Crocodile Unit
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San Francisco Unified School District
Contents |
LESSON PLAN FORM
Teacher's Name: Rebecca Pollack & John Domecus
School: Aptos MIddle School
Grade Level of Lesson:5th, 6th, 7th
Subject: Math, Science, Visual Art
Date: 23 July 2010
Unit Theme/Topic: Ratios, proportions, units of measurement
Lesson Title/ Laying down with crocodiles
Topic: Measuring objects by using other objects, not rulers.
Expected Student Learning Outcomes:
What will students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson? (Be Specific) Students will be able to...
1. explain why there are universal standard units of measurement. 2. Know that any item can replace a standard measurement and use ratio/proportions to convert to universal or conventional units ie, inches, cm.... 3. students will be able to estimate the heights of trees, flag pole and buildings heights using their own unit of measurement with reason.
CA Academic Standards Addressed:
Which California Academic Content and Performance Standards will your lesson address?
VAPA Standards Visual Arts 2.0 creative expression- 2.4 create increasingly complex....
Math Standards Fifth Grade -Mathematical Reasoning 1.0 Students make decisions about how to approach problems: 2.0 Students use strategies, skills, and concepts in finding solutions: 2.5 indicate the relative advantages of exact and approximate solutions to problems and give answers to a specified degree of accuracy.
Grade Six Number Sense 1.0 Students compare and order positive and negative fractions, decimals, and mixed numbers. Students solve problems involving fractions, ratios, proportions, and percentages: 1.2 Interpret and use ratios in different contexts (e.g., batting averages, miles per hour) to show the relative sizes of two quantities, using appropriate notations ( a/b, a to b, a:b ).
1.3 Use proportions to solve problems... 2.1 Convert one unit of measurement to another (e.g., from feet to miles, from centimeters to inches). 2.2 Demonstrate an understanding that rate is a measure of one quantity per unit value of another quantity.
Grade Seven math 2.0 Students use strategies, skills, and concepts in finding solutions: 2.3 Estimate unknown quantities graphically and solve for them by using logical reasoning and arithmetic and algebraic techniques. 2.5 Express the solution clearly and logically by using the appropriate mathematical notation and terms and clear language; support solutions with evidence in both verbal and symbolic work.
Science 7. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other three strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations. b. Select and use appropriate tools and technology (including calculators, computers, balances, spring scales, microscopes, and binoculars) to perform tests, collect data, and display data.
Materials Used: What instructional materials and equipment/supplies will you use in this lesson? calulator,
How Big is a Foot
paper/pencil, vairety of arts materials that students can use to create their own unit of measrement rope, sticks, cups, string, wire, nuts, bolts, anything goes... Nature segement see pbs website Optional - Digital camera this is the url to the link nature video supersize crocs [[1]
Lesson Outline:
(Opening, Major Activities, Transitions, Review; Closure)
Opening/Introduce Lesson
- Do Now: Think, pair, share. Have the students write down as many units of measurement, such as feet, as they can in one minute. After a minute, have the students share their units of measurement with the others in their group. Then call upon a student from each group to share out with the class one of the units of measurement their group mentioned in their discussion.
Ask for examples of how and why we use these units. ex. we use feet to measure the height of a person, so we can compare their height to some an other person's height . What are some common measuring devices? ex. ruler. Imagine that you had to measure an object, such as a crocodile on a muddy river bank and did not have a ruler or any other measuring device handy. How would you measure the crocodile?
- Anticipatory Set: A crocodile is a large reptile. A scientist who studies reptiles is a herpetologist. show short movie/ see link above. Ask what was the unit of measurement used to measure large crocs? ( the scientists body becomes a unit of measurement)
- Focus Finding alternative means of measuring objects.
- State Objective- How can you use your bodies height to measure an object such as a flag pole?
- Establish Purpose Despite our different heights, we can estimate the height of the flag pole in the yard with in 2 feet.
- Hook /involve students! How do we measure these large carinvores without killing them or having them kill us?
- Activate prior knowledge -Asking students to come up with a list of units we use to measure with (see Do now).
- Assess students Time - The lesson will take at least a couple days
Teacher Actions: "Monitor groups by making sure the students have written down their "Do Now." Facilitate
get them hooked it by discussing large crocs. provide the example of the herpetologist using his body as a way to estimate the length of a large croc.
Student Actions
Main Activity: Instruction
- Explain Concept students are to understand that their are standard units of measurements that are universal
- Refer to previous lessons review what standard units the students know...
- Provide Examples inch, cm, knot (wind)
- Model
- Use a variety of instructional strategies
Main Activity:
Students will be using their bodies as a measureing tool to estimate the height of the school, their apt. building or house.
Students will stand against the wall and a snap shot will be taken with the digital camera
Each student will recive a copy of themeselves and they will become a standard unit of measurement.
the class will then estimate the height of the flag pole.
Check for Understanding: Ensure students are ready for activity
- Pose Key Questions is it possible to use your own body as a unit of measurement?
- Ask Students to Explain Concepts- what math will be needed to convert your unit of measurement to
- Use active participation strategies
Main Activity:
Guided Practice: Students do task with teacher direction or assistance Show students how to set up a ratio/proportion for your height. come up with an the estimation
- Provide monitoring- let students work on the math be sure to provide calculatiors
- Check for understanding- share data looking for outliers
- Modify/adapt for all!
Closure: (Debrief)
- Find out what your students learn- tell students that even though we are all diffferent heights we did a pretty good job estimaitng the height of the flag pole.
- Share work and give positive feedback- take home and explain to an adult how you estimated the flag pole using your height. explain to students that the comment can come back in any language but there must be a comment or question about the activity. encourage students to ask their parents about a unit of measurement that they use everyday. it could be anything think cooking, driving, janitor etc.
- Find out what your students learn- tell students that even though we are all diffferent heights we did a pretty good job estimaitng the height of the flag pole.
- Share work and give positive feedback- take home and explain to an adult how you estimated the flag pole using your height. explain to students that the comment can come back in any language but there must be a comment or question about the activity. encourage students to ask their parents about a unit of measurement that they use everyday. it could be anything think cooking, driving, janitor etc.
- Set next steps
come back to class, share data and comments from the students- write on butcher paper for class to view from all the discussion students will choose a unit of measurement that interests them and have them write a story about the history of that unit. read the book How big is a foot. encourage students to think about their own story, or poem, comic. at this point i would allow students to work in groups of two or three kids or by them self. as long as the work is accurate and student generated.
Monitoring & Assessment:
How will you monitor student learning during the lesson? the class will continue to share data and look for resonsable answers, How will you assess student work?
The teacher will have to monitor closely to make sure that students are setting up their ratios correctly. the data will be collected and we will look for outliers
Modifications to Address Individual Student Learning Needs
How will you modify your instruction as needed to ensure that all students meet learning outcomes? Using think pair share, anayzing group data, group work, peer review,
Follow-up
Activities/ - their own book on a unit of measurements and ideally it would be great for them to share their published work at parent night or with other students.
Homework
How will you follow up this lesson with homework or other extension activities? homework will be the follwoing; sharing the comment which is our way for checking for understanding. next day review make sure kids understand
BBC: BOARD CONFIGURATION (Secondary)
Do Now: Write down as many units of measurement, such as feet, in a minute.
AIM:S.W.B.A.T. understand
AGENDA:
HOMEWORK:
Teacher Reflection on Lesson:
