Unit 1 Becoming a Scientist 2013 - 2014

7/28/2019 Unit 1 Becoming a Scientist 2013 - 2014

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Subject Science Grade 15 Instructional Days

Title Unit 1 Becoming A Scientist Time Frame 5

Unit Plan Designed by C. Guanajuato

Stage 1

Desired ResultsEstablished Goals

What content standards and program- or

mission-related goal(s) will this unit address?

What habits of mind and cross-disciplinary

goal(s) for example, 21st

century skills, core

competencies will this unit address?

TN State Standards SPI(s)

Inq.1 Select an investigation that

could be used to answer a specific

question.

Science and Engineering Practices

Asking Questions and Defining Problems

Planning and Carrying out Investigations

Constructing Explanations and Designing

Solutions

Disciplinary Core Ideas

Defining and Delimiting Engineering

Problems

Developing Possible Solutions

Optimizing the Design Solution

Crosscutting Concepts

Influence of Science, Engineering, and

Technology on Society and the Natural

World

Transfer

Students will be able to independently use their learning to

T1 plan and carry out a scientific investigation to answer a testable question.

What kinds of long-term independent accomplishments are desired?

T2 transform informal observations and inferences used to explain phenomena into more formal investigations to test a

hypothesis.

Meaning

UNDERSTANDINGS

Students will understand thatESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

Students will keep considering

U1 Humans are natural born scientists, because

U2 Formal scientific inquiry is a way of thinking about and

investigating the world that has specific characteristics,

such as

U3 Living things have requirements to stay alive and

grow, such as

Q1 What makes me a natural born scientist?

Q2 How do I as a scientist formally ask and answer

questions?

Q3 What factors affect plant growth?

What specifically do you want students to understand?

What inferences should they make?

What thought-provoking questions will foster inquiry,

meaning making, and transfer?

The process for identifying and using specific strategies to

ask and answer questions, such as using senses for

observation, connections to prior knowledge, reasoning,

inferences, research, and the use of a science notebook

for learning...

Stronger explanations for observed phenomena can be

determined, and verified, by following specific steps, a

defined method, for planning and carrying out an

investigation in order to answer a testable question.

What is something interesting you observe?

How or why is it happening? How can you find out?

Why does it matter?
http://www.nextgenscience.org/3-5ets-engineering-design


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Common Core State Standards Connections:

ELA/Literacy -

RI.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining

what the text says explicitly and when

drawing inferences from the text. (3-5-ETS1-

2)

RI.5.1 Draw on information from multiple print or

digital sources, demonstrating the ability to

locate an answer to a question quickly or to

solve a problem efficiently. (3-5-ETS1-2)

RI.5.9 Integrate information from several texts on

the same topic in order to write or speak

about the subject knowledgeably. (3-5-ETS1-

2)

W.5.7

Conduct short research projects that useseveral sources to build knowledge through

investigation of different aspects of a topic.

(3-5-ETS1-1),(3-5-ETS1-3)

W.5.8 Recall relevant information from experiences

or gather relevant information from print and

digital sources; summarize or paraphrase

information in notes and finished work, and

provide a list of sources. (3-5-ETS1-1),(3-5-

ETS1-3)

W.5.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational

texts to support analysis, reflection, and

research. (3-5-ETS1-1),(3-5-ETS1-3)

Mathematics -

3.OA Operations and Algebraic Thinking (3-ETS1-

1),(3-ETS1-2)

MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. (3-5-

ETS1-1),(3-5-ETS1-2),(3-5-ETS1-3)

MP.4 Model with mathematics. (3-5-ETS1-1),(3-5-

ETS1-2),(3-5-ETS1-3)

Acquisition

Students will know Students will be skilled at

K1 the structure and function of a science notebook.K2 the strategy of thinking critically through a

written/visual constructed response.

K3 the characteristics of a detailed observation

K4 the meaning of an inference.

K5 the difference between a question that is

testable and one that is not.

K6 the steps of the scientific method to plan,

conduct, and communicate the results of an

investigation.

K7 understanding the scientific process of problemsolving has direct implications for what matters in

ones own life.

S1 organizing and maintaining a science notebook forlearning.

S2 developing scientific thinking through a written and

visual constructed response protocol.

