Vital Signs Independent Ecology Investigation

Curriculum OverviewThis project structures a student-driven learning experience that has students defining a research question, designing a Vital Signs data investigation, analyzing and interpreting their data, and communicating their findings. Students are guided through group activities designed to develop background knowledge in relationships in ecosystems and skills around data collection and analysis. Students extend this work by applying the newly developed skills and concepts to a student-driven investigation which culminates in creating a product to share their results. Throughout, students are provided multiple pathways to demonstrate competency and showcase their results.

A note: This unit requires time, both in behind the scenes teacher preparation and dedicated class time. We recommend at least a month to six weeks for full investigation. However, the potential rewards are huge, and students will have many opportunities to celebrate their own growth and achievement, from going outside and observing to publishing data and producing work to share knowledge. In the words of veteran Vital Signs teacher, Monica Wright,

It could be an experience that transforms thinking and confidence for a student. Also, add the joy into the work. Thinking like a scientist! Wow! Doing real science! Wow! Only in 7th grade and getting comments from real scientists! Wow!

This project was generously supported by The Jane’s Trust Foundation.

Vital Signs Independent Data Investigation Project StandardsWhat follows are the standards to which this project is aligned. This project was designed for grades 6-8, but can be adapted up or down grade levels. This list is not exhaustive and each activity starts off with a specific list of standards that the activity aligns with. As always, the curriculum can be tailored to meet your learning targets.

Next Generation Science Standards:

Practices:1. Asking questions (for science) 2. Developing and using models3. Planning and carrying out investigations4. Analyzing and interpreting data5. Using mathematics and computational thinking6. Constructing explanations (for science) 7. Engaging in argument from evidence8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

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Cross-cutting concepts: 2. Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation. Events have causes, sometimes simple, sometimes multifaceted. A major activity of science is investigating and explaining causal relationships and the mechanisms by which they are mediated. Such mechanisms can then be tested across given contexts and used to predict and explain events in new contexts.

4. Systems and system models. Defining the system under study—specifying its boundaries and making explicit a model of that system—provides tools for understanding and testing ideas that are applicable throughout science and engineering.

5. Energy and matter: Flows, cycles, and conservation. Tracking fluxes of energy and matter into, out of, and within systems helps one understand the systems’ possibilities and limitations.

7. Stability and change. For natural and built systems alike, conditions of stability anddeterminants of rates of change or evolution of a system are critical elements of study.

Disciplinary Core Ideas: LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

LS2.B: Cycle of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems

LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience

LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans

Performance Expectations: MS-LS2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and DynamicsMS-LS2-1: Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.

MS-LS2-2: Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.

MS-LS2-3: Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and non-living parts of an ecosystem.

MS-LS2-4: Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.

NGSS-aligned scoring criteria are provided with each lesson so that students may monitor their progress through the project. A final project rubric is also aligned to these standards.

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Common Core State Standards: Math

Statistics and Probability: Grade 6CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.A.1: Recognize a statistical question as one that anticipates variability in the data related to the question and accounts for it in the answers.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.A.2Understand that a set of data collected to answer a statistical question has a distribution which can be described by its center, spread, and overall shape.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.A.3: Recognize that a measure of center for a numerical data set summarizes all of its values with a single number, while a measure of variation describes how its values vary with a single number.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.4: Display numerical data in plots on a number line, including dot plots, histograms, and box plots.

Statistics and Probability: Grade 7CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.SP.A.1: Understand that statistics can be used to gain information about a population by examining a sample of the population; generalizations about a population from a sample are valid only if the sample is representative of that population. Understand that random sampling tends to produce representative samples and support valid references.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.SP.A.2: Use data from a random sample to draw inferences about a population with an unknown characteristic of interest. Generate multiple samples (or simulated samples) of the same size to gauge the variation in estimates or predictions.

CC SS ELA: Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects, Grades 6-8

ReadingKey Ideas and Details:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.2 Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.3 Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks.

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Integration of knowledge and IdeasCCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.7 Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.8 Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.9 Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.10 By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

WritingText Types and Purposes:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.2 Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.

Production and Distribution of Writing:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas clearly and efficiently.

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Research to Build and Present Knowledge:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Range of Writing: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Maine Learning ResultsA1 – Unifying Themes – Systems: Describe and apply principles of systems in man-made things, natural things, and processes.

A2 – Unifying Themes – Models: Models: Use models to examine a variety of real-world phenomena from the physical setting, the living environment, and the technological world and compare advantages and disadvantages of various models.

B1 – The Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry: Students plan, conduct, analyze data from, and communicate results of investigations, including simple experiments.

C1 – The Scientific and Technological Enterprise – Understanding of Inquiry: Describe how scientists use varied and systematic approaches to investigations that may lead to further investigations.

E2 – The Living Environment – Ecosystems: Examine how the characteristics of the physical, non-living (abiotic) environment, the types and behaviors of living (biotic) organisms, and the flow of matter and energy affect organisms and the ecosystem of which they are part.

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Unit OutlineTimes listed are estimates based on 45-minute class periods, these may vary depending on the length of class period and overall project structure.

Part I: Build Background Knowledge (four to six class periods) Page #Lesson 1: Introduction to the Investigation (one class period) 12Lesson 2: Oh Deer! Invasive Species and Ecosystem Modeling Activity (one class period) 17Lesson 3: Graph and Interpret your Oh Deer! Results (one class period) 23Lesson 4: Biodiversity Jenga—Modeling Biodiversity (two class periods) 28Lesson 5: What does Scientific Inquiry Look Like? (one half class period) 33

Part II: Define a Question and Conduct Background Research (three to five class periods)Lesson 6: Exploring Existing Data and Choosing a Species (one class period) 35Lesson 7: Defining a Statistical Question (one class period) 38Lesson 8: Gathering Background Information to form a Hypothesis (one to two class periods) 44Lesson 9: Writing and Revising an Introduction (one to two class periods) 47

Part III: Design an Investigation (three to six class periods)Lesson 10: Field work skills stations (two class periods) 50Lesson 11: Understanding Sampling (two class periods) 54Lesson 12: The investigation Design (two class periods) 58

Part IV: Collect Data (depends on investigation- continue to section V during data collection)Lesson 13: Collecting Data and Posting to Vital Signs (minimum two class periods) 62

Part V: Analyze Data (three to six class periods)Lesson 14: Using Statistical Thinking (one class period) 66Lesson 15: Choices in Graphing (one class period) 71Lesson 16: What Makes a Good Graph? (one class period) 75Lesson 17: Analyze Your Own Data (one to two class periods) 77

Part VI: Draw Conclusions (three to six class periods) Lesson 18: Choosing the Best Evidence (one class period) 82Lesson 19: Forming Conclusions and Constructing an Argument (one class period) 85Lesson 20: Discussion of the Results (one class period) 88

Part VII: Communicate Results (variable: minimum two class periods)Lesson 21: The Abstract (1/2 class period) 91Lesson 22: The Title (1/2 class period) 93Lesson 23: Create a Final Product (variable) 96Lesson 24: Peer Review (one class period) 98Lesson 25: Share with the Community (variable) 100

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Appendices: Download the Vital Signs Independent Ecology Investigation Appendix Here: [instert link]

Appendix A: Student Activity Glossary

Appendix B: Scoring and Assessment Tools: Stars and Stairs and Final Project Rubric

Appendix C: Vee Diagram

Appendix D: Overview of a Science Journal Article (extension for Lesson 5, What does Scientific Inquiry Look Like?)

Appendix E: Introduction Writing Frame (modification for Lesson 9, Writing and Revising an Introduction)

Appendix F: Fieldwork Skills Stations Instructions and Handouts (to go with Lesson 10, Fieldwork Skills Stations)

Appendix G: BCBS Analogy Map(Extension for Lessons 11, The Understanding Sampling and 4 Biodiversity Jenga)

Appendix H: Graph Match Activity(Extension for Lesson 15, Choices in Graphing)

Appendix I: Example Graphs(to go with Lesson 16: What Makes a Good Graph?)

Appendix J: Evidence Cards (to go with Lesson 18, Choosing the Best Evidence)

Appendix K: Claim Evidence Reasoning Graphic Organizers and Sentence Frames (modification for Lesson 19, Constructing an Argument)

Appendix L: Scientific Discussion Cards(for Lesson 20, The Discussion)

Appendix M: How to Submit Articles for Maine’s Middle School Journal of Scientific Research

Appendix N: List of Recommended Materials for the Unit

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BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

Choose Your Path:This unit is composed of lessons designed to support students in driving their own investigation, with the understanding that your students bring their own skill set and background knowledge. It is recommended you complete at least one to two lessons from each part before moving on to the next, but it may not be necessary to go through each and every lesson. Look over the unit outline and determine which are the most essential supports for your students and their investigations.

Determine an Appropriate Level of Independence:An independent investigation means that students have a role in directing the investigation. Students can take part in this process in many ways. For each step of the investigation, there are a range of options for who will take the lead how decisions will be made. Consider your students’ level of independence, your own reserves of time and energy, and the amount of available class time, and plan accordingly. There is no correct path.

Who will make the decisions? (check the box to indicate the leader(s) for each stage)

Investigation Stage Teacher Whole Class

Small Groups

Individual Students

Defining a Question

Designing FieldworkAnalyzing ResultsDrawing ConclusionsSharing Findings

Choose a Field Site Choose a location near the school for students to conduct their investigations. In order to gather enough information for students to address their research question, it is best if they are able to make multiple visits to collect data. A patch of land close to the school, where students can walk to and from within a single class period, makes a great field site.

If you have funds for field trips, consider reaching out to a local land trust. They may have species that they are actively managing, and that they would be interested in you researching. They may have volunteers and stewards that would happily join you in the field.

Plan Ahead for Data Analysis One important consideration is how students will gather enough data. It will be difficult for one student working independently to gather enough information to make for interesting analysis and conclusions. In addition to building in opportunities to collect data over multiple class periods, here are other suggestions for planning for a robust dataset:

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Have students replicate their protocol for homework in their own backyards or on school grounds.

Have the class work together to define one shared research question so that individual students can sample multiple locations in the field site and then combine their data.

Come up with one broad topic, and have each student or student group collect the same data from multiple locations around the field site. Then, have students choose a specific research question that can be addressed with the data that has been gathered.

Have your classes sample at different field sites, both around the school and in other areas. Expanding the number of sites sampled will help your students get a broader picture of what is happening across your community.

Reach out to other teachers across the state so that students can compare data across classrooms. Contact Vital Signs if you need help making connections.

Reach out to another teacher in your school or in another school in your community for volunteer research assistants. Have students teach the volunteers about their research question and how to follow the investigation protocol.

Know Your Constraints: Determine the following limitations that may shape the investigation. If students will take part in designing fieldwork, they will need a clear set of constraints before they begin:

What is the time frame that students will have to conduct their investigations? Days? Weeks? Months?

How frequently will students be able to go out to their field site? How much time will they have for each field site visit? What materials are or could be available to the students? What are the weather conditions that are necessary for students to be able to gather

data? What time of year is ideal for observing species of interest?

Set Up a Vital Signs Account and Investigations:Go to vitalsignsme.org to set up a free account. Make sure you select “educator” from the account options.

Once you have your account, log in to set up investigations for the students. This can be done later in the unit, but it is a long process, so be sure to block out some time. Here are few options for how to do this: Each student or student group creates a citizen science account.

If students are over 13, have each student/student group create their own citizen science account so that they can set up their own investigation.

If students are under 13, have them use your teacher e-mail or another adult’s e-mail address to link to the account.

See the ‘How-to’ guide for citizen scientists: http://vitalsignsme.org/how-citizen-scientists-collect-data-and-put-it-website

If the entire class is collaborating on the same investigation, you can create student accounts.

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Set up a different investigation for each student/student group and create usernames and passwords. Helpful notes guide this process: write down these names and passwords and keep them in a safe place. We are not

able to retrieve them for you. Many teachers just use one class name then assign each group a number (for

example: VSteacher1, VSteacher2 etc.) Passwords do not have to be different for each group. See the ‘How-to’ guide for detailed instructions: http://vitalsignsme.org/how-

teachers-set-investigations-their-students

Review the Student NotebookThe companion student notebook guides and captures student reflections throughout this unit. Before you begin, decide if you will have students use a printed version or an online document. Decide if you will give them the entire notebook all at once, or part by part, or activity by activity.

You can tailor this notebook to meet your own needs. Look over the following features that are common to each notebook entry and decide if or how you want to use them with your students:

The “Essential Question” is the big question that students will be exploring through the lesson. The question could be used to summarize learning at the end of a lesson, or as an “exit ticket” for quick assessment. It can also serve as a tool to preview learning and does not need to be answered directly.

The “Key Vocabulary” includes essential lesson vocabulary. Please add to and adjust these lists to fit your learning targets. These words match the glossary in the back of the student notebook. Specific definitions are not provided, as we encourage you to come up with working definitions with your students based on the concepts developed in class.

The “Do now” is designed to prepare students for new concepts by activating prior knowledge. They are open-ended and students should be able to complete the questions without guidance. Students could complete the “Do now” in the first minutes of class while attendance is being taken, materials set out, etc. They could write their responses in the science notebook and/or discuss ideas with a classmate.

