Nervous and Digestive Systems Lesson Plan …...Dissection (Originally done to show symmetry of...

Running Head: LESSON PLAN ENHANCEMENT DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION

Nervous and Digestive Systems Lesson Plan Enhancement Through

Differentiated Instruction

Kimberly Gallagher

Post University

LESSON PLAN ENHANCEMENT DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION 2

Nervous and Digestive Systems Lesson Plan Enhancement Through

Differentiated Instruction

The overall theme for the seventhgrade curriculum is the Characteristics of

Living Things. During the last trimester of the year students begin to learn about all of

the different animal systems within organisms and humans, starting with the nervous

and digestive systems. Upon completion of all the animal systems the seventh grade

spends four days on a shark dissection. The goal of the weeks leading up to the

dissection is for students to have a solid understanding of all animal systems, how these

systems related to marine life and how they relate to their own lives.

Goals and Pedagogy

The goal for all successful lesson plans in science education is for developing a

student’s understanding and knowledge (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). In order to

enhance this mini unit on the digestive and nervous systems, the lesson plan has been

adapted and enhanced. The lesson was originally developed with a novice level of

understanding of differentiated instruction. The methods of enhancement are based on

Differentiated Instruction as well as a collaboration, peer review, blog posts, and hands

on laboratory experiences. Some key elements that will enhance this unit through

Differentiated Instruction include Interest, Readiness and using a Learning Menu

(Tomlinson, 2001; The Teaching Channel, n.d.). The Learning Menu was chosen as the

form of enhancement as it offered the most flexibility to the teacher as well as the

student in the design goal of a differentiated classroom experience. When

enhancement occurs by differentiated instruction, ‘ “covering information’ takes a back


seat to making meaning out of important ideas’ (Tomlinson, 2001, p.16). When a

student understands their world and when their academic subjects have meaning to

them, they can link what their learning to the world and these students will want to learn

more (Perkins, 2009 ).

Selected Lesson Plan Highlights

Introductory PreAssessment, Appendix B

A day before the unit begins the students will be given an informal

preassessment of their readiness and knowledge of the topics within the unit. The

questions look to discover the knowledge and exposure the students have had to the

topics ahead of them in school as well as in their family life experiences. The

preassessment is used because in order to utilize differentiation in your classroom you

need to develop an understanding of your students’ readiness (Tomlinson, 2001). The

idea of readiness also links to the concept of universal design for learning. In UDL

teachers design their lessons around the diverse learning style of their students (CAST,

2010). By completing a preassessment of the academic material in conjunction with

the developed understanding of readiness of one’s students, the curriculum will be able

to balance the innate skills, academic or social needs and curiosity of the students

(CAST, 2010).

Learning Menu, Appendix C

One of the major ways this lesson plan was overhauled involves the

implementation of a Learning Menu ( The Teaching Channel, n.d. ). The goal of including

this Learning Menu was to fully buy into and offer to students a differentiated instruction


experience. A Learning Menu allows for many ways for the students to develop and

make connections to their world, be assessed at their own pace and in the end, create a

dessert project of their choice (The Teaching Channel, n.d.). Utilizing a Learning Menu

not only develops the student’s knowledge but it allows students multiple ways to show

their understanding. The Learning Menu within Appendix C also provides students with

many choices to showcase their particular strengths and interests by allowing them to

decide how they want to demonstrate their understanding, skills and knowledge (Flores,

2012). An essential part of the educational experience is allowing students to

demonstrate what they know as Wiggins & McTighe suggested “if students understand,

then they can provide evidence of that understanding by showing that they know and

can do certain specific things” (2005, p. 37).

Interest & Engagement through Blog Posts

True learning involves being able to “ develop good questions that spark a

student’s drive to dig deeper into a topic” (Cash, 2014, para five). The blog posts each

contain questions for the students as a way for them to see how the topic fits into the

real world. The blog post topics are often edgy or considered cool by middle school

student standards. Tomlinson stressed keeping and engaging the interest of one’s

students because students do well in courses where the assignments stimulate or

mirror their own interests and fits how they like to learn (Tomlinson, 2001). The goal of

the blog post assignments is to further develop interests that already exist or to open

their eyes to topics and help them to develop new interests. Tomlinson stated that when

you expose students to new concepts about a subject they are learning in a way that


focuses on interest based learning you “can help them discover new interests as well”

(Tomlinson, 2001, p. 54). When a student is already interested in a topic or if a teacher

can generate their interest in a new topic by creating a “ spark (or better still, a fire) of

curiosity about a topic, learning is more likely for that student” (Tomlinson, 2001, p. 52).

