Lesson Plan

Day: Wednesday
Year: 11

Date: 25-Feb-15 Time: 1330-1430

Learning Area: Human Biology ATAR Topic: Tissues

Title of Lesson: Microscopy and understanding tissues
Curriculum content description: (from ACARA)
No direct curriculum content description from ACARA for Human Biology ATAR.
Instead, this lesson falls within the framework of SCASA Human Biology Unit 1: The
functioning human body. Particularly;
Cells and tissues
The various tissues of the human body perform specific functions and can be
categorised into four basic tissue types: epithelial, connective, muscular and
nervous

Students prior knowledge and experience:

(Outline what the students already know about this topic)

In the lesson prior, students will be looking at the structure of the human
body, tissue types, and the role they play in human biology.
Students experience describing the structure of cells and cellular processes
within the human body.
As a part of science inquiry skills, students have worked with basic
microscope usage and describing parts of the microscope.

Learning purpose:

(May refer to the Elaborations of the curriculum content

description here)

To provide students with the ability to use microscope techniques to

competently and methodically examine biological specimens
To inform students that the human body is comprised of cells, tissues and
organs within complex systems that work together to maintain life
For students to understand that the various tissues of the human body have
specific functions that can be categorised into four basic groups.

Learning objectives:

On completion of this lesson,

students will be able to:
(What will students know and be able to do
at the completion of the lesson specific,
concise and attainable objectives)
Use a compound microscope to

examine prepared slides of

biological material
Complete accurate biological
drawings of the cellular structure
and arrangement of different
tissue samples
Define and explain the four
different tissue type categories
Understand that the different

Evaluation:
(Explain how you will know that the lesson
objectives have been achieved / monitor
student learning)

(a) Could students use a

microscope to examine prepared
slides of tissue types?
o To be assessed by an
informal microscope
assessment and
questioning at the
commencement of the
lesson
(b) Did students complete
accurate biological drawings of
the prepared slides?

function and purpose of varying

tissue types is reflected at the
cellular level

o Working in groups, each

student will be required to

complete at least one
complete biological drawing
of one tissue type, to the
standard outlined at the
start of the lesson
(c) Could students define and
explain the four different tissue
types?
o To be assessed by directed
questioning at the
commencement of the
lesson.
(d) Did students understand the
function of the different tissue
types?
o Examined at the end of the
lesson by questioning
individual students and the
small groups

Preparation and Resources:

(Detail what resources will be used and what other preparation of the learning environment
will be required)
No specific preparation of the learning area required.
Resources required include:
o Compound microscopes
o Prepared slides of different tissue types
o Blank paper for students to complete their biological drawings
o Whiteboard markers to complete example biological drawings

Catering for diversity

(detail any adjustments considerations for

educational/resource adjustments)

Timi
ng:

Previous observations of the class indicate that the student group work
diligently to complete tasks with minimal behaviour management required.
However, one student has been identified as preferring to work individually
on group tasks. They will be working individually to complete the activity,
but will have to draw multiple tissue types themselves
A small group of students have proved challenging to engage in previous
observations. I will look to motivate these students by providing real-life
context into the importance of biological drawings and encourage the group
to complete at least one correct biological drawing.

Learning Experiences:
1. Introduction:

(How will I engage the learners?)

1330 1335 (5 mins).

Brief the students with my experiences in biological drawing
and how they are a basic requirement for many areas of
science and are particularly important if you intend to study
any science at university (students are an ATAR stream).
1335 1345 (10 mins).

Question how many students have experience working with

compound microscopes (students have previously completed
a microscopes calculation worksheet).
Ask students to form into small groups (2-3) people around a
compound microscope so that I can run through a quick
demonstration of how to safely and correctly use the
equipment.
Each student group will then be provided with one prepared
slide of a tissue sample, which will form the basis of their
first biological drawing of a tissue type.
Demonstrate to students how to correctly mount their slide
and place it into focus on the compound microscope. At this
stage, reiterate with students how they calculate scale of a
drawing based on the field of view of their magnification.

2. Sequence of learning experiences: (What will you do to help the

students achieve the learning objectives? What tasks and activities will
the students be involved in to help achieve the learning objectives?)

1345-1420 (35 mins).

Question the students about their previous lessons on tissue
types. I will have drawn a table on the whiteboard prior that
has each tissue type and the general function. Question the
students about which function belongs to which tissue type.
Instruct the students on the correct way to complete
biological drawings; including title, scale, magnification and
labeling of identified parts. Draw on the whiteboard an
example of a correct biological drawing. Instruct students to
include in the caption of their drawing the function of the
tissue that they have drawn.
Clearly instruct that each student within each group is to
complete at least one full biological drawing of a few cells of
the tissue sample that they have been provided.
Instruct students to indicate to the teacher when they
believe they have completed their first drawing, and instruct
them to commence another one of a different tissue type if
time permits.

3. Lesson conclusion: (How will you summarise the learning and relate it
to the lesson objectives?)

1420 1430 (10 mins)

Circulate around the student groups as they finish, asking
them about the structure and function of the tissue types
they have drawn.
Ask the entire class at the end of the lesson, who thinks they
drew the most unusual tissue type. Why? What is it about
the structure and function of the tissue type that makes it so
unique/essential?
Link to future lessons on metabolism catabolic and
anabolic. Remind students that in future lessons, they will
be examining the usage and creation of energy within cells
of the different tissue types.

Lesson Evaluation:
(Reflect on the lesson. What worked? What did not work? What would you change? Why?)

What went well:

The students were engaged with the material throughout the course of the
lesson, even though there were a number of tasks to be completed
concurrently (including a short assessment that had to be incorporated into
the lesson time).
Despite a large number of students in the class (ca. 30), and a limited
number of compound microscopes to use in the activity, the students worked
diligently together in small groups to (1) get important hands-on experience
with the microscopes and (2) draw a number of different tissue drawings.
The quality of the drawings produced by the students were exceptional.
Having taught biology at the tertiary level, the standard of work produced
exceeded that of university students.

Students were able to link the introduction of the lesson outlining the
structure and function of different tissue types to what they observed under
the microscope.
What could be improved:

A small number of students had difficulty understanding the concept of

calculating the scale of the cells they had drawn from the field of view with
the microscope. These students had difficulty seeing the board in which I
explained how to conduct the calculations. In future lessons where this
calculation is required, I would provide a general overview of the calculation
and then work with small groups of students to determine the scale of the
organism. I would also provide a handout that the students would be able to
work with.

One of the classroom activities, completing the table on tissue types, was
completed more slowly than I had anticipated. I had planned for the
students to complete the table by sourcing the information from their text
book and from notes placed on the board. Next time I would simply provide
a handout for the students to work with during the microscope activity. As
getting experience with microscopes is a priority activity, it would be more
effective for the objective of the lesson to minimize the students spend
searching for information.

The conclusion of the lesson could have been improved as I had limited time
in which to complete the activity debrief and link to the activities. I was
initially reluctant to end the lesson as the students were really involved with
the material. Reflecting on this, the end of a lesson is critical as a time to
consolidate the student learning and understanding, and allows me to
provide a context for future lessons. In subsequent lessons, I will be sure to
allow sufficient time to provide a clear conclusion the activity.