Dr. Pallavi Joshi Teacher(s) Circle of Life Unit title Sciences - Biology Subject group and discipline MYP year 5 Unit duration (hrs) 24 Inquiry: Establishing the purpose of the unit Key concept Related concept(s) Relationships Transformation, Patterns, Models, Consequences, Evidences Global context Orientation in Time, Space and Place Statement of inquiry Models help people visualize the relationships and patterns within the living world and the consequent continual transformation of life. Inquiry questions Factual – What are the different stages of an organism’s life cycle and how do they change over time? What is incomplete and complete metamorphosis? What are the reproductive mechanisms/systems of organisms? What is the difference between asexual/sexual reproduction? What are the advantages/disadvantages of each? What are the different parts of the male and female reproductive system? What are their roles? What are the stages of growth from conception to birth in humans and other species? Are there similarities? Middle Years Programme Unit planner 1 What are the phases of the cell cycle? What are the stages of mitosis and meiosis? What problems can arise during meiosis and how would that impact the offspring? What is the physical and chemical nature of genetic material? What is the central dogma of molecular biology? What is the consequence of a transformation at a molecular level on the individual and species? What are Mendels Laws of inheritance? What are the meanings of the terms - genotype, phenotype, trait, Punnet square, Monohybrid cross , dihybrid cross, Test cross, dominant, recessive, co-dominance, incomplete dominance, sex-linkage, vertical gene transfer? What are the genetic causes, phenotypic presentations and management strategies for the following - cystic fibrosis, Huntington's disease, Haemphilia, Down syndrome, Alkaptanuria, sickle cell anemia? What is adaptive radiation? What is natural selection? What is speciation and what are the factors affecting speciation? What kind of models help us to depict the process of evolution? Conceptual – How can an organism adapt to its environment over time? How will this affect its life cycle? How is oogenesis in humans regulated in humans? What are the temporal and functional roles of the various hormones (LH, FSH, estrogen, progesterone) and what might be the consequence of their malfunction? How does fertilisation occur in humans and other species? How do identical and non-identical twins vary in their genetic makeup? What is the consequence of birth control/artificial reproductive methods on the individual and species? How do growth and reproduction occur at the cellular level? How are events in mitosis anaphase crucial for the formation of two identical cells? How is gender controlled during reproduction? How was DNA discovered and how was the DNA model proposed? How does DNA sequence allow us to derive relationships between individuals or populations? Middle Years Programme Unit planner 2 How will you determine whether a trait is recessive or dominant? How did Gregor Mendel arrive at his conclusions on inheritance of traits? How is variation in populations brought about? How can knowledge of gene transmission helped us to improve lives? How do mutation, migration and genetic drift affect evolution? Why are recessive traits maintained in populations (eg. Sickle cell anaemia malaria)? How does Natural Selection form the basis of species diversity? What are the paradigm shifts in our understanding of the Origin of Species? How do we gather evidence for evolution of species? Debatable – How have developments in reproductive science impacted societies in the past, present and future? To what extent should we manipulate the natural processes of reproduction for our benefit? What is the role of evidences and patterns in science? Is it ethical for humans to manipulate the traits to be inherited by an individual? To what extent should we manipulate the process of natural selection for our benefit? Is the human impact on survival of other species justifiable? To what extent should genetic engineering and artificial manipulation of natural biodiversity be subject to ethical and practical evaluation? Middle Years Programme Unit planner 3 Objectives Criterion A: Knowing and understanding Students develop scientific knowledge (facts, ideas, concepts, processes, laws, principles, models and theories) and apply it to solve problems and express scientifically supported judgments. Criterion B: Inquiring and designing Students develop intellectual and practical skills through designing, analysing and performing scientific investigations. Criterion C: Processing and evaluating Students collect, process and interpret qualitative and/or quantitative data, and explain conclusions that have been appropriately reached. Summative assessment Outline of summative assessment task(s) including assessment criteria: E-assessment on Criteria A, B, C Criterion A: i. explain scientific knowledge ii. apply scientific knowledge and understanding to solve problems set in familiar and unfamiliar situations iii. analyze and evaluate information to make scientifically supported judgments. Relationship between summative assessment task(s) and statement of inquiry: During the written e-assessment, students will be tested upon their knowledge and understanding of concepts such as reproduction, models of DNA, Genetics and inheritance patterns and theories and mechanisms of Evolution. Students will be