Description of the community:
Waldo Middle School is located in the north east part of Salem, Oregon. Salem is the capital of Oregon and houses the second largest school district in Oregon (“Alliance for excellent education”, 2001 ). Waldo is one of 11 middle schools throughout this district. As of June 4, 2012, Waldo had 803 students enrolled (“Salem-Keizer Public Schools,” 2012).
Waldo is located in the suburbs of northeast Salem. The houses directly surrounding the school are slightly run-down and many have overgrown yards. This is a good reflection of the community and overall socio-economic status within the school. Currently the school is Title 1, meaning it is a part of a federally funded program to help students that are at an economic disadvantage (“National Title 1 Association”).
Northeast Salem is a diverse community made up of families from various cultures. A large part of the community is comprised of families with Hispanic culture, however, Asian, Pacific Islander and African American cultures are also becoming a large makeup within this community (“Oregonlive.com,” 2010). Overall, there is a sense of loyalty to family and culture within northeast Salem and the suburbs that surround Waldo Middle School.
Description of the school:
As it was stated earlier, Waldo is one of 11 middle schools within the Salem-Keizer School District and as of early June, 2012 contains 803 students. The makeup of the student body is a direct reflection of the surrounding neighborhoods. As of 2010, 84.1 percent of students were receiving free or reduced lunch (“Oregonlive.com, 2010). Due to this increasing number, Waldo has received federal financial assistance from programs like the “No Child Left Behind” act.
Along with Waldo students being at an economic disadvantage, the students are also at an academic disadvantage due to the fact that 36 percent of the school have English as a second language. Seeing as many families entering the school speak Spanish, the facilities are labeled with not only English, but also in the Spanish language. The support personnel is friendly and welcoming, many of whom are bilingual to make it easy on the Spanish speaking families.
Description of the classroom:
In each sixth grade science class, there are an equal amount of girls and boys. Both gender groups are equally as hyper and excited to see a new face in their classroom. While discussing the students with my supervising teacher, he mentioned how good this group of sixth graders is. Although they are full of energy and often need to redirected, they do what is asked of them and are excited to learn. The classroom makeup is open and has windows along one wall. Although this is beneficial for some students, others use is as a distraction to learning. Science equipment is organized in various places surrounding the classroom walls. Overall, the classroom seems to be well lit, organized, and inviting.
Description of the students:
The classroom is made up of 23 sixth grade students. Each one of them is unique in their own way. Many of them are outgoing and are easily involved in the classroom discussion, however, some students need to be prompted multiple times before talking. One unusual fact about this classroom is that every single student in the class seems to have a peer they like to work with. Usually in a middle school classroom, there will be students that only like to work alone. I believe this is due to the fact that the students are friendly to one another. With that being said, one of the challenges within this group of students is the various academic levels each student is at. Within this group of students there are ELL, special education and TAG students. In between those students, there are average learners. This makes differentiation a crucial element to be considered when lesson planning.
Reflective Analysis:
Although for some, this population may seem a bit intimidating, this is what I’m used to. Before beginning my program through Willamette, I worked within a Title 1 high school that Waldo was actually a feeder school for. I have encountered a few different problems while working within these schools. One problem is the lack of freedom to manipulate materials that suit your students’ needs. Often Title 1 schools participate in piloted programs and are on strict schedules due to meeting state standards. Unfortunately, I could see this limiting the time and freedom I will need as a teacher in order to provide my students with the appropriate instruction.
Another problem I have seen occur within working with students of various cultures and economic statuses is the disconnect between the students and their families and staff. Due to the fact that I was not raised with the same cultural beliefs and traditions as many of my students, it makes it difficult to not only relate, but understand why they do and think some of the things they do.
In order to overcome these issues, it’s important to keep the goal in mind; help the students learn the required curriculum, meet the state standards and grow into respectable members of society. Often a teacher can get caught up in the politics of teaching and lose sight of the goal. Also, working with students from various cultural backgrounds, it’s important to submerse yourself into their world and learn through them. While working with my students, I will constantly ask them questions about their families and background. In turn, I will find ways to incorporate their heritage into the daily lessons. In order for students to be successful, they have to be able to relate to the material being taught.
