Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Unit 3, Lesson 2: Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes


1. TITLE OF LESSON
Unit 3; Lesson 2—Prokaryotes vs Eukaryotes
   
2. CURRICULUM AREA & GRADE LEVEL
9th grade Biology
Dr. Rachel Richards
 
3. STUDENT INFORMATION
A. English Language Learners
All ELL students are CELDT level 4. There are 4 in period 5 and 6 in period 6 for a total of 10 ELL students. See Unit 3; Lesson 1: Introduction to the Cell for more detail.
   
B. Students with Special Education Needs
There are 4 students with IEPs or 504s in period 4 and 4 in period 6 for a total of 8. Learning disabilities include ADHD (2), anxiety (1), autism (2), specific learning disability (e.g. reading comprehension/memory retention) (2), and mild cerebral palsy (1). See Unit 3; Lesson 1: Introduction to the Cell for more detail.

4. RATIONALE
A. Enduring Understanding
Cells are the smallest basic unit of life. All living things are made of cells. All new cells come from preexisting cells. There are two main categories of cells: prokaryotes and eukaryotes. They have distinct similarities and differences. An example of a prokaryote is a bacterial cell. An example of a eukaryote is an animal cell, or a plant cell.

B. Essential Questions
What are cells?
What are some characteristics of eukaryotes?
What are some characteristics of prokaryotes?
What are the key differences and similarities between a eukaryote and a prokaryote?
What are some examples of prokaryotes and eukaryotes?
           
C. Reason For Instructional Strategies & Student Activities
My classes are composed with freshmen. Most of them don’t like biology, as evidenced by an informal poll on the first day of class. They dislike reading, and, as a result, rarely read outside of homework assignments. Therefore, my classes are very hands-on and activities-based. In addition, I design my intros, presentations, and activities to be fun, engaging, and thought-provoking. The use of multiple resources and teaching styles will help my diverse class understand the key points of this unit, regardless of whether they learn through visual, auditory, and/or kinesthetic modalities. This strategy will also help the ELL students and students with special needs in my class.

For this lesson, students will look at prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells under a microscope after being presented with new content on these two categories of cells. During the presentation, students will be asked to participate in answering questions and a discussion about the differences and similarities between eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Therefore, I will be using a combination of strategies: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.
     
5. CONTENT STANDARD(S)
1. Cell Biology: The fundamental life processes of plants and animals depend on a variety of chemical reactions that occur in specialized areas of the organism’s cells.
c. Students know how prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells (including those from plants and animals), and viruses differ in complexity and general structure.

11. Investigation and Experimentation: Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the concept in the other four strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations.
            d. Formulate explanations by using logic and evidence.
g. Recognize the usefulness and limitations of models and theories as scientific representations of reality.
             
6. ELD STANDARD(S)
·       Listening & Speaking: 1 (Intermediate): Listen attentively to stories and information and identify important details and concepts by using both verbal and nonverbal responses.
·       Listening & Speaking: 7(EA): Respond to messages by asking questions, challenging statements, or offering examples that affirm the message. 
                 
7. LEARNING GOAL(S) – OBJECTIVES (all cognitive; some psychomotor (lab))
After being presented with content on cells, prokaryotes and eukaryotes and studying them under a microscope, students will be able to explain the differences and similarities between prokaryotes and eukaryotes by drawing a model of each cell with labels, share their explanations orally and written (think-pair-share, quick write), and create a Venn diagram illustrating the similarities and differences.

8. ASSESSMENT(S)
A. Diagnostic/Entry Level: Before launching into new content about cells, I will ask them to share with the class what they’re conception of a cell is, what they’re function(s) are, and what they make up (organisms, tissues, etc.).
                  


B. Formative – Progress Monitoring:
I will circulate as students look at cells under a microscope and sketch drawings of their findings. I can check for understanding by assessing whether they’re cell models are labeled correctly. I will also check their Venn diagrams of differences and similarities between eukaryotes and prokaryotes (Venn diagram attached). Over the next week, I will close each class by randomly calling on 3 students and ask them questions about cells, prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
C. Summative:
Students will take a multiple-choice test at the end of the Unit 3 to be assessed for their understanding. The questions will include material on cells, prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In addition, for today’s lesson, students will be graded on their abilities to draw a model of a eukaryote and a prokaryote. They will also be assessed on their abilities to chart the key differences and similarities between eukaryotes and prokaryotes. They will also be asked to write a 1 paragraph “Quick Write”, comparing and contrasting prokaryotes and eukaryotes. These “Quick Writes” will be randomly shared with the class (3), and I will also check them individually.
              
