TE 802: Unit Plan

Name: Sydney Barosko

Part I: Information about the Lesson

Topic: Resources and Human Impact
Generating Big Ideas
Abstract
Write two sentences, as if to a fellow teacher, about the topic you plan to teach.

Homeostasis is essential to maintaining life, if organisms were not able to maintain homeostasis they would die. Homeostasis maintains the
balance of temperature, pH, water, etc. in the body.

What are the underlying big ideas?

Make sure to include. What makes this topic so important to study, that is, beyond knowing labels, definitions and examples? Could this topic be taught within
the context of a bigger idea? For example, density taught within the context of buoyancy? Simple machines within the context of forces and energy?
Is the topic made up of connections among smaller explanations (evolution for example). Is there a deeper underlying theory that encompasses this topic or
explains how it works? Use (and cite) reputable web sites or written resources to broaden your understanding of the topic.

Maintaining homeostasis and this balance is essential for life. If the body gets out of homeostasis it works hard to resume homeostasis.

Phenomenon: Coupling a rich phenomenon with its explanatory model. Using Step 2 as a starting point, what is an observable event (for example earthquakes,
die-offs of species, different kinds of rusting) that exemplifies the big idea and that kids can come to a deep understanding of over a period of days? What
underlying events provide a “why explanation” for this phenomenon? Use unobservable events, processes, and things to create a causal storyline that has no
gaps.

How can exercise kill someone who can’t sweat?

Exercise can be deadly to someone who is not able to sweat. Sweating is the body’s natural response to an increase in body temperature. When you sweat, the
heat in your blood is used to evaporate the water on the surface of your skin (A). This evaporative cooling lowers your body temperature. My heart rate
increases to pump more blood around my body carrying oxygen to all my cells. This is also why my respiration rate increases. Oxygen enters my body and
CO2 leaves though diffusion. Once the body has been cooled back to a normal range, or when the stimulus (exercise) has stopped, these processes stop, but
osmosis and diffusion happen all the time. They are how my cells get nutrients and get rid of waste. Sweating is an example of negative feedback.
If someone can’t sweat, then they can’t undergo evaporative cooling. There is nothing to cool their body down, so their temperature will keep increasing, and
they could die from overheating.

Activities:
A. Demonstration water drop vs. acetone on the student's hand. Students should feel a cooling effect as the acetone evaporates quicker than the water.
Have students compare to just their skin in the air.
B. Seen during eliciting, background knowledge from body systems unit.
C. Seen during feedback loop activity. When the stimulus is removed, the response stops at the target organ.
D. Heatstroke reading?
E. Blood Sugar Mapping Lab
F. Heart rate reading
G. Osmosis and Diffusion (Egg Lab)
H. Amoeba Sisters video

Draw for yourself a full explanatory diagram (your

model) that combines representations of observable
things and unobservable processes at work.

What does success for students look like? Kids should

be able to use the Big Idea to explain new phenomena
that are different from the ones you’ve used in class—
and/or use the Big Idea to predict “what if” scenarios or
conduct thought experiments. What might these new
phenomena or thought experiments be? Kids should be
able to use different kinds of evidence to support or
refute parts of any explanatory model. What kinds of
experiences might students draw evidence from to
support their explanatory models?

-Students should be able to use their ideas to

explain how someone could die from drinking too
much water.
-Students can explain their phenomena accurately
and completely.
-Students understand how homeostasis is
maintained and when it is disrupted the body
worked to regain homeostasis.
-Students who are successful also can complete
their final gapless explanation with their group members.
-Students also should be successful on the test. (update: they were not, we gave them a partial retake).
Objectives for Student Learning
Use the table below to list the Michigan Objectives (probably one or two) that apply to your lesson and a small number of specific lesson
objectives that you will be addressing during this lesson. The Michigan Objectives should be copied from the Content Expectations and the NGSS
performance expectations should be copied directly from the NGSS document (both are available via the websites provided in the syllabus).
Note: Each lesson objective should be an observable outcome. They are not teaching activities. They are what you want students to be
able to do that will indicate that they understand at the appropriate level. For example, “understand photosynthesis” does not describe what a
student with that understanding will be able to do. Also, “Conduct an experiment on plant growth under different environmental conditions” is a
good learning activity, but not a good objective. It doesn’t say what students will learn to do as a result of conducting the experiments.
Michigan Science Standards
HS LS 1-3: Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that feedback mechanisms maintain homeostasis.
NGSS Performance Expectations & Evidence Statements
HS LS 1-3: Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that feedback mechanisms maintain homeostasis. [Clarification
Statement: Examples of investigations could include heart rate response to exercise, stomate response to moisture and temperature, and root
development in response to water levels.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include the cellular processes involved in the feedback
mechanism.]

