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Scaffolded Science

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Science can be daunting for many students, as the vocabulary is vast, and the concepts tricky. Yet we as educators must meed the needs of the students where they are. Each student is unique and deserves curriculum that fits their individual needs. Scaffolding is one on the main tools we can use to help each student grow and progress.

Science can be daunting for many students, as the vocabulary is vast, and the concepts tricky. Yet we as educators must meed the needs of the students where they are. Each student is unique and deserves curriculum that fits their individual needs. Scaffolding is one on the main tools we can use to help each student grow and progress.
REMOTE LEARNING SCIENTIFIC METHOD : DATA ANALYSIS
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REMOTE LEARNING SCIENTIFIC METHOD : DATA ANALYSIS

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I recommend that you also pair this with my Experimental Design and Data Tables lesson, which could be done before this. Once you complete these two lessons, students will be able to design an experiment, graph it as well as analyze the data. This lesson, as always, can be done synchronously or asynchronously. I do recommend that there is some discussion at some point as a whole class or in small groups to address any misconceptions or issues. These are formatted as student digital interactive notebook pages, where students can fill in their responses directly. This would also be perfect to have in your pocket as an emergency sub lesson plan. Students could complete this at any point throughout the year. Don’t forget to scroll down to the bottom for a video preview. Here is the breakdown for the lesson: Title Slide Slide 1-2: Analyzing Data: Students are given example data tables and are asked questions about the tables. Slide 3: Interpreting Data- Pointers Students are given a bullet pointed list of where to look on a graph to figure out its meaning Slide 4-9: Practice Interpreting Data Students are given different types of graphs and have to answer questions based on the graph. Bar chars, line graphs and pie charts are included. This also includes an activity where students are given 4 graph and they must drag the correct “story” that fits each graph. Slides 10-15: Making Data Meaningful Mean, median, mode, range and outliers are covered. Students are given examples and required to complete easy example calculations. Slide 16: Put it all together Students are given 3 data sets and must calculate all the statistical measures previously covered. Slide 17-19: Let’s Practice- Science News for students Students are given a link to a real-life data set with pie chart. Students are then asked some questions about the graph and then must relate those analyses to its real-world meaning.
Food Chains and Energy Pyramids
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Food Chains and Energy Pyramids

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Check out the video preview on my [Blog https://scaffoldedscience.weebly.com/classroom/ecology-food-chains-digital-interactive-notes] Very useful in distance learning! So here is a breakdown of each activity: Title Slide Slide 1: Vocabulary Connections- Student have a list of vocabulary with definitions which covers the different ways that organisms can process food (ex. herbivore), along with the trophic levels (ex. producer). Students must then drag the word/definition to either the autotroph box or the heterotroph box. The terms autotroph and heterotroph are defined, so students must connect which words fall under each category based on the definitions. Slide 2: Food Chain Introduction- A food chain example is shown with the appropriate labels. The term trophic level is covered, as well as what the arrows represent. Decomposers are also included in the food chain. Slide 3: Food Chain Literacy- Students read the article “The Earth’s vast food chain under the seas” and draw a food chain from the organisms mentioned in the article. Students then drag the appropriate labels to each organism on the food chain. Slide 4: Food Chain Research- Students use the link, to pick a biome from this website (great biome review), and build a food chain for that biome, labeling it. Slide 5: Food Chains and Energy Pyramid Connection- Using an example food chain, students drag each organism in the food chain to where they would be placed on the energy pyramid. Students are guided to realize that a food chain can also be represented in this way. Slide 6: 10 % Rule- Students are introduced to the 10% rule, how to calculate it and the biological significance. Students then practice calculating 10%, and then move to filling in energy pyramids using the rule. Slide 7: Energy Pyramid- Students read about the shape of an energy pyramid and how it is related to the loss of energy. Then biomass is mentioned as well in relation to the pyramid shape. It is also mentioned that the energy not passed on to the next trophic level is lost as heat. Students use this information, as well as previous information from the past slides to fill in blanks on trophic level description, examples of organisms at each trophic level, and calculating energy lost at each trophic level. Slide 8: Energy Pyramid Extension Questions- In a series of questions, students are asked to think about the connection between decreasing biomass and energy. Students are also ask to analyze why a food chain usually consists of 5 or less levels.
Remote Learning Scientific Method Unit: Science Equipment and Lab Safety
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Remote Learning Scientific Method Unit: Science Equipment and Lab Safety

