Instructor: Humaira Afzal

(Science)

Grade and Subject: Seventh Grade MST

Lesson Title: Abiotic and Biotic Factors

17, 2014

Date: Monday, November

1. LESSONCONTEXTANDRATIONALE
Culture and
Context

Identity and
Intellectual
Development

Lesson
Rationale

Management

The target class is a Seventh Grade MST (Math, Science, & Technology)
classroom. The target population is about 70% White and the rest are
African American, and only one student is Hispanic. Around 90% of the
students are on grade level and the rest are behind the expected
ability in the content area for 7th grade science. Three students have a
504 Plan. Most of the kids come from middle to upper middle class
socioeconomic status.
This lesson was designed using the 5E model. The class population will
be actively Engaged, will Explore, will Evaluate, will Explain, and will
Extend knowledge during this lesson. Students will be equal partners
in discovery and apply what they already know from previous Ecology
lessons to solving problems. In terms of ability, the material has been
selected to optimize and reach diverse learners. Visual, auditory, and
physical representations have been selected to scaffold the learning
abilities of the various students.

The unit on Ecology started last week and students are familiar with
biomes. This lesson will help students connect new knowledge to their
prior knowledge. Students will develop confidence in what they know
and become comfortable with discovery. Being confident with content
will increase self-efficacy.
Students will ultimately learn that the world around them is made of
biotic and abiotic factors. This knowledge will engage students with
their physical environments and prepare them for further
understanding and cognitive development.
This lesson is important because this group is already thinking of and
having conversations about Ecology. Previously we covered biomes,
their similarities and differences. Gaining knowledge of our biosphere,
biotic and abiotic factors are essential to understanding Ecology. This
lesson will feed and direct the conversation students are already
having about the habitual world around them.
The lesson is important because it introduces relationships between
ecological systems to the student and how each part affects the
whole. Students will develop knowledge of ecological habitats and
their make-up is a pre-requisite for the next series of lessons on
energy movement.
The reason the lesson will be taught in this particular way is so that
different types of diverse learners will be able to reach the learning
outcome. This is why the lesson has been created to cater to various
learning abilities and reach the desired goal.
The purpose of this exercise is to engage students to think about what
environment is needed for life to thrive in and what different factors
decide this. Also, to develop critical thinking about how they fit in and
even affect the environment around them. Lastly, to understand and
develop usage of academic language pertaining to this lesson.

Instructor: Humaira Afzal

(Science)

Grade and Subject: Seventh Grade MST

Lesson Title: Abiotic and Biotic Factors

17, 2014

Date: Monday, November

Over the last few weeks I have developed a connection with this group
of students. They have come to know me with the help of my
Classroom Teacher, Mrs. Hardon, which has resulted in great
communication and respectful form. The students will be sitting in
groups of three per table, facing each other a social form of learning.
Classroom norms have developed over this semester led by CT but
held up by students themselves. This group of students are positive
learners who respect each other and are committed to learning.
During discussions students will be called by show of hand. If no hands
are raised, popsicle sticks will be used (popsicle sticks with student
names on them are kept in a small can and are used for attendance
and during Q&A when a stick is pulled and name of student is called.)
Three students have different learning abilities so I will repeat
instructions timely and make sure they are on task. At least two
students are struggling with content and I will circle the classroom and
provide further instruction to maximize student learning and keep all
students engaged and on task. Any behavior issue will be called out
and student will receive a one-on-one private conversation in which
they can decide how to handle the issue (Love and Logic). During our
outside activity, I will give clear instructions so that students can stay
on task and complete the warm-up requirement.

2.

STANDARDS&REQUIREMENTS

2. CCGSP or GPS
Standard(s)

Individual
Education Plan
Goal(s) and
Benchmarks
Modification(s) /
Accommodation
(s)

S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one

another and their environments.
c. Recognize that changes in environmental conditions can affect the
survival of both individuals and entire species
S7CS10. Students will enhance reading in all curriculum areas by:
c. Building vocabulary knowledge

Three students have 504 plans: one ADD, one ADHD, and one
Dyslexia.

-preferential seating (ADD)

-chunking (Dyslexia)
-repeating directions (ADHD)
-clarifying instructions (ADHD & ADD)
-check for understanding (ADHD)
-adult proximity (ADD)
-break tasks into smaller tasks (ADD)

Differentiation
Students have been placed in especially assigned table groups to
scaffold learning so that they may build off of each others strengths.
Some tables are homogenous and some are heterogeneous grouping.

Instructor: Humaira Afzal

(Science)

Grade and Subject: Seventh Grade MST

Lesson Title: Abiotic and Biotic Factors

17, 2014

Date: Monday, November

Students will be provided with many different forms of engagement to

the lesson to successfully reach learning outcome. (Auditory, Visual,
Textual, Kinesthetic, etc.)
Outside Warm-Up Activity Visual, Kinesthetic
Videos Visual, Auditory
Graphic Organizer Textual, Visual
My lecture Auditory
Mt. Everest Sheet Textual
Exit-Ticket Visual, Kinesthetic

3. RESOURCES
Academic
Language

Language
Functions

Language
Vocabulary

Materials

Technology

A graphic organizer will be created for students to fill in with their

exploration data. Vocabulary words will be modeled in a complete
sentence and students will be able to make visual connections with
them through our warm-up activity. Many students will be hearing
these words for the first time so we will be covering definitions which
they will be required to write down in the graphic organizer.
Language is important in Life Science. Students will be required to
Explain what they are learning using the new vocabulary words
(academic language) they have learned in this Ecology Unit. They will
be writing in their graphic organizers and explaining verbally during
discussion

-Biotic living, of relating to life which depends on interaction with

non-living.
Eg: plants, animals, etc.
-Abiotic non-living, which interacts with the living. Ex: temperature,
climate, water, etc.
-Biosphere the space below and above sea level where life can exist
successfully.
These words will be introduced to students on a Graphic Organizer, on
the board, videos, and discussion. There will also be song lyrics on
the back of their organizer. Students will be assessed on their
knowledge of the terms biotic and abiotic on an exit-ticket. In the next
lesson (Wednesday) students will draw a biosphere. The terms biotic
and abiotic are modern science terms in lieu of organic and inorganic
which mean of living matter and not of living matter respectively.
Graphic Organizer
Abiotic and Biotic Factors YouTube Video
Abiotic and Biotic Song YouTube Video
Mount Everest Worksheet
Exit-Ticket Pictures
Students will be watching two clips.