S3 making detailed observations.

S4 making inferences from observations connected to

prior knowledge.

S5 asking questions that are testable.

S6 planning, conducting, and communicating the

results of an investigation.

S7 reflect on how new comprehension of phenomenahas any significance in ones own life.

What facts and basic concepts should students know and

be able to recall?

What discrete skills and processes should students be able

to use?

The purpose and key features of a science

notebook (detailed inTeaching Science with

Interactive Notebooks)

The purpose and structure of a constructed

response.

The scientific method is a formal process

scientists practice to design and conductcontrolled experiments to develop explanations

about specific questions about the natural world.

Key terms related to scientific inquiry

[Vocabulary terms include, but are not limited

to, the words in blue in skills section.

The components of a scientific observation

(qualitative/quantitative)

The purpose and format for a testable question

and hypothesis.

5.ETS.ED [Experimental Design] Plan and carry out fairtests in which variables are controlled. 5.ETS.ED.1 Explore different scientific phenomena by

asking questions.o 5.ETS.ED.1.1 Write a detailed and descriptive

observation that includes qualitative andquantitative measures, including measurementsand sketches.

5.ETS.ED.2 Identify whether a question is a testablequestion.

5.ETS.ED.3 Write a testable question in the proper

format, How will [one variable I change] affect [theoutcome of what is measured]?

5.ETS.ED.4 Recognize the variables that need to be

controlled in order for the experiment to be considered fair.

5.ETS.ST [Use of Scientific Tools]Select tools andprocedures needed to conduct a simple experiment. 5.ETS.ST.1 Identify common scientific tools and what they

measure, such as a thermometer, graduated cylinder,beaker, ruler (metric), timer, and pan balance (scale).
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RI/5http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RI/5http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RI/5http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RI/5http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RI/5http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RI/5http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/5http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/5http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/5http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/5http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/5http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/5http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/3/OAhttp://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/MP2http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/MP2http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/MP4http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/MP4https://sites.google.com/a/cameroncollegeprep.org/ccp-science/home/curriculum/the-scientific-method/science-notebookhttps://sites.google.com/a/cameroncollegeprep.org/ccp-science/home/curriculum/the-scientific-method/science-notebookhttps://sites.google.com/a/cameroncollegeprep.org/ccp-science/home/curriculum/the-scientific-method/science-notebookhttps://sites.google.com/a/cameroncollegeprep.org/ccp-science/home/curriculum/the-scientific-method/science-notebookhttps://sites.google.com/a/cameroncollegeprep.org/ccp-science/home/curriculum/the-scientific-method/science-notebookhttps://sites.google.com/a/cameroncollegeprep.org/ccp-science/home/curriculum/the-scientific-method/science-notebookhttp://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/MP4http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/MP2http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/3/OAhttp://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/5http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/5http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/5http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RI/5http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RI/5http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RI/5


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MP.5 Use appropriate tools strategically. (3-5-

ETS1-1),(3-5-ETS1-2),(3-5-ETS1-3)

3-

5.OA

Operations and Algebraic Thinking (3-ETS1-

1),(3-ETS1-2)

Common scientific tools and what they

measure.

Raw data must be organized in a visual manner,

such as tables or graphs in order to set the stagefor analysis.

Conclusions must be based on evidence, with

consideration of possible differences in

interpretation and experimental error.

Life Science [LS] Structures of Life

Organisms have basic needs and can survive only

in environments in which their needs can be

met.

Each plant and animal has different structures

that serve different functions in growth, survival,

and reproduction.

Plants and animals have life cycles. The details of

this cycle are different for different organisms.

Plants and animals closely resemble their

parents, and many characteristics of an

organism are inherited from their parents.

Other (Personal and Social Perspectives)

Resources are things that we get from the living

and nonliving environment to meet human

needs.

Some environmental changes occur slowly, and

others occur rapidly.

Causes of environmental degradation and

resource depletion vary from region to region

and country to country.

5.ETS.ST.2 Select and use the appropriate tools, withguidance, to investigate a specific question.

o 5.ETS.ST.2.1 Identify dimensions, such aslength, width, height, speed, acceleration,temperature, volume, and record the units ofmeasure associated with a scientific tool, suchas Fahrenheit and Celsius for temperature; litersfor volume of liquid; the Newton for unit offorce, grams for mass; milliseconds/ seconds/minutes/hours for time.

