Day 4:
Experimentation: culturing of bacteria from school
grounds
Bacteria and Viruses Unit
Ken Bateman, Sue Bros, and Becky Lederman
Over the next two days, the students will work together in their cohort groups to start an experiment. On this day, students will be asked to work together to determine a course of action for the experiment. The students will be asked to work in cohort groups to create a hypothesis and a procedure to look at microorganisms throughout the school. The groups be told that they can use agar plates and cotton swabs for their experiment. Students will be asked to sample two places within the school building and determine what microorganisms grow where they have sampled. Working in groups will promote the exchange of ideas about Viruses and bacteria throughout the groups. If students are aware of one anotherıs ideas and preconceptions, they may scaffold for groups, as they are able to construct correct knowledge for themselves. Additionally, students are asked to act like scientists by creating a procedure and doing an experiment.
The
teacher should be available to answer questions when absolutely necessary and
should also monitor the students to ensure groups are working well
together. The students as a class
should be allowed to work together to solve problems and scaffold for each
other. When possible, the teacher
should ask probing questions to encourage the groups to consider their
rationale for the procedure that they will create.
Additionally, management of small groups is the key to this part of the lesson. Each group should be able to create a procedure to implement over several class periods. The class ends with class revising their traits of a bacterium and virus on the poster board from the first day of the unit.
Name Ken Bateman, Sue Bros, and Becky Lederman |
Bacteria and Viruses Unit |
Class 9th and 10th Grade Biology |
Day 4 |
Topic: Experimentation:
culturing of bacteria from school grounds
Reference to MA Science Framework and/or NSES:
Inquiry:
Evolution and Biodiversity
· 2.2 Differentiate between prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cell, in terms of their general structure and degrees of complexity.
Global and Curricular objectives for students:
Brief description of lesson (include start, middle, and end)
Homework |
Students are asked to write up their hypothesis and experimental procedure. Students should reflect on what they hope to discover. |
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Lesson evaluation (Identify successful management, learning, enjoyment and the evidence of it. Refer to objectives. Areas for development.) |
Successful learning will be evident:
Successful management will be evident:
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Student assessment
(Knowledge, skills, and understanding) |
Students will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding by sharing ideas and participating in groups and classroom discussions and activities. They will also be assessed on whether or not they have created a cohesive hypothesis and procedure. |
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New targets |
The ability to take their experimental designs and use them to perform the experiment. |
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Adjustments for special needs students:
Special needs students should be monitored to ensure that they remain on-task during the inquiry activity. Additionally, care should be taken to ensure that special needs students are given space to participate in the group discussion.
Materials, equipment and supplies:
Log books, chalk and chalkboard
Safety concerns:
Group dynamics