Inquiry (5E) Lesson Plan Template

Teachers: Subject: Grade: 8

Daniella Simari Biological/Environm
ental Science
Common Core State Standards:
Strand 4:
Concept 3: Populations of Organisms in an Ecosystem
Concept 4: Diversity, Adaptation, and Behavior:
o PO 1. Explain how an organisms behavior allows it to survive in an
environment.
o PO 4. Compare the symbiotic and competitive relationships in organisms within
an ecosystem (e.g., lichen, mistletoe/tree, clownfish/sea anemone,
native/non-native species).
Strand 5:
Concept 3: Transfer of Energy
Objective (Explicit):
Understanding the definition of a biome and the relationships organisms have within
their respective biomes.
The ability to provide at least three examples of symbiotic relationships among
organisms that help them survive in their environments.
The ability to provide at least three examples of competitive relationships among
organisms and explain possible implications of these relationships.
Understanding of food webs and food chains, and how energy is transferred from the
bottom up.
Evidence of Mastery (Measurable):
Include a copy of the lesson assessment.
Provide exemplar student responses with the level of detail you expect to see.
Assign value to each portion of the response

Sub-objectives, SWBAT (knowledge, skill, purpose):

How will you review past learning and make connections to previous lessons?
What skills and content are needed to ultimately master this lesson objective?
How is this objective relevant to students, their lives, and/or the real world?
Skills and content needed to ultimately master this lesson objective include autonomy and
improved communication in either oral or written forms.
Key vocabulary: Materials:
natural selection Computer with large screen to show video,
symbiotic relationships transportation to zoo, students notebooks,
competitive relationships coloring utensils, graphs and pictures of
predator barnacle example found here:
prey http://www.hammiverse.com/lectures/53/1.
food web html, clownfish/anemone video:
ecosystem http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/
environment clownfish_amonganemones?gc=%2Fvideo
biome %2Fanimals, Phoenix Zoo group map:
food web http://phoenixzoo.org/wp-content/uploads/
trophic levels 2016/09/School-Group-Zoo-Map.pdf, food
producer web example:
consumer https://media.quizizz.com/resource/gs/quizi
zz-media/questions/L2FwcGhvc3RpbmdfcH
JvZC9ibG9icy9BRW5CMlVvZS1xUjcyaEFL
RHVmWVhVQ091QkhWWHVza0dpYmxRcW

