Science Lessons


CLASS TITLE
Biology
LESSON # 1 TITLE
Structure or DNA
CLASS TIME
45 Minutes
GRADE LEVEL
9-12
CLASS DESCRIPTION
This is a class of 40 students.  The demographic break down by number is: White-20, Asian-7, Hispanic-6 Filipino-5, and African American-2. 25 of the students plan 4 year college,  11 plan on going to a 2 year college, 2 students plan on going into the military, 2 students are unsure what they want to do, 1 student plans on going to technical school and 1 student is planning on going straight into the workforce.  6 students qualify for free lunch, 4 students are in AVID and 2 students are English language learners.  Many of the students are friends with each other and prefer group activities with hands on projects.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
Student #1
Student #1 is classified CELDT: Advanced (A).  Student has good writing, listening and reading skills, but struggles speaking English.  Teacher will use clear and concise language when instructing and giving directions.

ELD Standard
WESTED English Language Development Standard, Reading Comprehension Cluster: 2ES, Level: A –  Use knowledge of affixes, roots, and increased vocabulary to interpret the meaning of words in literature and content area texts.

Differentiation
 Process based on Interest
Teacher uses Group Work strategies by pairing native and non-native English speaking students who may be inexperienced in new and complex scientific words.  This strategy facilitates comprehension of the new and complex words, while collectively solidifying group understanding of important instruction and procedure.

SPECIAL NEEDS
Student #1
Student #1 has been diagnosed ADHD.  Student understands the material when focused, but struggles to maintain focus for whole class period.  Students 504 plans suggest that student would benefit from clear and concise directions in both written and oral form and multiple reviews of such direction with the student.

Differentiation
Process based on Learning Profile
Teacher will be clear and concise while giving directions orally and will also include same directions on whiteboard.  Teacher will check for understanding of directions for each activity individually for each student after general class has begun activity.  Teacher also uses a Small Group Size strategy in order to keep Special Needs student involved in the group process.  Group strategies used in this lesson are in consideration of English Language Development students, however, using the smallest possible group size is in consideration of attention deficit students.

CONTENT STANDARD
Genetics
Students know how to predict the probable outcome of phenotypes in a genetic cross from the genotypes of the parents and mode of inheritance (dominant or recessive).

RATIONALE
Unit Enduring Understanding
Students know the central dogma of molecular biology outlines the flow of information from DNA to RNA to Proteins to Phenotype in which inheritance can be determined in a genotypic cross.

Lesson Essential Question
What is the shape of DNA?

Reason for Instructional Strategies and Student Activities
Content
Students need to understand that inheritance of genetic traits is a multi step process starting with small DNA molecules in the nucleus of a cell.  Through translation to RNA and transcription to proteins, living creatures are created which in turn can be propagators of genetic traits through inheritance.

English Language Development
Students benefit from working with native English language speakers on group projects because native English speakers can help ELL’s with hard vocabulary words in a role as a peer.  This aids teacher instruction when teacher’s time is divided between students.

Special Needs Student
By forming small groups, special needs student benefits from continually being involved in group processes.  Secondly, by conveying instructions orally and in writing special needs student is more likely to stay on task.  By checking in on special needs student at regular intervals student is also more likely to stay on task.

LEARNING GOALS
Cognitive
Content Standard
Students will know the structure of DNA as a precursor to understanding genetic crosses involved in inheritance.
English Language Development Standard
Students will increase their technical vocabulary in the area of inheritance by being paired with native English speakers who can reinforce such vocabulary in a constant manner in a group setting.

RESOURCES
DNA Origami Templates and Instruction

Origami Folding Sheet (Color): http://www.dnai.org/teacherguide/pdf/ori_color.pdf
Origami Folding Sheet (B & W): http://www.dnai.org/teacherguide/pdf/ori_bw.pdf
Origami Folding Instructions: http://www.dnai.org/teacherguide/pdf/origami_inst.pdf


TEACHER INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT
(Pre-Class: Content and language goals will be written clearly and concisely on white board prior to class, along with outline of the day’s activities.)

Class has ADHD student who need extra instruction for comprehending directions.  PLEASE REPEAT DIRECTIONS MULTIPLE TIMES AND CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING WHILE POINTING OUT DIRECTION ON BOARD

Intro (5 Minutes)
Review Content and Language Goals (on whiteboard)
Take Roll.

Group Work (30 Minutes)
Instruct students to work on Origami Project in small groups. 
Set group numbers to four while making sure that ELL student and Special Needs students join separate groups.
Give each student the Origami Template and one set of instructions to each group.
Review instruction with class and group with Special Needs student individually.
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Walk around class observing students and answering questions.  Determine whether students understand concepts of Origami Folding and the structure of DNA through the activity.  Determine any changes that need to be made for following periods.

Closure (10 Minutes)
Answer any class questions.
Review Learning Goals.
Set Agenda for next class.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES














Intro (5 Minutes)
Listen while teacher reviews Content and Language Goals (on whiteboard)


 Group Work (30 Minutes)
Form groups, listen to instructions, start Origami project, and ask questions if need be.














Closure (10 Minutes)
Ask any final questions
Listen while teacher reviews Learning Goals and discusses next session’s activities.



