Science Lessons for Inquiry-focused Instruction
1. Identify the Scientific Concept: What scientific concept/principle should students learn
from this lesson? Use indicators from the Standards, including both skills and processes.
2. Identify a Real-World or Practical Application Related to the Concept:
It can be
a problem students can solve or
a decision students can make or
a question students can answer
Posing the challenge is the heart of the Engagement. Students become motivated as
activities are described. Students access prior knowledge. Motivational activities
include: a demonstration by the teacher and/or student, a reading from a current media
release, a science journal, literature, analyzing a graphic organizer, etc.
3. Provide Opportunities for Students to Explore, Collect and Record Information:
Students may gather information from: a) lab work, and/or b) books/journals and/or, c)
interviews and/or d) the internet, etc.
The Exploration will be activities designed so students can collect information and build
skills they will use to complete an Extension activity. Students will read for information
and perform an investigation.
4. Students Develop a Series of Questions based on the Exploration Activities: Students
answer these questions through opportunities to design investigations and implement the
set of procedures they write.
5. Students Evaluate Data and Provide Explanations: Help students analyze
data, guide their thinking as they develop meaning and understanding, compare class data
and ideas, and critique conclusions.
Teachers should modify explanations as required, add information to enhance
understanding, or move to a related, more complex concept.
6. Evaluation Occurs Throughout the Lesson: Evaluations provide
opportunities for students to demonstrate and check their understanding of the
concepts. Scoring tools developed by teachers and students target what students must
know and do. Consistent use of scoring tools improves learning. A final evaluation of
important concepts, skills and processes may conclude the lesson.
Unit/Lesson Plan Title: Got Food ???
Primary Subject
Integrated Subjects
Grade Level
Length of Unit/Lesson
Research Sources
Science
Math, Reading/LA, Technology, Social Studies
5th
9 weeks
NCSCOS and Essential Standards
www.nancypollette.com/Litguidestext/cay.htm
http://teachers.plainfield.k12.in.uc
www.edhealper.com.cay
Unit/Lesson Summary
The students will be reading the novel The Cay by: Theodore Taylor;
Students will be testing different food sources similar to the food
available to the characters in the novel in order to see which would have
the most nutritional value on the island in order for survival. Students
will research WWII and the impact it had on the United States.
Students will gather data and create a data table on the computer to
compare and contrast the results of the food testing. Students will
complete a geocaching activity to answer questions about the unit.
Math: decimal;fraction; simplest form tenths; hundredths; thousandths;
x axis; y axis; labels; title;
Reading: http://teachers.plainfield.k12.in.uc
Science: - biome; tropical rainforest; ecosystem; herbivore; carnivore;
omnivore; food chain; food web; producer; consumer
S.S.: U-Boats;
Essential Standard: Science- 5.L.2.2; 5.L.2.3
Science- NCSCOS- Goal 1; NSCOS- 1.02; 4.06
Reading: NCSCOS: Goal 1, 2, and 3
Social Studies: 4.05
Math: Goal 1, 2, and 4
Key Vocabulary
Essential Standards/NCSCOS
Essential Questions
Materials/Resources Needed
Math: What food has the highest nutritional value?
How can I measure different amounts of food?
What conversions can I make between different metric/customary units?
Reading: How does change create transformation?
How does a setting influence behavior?
How can you sequence the events that occurred in the novel?
How does Phillip compare and contrast to Timothy?
Science: How does the amount of starch, protein, and fat differ as you
move through the food chain?
What affect does acid rain have on the environment?
How does pollution affect the environment?
What is the relationship between density and air masses?
Social Studies: What was the impact of WWII on U.S. citizens?
Computers with Internet Access; Calculators; Graph paper; salt; flour;
water; containers to mix; salt dough recipe; Location activity sheet; UBoat math activity sheet; What’s the weight math activity sheet; Data
Table math activity sheet; The Cay by Theodore Taylor; Vocabulary log;
Chapter activity booklet; Book report guide; Pencils; Timeline activity
sheet; geocaching journal; GPS devices;
http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/frogs/chain_reaction/
play_chainreaction.cfm
http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/ecosystems/
food-chains.htm
http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/ecosystems/
food-webs.htm
avocado; bananas; canned tuna; canned sardines; coconut milk
3 six-section test trays
5 food samples
1 package of toothpicks
5 spoons
1 bottle of iodine
1 paper bag
1 marker
1 plastic cup
5 glucose test strips
1 glucose color guide
5 protein test strips
1 dish of developing solution
1 dropper
science notebooks
Exploration/Engagement
Activities
Accommodations for
Differentiated Instruction
Cross Curricular
Integration
Assessments:
•Performance-based
•Formative
•Summative
Food Test Experiments
Creating data table on computer based
Activity booklet for each chapter
Vocabulary log
Comic book (Book report)
Teacher questioning throughout book
Group/partner/class discussion
Introduce food chains
EcoKids Food Chain Game
Study Jams videos (Food Chain and Food Webs)
Food Chemistry Activity
Test for protein, starch and fat using the Food Chemistry Kit
Test the following foods: avocado, coconut milk, bananas, tuna, and
sardines
Compile results
Compare the levels in producers and consumers. Why are they
different?
Drawing a U-Boat activity
Decimal War in Week by Week essential binder
Have the students read the story aloud with the teacher
Limit the amount of vocabulary words learned for each chapter
Have the students complete the comic book with less requirements
Group students according to ability level; assign roles to groups; vary
assignments
Math: Graphing: Data from food testing experiments
Create data table on the computer
Fractions: Make Salt Dough maps- read a recipe and mix up the salt
dough.
Decimals- When measuring and weighing amounts get them to the
closest decimal value. Compare different amounts of food and weights.
Social Studies: Create a salt dough map of where Phillip traveled.
(Include the following places: Curacoa, Miami, Panama, Columbo,
Bonaire, Devil’s Mouth, Venezuela, St. Thomas, Aruba, Virgin Islands,
Jamaica, San Andres)
Geocaching activity outside.
Research WWII and create a timeline of the major events. (use website
www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0005248.html)
Reading: Read the novel The Cay and complete various novel study
activities.
Class Scape assessment; novel assessment; rubrics for Comic Life,
data tables; salt dough maps; math problem solving sheets;
Geocaching activity journal; rubric for book report; science fair poster
rubric; daily formative assessment by using a “ticket out” for various
activities; Scientific method assessment;
Performance- based assessment on booklet and vocabulary log
Summative assessment on comprehensive knowledge of The Cay
Extension Activities
Created by
Email
Read Timothy of the Cay by Theodore Taylor and compare and contrast
the two novels; Complete seed tracking activity; further research World
War II; Using Vernier Probes- Science Acid Rain and Weather Density
plans
Sara Kull; KatieEarl Etters; Jayna Cerasoli; Jennifer Walters
kullsa@rss.k12.nc.us; etterske@rss.k12.nc.us;
cerasolijm@rss.k12.nc.us; waltersjt@rss.k12.nc.us