The scoring criteria are designed to track student learning. They could be used for students to monitor their own progress and be used by the teacher for grading and assessment. You could use this tool to preview the objectives of a lesson and/or to summarize learning at the end.

A Note on Assessment

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The student notebook is designed to facilitate a range of assessment strategies, including suggestions for ways that students can document their investigation process. Look for suggestions throughout the curriculum on how to gather different forms of evidence of learning. We also encourage you to include students in the assessment process. With each lesson, students can use the scoring criteria to track their progress and note evidence of their own learning. At certain points in the unit, it will be essential that students gain proficiency in particular skills before moving on to the next section. At other points, students will have multiple opportunities to demonstrate proficiency. These are noted in the curriculum.

The writing and revision lessons throughout the unit are designed to support students in creating a final project to showcase their work. They also function as a tool to assess students’ learning and highlight any gaps in understanding that need to be addressed. These strategies can be used for developing a science poster, a podcast or radio program, a documentary film, a science article to be submitted to the Maine Middle School Journal of Scientific Research, or another creative project of students’ choice. Regardless of the product, we have provided flexible scoring rubrics for summative assessment.

Please share student work in the project bank: http://vitalsignsme.org/project-bank

The Student Activity Glossary:Included in Appendix A of this curriculum is a bank of strategies that can be used to increase student engagement, regardless of the content being taught. Many of these strategies will be familiar to you. Please let us know which are effective in your classroom and help us grow our glossary by sending us your favorite activities!

Add your comments and/or favorite student activities in the comments section here: http://vitalsignsme.org/student-activity-glossary

Engaging Reluctant LearnersAuthentic science investigations and outdoor exploration are great opportunities to engage students who do not typically express interest in science. Teachers have found that students who do not always shine in science class take on leadership roles and have a new-found love of science through Vital Signs Investigations. Be on the lookout for those students. Some may have significant knowledge about local species and ecosystems from fishing, hunting, and family activities. Note those students and look for ways that they can share with classmates.

Please share your thoughts on these resources in the comments section for this unit in the Curriculum Bank.

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Part I: Building Background Knowledge

Lesson 1: Introduction to the Investigation (one class period)Students will make initial observations, form questions, and gather ideas that will guide their learning through their independent investigation. Through this experience, they will begin the practice of supporting claims with evidence, recording their thinking using a science notebook, and tracking their learning progress against scoring criteria.

Learning outcomes for Lesson 1: Students will be able to… Support claims with evidence Track their learning progress on a standards-aligned rubric

Standards AlignmentMLR CCSS NGSS

C1 – The Scientific and Technological Enterprise – Understanding of Inquiry:

Describe how scientists use varied and systematic

approaches to investigations that may lead to further

investigations.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear

reasons and relevant evidence.

Practice 7: Engaging in argument from evidence

MaterialsChart paper and markers or class shared documentClipboards or notebooks for students to write on (one per 1 to 2 students)Cameras, ipads, or phones to take pictures (one per 1 to 2 students)Stakes, flags, or other indicators for boundaries of the field siteStudent notebook pages for the lesson (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher Preparation:1. Check out your field site and determine the boundaries of where you want students to be able to explore. Delineate these boundaries with flags, stakes, or natural barriers.

2. Review the student notebook and glossary pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps:Activity 1: Introduction to the Investigation1. Introduce students to their independent investigations. Highlight the following components of the project. Through this project students will:

a. Develop their own research question and design their own investigation that explores a specific scientific question that helps us answer this broader question, “What are the factors that impact the ecosystems in our community?”

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b. Act as stewards responsible for understanding and protecting ecosystems in the community.

c. Direct their own learning, asking and answering their own questions.

d. Generate novel information that will be shared with the scientific community (through Vital Signs).

e. Create a final product to show their learning. They will be able to choose from the following options:

Fill out a Vee diagram (see Appendix C) A scientific article to be submitted to the Maine Middle

School Journal of Scientific Research A science poster A documentary film (students will need to be filming

their work throughout their investigation for this option) A radio show or podcast An additional creative product of their choice

2. Introduce students to the My Vital Signs Ecological Investigation Student Notebook. Let them know that these notebooks will be a tool that supports them through their independent investigations. Highlight the scoring criteria at the beginning of each lesson:

a. Explain to students that they will read the criteria at the start of each lesson, and at the end of the lesson, they will circle the description that best fits what they accomplished. The goal is to meet level 3.

b. At times they will need to meet level 3 before moving forward in their investigation. In other cases, they will have chances in multiple lessons to reach level 3.

c. Read over the criteria together for Lesson 1.

3. Point out the “Do Now” at the start of the Lesson. a. Explain that students should respond to this question before the start of each lesson. Students should be able to answer the question without any instruction.

b. Emphasize that guessing on the “Do Now” question is ALWAYS ok! There are NO wrong answers! The purpose of the “Do Now” is to engage students’ brains and get them thinking on the lesson topic.

c. Give students two minutes to respond to the “Do Now.” Keep the time short for these questions. Move on even if students are not finished.

4. In groups of two to four, have students use their ideas from the “Do Now” to make a list of characteristics of living things. Have students record their group list in the student notebook.

Modifications: These are suggestions only. Feel free to limit or adapt these options according to the needs of your class.

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5. Choose a representative from each group to share the list with the class. As students listen to other groups, they should add new ideas to their notebook.

Activity 2: Initial field site visit1. Explain to students that they are going to build on the class ideas to try to identify living and non-living things at their field site. Their challenge is to identify one biotic factor and one abiotic factor in the ecosystem at the field site and gather evidence to show that these things are living or non-living.

2. Introduce “biotic” as anything that is or once was alive versus “abiotic” (never alive). Highlight the prefix “bio” meaning “life.” You may also want to introduce “organism” here as well. Let students know that they will develop more in-depth ideas around these concepts through their fieldwork in this lesson, and they will be responsible for their own definitions at the end of class.

3. Explain the directions and safety instructions for the activity: a. Walk to the field site.

b. Take two minutes to find a spot at the field site to observe.

c. Choose one organism/biotic factor to focus on. Record all that you notice about the organism. Think about size, texture, patterns, movement, sounds, surrounding environment, etc.

d. Use your observations to show that it is something that is biotic (living) and not abiotic (non-living). Try to identify factors that no one in the class will find!

e. Choose one abiotic factor to focus on. Record all that you notice. Think about size, texture, patterns, surrounding environment, etc. Use your observations to show that it is something that is abiotic (non-living) and not biotic (living).

f. Generate as many questions as possible about the organisms and abiotic factors that you observe (questions can be open ended at this time).

g. Make sketches of what you observe.

h. You will have only 10 minutes to complete the activity, even if you think you need more time.

Formative Assessment Note: As students work, check to see how comfortable students are with supporting claims (living or not?) with evidence (“I know this is/isn’t alive because…). Use your observations plan how much support students will need with scientific argumentation.

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4. Explain that this activity will help prepare students to be lead scientists in their own investigation by developing ideas and skills around:

making observations and collecting evidence identifying living things they might want to explore at the field site defining what it means to be living and what living things need to survive

5. Divide students into teams of 2 to 3 and give each team a clipboard.

6. Take students out to the field site.

7. Allow students two minutes to choose their spot.

8. After 10 minutes, bring the class back inside.

Note: Keep to the time limits that you set so students will get in the habit of using their time outside efficiently.

Activity 3: Summarizing and generating questions for future learning1. Give the students a minute to talk about observations that they made with two to three people that were not in their fieldwork group. Consider using the “timed pair share” activity (see the Student Activity Glossary, Appendix A).

2. Direct students back to the lists they gathered of characteristics of something that is living. Invite students to share additional ideas that they may have gathered from their experience in the field. As students share ideas, record them on a large chart paper or shared document so that you can return to them later. Guide students towards recognizing that living things are able to…

respond to the environment adapt to the environment reproduce grow use energy made from cells (students are

unlikely to identify this- it is ok if it is not included)

Modifications: Consider bringing quadrats that students can place to help them focus closely on a small area.

If students are working electronically, allow students to take photos and add them to their notes sheet.

Take notes and/or photos of students at their first field site visit. These can be used to show growth and celebrate progress later on in the process.

Formative Assessment Note: Students should be able to describe four to six these characteristics in their own words. It is not necessary that they master this list or use this particular vocabulary.

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3. Have students open to their glossary at the back of the notebook. Collect ideas for how to define “biotic” and “abiotic.” Make sure that definitions include the list of characteristics that the class generated. Have students offer examples and/or show supporting sketches. Make sure they support examples with evidence that the object is living or non-living.

4. Prompt students to share questions about the organisms at the field site.

a. Students may need help forming questions. Model a few, like “why does an organism grow in one part of the field site and not another?” “How many__ are at our field site?” “Does the amount of __ change over time?” “Is the amount of __ related to __?

b. Guide students to think about what might be important to the health of their field site. What might be important to people in their community?

5. Instruct students to look back at the scoring criteria. a. Read through the first level aloud with the class. If students made observations of an organism, they should check off the first level. Have students share an observation that they made as an example for the class.

b. Repeat the process with levels 2, 3, and 4, reading the criteria, inviting students to share examples of meeting the criteria, and then having students check off criteria that they met.

c. Once you have reviewed all the criteria, have students circle the highest level that they achieved.

Formative Assessment Note: Students will have many opportunities to support claims with evidence. They will also continue to develop understanding around living and non-living components of ecosystems. It is not required to reach a level three by the end of this lesson. To gather additional information on students’ understanding of common characteristics of organisms, try this quick NSTA Assessment Probe, “Is it Living?” http://static.nsta.org/connections/elementaryschool/201104IsItLiving.pdf

Formative assessment note: Don’t worry if students have trouble generating questions, or if the questions they list are not investigable. All ideas are acceptable at this point. The following activities will help them develop strong research questions.

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Lesson 2: Oh Deer: Invasive Species & Data Variability Modifications (one class period)(Adapted originally from a Project WILD activity and Vital Signs Oh Deer: Invasive species style - http://vitalsignsme.org/oh-deer-invasive-species-style)

In this active and competitive game, students build background knowledge by experiencing how a community of native animals and plants changes in response to resource availability in their habitat. Students collect data during the game and then graph and analyze their data to answer the driving question, “How does the introduction of an invasive species to a habitat affect native species populations?”

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to... Explain how invasive, native, and non-native species compete for resources within a

model ecosystem. Determine the resources necessary for species survival within an ecosystem.

Standards AlignmentMLR NGSS

A2– Unifying Themes – Models: Use models to examine a variety of real-world phenomena from the

physical setting, the living environment, and the technological world and compare advantages and

disadvantages of various models.

MS-LS 2-1: Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of

resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.

E2 – The Living Environment –Ecosystems: Examine how the characteristics of the physical, non-living (abiotic) environment, the types and behaviors of

living (biotic) organisms, and the flow of matter and energy affect organisms and the ecosystem of which

they are part.

MS-LS 2-3: Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and non-living parts of an ecosystem.

MaterialsEasel and flip-chart or dry-erase board and markerConesIf you are adding modifications to the game, you will need:

Nerf ball (predator modification)Colored head bands or arm bands (2 colors, enough of each to outfit a class- non-native species modification)

Student notebook and glossary pages for the lesson (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher preparation:1. Decide what native and invasive species you plan to model with the Oh Deer! game. Here are

a few examples of habitat-specific species to use. Stream Native: Spinycheek crayfish

Invasive: Rusty crayfishOptional - Non-native: European lobster

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Upland Native: BluebirdInvasive: SparrowOptional - Non-native: Rock pigeon

Rocky intertidal Native: Rock crabInvasive: Asian shore crab

Pond/ lake Native: Wild brook troutInvasive: Smallmouth bass

2. Gather all the materials listed above.

3. Set up data tables on a white board, chart paper, or print out multiple copies like the one below. Use a different data table for each class, label it with the class name, and save for creating graphs of each class’s data in the following lesson.

Native species Invasive species Habitat resources

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5

….

4. Decide on where you will play this game. It is best played in a playing field, basketball court, or other open space.

5. Set up your playing field ahead of time. Make a large rectangle with cones at the 4 corners set at least 20 m apart.

6. Review the full instructions on how to play in the student activity description below. Watch this video to see the game in action - https://youtu.be/sLGNeWQztQE

7. Review and adapt the student notebook and glossary pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps:Activity 1: Introduction to the Game1. Prompt students to complete the “Do now.” Remind them that it is ok to guess! 2. Explain to students that they are going to do an activity that will explore how abiotic and biotic factors interact in an ecosystem. Their experience in this activity will help them in designing their investigation.

3. Introduce the driving question for this activity: “How are habitat resources, native, and invasive species related in an ecosystem?” and the native species and habitat that you have chosen.

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4. Explain that in this game, students will experience how the populations of a community of native animals and plants changes over time in response to resource availability and other species in their habitat.

5. Have students review the characteristics of living things from lesson one. Considering these characteristics, challenge students to think about what all living things might need to survive. Consider using “Timed Pair Share” to give students structured think time (Appendix A).

a. As students share their ideas, guide them towards identifying food, water, shelter, and space as necessary resources for survival.

b. As a quick check, ask students which of the habitat resources are biotic and which are abiotic.