Page 1
Theme:
This work sample is composed of a unit on the human body systems. It was created to be use in a sixth grade, general science classroom.
Description of unit and its relationship to overall classroom work:
This unit is comprised of six lessons, one pre-assessment, and a post-assessment. Each lesson takes approximately a day to complete, except for Lesson 6: Circulatory Inquiry Lab. For this lab, the students need approximately three days to complete the entire activity and their lab packet. Altogether, the unit will take approximately 10 - 12 days to complete.
This unit was designed in order to meet standard: 6.2L- Describe the relationships and interactions between and among cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems. Within this standard, students will be able to meet the following objectives:
1) Students will be able to describe the relationships between cells, tissues, organs and systems.
2) Students will be able to name the following organ systems and describe their various functions within the body.
3) Students will be able to conduct an experiment, using scientific methods, when given the inquiry question: What activity increases your heart rate most rapidly?
Within each lesson, there are individual objectives to assist student learning. Each lesson also shows modifications that may be made in order for each individual student to be successful within that particular lesson. At the end of each lesson, there is a reflection discussing personal thoughts about the lesson and ideas for future adjustments.
Page 2
6th Grade, General Science
Unit: Life Science Body Systems
Standard: 6.2L- Describe the relationships and interactions between and among cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems.
Unit Goals & Objectives
1) Students will be able to describe the relationships between cells, tissues, organs and systems.
2) Students will be able to name the following organ systems and describe their various functions within the body.
3) Students will be able to conduct an experiment, using scientific methods, when given the inquiry question: What activity increases your heart rate most rapidly?
Focused 10
Hour One: (November 5th)
Review prior knowledge of body systems
Pre-Assessment
Hour Two: (November 6th)
Relationships between cells, tissues, organs and systems
Skeletal System
Hour Three: (November 7th)
Muscular & Skin Systems
Hour Four: (November 8th)
Nervous System
Hour Five: (November 9th)
Respiratory System
Hour Six: (November 13th)
Circulatory System
Hour Seven: (November 14th)
Introduce student inquiry project
Hour Eight: (November 15th)
Inquiry Project
Hour Nine: (November 16th)
Inquiry Project
Hour Ten: (November 19th)
Post-Test
Page 3
Select the Standards
6.2L.1 Describe the relationships and interactions between and among cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems.
State the lesson objectives
1) Students will be able to describe the relationships between cells, tissues, organs and systems.
2) Students will be able to describe the five major functions of the skeletal system
3) Students will be able to explain the difference between bones and joints.
Restate the Objectives in Student Friendly Terms
You will be able to explain how cells, tissues, organs and systems work together. You will also be able to tell me why it’s important for humans to have a skeletal system. Last, you will be able to explain how bones are different from joints.
Materials needed
Prerequisite skills
Warm-ups
Students will take two minutes to feel the bones in their own bodies. After doing so, they will briefly sketch a picture of what they think the different bones look like.
Anticipatory set
In order to prepare the students for the upcoming unit on the various human body systems, we will review past knowledge the students may have. We will discuss what a cell is and why it is an important part of an organism. We will also prepare our vocabulary booklet and brainstorm different ways to use it.
Assessments
Assessment will be me checking the vocabulary booklet and cornell notes before the students leave the class. I will know the students understand the material by them demonstrating the correct material written in their booklet.
Closure
Before leaving, I will play the video “Name Those Bones.” I will tell the students that we will begin the next class period with the same video and go further into the skeletal system.
Literacy Integration
Literacy is supported through visual and written means within this lesson. In this lesson, the students will be drawing pictures of their bones in order to convey their idea of what they look like. They will also be creating and writing in their vocabulary booklet. They will be using this booklet as a study guide and source to utilize throughout the unit.
Modifications
Warm-Up
IEP Students- Students can choose to list qualities of their bones instead of drawing a picture if it helps them. They may also tell someone else and have them draw a picture for them.
TAG Students- Students should sketch the bones in a human form, and then circle any place where there is a joint.
Cornell Notes
IEP Students- Hardcopy of notes
TAG Students- At the end of each set of notes, the student will write one paragraph asking any questions they may have had throughout the lesson. In order to encourage deeper thinking, The student will discuss these questions with the teacher while others are finishing their vocabulary booklet.
