SINGLE SUBJECT CREDENTIAL PROGRAM

EDSC LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

Revised 4.15
For directions on how to complete this form, see EDSC Lesson Plan Directions and Scoring Guide in the SSCP Handbook at
www.sscphandbook.org.

Name
Paula Alcantar
Class Title
Biology

CWID

Subject Area

890864739
Lesson Title
Which Macromolecule
Matters the Most?

Science
Unit Title
Cell Dynamics

Grade Levels
9-11

Total Minutes
53

CLASS DESCRIPTION
The class consists of 36 students from varying backgrounds and ethnicities. There are 8 ELLs; 6 students home
language is Spanish, one students home language is Mandarin, and one students home language is Hindi. There are
also 2 students with special needs. Both students see a resource specialist and one of them also sees a speech
specialist. The classroom includes 38 desks in the lecture side of the room aligned in 6 rows that are all facing forward
toward the teachers desk and the projector. In the lab side of the room, there are 8 lab stations, each with 5 chairs
around the table. The classroom is quite large and has several inspirational and biology-related posters on the walls.
There is a designated section on the whiteboard for the daily agenda, which the teacher updates so students know
what theyre plan is for the days lesson.
STANDARDS AND LESSON OBJECTIVES
CCSS Math, CCSS ELA & Literacy History/Social
Studies, Science and Technical Subjects, NGSS, and
English Language Development Standards (ELD)
Content Standards

Performance Expectation: HS-LS1-6. Construct and

revise an explanation based on evidence for how
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen from sugar molecules
may combine with other elements to form amino acids
and/or other large carbon-based molecules.
DCI:
The sugar molecules thus formed contain
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen: their
hydrocarbon backbones are used to make
amino acids and other carbon-based
molecules that can be assembled into larger
molecules (such as proteins or DNA), used for
example to form new cells. (HS-LS1-6)
As matter and energy flow through different
organizational levels of living systems,
chemical elements are recombined in different
ways to form different products. (HS-LS1-6)
Cross Cutting Concept:
Changes of energy and matter in a system can
be described in terms of energy and matter flows
into, out of, and within that system. (HS-LS1-6)

1. Exchanging Information/Ideas: Contribute to class,

group, and partner discussions, sustaining
conversations on a variety of age and gradeappropriate academic topics by following turn-taking
rules, asking and answering relevant, on-topic
questions, affirming others, providing additional,
relevant information, and paraphrasing key ideas.
3. Supporting opinions and persuading others Negotiate
with or persuade others in conversations (e.g., to provide
counter- arguments) using a growing number of learned
phrases (I see your point, but . . .) and open responses to
express and defend nuanced opinions.

Lesson Objective(s)
Evidence
Students will be able to engage in scientific
Each group will complete an Argumentation handout that
argumentation on an assigned macromolecule by using
must include their evidence used to defend their claim.
evidence-based reasoning.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT
Purpose/Focus of
Type
Implementation
Feedback Strategy
How Informs Teaching
Assessment
EL
The purpose of this
The teacher will have
The teacher will have
This informs the teacher
assessment is to have
students take out their
students write them
that students are able to
students focus on the
daily warm ups and
down individually and
recall important

functions of the four

macromolecules. They
have been conducting
research and reviewing
class notes about the
macromolecules and its
important for them to
remember their functions
because these are what
will drive the
effectiveness of their
argument.

PM

The purpose of this

assessment is to ensure
that students are
remaining on task as
they continue working on
preparing for their
presentations.

The purpose of the

assessment is to have
students reflect on what
makes a strong
argument.

respond to the question

written on the board: List
the four macromolecules
and their functions.

The teacher will be

directly observing
students as they work in
their groups during
preparation for their
presentations. She will
also directly observe
groups while theyre
presenting as well as
observe the students
that are in the audience
to ensure that they are
remaining on task and
focused.
The teacher will instruct
students to take out a
sheet of paper and think
about the presentations
theyve seen today. They
must choose one that
they believe was a
strong example of
argumentation. They
must also explain why
they think this. This is a
quickwrite and students
will only have about 2
minutes to complete it.

then share with their

neighbor to compare
answers. After students
have compared their
responses, the teacher
will call on different
students to ask what
their partner wrote
down. The teacher will
verbally inform students
when all key functions
have been identified.

information that they

must keep in mind when
they are watching
presentations in class.

The teacher will have

verbal discussions with
students that are off task
and use classroom
management strategies
to keep students
focused.

This informs the teacher

of how well students can
remain focused and on
task during group work.