Note: Students typically need some prompting for “space.” It helps to give an example, such as lots of relatives at your dinner table, too many snakes in your classroom terrarium, or too many students in gym class.

6. Explain to students that they will play the roles of “habitat resource” and “native species” to see how populations change in response to available resources. Each “native species” will need to find a particular “habitat resource” in order to survive. As the game progresses, these roles will change as the ecosystem changes. Introduce the signals for the habitat resources:

Food: Put hands over stomach Water: Put hands over mouth Shelter: Put hands over head Space: Put arms out to sides

7. Head to the site where you have set up the game.

Activity 2: Modeling a Healthy Ecosystem1. Have the students count off by four.

2. Have the 1’s go to one end of the field and stand in a line about shoulder-width apart, facing away from the rest of the class. This group is the native species.

3. Have the 2’s, 3’s, and 4’s line up at the opposite end of the playing field, facing away from the native species. This group is the habitat resources.

4. Tell the students that before each round you will count the population of native species and habitat resources and record this number on the data table (remember to record each class’s data in a different table).

5. Explain that at the beginning of each round, while their backs are turned, each native species will decide to look for any one of its four

Modifications: Students who are not able to participate in an active game may take on modified roles, such as a species that does not move (i.e, part of the ecosystem), reporters that record a running commentary

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basic resources. Review the signals introduced in class. A native species may not change what it is looking for until the next round.

6. At the same time, while their backs are turned towards the native species, each student that represents habitat resources will decide which habitat resource he or she wishes to represent and will indicate their choice using the same signals. Like the native species, the habitat students may not change within the round, but can change the following round.

7. Make sure the two groups (native species and habitat resources) keep their backs turned from each other until the start of each round. Tell each student to make their signal.

8. Give the directions for each round/year: a. When you say, “Go,” students will all turn around and face each other while continuing to hold their signals.

b. Native species should walk/run toward the habitat resource that matches what they are looking for. The habitat resource students should stay in their places.

c. Any native species that finds the resources they need will survive and reproduce. They will take their habitat resource back to the starting place to become a native species.

d. Native species that do not find the resource they need, die and become part of the habitat (representing natural population flux).

e. If more than one native species tries to get the same habitat component, the one to get there first survives.

9. Go through one round/year with the students. Explain that this represented one year in the life of this native species population and discuss what happened. Most of the native species should have found what they needed and successfully reproduced. This would result in an increase in the native species population.

10. Count the number of native species and habitat resources and record it in the table.

11. Continue with 3 to 5 more rounds. As the population changes, invite students to share reasons behind the changes. Begin using the term “fluctuation” to describe these natural ups and downs and “competition” over resources.

Activity 3: Modelling the Introduction of an Invasive Species1. Once students get the hang of the activity, introduce an invasive species.

a. If students are not familiar with invasive species, explain that a new Modifications:

Introduce a predator. The predator may move along the sidelines, stalking the native species. Each round, the predator may throw a Nerf ball at the native species. If the Nerf ball hits a native species, it dies and returns in the next round as habitat or as another predator. If you allow the predator population to increase, keep data records on this

Modifications: Students who are not able to participate in an active game may take on modified roles, such as a species that does not move (i.e, part of the ecosystem), reporters that record a running commentary

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species has been brought into the ecosystem that has an advantage (maybe it is faster or lives closer to the resources).

b. Make sure you note when a new species is introduced on the chart. This will help students interpret their data in the next lesson.

c. Identify 3 to 4 students as invasives.

d. Instead of starting in line with native species, have the invasives start half the distance to the line of habitat resources, (mimicking their ecological advantage).

e. When the invasives get their habitat resources, have those resources go back and join the invasive group at the halfway line (just as they would go back with the native species in previous rounds).

2. Continue going through a total of at least 10 rounds, recording the number of native species. See modification ideas below if you’d like to add more variables.

3. Bring students back inside to debrief the activity.

Activity 4: Oh Deer! Debrief1. Gather initial observations of the game. Use the following questions to prompt discussion:

In what years does the native population increase/decrease most dramatically? Why do you think the population crashed in Year ___? How would you describe the amount of resources leading up to that year? What was the population of the invasive species in that year? How does the population of the native species relate to the amount of habitat

resources? How does the population of the native species relate to the population of the

invasive? How do you think the game compares to what happens to species populations in

nature? Why did the invasive start closer to the habitat resources? What did that represent? Why do you think we call invasive species “invasive”?

2. Use the experience from the game to define ecosystem. They just modeled an ecosystem because the living and non-living factors in the game were all connected and all affected each other. An ecosystem is a network of connected abiotic and biotic factors.

3. Invite students to share examples of invasive species that they have heard of and challenge students to use their experience to define invasive species. A strong definition includes:

species that has been brought into a new environment a species that has some advantage that allows it to take over the ecosystem

Modifications: Introduce a predator. The predator may move along the sidelines, stalking the native species. Each round, the predator may throw a Nerf ball at the native species. If the Nerf ball hits a native species, it dies and returns in the next round as habitat or as another predator. If you allow the predator population to increase, keep data records on this

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Give students time to record their own definitions for native and invasive species and ecosystem in their glossary.

4. Direct students to the analogy map in lesson 2 in their notebooks. Explain the table:a. In the first column, students should write what happened in the game.

b. In the second column, students write what happens in the real world that is like the game.

c. The last column is for explaining how the part of the game listed in column one is supposed to represent the part of the real world listed in column two.

5. Go through the example filled in the table with students, and challenge the class to generate another example all together.

6. Have students finish the table in groups or on their own.

7. When students are finished, refer to the scoring criteria. Challenge students, in partners, to complete the tasks in each of the four levels. Have students share out responses when finished. Have students circle the highest level that they achieved.

Formative Assessment Note: Students will have additional opportunities to explain the impacts of resource availability on populations and explore the effects of invasive species on ecosystems. They do not need to achieve proficiency at this time. For a quick formative assessment, have students give one reason why an invasive species gets to line up closer to the habitat resources in the game.

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Lesson 3: Graph and Interpret your Oh Deer! Results (one class period)Students graph the Oh Deer! data on habitat resources, native, and invasive species populations to develop skills in analyzing data and using a graph to look for relationships.

Learning Outcomes for Activity 3: Students will be able to...● Interpret data to determine the impact of resource availability and competition on

native and invasive species populations within an ecosystem

Standards AlignmentMLR CCSS NGSS

E2 – The Living Environment –Ecosystems: Examine how the characteristics of the physical,

non-living (abiotic) environment, the types and behaviors of living (biotic) organisms, and the flow of matter and energy affect

organisms and the ecosystem of which they are part.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.5: Summarize numerical data

sets in relation to their context.

MS-LS 2-1: Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability

on organisms and populations of organisms

in an ecosystem.

MaterialsData tables from Lesson 2Chart paper and markers or a shared electronic documentStudent notebook and glossary pages (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher preparation: 1. Create a data table for each of your classes, like the example below, on chart paper or on a shared document. Fill in the data from each class. Make sure the data is visible to all students, or make copies for each student.

Oh Deer Data and Explanation Chart Oh Deer! Data and Explanation Chart

Year# of NativeSpecies

# of Invasive Species

# of Habitat Resources

Explanation of the Data

(continue making a row for each year of data)

2. If you would like extra support in language to use for describing and interpreting line graphs, see the following resource from the Miane Data Literacy Project:

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http://participatoryscience.org/sites/default/files/ML4-INSTR_Language%20for%20describing%20time%20series.doc

3. Gather chart paper for modelling line graphing.

4. Make sure to save graphs and data tables from this activity to use for future reference.

5. If you are unfamiliar with the distinctions between native, invasive, and non-native species, review the table, found here: http://vitalsignsme.org/what-invasive-species

6. Review and adapt the student notebook and glossary pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps: Activity 1: Contextualizing the Data1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now.” 2. Invite students to share their answers. As students share, introduce the term abundance as a number or amount. Challenge students to use phrases like, “the abundance of the native species increased when…”

3. Review the key question for the Oh Deer! activity: “How are habitat resources, native, and invasive species related in an ecosystem?” If needed, have students go back to their glossary and review the meaning of native and invasive species.

4. Have students look over the scoring criteria for the activity. Challenge students to use the information in the scoring criteria to predict what they will be doing with the data that they collected (this is a good check to see if students are reading and understanding the criteria).

5. Direct students to the “Oh Deer! Data and Explanation Chart” in the student notebook. Explain that before graphing, they are going to tell the story of the data in words. They will create an explanation of the changes in abundance from year to year. Model how to use the data to produce an explanation, using the example explanation chart below. Emphasize that they are making a prediction about what could have happened, if this data represented an actual ecosystem.

Example Data and Sample Explanations:

Year# of Native Species

# of Invasive Species

# of Habitat Rsrces

Explanation of data

0 5 0 15

1 8 0 12 The abundance of the native species increased. They got the food, water, and shelter that they needed to survive and reproduce.

2 15 0 5 The native species population thrived again this year. They got what they needed to survive and reproduce.

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3 10 0 10 There were not enough habitat resources (food, water, shelter) to support the native species and the abundance declined.

4 2 0 18The native species abundance went way, way down, possibly due to disease, fire, bad weather, competition with another species, or maybe another factor

5 4 0 16 The native species population slowly increased. The few remaining got what they needed to survive and reproduce.

6 6 3 11The native species abundance slowly increased. They got what they needed to survive and reproduce. An invasive species was introduced!

7 4 6 10 The invasive species were able to get the resources they needed faster, and they reproduced. Not all the natives found resources.

8 4 10 6 The invasive species is getting more of the resources and their abundance is increasing!

9 1 5 14 Both the native and invasive species populations declined due to lack of resources.

10 0 10 10 The native species was eliminated because it could not get the resources that it needed.

6. Assign students to groups of two to three and divide the years of data so that each group is only responsible for the explanation of three to five years.

a. Have student groups discuss what happened in their years and then record a short summary in the Oh Deer Data and Explanation table.

b. As students complete their explanations, they should add them to the class table.

7. Once all explanations are added to the table, call on student groups to share their ideas, and narrate the changes in abundance of the native species from beginning to end of the game.

Activity 2: Graphing the Data

1. Explain that you are going to work together to create a graph of the data. Have the students create the graph in their notebook as you model the process.

2.Have a student volunteer write the question for the activity of at the top of the graph “How are habitat resources, native, and invasive species related in an ecosystem?”

3. Explain that you are interested in answering a question about how abundance of resources, native species, and invasive species changed a period of time. You want to be able to see increases and decreases over the span, and a line graph is the best way to show that.

Modifications: If graphing all three data sets is too much, only have students graph the native species population. Then, draw a

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Note: Students will get experience using different types of graphs and will need to make decisions about what graphs to use later in the unit, so explaining graph choice is an important step.

4. Invite student ideas for how to label the x and y axes. Label and scale the axes on the graph.

5. Explain that they will be graphing the abundances of native, invasive, and habitat resources, all on the same graph. Have students share ideas for how to distinguish the data points for each of these categories. Show how to use a different color, plotting each dataset one at a time and creating a legend.

Activity 3: Interpreting the Data 1. Give students time to look over their graphs in pairs. Have them discuss what the notice about the graphs and work together to answer questions 1 through 3 in the student notebook.

2. Have students report on their conversations. As they do, look for the following:

Students are likely to notice a lot of “ups and downs.” Explain that these are called “fluctuations” and encourage students to use this vocabulary. Ask students about the causes of fluctuations. Did these happen in all classes or just one? Did they occur both before and after the introduction of the invasive? Help students to identify population fluctuations as a part of any normal ecosystem.

Have students compare the abundance of the native species before and after the introduction of the invasive. Even though there are fluctuations in the data sets, can they see any kind of trend?

3. Go back to the question for the activity, “How are habitat resources, native, and invasive species related in an ecosystem?” In pairs, have students make a claim in response to the question. Tell students they will need to use evidence from the game to support their answer. They should record their work in their student notebook, questions 4 and 5.

4. Call on a few students to report on their answers. Collect evidence from multiple teams, until the class can come to a consensus on the answer. Prompt students to point to specific evidence from the graphs that support their answer.

5. Give students time to reflect on how this game might relate to their investigation, and record their thoughts in the student notebook.

6. Have students review the scoring criteria for Activity 3 and circle their highest level of achievement.

Modifications: If graphing all three data sets is too much, only have students graph the native species population. Then, draw a

Extension Idea: For more support with interpreting line graphs to tell the story of the data, see this Vital Signs Mystery Graph lesson using purple loosestrife data: http://vitalsignsme.org/mystery-graph-purple-loosestrife-lythrum-salicaria-galerucella-beetle Also, look to your Math teacher colleagues for additional practices with line graphing and choices in graphing.

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Formative Assessment Note: This activity is the first of many designed to support students in graphing. Students are not expected to have mastered these concepts yet. For now, look for evidence of students’ ability to connect the representations of the data to their lived experience with the game.

For a quick formative assessment, have students find one year on the graph and explain what happened with the habitat resources, native and invasive species populations in that year. If students are struggling, see the first modification idea on the previous page.