The Peer Review, Collaboration & the Science Lab

In science class, regular labs offer opportunities for students to work

collaboratively together. Collaboration is part of the reallife learning experience as

students will encounter these many times throughout their own careers (Lombardi,

2007). In Making Learning Whole, How Seven Principles of Teaching Can Transform

Education it was noted that “learning from the team . . . and other teams (Perkins, 2009,

p. 8) is extremely important during the learning process. The collaborative lab

experience allows for students of different levels of readiness to work together and learn

from each other’s knowledge base and world perspective. During the Graphing Peer

Review, Appendix E, exercise students will be able to share their knowledge and

understanding of graphing skills with each other so the students will share their own

understanding and knowledge while they learn from each other (Perkins, 2009).

Summary, Evaluation and SelfReflection

One of the ways teachers can be sure that they are engaging their students is by

offering a number of ways for them to achieve their goals successfully (Wojcik, 2016).

By enhancing the nervous and digestive system unit with differentiated instruction as the

driving force the lesson will be a more positive experience for all students. This project

helped me become more focused on developing a differentiated learning classroom.


After extensive research and pulling a lot of my knowledge together from many different

academic courses I can truly see how important differentiated learning and instruction is

to one’s personal development and journey of being a teacher. This project forced me

to really sit down and envision a step by step approach to incorporating differentiated

instruction. Next time, if possible I would give myself more days for the lesson or

perhaps have the flipped classroom pieces pulled out of the Learning Menu. I feel like

the timing of the flipped classroom videos is essential given the time constraints I face

as a teacher. Working through the Learning Menu also made me think about the value,

or lack of value, from the handouts that accompany our textbook. I did feel proud of the

blog post idea as in writing up this paper and lesson plan it helped me to see all of the

value in these assignments and I am going to try to increase them throughout the year.

I am confident that the experience for my students during this lesson on the nervous

and digestive systems has been greatly enhanced through this project which had so

much focus based on Differentiated Instruction.


References

Cash, R.M. (2014). Cash in on learning: Engaging and authentic learning through

essential questions.

CAST. "UDL at a glance." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube. 6 Jan. 2010. Web. 28

Jun 2016.

Flores, F., [Fidel Flores]. (2012, Jun 12). Differentiated Instruction – Interest . [Video

File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMuzfujn7A

Lombardi, M., (2007). Authentic learning for the 21 st century: An overview. Educause

Learning Initiative, 112. Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Marilyn_Lombardi/publication/220040581_A

uthentic_Learning_for_the_21st_Century_An_Overview/links/0f317531744eedf4

d1000000.pdf

Perkins, David. (2009). Making Learning Whole: How seven principles of teaching can

transform education. [Kindle]. Retrieved from Amazon.com.

The Teaching Channel. (n.d.). Differentiating with learning menu. [Video File]. Retrieved

from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/differentiatinginstructionstrategy.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixedability

classrooms. Alexandria, Va: Association for Supervision and Curriculum

Development.

Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by Design . Alexandria, VA: Assoc.

for Supervision and Curriculum Development.


Wojcik, J. (2016). Developing Instructional Goals: Universal Design for Learning

Instructional Model , Post University, Waterbury, CT.


Appendix A

Animal Systems: Nervous System and Digestive System

Essential Questions:

What can we learn about the human nervous and digestive system by studying other organisms and the evolutionary development of these systems?

How is the the human nervous and digestive system related to the Characteristics of Living things that we have learned throughout the year?

What role do the Chemicals of Life & Cell Structures have in the human nervous and digestive system?

How do the adaptations for marine life relate to humans adaptations and development of the human nervous and digestive system?

How does your body work? Knowledge:

The role of the nervous system. The role of the digestive system. The important cells and parts of the anatomy of each system. The evolutionary history of the nervous and digestive system. The importance of the nervous and digestive system in a sharks in order to help build

a solid knowledge and foundation for the shark dissection. Understanding:

How does the nervous system work and how does it help to support different organisms?

How does the digestive system work and how does it help to support different organisms?

Skills:

Lab Skills Graphing Skills Development of analytical questions Collaboration and positive group work skills Google Classroom, Google Slides, Google Docs, EDPuzzle, etc.


Lesson Topics HW Differentiated Instruction / Significant Teaching Strategies

Before unit begins

1

Introductory Pre Assessment

Covering in Class Time:

Unit introduction: Nervous & Digestive System Introduction Link back to Characteristics of Living Things Review Classification from First Trimester Explain and handout out LEARNING MENU (See Appendix ___ ) Remember to try to link back to Jelly Fish Dissection (Originally done to show symmetry of organisms, but used here to highlight Nervous System Developments).