Vocabulary Booklet
IEP Students- Pre-created vocabulary booklets w/definitions already recorded. The student just needs to draw a picture to illustrate it.
TAG Students- At the end of each definition answer the question: Why is this vocabulary word important to the human body?
Reflection
For this being my first lesson, I felt it went pretty well. Although the classroom managment portion of it still needs perfecting, I believe the students mastered the first objective; 1) Students will be able to describe the relationships between cells, tissues, organs and systems. Yesterday I gave my pre-assessment. Most of the students scored a two or three out of 10 on the test. At the end of the test, I asked them to write a couple sentences telling me anything they knew about the human body system. This little bit of writing helped me gage what they knew and what they still needed to be taught. This was a recommendation I received from my mentor teacher.
Today we began with the human body systems and introduced the idea of cells, tissues, organs and systems. The students seemed somewhat bored at first, but as I began explaining to them and giving them examples of how these things relate to our bodies, they became more intrigued. Although there was quite a bit of talking and a lot of “shhing” from me, the students seemed excited about the content. After the first period, I became much more comfortable teaching the material. I found useful ways to get the students’ attention without straining my voice too much. One of these ideas is using a bell that Mr. Bovee keeps on the front desk. The students seemed to respond to that pretty well.
We also had to assemble our vocabulary booklets today. The first period was okay, but we used a different method to do this. I dismissed the table groups one row at a time, they picked up their papers, folded them while they were in line and then I helped them staple them at the end. Although this allowed some downtime for the other students and took a little longer to finish, I believe it benefited the students’ learning much better. This was also a recommendation I received from Mr. Bovee.
For my three focus students, I found that the student that was struggling needed assistance compiling the vocabulary notebook. The next couple period Mr. Bovee had these already assembled and that kept the class moving a little bit better. The student also needed me to consistently check-on them and point out on their booklet where each one of the notes went in their booklet. With this help, they seemed to be able to focus on the content and discussions, not just the note taking. My more advanced student and average student did fine with this activity. They were engaged in the class discussion and needed very little assistance in being involved and demonstrating their knowledge. Although this was just the introduction to the unit, I felt the students had some background knowledge on the human body systems. As the content and activities become more challenging, I will continue to check for understanding through discussions, daily warm-ups and using exit strategies (slips, questions, etc.) The pictures in the vocabulary booklet also aid in them learning the more difficult material.
Page 4
Select the Standards
6.2L.1 Describe the relationships and interactions between and among cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems.
State the lesson objectives
1) Students will be able to describe the functions of the muscular system.
2) Students will be able to explain the difference between voluntary and involuntary muscle
3) Students will be able to give examples of voluntary and involuntary muscle.
4) Students will be able to describe the difference between cardiac, skeletal and smooth muscle.
5) Students will be able to describe the functions of the skin.
6) Students will be able to explain the difference between the epidermis and the dermis.
Restate the Objectives in Student Friendly Terms
You will know what the muscular system is and be able to tell me why it is important to the human body. You will also know the different types of muscles including voluntary, involuntary, cardiac, skeletal and smooth muscle.
You will also know the importance of the skin and be able to tell me why humans have it. You will know the two different layers of the skin, including the epidermis and dermis and be able to tell me what each of them does.
Materials needed
Prerequisite skills
Warm-ups
Students will be given a set of bones flashcards. In partners they will take turns going through the flashcards and pointing to the bone named on their own body. They will do this only after watching the video “Name Those Bones.”
Anticipatory set
In order to prepare the students for the upcoming lessons on the muscular system and the skin, directly after replaying the song “Name Those Bones,” and having the students point, as a class, to the various bones throughout the body, I will ask the students to engage in a class discussion over the following two questions:
1) What if we were made of all bones, but had no muscles? What would our movements look like?
2) If the heart is a muscle, how does it beat without us thinking about it?Assessments
Assessment will be me checking their vocabulary booklet and Cornell notes before they leave the class. I will know students know the material by them demonstrating the correct material written in their booklet.
Closure
Before students leave the classroom I will engage students in a class discussion around the reflective questions presented at the end of the PowerPoint Presentation.