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This lesson includes both the teacher slides (including a DO Now warm up) as well as the student digital notebook to accompany it. So you are all set! The breakdown below is for the student digital notebook. Here is the breakdown of this lesson: Title Slide Slide 1: Welcome/ Do Now- Students view a microscope slide image and make observations about it. They also record the learning target for the day. Slide 2: Science Tools Ruler- Students measure the beetle on the slide by dragging the ruler in to measure. Students then practice converting mm to cm. Slide 3 :Science Tools Electronic Balance- Students write down two different measurement by reading them on the balance. If you want to discuss significant figures, then this would be a good time to do that. Students also practice converting g to kg. Slide 4: Science Tools Graduated Cylinder- Students learn how to properly read a graduated cylinder and must record the measurements on two different examples. Students also practice converting ml to L. Slide 5: Microscope virtual lab: Using the link provided, students learn about the different parts of the microscope. Students them label the microscope parts in their notebook. Slide 6-9 : Microscope virtual lab: Using the same link, students view different microscope slides and practice drawing what they see as well as record some observations about each slide. Slide 10: Measure you favorite object- This is used as both a “get to know you” activity as well as a hands-on activity. Students use a ruler or a link to the apps provided for a digital ruler, to measure the length and width of an object in their house that brings them joy. Students can then be broken into smaller “breakout” rooms where students share the measurements and other students have to guess what it is. After 3 guesses, then the student reveals the object and explains why it is important to them. This is basically big kid “show and tell”. Slide 11: Which tool works best- This relates back to the learning target provided. Students are given 4 different experiment scenarios and must decide which of they tools they learned about would be appropriate to measure this particular set of data. Slide 12: Virtual Classroom Safety Tour- Teachers can walk around the room with an show the class the different safety equipment such as the eye wash, safety shower etc. I left this open for the teacher to customize the student notebook to fit their particular room placement. Students will then drag the safety items into their location in the room layout. Slide 13: Safety Case Study- Students read the paragraph describing what is happening in an experiment. They count the number of safety rules broken and then write below how they would solve those issues. Slide 14: Safety Meme- Students are given a link to help them create a meme about a safety rule. Students will take a screen shot and paste it in their digital notebook.
REMOTE LEARNING: CLAIM , EVIDENCE, REASONING (CER) INTRODUCTION
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REMOTE LEARNING: CLAIM , EVIDENCE, REASONING (CER) INTRODUCTION

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This lesson does include both the teacher slides to do with your students (synchronous learning) and the student “digital interactive notebook” slides for the kids to do along with you. This could also be done asynchronously by adding some of the teacher slide instructions to the student slides. You also get the DO Now for students and even the learning target for the day. So you are all set! Make sure to scroll down to the bottom for a video preview of the lesson. The breakdown below is just of the student “digital interactive notebook” slides: Title Slide Slide 1: Do Now- Students watch a commercial and write down what they think the evidence and the claim of the commercial are. Students also write down the learning target for the day. Slide 2: Write a CER-Students are given a graphic organizer to fill out as the whole class debriefs about the commercial. The teacher slides walk the students through each part of the CER, using the commercial as an example. Students will be able to come back to this example later in the lesson as well as the year. Slide 3-4: Commercial CER- Students are given 3 different videos of commercials to choose from. They will fill out the same graphic organizer on their own this time for the commercial of their choice. You can debrief as a whole class or individually with students later on. Slide 5-7: What’s in the teacher’s bag?- A bunch of “items” have fallen out of the “teacher’s” bag and students must use those items to fill out he 6 CER statements about the teacher. You can delete my example items and come up with your own so that the students get to know you, or use the ones I provided. I did throw in some extra items that are not relevant to the 6 statements to reinforce the facts that not EVERY pieces of data is relevant to the question you are answering. Slide 8: What’s in my bag?- Students will now create their own “bag” with 6 items in it that tells us about themselves. Students will also create 6 sentence stems that they want us to complete using the items in the bag. I would then suggest that students are broken into small “breakout” session and the group creates CER statements for each person. I suggest using goggle jamboard for each group, but you could also assign each group a google doc, slide, sheet etc. It just needs to be something that they can all see and type their statements on and then type the evidence and the reasoning next to the claim. Each group can then submit their 1 assignment.
Remote Learning Biochemistry Unit: Macromolecule Vocabulary Basics
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Remote Learning Biochemistry Unit: Macromolecule Vocabulary Basics