Assigned HW: Video on Sharks and their Nervous System (b/c of shark dissection). Blog Post Students must choose a video to watch and post a response on the classroom blog post. Video Options: http://www.discovery.com/tvshows/sharkweek/videos/sharksmell/ http://www.discovery.com/tvshows/sharkweek/videos/sharkhearing/ http://www.discovery.com/tvshows/sharkweek/videos/getasharkseyeperspective/ http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/worldsdeadliest/deadliestsharksenses World's Deadliest: http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/worldsdeadliest/dea

Preassessment

HW & Blog Post Interest: Sharks are cool! Connections back to previous knowledge. Learning Menu Conceptions back to previous knowledge.


dliestsharksenses Shark Academy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q85_688UI5w Article: http://animals.howstuffworks.com/fish/sharks/sharksenses.htm

2 Covering in Class Time: Human Nervous Systems, continued. LAB: Lemon & Stimuli Lab (Collaboration and group work)

Assigned HW: Complete Lemon Lab

Hands on Lemon & Stimuli Lab Collaboration & Group Work Interest

3 Covering in Class Time: Link between Marine Life and Human Nervous Systems: (Jellyfish, Octopus, stimuli Cells to humans) Classwork time.

Conceptions back to previous knowledge. Learning Menu class time.

4 Covering in Class Time: Kahoots! https://create.kahoot.it/#quiz/14b42eb712bb483981dfe47a7487361a Digestive system notes review Day Basics definitions & terminology Evolution of Intracellular and Extracellular Marine Life vs. Human Life (Link back into diffusion/osmosis, active Transport (Loop back around to diffusion, and chemicals of life)

Assigned HW: Blog Post/Ted Talk on Brain/Gut connection. https://www.ted.com/talks/heribert_watzke_the_brain_in_your_gut http://www.health.harvard.edu/diseasesandconditions/thegutbrainconnection http://www.mindful.or

Interest & engagement. Gaming and learning. Link to our world. Conceptions back to previous knowledge.


g/meetyoursecondbrainthegut/

5 Covering in Class Time:

Evolution of the digestive system Handouts on organisms Sharks vs. Humans Ask kids to suggest and show how they are different. (Teacher Resource: Marine Life vs. Human Digestion) https://sharks101.wordpress.com/digestivesystem Classwork time.

Assigned HW: Blog Post on Digestion TEDTalk on Gut and Autism: https://www.ted.com/talks/rob_knight_how_our_microbes_make_us_who_we_are

Interest Interest Learning Menu class time.

6 Covering in Class Time:

Go over Human Anatomy Handout Students to label. Classwork time.

Link to our world. Learning Menu Class time.

7 Set up: MiniLab Paramecium diffusion lab/eating colored year. Then Mini Presentations & posters. Classwork time. Learning Menu assignments are all due.

Interest Learning Menu

Future Ideas and Other Resources: http://www.smithlifescience.com/comparativeanatomy.htm Earthworm, Frog, Snake, Shark, Perch, Pigeon, Pig Comparative Anatomy Possible sea star dissection. Talking points: Diseases, human brains, planet of the apes, Zika Virus affects on the brain

Interest Hands on / Interest Interest and link to our world


Appendix B Introductory Pre Assessment

(Page 1 of 2) Name: ______________________________ Date: ___________ Have you ever learned about the nervous system in other middle school or lower school courses? (If yes, when and what academic year). Have you ever learned about the digestive system in other middle school or lower school courses? (If yes, when and what academic year). What comes to mind when you think about the digestive system? What comes to mind when you think about the nervous system? Did you ever complete any projects in other courses about the digestive or nervous system?


Introductory Pre Assessment (Page 2 of 2) Have you ever learned about the evolution of the human digestive or nervous systems? (What other organisms may have that are similar or in place of our system?) Take a few minutes to highlight some of the technical and scientific things you remember about the nervous and digestive systems? Have any current of past relatives in your family had any difficulties or medical issues related to the nervous system or digestive system? (No need to name names or specific relatives). Thank you for answering these questions as they will help me design and direct the studies of this unit based on your experience, interests, academic needs and levels of understanding. - Mrs. G


Appendix C Learning Menu (Page 1 or 2)

Nervous System & Digestive System 2016 2017

During this mini unit on the nervous system and digestive system your homework and assignments will be listed on a Learning Menu. There will be a main dishes, sides dishes, small quiz assessment, and dessert assignments. The main dishes will be work that is required to complete before the end of the lesson and these assignments will have suggested due dates as a guideline. The sides dishes will have optional additional assignments, you must complete three of these assignments. Upon completion of the main dishes and sides dishes you will take the nervous system and digestive system quiz (on optional days). The dessert menu will include additional assignment options, you will chose one, and these desserts will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge in numerous creative ways.