Literacy Integration
The students will be using speaking, listening, writing and singing as a means of literacy throughout the lesson. They will be singing and listening to a song called, “Name Those Bones.” They will also be discussing the two anticipatory questions in order to begin thinking about the upcoming lesson. The students will be writing, taking Cornell style notes, answering reflective questions and completing their vocabulary booklet throughout the lesson.
Modifications
Warm-Up
IEP Students- Students will have a diagram on the back of the flash card that they will be able to view if they are having a difficult time.
TAG Students- Students will not be given the name of the bones. They will simply point to the bones in the video and give their partner the name.
Cornell Notes
IEP Students- Hardcopy of notes
TAG Students- At the end of each set of notes, the student will write one paragraph asking any questions they may have had throughout the lesson. In order to encourage deeper thinking, The student will discuss these questions with the teacher while others are finishing their vocabulary booklet.
Vocabulary Booklet
IEP Students- Pre-created vocabulary booklets w/definitions already recorded. The student just needs to draw a picture to illustrate it.
TAG Students- At the end of each definition answer the question: Why is this vocabulary word important to the human body?
Reflective Questions
IEP Students- Students will be read aloud the questions and will be able to verbally explain their responses to the teacher.
TAG Students- Students will be asked to explain how voluntary and involuntary muscles are necessary to the human body. They will also explain the different characteristics in both the epidermis and the dermis.
Reflection
This lesson went well. The student seemed interested in the muscular/skin systems and for the most part, needed very little redirection. The anticipatory set of questions helped me gauge the students prior background knowledge regarding these two systems. For this unit I used PowerPoint. I personally feel that PowerPoint is a good way to focus the students attention and keep my lessons streamlined, however, after talking to my mentor teacher, he encouraged me to allow the students to work independently over the next couple lessons. We both agreed that after the nervous system, the student would use the read aloud to learn about the respiratory and circulatory systems.
The students seem to be consistently filling out their vocabulary booklet. We have been filling these in daily as a class. I have used the book a couple times as an exit ticket and to make sure they are staying caught up. So far the vocabulary booklet has been a very useful tool for both myself and the students. This is definitely an activity I will use in future years.
In order to continue assisting my focus students and make sure they are progressing, I am going to continue using exit tickets in order to check for understanding. I will not only use the vocabulary booklet, but also questions regarding the lesson of the day. With the more advanced learners, I have tried to encourage continued discussion around the topics. I also believe as the lessons become more complex, the more advanced students will begin to see correlations between the various systems in the human body. These students will also be challenged as the students do the independent read alongs and begin filling out their vocabulary booklet on their own. My lower student will continue to get assistance from me throughout the lessons. At the end of each lesson, we fill out the vocabulary booklet together, just in case certain students didn’t get the correct information from the read aloud. We also have a couple of sample vocabulary booklets that students may borrow if they are struggling to keep up with the rest of the class.
Page 5
Select the Standards
6.2L.1 Describe the relationships and interactions between and among cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems.
State the lesson objectives
1) Students will be able to describe the functions of the nervous system.
2) Students will be able to explain the difference between the central and peripheral nervous systems.
3) Students will be able to describe the difference between the somatic and autonomic nervous systems.
Restate the Objectives in Student Friendly Terms
You will know what the nervous system does and will be able to tell me the difference between the two main parts of the nervous system. You will also be able to explain the difference between the two types of responses the nervous system has.
Materials needed
Prerequisite skills
Warm-ups
With a partner, the students will count one of two things; either how many times their partner breathes or how many times they blink in one minute. They will not tell their partner what they are counting.
Anticipatory set
In order to prepare the students for the upcoming lesson on the nervous system, I will ask the students if they’ve ever put their hand over a hot stove or by a fire. I will follow up with asking them what their response was. I will follow up with the question of what makes us react the way we do to our different senses? What are our senses?Assessments
Assessment will be me checking their vocabulary booklet and Cornell notes before they leave the class. I will know students know the material by them demonstrating the correct material written in their booklet.
Closure
Before leaving the classroom, I will ask students to go home and observe one of their family members for three to five minutes. In that time, keep track of how many times they move. Keep a journal of what movements they are making.
