5 Day Unit Plan 1zg6f

Five Day Lesson Plan EDUC 236 John Hugunin Class: Biology Grade: 9th or 10th Unit: Anatomy and Function I.

Student Goals

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Students will demonstrate a deep & robust understanding of STEM content and apply that knowledge wherever possible. Students will be confident, curious and open-minded individuals. Students will their position by using factual evidence & make informed decisions. Students will communicate and collaborate critically and effectively through written and verbal methods. Students will think critically and use problem-solving skills. Students will be active and respectful of their communities. Students will use technology appropriately. Students will use creativity and imagination. Students will demonstrate a strong understanding of the nature of STEM. Students will be autonomous, self-motivated learners who will develop goals and utilize resources to seek out information to become lifelong learners.

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Unit Logic Flow Homeostasis must be maintained in order for an organism to appropriately function Interacting systems within an organism create a process of multiple “checks and balances” of negative and positive mechanisms called homeostasis. mechanisms within an organism are the result of stimulus by the addition or increase of (positive ) or removal or decrease of (negative ) something within the system. Systems within organisms are composed of role-specific cells and tissues which respond to environmental stimuli in specific ways. Roles of tissues and cells are determined largely by the forms they take.

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Objectives for Students and NGSS Standards Objectives; Students will: Evaluate the role of form and function in interacting systems within multicellular organisms Develop an understanding of how form and function relationships are present throughout the natural world Apply developed understandings to create and conduct an experiment Demonstrate connections between learned, concrete material and more abstract application Successful students will be able to: Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms. (HS-LS1-2)

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Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that mechanisms maintain homeostasis. (HS-LS1-3) NGSS Standards and Relevant Student Goal Objectives HS-LS1-2: Goals 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. HS-LS1-3: Goals 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10. IV: General Teacher Behaviors and Strategies To see that the goals of the unit are achieved, it is important that the unit plan rely more so on small formative assessment checkpoints than on traditional written, summative experiences that can discourage student creativity. To this, and to keep the flow of the unit moving, the teacher’s main tool in both directing discussion and testing periodically for general understanding will rely heavily on thoughtprovoking short-answer questions, requests for students to clarify or elaborate their statements if unclear instead of the teacher giving them ideas or trying to lead their thinking through “clarifying” their statement (“Did you mean to say this?” is not appropriate, although tempting enough to necessitate a note here against it) - this type of deep-answer, critical thinking question responses is based in Cognitive Learning Theory.. Extended-answer questions will be reserved more for group settings, which allows for peers to build off of and improve on each other’s understandings (more knowledgeable other(s) ), and is firmly grounded in Social Learning Theory. Pains have been taken to ensure that the lesson, in dealing with a highly complex phenomenon, is taught in the most concrete way possible. This allows students to build upon past knowledge and more easily assimilate previous understandings with new information. By taking a Constructivist Learning Theory approach throughout the unit plan and sticking to the NGSS assessment boundaries, the experience should be concrete enough to be well understood while being appropriate enough that students can then take that concrete experience and understanding and begin applying it towards more abstract ideas and situations towards the end of the unit and onward even after it. While students will be grouped in various ways and groupings throughout the lesson the teacher will use various sources for determining group placements in the unit - assessment data, knowledge of the individual child’s strengths and weaknesses (good at abstract, more mathematically inclined, etc), classroom interactions and personalities, and formative assessment picked up as the unit progresses.

V: Five Day Lesson Plan

Day One: Sponges as Intro to Form & Function Objectives: 1. Students will explore and observe sponges to come to the conclusion that a sponge’s physical features affect its functions. 2. Students will begin to understand how structure relates to function of living organisms in the natural world.

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Sponges Water

Procedure: 1) Students gather in groups at tables. They will answer questions on the board as bell ringer questions. Questions: 1. What do you think “Structure relates to its function” mean? a. Give examples of how this would be proven in real life 2. Are there examples where structure relates to function? 2) Once they are shown to be done with bell work have the students discuss as a class their opinions and examples. Make sure to see if the responses show in-depth thinking by asking them about how their examples show that structure relates to its function. If students are shown to be struggling with wanting to respond, work with more basic questions such as: 1. Why do you think that structure fits with its function? 2. What could be better as structures to fit for that function? 3. Why doesn’t that structure have that form then for that function? 3) After discussion bring out the sponges, giving one to each student individually. Ask them to analyze what functions a sponge might have as it relates to their function (e.g., the students should make the connection that a sponge absorbs water because it is porous). Students will be asked to compare the functions of the sponge’s material when it is both wet and dry, with students recording what they see in the structures examples for the students would be focused on the texture when wet versus dry, as well as size. Questions: i.What did you notice about the sponge’s form and function? ai. How does this relate to what we discussed previously? 4) After they have individually answered the questions. Have them discuss with their peers about what they noticed and the common observations they noticed about the objects. a. Okay we all notice the sponges absorbed water. How does the structure of a sponge its function? 5) Bring up a picture of leaves with different features on laptop for everyone to see at the board (or can have multiple picture of different sponges around them with different features and ask them to find purpose in their structures). a. Why do leaves have differences in their structure? If the function of a leaf is to hold and contain water, then the size should be a big factor in its structure. 6) Have them discuss in their groups about the purpose behind the forms of structure in leaves. Then make written observations on each leaves ask them to take notes on the