9. EXPLANATION OF DIFFERENTIATION FOR ELL & STS W/ SP ED NEEDS
A. English Language Learners
1.) Content: Students are arranged into groups of 4 according to current grade so those who need help with note-taking can look at the notes of a partner next to them. I pause to ask for questions to ensure everyone is ready before I advance a slide.
2.) Process: Students are arranged into groups of 4 according to current grade so those who need help have others who can provide peer-tutoring. I circulate as they look through the microscope and sketch their drawings to provide assistance. Finally, I check for understanding frequently through random Q&A. Students have frequent opportunities to hear other student explanations, as well as being randomly assessed.                                      
3.) Product: Students can rely on others and see me for to aid in producing drawings of a eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell. They work in groups to complete their charts to compare and contrast prokaryotes and eukaryotes. I circulate to assist them while they write their “quick-write”. I also circulate and check notebooks periodically before they are due to make sure the notes are being taken correctly and content written is accurate. Before the test, students can see me outside of class for individual tutoring. During the test, students may ask me to read a question orally, or ask me for a definition of a non-vocab word that they don’t know (e.g. “abundance”).
                  
A. Students with Special Education Needs
1.) Content: Students are arranged into groups of 4 according to current grade so those who need help with note-taking can look at the notes of a partner next to them. I pause to ask for questions to ensure everyone is ready before I advance a slide.
2.) Process: Students are arranged into groups of 4 according to current grade so those who need help have others who can provide peer-tutoring. I circulate as they look through the microscope and sketch their drawings to provide assistance. Finally, I check for understanding frequently through random Q&A. Students have frequent opportunities to hear other student explanations, as well as being randomly assessed.                                      
3.) Product: Students can see me for assistance in completing their cell model drawings, compare and contrast charts, and quick writes correctly. Students can see me outside of class for individual tutoring. I also circulate as students are working to make their drawings, notes, and Venn diagrams are accurate. Students with IEPs may have extra time on tests, or work in a quiet room in the back upon request.
                                     
10. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
A. Intro (5 min):
Students were presented with anticipatory set at the beginning of class. After having some time in small groups to work on vocabulary definitions, I will instruct them to open up a fresh page in their spiral notebooks for note-taking. I will begin by randomly calling on 3 students for their definition of the vocab words: eukaryote, prokaryote, and organelle.                 
B. Instruction (15 min): I will present content on cells, eukaryotes, and prokaryotes (attached ppt presentation). I will ask students questions periodically to check for understanding. These questions include:
n  All living things are made of ________.
n  Where do cells come from?
n  What are the two cell categories?
n  What are 3 unique properties of prokaryotic cells?
n  What are 3 unique properties of eukaryotic cells?                                 
C. Guided Practice (45 min): I will circulate and assist students as they draw models of a prokaryote and eukaryote by looking at cells in a microscope and following the directions on the lab worksheet (attached).                                     
D. Independent Practice: Students will be instructed to work in pairs to complete a chart to compare and contrast prokaryotes and eukaryotes.                                       
E. Closure: I will assign students a 1 paragraph “Quick Write” on comparing and contrasting prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
                                                          
11. STUDENT ACTIVITIES
A. Intro (5 min):
Students will open up a fresh page in their spiral notebooks for note-taking. 3 students will share their definition of the words: eukaryote, prokaryote, and organelle.               
B. Instruction (15 min): Students will take Cornell-style notes on the presentation about cells, eukaryotes, and prokaryotes (attached ppt presentation). Students will answer questions periodically to check for understanding.
 C. Guided Practice (45 min): Students will draw models of a prokaryote and eukaryote by looking at cells in a microscope and following the lab directions (attached).                                     
D. Independent Practice: Students will then work in pairs to complete a Venn diagram to compare and contrast prokaryotes and eukaryotes.                                       
E. Closure: Students will write a 1 paragraph “Quick Write” on comparing and contrasting prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. In addition, students will be assessed for understanding at the end of the unit (3 weeks) by a multiple-choice test.

12. RESOURCES
·       PowerPoint presentation “Types of Cells”
·       Lab for examining eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells
·       Venn diagram for differences and similarities between eukaryote and prokaryote
·       Venn diagram answer key
·       Link to my blog for more resources on Cells (Unit 3).
·       Link to resources in Google Docs:

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