5.ETS.DA [Data Analysis] Recordraw data into a giventable, graph, ordiagram. 5.ETS.DA.1 Maintain a science notebook that includes

observations, questions, hypotheses, procedure, materials,data, diagrams, and explanations.

5.ETS.DA.2Identify the key parts of a table, graph ordiagram.

5.ETS.DA.3Interpret the results of a set of recorded

data.

5.ETS.EC [Explanation and Communication of

Results]Identify and interpret simple patterns of

evidence to communicate the findings of multiple

investigations. 5.ETS.EC.1 Draw a conclusion based on findings from

multiple investigations of similar phenomena. 5.ETS.EC.2 Compare the results of an investigation with

what scientists already accept about this question. 5.ETS.EC.3 Effectively communicate the results

gathered from an investigation in written, visual and/orverbal formats.

o 5.ETS.EC.3.1 Identify and interpret simple

patterns of evidence to communicate thefindings of multiple investigations.

o 5.ETS.EC.3.2 Recognize a faultyinterpretation of data that is due to experimentalerror.

o 5.ETS.EC.3.3 Recognize that people mayinterpret the same results in different ways.
http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/MP5http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/MP5http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/3/OAhttp://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/3/OAhttp://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/3/OAhttp://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/3/OAhttp://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/MP5


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Stage 2 - Evidence

Evaluative Criteria PERFORMANCE TASK(S)How will students demonstrate their understanding (meaning-making and transfer) through complex performance?

Students will show that they really understand by evidence of

What criteria will be used in each assessment to

evaluate attainment of the desired results? Detailed and accurate

observations

Clear and formatted articulation

of a testable question and

hypothesis

Clear articulation of the

procedures and materials needed

to conduct the experiment

Highly organized and labeled data

Clear articulation about what is

known from prior knowledge andresearch, as well as what was

learned based on analysis/

interpretation of results

Convincing visual and/or writtenargument about the importance/

purpose of growing plants and

the best methods for growing

them

Their ability to transfer all their discrete learning about navigating the scientific process of problem solving to answer a

testable question about what affects plant growth. For example,

1. Lab Report: making detailed observations and inferences about plant growth and answering a question using a

specific scientific process with the guidance of a teacher.

2. Science Notebook: organizing, maintaining and recording evidence of scientific work and thinking about what is

investigated.

3. Poster or Article: Interpret the results of an independent scientific investigation, using a formal scientific

process, to inform the community about what affects plant growth and why it matters (i.e., make

recommendations for the importance and best methods of growing plants for specific purposes on school

grounds, at home, and/or other public urban space.

Dimension(s)/Facet(s) of Understanding Explaining, Interpreting, Applying, and Self-Understanding

Goal: Discover what affects plant growth to help yourself and/or your community better understand the

importance/purpose and best methods for growing plants at home, school, or other public urban spaces.

Role: You are a young scientist who will independently verify your hypothesis to a testable question about what affects

plant growth.

Audience: Your audience is the school community (students, parents, and teachers)

Situation: How can we beautify our surroundings, while at the same time make our environment more beneficial to us

and other living things?

Performance: Create a poster or write an article that communicates your findings from your scientific investigation and

justify your recommendations for the importance and best methods of growing plants for specific purposes on school

grounds, at home, and/or other public urban space.

Standards: Refer to Evaluative Criteria and K/S from Stage 1Regardless of the format of the assessment,

what qualities are most important?OTHER EVIDENCEWhat other evidence will you collect to determine whether Stage 1 goals where achieved?

Students will show they have achieved Stage 1 goals by

Identification and reasoning

behind the best experimental

design for a testable question

Quizzes and Common Assessments on Benchmark Standards

Oral and/or written reflection to the essential questions, using scientific vocabulary in context

Science Notebook and Lab Report for evidence of applications of scientific processes and thinking


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Stage 3 Learning Plan

CodeWhats the goal for (or type of) each learning

event: Meaning, Acquisition, Transfer

W - Ensure that students understand WHERE

the unit is headed, and WHY.

H - HOOK students in the beginning and

HOLD their attention throughout.