CLASS TITLE
Biology
LESSON # 2  TITLE
Inherited Human Traits
CLASS TIME
45 Minutes
GRADE LEVEL
9-12
CLASS DESCRIPTION
This is a class of 40 students.  The demographic break down by number is: White-20, Asian-7, Hispanic-6 Filipino-5, and African American-2. 25 of the students plan 4 year college,  11 plan on going to a 2 year college, 2 students plan on going into the military, 2 students are unsure what they want to do, 1 student plans on going to technical school and 1 student is planning on going straight into the workforce.  6 students qualify for free lunch, 4 students are in AVID and 2 students are English language learners.  Many of the students are friends with each other and prefer group activities with hands on projects.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
Student #1
Student #1 is classified CELDT: Advanced (A).  Student has good writing, listening and reading skills, but struggles speaking English.  Teacher will use clear and concise language when instructing and giving directions.

ELD Standard
WESTED English Language Development Standard, Reading Comprehension Cluster: 2ES, Level: A –  Use knowledge of affixes, roots, and increased vocabulary to interpret the meaning of words in literature and content area texts.

Differentiation
 Process based on Interest
Teacher uses Group Work strategies by allowing multiple interactions of native and non-native English speaking students who may be inexperienced in new and complex scientific words and concepts.  This strategy facilitates comprehension of the new and complex words, while collectively solidifying group understanding of important instruction and procedure.

SPECIAL NEEDS
Student #1
Student #1 has been diagnosed ADHD.  Student understands the material when focused, but struggles to maintain focus for whole class period.  Students 504 plans suggest that student would benefit from clear and concise directions in both written and oral form and multiple reviews of such direction with the student.

Differentiation
Process based on Learning Profile
Teacher will be clear and concise while giving directions orally and will also include same directions on whiteboard.  Teacher will check for understanding of directions for each activity individually for each student after general class has begun activity.  Teacher also uses a Rotating Partners strategy in order to keep Special Needs student involved in the group process.  Group strategies used in this lesson are in consideration of English Language Development students, however, using the one-on-one group size and rotation is also in consideration of attention deficit students.

CONTENT STANDARD
Genetics
Students know how to predict the probable outcome of phenotypes in a genetic cross from the genotypes of the parents and mode of inheritance (dominant or recessive).

RATIONALE
Unit Enduring Understanding
Students know the central dogma of molecular biology outlines the flow of information from DNA to RNA to Proteins to Phenotype in which inheritance can be determined in a genotypic cross.  

Lesson Essential Question
How are the single gene traits of individuals represented on a class wide basis?
What percentage of the classroom have these certain traits?

Reason for Instructional Strategies and Student Activities
Content
Students need to understand that inheritance of genetic traits is a multi step process starting with small DNA molecules in the nucleus of a cell.  Through translation to RNA and transcription to proteins, living creatures are created which in turn can be propagators of genetic traits through inheritance.

English Language Development
Students benefit from working with native English language speakers on group projects because native English speakers can help ELL’s with hard vocabulary words in a role as a peer.  This aids teacher instruction when teacher’s time is divided between students.

Special Needs Student
By forming small groups, special needs student benefits from continually being involved in group processes.  Secondly, by conveying instructions orally and in writing special needs student is more likely to stay on task.  By checking in on special needs student at regular intervals student is also more likely to stay on task.

LEARNING GOALS
Cognitive
Content Standard
Students will know the structure of DNA as a precursor to understanding genetic crosses involved in inheritance.  Students will realize that by understanding inheritance, the human traits we see every day can be understood in much greater detail and as such Students will know how to predict the probable outcome of phenotypes in a genetic cross from the genotypes of the parents and mode of inheritance (dominant or recessive).

English Language Development Standard
Students will increase their technical vocabulary in the area of inheritance by being paired with native English speakers who can reinforce such vocabulary in a constant manner in a group setting.

RESOURCES
Inheritance Lab

http://www.horton.ednet.ns.ca/staff/jfuller/selig/handouts/bio12/mengenetics/singlegenetraits.pdf
TEACHER INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT
(Pre-Class: Content and language goals will be written clearly and concisely on white board prior to class, along with outline of the day’s activities.)

Class has ADHD student who need extra instruction for comprehending directions.  PLEASE REPEAT DIRECTIONS MULTIPLE TIMES AND CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING WHILE POINTING OUT DIRECTION ON BOARD

Intro (5 Minutes)
Review Content and Language Goals (on whiteboard)
Take Roll.

Group Work (30 Minutes)
Instruct students to work on Inheritance Lab by walking around classroom and helping a fellow student determine their phenotype for one trait before moving on to next student.  Student should check each trait twice giving a total of 18 rotations.  If there is any discrepancy, have a third rotation tie breaker. 
Give each student the Inheritance Lab which contains specific instructions.
Review instruction with class and group with Special Needs student individually.
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Walk around class observing students and answering questions.  Determine whether students understand concepts of Inheritance through the activity.  Determine any changes that need to be made for following periods.

Closure (10 Minutes)
Answer any class questions.
Review Learning Goals.
Set Agenda for next class.
STUDENT ACTIVITIES











Intro (5 Minutes)
Listen while teacher reviews Content and Language Goals (on whiteboard)

Group Work (30 Minutes)
Form groups, listen to instructions, start Inheritance Lab, and ask questions if need be.














Closure (10 Minutes)
Ask any final questions
Listen while teacher reviews Learning Goals and discusses next session’s activities.

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