UMU Lesson Plan Template

Name: Mollianne Dunn Date: 11/28/18

Grade Level: 7th Grade Class Period: 7/8
Subject: Science Lesson # & Title: Scientific Investigation
Function of the Lesson (check all that apply):
□ Introduce New Skill or Content
□ Practice
□ Review
□ Remediation/Re-teaching

Context for Learning and Planning Rationale:

Learner Attributes: There are a total of 24 students (12 boys and 12 girls) in the seventh grade classroom. The students are
from a rural district that is increasingly becoming more suburban. The vast majority of the class is Caucasian. This class is a
middle level class so there are no gifted students, low achieving students, or students with learning disabilities.

Classroom Environment: The classroom is composed of 12 tables; 2 tables are pushed together to make a pod that seats 4
students. There are 6 sets of pods to seat all 24 students in groups of 4 that allow for cooperative learning to occur. There are
7 students in the class who are easily distracted and constantly need reminded to stay on task. These students are separated
throughout the classroom with students who help them to remain on task during individual and cooperative learning times.
The 3 students that are the most distracted during focused and guided instruction are seated towards the front of the
classroom so the teacher can use proximity to prevent off topic discussions and other distractions. There is a Smartboard and
whiteboard at the front of the room that is visible to all students. Each student has access to their own Chromebook when
doing something that requires their use. The classroom has 8 sinks, science equipment, emergency shower, cabinets for
storage, and counter space that allow for various experiments. The walls are decorated with a periodic table, a giant
whiteboard Sudoku that the students can work on at their leisure, classroom rules, and some science posters. There is a fire
hydrant down the hallway.

Rationale: While planning the lesson, it is important to be aware and plan according to various cultures and socioeconomic
backgrounds. Students should be able to relate and understand all information taught no matter what their background is. The
information being taught in this lesson is not culture or socioeconomically specific so this should not be an issue. The lesson
is also planned in consideration for a diversity of learners. Not all students learn the same so it is important to present
information in many different forms. Multiple modalities are used throughout the lesson by the teacher in order to reach all
types of learning styles. For example, the teacher reads all of the examples in the beginning of the lesson aloud in order to
help auditory learners and kinesthetic learners benefit from all of the practice.

Content Standards: Grade Band Theme: This theme focuses on helping students use scientific inquiry to discover patterns,
trends, structures and relationships that may be inferred by simple principles. These principles are related to the properties or
interactions within and between systems.
Science Inquiry and Applications:
During the years of grades 5 through 8, all students must have developed the ability to: Identify questions that can be
answered through scientific investigations; Design and conduct a scientific investigation; Use mathematics, tools and
techniques to gather data and information; Analyze and interpret data; Develop descriptions, models, explanations and
predictions; Think critically and logically to connect evidence and explanations; Recognize and analyze alternative
explanations and predictions; and Communicate scientific procedures and explanations

Rationale: Science inquiry and applications is being taught because it is important for students to understand the basics of the
scientific method before implementing the scientific method into their learning. Science is built on using the scientific
method to make discoveries which are then taught in school. Everything the students learn went through the scientific method

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and the students will use the scientific method throughout the rest of their science classes to learn. Some students may even
continue onto high learning and jobs that will require the use of the scientific method such as medical research or
engineering. In order to be able to properly use the scientific method, the students must understand all the steps of the
scientific method and what is involved. The students need to understand the importance of each step of the scientific method.
Each step has a purpose and by understanding the purpose, it helps students to know that their work is not useless but integral
to the final result. The scientific method helps students to organize information in a manner that promotes understanding and
learning.
This standard was taught earlier in the year, however, the students are still struggling to identify the independent and
dependent variable so they will review this material today.

Learning Objectives:
1. The students will be able to formulate an experimental idea, with 100% accuracy.
2. The students will be able to formulate a question for an experiment, with 100% accuracy
3. The students will be able to identify the independent and dependent variable in an experiment, with 100% accuracy.