Engage
How will you activate prior knowledge?
How will you hook student attention?
What question will you pose, based on your objective, that students will seek to answer in Explore?
Teacher Will:
Ask students what each of their favorite
animals are and have them draw and color
their favorite animals in their notebooks.
While the students color, the teacher will set
up large posters with the words fish, zebras,
deer, grass, fruit, rodents, birds, insects,
plankton, etc. randomly around the
classroom. The teacher will then allow
two-three minutes for students to show a
partner their drawing and discuss any facts
they might know about their favorite animal.
The teacher will ask students what a predator
is, and what prey is. The teacher will then
have students stand up with their drawing and
find an animal or plant on the posters
previously set up around the room that they
think their favorite animal would prey upon.
The teacher will then ask students (while
standing in their newly formed poster groups)
which of their favorite animals would prey
upon another students favorite animal within
their poster group. The teacher will ask the
new prey to sit down.
Finally, the teacher will ask what competitive
relationships are, and explain that the animals
still standing have competitive relationships
with the other animals within their poster
groups. They will be sure to include that
competitive relationships can be for both food
and space for their habitats.
The teacher will ask the students to sit down,
and then ask what symbiotic relationships are.
The teacher will then play the video about
clownfish and sea anemones:
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/clo
wnfish_amonganemones?gc=%2Fvideo%2Fa
nimals. The teacher will also ask students to
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Vl6cERGQWZmUGRlNE1GTjhZYTlVLWwzZ
TB6d2NtRmJ2S2R0Zy53MmtGWUVubDRw
X2JocnNl, food chain:
https://smartsite.ucdavis.edu/access/conte
nt/user/00002950/courses/sites/cknamed/fo
odchain.jpg, and short energy transfer
video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0glkXIj
1DgE
Students Will: Respectfully answer the
teachers question and draw their favorite
animal. They will not pay attention to the
posters being set up around the room. The
students will quietly discuss their animal
with the person to their right until the
teacher asks for them to stop.
Students will respectfully answer the
teachers questions about predators and
prey. They will stand with their drawing and
try to find their favorite animals prey. They
will try to find another students animal that
their own favorite animal might prey upon,
and those prey will quietly sit down. The
students will all quietly and respectfully
listen to the teachers explanation of
competitive relationships, and sit down
when instructed. The students will answer
the teachers questions about symbiotic
relationships and quietly watch the video.
They will share out their examples of other
symbiotic relationships in their notebooks.
Students will answer the teachers
questions about biomes and name all
biomes that they can, and then find all the
biomes that the Phoenix Zoo potentially
offers from the zoos map. Students will
think about and try to answer the teachers
question about the types of relationships
found in the zoos presented biomes
during their zoo scavenger hunt.
provide other examples of symbiotic
relationships, and write down every shared
example in their notebook.
The teacher will then ask what the concept of
natural selection is, and explain why it occurs
in the environment and that it is why these
symbiotic relationships exist. The teacher will
also mention that competitive relationships
are natural selection at work every day. The
teacher will provide a specific example of the
inner workings of a competitive relationship
(for example, the competition for space
between the Balanus barnacle and the
chthalamas barnacle. Provide graphs and
pictures).
The teacher will ask students to explain the
definition of a biome and name as many
biomes as they can. The teacher will take out
a Phoenix zoo map (
http://phoenixzoo.org/wp-content/uploads/201
6/09/School-Group-Zoo-Map.pdf ) and ask
students what biomes they will be able to see
at the zoo based on the labeled exhibits. The
teacher will explain that these are the biomes
that students will be working in. The teacher
will then ask the overall question: What
specific relationships among organisms can
be found in these biomes, and can you find
examples?
Explore
How will you model your performance expectations? (remember you are not modeling what you want students
to discover but need to model expected behavior or required procedures).
How will students take the lead and actively use materials to discover information that will help them answer
the question posed in the Engage?
What questions or prompts will you be prepared to use with students while they are exploring?
Teacher Will: Put students into groups Students Will: go on a scavenger hunt
depending on the biomes they want to work throughout the zoo to create a competitive
with. The teacher will ask students to relationship diagram and a symbiotic
individually create two relationship charts: a relationship diagram within their chosen
competitive relationship diagram with at least biome. Students will use the Phoenix
5 pairs of organisms, and a symbiotic Zoos selection of both animals and plants
relationship diagram with at least 3 pairs of by watching the animals interactions with
organisms found within that biome. The each other and their environment, and
teacher will provide students with an example read about the animals on posted
of how the project should look, either within knowledge boards next to the exhibits.
their notebook or on a posterboard to be Students will be expected to gather all
presented to the class, and provide a tangible necessary data individually in their
checklist of all necessary pieces of notebooks. They will be allowed to use
information the project is meant to have. The their cellphones only for picture-taking for
project is meant to have the title of the biome their projects. Students will respectfully
where all reported organisms are found, answer the teachers prompts, and
pictures of each organism, each organisms conduct themselves calmly throughout
name, the specific relationship between each the trip. They will remain behind all
organism, and three interesting facts about barriers in every exhibit, and not yell at
each organism. The teacher will tell the the animals or tap on the glass encasing
students to gather all the data they need for marine life or other animals.
the project during the zoo trip, and provide at Students will take on the project
least 3 days for the assignment to be individually at home using the information
completed at home. The teacher will prompt they gathered at the zoo about all the
students throughout the trip by asking if animals they thought were relevant within
certain animals are predators or prey, or what their chosen biome. Students will be
types of relationships certain animals might allowed to utilize internet resources if they
have with one another. Teachers can also cannot find enough information for either
provide hints about the symbiotic diagram. Students will provide the title of
relationships the class comes across the biome where all organisms can be
throughout their trip. Teachers will iterate found, pictures of each organism, each
