Responsibility

Responsibility http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec596/Units/Respon/Responsibility.html

Christina Gilmore
Kayla Greer
Arlene Guerrero
Blanca Hernandez
Dan McDowell

Introduction

Responsibility is the center focus of this four to five week unit, which incorporates four disciplines: Computers, English, Mathematics, Social Studies, and to a lesser extent, Science. We will be focusing on personal, community, and global responsibilities. The target grade level ranges from grades 8 to 12. These lessons can be easily adapted to various ability and grade levels.
This unit was developed at San Diego State University in conjunction with O'Farrell Community School for EDTEC 596, Interdisciplinary Teaching with Technology, Bernie Dodge, Instructor.

1. Cirriculum Standards	2. Organizing Theme and Guiding Questions
3. Implementation Overview	4. Outline of Activities	5. Evaluation

Curriculum Standards

At the end of this unit students will be able to:

Define responsibility.
Recognize the importance of responsibility.
Identify the different types of responsibilities.
Recognize how responsibility changes throughout a person's lifetime.
Foresee their personal, community, and global responsibilities to future generations.

English Standards Addressed

Through their participation in discussions, presentations, writings and illustrations, students should show an understanding of what has been read by connecting the literature with the broader world of ideas, concepts, issues, and their own experiences and perceptions.
Writing and speech should be clear and use of appropriate grammar and vocabulary a requisite.

Mathematic Standards Addressed

Determine the difference between just "getting by" and living "comfortably."
Learn how to budget a fixed income.
Learn how to balance a checkbook.
Project estimates of expenditures.
Calculate percentages based upon interest earned and taxes paid.
Learn how to communicate clearly with others.
Develop critical and creative thinking skills.
Learn problem solving strategies.

Social Studies Standards Addressed

Examine the duties of a responsible citizen of the community, the United States, and the world.
Identify historical examples of guided and misguided responsibilities.
Use primary source documents to supplement research.

Science Standards Address

Identify the environmental problems that face the world today.
Identify possible solutions to alleviate the current environmental crisis.

Computer Skills Addressed

Word processing
Internet literacy

Organizing Theme and Guiding Questions

The following chart will provide you with guided questions that focus on the theme of responsibility. All five categories/sections of Blooms Taxonomy are addressed.

Guiding Question Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation
What is responsibility? Define responsibility. Give an example of a time you've been responsible. Predict what would result if you did not take responsibility for your actions.

Develop an outline of what characteristics make a person responsible.
What would the world be like with responsibility?

What kinds of responsibilities are there? List different types.
Give examples of each different type.
Explain the importance of the different types.
Compare personal, community, and global responsibilities. Create a society where individual, community, and global responsibilities coexist.
Assess the importance of each one and rank them.

Why is responsibility important? What are the consequences of being responsible and/or irresponsible?
Give an example of a time when you did not take responsibility for your actions. Analyze the effects of taking or not taking responsbility for your actions.
Devise a set of responsibilities that would benefit your ideal future.

How are our responsibilties changing over time? List your current responsibilities and those you had in 5th grade.
Give an example of a responsibility that has changed in your life.
Predict what your responsibilities will be once you graduate from high school.
Compare and contrast how your responsibilities have changed over time.
Design a resume that would reflect your accomplishments and responsibilities for your ideal lifestyle.
Come up with a plan of action to achieve your goals.
What is our responsibility to the future? What does it mean to be a responsible citizen?
What responsibilities are needed now to ensure a successful future?
Predict how your responsibilities will change over the next 50 years.
What are the characteristics of a responsible perspective employee?
Design a future society and their responsibilities.

Guiding Question	Knowledge	Comprehension	Application	Analysis	Synthesis	Evaluation
What is responsibility?	Define responsibility.	Give an example of a time you've been responsible.	Predict what would result if you did not take responsibility for your actions.		Develop an outline of what characteristics make a person responsible.	What would the world be like with responsibility?
What kinds of responsibilities are there?	List different types.	Give examples of each different type.	Explain the importance of the different types.	Compare personal, community, and global responsibilities.	Create a society where individual, community, and global responsibilities coexist.	Assess the importance of each one and rank them.
Why is responsibility important?	What are the consequences of being responsible and/or irresponsible?	Give an example of a time when you did not take responsibility for your actions.	Analyze the effects of taking or not taking responsbility for your actions.	Devise a set of responsibilities that would benefit your ideal future.
How are our responsibilties changing over time?	List your current responsibilities and those you had in 5th grade.	Give an example of a responsibility that has changed in your life.	Predict what your responsibilities will be once you graduate from high school.	Compare and contrast how your responsibilities have changed over time.	Design a resume that would reflect your accomplishments and responsibilities for your ideal lifestyle.	Come up with a plan of action to achieve your goals.
What is our responsibility to the future?	What does it mean to be a responsible citizen?	What responsibilities are needed now to ensure a successful future?	Predict how your responsibilities will change over the next 50 years.	What are the characteristics of a responsible perspective employee?	Design a future society and their responsibilities.

Implementation Overview

This interdisciplinary unit is designed to last a total of five weeks. It will be taught in the English, Math, Social Studies, Science, (and Computers if computer access is not available in the individual classroom). It involves a series of interrelated lessons that will draw on one another and come together for a culminating project that will cross into all content areas.

Material Resources Needed

Computers with Internet access
Books relating to each content area
Newspapers
Handouts
Video or audio materials
Construction materials for final project

Human Resources Needed

The lessons involved in this unit may be taught individually. Though, as an interdisciplinary unit, three or four teachers minimum would allow students to make connections between various subject matter and to real world scenarios. Depending on the area of responsibility that is being addressed a field trip may be organized (for example, responsibility for the environment may involve a trip to the nearest landfill). In that case, sufficient adults would be needed to supervise.

Entry Level Skills and Knowledge

For the Students

Students will need to have prior knowledge of basic skills in each content area.
Computer skills are necessary, especially word processing and Internet literacy.
Effective communication skills are needed.
Students should know how to organize information.

For the Instructors

The teachers need to be well versed in the content area materials and familiar with the Internet resources being utilized. Clear expectations and guidelines should be set for the students to follow for both the guided lessons and the culminating project.

Outline of Activities

The following chart is a break down of how the unit will be taught in the different disciplines. The English portion of the unit begins a week earlier in order to access prior knowledge and introduce the topic. To get a detailed lesson plan for each week click on the topics for each week.

English	Social Studies	Math	Science
Week 1: What is Responsibility?
Week 2: Les Miserables	Week 2: Citizenship	Week 2: Determining Your Income	Week 2: Identify Enviromental Issues
Week 3: Les Mis, Continued	Week 3: Responsibility in History	Week 3: Unexpected Expenses	Week 3: Develop Environmental Solutions
Week 4: Resume Writing	Week 4: Responsibility in History, Continued	Week 4: Future Expenses	Week 4: Environmental Solutions, Continued
Weeks 5 and 6: Culminating Project

Evaluation

Conclusion

After this entire experience we hope that the students will be prepared to take on the responsibilities of the future.

Last updated on May 16, 1996. Return to the Index of Units Page

Culminating Project will cross all disciplines.