Academic Language:
 Scientific method: a method of procedure that has characterized natural science since the 17th century, consisting in
systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses
 Variable: an element, feature, or factor that is liable to vary or change
 Independent variable: a variable whose variation does not depend on that of another
 Dependent variable: a variable whose value depends on that of another

Assessment Plan, Formative Assessment:

1. In order to check what the students have learned from previous lessons about independent and dependent variables,
the students will identify independent and dependent variables. The teacher will put example questions on the
SmartBoard and the students will identify the variables on a piece of paper. The teacher will go over the examples
by calling on students and the teacher will collect the sheets of paper. The teacher will look over each students’
papers in order to check which students are struggling still. The teacher will check on those students during
independent work time.
2. In order to check what the students learned from the examples and review, the students will complete worksheet #1.
The worksheet is a lot of experiment examples and the students have to identify the independent and dependent
variables for each. The teacher will review some of the questions and collect the worksheet. The teacher will make
note of who is still struggling and address those students in the following lesson.

Assessment Plan, Summative Assessment:

1. To check to see if the students have mastered the lesson material and objectives, the students will complete an exit
ticket. By the end of the lesson the students should be able to formulate their own experimental idea, formulate a
question, and identify the independent and dependent variables. The exit ticket will require the students to come up
with one experimental idea, formulate one question, and identify the independent and dependent variables. In order
for the students to meet mastery, the must complete each part of the exit ticket correctly to reach an accuracy of
100%.

Procedures, Lesson Introduction: (5 minutes)

1. The teacher will begin class by providing examples of experiments on the SmartBoard. The students will write on a
piece of paper the independent and dependent variables for each example. After a few minutes, the teacher will call
on students and go over each example. The teacher will collect the sheets of paper.

Procedures, Lesson Body: (30 minutes)

1. The teacher will review what an independent and dependent variable is. The teacher will call on students to explain
each one.

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 2. The teacher will handout worksheet #1 and explain the directions. The students are to read each situation on the
paper and determine the independent and dependent variable. The teacher will walk around during this time
checking on the students’ work and progress.
3. Once the students begin to finish, the teacher will bring the class back together to go over 4 of the questions.

Procedures, Lesson Closure: (10 minutes)

1. The teacher will end class by having the students complete an exit ticket. The students are to come up with an
experimental idea. This experiment will not be tested so the students can be as creative as they would like to be. The
students will then formulate the scientific question that goes with their experiment and identify the independent and
dependent variables.

Differentiation, Individualized Instruction, and Assessment:

1. During individual work, the teacher will begin by casually checking on the tables to ensure that the 7 students who
are easily distracted are on task. Proximity to the students help a few of the students to get on task while the other
few need verbally reminders to get started. The teacher will not make a big deal of checking on these 7 students by
checking on the other students’ progress as well. This will ensure that the students are not embarrassed, but keeps all
of the students on task.
2. For the students that are able to easily identify the independent and dependent variables, the teacher will challenge
them to begin to formulate the scientific questions based on the experiment explained. If the students need even
more of a challenge, the teacher will encourage them to begin to create the hypotheses for each experiment.

Instructional Materials and Support:

 Example experiments
 SmartBoard
 Paper
 Pencils
 Worksheet #1

Research and Theory Commentary:

1. The learning environment is set up in support of Lev Vygotsky’s theory, which focuses on the importance of social
interaction and collaborative group work for learning. The tables are set up so during individual work, students are
able to work together or ask their peers questions whenever needed. Often times students have different ways of
looking at the situation which can benefit their peers rather than the teacher explaining it again. The teacher is still
able to intervene when needed. Furthermore, adolescents in the middle school are most influenced by their peers and
social interactions at this age are extremely important.
2. B. F. Skinner’s theory is that positive reinforcement encourages a behavior and negative reinforcement pushes a
student away from a behavior. This theory is implemented in the lesson by the teacher providing positive
reinforcement when students participate in class. This will encourage students to keep participating and encourage
other students to participate more. Also, students in the middle school often care more about their peers than
teachers. By encouraging students to keep participating, then other students will be encouraged to follow what their
peers are doing.
3. Edward Thorndike developed the first three “Laws of learning” one of which is the law of exercise. This law focuses
on practicing what is learned. Students cannot learn effectively by only watching. Students need to practice what is
taught in order to learn and master a skill. This is reflected in the lesson plan because the lesson includes chances to
practice with the examples, a lot of practice problems, and the exit ticket.