structure and how it benefits for its function. Then have them their picture of sponges to the next group clockwise until every group has seen every picture. 7) Once every group has seen all the pictures go through each one as a class to talk about what observations were made and what observations about the different features work to the function of a sponge whether beneficial or deconstructive to the purpose of the various leaves. 8) Homework for tomorrow is to find six examples of how the form of structures relates to the purpose of it’s function. Be prepared to defend your examples with an explanation as to why the structure s its function. Assessment: The main form of assessment for the class will be focused on student’s responses to teacher questions (3Cs, 4s, and 11s according to the SATIC model), the second part of the class will be assessed mostly on the next day on the homework based on the student responses to the homework and their ability to defend their responses with accurate, logical connections.

Day Two: Leaves, Stomata & Technique, Form/Function Bridge

Objectives: 1. Students will observe differences in multiple species of leaves, to come to the conclusion that different structures provide different functions 2. Students should be able to articulate that although all specimens are leaves, the roles each of these species’ leaves play and how they go about playing it differs greatly.

Materials: 1) Microscopes with tape and clear nail polish

Outline: 1) Bell-work: discuss examples from homework given from last class period. a) Questions: i) What examples of structure relates to function could you find in real life? ii) Why would this be an example of how structure s its function? 2) Students will begin to investigate the different leaves at their tables and categorize them by a classification they decide as a group. Once groups are done discuss why they classified the leaves in this method. 3) For the discussions focus on the premise that similar structures look to produce similar features in leaves and different structures focus on bringing different functions to the structure. 4) Allow students time to look at the plant specimens under microscopes, providing the materials necessary for student to create slides with the stomata silhouettes (nail polish technique) for viewing under a light microscope. (In front of the class, instructor will model techniques for painting the leaves) Allow time in groups for students to sketch their observations and discuss these before answering the following questions.

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a) Questions: Which leaves do you feel would be better suited for environment [X]? (Desert, rainforest, Great Plains, etc) 1) Why would you think this leaf would be better adapted to endure a specific environment? 5) Homework: Answer and defend the question “What do you think is the most important part of the leaf?” Bring three pieces of evidence to your response. Assessment: The main focus of assessment will be observing the students to see that they demonstrate an adequate level of confidence and understanding in Student Goals 3 on making informed decisions and ing decisions with evidence. As well as Student Goal 4 on collaborating effectively through verbal and written communication.

Day Three: Interacting Plant Systems & Mechanisms Objectives: 1. Students will identify interacting systems within a model plant 2. Students will articulate examples of mechanisms 3. Students will discern differences between positive and negative Materials: Four to five potted flowering plants (one per group) Exit slips (one per person)

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Procedure: Students should go to their seats and begin thinking about the question on the board related to the previous day’s lesson, which will be titled “What do you think is the most important function of a leaf? Provide at least three pieces of evidence to back your claims.” Students will be asked to share their findings, with students encouraged to politely disagree or agree with what their peers offer. After discussing, point out that “most important” is just an opinion but point out the correct answers that were offered. Teacher will guide students to the next stop by saying “We now seem to have a pretty good grasp of the function and structure of leaves, but what other systems can we find in the plant as a whole?” Students will be given a potted plant and asked to make a list of interacting systems they find in the plant. Examples would include “roots and leaves”, “stem and roots”, “flower and stem”. Once students have identified a few of these, the teacher can then ask “Of these systems you’ve listed, which ones are dependent on some sort of outside factor to work?” If students struggle with this question being too open-ended, teacher can ask students to look at the flowers on the plants and ask something to the effect of “What would be the utility of plants opening their flowers at night?” Students should arrive at the conclusion that “something” causes flowers to close at night. Other answers will of course vary but should all focus on some sort of dependent system. Teacher can then tell students “What you’ve just discussed is called a mechanism; there are technically two types of , called “negative” and “positive”. In your groups, can you think of what the difference in these are? What might be some examples of the two?”

a) Allow students to discuss what they think negative versus positive mechanisms are. Examples of negative would be a flower closing once there is no longer any sunlight. Examples of positive would include a plant sprouting after being exposed to water. 6) As an exit slip, give students the task of deciding and defending whether or not stomata opening and closing are based on positive or negative . Make sure to tell them they are allowed and encouraged to use their textbooks and the internet as a resource in defending their answer. These can be checked the next day for understanding while also allowing the students the independence in researching and defending their own conclusions.