E - EQUIP students with necessary

experiences, tools, knowledge, and know-

how to meet performance goals.

R - Provide students with numerous

opportunities to RETHINK big ideas,

REFLECT on progress, and REVISE their work.

E - Build in opportunities for students to

EVALUATE progress and self-assess.

T - Be TAILORED to reflect individual talents,

interests, styles, and needs.

O - Be ORGANIZED to optimize deep

understanding as opposed to superficial

coverage.

What pre-assessments will you use to check students prior knowledge, skill levels, and potential misconceptions? Students will create a cover page and contribute to collaborative

anchor charts with respect to their views on what science is andwho/what/how/why scientists do what they do.

Pre-Assessment

Progress Monitoring

How will you monitor students progress toward

acquisition, meaning, and transfer, during

lesson events?

What are potential rough spots and student

misunderstandings?

How will students get the feedback they need?

Learning Events

Are all three types of goals (acquisition, meaning, and transfer) addressed

in the learning plan?

Does the learning plan reflect principles of learning and best practices?

Is there tight alignment with Stages 1 and 2?

Is the plan likely to be engaging and effective for all students?

Student success at transfer, meaning, and acquisition depends upon

M (W, H)

A (E)

M, A, T (E, O)

M, A, T (E,O)

M, A, T (H, O, R)

M, T (H)

1. Portraits of Science and Scientist: What is science? What is a scientist?

What do they do? Why? How?; A you a scientist? Why or why not?

Science Notebook Introduction & Set-up

2. Observations: What is it? Why do we do it? How do we do it in science?

[qualitative/quantitative] What do you observe? ; Science Notebook Set

continued

3. Testable/Non-Testable Questions: What are some problems in my life and

of my generation: What are they and how might we solve them? What

type of question might doing science help with? What is the role of my

observations?

4. Inferences to Hypothesis: What is it? Why do we do it? How do we do it in

science? How do we draw from prior knowledge to make predictions?

[inductive/deductive reasoning]; How do we test our inferences?5. Experimental Design: How might we test a hypothesis

(formally/informally)? Introduce: The problem of the urban landscape

What are some problems that face people living in the city? Lead to the

problems that may arise from a lack of natural space (greenways, parks,

trees, gardens, etc.). Discuss the purposes and importance of having

natural space integrated in urban landscapes. How can we do it? Is it

worth pursuing?

6. Introduction to Performance Task: What affects plant growth? What do

you know, what do you want to know, how can we find out? Developing

an experimental design and controlling a factor (amount of sunlight).

Science notebook organization and work

Daily feedback on Do Now (Sparkers), Exit Slips,

Quizzes on concepts, skills, and vocabulary

Lab Write-up and performance task work

Daily responses to questioning and discourse


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A (O)

T (T)

M, A (H, E, E2)

M, T

M, T

M, T

M, T (R, E2)

7. Planning the Experiment: Materials and Procedures

8. Performing the Experiment 1: Lab Procedures prep and performance

9. Performing the Class Experiment 2 (Observations and Raw Data Collection

Set Up); Brainstorming a testable question for an independent experiment

with plants

10. Performing the Class Experiment 3 (Observations and Measurement;

Conducting Research); Experimental design for an independent

experiment with plants

11. Performing the Class Experiment 4 (Observations and Measurement;

Conducting Research); Experimental design and prep for an independent

experiment with plants

12. Performing the Class Experiment 5 (Observations and Measurement);

Performing an independent experiment Day 1

13. Graphing Data and Analysis; Independent Experiment Observations and

Measurements Day 2

14. Drawing a Conclusion; Was our hypothesis accepted or rejected? How do

you know? What does this result mean? What errors could haveinfluenced the results? What can we recommend to our audience?

Independent Experiment Observations and Measurements Day 3

15. Class Experiment Lab Write-Up; Independent Experiment Observations

and Measurements Day 4

16. Class Experiment Lab Write-Up; Independent Experiment Observations

and Measurements Day 5

17. Performance Task Work; Assessment/Reflection

18. Performance Task Debrief/Celebration; Introduction to Unit 2 Cells (What

is life? How do you know something is alive? What are some of your

favorite living things? How many different types of living things can you

name? How would you categorize them?)

Unit 1 Becoming a Scientist 2013 - 2014

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