Main Dishes

Each one of these assignments must be completed.

Suggested completion dates are included.

They must be completed by _______.

Watch Video on Nervous System and take a full set of handwritten notes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjIZtghfspw & Evolution of the nervous system. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm7cgRqa2YM

185F

Watch Video on Digestive System and take a

full set of handwritten notes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjGRWddP3ck

215F

Nervous and Digestive System Graphing

Assignment

Grade Options:

Side Dishes

You must complete three of these assignments

They must be completed by ________.

215E

185D

Develop three quizzes or test questions (with

answers) on the digestive and nervous system.

Create a handout or study guide that highlights the important aspects of the digestive and nervous system.


Make a flowchart of the evolutionary steps in digestive or nervous system

Assessment: Nervous System and Digestive System Quiz Nervous and Digestive System Graphing Peer Review

Academic notes about the quiz assessment:

_______ % _______ %

Dessert You will chose one of

the Dessert options as your final assignment.

The Dessert must be completed by __________.

Digestive System Enzymes Google Slides Presentation or Video.

Nervous System Disorders poster,google slide

presentation or video.

Design a Reference Webpage for either the digestive or nervous system.

Present current research article(s) or topics to

the class.

Graded HW / Classwork

Learning Menu (Page 2 of 2)

Reference for ideas & images for science Learning Menu:http://curry.virginia.edu/uploads/resourceLibrary/nagc_choice_menus.pdf ,

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/oqiY828Of2c/U3avENbguI/AAAAAAAABnA/Ac3m1MP5jvc/s1600/Check+system.png


Appendix D Lemon Lab & Nervous System (Two Pages) Name: _________________________ Date: ___________ We have covered many of the Characteristics of Living Things so far this year. In this lab you and your partners will explore the reactions you have to different actions and items in class. This will not be a full lab write up but you will be required to make some analysis and answer the questions below it will be graded as a classwork/minilab. Introduction (N/A) Question (N/A) Hypothesis (Five points): Method and Data Observations (Eight points). The method and data observations are grouped together in this lab, though you must organize your data into a data table or graph for part of the lab grade. 1. Have one lab partner clap his hands together about 10 cm in front of another member’s face. Describe how they react below. (two points)

2. Look at one of your lab groups eyes in the mirror. Then have him cover that eye with his hands for a minute. After the time has lapsed have him remove his hand. Observe how the size of his pupil changes. (two points)

3. Now have the same lab partner put a light near his eye. Observe how his pupil changes. (two points)

4. Bring a slice of the lemon close to a lab member’s nose and mouth. Describe any changes that happen in the lab partner's nose and mouth. (two points)


Data Table or Graph (10 points): Analysis (Seventeen Points): List all seven of the Characteristics of Life: (seven points)

Define the terms below. Stimuli: (two points)

Response: (two points)

Homeostasis:(two points)

For each action performed, classify the stimulus and the response. (two points each)

Now think on your own. Try to list two other stimulus/response actions of plants and animals. (at least one must be related to plants). (two points)

Conclusion (10 points) For this conclusion you do not need to write a full paragraph form of a conclusion. You may write a detailed outline, like you might prepare for an english or history paper essay. Be sure to include all the parts of the conclusion in your outline: introduction, what happened and why, support of hypothesis and future ideas or error.


Appendix E

Nervous and Digestive System Graphing Peer Review Page 1 of 2

Name: ___________________________________________ Graph owner’s name: _______________________________ Assignment: Use the rubric below in conjunction with your red graphing guideline sheet to grade your lab partners graph and data table. Include suggestions and any overall observations on their graph and the quality and effort of their work.

Graph

Graph Title: ____ / 1

Overall effort: ____ / 5

Correctly Interpreted Data: ____ / 5

Y axis Title: ____ / 1

Y axis Units: ____ / 1

Y axis Labelled Values: ____ / 1

X axis Title: ____ / 1

X axis units: ____ / 1

X axis Labeled Values: ____ / 1

Type of graph chosen best represents data: ____ / 1

Clear and precise points ____ / 1

Lines made with a straight edge: ____ / 1

Notes and suggestions:


Nervous and Digestive System Graphing Peer Review Page 2 of 2 Use the following data to create a graph to compare parts of the digestive systems for the mammals in the Data Table:

Source for Graphable Data: http://www.tankonyvtar.hu/en/tartalom/tamop425/0010_1A_Book_angol_05_termeleselettan/ch02.html

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