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Understanding by Design Template

Name: Diana Wagner Date: 3/4/09

Unit Title: Life Cycles

Subject: Science

Grade Level: 3rd Length: Eight 30-minute sessions

Brief Summary of Unit

Students will learn that all plants and animals have life cycles. They will also compare the life cycles of a

few common animals to see how they are similar and how they are different and learn about the life cycles

of plants. The focus will be on observable characteristics of how plants and animals change over time. An

important aspect of life cycles is that plants and animals resemble their parents, but they may also acquire

characteristics from the environment. This is a first step in understanding how the structures of plants and

animals develop and function.

Part One – Desired Results

Establish Goals:

Writing EALR 2: The student writes in a variety of forms for different audiences and purposes. Component 2.2: Writes for different purposes.

Component 2.3: Write in a variety of forms/genres.

Writing EALR 4: The student analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of written work. Component 4.1: Analyzes and evaluates own writing.

Science EALR 4: Life Science

1.2.7 Understand that plants and animals have life cycles. Observe and describe the life cycle of a plant or animal (e.g., describe the life cycle of a butterfly –egg, caterpillar

or larva, cocoon, and butterfly or adult).

Describe that the young of plants and animals grow to resemble their parents as they mature into adults.

Understandings:

Students will understand that:

All plants and animals have a life cycle.

All plants and animals have certain

requirements for life.

The offspring look similar to their parents.

The four main stages of a life cycle are birth,

growth, adulthood, and reproduction.

Essential Questions:

1) What is a life cycle?

2) Why do animals and plants have life cycles?

3) Why do baby animals grow to resemble their

parents?

4) What do animals and plants need to survive?

5) What are the four stages of a butterfly life cycle?

6) How do humans go through a life cycle?

7) Are life cycles different for each kind of animal?

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Understanding by Design Template

Students will know: That all plants and animals have a life cycle.

The four stages of the butterfly life cycle.

The requirements that all living things need in order to survive.

The reasons why offspring look similar to their parents.

The human life cycle stages.

Students will be able to:

Name the different requirements needed in order to survive.

List the five stages of the human life cycle.

Use simple sentences to answer questions and explain a picture of the human life cycle.

Draw and label the four stages of a butterfly life cycle.

Part Two – Assessment

Performance Tasks:

Explain to the teacher the concept of a life cycle and that all plants and animals have a life cycle. Create a mobile or illustrate the life cycle of a butterfly and label each stage. Staying Alive: write a journal entry on the different things plants and animals must have in order to stay alive.

Other Evidence: Quiz – The life cycle of a butterfly Essay – Describe the stages of the human life cycle and in which stage you currently live. Learning Log – Students respond in their log at the end of each session by writing down something that they learned that session.

Student Self-Assessment and Reflection:

Self-assess their butterfly life cycle illustration or mobile. Self-assess their journal entry on the survival requirements. Reflect on how you make sure that you are getting all of the different things in order to stay alive.

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Understanding by Design Template

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Understanding by Design Template

Assessment Task Blueprint

What understandings or goals will be assessed through this task?

Students will realize that all living things have a life cycle with several stages. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the four stages of the butterfly life cycle. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the different things that all plants and animals need in order to survive. Students will understand the importance of analyzing and evaluating their own written work.

What criteria are implied in the standards and understandings, regardless of the task

specifics? What qualities must student work demonstrate to signify that standards

were met?

Effective explanation of the concept of a life cycle.

Mobile or illustration of a butterfly life cycle is accurate and complete.

Analyze and evaluate their journal entry using a rubric.

Analyze and evaluate their mobile or illustration using a rubric.

Demonstration of knowledge about the stages in the human life cycle.

Effective explanation of the requirements of survival for all living things.

Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate understanding?

Staying Alive Journal entry

Since we have been learning about what we need to do to stay alive, you will write a journal entry explaining what you do in your life right now to survive. Include as many details as possible about the daily activities that you do that keep you healthy and alive.

What student products and performances will provide evidence of better

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Understanding by Design Template

understandings?

Student oral explanation to teacher.

Student mobile or illustration.

Staying Alive journal entry.

Student self-assessments

Student reflection

Butterfly life cycle quiz

Student essay

Learning Log

By what criteria will student products and performances be evaluated?

Accurate information about life cycles.

Neat and colorful.

Labels are correct for butterfly life cycle.