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Lesson 4: Modeling Biodiversity and Invasive Species Impacts (two class periods)Students will build on the concepts introduced in the previous activity. Through this hands-on modeling activity, students will develop broad concepts about the importance of biodiversity while developing skills in data analysis and understanding variability in data.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to…

Define biodiversity, native, invasive species and variability, and give examples from the activity to explain their significance

Organize data into a dot plot

Standards Alignment:

MLR CCSS NGSS

E2 – The Living Environment – Ecosystems: Examine how the characteristics of the physical,

non-living (abiotic) environment, the types and behaviors of living (biotic) organisms, and the flow of matter and energy affect

organisms and the ecosystem of which they are part.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.4: Display numerical data in

plots on a number line, including dot plots, histograms,

and box plots.

Practice 2: Developing and Using Models

MS-LS2-2: Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across

multiple ecosystems.

Materials: Jenga games or computers for access to online Jenga simulators (one for each group of 3 to 4 students)Chart paper and markers Student Notebook and glossary pages for Lesson 2 (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher preparation:1. Assign students to groups of 3 to 4.

2. Make sure you can access the following video of Bill Nye: Biodiversity. Play the first 4 minutes and 30 seconds or the entire 22 minutes, depending on time constraints. The video can be found here, or check your local library: https://www.schooltube.com/video/8e1097409b914b60be69/Bill%20Nye%20Biodiversity .

3. Gather enough Jenga games so that each group will have one. Alternately, you can use an online simulator. Be sure to test the sites to make sure they are compatible with students’ devices. Here are some online simulators:

http://www.twoplayergames.org/play/128-Jenga.html

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http://www.oyunlar1.com/online.php?flash=903

4. If you are unfamiliar with constructing dot plots, watch this Khan academy video: https://www.khanacademy.org/math/cc-sixth-grade-math/cc-6th-data-statistics/dot-plot/v/frequency-tables-and-dot-plots

5. Set up two graphs on chart paper on which students can plot their data (see the examples below in the activity directions).

Give one graph the title, “Final Invasive Species Population” and the other, “Final Biodiversity Count”

Label the x-axes, “Final Invasive Species Count before Collapse” and “Final Biodiversity Count before Collapse” and space out units from 1 to 35.

Note: If you have multiple classes, have them add to the same dot plots so that you have more data as the day goes on.

6. Review and adapt the student notebook and glossary pages for this lesson.

Lesson Steps:Activity 1: Introduce the Game1. Instruct students to complete the “Do Now.”

2. Have students share their responses using “timed pair share” (see Appendix A).

3. Introduce “biodiversity” as the amount of different kinds of species in an ecosystem. a. Probe for initial thoughts on biodiversity. Do students think this is important in an ecosystem? Why or why not?

b. Explain that in this next activity, students will explore how the introduction of an invasive species and biodiversity impact the stability of an ecosystem.

4. Play at least the first 4 minutes and 30 seconds of Bill Nye: Biodiversity. Ask students to elaborate on why the tower collapsed in the video and how that might be similar in a real ecosystem.

5. Explain to students that they are going to play their own Biodiversity Jenga, but they are going to collect and analyze the data from the game. Explain that unlike Bill Nye’s Jenga game, their ecosystem will have an invasive species. They will use their data to answer the questions, “How much biodiversity is needed for a stable ecosystem? How many invasives can an ecosystem take before collapse?”

6. Have students turn to the student notebook and read through the rules of the game. Invite volunteers to come up to the front and help you model each step. As you model the game:

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a. Use specific examples of species that may be present at your field site. Invite students to add their own examples.

b. Come up with examples of why more invasive species in the ecosystem might cause the removal of another species (for example, competition for resources such as food, space, light). Invite students to share their own ideas.

c. Give examples of why the tower might become less stable with the removal of a species (for example, a species might depend on a previous one that was removed for food). Invite students to share their own ideas.

d. Collect data in a table like the one in the student journals. Keep track of the number of species present (biodiversity) and the number of individuals in the invasive species population that have been introduced (number of blocks placed on top). Students do NOT need to record this data as they will record data from their own game shortly.

Note: Biodiversity should NOT change in the first turn (the first invasive is added is a new species which counters the loss of the native species from the ecosystem). The biodiversity count will decrease by one after each subsequent year, as species are removed from the ecosystem but no new species are added.

e. Emphasize that this Jenga game represents a model ecosystem. The model may or may not predict what will happen in students’ own investigation.

7. Have students follow the same procedure to collect their own data for 15 to 20 minutes. If the ecosystem collapses, they should begin a new game. The data table is designed for three full Jenga games.

8. Use the data from each student group to construct two dot plots with the data (see the examples below).

Extensions: If students have trouble making sense of the Jenga game as a model or you want to assess their ability to use and understand models, have students complete the BSCS Model Analogy Map (see Appendix G).

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a. Use the data from the class demonstration to show how to add to each of the dot plots. Draw a large dot (or use stickers or post-its) over the place on the X-axis that represents the final biodiversity count and the final invasive count before collapse.

b. One group at a time, have students come up to the chart and add dot over the final counts for each Jenga game that they played.

Note: If more than one group has the same final count, dots should be stacked vertically.

Activity 2: Interpret Jenga Results1. Once the graphs have been constructed, model how to interpret the graph.

a. Explain that each dot (or sticker/post-it) represents a time that result was observed. The total height of the dots represents the total the frequency or number of occurrences of each result.

b. Make sure that students understand that the graph shows all of the final counts, before collapse from each of the different groups (see the modification idea above if students struggle with this).

c. Explain that this kind of graph helps us see how similar or different all the results are before drawing any conclusions. Introduce the term “variability” as the differences between the results (how much they vary, or are different from each other).

2. Model how to analyze the data in the graphs, using questions 1 through 6 in the student notebook to guide the discussion. Focus just on the “Final Invasive Species Count” graph for the discussion. Have students take notes in their student notebooks as you model the analysis.

a. Draw a quick, informal sketch of the Final Invasive Species Count distribution.

b. Point out what you see in the graph, including i. the range in the data, how close the results are to each other, how spread out the results are (this data is really spread out! Our inavives counts go range from…to..),

ii. any interesting points that are different from the rest (Look at this data point…this must have been an interesting game…)

Modifications: If students struggling with understanding how data is organized on a dot plot, create a human dot plot with simple data as an example. Create a number line along the classroom floor. Have students stand at the point on the line that represents how many pets that they have (or cousins or how many books they read, etc). Ask students simple questions about how many in the class have two pets. Ask about the range of the data. Ask which number of pets is most popular. This will help make a connection between the abstract representation and real data.

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iii. the most common data points, whether the data is clustered in one particular area or if it spread out evenly. (I can see that most of our results were around…)

Note: students will be asked to use terms like range, mean, median, mode, outlier in later activities. They do not need to use these in their analysis yet.

c. Model how to describe and think about variability: i. Point out the amount of variability in the dataset. For example, “Most of us had different final invasive species counts at the time of collapse because these data points are spread from…to …. That shows a lot of variability.”

ii. Point to a single data point and ask what might be the cause of that variability (for example, a student’s desk shook, and the tower fell).

iii. Challenge students to think of a cause of variability what a species count might be at the time of collapse in nature (for example, a violent storm, a parking lot is installed).

d. Model how to draw tentative conclusions from the “messy” data:i. Review the question that you are trying to answer: “How many invasives can an ecosystem take before collapse?” explain that even though there is variability in the data, you have still collected some important information to help answer the question.

ii. Pull out a couple of the important points already made about the data, like most common data points, clusters of data, etc. Explain that this information can be used to form a “tentative” conclusion.

2. Now that students have seen how to interpret data represented in a dot plot, give them 10 to 15 minutes to work in their Jenga groups to practice this process using the “Final Biodiversity Count” graph using questions 6 through 10 in the student notebook to guide them.

3. Have student group share responses with the class. Ask about their experience with graphing. How are these graphs different from ones they have seen before?

4. Make sure that students check their work using the scoring criteria before moving on to the next lesson.

Formative Assessment Note: Students should understand that data is “messy” and be able to identify potential sources of messy results (it is ok if they are not yet comfortable with the term “variability”). They should also know that it is ok to draw conclusions, even when results are messy. Students do not need to be able to construct or interpret data in dot plots independently at this time.

For a quick formative assessment, have students name one cause of variability in a Jenga game and one cause of variability in nature.

Extensions: Invasive Species Games and Invasives in the News: To help students better understand ecosystems, competition for resources, and invasive species and the characteristics that help them overrun an ecosystem and outcompete native species, consider this additional modeling game: http://vitalsignsme.org/theres-new-bird-town . News and science articles can help to hit home the observed impacts of invasive species on ecosystems near you. See the Vital Signs, “In the News” page for resources: http://vitalsignsme.org/news#1a 32

Lesson 5: What does Scientific Inquiry Look Like?Once students have explored basic concepts in ecology and have begun formulating ideas around their own investigation, and before they begin their formal research, students will identify the components of a full investigation. Using student exemplars, they will pull out the major stages of inquiry and form an idea of the work that is ahead of them.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to… Name the components of a full investigation Explain the importance of communicating in science

Standards Alignment: MLR CCSS NGSS

C1 – The Scientific and Technological Enterprise – Understanding of Inquiry:

Describe how scientists use varied and systematic

approaches to investigations that may lead to further

investigations.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.2 Determine the central ideas

or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior

knowledge or opinions.

Practice 8: Obtaining, Evaluating, and

Communicating Information

Materials:Copies of student exemplar articles, enough for one of each article per student pairStudent notebook pages for the lesson (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher Preparation: 1. Preview the following articles written by Vital Signs students : Green Crab Vs. Asian Shore Crab and Does Cape Elizabeth Have a Healthy Marine Ecosystem.

Determine whether you want to use these articles or substitute from student or professional work samples of your own.

2. Review and adapt the student notebook pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps: 1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now.”

2. Have students to share their responses using a “timed pair share.”

3. Challenge students to think of examples of how scientists have made a difference by communicating their findings (examples could include scientists sharing findings about cures for diseases, endangered species, etc). Highlight that scientists are able to build on each other’s work because they share what they have learned.

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4. Explain to students that they will also communicate their process and their findings for their own investigation. In this lesson, they will look at examples of what that might look like. They will review scientist’s work to determine what scientists do, how they do it, and how they report their findings.

5. Divide students into pairs and pass out two science article exemplars to each pair. Explain that these articles were produced by middle school students in Maine.

6. Read the titles of the two articles together. Ask students if they can figure out the topics of the two investigations from the titles alone (e.g., green and Asian shore crabs; marine ecosystems).

7. Have each student skim one of the articles. Then, working with their partner, instruct students to record the headings of the sections of each of the articles. Give students three minutes to skim the articles and create their list of headings in their science notebook.

8. Have students report their lists. As they do, record this list on poster paper or on a wall. Explain that as students move through these different sections, they will be able check their progress and see what still needs to be done. Ask students which sections are familiar and which they have not seen before.

9. Next, have students read the abstract. With their partner, have students combine information to identify the purpose of the abstract and all the information contained in it. Give students five minutes to read and record notes.

10. Ask students to explain the purpose of the abstract. Make sure that students share that an abstract is a summary of an investigation that includes the purpose of the investigation, how it was conducted, the results and conclusions. Invite students to share all they were able to learn about these investigations, just by reading the abstracts.

11. Repeat step 9 with the introduction.

12. Explain to students that they are about to begin building the introduction of their investigation. Have students share ideas: what will they need to figure out in order to create an introduction? Students should identify the question that they will be investigating, background research to help understand the question, and why the question is important.

13. Give students time to reflect in their notebooks about their own investigation. Consider giving students the opportunity to share their thoughts using a “Mix-Pair-Share” when they are finished.

Extensions: Have students work through each section of the articles to identify the essential components. Have students refer to this work as they go through their investigation. See Appendix D: Overview of a Science Article for a graphic organizer to support this extension.

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Part II: Define a Question

Lesson 6: Exploring Existing Data and Choosing a Topic (one class period)In this lesson, students will explore maps of observations of a wide range of species on the Vital Signs website to answer the questions, “What species have been found in my area?” and focus in on one or more species for their investigation. It is important to note that a species of interest may or may not be found at the field site, and that is ok! Not all species have the same amount of data as others. The key is that students should have evidence that it could be present. Students may be the first to publish data in their area, which is an opportunity for students to position themselves as leaders in their field.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to… Use existing data to choose a feasible research topic

Standards AlignmentMLR CCSS NGSS

E2 – The Living Environment –Ecosystems: Examine how

the characteristics of the physical, non-living (abiotic) environment, the types and behaviors of living (biotic) organisms, and the flow of matter and energy affect

organisms and the ecosystem of which they are

part.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.8

Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital

sources, using search terms effectively; assess the

credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and

conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and

following a standard format for citation.

MS-LS2-2: Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across

multiple ecosystems.

MaterialsAccess to the internetStudent notebook and glossary pages for the lesson (printed or shared electronically).

Modifications: This activity can be completed individually, in small groups, or as a whole class working together, depending on how you have structured the investigation (see the note, “Determine an appropriate Level of Independence” on page 8). If you have already determined the investigation topic, skip this lesson. Instead, take time to introduce the topic and then continue on to Lesson 7: Defining a Research Question.