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This specific lesson would be the first in the sequence during biochemistry. You really can’t do any higher level thinking activities without students at least having some grasp of the basics of each macromolecule (sometimes referred to as biomolecules) and their components. All these activities get students interacting with the vocabulary and basic understandings of biomolecules in different ways. As with most other lessons, this is formatted in digital interactive notebook style, with each slide representing a “page.” These activities can be done synchronously or asynchronously and either in a class setting or at home. I recommend that students work on this on their own, and then you can address any issues or misconceptions during the “class” time. Here is a breakdown of this lesson: Title Slide Slide 1-2: Biomolecules web quest- Students read and watch a video about the basics of macromolecules, polymers and monomers. Students answer some basic questions and fill out a chart with information on each biomolecule. Slide 3-6: Frayer Model Diagrams- If you are not familiar with how these work, essentially student write the word in the middle and then complete 4 different activities with that word. This one has them write the definition (in their own words), draw or copy and paste a picture, name some examples (probably food) and use it in a sentence. Students will complete 4 models, one for each macromolecule. Slide 7: Drag and Drop Biochemistry vocabulary- Students drag the words surrounding the slide to the definition they match. I do this at the beginning, so that students can familiarize themselves with the words and look them up if they do not know. Note that some enzyme vocabulary is included here as well, since it is integral in this unit. Slide 8: Monomers and Polymers- Students drag the correct monomers for each polymer onto the slide. This will then form a complete polymer. This is a visual activity that will help students grasp how monomers and polymers are connected. Slide 9: 4 corners- The 4 macromolecules are in each corner of the slide. There are a variety of images of different foods around the outside of the slide. Students drag the food to the macromolecule it contains the most of. Slide 10: A Healthy Serving of Macromolecules- Students use a link to fill in the graphic organizer that relates how the macromolecules function in the human body and the elements they are made of.
Remote Learning Biochemistry Unit: Digital Macromolecules Practice Activities
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Remote Learning Biochemistry Unit: Digital Macromolecules Practice Activities

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This can be done asynchronously, but the last competition activity would be more fun it done synchronously with the whole class to make it a real timed competition. As always, this lesson is in the digital interactive notebook format for students, with each slide representing one page of the notebook. There are already places for students to type in their answers so there is no confusion. This lesson is ready to go and be given directly to students with almost no editing.
Whole Biology Course Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) Writing Activities
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Whole Biology Course Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) Writing Activities

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All the CER writing activities you need for your whole Biology course! CERs are a great way for students to critically think about the topic being covered. They can be used as a learning tool or an assessment. Rubrics are included! These can be assigned in person or digitally. Here are the topics covered in the CERS: Scientific Method Process Food Labels and Biomolecules Properties of Water Enzyme Reactions Organelles Osmosis Mitosis Ecological Succession Population change and carrying capacity Photosynthesis Cellular Respiration Darwin’s Finches and Natural Selection Monohybrid Punnet Squares Protein Synthesis and Mutations Cladograms and Taxonomy