project instructions before the trip, during the organisms name, the specific relationship
trip, and after the trip to ensure that students between each organism, and three
have all the information they need. Teachers interesting facts about each organism (for
will ask students who do not wish to orally example: its habitat, what it likes to eat, or
present their project from their notebook to a quirky mating behavior). Students can
create a poster to hang up around the make pairs using the same organism more
classroom. than once, and can create trios instead of
pairs. Students can create a poster of their
findings to hang up around the classroom
if they do not want to orally present to the
class from their notebook.
Co-Teaching Strategy
What co-teaching approach will you use to maximize student achievement?
o Co-teachers can answer specific questions that students have throughout the trip by breaking the
group in two to ensure everyones questions are answered.
Differentiation Strategy
What accommodations/modifications will you provide for specific students?
How will you anticipate students that need an additional challenge?
o Students that need an additional challenge can create a either a slideshow presentation or short
documentary video on the specific ways in which the environment supports a relationship of their
choosing (preferably one they came across during the zoo trip.) This video should touch upon the
outside environmental factors that cause this relationship, such as clownfish in sea anemones that
need a place to hide from predators, and the implications of the relationship for other organisms, such
as predators being without a large supply of clownfish prey.
Explain
How will all students have an opportunity to share what they discovered?
How will you connect student discoveries to correct content terms/explanations?
How will all students articulate/demonstrate a clear and correct understanding of the sub-objectives by
answering the question from the Engage before moving on?
Teacher Will: Allow time in class for students to orally Students Will: Listen respectfully and
present their findings at the front of the class if they did silently to their fellow students
not use a poster, and accept everyone elses handed-in
poster. After each student presents, the teacher will ask
presentations, and ask any questions they
the rest of the class if they agree with the students may have at the end of each presentation.
information, and if anyone has any questions. Each Students will also answer whether or not
student will be encouraged with clapping once their they agree that the presenting students
presentation is finished. information is correct. Students will clap
after each students presentation for a job
well done.
Co-Teaching Strategy
What co-teaching approach will you use to maximize student achievement?
Differentiation Strategy
What accommodations/modifications will you provide for specific students?
 o ELLs can have a partner explain their project if they do not feel comfortable enough to formally speak
in front of the class yet. ELLs can create a poster to be handed in and displayed.
How will you anticipate students that need an additional challenge?
Elaborate
How will students take the learning from Explore and Explain and apply it to a new circumstance or explore a
particular aspect of this learning at a deep level?
How will students use higher order thinking at this stage (e.g. A common practice in this section is to pose a
What If? Question)?
How will all students articulate how their understanding has changed or been solidified?
Teacher Will: ask, What if all the sea Students Will: answer the teachers higher
anemones went extinct? What would happen order thinking questions. The students
to the clownfish? The teacher will ask What will respectfully listen to the teachers
if all the chthalamus barnacles went extinct? instructions to take out their notebooks
How would that affect the Balanus and arrange themselves into their old prey
barnacles? Teacher will ask students to poster groups. Students will continue to
recall their previous in-class exercise with listen to the teacher and sit down quietly
their favorite animals and the prey posters, when asked to. Students will define and
and then ask students to take out their point out the primary producers and
drawings. The teacher will ask students to consumers. Students will also examine a
arrange themselves around their prey posters picture of a food chain and respectfully
as before, and then ask them another way to listen to the teacher talk about energy
considered themselves to be grouped, transfer.
besides their competitive relationships.
Teacher will explain that they all make a large
food web, and teacher will ask students to sit
down while displaying/handing out a picture
of a foodweb:
https://media.quizizz.com/resource/gs/quizizz-
media/questions/L2FwcGhvc3RpbmdfcHJvZC
9ibG9icy9BRW5CMlVvZS1xUjcyaEFLRHVmW
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ZmUGRlNE1GTjhZYTlVLWwzZTB6d2NtRmJ2S
2R0Zy53MmtGWUVubDRwX2JocnNl. The
teacher will ask students to define and point
out the primary producers, primary
consumers, and secondary consumers. The
teacher will allow the students to either label
these on their individual sheets or on the
board. To make it simpler, the teacher will
provide a picture of a food chain for students
to examine:
https://smartsite.ucdavis.edu/access/content/
user/00002950/courses/sites/cknamed/foodch
ain.jpg. The teacher will explain that these are
called trophic levels, and explain that food is a
source of energy, and in food chains and food
webs energy is transferred from the bottom
up. The teacher will mention the 10% rule,
iterated in this short video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0glkXIj1Dg
E.
Co-Teaching Strategy
What co-teaching approach will you use to maximize student achievement?

Differentiation Strategy
What accommodations/modifications will you provide for specific students?
o ELLs will be able to read subtitles along with the videos images for a better understanding of the
topic.
How will you anticipate students that need an additional challenge?
Evaluate
How will all students demonstrate mastery of the lesson objective (though perhaps not mastery of the elaborate
content)?
How will students have an opportunity to summarize the big concepts they learned (separate from the
assessment)?
Teacher Will: ask students to create a small Students Will: create a small food chain
food chain in their notebooks, using the using the animals they found during their zoo
animals from their zoo trip and the primary trip. Students will respectfully listen to
producer/consumer examples from the prey instructions to stand up, and will examine
posters. The teacher will then ask students everyone elses food chains. Students will sit
to leave their food webs open, stand up, and down when asked to, and will share out the
walk around to look at everyones food web. relationship they found most interesting from
The teacher will ask students to sit down a fellow students oral presentation or poster,
and have everyone share out what and how the relationship helps or hurts one
relationship, either symbiotic or of or both organisms.
competitive, that they thought was most
interesting from another students oral
presentation or poster. The teacher will also
ask how that relationship helps or hurts one
of or both organisms.