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Teacher preparation:1. Explore the Vital Signs database and map ahead of time and see which natives and invasives have been FOUND or NOT FOUND in your general area. This will give you an idea of what Vital Signs data already exists.

a. If no data exists in your area, that is ok! You and your students will be filling in important gaps in information and building resources for future researchers.

b. You can also look in surrounding communities to see if an invasive has been detected there, but not in your area yet.

2. Explore the existing Field Missions for ideas of pressing questions that other members of the Vital Signs community are researching - http://vitalsignsme.org/field-missions.

3. Preview the additional relevant resources for the students to use in making their choice of species. These are provided in the student notebook.

Maine Invasive Plants Fact Sheets http://www.maine.gov/dacf/mnap/features/invasive_plants/invsheets.htm

Maine Invasive Species Network: https://extension.umaine.edu/invasivespecies/ National Invasive Species Information Center:

https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/unitedstates/me.shtml Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife:

http://www.maine.gov/ifw/wildlife/species/index.html Maine Department of Environmental Protection:

http://www.maine.gov/dep/water/monitoring/index.html Invasive Plant Atlas of New England: https://www.eddmaps.org/ipane/

4. Review and adapt the student notebook pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps:1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now.”

2. Collect ideas from students. See how many different ideas the class can generate. Have a student volunteer take notes on the whiteboard, chart paper, or a shared document.

3. Remind students that they are building towards designing their own investigation to address the major questions, “What factors affect the living things at my field site?”

4. Remind students that they are stewards of their field site. The topic that they choose to research must fit the following criteria:

can be investigated at the field site deals with how a species interacts with the ecosystem is interesting to students and/ or the community is important to the protection/maintenance of the field site

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If students will be posting data to Vital Signs, they will need to choose a specific species or two to investigate

5. Introduce a few example topics to help frame students’ thinking. Invite students to share examples as well. Examples could include:

The abundance of milkweed and how it is related to the number of insects observed.

Varying amounts of canopy cover, pH in the soil, or soil moisture and how they relate to the abundance of a species of interest.

How paths, walkways, parking lots, etc. relate to the abundance of a species of interest (native or invasive).

6. Explain that students are going to explore existing data to see what is already known, and not known, about species in the area around the field site.

7. Show the Vital Signs website. Highlight the following information: Most of the data is published by students The class will be adding to the database when they

publish data for their own investigation Information is used by research scientists There are many gaps in the information available! We only have the information

that the Vital Signs community has gathered

8. Have students go through the instructions in the notebook to explore data for species or topics of interest.

9. Once students have completed their work, give two minutes for students to share topic ideas with two to three different classmates. Consider using “Mix-Pair Share” from the Student Activity Glossary (Appendix A).

10. Invite students to share interesting ideas. As students share, discuss with students whether these would be good topics to investigate based on the criteria listed at the beginning of class. Add new ideas to the list generated at the beginning of class.

11. Have students write down a topic to investigate in the student notebook.

Formative Assessment Note: Students will have the opportunity to rethink their topics when they are forming their research question. Topic ideas do not need to be well developed before moving on to the next lesson.

For a quick formative assessment on what makes a good topic, have students give thumbs up/thumbs down about the topic of “species that leave in deep water at the bottom of the ocean and whether they are affected by warming waters”.

Extensions: Gather additional background information to inform topic choices and give your students practice making observations and posting them to Vital Signs: Once students have an idea of a species of interest but before they begin to form a question and design their investigation, go to the field site and have students collect evidence to determine whether this species is “FOUND” or “NOT FOUND” at the site. Then, have students post this data to Vital Signs. If you need help doing this, look ahead to the resources in Lesson 13: Collecting Data. Additionally, you may want to do Lesson 10: Field Work Skills Stations prior to this field work.

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Lesson 7: Defining a Research Question (one class period)Investigations are guided by a strong, statistical question. In this activity, students will turn their topic ideas into a question that they will be able to investigate. As students narrow in on a specific research question, it will be important to communicate that a target species may or may not be found at the field site, and that is ok. As students define a clear investigation, they will also determine the format that they will use for communicating their results.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to... Explain that an investigation begins with a question that requires collecting

“messy,” variable data to address the question.

Standards AlignmentMLR CCSS NGSS

B1.a – The Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry: Identify

questions that can be answered through scientific

investigations

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.A.1: Recognize a statistical question

as one that anticipates variability in the data related to the question and accounts for it

in the answers.

Practice 1: Asking Questions and Defining

Problems

Materials: Chart paperMarkersStars and Stairs Form 1 (one for each student or investigation group, from Appendix B)Student notebook and glossary pages (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher preparation:1. Watch this Khan Academy video for more background on statistical questions: https://www.khanacademy.org/math/cc-sixth-grade-math/cc-6th-data-statistics/cc-6-statistical-questions/v/understanding-statistical-questions.

2. Complete the Statistical Questions Challenge here - http://vitalsignsme.org/statistical-question-challenge.

3. Prepare a Google Doc or a piece of chart paper like the one below: a.

Question Statistical? Y/N

b.

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4. Look over the Stairs and Stars: Introduction (Form 1 from Appendix B). This form contains the same information as the final project rubric but is organized in a student-friendly layout. If you need to adjust the stairs to align with the targeted outcomes for your class, make sure to change the final project rubric as well (also in Appendix B) so that there is consistency between students’ self-assessment and the tools that you will grade the students’ final project. This will provide students with the opportunity to monitor their own progress and make changes that will improve final outcomes.

5. Determine the final project options that you will present to students. Think about the time and effort required for each. Here are a few suggestions:

Fill out a Vee diagram (See Appendix C. This is the simplest option with the least scientific writing)

Write scientific article to be submitted to the Maine Middle School Journal of Scientific Research (this is the most straight forward option that still develops students’ communication skills)

A science poster (this is similar to the article, with the same writing presented on a poster with a few added visuals).

A documentary film (students will need extra time to plan and filming their work throughout their investigation for this option. Suggestions for when to do this are included throughout the unit)

A radio show or podcast (similar to the documentary project) An additional creative product of their choice (more difficult to predict time and

effort required).

6. Review student notebook and glossary pages for this lesson.

Lesson Steps:Activity 1: Identifying Statistical Questions1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now.”

2. Have students share responses using the “idea volley” (see Appendix A).

3. Explain that a scientific investigation begins with a good research question. In this lesson, students will learn how to determine whether a research question will lead to a good investigation.

4. Introduce the “Stars and Stairs” document (from Appendix B). This document is just like the scoring criteria that they see at the beginning of each lesson, helping them track their learning progress. However, on this form, students will need to show evidence that they have reached stair 3 before they may continue with their investigation. This next lesson will help students get to stair 3.

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5. Explain to students that an investigable question is a statistical question. A statistical question is one that has more than one possible answer and requires gathering data from more than one source that is “messy” or variable to answer the question.

6. Use the example of Biodiversity Jenga and/or Oh Deer! to review the concept of variability. Ask students what it meant that the class results were variable. What were some of the causes of the variability? How is that like the real world? Consider using a “timed pair share” for this conversation (see Appendix A).

7. Invite students to share ideas of other things at their field site that vary naturally (height of the plants, the number of ants at any given time, amount of sunlight hitting the ground, etc.).

8. Read through the example statistical question in the student notebook, “How deep is the pond by our school?” At first glance, this may seem like a non-statistical question. Prompt students to think about how they would answer this question. Point out that they might need to measure the depth in different places to come up with a question. This makes it a statistical question. Compare that question to “How deep is the water at the end of the dock?” This question can be answered by taking one measurement only, so it is a non-statistical question.

Note: Students might determine that the depth changes depending on the time of year or amount of rainfall. Therefore, it could be a statistical question. Congratulate any student is able to catch this.

9. Have students complete the statistical question challenge, and review answers as a class. If there are questions that students are unsure about, have them share these with the class. Challenge the class to revise the questions so that they are clearly statistical questions.

Answer key for the statistical question challenge: Question Statistical? Y/N

1. Where is your field site located? N (only one answer)

2. What is the circumference of the trunk of this elm tree at my field site?

N (only one answer)

3. How healthy are the elm trees at my field site? Y (requires gathering data from more than one source)

4. Does a human made path of affect the abundance of poison ivy?

Y (requires gathering data from more than one source)

5. What is the shape of an oak leaf? N (only one answer)

6. Do more oak leaves fall after a large change in temperature?

Y (requires gathering data from more than one source)

7. How many eyes does a spider have? N (only one answer)

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10. Have students share their own questions. Add these questions to a class list.

11. Collect ideas from the class as to whether each student question statistical. Consider using “Take a Stand” to collect responses from the class (See the Student Activity Glossary in Appendix A).

Activity 2: Generating Statistical Questions1. Explain that students will need to generate a statistical question that will guide their investigation. For some, this will be easy, for others it will be more challenging, depending on what students are interested in. Often, generating a strong statistical question is the hardest part of an investigation.

2. Review the broad question that the entire class has started with, “What factors are impacting the living things at the field site?” Work with students to break that question down and brainstorm more specific, investigable questions. See the example below:

a. Write the question on the board or on chart paper.

b. Have students share different living things, or species that they found that they are interested in that are likely to be at the field site. Cross out, “living things” and list the species below. Remind students that biodiversity is a measure of all the different species, and students might be interested in investigating factors that impact biodiversity. Include this in the list. You could also suggest that students might be interested in just the number of insect or plant species.

Modifications: Students can complete Activity 2 individually, in small groups, or as an entire class, depending on the structure the investigation. If you have determined the research question already, have students take time to assess the question to see if it is a statistical question and skip Activity 2.

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c. Break the “factors” part of the question down. Students learned that there are biotic and abiotic parts of an ecosystem. Students should choose to investigate the impacts of one of the two categories. Write “biotic” and “abiotic” below where it says, “factors”.

d. Have students share abiotic factors that might impact species. Remind students of the “Oh Deer!” game and the abiotic resources that the species needed to survive. List these under “abiotic.” Guide students towards identifying specific examples of resources that they could find and measure at their field site, like soil moisture, canopy cover, human made objects like roads or paths that might impact space. Write these underneath the habitat resources.

e. Review ways that other species might impact a species at the field site. Review the importance of biodiversity and the impacts of invasive species. List ideas under “biotic” such as “introduction of invasive species”, “competition over resources”, “sources of food”, etc. Choose one species listed from step b and have students list examples of species that might be predators or sources of food, etc.

f. Model how to use the map that the class generated to come up with a good question. Below are a few examples:

I heard that milkweed is good for insects. I am interested in how milkweed might affect the number of insect species at my field site. My question will be, “How does the abundance of milkweed impact the number of insects I observe at the field site?”

I am interested in Japanese knotweed as a species. I want to know more about how it is affecting our field site overall, my question will be, “How does the abundance of Japanese knotweed impact biodiversity at the field site?”

I know that Japanese knotweed can be harmful to the field site. I want to know if it grows best in shaded areas or in

Modifications: If the class is having trouble thinking up practical investigable questions, do another round of “Take a Stand.” This time, have students stand if the question is a good one for their independent investigation. Make sure students explain their decisions. Some sample questions include: -Do rising temperatures affect the population of polar bears? (not investigable at the field site)-Does the presence of an invasive species affect how many kinds of insects are at the field site? (good question)-What is the color of an inch worm? (not statistical)-Do native or invasive plants grow leaves earlier in the spring? (may or may not be practical

Extensions: Use this idea mapping activity to introduce or practice with the terms “independent and dependent variables.” Highlight the ideas that represent the independent variable in one color (all the biotic or abiotic factors in the example map) and the dependent variables in a different color. Challenge students to identify the independent and dependent variables in their own research questions.

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sun, so my question will be, “How does canopy cover impact the abundance of Japanese knotweed at the field site?”

3. Once students have their question, have them read the question on their own, to a partner, to another group or out to the class and check their work against the scoring criteria.

Activity 3: Choose a project format1. Once students have an investigation question, they can form ideas around their final project. Review the options available to students:

Fill out a Vee diagram A scientific article to be submitted to the Maine Middle School Journal of Scientific

Research A science poster A documentary film (students will need to be filming their work throughout their

investigation for this option) A radio show or podcast An additional creative product of their choice

2. Explain that no matter what product they create, they will still need to meet the criteria in the Stars and Stairs document. If they choose a creative product, like a film, radio show, etc. it will take more effort and creativity to figure out how to reach each stair.

3. Give students time to discuss project options and record their selection in the student notebook.

Summative Assessment Note: Before moving on, it is essential for students to have a strong statistical question (and stair 3 of the Stars and Stairs). Students who have a good question can continue to the next activity independently while you work with students who are struggling. See the modification ideas for ways to support these students.