Objectives for Student Learning

These are given to students on the first page of their packet. Students are expected to use these to study from. They are what the assessments are
directly written from.
1. Define homeostasis and explain it’s importance in maintaining human health and how the body corrects errors in homeostasis.
2. Explain the result of the loss of homeostasis.
3. Explain what passive transport is and identify the 2 types, providing an example of each.
4. Predict the direction of molecule movement in passive transport.
5. Define evaporation and explain what evaporative cooling is and explain why it’s important in homeostasis.
6. Know how feedback loops maintain homeostasis, including the 8 parts of a Figure 8 Diagram and be able to apply them to an example in
the human body.
7. Compare positive and negative feedback and give examples of each.
8. Layout a plan to collect evidence that homeostasis is maintained in the body, including describing how to measure external environment
changes, living system responses, dependent variables, constants, and controls.
 Planning Practice #2
Generic Questions (You do not Actual Questions What to listen for and plan to respond to… (You do
add anything in this column) not add anything in this column)
Describe how you will introduce the phenomenon: Students will first complete the exercise lab with a partner of their choosing. This gives them
exposure to what happens in the body when they work. Students will record, HR, BR, temp, and sweat levels and then compare these to their
classmates. We just finished looking at body systems for 3 weeks, so this should flow naturally.
Step 1. Eliciting observations First students will elicit ideas about what happens • What if students cite relevant features of the task?
• What do you see going on here? when they exercise (see attached sheet). • What if students cite irrelevant ideas or cannot
• What did you notice when Measure heart rate, breathing rate, temperature and understand the representation/ problem?
___happened? sweat level. Ask them to graph their own data and • What if students give inferences rather than
• When or where does ___ occur? then look for trends they see in the class data. observations?
-Students will individually hypothesize why the
trends we identified as a class are happening.
Step 2. Eliciting hypotheses -Asking them to look for trends starts them • What if students exhibit pre-conceptions?
without explanation thinking about what’s happening. • What if students cite relevant facets of the big idea?
• What would you predict about -Then introduce the question: What happens to • What if students do make connections to what they’ve
___? someone who exercises and can’t sweat? experienced?
• What has happened here? (at -With their models first have them model what
level of inference) happened in their body when they were sweating,
• What would happen if ___? using before, during, after.
-Then have them model what
Step 3. Pressing for explanation -What might be going on at a level we can’t see • What if students offer explanations congruent with
• What might be going on here that with our eyes? Use microscope eyes to illustrate scientific explanation?
we can’t see? this to me. • What if students offer simplistic cause-effect?
• Why do you think this happens -Do you think the person who can’t sweat would Example: "Why does water boil?" "Because you put it
this way? (emphasize cause) die? Why/not? on the stove."
• What do you think causes ____? -Why does the body need to sweat? • What if kids offer explanations that involve
-What does sweating to for the body? alternative conceptions?
Step 4. Summarizing Have each model group come up with a hypothesis • What if students are unable to respond to any of these
• What are some things we are not that they have to write on the front board and share questions?
sure about here? with the rest of the class.
• How could we test our -Have the students then think of how they can test
hypotheses? these? (hopefully will tie right into the
• What kinds of information or experimental design aspect of this)
experiences do we need to learn -What lingering questions do we have?
more? -What else do we want to know?
 Planning Practice #3 (you should think about questions for each of your P3 activities – for us, please fill this out for at least 3 activities)
Generic Questions (You do Actual Questions What to listen for and plan to respond to (You do
not add anything in this not add anything in this column)
column)
Describe how you will introduce each activity:
Egg Demo: after a short amount of content interjection as to what passive transport, osmosis, and diffusion is, I’ll intro this activity.
“Now that we’ve learned a little about passive transport, lets look at an example over the next few days. We have an egg and we’re going to place
it in several solutions (liquids) over the next few days.”
Evaporation Demo
