Life Sciences: Ecology, 6 Week Unit Plan and First Week Lesson Plans
Helena Cheng
Summerbridge 2013
Unit Plan:
Week 1:
-Introduce myself and familiarize students with classmates and play an icebreaker game.
Discuss classroom expectations or even create rules together. Introduce the subject of
earth and life sciences and have students give examples. Explain some experiments we
will be doing and introduce the scientific method. Talk about how scientists form
hypotheses about questions and go on to form experiments and later on, conclusions.
Show a lab report then have kids do their own lab report with an experiment. This week
the kids will plant their own plants to be observed over the next few weeks.
Week 2:
Learn about the food chain and different members of the food chain (predators vs prey,
herbivores, carnivores, omnivores). Students will give examples and talk about their roles
in the food chain and how they contribute. How can predator/prey cooperate and form
mutualism? This week should have several fun activities for the students, such as
predator/prey game using index card cut-outs, and hopefully a trip to a zoo.
Week 3: We’ll learn about different forms of life and also how they communicate (eg.
bird calls experiment), we will also learn about migration and do an activity about it.
Here I would like to do an experiment about bird flight and make paper birds and see
how changing the length/width/weight of the paper affects how a bird may fly or take off.
This week, I would also like to do an experiment on different beak types and the different
foods/environments they are designed for.
Week 4: We will talk about other forms of life this week that we normally overlook, such
as plants, fungi, yeast, etc. I’m planning on including really interesting clips from nature
documentaries so kids can see different tactics. This week I want to do the plant capillary
action experiment and the yeast/balloon experiment and growing plant seeds in different
environments (sponge, dirt, paper towel). Can we change the colors of flower petals, and
can some plants be carnivorous?
Week 5: This week we will focus on mammals and cooperation between family members
and communities. How do animals adapt to their environment and do we ever know for
sure why animals do what they do? Why do animals, like insects and lions, fish and other
fish, need to cooperate, much like humans do?
Week 6: What can we do to conserve our animals and plants? Talk about endangered
animals and have kids do their own research on an endangered animal and give a
presentation on it. They will have a step-by-step rubric and list of expectations/goals with
clear explanations. We may need to book a computer lab for this. Discuss the future and
how different life forms affect our daily lives.
Helena Cheng
Ecology
Week 1 Lesson Plans: Monday
Goals:
●
Students will know my name and some facts about me as well as their
classmates.
● Students will brainstorm their ideas of what ecology is all about and what they
think of, share with a partner, and then with the class.
● Students will know what the unit is about and what we will learn about.
Objectives:
● Students will define ecology and identify topics within the area of ecology.
● Students will write their ideas of what ecology is and what it includes
● Students will identify classroom expectations through discussion
●
Materials:
● White Paper
● Markers
Procedure:
Introductions and Instructions: (5 mins)
I will introduce myself:
● My name is Helena
● I am a student at Lehigh University and I am majoring in Biology
● I have a hamster named Henry, and I love animals. My favorite hobbies are
watching nature documentaries, swimming, painting, and playing piano.
● I think science is really fun, and I hope they do too!
Then I will ask each student to take a slip of paper and write down the answers to the
following questions. When they are ready, they can share with the rest of the class their
answers.
● Tell us where you are from
● Tell us something about yourself
● What do you like about science?
After getting to know each other, we will review classroom expectations. (<5 mins)
Ask students if they know what some Summerbridge expectations are.
● Respect yourself, others, the teacher, and school property.
-> What are some ways we can show respect?
-> Raising our hands when we want to share an idea, and listening while others
are speaking, giving full attention to the speaker.
-> In science, it’s important to know that we’re not always correct so it is very
important to listen to other peoples’ ideas and opinions.
● Use appropriate language
● Be kind and considerate of your classmates. Treat others as you would like to be
treated.
● Always come prepared and ready
● No cell phones are allowed—they are a distraction. Save chatting with friends
for breaks and during teamwork activities.
● Homework Rules:
-> Complete your homework every day it is given. Do it to the best of your
ability; don’t try to shortcut.
-> Don’t only do half or write down answers without explanations.
-> Do homework on your own; copying others’ work is illegal in science. The
point of homework is to really learn about biology, and we want to get
something out of all the hard work we are putting in this summer.
● Bathroom breaks can be taken in the first 3 minutes of class or between classes,
and you have to use sign-out sheet.
Ecology Brainstorm Activity: (20 mins)
Instructions
i. Ask students to brainstorm on their own first, jotting down what they know
about biology and ecology. What do you think of when you hear the word ecology?