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Lesson 8: Gathering background information to form a hypothesisOnce students have chosen a research question, they will need to gather background information. There is a wealth of information on Maine native and invasive species. Students should be able to conduct research with some independence. They will use the information gathered to support their ideas of why they think their target species could be present at the field site and develop a hypothesis that addresses their specific research question.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to…

Conduct independent research Use multiple credible sources for evidence to support predictions for outcomes of

fieldwork

Standards AlignmentMLR CCSS NGSS

E2 – The Living Environment –Ecosystems: Examine how

the characteristics of the physical, non-living (abiotic) environment, the types and behaviors of living (biotic) organisms, and the flow of matter and energy affect

organisms and the ecosystem of which they are

part.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.7: Conduct short research

projects to answer a question (including a self-generated

question), drawing on several sources and generating

additional related, focused questions that allow for

multiple avenues of exploration.

MS-LS2-2: Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across

multiple ecosystems.

Materials:Access to the internetStars and Stairs Form 1 from Appendix B (one per student or investigation team) Student notebook pages for the lesson

Teacher Preparation: 1. Look over the five perspectives in the student notebook. Make any necessary changes to the questions. Consider compiling resources for students to use, depending on students’ skills and comfort with online research. Suggested resources include:

Vital Signs database: http://vitalsignsme.org/explore/search Maine Invasive Plants Fact Sheets

http://www.maine.gov/dacf/mnap/features/invasive_plants/invsheets.htm Maine Invasive Species Network: https://extension.umaine.edu/invasivespecies/ National Invasive Species Information Center:

https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/unitedstates/me.shtml Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife:

http://www.maine.gov/ifw/wildlife/species/index.html

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Maine Department of Environmental Protection: http://www.maine.gov/dep/index.html

Invasive Plant Atlas of New England: https://www.eddmaps.org/ipane/

2. Assign research groups. If each student is operating independently, he or she will need to complete all five

perspectives. If students are working in small groups, have them divide up the perspectives among

them. If the whole class is researching one question or topic, set up a Jigsaw:

o create an “expert” group for each of the five perspectiveso create “home” groups that contain one expert on each perspective.

Lesson Steps: 1. Prompt students to answer the “Do Now.”

2. Have students share their ideas on what they already know from the “Do Now” prompt using the “Idea Volley” (Appendix A). Repeat the process for what students still want to find out. Choose a representative from each group to share the group’s ideas.

3. Explain to students that they are going to gather information on their question, thinking about it from five different perspectives. They will conduct research and take notes on what they find. Emphasize that the information that they gather will help them:

a) plan their fieldworkb) understand their results and draw conclusionsc) communicate their work to others (remind students of the information that was in introductions that they read in Lesson 5)

4. Preview the five perspectives. Explain to students that there might not be information available to answer all the questions yet. Scientists are constantly working to develop these answers, and that is why the students’ research is important. Make sure that students record the website of any information that they find.

5. Divide students into groups according the plans you made in step 2 of teacher preparation and give students time for their research (they should be in expert groups if they are doing a jigsaw). Give students clear time constraints for their research, checking in regularly about the amount of time remaining. As students work, circulate around the room and check in with students to monitor their progress.

Modifications: Work with Language Arts teachers to help build skills around finding credible information online and citing sources.

Use the time that students are researching independently to conference with small groups or individuals who are stuck on their research question. Help students modify questions so that they are practical and interesting to investigate, or provide students with a question that you created.

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6. Once time is up for research, have students share what they found and what they are still working on.

If students are working independently, have them find a partner with a different research question for discussion

If students are working in small groups, give the groups time to combine their notes and explain their findings.

If students are completing a whole-class jigsaw, give time for the home groups to meet and the experts to share what they found.

7. Instruct students to form a prediction based on their research, also known as a hypothesis, in the student notebook. Emphasize that hypotheses should be based on existing knowledge.

8. Have students check their work using the Stars and Stairs, form 1 handout and the scoring criteria for the activity.

Formative Assessment Note: Hypotheses, and the reasoning behind them, should reflect understanding of interdependent relationships in ecosystems. Check for thinking around competition for resources and interactions between species. If students are having trouble forming a hypothesis supported by strong reasoning, consider conducting more background research or using some of the extension activities mentioned at the end of Lesson 4. Hypothesis should also contain information that suggests the target species is likely to be present at the field site.

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Lesson 9: Writing and Revising an Introduction (one class period)Students will organize the information that they have gathered in the previous lesson into a coherent introduction to their investigation that can be used for a science research article, a documentary, podcast, or radio show. Then, they will revise their work to make it clear and concise.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to… Communicate essential information about their investigation, including their research

question, background concepts that are important for understanding the question, importance of their investigation, and how their work relates to existing knowledge.

Revise their own work.

Standards Alignment: MLR CCSS NGSS

B1.c – The Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry: Use

appropriate tools, metric units, and techniques to

gather, analyze, and interpret data.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.5 With some guidance and

support from peers and adults, develop and

strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing,

rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience

have been addressed.

NGSS Practice 8: Obtaining, evaluating and

communicating information

Materials:Students will need their notes from the background research on their topic to complete this activity. Highlighters (or students can highlight on electronic documents)Student notebook pages (printed of shared electronically)

Teacher preparation: 1. Choose an introduction to use to model the revision strategy. You may use either of the student samples provided in Lesson 5: : Green Crab Vs. Asian Shore Crab and Does Cape Elizabeth Have a Healthy Marine Ecosystem. Make sure that you can project the examples.

2. Plan out how students will keep track of their scientific writing. They will need access to their introductions later on. We recommend that students create one document that they can add to throughout the investigation. Alternatively, students could keep a special folder just for their writing about their investigation (which will eventually include methods, results, conclusions and discussion as well).

3. Review and adapt the student notebook pages for the lesson.

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Lesson Steps: Activity 1: Constructing the Introduction

1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now”

2. Have students share their choices. Students should choose only information that is most important to understanding the impact of green crabs in Maine, which are:

Green crabs have especially sharp claws that make them better than other types of crabs at opening mussel and clam shells (explains the competitive advantage of green crabs).

One adult green crab can eat up to 40 clams in one day (explains the impact on native clams).

Green crabs have been in New England since 1817, but recently, their numbers have been increasing faster than ever before (explains why this is a pressing problem).

The remaining facts are interesting, and potentially helpful to students in recognizing the crabs during their fieldwork, but not important to understanding the question.

3. Explain to students that they are going to pull out the most important information to communicate about their research question now, while this information is fresh. Review with students why it is so important to communicate their work. Remind them that they are doing real research and their findings could make a real difference to the local or scientific community.

4. Have students take out their notes from their background research. Just like in the “Do Now,” instruct students to circle the most important facts or concepts to understanding the question. This time, students may select up to six different facts.

5. Once students have done this, they are ready to fill in their introduction graphic organizer. They will transcribe (or copy and paste) the information that they pulled out into the appropriate sections.

6. Have students use this graphic organizer to construct a full introduction, either for a written article, a documentary, or a radio report.

Activity 2: Revision1. Once students have created their introductions, explain that they are going to revise their work to ensure the essential information is included and cut out any extraneous detail.

Modifications: Introductions can be created by students working independently, dividing up the work in small groups, or as a whole class collaboration.

For extra writing support, have students use the writing frame included in Appendix E.

Rather than having students write a full introduction, they can capture their learning using the Vee Diagram (see Appendix C). Students should hold on to this diagram and add to it throughout their investigation. Student work in the Vee diagram can be assessed using the same scoring tools in Appendix B.

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2. Project an example introduction for students to see. Explain that together, you are going to make sure that this introduction contains all the necessary information and only the necessary information. Point to the “Keeping the Balance” activity in the student notebook.

a. Grab three highlighters (or show how to add highlighting to an electronic document)

b. Choose a color for each category within an introduction and create a key.

c. Read the first sentence of the introduction. Point to the summary of the different parts of an introduction. Ask students what category they think that sentence belongs to. Highlight accordingly.

d. Repeat the same procedure for the rest of the sentences in the introduction.

e. After going through the full introduction, ask the students: Were there any sentences that did not fit into one of the categories or were really difficult to place? This would be an indicator that they are not necessary in the introduction and can be removed.

f. Have students help count up the sentences in each section.

g. Compare the number of sentences for each category. For balance, there should be approximately (numbers do NOT need to be exact)

Context = one half (50%) of the full introduction Focus = one quarter (25%) of the full introduction Justification = one quarter (25%) of the full introduction

h. Go back and revise to try and find the balance. a. Add missing parts to sections that are too short.

b. Remove unnecessary information to make the section concise.

3. Once you have modeled the revision process, have students work independently or in small groups to highlight and make changes to their own introduction.

4. When students have completed a second draft of the introduction, they should check their work against the Stars and Stairs, Form 1.

Summative Assessment Note: Before moving on, students should be able to meet level 3 of their scoring criteria and stair 3 of Stars and Stairs Form 1. Make sure that students hold on to this writing to use in their final project!

Modifications: Use the highlighted introduction as a basis for one-on-one or small group conferences with students once they have completed their revisions.

Work with the language arts teacher(s) at your grade level for support in the writing and revision process. Some of this work could potentially take place during language arts time.

Students can record interviews that contain context, focus and justification rather than write out an introduction, depending on their final product format.

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Part III: Design an Investigation

Lesson 10: Fieldwork Skills StationsStudents will prepare for field work through these interactive stations. Before heading out to the field to collect their data, they will develop skills in making high quality observations in these in-class skills stations.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to… Describe the characteristics of high quality scientific observation. Identify high quality scientific observations.

Standards AlignmentMLR CCSS NGSS

B1.c – The Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry: Use

appropriate tools, metric units, and techniques to

gather, analyze, and interpret data.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.3Follow precisely a multistep

procedure when carrying out experiments, taking

measurements, or performing technical tasks.

NGSS Practice 3: Planning and Carrying Out

Investigations

Materials: Set out the following materials at stations spread out around the room:

Spot the difference: Set out the following materials:o two similar specimens for students to compare

Note: Specimens should be close enough that finding differences requires careful observation. Periwinkle shells, crab carapaces, and plant parts (leaves, bark, flowers) all make great objects to compare.

o rulers o accompanying Vital Signs species ID cards: http://vitalsignsme.org/species-

identification-resources

Species in focus: o Print out or open electronic versions of the photos linked to this activity:

http://vitalsignsme.org/species-focus-photo-critique-activity.

How many are there? o one square made out of strips from a single sheet of paper (11” by 11”) o one bag of 20 to 40 pennies

Preparing for Scientific Observation

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o Set out ipads or a computer and open to the Vital Signs species identification resources: http://vitalsignsme.org/species-identification-resources

Why Nothing Matterso Set out a laptop or ipad with following link open: http://vitalsignsme.org/why-

nothing-matters o Print out or pull up the page with the following guide:

http://vitalsignsme.org/when-not-found-good-really-good

Student notebook and glossary pages (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher preparation:1. Gather the necessary materials for each skill station listed above and set them up at separate areas of the room.

2. Label each station clearly so that students know where to find the corresponding section in their student notebook.

3. Print out activity instructions and station handouts from Appendix F and set them at each station. These are also included in the student notebook.

4. Assign student teams to start at each station. Each station should have no more than four students. If you need more stations, consider setting up additional stations for students to comment on observations in the Vital Signs database or continue research on the target invasive species.

5. Review and adapt the student notebook pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps:Activity 1: Introduction to Vital Signs Observations

1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now.”

2. Explain to students that they will soon go out to collect initial data for their investigation. The purpose of this activity is to build skills that will help them with accurate data collection. Review the scoring criteria for the activity.

3. Show the Vital Signs website. Highlight the following information: Most data is published by students. Students will be adding to the database. Information is used by research scientists. More information is needed! The data that is collected during students’ investigations

will build out the database and provide information for further investigations.

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4. Show an example published observation from the Vital Signs website: http://vitalsignsme.org/best-observations

a. Explain that students will be publishing their own observations.

b. Show the “Found” or “Not Found” claim (in blue under the species name). Consider showing two examples, one “Found” and one “Not Found.”

c. Explain that it is difficult to identify species and important to have accurate information to track species’ presence or absence. Species experts will confirm or question the observations. So, it is essential that claims be supported by evidence.

d. Evidence is in both written and photograph form. Give examples of both kinds of evidence in the example observation.

e. Explain that the evidence provided must be clear enough so that the claim can be confirmed by a species expert. Highlight qualities that make strong evidence (for example, clear pictures, measurements, descriptions of the surrounding environment, counts).

f. Invite students to add their own ideas for what makes good evidence.

5. Have students search through Vital Signs data on their own, and use their handouts to record examples of claims and evidence.

6. Have students share one or two great examples that they found.

Activity 2: Fieldwork Skills Stations1. Explain to students that they will work in stations to practice skills that will help them make great observations. Point out the station names and the activity instructions at each station.

2. Assign each student group to one field work station.

3. Have students practice their fieldwork skills by completing the tasks at the stations you have set-up around the room. Students should take notes in their notebooks at each station.

4. Give students at least 8 minutes at each station, and them have them rotate to the next one.

5. Once students have completed the stations, have them write down at least three important tips for good data collection in the student handout.

Formative Assessment Note: It is essential that students understand the concepts of “claim” and “evidence” before they begin their fieldwork. Students will need to provide written and photographic evidence to support their claim of “FOUND” or “NOT FOUND” in order for their observation to be confirmed by the species expert.

For a quick formative assessment, project a FOUND or NOT FOUND claim with either photo or written or photo evidence, and have students give one idea for improving the evidence.