I have 3 solutions that I’m going to come around and place a drop of on each of your hands if you choose to participate. For each substance I want
you to focus on what you see happening and what your hand is feeling while this happens. Pay special attention to any changes that happen over
time.
Experimental Design
Because homeostasis is a process that’s happening in your body all the time, we want to look at how our body responds to certain changes.
Remember when we did the exercise lab? What were we looking at there?
Go over all the ‘parts’ of the lab i.e. the vocab with the exercise lab. This is because students were given some time to answer the guiding
questions on their own and then I realized they did not know anything, or have a foundation to be able to communicate so I revisited this on a
subsequent day before releasing the students to answer their own questions about their experimental design.
Step 1. Orienting students to Activity 1: What do you think will happen to the egg Then you need to listen for, plan to respond to:
the concepts when we place it in vinegar/corn syrup/water? Why? What if students can cite relevant features of the
• What can we observe/ Activity 2: Predict what you think will happen when each activity?
measure in this activity? substance is dropped on your hand. Share with your table What if students focus on extraneous features of
OR What will we be seeing partner. activity?
happen/measuring? What are we looking for during this activity?
Activity 3: What are you looking for in this experiment?
What are we measuring?
How do you plan to study homeostasis?
What organ systems are involved?
Step 2. Back-pocket Activity 1: What happened since the last time we looked What you need to listen for, plan to respond to:
questions: Observations and at the egg? What if students can cite relevant features of the
patterns How does the egg look different? activity?
• “What are you seeing here?” What does the egg feel like? What if students are focused on extraneous features
(or similar broad observational Activity 2: What happened with the air drop? Water drop? of activity?
question) Alcohol drop? What if students mention patterns, but do not
What did you feel? explain the significance?
Did everything happen on the same time scale?
Did you feel different things?
 Activity 3: What do you expect to happen?
What kind of data are you collecting?
What trends are you noticing in the data you collected?
Step 3. Back-pocket Activity 1: Why did the egg change size? What you need to listen for, plan to respond to:
questions: Connection to the Where did the water move? From where to where? What if students hesitate or seem to rely on
big idea Why did it move this way? vocabulary?
• “Can you explain what you How does this relate to passive transport? What if students can make connections between
are doing or what is happening Activity 2: How can we explain what evaporative cooling activity and some aspect of big idea?
in terms of [the big idea]?” is?
How does this relate to what happened during exercise?
Activity 3: What does the data you collected tell you?
Are the trends you saw what you expected, why/why not?
How do your results tie back to your hypothesis?
Why did you collect the data you collected?
Step 4. Whole class Activity 1: What patterns happened over the past 3 days? What you need to listen for, plan to respond to:
coordination of student’s What is the big take-away from this? What if students hesitate?
ideas & their questions How does this relate to the sweater/non-sweater? What if students can describe patterns, insights?
• “What did you (addressing Activity 2: What patterns did we see between the 3
whole class) find in your substances?
activity [adjust this questions What differences did you see between the 3?
to the specifics of the activity, What did this show us?
seeing trends, patterns, How does this relate to the sweater/non-sweater?
differences, etc.]” Activity 3: How would you change this experiment if you
had to do it again?
What other data do you want?
How does this help us explain the sweater/non-sweater?
 Planning Practice #4
Generic Questions (You do not add Actual Questions and Plans What to listen for and plan to respond to (you do not add
anything in this column) anything in this column)
Describe how you will introduce the activity: Students made comments and graded their own models and another groups models halfway through
the unit. This was done after transport and evaporative cooling was done, but before homeostasis had been addressed. They were given a gotta-have
checklist for their final full and complete models as well as a rubric.

First students gave comments about their own model using the comment sheet (Add, Revise, Question, Change). This was done instead of students
using sticky notes to try something different. Students struggled with the sticky notes on models and I thought that writing a comment sheet might
be more beneficial to them (and something to try).

Then, again at the end of the unit students had a day to revise their final models and create a full final model. Students were given one class period
to create their final model, and then had a half of a day to then grade another groups model.
Step 1. Re-orienting students to the focal What is the central question we’re trying Then you need to listen for, plan to respond to:
models and hypotheses. to answer regarding the sweater/non- What if students can only talk about their explanations
• “This is what our groups have been thinking sweater? in terms of specific observables and not in terms of an
about— what is it we have been trying to What questions were we trying to underlying model? (see examples on previous page).
represent?” answer since doing the exercise lab?
• “What is the puzzle we are trying to solve?” What information do we need to include
• “What are we trying to explain?” in this explanation?
Step 2. Coordinating a tentative explanation What do we think allows HR/BR/temp What you need to listen for, plan to respond to:
with available evidence. to return to normal? What if students start talking about descriptive
• “What do we think is causing ___? How can we show it? findings only, or talk only about how things are
• “Who would like to offer an explanation?” How does this differ from the non- correlated?
sweater? What if students depend only on vocabulary in their
explanations?
What if students respond to an imagined question?
What if students skip over the chain of events?
Step 3. Committing an explanation to paper Now lets revisit our models. Using the What you need to listen for, plan to respond to:
• “Now stop and write down your explanation” comments you gave yourself and that What if students cannot begin to write an explanation,
(groups or individually). your peers gave you, lets create a final how will you help them begin?
Followed by: explanation that answers our question. What if students cannot imagine what a piece of
• “Now from the data you collected in the evidence might be? How will you help them not just
____activity, or from ideas you read about in state of piece of evidence, but understand what counts
the text, you need to come up with two pieces as evidence?
of evidence that supports your explanation.”
Step 4. Talking about the strength
of the data and the reasoning
Step 5. Writing a final explanation
Step 6. Applying the new explanatory model
What other questions do we still have?
What other information do we still
want?
Is our model scientifically accurate?
Use the checklist and rubric provided
create your final model explanation.
Students had to apply these ideas to the
statement: Drinking too much water can
kill you, on their test. They needed to
address all the same topics that were
included in their model.
What you need to listen for, plan to respond to:
What will you do if students cannot make connections
between evidence and explanations? Or if they don’t
see how evidence might contradict an explanation?
What you need to listen for, plan to respond to:
How can you help students understand what might
have to be changed in their previous model?
What you need to listen for, plan to respond to:
How might you help students who cannot understand
how to apply their explanatory model to another kind
of situation or phenomenon?

Part III: Representation of student thinking

Paragraph 1: What is this representation of student thinking? Where did it come from?
The representation of student thinking that I choose was their final models. Students created their models after a unit of instruction,
and used a gotta-have checklist and a rubric to create them. I created the checklist for students as a means of scaffolding for them. In the
future I plan to have the students generate the checklist themselves. Students need to be able to interpret the checklist to create a cohesive
model that makes sense and explained the guiding question: What happens when someone who can’t sweat exercises?

Paragraph 2: When and how will you use this representation?

These models were used at the end of the unit, after students had taken their test, presented on their experimental design, and then
taken their retakes. As the final thing students will complete I will use this to inform my practice about what ideas students actually
understand and can explain in their own words vs. ideas they don’t fully understand. By placing this at the end of the unit, I hope students
to have the maximal amount of understanding of the question. In the future I plan to use this before the test and a great review tool. The
models encompass everything we’ve done over the unit, and would be beneficial to help students study and do sense-making before they
take their summative test.

Paragraph 3: Why will you use this representation?