Literacy Integration
Students will be writing and discussing throughout this lesson as a means of literacy. They will be updating their vocabulary booklet, just like they have in the past, as well as discuss as a class ideas around the nervous system and reflexes in particular.
Modifications
Warm-Up
IEP Students- Students will count how many times the person blinks or breathes. May be partnered with teacher.
TAG Students- Students will pick another automatic movement of their choice to count without telling their partner what it was.
Cornell Notes
IEP Students- Hardcopy of notes
TAG Students- At the end of each set of notes, the student will write one paragraph asking any questions they may have had throughout the lesson. In order to encourage deeper thinking, The student will discuss these questions with the teacher while others are finishing their vocabulary booklet.
Vocabulary Booklet
IEP Students- Pre-created vocabulary booklets w/definitions already recorded. The student just needs to draw a picture to illustrate it.
TAG Students- At the end of each definition answer the question: Why is this vocabulary word important to the human body?
Reflection
Today I had to modify my lesson. Due to time constraints, we had to cover not only the nervous system, but also the reproductive. Because of this, I felt rushed and I honestly do not think the students were able to meet each of the objectives. For the nervous system unit, I used a PowerPoint. I felt organized and prepared to teach that day. The unit seemed to flow pretty smoothly, it just was too fast. The students had many questions (as was expected for the nervous system), I had a reflex testing activity that I wasn’t able to get to, unfortunately though, we had to move on.
If it was my classroom, I would have extended the human body systems unit for one, maybe two extra days. I feel like it would have been worth it in order to provide the students with the content that they needed in order to be successful on the assessments. Like I said earlier, the students were interested in the content and yet I wasn’t able to get to many of the questions because I had to keep the conversations focused. I believe the curiosity encourages learning. If the students are wanting to know more information, appropriate to the curriculum, they are showing wonder and curiosity. That is a positive thing and should be encouraged in the science classroom.
In order to provide further help for my three focus students I am going to continuously progress monitor to make sure they are understanding the curriculum. I will do this through the use of the vocabulary booklet and exit slips. I will also provide assistance when it comes to filling it out. In the next unit, I allow the students to do a read along and fill out their vocabulary booklets on their own with the information they feel is important. In order to meet the needs of my slower learners, I will provide an example booklet that they are able to use in order to stay caught up. The read aloud will assist them in the literacy portion of the assignment and the example booklet will give them scaffolded ideas as to what the important information was in the reading.
Page 6
Select the Standards
6.2L.1 Describe the relationships and interactions between and among cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems.
State the lesson objectives
1) Students will be able to describe the major functions of the respiratory system.
2) Students will be able to describe what respiration is.
3) Students will be able to explain the path air takes throughout the body.
Restate the Objectives in Student Friendly Terms
You will be able to tell me why the respiratory system is important to the human body. You will also be able to tell me what respiration is. You will not only be able to tell me what respiration is and why it’s important, but you will also be able to explain the process and tell me what happens.
Materials needed
Prerequisite skills
Warm-ups
Students will watch a short video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4zOXOM6wgE. Once the video/song is done, students will then turn to their table partner and share two things; 1) What organs is the respiratory system made of? 2) What does respiratory system do?. Each person will record their partner’s answer.
Anticipatory set
In order to prepare the students for the upcoming lesson on the respiratory system. I will lead them in a class discussion. I will do this by creating a chart on the overhead. One column will have the question, what do I already know? The second column will have the question, what do I want to know? Together we will brainstorm these two questions before beginning the lesson.Assessments
Assessment will be the students telling me one new thing they learned about the respiratory system as the exit the classroom.
Closure
Before leaving, I will play the video about the respiratory system again. I will ask the students to pair and share the same questions I asked at the beginning. I will then tell them it will lead into our discussion tomorrow about the circulatory system.
Literacy Integration
Students will be writing, listening, discussing and reading throughout the lesson. They will be using these forms of literacy in order to understand the content being presented. Students will be writing within their vocabulary journal as well as taking cornell notes throughout the lesson. They will be listening to a song about the respiratory system and the audio book. They will be discussing ideas about the respiratory system as we form our KWL chart as a class and they will be reading along with the book as it is played on audio.