Instructor: Humaira Afzal

(Science)
Lesson Title: Abiotic and Biotic Factors
17, 2014

Grade and Subject: Seventh Grade MST

Date: Monday, November

First, a video on abiotic and biotic factors (beginning to 45 second

mark):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1pp_7-yTN4
Second, a song video on abiotic and biotic factors: (beginning to 1:20
mark)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQO5x8Q3e8g

4. LESSONPROCEDURE
Enduring
Understanding

Essential
Question(s)
Lesson
Objective(s)

What factors make up our habitat? What factors are present in places
which cannot sustain life? What is the geographic area which can
sustain successful habitats?
What factors affect the existence of life?

Students will understand and be able to describe factors which make

up and affect the existence of successful habitats. Students will be
able to develop and use academic language. Students will able to
connect this lessons knowledge to further class lessons on
populations and movement of energy.

Assessment
Exit-ticket is a Picture of a biome which will be provided in class.

Introduction to
Lesson

Body of Lesson

This lesson will be introduced with a warm-up activity to develop

student interest and let them observe what they see, hear, smell, and
feel outside in the school yard. They will be given a graphic organizer
as soon as they enter the room on which they will be filling out the
first table while outside. The first table has four columns where the
students can record what they see, hear, feel, and can touch.
Students will be instructed to gather this data proactively as we will
only have five minutes. So far they know about biomes but they do
not know about living and non-living things that work together to
create a biome. Students at this point will wondering why and will
want to know more. This little Engage and Explore activity will lead
students to actively think and make connections between the school
yard and classroom content about biotic and abiotic factors. This part
should take no more than ten minutes.
If an outside activity cannot be done, a computer will be placed at
each table of three students. Before class starts, the teacher will go to
explore.org and choose an ecosystem live feed for the table. All tables
will be observing different systems. Ask students to use their
imagination when it comes to the touch and feel columns of the first
table in the graphic organizer.
When we come back in the room, I will introduce a short clip to them
by writing abiotic and biotic on the whiteboard and asking them to

Instructor: Humaira Afzal

(Science)
Lesson Title: Abiotic and Biotic Factors
17, 2014

Grade and Subject: Seventh Grade MST

Date: Monday, November

pay attention to those words while watching the video and take notes
on their graphic organizer. Students will be Engaged, will Explore new
terms and topic, and beginning to Evaluate the outside warm-up
activity. Students will be able to write down a definition for both
terms.
Students will be asked to place their findings from outside activity into
two columns provided on graphic organizer (biotic/abiotic). At this
moment they will be Evaluating data and connecting the intro to what
they just learned now. They will be able to Explain why they are
putting each observation in its particular column.
Another clip will be played (song lyrics will be included behind graphic
organizer) which students can use as reference or add on new things
which they didnt notice before when they were outside and now
remember. This will be helpful for students who are not yet ready to
explain.
Students will be asked to share some of their factors with the rest of
the class. This will help any students who are still unsure about this
lesson.
Students will take out Mount Everest Article which they had been
given earlier to read and highlight. Students will be asked higher level
questions to ensure they are evaluating and Extending what they
have just learned. Questions: What makes Mt. Everest a death zone
and why? What is missing from Mt. Everest that it cannot sustain life?
(They dont know about biosphere yet).
Biosphere will be introduced to students with the Mt. Everest article
and a definition will be given. It will lead students to know that there
are only certain places that life can be successfully inhabited.
This part of the lesson will take 20 minutes.

Closure
Students will Extend knowledge with a special exit-ticket. It will be a
picture that they have not seen before and will be asked to label: type
of biome (previous knowledge), abiotic/biotic factors (new
knowledge), and geographic location of biome (prediction).
This part of lesson will take five minutes. Students who need more
time will be able to work on this longer as they transition into their
quiz.

5. ASSESSMENT
Evaluation
(Assessment
Plan for IEP
Goals and/or 504
Plans)

Formative assessment:
This will be ongoing and happening throughout my lesson. I will be
circling the room and recording which students are completing task
and which students are struggling. I will be ready to tweak the lesson
accordingly. Students will be assessed in this part through their class
work on their graphic organizers, shares, discussions, and
participation.
Summative assessment:
Students will complete an exit-ticket at the end of this lesson which
will be collecting at the end. Their graphic organizers will also be
collected, same day or next day depending on how much time some
students need. Both parts will allow students to Explain what they

Instructor: Humaira Afzal

(Science)
Lesson Title: Abiotic and Biotic Factors
17, 2014

Grade and Subject: Seventh Grade MST

Date: Monday, November

know.
Feedback will be given in two parts: acknowledging students answers
during discussion and grading (with comments) their work during next
class time.
As evidence of student understanding/mastery of lesson objective, I
will collect exit-tickets (end of class) and graphic organizers (same or
next day).
For students with 504 Plans, I will give them more time to complete
work. This is why when we transition, they will be offered extra time to
work on this while other students start their quiz. Students with 504
Plans do not have any other modifications besides those listed above
in accommodations.

6. REFLECTION
Analyzing
Teaching
Effectiveness