Seedfolks & Self: Growing Identity

Learning Goals & Products

Learning Goals

Students will be able to analyze how Seedfolks characters’ identities and perspectives shape their responses to a neighborhood problem.

Students will be able to compare and contrast multiple characters’ viewpoints in Seedfolks using specific text evidence.

Students will be able to investigate a real school or neighborhood site by recording human impacts such as litter, heat, runoff, bare soil, or water waste.

Students will be able to define a design problem for one local environmental issue by identifying criteria and constraints.

Students will be able to use scientific evidence to justify how a proposed solution could reduce human impact on a shared space.

Students will be able to prototype a simple solution such as shade, native planting, recycling, cleanup, or water-use reduction for a specific user need.

Students will be able to revise their ideas based on peer, teacher, and community feedback from discussion circles and showcase rehearsals.

Products

individual

Seedfolks Evidence Portfolio and Personal Prototype Sketch

Each student submits a portfolio with annotated Seedfolks text evidence, a site observation page, and a simple prototype sketch for one environmental improvement. The portfolio shows how individual research and perspective-taking informed a testable idea for the shared site.

team

Community Change Guide and Tested Site Prototype Showcase

Teams produce a shared problem statement, a higher-fidelity model or service prototype, and a community change guide with maps, labeled photos, and care steps. The final presentation explains how individual research shaped the team solution and how feedback changed the design.

Rubric

Competency Progression Rubric Competency-first rubric

Category	Learning Goal	Stage 1	Stage 2	Stage 3	Stage 4
Deeper Learning Competencies	Critical Thinking & Problem Solving	I can identify a real problem in a community space (litter, heat, or water waste) and choose from a few possible solutions by explaining how my choice could help people and the environment.	I can use evidence from photos, notes, simple measurements, and Seedfolks discussions to compare multiple solution options and explain why one option fits the site’s needs and limits.	I can design a monitoring plan for my solution (what to check, how often, and what I will record) and revise my idea based on data, partner feedback, and clear criteria and constraints.	I can independently evaluate how well my final solution would minimize human impact by building a reasoned claim supported by evidence, addressing potential tradeoffs (people, natural environment, and maintenance), and proposing specific next-step improvements.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Content Expertise	I can use class notes, Seedfolks ideas, and photos from our site walk to describe what human impact looks like in my community space (litter, heat, or water waste) and match each observation to a basic “cause” and “effect.”	I can collect and organize evidence from multiple sources (Seedfolks text, informational media, and our own measurements/photos) to explain how human actions affect the environment and people, using specific details from each source.	I can design a realistic monitoring plan to minimize human impact by defining clear criteria for success and constraints from our site (e.g., safety, space, materials), then I can test a solution using a step-by-step procedure with accurate record-keeping.	I can revise and strengthen my environmental design and argument by evaluating results and partner feedback, comparing alternative solutions, and clearly explaining how my solution benefits both people and the natural environment using evidence from data, media, and the Seedfolks perspectives.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Effective Communication	I can share my ideas clearly during Seedfolks discussion circles and listen to others without interrupting, using sentence starters to add to the conversation respectfully I can point to one piece of evidence from our texts or site observations (a photo, note, or clip) to explain why I think a change is needed.	I can participate effectively in conversations with diverse partners by building on others’ ideas, asking focused questions, and explaining my own thinking with reasons I can use evidence from both Seedfolks and diverse media (photos, short videos, notes, simple data) to connect perspective to environmental impact and communicate a workable solution idea.	I can evaluate other students’ and community partners’ point of view by describing their reasoning and checking whether the evidence supports the claim I can integrate information across sources (text + media + site measurements) to present my argument clearly in writing, speaking, or a narrated photo/audio update, and I can revise my message based on feedback.	I can lead small-group communication during the Community Change Showcase by presenting my team’s maps, labeled photos, and care guide in a logical, audience-appropriate way I can clearly connect character perspectives and scientific/design criteria to our monitoring plan and demonstrate how my solution benefits people and the environment, using strong, specific evidence and addressing questions with confidence.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Collaboration	I can work with my team by sharing ideas respectfully during Seedfolks discussions and site-planning, and I can take on a clear role (like photographer, measurer, recorder, or presenter) when my group assigns tasks.	I can collaborate effectively by listening to my teammates’ perspectives, building on their ideas, and discussing evidence from photos, notes, and media to decide together what improvements to investigate and how to organize our project map.	I can lead collaboration by helping our team plan and carry out multistep tasks (like documentation walks or simple tests) precisely, using agreed criteria/constraints, and I can use feedback to revise our solution with shared reasons.	I can collaborate independently and persuasively by facilitating discussion, evaluating teammates’ reasoning and evidence, resolving disagreements productively, and helping our group present our care guide and revisions clearly to diverse partners at the Community Change Showcase.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Self Directed Learning	I can use my project map to record what I learn each week (photos, notes, and measurements when we collect them) and identify the next step I should try with teacher prompts.	I can use my project map to track my question, the evidence I collect (site notes, simple data, and media observations), and how my idea is changing by explaining my revisions with support from my discussion circle and partner feedback.	I can independently plan and carry out a multistep procedure for monitoring or testing (with accuracy in steps and measurements), then revise my solution idea using evidence from my data, partner input, and site constraints.	I can set clear goals for my learning, monitor my progress using my project map and reflections, and lead revisions to my model and care guide by justifying changes with strong evidence and explaining how my choices affect people and the environment.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Academic Mindset	I can notice my own feelings and ideas about the community space I’m studying, and I can record one specific observation (with a photo or measurement) and one question I want to answer next I can listen to feedback from my team and make a small update to my project map so it matches what I learned.	I can set a clear personal goal for my role in our project (for example, measuring, documenting, or revising a design), and I can explain how my goal helps us address human impact in our site study I can use evidence from photos, data tables, and Seedfolks discussion to revise my ideas each week, showing what changed and why based on partner and peer feedback.	I can independently track my progress using our project map, weekly evidence notes, and reflections, and I can explain how my identity and perspective affect the choices I make for our solution I can evaluate multiple sources or viewpoints from Seedfolks and media, then justify a revision with specific evidence from our observations and simple testing.	I can take ownership of learning by proposing improvements, adjusting plans based on new evidence and site constraints, and using feedback from community partners to strengthen our monitoring/minimizing method I can clearly connect my reasoning to scientific and literary ideas (e.g., point of view and cause/effect over the text) and show a thoughtful sequence of revisions that leads to a feasible, community-benefiting design.