Going Below the Surface Level of a System This lesson plan is an overview of possible uses of the

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1 Titl Acknowldgmnts Ovrviw Lngth Curriculum Contxt Lsson Objctiv(s) Assssmnt Systms Thinking Concpt(s) Instructional Considrations Matrials Going Blow th Surfac Lvl of a Systm This lsson plan is an ovrviw of possibl uss of th icbrg diagram. Systms thinkrs oftn us th imag of an icbrg, th majority of which xists gnrally unsn, as a mtaphor for systms. This sction prsnts idas for using th icbrg mtaphor to xplor how th structur of a systm crats pattrns of bhavior, lading to obsrvabl vnts. Dpnds on complxity of scnario and lvl of us of th icbrg analysis Lssons xploring th ffct that undrlying structurs hav on pattrns of bhavior and vnts in a systm ar applicabl in any curricular aras in which systms ar studid,.g. halth/physical ducation (ffcts of habits on halth), scinc (ffcts of nvironmntal policy on populations), social studis (ffcts of cultural valus on individual bhavior). Studnts will dmonstrat undrstanding of th pattrns ovr tim, structural rlationships, and mntal modls that producd vnts in a story, currnt or historical vnt, or othr scnario. Givn a story, studnts can apply th mtaphor and rlatd qustions of th icbrg diagram. intrdpndncy structur chang ovr tim mntal modls lvrag structur gnrats bhavior Dpnding on th instructional plan, a lsson using th icbrg to study th structur and rsulting bhaviors of a systm could b usd as an introductory activity at th bginning of th yar and can b rinforcd and intgratd throughout th school. Th tachr nds to undrstand how systmic structur crats pattrns of bhavior lading to spcific vnts. Th studnts should hav an undrstanding of th dfinition and charactristics of systms. Icbrg diagrams Colord pncils Txt to b usd with icbrg diagram Watrs Foundation 2001 All Rights Rsrvd 1

2 Activity Ovrviw Tips for Planning "Going Blow th Surfac of a Systm" Lssons Bcaus th circumstancs in which ths lssons might b usd vary significantly, thr is not a spcific lsson plan includd but rathr a list of tips and rsourc matrials to us in planning a lsson. Th rsourc matrials contain background information and activitis that can b usd as rfrnc matrials. *Dsign a st of xploratory, constructivist activitis that srv th curricular contxt. *Th typical approach is to start at th top of th "icbrg," focusing on an vnt, and work down through th othr lvls. *Ask all ths qustions: What happnd? What's bn happning? What ar th trnds? What changs hav occurrd? What has influncd ths pattrns? What ar th rlationships among th pattrns? What assumptions and valus or blifs do popl hav about th systm? *Th ordr of th qustions can chang. If a currnt or historical vnt is bing studid, it might mak sns to start "at th top" with th first qustion and work down. If a possibl futur is bing considrd, it might work bttr to start with mntal modls and work up toward vnts that ar dsird. *As mor xprinc and skill in using th icbrg is dvlopd, a varity of altrnativs is possibl. Th goal is to rval rlationships among structurs, including mntal modls that ar producing th pattrns and vnts that ar sn. *Utiliz th rsourcs listd blow to larn about diffrnt prspctivs on uss of th icbrg. Icbrg diagrams vary in dsign dpnding on th dsird outcoms. A sampl icbrg diagram and a list of xampls of icbrg thinking ar includd in this plan. Rlatd rsourc matrials: Systms Thinking Basics, pp. 5-7 ISBN-10: Schools That Larn, pp ISBN-10: Introduction to Systms Thinking, Danil H. Kim ISBN-10: X "Systms Thinking: What, Why, Whn, Whr, and How?" Th Systms Thinkr, Vol. 8, No. 2 Michal Goodman Watrs Foundation 2001 All Rights Rsrvd 2

3 Modifications and Extnsions Follow up us of th icbrg with writing assignmnts that involv applying th larning and insights. Exampls of Using th Icbrg Writing and Litratur Animal Farm - Bfor rading th book, studnts participat in a physical simulation in which groups of studnts ar tratd diffrntly. Studnts us th icbrg as a framwork of analysis to dduc structurs and mntal modls that could gnrat th pattrns of vnts that just transpird in th simulation. Studnts thn rfr to th icbrg whn analyzing how structurs gnrat pattrns of bhavior within th story. Th Outsidrs - Studnts us th icbrg along with othr systms thinking and dynamic modling tools and concpts as thy crat a STELLA modl showing som of th social structurs within th plot of th novl Th Outsidrs. Pr Editing - Studnts us BOTGs and th icbrg to guid thm in th writing procss as thy choos a topic, think of a pattrn ovr tim to produc in thir pic writ th vnts of th story to rflct that pattrn, hav prs dit thir work in trms of th pattrns producd, and finally rvis th pic basd on fdback. Othr Classroom Us Music In a music vido production, studnts us th icbrg to hlp thm rflct on th procss thy xprinc in th production of a music vido. At th nd of ach wk studnts dscrib vnts and look for pattrns of bhavior. If any pattrns ar undsirabl or inappropriat, studnts look at structurs that might b contributing to thos pattrns. Thy dcid on a chang of structur to implmnt in th following wk and thn assss th ffct of that chang. Physical Education In a sportsmanship discussion, tachrs and studnts us th icbrg to invstigat th ffct of good and poor sportsmanship on th njoymnt of a physical ducation activity. Thy dscrib and rat sportsmanship vnts, dtrmin th pattrn of njoymnt for thir class and thn dscrib th structur through which sportsmanship affcts th njoymnt of an activity. Social Studis For a Soda (Production/Distribution) Gam, studnts us th icbrg as a framwork of analysis to s how th pattrns in th vnts thy graphd wr gnratd by th structur of th gam. Adult Us Parnt Orintation/Opn Hous A social studis tachr usd th icbrg to xplain to parnts that th focus in his class would b to hav studnts go byond knowing th vnts that hav happnd/ar happning to knowing what pattrns, structurs and mntal modls hav intractd to crat historical and currnt vnts. School Staff Mtings - Staff us th icbrg in mtings to stp back from individual vnts and considr how currnt structurs ar producing pattrns of bhavior. Thy also dialogu about which structurs would most likly produc dsird pattrns. Watrs Foundation 2001 All Rights Rsrvd 3

4 Sampl Icbrg What is sn What is gnrally unsn Evnts What s happning? Pattrns of Bhavior What s bn happning? What ar th trnds? What changs hav occurrd? Structurs What has influncd th pattrns? (.g. policis, laws, physical structur) What ar th rlationships among th parts? L a r n i n g L v r a g Mntal Modls What assumptions, blifs and valus do popl hold about th systm? Adaptd from Innovation Associats, Inc Watrs Foundation 2001 All Rights Rsrvd 4

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