In what context have you heard it? (5 mins)
ii. Students will share their answers with a partner (5 mins)
iii. Ask student to come together as a class and make a web on the board. (10
mins)
***I’ll try to incorporate inquiry teaching and filling-in-the-blanks for what students
are missing. I will ask questions depending on what they answer, and ‘fill in the
blanks’ with information related to what they contributed.
Next I will briefly review the unit plan and this week’s lesson plans.
-> We’ll be doing many fun experiments and activities to help us learn the topic of the
week. We will be growing our own plants, bread mold, and playing survival games.
-> On Mondays, we will do a quick activity called “Weekend Biology”—Tell us
something you saw over the weekend that might be related to last week’s topic (whether
it be an example of the food chain, how you made use of the scientific method to come to
a conclusion, etc).
HOMEWORK:
Students will create their own name tags for their desks with folded paper and markers.
Students will tell me what ecology is in their own words, and also why it might be
significant for scientists to study within the field of ecology. Who gains from it, and what
do we gain?
Ecology Homework
Name:
Date Due:
1. In your own words, how do biologists play an important role in our
lives?
2. There is a branch of biology called ecology, what do you think
ecology is the study of? Give 3 examples.
3. Why might it be helpful to us, human beings, to study ecology?
4. Why might it be helpful to: a) animals and b) the environment to
study ecology?
What are 3 things you would like to learn about in this course?
1.
2.
3.
Helena Cheng
Ecology
Week 1: Tuesday
Objectives:
-Students will recall classroom expectations and rules
-Students will investigate uses of the scientific method and brainstorm answers for
the worksheet with a partner
-Students will demonstrate and apply the scientific method to different daily
questions
Materials:
Chalk, blackboard
Smartboard
Worksheets
Procedure:
Warm Up: (7 mins)
For first period: brainstorm ecology, then show slide show. Show adaptations
video
For second period: Share your homework with a partner, then with the class. To
recap Easton kids, show slideshow and show adaptations video
Intro to Using Scientific Method: (15 mins, including video)
a. Has anyone ever seen the show Mythbusters or heard of it?
Well they use the scientific method to form questions and then they create an
experiment to test their predictions and later come to a conclusion. This is the way
all scientists “bust myths” and also discover new things. I will show a clip and ask
students to look for the steps the mythbusters take to answer their question.
-> show clip: Are yawns contagious?
-> I want you to look out for:
-What are the steps they take to answer the question?
-What were some good, important scientific ways they made sure the answer
was reliable?
-Pay close attention to what they do!
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/minisodes.htm
-> review clip:
Good things they did:
->They tested stimulus VS no stimulus--no stimulus being the control. What is a
control? An experiment is when you take a problem and break it up into variables
(something that might have an effect on the experiment). In an experiment, you try
to change one variable at a time with a treatment. A control is when you don’t
change any variables and you can compare the treatment with the control.
-> They built a separate room for it, away from distractions!
-> They let the subjects go in blind, meaning they did not know they were being
tested on. Why might this be important??
The first thing the scientists did before starting the experiment was come
up with a question; one that must be measurable and testable. This is called the
hypothesis.
Q: So what was the question they were trying to test?
Q: Did they have any background information before they started the
experiment? It’s always important to include background information and research
so you know what you’re doing and why you’re asking the question (Scientists
knew that this species of dogs is generally bad at learning)
Q: Did this experiment come to a conclusion? After seeing this video, can
we say confidently that ALL old dogs can learn new tricks?
A: No, it was only 2 dogs, and we can’t generalize the results for all dogs,
especially since one dog did not learn the new tricks! We would have to do more
experiments to know for sure.
b. A Mythbusters video “is it true that daddy long legs are the most venemous
spiders, their fangs are just too short?” 00- 00:55 - 02:49
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/minisodes.htm
-> What are some things that they did that weren’t very scientific and not
very safe?
-Sticking his arm in a tube--experimenting on himself! Safety is
really important in science!!
-He had no control variable!
-> Can they say for sure that daddy long legs are the most venemous? Can
they say for sure that daddy long legs have fangs that are just too short?
-> What are some better ways they can test the hypothesies to come up
with a more reliable conclusion?
Intro to Using Scientific Method Worksheet (below. To see what the students
already know, then filling in the gaps): 10 mins
a. Students will work on the worksheet on their own and brainstorm their
own ideas.
b. Next, students will compare their answers with a partner and discuss.
c. Share their answers with the class
Wrap Up: (5 mins)
a. What is the scientific method?
b. What can the scientific method be used for? (Answer: Anything! When asking
or answering any question at all, in any subject.)
c. Why is it important for scientists to repeat experiments many times?