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6. Have students share their tips with the class.

7. Go over the Vital Signs “Quality Assurance Check” from the student notebook so students can see what will be required of them as they collect their own data in the field.

8. Have students add any criteria that they think are important for the class’s particular mission or investigation.

9. Have students check over their work using the scoring criteria for the activity.

Modifications: Consider the following alternative structures for your stations.

Teacher-lead mini lessons followed by self-guided stations: Briefly present each skill station to the whole class, emphasizing why they are doing it and what to focus on. Put a sheet of more detailed directions at each station. Encourage teams of students to work together at each station, relying on one another to figure out and master each skill.

Specialize, and then teach your teammates: Divide your class into investigation teams. Within each team, have students decide who will be the photographer, the species expert, etc. Specialists then get together at a station to learn and master one skill. They then return to their investigation teams to share what they learned. This last sharing piece is critical to ensure a smooth field work experience where each student understands his/her responsibilities and the responsibilities of team mates.

Self-guided stations: Put a sheet of detailed directions at each station. Challenge teams of students to work together at each station, relying on one another to figure out and master each skill. Students are responsible for making sure that each member of their team is comfortable with the skills.

Guest-guided stations: If it’s possible, involve others from your school and/or community to oversee stations and to share their expertise, passion, or enthusiasm with students: the art teacher to help with photography, the language arts teacher to help craft solid evidence statements, a local naturalist or gardener to help with species characteristics, an administrator who enjoys friendly (or intense) competition…. Prep your guests well before class starts.

Snack and Chat station: Consider adding a station at which no new information is introduced. Students can process the new information they learned while they snack (if you are able to provide food in the classroom) and chat.

Extensions: After Fieldwork skill stations, bring students outside to make initial FOUND/NOT FOUND observations. This will allow them to get comfortable with identifying their species and posting their data before adding any additional protocols. For help with preparing for fieldwork and posting to Vital Signs, see Lesson 13: Conducting Fieldwork.

For additional practice, have students make high quality observations of biotic factors that they observe around their home.

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Lesson 11: Understanding Sampling (1 to 2 class periods)Understanding the importance of random sampling to avoid bias is an important aspect of conducting investigations. In this lesson, students will model the experience of random versus non-random sampling to determine the total number of their M&M populations. First, they will choose their sampling areas, then they will use a die to generate a random sample. They will compare distributions of their estimates and explore the concept of variability to determine whether sampling bias influenced their results. The data will be most interesting if you are able to compile results from across classes. If you have multiple classes participating in the same lesson, have them add their data to one shared dot plot.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to… Explain how sampling bias affects the results of an investigation and give examples from

their class experience

Standards Alignment:MLR CCSS NGSS

C1 – The Scientific and Technological Enterprise

– Understanding of Inquiry: Describe how

scientists use varied and systematic approaches to

investigations that may lead to further investigations.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.SP.A.1: Understand that statistics can be used to gain information about a population

by examining a sample of the population; generalizations about a population from a sample are valid

only if the sample is representative of that population. Understand that

random sampling tends to produce representative samples and support

valid references.

Practice 3: Planning and Carrying Out

Investigations

Practice 4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data

MaterialsEach student group will need:

o One bag of 50 M&Ms per student group o One bag of 65 M&Ms per student group (for the extension)o one calculatoro one 6-sided die

Student notebook and glossary pages (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher preparation:1. Group students into pairs.

2. Gather the materials needed for each student group (listed above).

3. Prepare two class dot plots that all students will be able to see (either on chart paper or a shared document)

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“Estimates of M&M Abundance Using a Random Sample”—Label the X axis “M&Ms” and number 0 through 80 (using intervals of 5).

“Estimates of M&Ms Abundance Using a Non-random Sample”— Label the X axis “M&Ms” and number 0 through 80 (using intervals of 5).

4. If you are unfamiliar with constructing dot plots, watch this Khan academy video: https://www.khanacademy.org/math/cc-sixth-grade-math/cc-6th-data-statistics/dot-plot/v/frequency-tables-and-dot-plots

5. Review and adapt the student notebook and glossary pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps:Activity 1: Modelling Sampling1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now.”

2. Invite students to share their responses.

3. Introduce the activity and explain the following: a. An investigation might require that scientists gather data on things they can’t possibly count. In their investigation, students might not have time to count all of the species or all of the individuals of a certain species across the entire field site area. For this reason, scientists use a technique called random sampling. The next activity will help answer the question, “How can we estimate the number of something that we can’t count?”

b. In the activity, each M&M represents an organism and the paper represents the full field site.

c. Students will try to estimate the total number of M&Ms (abundance) but they only have the time and resources to count the M&Ms in some sections.

d. Students will compare results using random sampling and non-random sampling methods.

4. Have students read the activity instructions while a volunteer models the procedure in front of the class.

5. Hand out the materials for each group.

6. Have students pour the M&Ms out on the paper, distributing them across the sheet.

 

Modifications:Substitute M&Ms: If you are not able to give candy out to students, use different kinds of dried beans instead.

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7. Instruct students that they only have enough time and resources to sample (count) the number of M&Ms in three squares. Students should work with their partner to choose which squares. Have them note why they selected those 3 squares in the student notebook.

8. When the tables are filled out, have students count the number M&Ms in the designated squares and record their count in the student data table. Students should NOT move the M&Ms from the squares in this process.

9. Guide students on how to use their sample to generate an estimate of total M&Ms. Depending on the computational skills of your students, they could:

Add the totals from each square and multiply by two (since they sampled half of the squares).

OR Find the mean of the M&Ms for the squares that they sampled and multiply by 6.

10. Have students record their estimates in their student notebook. Students should still NOT move the M&Ms from their squares! 11. Next, explain that students will use a random sampling method to record their data.

12. Pass out one die to each group. Have students roll the die to determine which squares they will sample (rolling a 1 indicates they should sample square 1, a two indicates square 2, etc). They should sample a total of three squares.

13. Have students repeat the same procedure for counting, generating estimates, and recording estimates, sampling the squares determined by the die.

14. Once all students have reported their estimates, have students count the actual number of M&Ms (each bag should be at 50) and the actual number of colors.

15. Have students put away all materials.

Activity 2: Analyzing the Data1. Show students how to add their estimates to the class dot plots. Make sure that data generated from the round with the dice goes onto the “Random Sample” graph. You may need to model the process with example pieces of data.

2. Mark the actual counts on the dot plot using a different color.

Extensions: Practice estimating: Have students work in their small groups to figure out how to use their sample to form an estimate of M&M abundance. Have them share their strategy with the class.Incorporate biodiversity: In addition to counting M&M abundance, students could also try to determine biodiversity by determining the number of different colored M&Ms at their site. For estimating diversity of M&Ms, students should find the average of the number of colors in each square sampled.

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3. Explain to students that their task is to determine which sampling method, random or non-random, produced estimates that were closest to the actual number of M&Ms. Explain that students will need to use the information in the graphs to draw a conclusion.

4. Allow students a few minutes to work through questions 1 through 8 in the student notebook either in partners or on their own. Have students try all the questions and mark the ones that are most challenging to them. Explain that it is ok if students aren’t able to answer them all on their own at this time. 5. Go over the answers to the sampling activity questions, inviting students to share their responses and the thinking behind them. Use the following questions to guide conversation:

Go over the information that is presented in the graph. Remind students that each dot represents the data they generated (M&M estimates). Higher columns of data mean more students got the same results.

Compare the shape of the two distributions: Is one more spread out? Are there any interesting clumps of data? Is it grouped more to one side or another? What do these shapes tell us about the data?

Compare the range of the data. Which graph has a greater range? Why might that be?

Look at the variability: What are some of the causes of the variability? Did human error influence results? Was there natural variability? Have students share how they chose the squares in the non-random sample. Could these decisions have influenced the results?

6. Ask students to share their ideas in response to the following questions. Challenge students to support their answers with evidence from the graphs of the class data.

Are there differences between the estimates that used random sampling methods and the estimates that didn’t?

Which estimates were the most accurate (closest to 50 M&Ms)? Why do you think

Formative Assessment Note: You could take this activity in many directions with so much opportunity for learning and developing math skills! The most important ideas for students to come away with are:

Data is messy and variable Scientist use a small sample to draw

inferences about a large population. Data can be skewed when scientists

choose their sample. Students should have a strong grasp on these ideas before moving on. For extra support with

Extensions: Additional Math InfusionsFind the measures of center: Model how to find the mean, median, and mode using the class data. Go through the process using the information on the dot plots. Mark the mean, median and mode on each dot plot using a different color for each measure. Discuss the benefits and limitations of these measure of center in comparing the two sets of data:

- They provide easy points of comparison, they summarize the data effectively

- They don’t really show the range of data. You don’t get a sense of whether student groups had similar or highly variable results

Calculate percent error: Lead student through calculating the percent error in their estimates and have students compare percent errors between random sampling and biased sampling methods.

PE = absolute value (Actual Value – Estimated Value) X 100Actual Value

This is a great opportunity to collaborate with the school level math teacher(s)!

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that is? Have students share how they chose their squares. How that might their choices have impacted their results?

7. Let students know that this was an example of using random sampling. Scientists often are trying to answer a question for which it would be difficult or impossible to count the entire population. They sample to make informed conclusions about the population. Scientists do this in different ways to avoid bias. Have students record definitions for random sampling and sampling bias in their own words in their glossary.

Extension: Sample Size1. Explain to students that they are going to use the same activity to answer the question “How does sample size affect our results?” Explain the following:

all student groups will use random sampling techniques. This time, students will sample their field three different times to form three different

estimates. o One estimate will be based on sampling ONE square only (the square will be

determined by the die). o One estimate will be determined by sampling TWO squares only. o One estimate will be based on samples from THREE squares.

2. Repeat the same procedure for gathering counts of M&Ms as the first phase of the lesson.

3. Have students form new estimates based on each of the sample sizes.

4. In this extension, have students take the lead on creating dot plots to record their data. Guide the class towards constructing:

Three dot plots (one for each sample size) A title for each graph M&Ms on the X axis (with units evenly spaced)

5. Invite students to share their ideas about whether sample size (number of squares sampled) made a difference and give students time to record their thoughts in their notebook.

Lesson 12: Plan Your Investigation (two class periods)Students will gather information about different sampling techniques. Then, they will use their

knowledge to design an investigation to test their hypothesis.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to… Generate a research plan using a random sampling method to collect unbiased data

Standards AlignmentMLR CCSS NGSS

C1- The Scientific and Technological Enterprise –

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.SP.A.1: Understand that statistics can be used to

NGSS Practice 3: Planning and

Formative Assessment Note: You could take this activity in many directions with so much opportunity for learning and developing math skills! The most important ideas for students to come away with are:

Data is messy and variable Scientist use a small sample to draw

inferences about a large population. Data can be skewed when scientists

choose their sample. Students should have a strong grasp on these ideas before moving on. For extra support with

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Understanding of Inquiry: Describe how scientists use

varied and systematic approaches to

investigations that may lead to further investigations.

gain information about a population by examining a sample of the population;

generalizations about a population from a sample are valid only if the sample is

representative of that population. Understand that random sampling tends to produce representative samples and

support valid references.

Carrying Out Investigations

Materials: Access to the internetHeadphones (optional)Stars and Stairs: Form 2 (Appendix B)Student notebook and glossary pages (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher preparation:1. Preview the following video (starting at about 3 minutes up to 10 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di_S-9ZiGGY

2. Prepare students groups for a Jigsaw. Assign expert groups for each of the following sections: Random sampling – 3:00 – 4:45 Quadrats – 4:45 – 6:00 Transects – 6:00 – 8:08 Biodiversity—8:08 – 10:00

3. Print out the Stars and Stairs: Form 2 (from Appendix B)

4. Review the investigation constraints that you determined at the start of the unit (see the note, “Know Your Constraints” on page 8).

5. Review and adapt the student notebook and glossary pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps:Activity 1: Define Sampling Methods1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now.”

2. Have students share their responses with a partner using “timed pair share” (Appendix A).

3. Explain to students that they will be building on their knowledge and experience with collecting data to plan for their own investigation that will address their research question.

Modifications: If students need more support around sampling techniques, show this video created by Maine students on sampling techniques: http://vitalsignsme.org/data-collection-and-random-sampling. Have students identify the strategies from the video that they have learned about.

For examples of how people have sampled in different habitats, direct students to the “sampling methods” section of the Vital Signs Fieldwork Toolkits - http://vitalsignsme.org/fieldwork-

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4. Introduce students to the videos on sampling methods. Assign expert groups to a section of the video and explain that they will be expected to report what they learned to their classmates.

5. After they have watched the videos, arrange students into home groups composed of at least one person who watched each section.

a. First, have students summarize what they learned for the group.

b. Then, have teams explain the rationale for these techniques using the prompts in their notebooks.

c. Finally, make sure students define the new terms in their student glossary.

Activity 2: Design an investigation. 1. Tell students it is time to design their own investigation. Go over any constraints that students will need to consider in developing their plans (how many times they will be able to collect data, in how many locations, for how long, available equipment, etc).

2. Pass out the Stars and Stairs Form 2 and go over the steps they will need to take to reach stair 3 (the level required for beginning data collection).