Modifications
Warm-Up
IEP Students- The teacher will have a conversation with the IEP students regarding the respiratory system and they will be able to state what the main organ is in that system.
TAG Students- Students will also state what each of the organs is responsible for in the respiration system.
Vocabulary Booklet
IEP Students- Pre-created vocabulary booklets w/definitions already recorded. The student just needs to draw a picture to illustrate it.
TAG Students- At the end of each definition answer the question: Why is this vocabulary word important to the human body?
Reflection
This was a lesson that ended up needing to be combined with the previous lesson, The Nervous System. Because of this, the lesson felt rushed and fairly ineffective. Although the students enjoyed the youtube video of The Respiration Song, I felt it would have been more effective and the students would have enjoyed hearing it a couple more times.
When I look back my objectives. I believe the students were able to state the functions of the respiratory system. Where I feel the content was lost, was in the read aloud portion of the lesson. Many of the students were staring off into space and when I would check for understanding, there seemed to be a disconnect.
Objective number 3, regarding the pathway the air takes was another missing piece of today’s lesson. I had the students fill out an exit slip answering the question, “What is one part of the body that is involved in the path of air?” Most students came up with an answer, however, many of them said nose and mouth. Although this answer is correct, typically if students have learned something, they would want to show that off. The simplicity of their answers makes me feel that the other parts of the pathway were lost.
Select the Standards
6.2L.1 Describe the relationships and interactions between and among cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems.
State the lesson objectives
1) Students will be able to describe the major functions of the circulatory system.
2) Students will be able to check their pulse and determine their heart rate.
3) Students will be able to describe the flow of blood through the circulatory system.
Restate the Objectives in Student Friendly Terms
You will be able to tell me why the circulatory system is important to the human body. You will also be able to take your pulse and tell me how your blood flows throughout your body.
Materials needed
Prerequisite skills
Warm-ups
Students will watch a short video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5K_HR6hxMY. Once the video is done, the students will 1) Practice taking their resting heart rate and 2) Record the HR and the average heart rate of someone their age in their Daily Science Journal.
Anticipatory set
In order to prepare the students for the upcoming lesson on the circulatory system, I will lead them in a class discussion by using a KWL chart. I will do this by creating a chart on the overhead. One column will have the question, what do I already know? The second column will have the question, what do I wonder? Together we will brainstorm these two questions before beginning the lesson.
Assessments
Assessment will be the students showing me their 100% completed vocabulary booklet. All pages should be filled in at this point.
Closure
Before leaving, I will play the video about how to take your pulse one last time. Each student will attempt finding their heart rate before they leave the classroom.
Literacy Integration
Students will be watching, listening, discussing, reading, and writing within this lesson to help support their literacy needs. They will begin by watching and listening to a video on how to take their pulse. Next, they will be discussing ideas to create the KWL chart for the circulatory system. Then, they will listen and read along with the audio book. After the reading, they will fill in their vocabulary booklet before leaving for the day.
Modifications
Warm-Up
IEP Students- The teacher will assist the student when it comes to taking their pulse. They will have a timer so they don’t have to keep track of time on their own.
TAG Students- Students will be able to find their heart rate and will be asked to think about how it compares to that of the average heart rate for someone their age. They can write this down in their Daily Science Journal.
Vocabulary Booklet
IEP Students- Pre-created vocabulary booklets w/definitions already recorded. The student just needs to draw a picture to illustrate it.
TAG Students- At the end of each definition answer the question: Why is this vocabulary word important to the human body?
Reflection
After teaching this lesson, I really reflected on what I did and how it helped/hurt my students’ learning. Ultimately, I feel like there are positives and negatives to allowing the students to do more thinking on their own. As we were going through the read aloud and the KWL chart, the students seemed disengaged. I don’t know if this is because they are used to having a teacher up front talking to them or if it’s because they don’t have the amount of focus that is needed to complete these activities on their own.
The students seem to enjoy the human body systems content, but become easily distracted. A lot of the time is wasted on redirection and classroom management. Although I know they are only 6th graders, I feel that if there is a classroom led discussion, there is much more structure and learning that is being achieved. My fear about this theory is due to the fact that I am extremely structured and somewhat of a control freak. I’m not sure if I am having a hard time allowing them to run their own learning because I am a control freak or because I truly don’t see the learning being done that needs to be.