***Note to students: We will be using the scientific method for the entire summer, and
you will be using it in school and daily life as well. It is a very important skill and it can
be lots of fun, so we’ll be incorporating it into a lot of stuff!
Homework: Think of a question, ecology related, that you have had before. (examples: do
fish sleep? Why do honey bees have hair on their legs? Is it true that all polar bears are
left handed?) Then, write down how you (if you were a scientist) might go about
answering this question. Why is it important to record everything you do during an
experiment? Tomorrow, we will learn how to use the scientific method step-by-step.
We will also review your answers tomorrow morning and see if we can solve any of your
questions!! :)
Introduction to the Scientific Method
Worksheet:
Mythbusters - Are Yawns
Contagious?
Ecology
Date:
Name:
***Write full sentences please!***
1. What did they know before they began investigating?
2. What did they do to investigate the myth/legend, step-by-step?
3. What kind of “control” variable did they have?
4. Was the myth confirmed or busted? Are their results reliable and why? Can we say that
we answered the question for sure?
Ecology Homework
Name:
Date:
Homework: Think of a question, ecology related, that you have had before. (examples: do
fish sleep? Why do honey bees have hair on their legs? Is it true that all polar bears are
left handed?) Then, write down how you (if you were a scientist) might go about
answering this question. Tomorrow, we will learn how to use the scientific method stepby-step.
1. What is the question you are interested in? (for example: Can old dogs learn new
tricks?)
2. What materials would you need to answer this question?
3. How might you test this using an experiment, step-by-step? What would your control
variable be?
4. What are some problems or difficulties you might run into?
5.Why is it important to record everything you do during an experiment?
Helena Cheng
Week 1: Wednesday
Life Sciences- Ecology
Objective:
-Students will summarize the aspects/ purpose of a lab report.
-Students will identify the parts of a lab report, and explain their purpose.
-Students will analyze the scientific method in depth and be prepared to utilize it.
Materials needed:
-Copies of scientific method flow chart:
http://opinionsandexpressions.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/20071210_scientificmethod.p
ng
-Outline and example of a lab report using the scientific method, linked below.
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_scientific_method.shtml
Procedure:
Warm-up: (6 mins)
a. Students will share their homework answers with a partner (4 mins)
b. Then we will review the answers as a group (3 mins)
-> Yesterday, we were introduced to the scientific method. Today, we’ll look at
how to use it and apply it.
Scientific Method: (15 min)
a. For homework, students had to think of questions that they might want to test.
Use an example of a student’s homework answer: for example, Susie’s question was, Do
sunflowers grow quicker in a greenhouse or outside? In the scientific method, we start by
forming a hypothesis from our question.
-> What’s a hypothesis? It’s a prediction or a guess that is testable; more of a
statement that you test rather than a question. Example: Sunflowers grow quicker outside.
-> How do you test a hypothesis? With an experiment.
-> Why is it important to write down everything you did during an experiment?
For others to know exactly how you got your results and how to repeat them.
i. You can record everything you did and observed in the procedure and
observations section of a lab report.
-> Read them the scientific method poem! (or have volunteers do it)
(http://www.havefunteaching.com/worksheets/science/scientists/scientific-methodworksheet.pdf)
Introduce Lab Report (Here I will model tomorrow’s experiment and lab report using the
scientific method) (13 mins)
a. Tomorrow, we will be doing a fun experiment: we will grow our own mold on
bread, and see what conditions it can survive in best.
i. Introduction and Hypothesis: The intro includes why we are doing this
experiment and why it is important. This includes the hypothesis. A hypothesis could be,
The mold will grow fastest on the white bread that is left in the light. The mold will grow
slowest on organic bread left in the dark. It has to be an educated guess, so you have to
explain your reasoning!
ii. Research: What is mold and what does it like to eat? Where is it
typically found around the household? My research tells me that mold is a fungus that
likes to grow on spoiled food and wet, damp places. I also think that white bread has
more preservatives than organic bread, so it might last longer without rotting.
ii. Experiment: First, jot down all the materials you used. Then, write
down a step-by-step procedure so that the experiment can be recreated. Conduct an
experiment: Seal a piece of soggy white bread in a bag and leave it for a few days in a
light place. Then, seal a piece of soggy organic bread in a bag and leave it for a few days
in a dark place.
iii. Observe and record data: When you’re ready to record data, write
down everything you see (what color? what shape? how much mold?)
iv. Come to a conclusion: Here, the scientist analyzes what they saw and
ties the results back to the hypothesis. The results supported my hypothesis that mold
grew fastest on white bread that was exposed to light.
v. Always do more experiments! More data means more support for the
hypothesis. In this process we can learn new things. For example: Next time, I will test
whether mold grows better in hot or cold or warm places and on different types of food.
