to assess students.  I have discovered it to be more difficult to manage but much more rewarding in the long run.  Obviously, it’s much more work for a teacher to grade a project versus a simple test, especially if there’s no short answer portion to the test.

I have learned that students are much more engaged when they are working on projects versus doing things out of a textbook.  They have much more ownership over the work they are doing.  It is their project and they get to make choices about what to include in it.  There is more relevance to the students’ lives.

I learned that incorporating art into assessment is very useful.  The art component is a great way to break the ice for the students.  They might even think it’s fun, as opposed to taking a more traditional test, not many students enjoy taking tests.

 

What I learned about myself

I have learned that I feel more fulfilled when I’m working on projects with my students.  I feel like we are actually accomplishing something.  The engagement of the students with the activity gives me the energy that I need to be a productive teacher with a good attitude of being a life-long learner.  Teaching can be very draining at times due to various things including the incessant need for disciplining students.  I feel that performing assessed in project form from time to time shows me that it’s all worth it and that I do actually still want to be a teacher.  The enthusiasm that the students have rubs off on me, and I feel like I can be a kid again, which is one reason I wanted to be a teacher in the first place—because of the vitality I feel when I spend time with kids.