The KWL chart was fairly successful. Many of the students had used this strategy before and so they were comfortable asking and answering questions. One thing I would do to modify this activity is to try and allow the students to do this on their own. This is a fairly short task and it would allow them to begin thinking for themselves.
I believe the students met most of the objectives. They may have struggled with being able to describe the flow of blood. This is a complicated process and I believe visual aids would have been helpful for the students to fully grasp the concept.
For my three students I am going to introduce visual aids and begin to ask questions that require them to think about how this system works with the other systems in the body. My students that are high achieving and average are ready to move on, whereas my other student still is struggling understanding the flow of blood and how it works in general. The students demonstrated this by their exit slips (asked to write down one thing they learned about the circulatory system) and their involvement in the class discussion.
Page 8
Select the Standards
6.2L.1 Describe the relationships and interactions between and among cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems.
State the lesson objectives
1) Students will be able to state why the pulse is important.
2) Students will able to take their pulse.
3) Students will be able to interpret their data in a line graph.
4) Students will be able to analyze their data.
Restate the Objectives in Student Friendly Terms
You will be able to tell me why knowing your heart rate is important to overall health. You will be able to show me how you can find out your heart rate. Last, you will be able to test your bodies by taking your pulse, gathering data on your table and then writing a conclusion explaining what you found through our lab.
Materials needed
Prerequisite skills
Warm-ups
Students will watch a short video on how to check their pulse using the two different methods (neck or wrist). We will then practice taking our pulse and finding our heart rate before beginning the lab.
Assessments
Assessment will be done using the inquiry lab data and process.
Literacy Integration
Students will be watching, listening, drawing, writing, recording and interpreting as forms of literacy throughout the lab process. They will begin by watching and listening to the video on how to take their pulse. They will then write their background information, research question and hypothesis as a part of their lab. Next, they will draw their data table and graphs. As they are conducting the lab they will record their data into the appropriate area on their data table. When they are done, they will interpret their findings and record it on their graph. Last, they will write their conclusion.
Modifications
Warm-Up
IEP Students- The teacher will assist students in taking their pulse. If they are unable to do so on their own, they can have either a partner or the teacher take their pulse for them.
TAG Students- Students can determine which area gives them a more accurate heart rate. They can then determine which would be more effective for this lab.
Inquiry Lab
IEP Students- Pre-created Data Tables and Graphs so they only need to record their information. Only one person will do the lab while the other records their data.
TAG Students- At the end of the lab, the students will evaluate what may have occurred during the lab to give them the results they received. If there is additional time, they may conduct a second trial.
The first day of this lab went fairly well, but I found that there were certain things I could do that would make the activity go smoother. First period, I put a data table on the board and asked them to create it on their own sheet of paper. Although I knew this could produce different results, I chose to let them try it on their own to see if they could do it. Most of the students completed that data table, but each one looked a little bit different. I don’t know if that is necessarily a bad thing. The second period, my mentor teacher told me to create the data table with them. All students completed the table and everyone of them looked great, but I still wonder if I’m not allowing them to think for themselves when I guide them through every activity.
The second day of this activity went surprisingly well. The class was on task and doing the activities independently. As I moved around the room making sure that the students were on track and doing the activities correctly, I noticed that most of the students were taking the activity seriously and seemed to be genuinely interested in their results. This encourages me as a teacher to be able to allow the students more freedom to explore the various activities science has to offer.
Day three was fairly difficult. We had to get the graph and conclusion done, as well as review our vocabulary booklet for the test on Monday. I felt prepared walking into the lesson, but between getting the students under control and little odd things (reviewing the planner, talking about conferences, long morning announcements, and doing a candy drawing) we quickly fell behind. I was disappointed in how the day went because I felt rushed and so I know the students felt even more rushed. I know this is not my timeline and I’m trying to fit my lessons into someone elses timeframe. This makes it difficult, but I wish the students had more time to complete the activities appropriately. Some students finished, but others didn’t. That is discouraging to me.
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