ISTC 301/501 Practical Teaching Lesson Plan

Conservation and The Chesapeake Bay

Teachers Names: Tracy Howse Date: 11/12/2017

Grade Level: 7th Grade Subject Area: Science

Learning Objectives:
Students will be able to
o Discuss the connection between the organism within the Chesapeake Bay
o Examine the effect of pollution on the bay
o Design a prototype for Chesapeake Bay conservation

Standards and Pedagogy:

MDK12 Standard 6.0 Environmental Science
o Indicator B (Environmental Issues) 1: Recognize and describe that
environmental changes can have local, regional, and global consequences.
ISTE Standards for Students
o 4: Innovative Designer
4c: Students develop, test and refine prototypes as part of a cyclical design
process.
o 7: Global Collaborator
7d: Students explore local and global issues and use collaborative
technologies to work with others to investigate solutions.
Pedagogy: Inquiry Learning
o Students will work on an inquiry-based assignment.
o This lesson plan addresses the environmental issues of MDK12 through the ISTE
standards.

Assessments:
Formative Assessments:
o Contribution to class discussion on bay animals
o Students will contribute to the Pollution Padlet
Summative Assessment:
o Individually or in pairs, students will create their own pollution
prevention/cleaning project. They will utilize the makerspace and classroom
materials, as well as using research to support their conservation design.
 o This is an inquiry-based learning assignment, therefore students will be
responsible for generating questions about environmental issues and generating a
prototype for solving them.

Teaching Materials:
Essential Materials
o Internet, computer, projector
o Digital story
o Resources about the Chesapeake Bay, pollution, and bay animals
o Makerspace materials
o Pollution Padlet

Enhancing Technologies
o Websites
Chesapeake Bay Program
National Aquarium
Trash Wheel Project
o Databases
Science in Context
SIRS
World Book Online
o Makerspace resources
Publish Your Design
Tinkercad

Anticipatory Step:
[Day 1]

Class introductory discussion:

o Question: What are some of your past experiences with the Chesapeake Bay?
Students will watch a digital story about the organisms within the bay
State lesson objective to the students
o Students will be able to
Discuss the connection between organism within the Chesapeake Bay.
Examine the effect of pollution on the bay
Design a prototype for Chesapeake Bay conservation
Discuss why we would want to protect the bay and its organisms
 o Formative Assessment: Although early into the lesson, it is important that
students understand the connection between these organisms and the bay.
Therefore, this lesson requires this instance of checking for understanding.

Procedures:
[Day 1 cont.]

Students will complete the Pollution worksheet (Appendix A)

o Students should use books from the media center and online resources listed in
Materials.
o These notes will also help them brainstorm for their prototype project.
o This independent work is designed to create a more varied discussion for the
following step
[Day 2]

Students will use their worksheet to contribute to the class Padlet

o Formative Assessment: Students will add to the Pollution Padlet and share
facts from their research to answer the following questions
How does pollution affect the Chesapeake Bay?
What are some ideas for Chesapeake Bay conservation?
What are some interesting facts you found throughout your research?
Which sources were most helpful for learning about conservation?
Following their Padlet activities, students will decide to work individually or with
partners for their project.
o On their first day of project work, students should generate questions about
pollution within the Chesapeake Bay and brainstorm what they could build.
[Day 3-5]

Students should continue working on their project.

o The project handout (Appendix B) gives students the instructions for their
individual or partner work. They will be creating a prototype and writing a 200-
word summary.
o Students will not work in groups of three or more. This ensures there will not be
other students waiting around while their partners are working. Since there are
two portions of the project, each member should be working on something.

TPACK and UDL:

This lesson plan gives students the opportunity to discuss and research pollution through various
outlets. It also allows them to create their own project using either online tools or physical
makerspace materials. This is essential for a lesson plan founded on inquiry learning. It is also
necessary for creating a fully UDL lesson plan that gives students multiple means of
representation, engagement, and action/expression.

TPACK
The combination of Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge requires a
variety of materials and online resources. The basis of this lesson is evident through these
concepts, explained in reverse order below:
o Content Knowledge: the lesson is founded in the knowledge of the Chesapeake
Bay and its ecosystem. Therefore, the introduction and early discussion gives
students a brief overview of the ecosystem. The rational is that students should
have the basic content knowledge for creating their project. They are then sent to
continue researching for their specific topic.
o Pedagogical Knowledge: As previously established, the focus for this lesson is
inquiry learning. Students will formulate their own questions about the
Chesapeake Bay and pollution. They will then create and construct their own
solutions.
o Technological Knowledge: The materials listed above include a variety of tech
tools for students to use. These tools enhance learning through further educating
them about technology and giving them further outlets for creating their projects.
It also feeds into UDL, explained below.

UDL
Multiple Means of Representation:
o The group discussion, digital story, and research materials (physical or online) are
all utilized for teaching students about the bays ecosystem and pollutions effect.
o When students are researching to complete their worksheet, they may choose their
preferred materials, giving them a chance to experience multiple means of
representation and then choosing which works best for them. This customization
of the learning experience will promote teaching and learning for all involved.
Multiple Means of Engagement:
o Throughout this lesson, we are having large class discussions, partnership
opportunities, and individual work through occasions for online posting and hand-
written worksheets.
o Within these means of engagement, students have options for self-regulating their
work. They also get to create their prototype, giving them endless chances for
creativity and autonomy.
Multiple Means of Action and Expression:
o This lesson includes a variety of ways for students to express themselves, since it
is based on inquiry learning. The Padlet, for example, allows them to participate
 online, whereas group discussions give them a way to express themselves face-to-
face.
o Students can also physically create their project, and therefore have an outlet for
action related to the project. Resources like tinkercad and Publish Your Design
also let students create online prototypes, which is essential for students who
cannot physical manipulate the makerspace materials.

Lesson Closure:
After students complete their assignments, we will close the lesson with a gallery walk and group
discussion:
Students will display their prototypes and summaries. There will then be a class-wide
gallery walk, giving every student an opportunity to see a variety of conservation efforts.
Once everyone has seen the other projects, the class will discuss their projects, projects
they saw, and the effect these would have on the ecosystem.
This debriefing will allow students to see the variety of options for improving their local
environment and conservation opportunities.
Appendix A
Name: _______________________________________ Date: ___________________

Pollution Worksheet
Directions: Research pollution and brainstorm for your project.
Websites Databases
Chesapeake Bay Program Science in Context
National Aquarium SIRS
Trash Wheel Project World Book Online

List three forms of pollution that affect the Chesapeake Bay?

1.
2.
3.
Choose one organism from the Building the Bay video. How do certain types of pollution
affect that specific organism?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Read about the Trash Wheel Project listed under websites. Brainstorm some features your
conservation prototype should include:
Appendix B
Chesapeake Bay Conservation: Creating a Prototype
For this project, you will design a prototype for Chesapeake Bay conservation. You may focus
on any type of pollution or conservation effort that affects the Chesapeake Bay. As we saw in
Building the Bay, each organism is essential to the health of the ecosystem. Therefore, your
project may help any portion of the bay.

You may work individually or with a partner to create your prototype.

You may create your prototype two ways:
1. Create a physical project
a. Use makerspace materials and other approved materials
2. Create an online prototype
a. Use Publish Your Design, Tinkercad, or another approved tool

In addition to your prototype, students will write a museum plaque. This will be a 200-word
summary that gives viewers insight into your project. Your summary should include the
environmental issue you focused on, what your creation would do, and how that will benefit the
Chesapeake Bay. These plaques should be grounded in research and give others an
understanding of your prototype for our gallery walk.