Cultural Responsiveness, Equity, and Inclusion Commentary:

1. During class discussion times, students are challenged to explain and support their work. During individual learning,
students are encouraged to work together when stuck or to check their work. This allows for students to be able to
critique each other’s work.
2. Students from all cultures are able to relate to the lesson because the examples are relatable to their lives and
people’s lives around them. They include examples including ones about students, grades, family pets, etc. This
allows for the students to relate to the material.
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Use of Technology Commentary (if applicable):
Not Applicable

Reflection and Instructional Commentary (if applicable):

The students seemed to have a much better understanding of independent and dependent variables by the end of class. The
experiments they came up with were really creative and interesting. The practice worksheet helped a lot.

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Example Problems

Example #1: Music may help people relax. John got two groups of people together. He took everybody’s pulse and blood
pressure. Then he allowed one group to listen to soothing music while the other group sat in silence. After the song was over,
he measured everyone’s pulse and blood pressure again.

Example #2: Preservatives, like salt, help keep food fresh. Katie made 12 loaves of bread using the same recipe and baking
method. In 6 of them she used salt, in 6 of them she used no salt. After the loaves were baked, she placed each of the loaves
in a plastic bad and left them close together on the counter in the kitchen. Each day she looked at them to see if any mold had
started to grow.

Example #3: Rocco made an air-pressure device that could launch potatoes. He added air to the device using his bicycle tire
pump. For 10 launches, he used 10 pumps of air. For another 10 launches, he used 20 pumps of air. After launching each
potato, he carefully measured how far it travelled.

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Worksheet #1

Name _______________ Pd ___________________

Date________________ Variables: Ind. and Dep.

Independent and Dependent Variables: ANSWERS

Part 1 Directions: Identify the independent and dependent variables in the following statements.

1) The more time people spend using social media, the less they read books.

Independent Variable: Time on Social Media

Dependent Variable: Less books read

2) Drinking energy drinks makes people more aggressive.

Independent Variable: Drinking energy drinks

Dependent Variable: Aggressive behavior

3) Taking a nap in the afternoon makes people more focused for the rest of the day.

Independent Variable: Time spent napping in the afternoon

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 Dependent Variable: Focus

4) Spending time with a family dog decreases the amount of stress someone is feeling.

Independent Variable: Spending time with a family dog

Dependent Variable: Amount of stress someone is feeling.

5) Eating breakfast in the morning increases the ability to learn in school.

Independent Variable: Eating breakfast

Dependent Variable: Ability to learn

Part 2 Directions…More Challenging: Identify the independent and dependent variables in the following
descriptions of experiments:

1) Students watched a cartoon either alone or with others and then rated how funny they found the
cartoon to be.

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 Independent Variable: Watching cartoons solo or with others

Dependent Variable: How funny the cartoon is

2) A comprehension test was given to students after they had studied textbook material either in silence or
with the television turned on.

Independent Variable: Studying with or without TV

Dependent Variable: Achievement on a test

3) Some elementary school teachers were told that a child’s parents were college graduates, and other
teachers were told that the child’s parents had not finished high school; they then rated the child’s grades.

Independent Variable: Education of parents

Dependent Variable: Children’s grades

4) Workers at a company were assigned to one of two conditions: One group completed a stress
management training program; another group of workers did not participate in the training. The number of
sick days taken by these workers was examined for the next 2 months.

Independent Variable: Stress Management Training

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 Dependent Variable: Sick days taken

5) Students at a University were split into two groups and each received a different text for a philosophy
course. Once group received a traditional text book, while the other received an interactive textbook on a
tablet computer. After the course, the final exam grades between the two groups of students was compared.

Independent Variable: Type of book used in college class

Dependent Variable: Final exam grade

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