Project Information
FIVE EASY PIECES FOR THIS PROJECT:
Curriculum Unit Designed by:
Hetty Roessingh
Date:
August 30,2011
Theme Title:
Keiko the Whale
Rationale:
High interest link to science curriculum using a well-known story
Student Profile of Target Group:
Age:
Division Three (ages 12-14)
Proficiency:
General Proficiency
Download Resources:
Click here if you wish to download all the resources as a .zip file.
Sample units:

Core Objectives:
Language
Vocabulary
whale 3
seal 4
shark 4
dolphin 4
Forms
Wh- questions: which
Past tense, verb to be and to have
Passive voice and reported speech: Terry's leg was amputated by the surgeon.
Functions
stating hypothesis
justifying/presenting excuses
responding to questions

Core Objectives:
Strategies
Associating/elaborating
Placing new words into a context
Repeating

Core Objectives:
Concepts
Concepts List:
Labels/names of things
Emotions
Relationships
Content Specific Concepts:
Whales in captivity: yes or no?
Whales in the wild: life patterns
Man's relationship to wild species
Releasing animals back to the wild: challenges

Material Content
Realia Information:
Photos from website, newspapers, National Geographic
Audio information:
Free Willy videos
Willy's Journey Home - Discovery Video
Beautiful Killers - video, ABC Kane Productions
Text Information:
Newspaper stories

1. Have you heard of Keiko? K-W-L , Story prediction, Background to Keiko
2. Learning about orcas Vocabulary and concepts for unit study
3. Intro to Keiko's story Video, listening activity
4. Keiko's life in the aquarium Characteristics of the "ideal" aquarium vs. Keiko's life in Mexico
5. Keiko the movie star Video clips6. 1,000,000 kids say "Free Willy" Letter writing/RAFT
6. Planning to return Willy to the wild Problem solving activity
7. Will he do it? Hurdles/solutions, Jigsaw activity
8. Willy swims free Newspaper readings
9. The future of whales and humans Wrap-up activity

Cloze exercises
Letter writing (scaffolded)
Compare/contrast: the ideal aquarium
Guided reading
A plan for Willy
Jigsaw

Listening comprehension questions (video), cloze, remembering content details