tested for their ability to design simple genetics experiments and to interpret and present given data in the appropriate manner. Criterion B: i. explain a problem or question to be tested by a scientific investigation ii. formulate a testable hypothesis and explain it using scientific reasoning iii. explain how to manipulate the variables, and explain how data will be collected iv. design scientific investigations. Criterion C: i. present collected and transformed data ii. interpret data and explain results using scientific reasoning iii. evaluate the validity of a hypothesis based on the outcome of the scientific investigation iv. evaluate the validity of the method v. explain improvements or extensions to the method. Middle Years Programme Unit planner 4 Approaches to learning (ATL) Thinking - Critical Thinking. Through criteria A based activities, students will revise prior understanding based on new information and evidence. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues. Formulate factual, topical, conceptual and debatable questions. Analyze complex concepts into their constituent parts. Synthesize and make connections between information and arguments to create new understandings. Through criteria B and C based activities, students will learn to solve problems effectively, including in non-familiar situations; ask penetrating questions to clarify the problem. Be able to logically design scientific investigations to explore research questions, to develop an appropriate hypothesis and to control variables. Identify trends and forecast possibilities. Draw Supported conclusions (cause effect versus correlation, enough sample size). Evaluate and manage risk. Students will learn to recognize and evaluate propositions. Evaluate evidence and arguments. Consider ideas from multiple perspectives. Recognize unstated assumptions and bias. Reflectively analyse and evaluate evidence, data, arguments, alternative points of view, and claims and beliefs, to make valid judgements, conclusions, interpretations and decisions. Middle Years Programme Unit planner 5 Action: Teaching and learning through inquiry Content Life cycles and Reproduction - Life cycles, Asexual Reproduction, Sexual Reproduction in plants, Sexual Reproduction in humans Structure of systems, Spermatogenesis, Oogenesis, Menstruation, copulation, birth control, STD, Fertilization, gestation, lactation aging (4 Blocks) Cell division and DNA - cell cycle, mitosis, meiosis, terminology – genes, chromosomes, DNA Discovery and Structure, DNA replication, Transcription, Translation, DNA fingerprinting, DNA mutations (4 Blocks) Mendelian Genetics - Traits, Punnett square, monohybrid dihybrid, variations - blood groups, Middle Years Programme Unit planner Learning process Learning experiences and teaching strategies Power point presentations, Videos, Physical Models, Debates, Simulations, Lab experiment, Note-taking, Reflection, Role play Formative assessment Quiz, Worksheet, Lab report 6 Action: Teaching and learning through inquiry mutations, genetic disorders, pedigree (4 Blocks) Evolution - Adaptations, natural selection Darwins theory of evolution, continental drift, speciation, evidences for evolution, cladistics, artificial selection (4 Blocks) Differentiation Videos, website and textbook resources available Opportunity for group work in lab Group discussions Resources https://www.coldhollowtocanada.org/what/newsletters/article/news/forest-tent-caterpillar-what-to-do-in-your-woods/, https://www.debjsnyder.net/life-cycle-rubric-and-state-standards.html, https://www.pioneer.com/home/site/us/agronomy/soybean-aphidmanagement/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_life_cycle#cite_note-6 Reproduction: https://www.biologymann.com/myp-biology.html Fertilisation, development: file:///D:/shared/2017-18/MYP/Reproduction/Repd %20resources%20&%20WS/KS3_Reproduction_A3_copy.pdf, Birth control link: Contraception Methods: Types & Examples video. Antibiotic resistance:https://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/bergstrom_03 Pedigree charts:file:///D:/shared/2017-18/MYP/DNA%20and%20inhertiance/Pedigree%20Charts%20_%20BioNinja.html https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/legacy/natural-selection Documentaries - What Darwin Never Knew, Evolution - Darwin's Dangerous Idea, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZt1Gn0R22Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UQC5ts6hUs. Textbooks – Armstrong, Hodder, Oxford Middle Years Programme Unit planner 7 Reflection: Considering the planning, process and impact of the inquiry Prior to teaching the unit During teaching After teaching the unit This unit should be quite relevant and beneficial to students of this age group especially since it deals with the adolescent topics such as reproduction in a scientific and balanced manner. Students will become more aware and informed about their own body systems and should be able to develop a healthy attitude towards their personal lifestyles and choices as well as develop a balanced and open-minded view of those in their societies. Learning of classical genetics will give them a good foundation to accept more contemporary ideas in the field and develop an appreciation for the nature of science and discovery. Finally, this unit will allow students to become more aware of and empathetic towards the environment and enable them to contemplate the impacts of their actions on other species. Middle Years Programme Unit planner 8
