Samantha+Cojuangco

=Samantha Cojuangco=

Week 5 Application: Creating a Problem-Based Learning Lesson Plan Brief Description: This lesson introduces the students to the problem-based learning activity for the Introduction to Biology Class unit. The students have just learned the characteristics of life and the life processes. They will create a proposal for a new class pet to adopt for the school year. In their proposal they will learn about the abiotic and biotic needs of the organism, they will consider how the life processes are carried out by the organism, as well as how the environment must be maintained for the health and happiness of the organism. Not only does this lesson involve the characteristics of life, the life processes, and the idea that organisms depend on biotic and abiotic factors, but the activity requires the students to evaluate the feasibility of caring for various organisms in the classroom environment. For example, the students may explore the immune system when considering student allergies to pet dander and/or other materials needed for upkeep (ie. animal bedding). Students may need to consider the amount of noise produced by the organisms or the amount of space required by the organism. This activity also requires that students work with math as they are creating a budget for purchases within a $300 limit. They need to consider quality over quantity, they need to consider need over want, etc. Finally, the students are expected to be involved in the maintenance of the pet. The students are required to create a schedule for upkeep as well as assign roles for doing those jobs. If the class is not willing to be involved in maintaining the pet, they could very well explain in their proposal why they do not feel up to doing the tasks necessary to maintain the pet. They will, of course, have to describe the tasks that would need to get done. They could propose another use for the $300 as a result. This lesson is relevant to the students because many students enjoy having a pet. They also appreciate being involved in decision-making. Finally, this lesson allows them to truly feel like members of the classroom community. Daily Lesson GAME Plan || Choosing a Class Pet |||| Related Lessons: Life Processes, Ecosystems || Science as Inquiry
 * Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use
 * Lesson Title:
 * Grade Level: High School |||| Unit: Introduction to Biology Class ||
 * GOALS ||
 * Content Standards:
 * Skills necessary to become independent inquirers about the natural world
 * The disposition to use the skills, abilities, and attitudes associated with science

Life Science
 * Organisms and Environments
 * Interdependence of Organisms
 * Behavior of Organisms

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
 * Personal and Community Health

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
 * Environmental Quality
 * Natural and Human-induced Hazards ||
 * ISTE NETS-S: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making ||
 * Instructional Objective(s):
 * Students will describe the biotic and abiotic factors involved in maintaining homeostasis in a particular organism.
 * Students will evaluate the feasibility of caring for various organisms in a classroom environment. ||
 * ACTION ||
 * Before-Class Preparation:
 * Create the grant memo to distribute to the students.
 * Reserve laptop cart for class use.
 * Ensure internet access on laptops.

Grant Memo Information
 * The Living Environment class has been awarded a $300 grant to purchase a class pet and the material necessary to care for the pet.
 * Students are to present a proposal to the administration for a class pet to adopt.
 * In the proposal they must present a budget detailing items that are to be purchased as well as a description as to why the materials are necessary.
 * Students will create a "_ Information Sheet."
 * Students will create a “How To Care for ” Sheet.
 * Students will create a schedule for regular maintenance of the pet environment as well as a schedule for feeding.
 * Students will assign class members roles to ensure that the schedule of upkeep and feeding are followed.
 * Students will defend their proposal in lieu of arguments presented by others as to why we should NOT adopt their proposed pet.
 * If during their research they determine that it is not feasible to adopt their chosen pet, they will present the reasons why. ||
 * During Class ||
 * Time |||| Instructional Activities || Materials and Resources ||
 * 5 min.

10 min.

30 min.

3 min. |||| Do Now: Choose one of the following to respond to. a) Describe a pet you have or once had. How did you care for it? b) Describe a pet you’d like to have. What do you think you’d need to do to care for it?

Describe the grant and the project expectations. Have the students brainstorm information that would need to be gathered, considerations that must be made, and material that would be needed for students to complete their task. List their ideas on the board.

Have students meet their group members and self-assign group roles for the project. Students will determine the organism they would like to purchase as well as what information they would need to find about their organism. Students will list the materials they need to do their project and exchange contact information. Students will set up Google accounts and sync Google Calendars and task lists.

Have students share out their class pet ideas, the information they would need to find, and the materials they would need to complete their project.

Have students complete the exit slip. Exit Slip: Why would we want to keep and care for a class pet as part of a biology class? How do you feel about having a class pet? || Student notebooks

Dry erase board Dry erase markers Student notebooks

Laptop Computers Internet Access Google Accounts

Dry Erase Board Dry Erase Markers Exit Slips ||
 * Notes: Students need to have prior knowledge of the life processes and characteristics of life. ||
 * MONITOR ||
 * Ongoing Assessment(s):
 * Students will check-in daily via a blog on the classes Ning network.
 * Students will answer prompt questions as well as reflect on daily learning via Ning.
 * Teacher will monitor student participation in group work.
 * Students will maintain a task list via Google Calendar based on their assigned roles.

Accommodations and Extensions:
 * Group students based on ability.
 * Offer options for presenting their proposal; PowerPoint, Voice Thread, Word Document, etc.
 * For students that would rather be given options to choose from, provide pictures of various organisms and/or a list of organisms to choose from.

Back-up Plan: Students will be graded using a rubric evaluating: Hi Samantha,
 * Students create a care guide and information brochure about one of the current class pets; corn snake, red-eared slider turtle. ||
 * EVALUATION ||
 * Lesson Reflection and Notes:
 * Accuracy of information gathered.
 * Ability to address considerations brought up by administrators, fellow students, and parents (allergies, cost efficiency, time/effort required for care, legal considerations, etc.).
 * Budget proposal for purchases.
 * Quality of proposal presentation (adheres to rules of standard English and grammar, audience appropriate, etc.) ||

Your lesson is well thought out. I like that you are allowing your students to do the research on keeping a pet. Many times teachers including my self choose a pet for the class with out the students input. It is important that if the pet is for the class then the class must know everything about the care and up keep of the pet. Your lesson does just that. The students will know by the end of their research if the pet thy chose is the one they really want by the amount of money and attention is required. I also like in your lesson that you are allowing your students to change their minds after the research. I think this is a lesson that would also work well with middle school and upper elementary school students.

Sandra