References: If you used anyone else’s information or experiments, you need to state them
in references. Why is this important?
-> To avoid plagiarism
-> To know exactly where you got your information
Reference: http://www.ncsu.edu/labwrite/instructors/labreport-descript.pdf
Wrap Up (5 mins)
a. What problems might arise if we did not use the scientific method?
b. How could we use the scientific method in another topic, such as cooking or
baking?
Homework:
Use what we learned today about the scientific method and apply it to a
hypothetical situation.
Biology Homework- The Scientific Method
Name:
6/20/12
Today we learned how to use the scientific method in conducting an experiment and
writing a lab report. In this assignment, I will ask you to write mock parts of a lab report-the answers you give don’t have to be true, but they have to be in the correct format with
the scientific method used correctly.
Baking Cookies! I want to know whether cookies are better when made with butter
or oil. What do I mean by better? I mean taste, of course, and texture!
1. My question:
2. My hypothesis:
3. My research/past experience:
4. Materials needed:
5. Observations:
6. Results:
7. Conclusion and further experimentation?
Helena Cheng
Week 1: Thursday
Biology-Ecology
Objectives:
Students will create data and form a conclusion from today’s experiment.
Students will conduct a simple experiment and write a lab report, using the format that
we discussed the previous day. This was modeled for them the previous day.
Students will utilize the scientific method correctly in the lab report.
Materials:
# of copies of Lab Report:
(http://www.havefunteaching.com/worksheets/science/scientists/scientific-methodworksheet.pdf)
# of copies of Homework
Whole grain/Rye/Organic Bread
White Wonder Bread
Plastic Bags
Water Spray Bottle
Permanent Marker
Gloves (Latex or non-latex)
Procedure:
Warm up (5 mins) : Students will pair up and share their homework with one another.
Some students will share with the class and I will correct them and fill-in as needed.
Explain lab safety (5 mins): Does anyone know how scientists stay safe in the lab?
-> Use gloves
-> Follow instructions!!
-> Sometimes they use goggles and lab coats
-> Ask questions when you’re unsure!
Activity (15 mins) : In this experiment, students will observe combinations of 4
environments that mold can grow on. They will hypothesize on which environment mold
will grow the fastest, observe, take data, and conclude.
Instructions: Students will split up into 4 groups. Each student will put on gloves and
collect 1 piece of bread and a pair of gloves.
After activity, students will complete worksheet (5 mins)
Groups
Group 1:
White bread, dark place
Group 2:
White bread, light place
Group 3:
Organic bread, dark place
Group 4:
Organic bread, light place.
Each student will be asked to spray their piece of bread with water and then seal the bag
shut and place in the environment that they are assigned.
Follow Up:
The experiment will be checked up on Monday, and students will record observations and
the results, then write a conclusion and turn it in.
Wrap Up: (5 mins)
Compare your worksheet answers with a partner, then share with the class.
Homework: Lab report homework. What other experiments could you do lab reports on?
Today the homework is for you to try a lab report on your own, with a topic you choose.
Ecology Experiment: Does Mold Grow More on White or Organic
Bread? Does Mold Grow Faster in Dark or Light Places?
Name:
Date:
Introduction:
● Mold spores are everywhere just waiting to grow and multiply in the
right environment! These living organisms are a type of fungus and
they often grow on rotten food or moist areas.
● The life-saving medication penicillin is grown from mold. Mold is
also used in food production. Because of its importance in our daily
lives, scientists do experiments to understand it better so that we can
find more uses for it.
● In this experiment, we will test whether mold grows faster on white
bread or organic bread.
● We will also test whether light, thus temperature, affects its rate of
growth and observe whether it grows faster in dark or light places.
Materials:
●
●
●
●
●
●
13 slices of white Wonder bread
13 slices of rye/whole grain/organic bread
Water/spray bottle
24 zip lock bags
Permanent Markers
Latex Gloves
Groups:
Group 1:
White bread, light place
Group 2:
White bread, dark place
Group 3:
Organic grain bread, light place
Group 4:
Organic grain bread, dark place.
