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Lesson Plan TemplateTitle of activity: RAFT activity (Role, Audience, Format, Topic)Concept covered in activity: Cycles within an ecosystemGrade level or other prerequisites for activity: Must have knowledge of what an ecosystem (biome) is and examples of different types of ecosystems and the organisms they contain.Standards: National Science Education Standards:9-12.C.5 Matter, energy, and organization in living systemsColorado Academic Standards:9-12.2.1 Matter tends to be cycled within an ecosystem, while energy is transformed and eventually exits an ecosystemLearning objectives: (Students should be able to demonstrate their understanding of the water cycle, carbon cycle, and nitrogen cycle, by completing a RAFT activity in class accompanied by a graphic organizer to illustrate their RAFT.)(Students should be able to successfully demonstrate the skills of literacy by writing a RAFT activity.)Materials: Each student needs paper and pen and 1 note card each. Computer with access to the internet and projection capabilities to show the youtube video Water Cycle Rap: youtube video (can also search for myfishcare101 the nitrogen cycle): (teacher can turn off the sound for this video clip, as the sound does not provide students with any information about Nitrogen Cycle)The youtube clip NASA: Keeping Up With Carbon planning: Must have a computer with projection and internet capabilities complete with speakers. Must have a whiteboard with markers available, must have a sheet of paper with the RAFT activity to post on the overhead for class to see and read.Procedure/activityStudent ActivityTeacher ActivityEngageStudents watch and listen to the youtube clip, raise hands to contribute to teacher’s prompts, participate in think-pair-share activity.Show the Water Cycle Rap on youtube then breakdown and discuss what was presented in the video clip. Breakdown the video clip: ask students what rhymes they liked, what pictures looked interesting, what parts of the Water Cycle did they notice, what cool and unusual words did they hear? Teacher should write down student responses on the board for all to see. Then break students into pairs for a think-pair-share activity: ask the pairs to discuss what examples of the Water Cycle can they witness from their house on a day-to-day basis, and ask each pair to generate, write down on a notecard, and share with the class 2 questions about the Water Cycle that can be answered by watching/listening to the Water Cycle Rap, and 2 questions about the Water Cycle that are NOT answered by the Rap. Teacher will use the responses as material to Teacher will now provide some direct instruction that there are other cycles of matter that are similar to the water cycle, and that cycles are somewhat restricted to an ecosystem (although not completely! Ecosystems also have matter inputs and outputs). There is also a Nitrogen Cycle, a Carbon Cycle, an Oxygen Cycle, and a Phosphorous Cycle.ExploreStudents watch and listen to the youtube clips, raise their hands to contribute to teacher’s prompts, participates in think-pair-share activity.Teacher shows youtube clip about the nitrogen cycle in an aquarium and must also read the subtitles at the bottom of the screen (they are difficult to see). Teacher then breaks down the video as follows: ask students what experiences they have with aquariums or the Nitrogen Cycle. If students do not have as much to contribute to this Nitrogen Cycle portion of the lesson, explain to students that unless someone has experience with aquariums, the Nitrogen Cycle is a little less noticeable than the Water Cycle, but no less important for life on earth. Teacher should conclude this activity by pausing the completed diagram of the Nitrogen Cycle as presented by this youtube clip, and then either showing or drawing on the board the nitrogen cycle presented by the textbook alongside to allow students to compare/contrast the Nitrogen Cycle within a home aquarium with the Nitrogen Cycle outside in nature in a think-pair-share activity. Take note of student responses from this activity to include in summative assessment quiz.Teacher shows you tube clip about the Carbon Cycle: and then breaks down the video using a process and prompts that are similar to the breakdown of the Rap Youtube clip.ExplainStudents turn to their shoulder partner to discuss which cycle is most important to the earth.Teacher provides students with a handout to add to their notes featuring the screenshot of the Water Cycle from the Water Cycle Rap youtube clip, the Nitrogen Cycle as shown by the myfishcare101 youtube clip and the textbook cycle, and the Carbon Cycle according to the textbook. Teacher then asks students to think about which cycle they think is most important to the earth, and then turn to a shoulder partner to discuss why they think so. ElaborateStudents perform RAFT activity individuallyTeacher presents RAFT activity:Role: a water drop, or a carbon atom, or a nitrogen atomAudience: a cousin or a sibling (pretend that atoms have cousins and siblings, even though they are not people and do not actually have feelings!)Format: a letterAlso must include a picture or diagram including all the steps or processes that are expressed in your letter!Topic: the adventures of being a water droplet (or a carbon atom, or a nitrogen atom)EvaluateAfter receiving the graded RAFT activities, students can make changes according to feed-back given and re-submit for a higher grade.Students complete the quiz.Teacher collects and grades RAFT activities. Teacher can return the RAFT activities with feedback for students to re-submit with corrections. Teacher creates a quiz using the questions generated by students from the Guided-Inquiry breakdown of the 3 different Youtube clips, informs the students of the quiz and hands out a study sheet that has al the questions generated by the class. The next class day, teacher delivers the quiz.AssessmentFormative: Teacher informally assesses students’ understanding of each cycle based on class responses and think-pair-share responses to the clips. Summative: Teacher formally assesses the quiz, and formally assesses the RAFT activities.Rubrics for grading: Letter-Writing : RAFT Activity- CyclesTeacher Name: Mr. Watson Student Name: ? ? ________________________________________ CATEGORY 4 3 2 1-0 Content Accuracy The letter contains all important steps or processes of chosen cycle. The letter contains most of the important steps or processes of chosen cycle. The letter contains few important steps or processes of the chosen cycle. The letter contains no accurate steps or processes of the chosen cycle. Ideas Ideas were expressed in a clear and organized fashion. It was easy to figure out what the letter was about. Ideas were expressed in a pretty clear manner, but the organization could have been better. Ideas were somewhat organized, but were not very clear. It took more than one reading to figure out what the letter was about. The letter seemed to be a collection of unrelated sentences. It was very difficult to figure out what the letter was about. Grammar & spelling (conventions) Writer makes no errors in grammar or spelling. Writer makes 1-2 major errors in grammar and/or spelling. Writer makes 3-4 errors in grammar and/or spelling Writer makes more than 4 errors in grammar and/or spelling. Sentences & Paragraphs Sentences and paragraphs are complete, well-constructed and of varied structure. All sentences are complete and well-constructed (no fragments, no run-ons). Paragraphing is generally done well. Most sentences are complete and well-constructed. Paragraphing needs some work. Many sentence fragments or run-on sentences OR paragraphing needs lots of work. Diagram Accompanying diagram shows all the steps/processes mentioned in student\'s letter. Pictures are neat and organized. Accompanying diagram shows most of the steps/processes mentioned in student\'s letter. Pictures are neat and organized. Accompanying diagram shows some of the steps/processes mentioned in student\'s letter. Pictures may or may not be neat and organized. Accompanying diagram does not show all the steps in student\'s letter, or is irrelevant to the RAFT activity Anticipated misconceptions/alternative conceptions: Matter and energy disappear from an ecosystem entirely/ actually matter and energy can change form and can leave an ecosystem, but are generally recycled within an ecosystem for a long time.Accommodations/modifications of activity for any special needs students (special education, ELL, and gifted/talented): ELL students can opt for only drawing a detailed diagram depicting their chosen cycle, however they also must include the following terms and provide definitions in English and their native language: water, carbon, nitrogen, cycle, ecosystem, precipitation, evaporation, ocean, death and decomposition, combustion, photosynthesis, bacteria, aquarium. ................
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