MarcoGram March 2006 -- Transitions: Changing, Moving, Growing

Transitions: Changing, Moving, Growing
It is said that the one thing that stays the same is change. Indeed, there is evidence all around to suggest that this old saying is right on the mark. Our minds and bodies are always in transition as we learn and grow. Nature is in transition as seasons change and the cycle of life rolls on. Human culture is in transition as technological progress and scientific discoveries alter the way we think, behave and relate to one another. Even national governments and economic markets are in transition as they adjust to ever-changing political and financial conditions. In this month's MarcoGram, students will take a closer look at the transitions that occur around and inside us. Use the activities below to get them thinking about the purpose and the consequence of change, then scroll down for more links and resources on this topic.

The season of spring is marked by new plant and animal growth.
©Microsoft Clip Art

1. Suggested grade level: 6-8. As the Earth makes its annual trip around the Sun, each area of the world experiences changes in the angle and intensity of sunlight at different times of the year. The shifts in the sunlight cause dramatic changes in weather, temperature and the length of each day. We identify these changes as the four seasons -- spring, summer, fall and winter. The four seasons are nature's yearly transitions, and they have a big impact on our activities and behavior.

What sorts of changes characterize spring? Summer? Fall? Winter? What are some activities people tend to participate in during each season?

The changing seasons also affect business. Some of the purchases people make change from season to season. When are people most likely to purchase flower seeds? Air conditioners? Pumpkins? Gloves? Ask students to imagine they own a store that sells a variety of products. In the spring, which products should they place at the front of the store? (Answers will vary, but should be products in demand during the springtime.) Which products should they order? (Answers will vary, but should be products they expect will be in demand during the summer.) Which products should they offer at a discount? (Answers will vary, but should be products left over from fall and winter.) Ask students to explain their answers.

Consider the ways the changing seasons affect our lives with:

"Demand Shifters" (6-8) from EconEdLink, National Council on Economic Education

"The Four Seasons" (6-8) from Science NetLinks, American Association for the Advancement of Science

A baby's development follows a pattern of growth.
© Microsoft Clip Art

2. Suggested grade level: 3-5. For babies and young children, almost every physical change is a special event. Families frequently record the dates of each child's first step, first tooth, first word, first haircut, and so forth because these transitions show that the child is healthy and growing fast! These milestones don't occur at the same time for every child -- for instance, some babies learn to walk at nine months, others at 15 months, still others sometime in between -- but they do tend to follow a pattern of growth.

What do babies usually learn to do before they can walk on their own? (crawl, stand, walk with help) What can babies learn to do after they've learned to walk by themselves? (walk backwards, walk up and down stairs, run, etc.) Why do you think most babies learn these skills in the same order?

Ask students to brainstorm the physical changes they experienced and abilities they acquired as young children, or those they have observed in younger relatives. When and in what order did these changes occur? Draw a timeline on the board with markers for each year from birth through age six. As a class, record the developmental milestones in order in the most appropriate age ranges. If desired, compare to the milestones listed on the MarcoPolo Partner-Reviewed Resource LDOnline. Enhance this activity by having students bring their "baby books" to class or interview their families ahead of time for more information about their own development as babies and young children.

Explore stages of human development and growth patterns in greater detail with:

"Growing Patterns" (3-5) from Illuminations, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

"Growth Stages 1: Infancy and Early Childhood" (3-5) from Science NetLinks, American Association for the Advancement of Science

3. Suggested grade level: 9-12. Human beings are always on the move. Varying combinations of necessity and pure wanderlust have continuously driven people to the ends of the earth, across mountains and seas, deserts and plains. We don't all migrate in such dramatic fashion, but most people will make at least one move in their lives -- even if it's just across town. No matter how far you go, this kind of transition requires preparation and some adjustment time.

Why do people migrate? What factors must be taken into consideration when one decides to relocate? Have you ever moved to a new home? How long did it take for you to adapt to your new surroundings?

As anyone who has recently moved can tell you, it can be a very stressful proposition. It takes a lot of planning, coordination and time to really settle into a new home. Brainstorm as a class the many details involved in making a move. Then create a checklist for prospective movers to use as they plan and adjust to a move. If time permits, create several checklists for different people (i.e., single people, families with young children, retired people, etc.) in differing circumstances (i.e., moving to a new state, relocating because of school or work, immigrating to a foreign country, etc.).

Continue to examine human migratory behavior with:

"Human Migration Within and into the United States" (9-12) from Xpeditions, National Geographic Society

"Migration Station: Should We Stay or Should We Go?" (9-12) from Xpeditions, National Geographic Society

4. Suggested grade level: K-2. Transition is just a big word for change, and change is what makes some of the world's most famous stories so wonderful to read. Cinderella is a good example. Thanks to her Fairy Godmother, Cinderella was able to attend the ball and meet the prince. At the ball, Cinderella's self-worth and inner beauty were affirmed when the prince fell in love with her, giving her the confidence to speak up -- despite her stepmother's effort to keep her hidden -- when the prince later arrives to try the glass slipper on the foot of every girl. If that first transformation had never happened, the prince never would have found Cinderella, and she certainly wouldn't have lived happily ever after. Without change, there just isn't much of a story.

Can you think of any stories in which a character's life changes because of something that happens in the story to change the character? (Answers will vary, but some possibilities include Shrek, Pinocchio, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid.) How did the character's feelings also change?

Ask students to think about their favorite stories and the changes the characters in these stories experience. Discuss them in class. Then have each student select one story to use in a three-panel illustration. In the first panel, students should illustrate their character and his or her feelings before the change. In the second panel, they should illustrate the event that caused the change. And in the third panel, they should illustrate the character's feelings after the change. Challenge students further by asking them to consider how the event that brought about change in the main character may have affected other characters in the story.

Look for character transformations in fairy tales and other stories with:

"Aesop and Ananse: Animal Fables and Trickster Tales" (K-2) from EDSITEment, National Endowment for the Humanities

"It Doesn't Have to End That Way: Using Prediction Strategies with Literature" (K-2) from ReadWriteThink, International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English

"What a Character!" (K-4) from ARTSEDGE, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts