NGSSLessonPlanningTemplate

Grade/GradeBand:35thgrade

Lesson#__6__inaseriesof_7___lessons

Topic:Isitliving

BriefLessonDescription:MissioncrewwillneedtosustainthemselveswhentheylandonMars.Thislessonhelpsstudentsthinkabouthow
tosupportlifeanddealwithmisconceptionsaboutwhatislivingandwhatisnotliving.
PerformanceExpectation(s):
4LS11Constructanargumentthatplantsandanimalshaveinternalandexternalstructuresthatfunctiontosupportsurvival,growth,
behavior,andreproduction.
4LS12Useamodeltodescribethatanimalsreceivedifferenttypesofinformationthroughtheirsenses,processtheinformationin
theirbrain,andrespondtotheinformationindifferentways.

SpecificLearningOutcomes:StudentswillengageinafieldresearchstudytodeterminetheconditionsforsupportinglifeonMars.Based
onobservations,categorizations,andevaluationsaboutEarthconditions,studentswillbeginanarrativeabouthowtosupporttheMars
missioncrewoncetheygetestablishedonthesurface.
LessonLevelNarrative
NowthatweareonthesurfaceofMars,itistimetotransformthesurfacesothatiscansupportlife.Yourtasksistofigureoutwhaton
Marsneedstobetransformed,whataboutMarsmakesitinhospitabletolifecurrentlyandhowcanwechangeit?Youwillconstructthe
criteriaforsupportinglifebasedonobservationsthatyouhavemadeaboutplanetEarth.
Science&EngineeringPractices:
DisciplinaryCoreIdeas:
CrosscuttingConcepts:
DevelopingandUsingModelstotest
LS1.AStructureandFunction
SystemsandSystemmodels
interactionsconcerningthesupportoflife
Plantsandanimalshaveboth
Asystemcanbedescribedin
onMars.
internalandexternalstructures
termsofitscomponentsandtheir

thatservevariousfunctionsin
interactions
EngaginginArgumentationfromEvidence
growth,survival,behavior,and
Studentswillconstructan
reproduction.
argumentbasedontheir

observationsaboutwhatisliving
andwhatisnotliving.Theywill
comeupwiththebestcriteriafor
supportinglifeonMars.
PossiblePreconceptions/Misconceptions:
StudentswillneedtoknowthattheatmosphereonMarsisthinandcannotcurrentlysupportlifeonthesurface.Inaddition,itisverycold,
hasacarbondioxidebasedatmosphere,andhasasourceofwater,whichisaBIGBINGO.Studentswillneedtohavethisdiscussionwith
youaboutwhatcanhappenonthesurfacetohelptransformthesurfacetosupportEarthbasedlife.So,themissioncrewwouldneed
breathableair,usethewatertosupportplantlife,plantsmakeO2asabyproductofphotosynthesis.Preconceptionsofstudentsmay
includeseeingfoodassubstances(water,air,minerals,etc.)thatorganismstakedirectlyinfromtheirenvironmentAnderson,C.,Sheldon,
T.,Dubay,J.(1990).Theeffectsofinstructiononcollegenonmajors'conceptionsofrespirationandphotosynthesis.JournalofResearchin
ScienceTeaching,27,761776.Studentsmayalsothinkthatfoodisarequirementforgrowth,ratherthanasourceofmatterforgrowth.
Theyhavelittleknowledgeaboutfoodbeingtransformedandmadepartoforganism.

LESSONPLAN5EModel

Engage:Webonboard.Havestudentsdiscuss
whatitmeanstobealive.Writewhattheysayon
theboard.Askthemwhatelseisalive.Haveeach
tablehavepicturesofalivethingsandnonliving
things.Havethemdiscusswhattheyhavein
commonandwhatisdifferent.Discusshowto
observeandrecord.

EXPLORE:LessonDescriptionWhatshouldtheteachersaskanddo?Whatwillthestudentsdo?
Gooutsideforthemtoobservetheenvironment.Havearecorderwriteonthepaper.Goinsideandsharewhattheyfoundandwhythey
decidedwhattheyfoundwerealive.Passoutsandactivitymaterials.Letthemobserveandrecordwhattheyseeintheircups.

EXPLAIN:ConceptsExplainedandVocabularyDefined:
Sharewhattheyseeintheircupsandpredictwhatisgoingtohappeniftheyfindwater.Studentsingroupswithjobs:recorder,presenter,
andmaterialsmanager.

Vocabulary
Alive
Environment

Observe
Organisms
ELABORATE:ApplicationsandExtensions:
Addwater.Havestudentsrecordwhathappens.Decideifoneofthemisalive.

EVALUATE:
Createachartontheboardofwhatisaliveandwhatisit.Discusswhytheythinkso.Cleanupmaterials.
FormativeMonitoring(Questioning/Discussion):Createthechartoflivingornonliving

SummativeAssessment(Quiz/Project/Report):DiscusshowwewouldexploretheenvironmentonMarsandthecharacteristicsof
livingorganisms.

ElaborateFurther/Reflect:Enrichment: