Objective
The FOSS science kit, Human Body, has been selected by my district as a resource for providing science instruction. One of the standards that is emphasized in the teaching manuals is Science as Inquiry. This standard goes on to explain that students are to ask and answer questions and plan and conduct simple experiments. Yet, throughout the investigation the questions students are led to ask are lower-order thinking questions with a clear and expected answer. Further, the students will conduct simple experiments but have very little input to the planning of these activities, as everything is developed for them by the kit. The kit does an excellent job of providing hands-on activities and introducing my students to information about the human body, but I believe it falls short of increasing inquiry skills in my students. Throughout this unit you will receive information on the Scientific Method, developing skills in asking questions, and strategies that will help you advance the critical thinking skills of your students.
I know I will never be able to teach everything there is to know about the form and function of organisms so I need to choose something to hang the idea on and enable my students to place it in context of a bigger picture. Through the introduction of the bones in the human body, we will move into learning about vertebrates and then do a comparative investigation of the form and function of the bones found in different species. Students will look at x-rays and diagrams to investigate the form and work to determine the function of human bones. Next they will dissect owl pellets to uncover the actual bones of rodents. Using graphic organizers, students will sort and classify the bones found in the owl pellet. We will then begin to consider the similarities and the differences between the structures of vertebrates. Later we will dissect albatross boluses. The purpose of this will then be to highlight the differences in the diet of these two birds. As students think about these two birds and the pellets of both, they have a large variety of avenues for research. After developing their questions based on their observations, some students may want to study the habitat of the owl versus the albatross; the physical traits of the two birds or diet differences. The possibilities are diverse.
In an effort to create a cross-curricular unit, students will be expected to complete readings using non-fiction texts and resources from the internet. They then will share their new found knowledge through presentations. Students will be introduced to some of the biologists that have made significant contributions to our understanding of biology. Using the non-fiction resources, students will research a biologist and create a final project. The final project will be self-selected by the students from a variety of choices ranging from Prezi or Power Point presentations to artwork or replicas of the biologist's work. Students will also investigate discoveries in science that were either accidental or later proven to be inaccurate. I am hoping that through these explorations, students will discover that science is a process toward better understanding not just a search for answers.
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