I chose to use final models because I think it is a good encompassment of what students have learned over the course of the unit. It’s
particularly helpful to try and have them think ‘big picture’ again and make connections between specific topics we’ve covered in the unit.
This will tell lots in addition to their summative test. I can use both of these to get a complete picture of what the students understand. This
will tell me more than just the test because lots of students did not understand directions on the test and did not answer the questions they
were asked. The model will allow me to gauge the level of student understanding. Something I saw across their models and the test was
that students struggled with explaining what evaporative cooling was. I think this was largely in part to the fact that it’s mostly an
unobservable processes—it happens at a level we can’t see with out bare eyes.
Gotta Have Checklist - Final Models
What happens when someone exercises if they can’t sweat?
▢ We have completed the charts on each individual in the model and also included WHY any changes we see occur….
We have included the idea of evaporative cooling, including…
▢ A written exaplanation…
▢ Explaining what it is.
▢ How the body generates heat.
▢ How the body heat is delivered to the surface of the skin.
▢ How evaporative cooling removes heat from the body.
AND ▢Included microscope eyes to show what is happening at the cellular level (picture).
▢ We have also included an explanation of what occurs when evaporative cooling does not take place.
Passive Transport
▢ We have included one example of diffusion in the body
▢ and WHY this diffusion is happening.
▢ Using both a written explanation
AND ▢ Included microscope eyes to show what is happening at the cellular level (picture).
▢ We have included one example of osmosis in the body
▢ and WHY this osmosis is happening.
▢ Using both a written explanation
AND ▢ Included microscope eyes to show what is happening at the cellular level (picture).
▢ We have included the idea of homeostasis, including …
▢ Whether this situation is negative or postive feedback
▢ How the sweater and NON-sweater maintain homeostasis.
▢ What happens if homeostasis is not maintained.

Homeostasis Model Rubric

Points
Criteria Each box is worth 1 point unless otherwise labeled.
All 5 tables are 4 tables are completed 3 tables are completed 2 tables are completed 1 table completed, or
Table
completed fully and fully, or 5 tables fully, or 4 tables fully, or 3 tables minimal attempt on all No tables completed.
Complete
accurately. completed partially. completed partially. completed partially. tables.
 A full and complete written A written explanation is A written explanation is A written explanation is
explanation is given given and includes three of given and includes two of given and includes one of
including: what it is, how it the following: what it is, how the following: what it is, how the following: what it is, how
Evaporative Minimal to no written
works, how the body it works, how the body it works, how the body it works, how the body
Cooling (EC) explanation given.
generates heat, and how the generates heat, and how the generates heat, and how the generates heat, and how the
heat is delivered to the heat is delivered to the heat is delivered to the heat is delivered to the
surface of the skin. surface of the skin. surface of the skin. surface of the skin.
Evaporative Model includes an accurate visual Model includes a partially accurate Model includes a minimally accurate Model does not include a visual
Cooling representation of evaporative visual representation of evaporative visual representation of evaporative representation of evaporative
Picture cooling. cooling. cooling. cooling.
We have fully included what We have partially included what We have not included what
No evap.
happens when EC does not take happens when EC does not take happens when EC does not take
cooling
place. place. place.
A full and complete written
Passive
explanation is given including HOW A written explanation is given and A written explanation is given but
Transport: No written explanation is given.
and WHY this example is relevant includes either the HOW or WHY. does not include the HOW or WHY.
Diffusion
and important.
Diffusion Model includes an accurate visual Model includes a partially accurate Model includes a minimally accurate Model does not include a visual
Picture representation of diffusion. visual representation of diffusion. visual representation of diffusion. representation of diffusion.
A full and complete written
Passive
explanation is given including HOW A written explanation is given and A written explanation is given but
Transport: No written explanation is given.
and WHY this example is relevant includes either the HOW or WHY. does not include the HOW or WHY.
Osmosis
and important.
Osmosis Model includes an accurate visual Model includes a partially accurate Model includes a minimally accurate Model does not include a visual
Picture representation of osmosis. visual representation of osmosis. visual representation of osmosis. representation of osmosis.
A full and complete written explanation A written explanation is given and A written explanation is given but does
Homeostasis is given including HOW and WHY includes either the HOW or WHY not include the HOW or WHY
No written explanation is given.
Explanation homeostasis is relevant and important homeostasis is relevant and important homeostasis is relevant and important
to the larger phenomena. to the larger phenomena. to the larger phenomena.
A full and complete written A partially complete written
Maintaining explanation how both the sweater explanation how both the sweater Missing an explanation for either the Missing the explanation for both
Homeostasis and non-sweater maintain and non-sweater maintain sweater or non-sweater. the sweater and non-sweater.
homeostasis. homeostasis.
Feedback Explanation correctly identifies if Explanation incorrectly identifies if Explanation does not identify
Type this is positive or negative feedback. this is positive or negative feedback. feedback type.
Explains all causal relationships in Explains most causal relationships Explains some causal relationships in
Cause and Causal relationships in the system
the system (includes no incorrect in the system (includes few or no the system (or may include some
Effect are not explained.
causal relationships). incorrect causal relationships). incorrect causal relationships).
Model partially compares and Model minimally compares and Model does not compares and
Compare Model fully compares and contrasts
contrasts the sweater and non- contrasts the sweater and non- contrasts the sweater and non-
and Contrast the sweater and non-sweater.
sweater. sweater. sweater.
Scale is always appropriately taken Scale is sometimes taken into Scale is rarely taken into account. Scale is not taken into account.
Scale into account, using microscope eyes account, using microscope eyes to Microscope eyes are rarely used to Microscope eyes are not utilized to
to show important relationships. show important relationships. show important relationships. show important relationships.
Patterns Patterns or trends are fully identified Patterns or trends are partially Patterns or trends are minimally Patterns or trends are not
 across the model accurately and
fully, and related back to the larger
phenomena.
identified across the model, and identified across the model, and
identified across the model, and
related back to the larger related back to the larger
related back to the larger phenomena.
phenomena. phenomena.