Assessment: By having students defend their opinion on the “most important” function, not only should the students be a bit more engaged (Social Learning Theory), but this should also give the teacher the ability to formatively assess if students are appropriately understanding the material by the answers they give (or don’t give). Additionally, the exit slip in procedure six will give the teacher concrete examples from every single student to gauge their understanding - by requiring students to defend their answers, it is hoped the teacher can avoid copy/paste plagiarism and “just ask Google” situations.

Day Four: Homeostasis and Experiment Planning

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Objectives: Students will understand and provide further examples of homeostasis Students will articulate how interacting systems in a model plant factor into homeostasis Students will construct an experiment to test for homeostatic processes under specified environmental conditions. Procedure: Begin the day by asking students to share what they’ve learned about whether stomata respond due to a negative or positive loop. The loops are kept shallow in understanding (assessment boundary for the NGSS explicitly states not to teach the biochemistry). Teacher can then ask “Is there a purpose in having these mechanisms in an organism?” This should lead students to discuss in their groups about how these mechanisms help keep the plant alive, or healthy, or something to that effect. We call this give-and-take in mechanisms “homeostasis”, which came from Greek and means “to keep same”. What are some ways we could test homeostasis using our knowledge of stomata and the plants we have? Students are given the remainder of the period to plan an experiment, given a list of materials to work form from the teacher (while limiting them to a list might not necessarily be ideal for creativity, it is the only realistic way to guide their thinking in the right direction while also making sure the supplies are available that make it possible to conduct the experiments while still allowing their creativity to flourish). What they don’t finish in class will be considered homework due the next day, for when they actually set up and conduct their experiments.

Desired outcome of giving the students a narrow list of materials is that students will independently create and develop an experiment that tests for the number of open versus closed stomata in their test plants under wet versus dry conditions.

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b) List (“Given Materials”): Two potted plant seedlings Heat lamp and mister Two large tupperwares with holes in the top Assessment: While the first part of the class will largely be assessed by teacher interactions moving group to group and asking questions (3Cs, 4s, and 11s according to the SATIC model), the second part of the class will be assessed mostly on the next day to see whether or not students have a sufficient grasp of the underlying material to construct and conduct an experiment that appropriately and accurately gathers the data needed to determine homeostatic responses in the plants.

Day Five: Experiment Conduction and Discussion

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Objectives Collect data and interpret it in a relevant way Discuss results of their experiment and articulate how they tie back to their hypothesis (validated/invalidated) Analyze further opportunities to improve upon or change their experiments for the future (Discuss how these changes would give them a more detailed understanding) Procedure: Students will begin to actually construct, or build, their experiment that was discussed the previous day. This could take at least half of the class period. While students are deg their experiments, it is important to keep them focused on the goal of their experiment. To do so, asking questions such as “why are you including that in your experiment?” or, “how will this help you come to a conclusion?” After students have designed their experiment a discussion on how setting up their experiment was similar to what scientists do when they are trying to figure something out. Guide student’s thinking to understand how when scientists are trying to come to a conclusion, they often design an experiment to test their thinking. Questions that could be asked include: How was the experiment you just designed similar to one that a scientist would design? What limitations did you have when deg this experiment? How are these similar to limitations scientists run into when deg an experiment? What questions did you and your partners have to ask yourself while deg and carrying out this experiments? Scientists often ask themselves similar questions. How did you answer these questions in such a way that scientists would? I see that many groups designed their experiments differently to get to the same outcome. This could potentially yield different results. Scientists often design experiments that differ from one another. How can these experiments reinforce or refute one another? Is this good or bad for science as a whole?

Assessment: While students will be asked clarifying questions over their projects (as outlined in the procedures), the main assessment will come in the following days (see “Next week and the rest of the unit” section) during presentations.

Next week and the rest of the unit: Over the course of the next week the students will continue collecting data over their experiments, and will eventually present these in a science-fair-styled setting where they will be encouraged to make connections between their findings and tie them to real-world implications.

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Rationale for the Unit While traditionally cell biology and its implied basis in genetics is a rather abstract topic, it is also a topic that offers a multitude of “spring board” opportunities. If the material in this unit can be learned well at an early stage in the curriculum, more complex topics can be covered at a deeper level with better understanding from all involved students at a more sufficient rate. By tackling intellectually taxing themes within a concrete framework, students are set up to be more confident in themselves and future content. When care is taken to encourage students to share their ideas without judgement early on, the students are more likely to take risks and operate as independent learners in the long run. Coupled with opportunities to invent and conduct their own experiments, the students not only gain hands-on experience in developing experiments (and seeing and discussing the connections between what they do and realizing that they, too, are scientists) but also have first-hand, tangible experiences with the material that will help them make connections in a meaningful and lasting way.