The teacher will collect

these as students walk
out the door at the end
of class. The teacher will
review these to see what
kinds of explanations
students used to support
their claim of which
group was the strongest
example of
argumentation.

This quickwrite
essentially acts as a mini
argumentation exercise
and ensures that
students were not only
paying attention to the
presentations, but also
gaining better
understanding because
of them.

INSTRUCTION
Instructional Strategies
Think Pair Share, Group Presentation
Lesson Introduction/Anticipatory Set
Time
Teacher Does
The teacher will begin the class by having the
students take out their warm ups and reviewing the
functions of the macromolecules. We have been
8 mins. learning about macromolecules for some time now
and its important for students to be able to
recognize their functions and why theyre important
for the body.
Lesson Body
Time
Teacher Does
42
This is a 2 day activity where students will have
mins.
established groups, been assigned a macromolecule,
created their claim, and began conducting research
on Day 1. Day 2 requires students to finish
performing research and citing evidence on the
Argumentation handout, and presenting their claims.
This lesson is based on Day 2. The teacher will
instruct students to take out their Argumentation
handout and form their groups in the lab area. She
will remind them to use all available resources to
finish their research, including the Biology textbook,
class notes, and the class set of Chromebooks. The

Student Does
The students will take out their daily warm ups and
describe the functions of the four macromolecules.
They must first write this down individually and then
they will be able to discuss their responses with their
neighbor to compare answers.
Student Does
The students will form their groups to continue
working on compiling their evidence and preparing
for their presentations today. They will take 10
minutes to get their information together, 3 minutes
to delegate presentation responsibilities, and the rest
of class time to present. Ideally, each group should
present their information in 5-7 minutes. Students
that are in the audience must take notes while
groups are presenting. These notes will help them
formulate questions that they can ask the presenting
group about their claim and evidence. Not all groups
will present in the allotted time and will be able to

teacher will provide students 10 minutes to complete

this handout. After the 10 minutes, the teacher will
provide the students 3 minutes to delegate
presentation responsibilities within the group. Each
student in the group will have to speak at least once.
There are 8 groups total, therefore 2 groups will be
arguing for each of the 4 macromolecules. Each
group will have 4-5 students. The teacher will
describe the presentation procedure to the class
before they begin. This will not be in the form of a
formal debate, rather each group will present their
information to the class. The audience must take
notes as each group presents. After each group
presents, the audience must ask probing questions
to gather more information from the group to give
the group further opportunity to support their claim.
One student must present the claim and group
hypothesis. 3-4 of the students must present the
evidence used to support this claim as well as the
justification for the evidence. The key is for each
group to complete their presentations concisely and
effectively in a short amount of time. After all groups
have presented, the teacher will direct students to
pass up their notes they took. Whichever groups did
not present today will present tomorrow.
Lesson Closure
Time
Teacher Does
The teacher will have students take out a sheet of
paper and do a quickwrite as their exit ticket for
today. The teacher will tell students to think about
3 mins. the presentations theyve seen in class today and
choose one presentation that they thought was a
strong example of argumentation and explain what
made it strong.
Instructional Materials, Equipment, and Multimedia

continue presenting tomorrow.

Student Does
The students will take out a sheet of paper to
complete their exit ticket. They must think of one
presentation that was a good example of
argumentation and explain what the group did well
and what made their argument strong.

Argumentation handout, Chromebooks

Co-Teaching Strategies
Tag Teaching, One Teach One Assist
DIFFERENTIATION
English Learners

Striving Readers

Students with Special

Needs

Advanced Students

To ensure that EL students

feel comfortable speaking
in front of the class, the
teacher will speak to them
Students with special needs
individually while groups
will be able to take notes
are working to discuss the
Striving readers will be able with them during their
Advanced students will be
presentation. The teacher
to review their sources of
presentation to use as a
able to exercise their
will help clarify
evidence and access
reference. These students
research skills and practice
pronunciation encourage
research that is accessible
will be placed in a group
developing strong
group members to provide
to them and their reading
with a strong student so
arguments in the
the student support during
level.
that they can have an
Argumentation handout.
the presentation when
academic role model
needed. EL students will be
throughout the activity.
encouraged to take notes
with them while theyre
presenting.
REFLECTION: SUMMARY, RATIONALE, AND IMPLEMENTATION
This lesson helps students engage in the epistemic practice of argumentation. Students will be placed in groups and
assigned macromolecules that they must argue is the most important for the body to function. This lesson requires 2-3
days: Day 1 includes the initial research and collection of evidence, and Days 2-3 consists of groups presenting their
arguments.