Part IV: Assessment of Students

Assessment Tasks
You will need to collect written work from your students both during the unit (formative or mini-summative) and at the end of the unit
(summative). Describe at least three tasks in each category - including the actual question(s) where possible.
Formative/Embedded Assessments (These are assessment tasks that you will use throughout the course of the unit to know how students
understand the ideas and you should use their responses to guide your teaching. These can include warm-ups, exit slips, [pictures of] students’
models, written explanations….)
Assessment Task Description of Assessment (including exact wording where possible)
1 Experimental Design Conclusion Paragraphs
You will give a verbal presentation of your findings from your experiment to your classmates. Please write a
conclusion that summarizes your findings. This sheet will be turned in to Ms. B by the end of the hour TODAY.
Please also turn in 1 copy of your graph for grading. Both this summary and your graph will be presented to
your classmates tomorrow on Thursday (rubric for grading is on the reverse!)
Claim (Hypothesis), Evidence, Reasoning
-Told me about their understanding of CER, homeostasis, and experimental design, was used as a reference for
students when they gave presentations on their experiment results. Served 2 purposes: give students practice
with CER, and also to give them practice writing things down and then presenting to their peers.
2 Picture of Evaporative Cooling: Students had to draw a picture illustrating evaporative cooling
-Told me about their understanding of evaporative cooling, was used to check their understanding as homework
one night after we learned about evaporation and evaporative cooling in class that day. This was supposed to be
a ‘mini model’ for students because they had to include a pictorial representation of evaporative cooling on
their final models. This was practice for that, it also gave the students practice with microscope eyes (new
concept to them).
3 Figure 8 Diagram of Temperature in body
-Told me what students were understanding about the body maintaining homeostasis, was used as in class
practice after we did a figure 8 diagram as a class, students practiced on their own and then we went over it as a
class. Students needed to do this on their test, so this was practice for that.
Summative Assessments (These are assessment tasks that you will use at the end of the unit in order to see whether students learned what you
wanted them to learn. This may include a traditional test, a “transfer question” – can they apply ideas to a new phenomenon? – an essay, a
project…)
Assessment Task Description of Assessment (including exact wording where possible)
1 Final Models
-students created a final model answering the question: What happens when someone who can’t sweat
exercises?
This was supposed to be a representation of their thinking over the whole unit. It was supposed to bring
everything together for the students and demonstrate their learning.
2 Homeostasis Unit Test
-Their summative assessment, served to inform me of students ability to apply concepts to a new phenomenon.
Useful for learning how much information students internalized vs. what they could memorize/regurgitate. Also
useful to learn about study habits.
3 Test Retake
-students were given a chance to retake a portion of their homeostasis test to demonstrate more knowledge than
they did on their first test. Students were allowed to use one side of a 3x5 notecard of notes for this. Used to see
if student were given more study tools and time if they could improve, students did. Students were able to
demonstrate more knowledge.