Grade Level: Middle grades.

Area: Science

    The Science Core Content for middle grades includes the study of adaptations, we tie this in with our unit on life science.  During this unit, we have created illustrated story boards on several animals that have adapted over time, examples would be the pepper moth, penguins, the fish in the river at Mammoth Cave, etc...  During this unit on life science and adaptation, we usually visit the Louisville Zoo so that the students can see many animals, endangered and plentiful in captivity.  As a culminating event and to fulfill the transactive portion of the 7th grade portfolio, we produce a full color brochure on an endangered species from a list of animals that I provide for the students.  Not only do the students produce a beautiful piece but they also learn a wealth of information about a particular animal.  Due to the portion of the piece that the students think of ways that they can help save the animals, they learn that an animal's recovery is related to many different things and animals.  Many of the students also wanted to become actively involved in a campaign to save this animal.

     One of the advantages to writing a brochure is that the writings for each portion of the brochure are relatively short.  This allows the student to feel a great sense of accomplishment each time they complete a section.

     The samples that are attached are written by seventh grade students at Daviess County Middle School in Owensboro, Kentucky.  Please note that only one of my samples will have a picture on it due to browser problems when downloading.