Procedure:
Observations:
My descriptive drawing:
Color?:
Amount of Mold?:
Speed of Growth?
My extra notes:
Notes
Safety note: Do not open the bag again after you have labelled and sealed
it!! Even if you are checking back on it in a few days.
My Results:
My Conclusion:
Ecology
Mold Experiment Worksheet
Name:
Date:
1.Think about where mold grows naturally in your experience. What other conditions do
you think are great for mold growth in nature?
2. Where have you seen mold in your own home (backyard, garage, etc)?
3. What kind of condition might mold not want to grow in?
4. What are your predictions for the other 3 bags of bread? Write hypotheses on all 4
cases.
Ecology homework: Lab Report
Date:
Name:
Lab Report: Try it Yourself!
Think of something you do everyday or enjoy doing, like cooking, tying your shoes, etc.
Fill out this lab report with whatever “experiment” you choose!
1. What’s the question you are answering?:
2. Make a hypothesis: (ex. I hypothesis that I will walk quicker and trip less often if I tie
my shoes)
3. What materials did you use?
4. Procedure:
5. Results:
6. Discussion: (my results support the hypothesis that tying my shoes will make me trip
less)
Helena Cheng
Week 1: Friday
Ecology
Objectives:
Students will utilize scientific method in today’s activity- growing plants
Students will grow their own plant from seedlings---we will check back on it every
monday over the next few weeks.
Materials:
**Materials needed for hands-on activity:
2 packets of spinach seeds, 2 packet of Marigold (or other) seeds, 2 packets of sunflower
seeds
Depending on the number of students, (13) of sponges and (13) of small pots with soil,
each
Water
Smartboard
Procedure:
Warm Up (8 mins):
Allow 5 minutes for students to observe previous day’s experiment (mold growing) and
note day 1 under observation section in lab report
Review homework in partners and share.
Activity: (20 min)
What kind of things do plants need to survive?
a. they need dirt, water, sun, air.
Q: How do we know this?
A: From past experimentation and experience. We know from experience
what works and what does not. Today, we will be planting our own plants and seeing
what they need to grow. Are we sure that plants can only grow in soil?
Then, we will go on to our planting activity. Students will be able to plant their own
seeds and watch them sprout. Can plants sprout without soil, or is soil crucial to their
survival? Is it possible to grow plants on just a sponge?
Instructions:
Half students will pick a sponge, and half will pick small pots with soil. Each student will
make the soil/sponge slightly damp. Then, they will put the seeds in and water it. They
can label their plant with name and description.
Wrap up: (8 mins)
a. Students will write what they planted, on what they planted it on, and what they
hypothesize will happen. Will it grow? Will it grow slowly?
b. What other ways could we test what plants would need to grow?
Feedback:
I will give students a feedback slip of 1) one thing i thought they did very well 2) one
thing they might need to work on.
No Homework On Fridays
My personal notes for future experiments, resources, ideas, etc:
Topics: Plants, predators vs prey, mammals, bird calls, food chain (herbivores,
carnivores, omnivores), endangered animals, future?
Resources:
Predator prey: http://kidsahead.com/external/activity/521
http://kidsahead.com/external/activity/520
http://kidsahead.com/subjects/33-mammals/activities/501
biodiversity; http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/homework_help/wildlife/index.cfm
Cooperation games:
http://www.projectnatureed.com.au/web%20library/Cooperative%20games.pdf
Experiments:
http://www.education.com/activity/article/Making_Mold_Science_Experiment/
http://www.housingaforest.com/shamrock-sprouts/
http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/chicken_cup.php
http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/yeast.php
http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/duckcall.php
migration challenge activity http://kidsahead.com/external/activity/512
experiments in bird flight: http://kimbennett.blogspot.com/2011/08/experiments-in-flightlift-thrust-and.html#axzz2Ubm7tuu9
make paper birds competition:
http://projectbeak.org/teacher/pdf/adaptations_wings_and_flight_paper_airplances.pdf
M&M survival challenge: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fairprojects/project_ideas/Zoo_p012.shtml
Plant Capillary Action: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fairprojects/project_ideas/PlantBio_p033.shtml
Beak type experiment http://www.quirkles.com/e-newsletter/000042013/Fun-ScienceActivity-For-Kids-Types-Of-Birds-Beaks-Experiment/index.htm
And
http://it.pinellas.k12.fl.us/Teachers3/gurianb/files/8041AE1EF3B946ABB522A47B70C4
3974.pdf