Science Performance
Grade 6
Topic – Microbes
Title
Microbial Movement
Performance Expectation: S5O1b - Compare characteristics common in observed organisms (e.g., color,
movement, appendages, shape) and infer their function (e.g., green color found in organisms that are producers,
appendages help movement).
Performance Expectations: Students will classify organisms according to the structure they use for motion.
Student Science Performance
Gathering
To introduce the concept of classification, students will work in a group of 4 to sort and classify a sample of mixed
beans. Students will describe what criteria was used for each group in their classification and defend their
classification.
?Article on reclassification of archeobacteria – emphasizing changes in classification systems
Students work in groups of 2-4 to observe and record their observations of various microbes from a collection of
pictures and video clips. Based on their observations, students construct a classification system in which to sort
their microorganisms.
Reasoning
Construct an Explanation from Evidence
Students must construct an explanation for the classification of their microbes, supporting their explanation with
evidence from their observations. Students work in their small groups to develop explanations for why one group of
organisms would have a shared feature. What is the function of the trait shared among organisms placed in the same
group? For example, what would be the function of the flagella (tails) in a group in which they shared this trait?
Students individually write in their notebooks the explanation and evidence to support their classification and
argument.
Develop an Argument from Evidence
Class Discussion – These are sample questions to initiate discussion. The actual questions used will vary depending on
the classification systems students develop and the direction the discussion heads.






What are the similarities of the microbes in each group?
Compare each group to the other groups. How are the groups different from each other? How are the groups
alike?
What is the function of the structure (appendages) you observe on the microbes?
What evidence supports your explanation of the function of the appendages?
Why might we classify green organisms different than other organisms?
Given the following picture/video, how would you classify this organism? Justify your choice with evidence.
Communicating
In groups, have students do online research of a paramecium, euglena, amoeba, spirogyra, hydra, daphnia, and
diatoms. Present to the class on which group their microbe belongs and justification for why, describe structures that
facilitate movement of the microbe (if any) and how this structure allows for the function of movement.
Science Practices
Constructing Explanations
Science Essentials (Student Performance Expectations From Appendix C, D, E)
Work collaboratively to construct science explanations
Compare multiple explanations of the same science phenomena
Engaging in Argument from
Evidence
Crosscutting Concepts
Patterns
Use evidence to support ideas
Use evidence to generate or support explanations
Listen to others’ explanations
Identify and describe patterns in the natural world
Use patterns to identify and classify objects, mechanism, and organism.
Use patterns as evidence to support scientific explanations
Structure & Function
Relate the structure to the mechanical functioning of a machine or organism
Explain the function of microscopic structures on organisms
Investigate phenomena and describe the structure/function relationship
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Living Organisms
. Moulding, 2011)
Unity and diversity of living organisms
Organisms have characteristic structures and function to meet needs