Focus Teaching Assignment: Lesson Plan #1

By Alana Lynes

 

Based on Journal Article:

Keith, V., K. Miller, and B. Hand. Two Constructivist Approaches to Teaching Ecology at the Middle School Level. The American Biology Teacher, April 1995: Vol 57, No 4, pp. 244-249.

 

 

Course: Middle School Ecology

 

Concepts/Skills:

-         The Earth comprises of many related ecosystems with complex interactions occurring between plants and the abiotic environment.

 

Objectives:

-         Students will begin to see themselves as part of their environment and not separate from it.

-         Students will begin to understand that their actions and the actions of others affect their environment.

 

Materials:

Poster Picture

Short Story

Whiteboard markers

Overheads

 

Lesson Theory:

 

‘Learning is said to have occurred when new information is successfully integrated with present beliefs, where the learner takes an active role in the process’ and ‘the role of the teacher is a facilitator of knowledge rather than a transferer of information’ (p.244).

Lesson Outline:

Introduction:

-         Tell imaginative story using poster picture

‘A blade of grass grew in some soil. Some time later a grazing cow ate the blade of grass. Eventually humans butchered the cow. A lady has a burger at a restaurant and eats part of the cow.  The woman takes a swim in a river since it’s a hot and sunny day. A bead of sweat rolls from her brow into the rive water. The water travels downstream and into a reservoir. A man turns on a tap and drinks water from the reservoir.’

 

Situation/ Task –

Student Stories:

-         Inform the students that it is possible for the minerals originally in the soil to now be part of the drinker through the chain of events outlined in the imaginative story.

-         Ask the students to think of a similar story about any type of particle that has made its way from outside in the environment into a living being. Tell them it can be about themselves (i.e. something they’ve eaten) or about some story they’ve heard on the news or read about.

-         After student input (or if students are stumped), tell a ‘real-life’ story as an example:

Waterton, ONTARIO

COW ž MANURE ž RAIN ž WATER SUPPLY ž INPROPER TREATMENT OF WATER SUPPLY ž WATER CONSUMERS

-         Emphasize that these stories show how humans are absolutely connected to their surrounding environment.

Solve Problem/ Complete Task –

Student Discussion Questions:

1.      We have an idea that eating or drinking brings elements from outside into us, but what kind of chemical elements are we made of? What are our bones made? Our blood?

Answers: C, O, Fe, Ca, N, H, K etc.

2.      Besides eating or drinking, how else would these chemical elements enter us?

Answers: breathing, injections (flu shots etc.), kissing and intercourse.

3.      How do these elements that are inside of us get out of us?

Answers: bleeding, sneezing, going to the washroom, coughing, loosing hair, vomiting, spitting and intercourse.

 

Determine Results –

Compile Results and Draw Conclusions:

-         Emphasize to students that human input and output has a direct effect on our surrounding environment and as such it is important to consider what humans interact with.

-         With student input draw concept map of HUMAN Ö ENVIRONMENT interactions on whiteboard.

Closure:

-         Ask students what they learned.

-         Re-state lesson objectives:

-         We have learned today that we as humans are part of environment and not separate from it. We also understand that our actions and the actions of others affect our surrounding environment.

-         Ask the students if there are any questions.

Evaluation Ideas:

Assessment of student knowledge occurs throughout the lesson through student stories, discussion questions and final concept map. Student ideas are encouraged and essentially guide the lesson with questions designed in such a way that the teacher can meet the desired lesson objectives. If students are having difficulty at any point in the lesson generating ideas, the imaginative story may need to be explained in more detail or the teacher could ask more leading questions. The final evaluation will occur when students are asked what they learned.