Case Study: Middle School Life Science Lesson Adaptation
Focal Science Practice:
Asking questions
Developing and using models
Planning and carrying out investigations
Analyzing and interpreting data
Using mathematical and computational thinking
Constructing explanations
Engaging in argument from evidence
Obtaining, evaluating and communicating information
Lesson Description:
Ms. Kim’s 8th grade class is in the middle of a unit on Growth, Development, and Reproduction of Organisms. In this particular lesson, students are using the data involving the growth of rice plants in various environmental conditions to construct a scientific explanation of how environmental factors can influence the growth of organisms. Students will use the evidence from the data they analyzed and their scientific understanding of growth and development to construct their explanations. In the next class, students will compare the genetic factors that influence the growth and development of the rice plant with another species of plant.
Related NGSS Performance Expectation:
MS-LS1-5. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.
Clarification Statement: Examples of local environmental conditions could include availability of food, light, space, and water. Examples of genetic factors could include large breed cattle and species of grass affecting growth of organisms. Examples of evidence could include drought decreasing plant growth, fertilizer increasing plant growth, different varieties of plant seeds growing at different rates in different conditions, and fish growing larger in large ponds than they do in small ponds.
Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include genetic mechanisms, gene regulation, or biochemical processes.