Accurate information about life requirements for survival.

Analysis and evaluation of own written work.

Rubric

Butterfly Life Cycle Mobile or Illustration

Weight: Title - 10% Labels - 20% Accuracy - 50% Neatness -

20%

3 The task contains a

complete and

clearly written title.

All stages of the

butterfly life

cycle are labeled.

All pictures are

correctly placed in

the butterfly life

cycle.

The task is very

neat and easy to

read.

2 The task contains

an incomplete or

unclear written

title.

Some stages of

the butterfly life

cycle are labeled.

Some pictures are

correctly placed in

the butterfly life

cycle.

The task is

generally neat

and easy to

read.

1 The task does not

contain a complete

and clearly written

title.

One or none of

the stages of the

butterfly life

cycle are labeled.

One or none of the

pictures are

correctly placed in

the butterfly life

cycle.

The task is

sloppy and

difficult to read.

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Understanding by Design Template

Part Three – Learning Plan

Learning Activities:

H – Begin with a Learning Log question (How do you stay alive?) to hook students into considering their own needs for survival. W – Introduce the Essential Questions and discuss the unit performance tasks (Staying Alive, Oral Report on Life Cycles, and the illustration or Mobile of a butterfly life cycle). W – Use K-W-L chart to have students identify things they already know (or think they know) and what they want to learn during the unit.

This will take one 30-minute session. E – Present the concept attainment lesson on the life cycle. Then pair the students up to place pictures of the stages of the human life cycle into the correct order. E – Present the lesson on the needs for survival of all living things. R - Students then write down the things that they need to stay alive and healthy(food, water, shelter, warmth, other people, etc) into their Learning Log. E-T – Each student explains to the teacher the concept of a life cycle and that all plants and animals have a life cycle. Teacher evaluates and gives feedback to each student.

This will take one 30-minute session. E-R, T – Have students share and discuss their Learning Log entry from the previous session in groups of three. Group members can share any ideas that the writer could add to their entry. R, T – Allow students to make revisions to their Learning Log entry based on group feedback. (Note: Teacher collects and reviews the Learning Log entries to look for misunderstandings needing instructional attention).

This will take one 30-minute session. E – Students work independently to write the Staying Alive journal entry using their Learning Log entry to answer the question “What do all plants and animals need in order to survive? What daily activities will keep you alive as you grow older?” R, E-2 – Students exchange journal entries with members of their group for a peer assessment based on a criteria list. Allow students to make revisions based on feedback. E-2 – Students use a rubric to self-assess their Staying Alive journal entry.

This will take two 30-minute sessions.

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Understanding by Design Template

E – Present the lesson on the butterfly life cycle. Discuss the four stages (egg, caterpillar, pupa, butterfly) and show pictures. T, E-2 – Students work independently to create a mobile of the four butterfly life cycle stages or illustrates the stages on construction paper. Students self-assess their projects using rubrics.

This will take two 30-minute session. E – Give the quiz on the butterfly life cycle. Students label the four different stages of the butterfly. E-2 – At the conclusion of the unit, students self-evaluate their journal entry, butterfly project, and quiz and write down answers to these questions in their Learning Log:

1) What are you most proud of? Why? 2) What would you do differently next time? 3) What grade do you deserve for this life cycle unit? Why?

This will take one 30-minute session.

Differentiation:

1) The instruction will be presented in a variety of forms to address the different learning styles. The teacher will explain verbally while writing the vocabulary words and concepts onto the whiteboard. Students will be given examples, models, and pictures of the different activities to assist them with understanding the expectations.

2) Because the students are ELLs, pictures with labels will be included as much as possible

to assist with the understanding of concepts in this unit.

3) Students will use a rubric to assess their work after they have had a chance to work alone. They will work in cooperative groups which are very useful for those who may be struggling.

Adapted from the Understanding by Design Template available online, Understanding by Design: Professional Development Workbook, and the appendix of Understanding by Design (2005) text.

References

Arter, J. & McTighe, J. (2001). Scoring rubrics in the classroom: Using performance criteria for assessing and improving student performance. (Experts in Assessment Series.) Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Marzano, R., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

McTighe, J. & Wiggins, G. (2004). Understanding by design: Professional development workbook. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (n.d.). Understanding by design exchange. Retrieved November 2, 2004 from

http://www.ubdexchange.org/

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd Edition). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.