3. Give students time to work through the questions in their science notebook.

4. As students work, circulate around the room and check in with each group.

Activity 3: Peer Review5. When students have completed the questions, arrange them into groups of students conducting different investigations to provide feedback to each other.

a. Have students explain their plan, and the rationale behind it, using the table in the science notebook as a guide.

b. When they are finished, the listening group should give feedback on the plan. Encourage students to use the criteria in the Stars and Stairs Form.

c. The presenting group should take notes on feedback they receive in the table in their notebook

Modifications: If students need more support around sampling techniques, show this video created by Maine students on sampling techniques: http://vitalsignsme.org/data-collection-and-random-sampling. Have students identify the strategies from the video that they have learned about.

For examples of how people have sampled in different habitats, direct students to the “sampling methods” section of the Vital Signs Fieldwork Toolkits - http://vitalsignsme.org/fieldwork-

Modification: Students can create their plan independently, in small groups, or as an entire class. If you have determined the protocol for students, have them summarize the plan as you explain it in their science notebook. Then, give students time to complete the “rationale” section on their own, based on what they learned about high quality data collection (a good assessment).

Students that are creating a radio show or documentary film should include plans for video and/or audio recording during fieldwork.

Modifications: If students struggle with giving and receiving feedback, try a “Fishbowl” instead, having students model a productive conversation. See Appendix A for instructions.

Hold students accountable for providing thoughtful feedback by collecting and grading the peer review.

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5. Have students make changes based on the feedback from their peers, and then check their work using the Stars and Stairs Form 2.

Summative Assessment Note: Before moving on to collect data, it is important that students are able to explain the purpose of their investigation. Check their understanding of the investigation in the “Rationale” column of their analysis of the protocol in the student notebook. Use the Stars and Stairs from 2 to assess students’ plans. Students should reach stair 3 before writing up their methods.

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Part IV: Collect Data

Lesson 13: Collecting Data (varies according to investigation protocol)Students will follow their investigation plans to collect their data and then post it to Vital Signs. They will also reflect on their progress and adapt their plans as they encounter challenges. Allowing time for multiple visits will help with data analysis and forming tentative conclusions. Students should need only a short amount of time at the beginning (or end) of a class to go to the field site, leaving time during the rest of the period to post data, write their methods section, or begin the data analysis lessons in Part V.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to… Gather accurate data according to plans that they designed Reflect on their work and make changes as necessary

Standards AlignmentMLR CCSS NGSS

B1.c – The Skills and Traits of Scientific

Inquiry: Use appropriate tools, metric units, and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret

data

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.SP.A.2Use data from a random sample to draw

inferences about a population with an unknown characteristic of interest. Generate multiple samples (or simulated samples) of

the same size to gauge the variation in estimates or predictions.

NGSS Practice 3: Planning and Carrying Out

Investigations

Materials: Note: materials may vary according to investigation design. Below is a suggested list:20m transect tape (measuring tape or string or rope that you have marked every meter)GPSExtra batteries (for the GPS and camera)First aid kitPens/pencilsFor each investigation team (or student if working independently):

o 1 meter squared quadrat per student group (pvc piping makes great quadrats!)o At least 1 camera or ipad for taking photo evidenceo Rulero Vital Signs Species ID cards: http://vitalsignsme.org/species-identification-

resources o Vital Signs Species and Habitat Survey Data sheets (one per student):

http://vitalsignsme.org/datasheets o Clipboard or a notebook (for students to write on)

“How-to” guides for students publishing observations(Optional) Boom! Quiz Quiz Trade Content cards (found in Appendix A)Access to the internetData table to compile class data

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Student notebook pages (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher preparation: 1. Make sure that you have set up investigations for the class. Students will not be able to post data if they do not have accounts or investigations set up on the website. Here are some options for how to do that:

Each student or student group creates a citizen science account. If students are over 13, have each student/student group create their own citizen

science account so that they can set up their own investigation. If students are under 13, have them use your teacher e-mail or another adult’s e-mail

address to link to the account. See the ‘How-to’ guide for citizen scientists: http://vitalsignsme.org/how-citizen-

scientists-collect-data-and-put-it-website

If the entire class is collaborating on the same investigation, you can create student accounts. Set up a different investigation for each student/student group and create usernames and passwords. Helpful notes guide this process: write down these names and passwords and keep them in a safe place. We are not

able to retrieve them for you. Many teachers just use one class name then assign each group a number (for

example: VSteacher1, VSteacher2 etc.) Passwords do not have to be different for each group. See the ‘How-to’ guide for detailed instructions: http://vitalsignsme.org/how-

teachers-set-investigations-their-students

2. Review students’ investigation designs and make sure that students have the necessary equipment for data collection.

3. Print or share the link to the following student “How-to” guide to help students with posting data. Preview the videos as well:

If you created students accounts: http://vitalsignsme.org/how-students-put-their-data-website

If students will create their own citizen scientist accounts: http://vitalsignsme.org/how-citizen-scientists-collect-data-and-put-it-website

4. Review and adapt the student notebook pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps:Activity 1: Review tasks and build excitement 1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now.”

2. Have students quickly review what they know about fieldwork and their investigation protocol using one of the following activities (see Appendix A for instructions):

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“Idea Volley” “Stand and Share” “Take a Stand” (Stand if you will be responsible for…) “Boom! QuizQuizTrade” (you will need to print the content question cards, also in

Appendix A).

3. Have students review their protocol from the student notebook and set time limits for collecting data. If students are working in teams, make sure that each student know what part of the data collection he or she is responsible for.

Activity 2: Collect data 1. Bring the students outside.

2. Allow ten to fifteen minutes for data collection then bring students back inside.

Activity 3: Post Data to Vital Signs

1. If this is the first time that students are posting data to Vital Signs, you will want to model the process in front of the class. Use the data collected from one of the students/student groups that you can use for your model post.

2. Pass out the appropriate guide for students: If you created students accounts:

http://vitalsignsme.org/how-students-put-their-data-website If students will create their own citizen scientist accounts: http://vitalsignsme.org/how-

citizen-scientists-collect-data-and-put-it-website

3. Project your screen for students to see and have them follow the same steps with their own data.

a. Upload all the pictures taken for the students’ observation that you are using to model onto your computer. Save the photos in a desktop folder with the group’s account name.

b. Go to http://vitalsignsme.org

c. Have the students log in with the usernames and passwords that you created OR have them create their own citizen scientist accounts.

d. Go to the “My Vital Signs” page.

Formative Assessment Note: As students work, take the opportunity to collect information on students’ understanding of their investigation. Ask students about what they are doing and why. Ask for their initial thoughts about the data they are collecting. Students should be able to identify the skills they are using (random sampling, collecting clear evidence, etc) why quality evidence is important, and how their observation connects to their research question.Take photos and written observations of the students as they work. Compare these to the observations collected in Lesson 1.

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e. Select from the list of “Unfinished observations” if you created student accounts OR “Publish your data” if they created citizen scientist accounts.

f. Carefully transcribe the written information from the paper datasheets to the online datasheet.

g. Where prompted, upload photos from the folder to the online datasheet.

4. Before publishing, check the observation using the Quality Checklist in the student notebook. Invite students to share any ideas for improvement.

5. Pause here and check in with students. Make sure that they have completed all required sections of the observation and used the Quality Assurance Check before they publish.

6. Optional: Before clicking “Publish,” use the Peer Review Tool to review the observation. (This step is optional for data entry but critical for students learning around scientific argumentation.)

7. Once published, keep an eye on the Vital Signs home page and celebrate as you see your observation appear! You can also find them as they appear on the Explore Data page - http://vitalsignsme.org/explore/search.

8. Give students time to reflect on their work in their notebooks and track their progress using the scoring criteria for the activity.

9. With remaining time, have students record their reflections on their fieldwork in the student notebook. If needed, they can plan adjustments to their protocol for future fieldwork.

10. Between visits to the field site, have students use their fieldwork planning tool and the writing frame in the student notebook to compose their methods section. *Make sure that students hold on to this writing to use in their final project!

11. Bring students back out to collect data as often as determined in the investigation protocol. Ideally, students should publish data after each day of fieldwork. However, if there is not enough time, it is ok just to publish once.

Modifications: Invite volunteers from other classes or the community to help with fieldwork. Have students train the volunteers on the fieldwork protocol.

Have students take turns posting data to Vital Signs so that one observation is posted for each day of fieldwork. While some are posting, others can be working on writing up their methods or completing the data analysis lessons in Part V.

Make sure that students that are creating either film or radio programs for their final product are recording during fieldwork.

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Part V: Analyze Data

Lesson 14: Using Statistical Thinking (one class period)Students will practice using data to answer statistical questions using the online interactive, Tuva. Students will create graphs and then use their graphs to draw meaning from the data. Tuva hosts a variety of datasets with accompanying questions that students may explore on their own or with extra class time. Use this lesson if students need extra support with statistical thinking and making meaning from messy data.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to… Organize data in order to answer a statistical question Use data in a graph to provide evidence to support claims Describe variability in a data set.

Standards Alignment:

MLR CCSS NGSSB1 – The Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry: Students plan, conduct, analyze data

from, and communicate results of investigations,

including simple experiments.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.4: Display numerical data in plots on a number line, including dot

plots, histograms, and box plots.

MS-LS 2-1: Analyze and interpret data to provide

evidence for the effects of resource availability on

organisms and populations of organisms in an

ecosystem.

MaterialsAccess to the internetStudent notebook and glossary pages (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher preparation:1. Watch the Tuva tutorial to familiarize yourself with Tuva tools: https://tuvalabs.com/resources/videos/#explore

2. Preview the GMRI Green Crab data on Tuva: https://tuvalabs.com/datasets/gmri_green_crab_data/activities

3. Optional: Create a free Teacher account on Tuva: https://tuvalabs.com (data is available without a login). This will allow you to upload your own data to analyze in Tuva.

4. Review and adapt the student notebook and glossary pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps:1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now”

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2. Explain to students that they are going to build on their skills of analyzing data to answer a scientific question. In this activity, they will practice creating graphs and interpreting the data in them. They will use data collected by other students through Vital Signs.

3. Introduce the problem of Green Crabs. See the background information on the Vital Signs Green Crab missions: http://vitalsignsme.org/mission-green-crab , http://vitalsignsme.org/mission-native-vs-invasive-crabs

4. Explain that students from James Doughty Middle School in Bangor been monitoring Green Crab populations, trying to understand how they are spreading and changing over time. They will contribute to this mission by working to understand the data.

5. Introduce students to Tuva: Ask students what they think each blue dot represents. If needed, explain that each

dot is a data point of a green crab observation. Give time for students to explore how to drag attributes to the x and y axis, and how

that process affects the organization of the data points Show where the “reset” button is located (in the top left) Have students click on different graph names to try the different types of graphs.

6. Model the analysis of the first graph with your class. Use the following talking points to guide you. Start with the question, “What size are green crabs?”

a. Show the picture of the green crab that comes up when you open the dataset (click the “refresh” button to bring the photo back up). Point out the carapace and explain that “carapace” is a measurement of the body of the crab. Close the photo to look at the data again, and drag the “Carapace” to the X axis.

b. Remind students that each blue dot represents an observation of a crab caught by a student team.

c. Explain that you are going to give the graph a title that will help communicate what is being shown. Click on “Dot Plot (click to edit)” and title the graph “Size of carapace of Green Crabs Caught by James Doughty Students 2006-2013.”

d. Point out that you have organized the data into a dot plot. Challenge students to explain what information is shown in the dot plot (students should mention that it shows all the different carapace sizes that were recorded). Click on different types of graphs that can be used to show this data. Note that the line graphs and bar graphs have confusing results because there is no relationship to explore or no groups to compare in the question.

e. Return to the dot plot. Describe what you notice about the shape of the graph. In this case, most of the data is clustered between 1 and 5 cm. Students might also notice that most observations fall around the cm or ½ cm marks (not in between). Invite students to

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share ideas of why that might be (observations were most likely rounded to the nearest ½ cm).

f. Point out the outliers of the 8 and 9 cm carapaces. If needed. Define “outlier” as a data point that is different from the others and does not fall into trends.

g. Lead students through finding the range in the data.

h. Introduce a new tool. Show the measures of center on the graph. Go to the tab “Stats” tab at the top of the graph. Click on “mean,” “median” and “mode.” Challenge students to think about why the mean is greater than the median and mode.

i. Ask students about variability in the data. What might be the cause of the variability? Why are some crabs larger than others? Why might some teams have gotten a carapace size of zero cm? Encourage students to think about human error and natural variability.

j. Have students share their thoughts on the answer to the question, “What size are green crabs?” Encourage students to support their ideas with all the information they just generated, including range of data, measures of center, and shape of the graph.

7. Have students work in pairs to follow the directions and answers the questions in their student notebook. Students are likely to struggle with interpreting this data. That is ok! Make sure they take note of any questions or sources of frustration.

8. Students that finish before others should explore other Tuva datasets and experiment with different ways of organizing data. Many of the datasets have activities with questions and answers built in. You can choose to have student complete these activities. If time allows, consider giving all students the opportunity to play around and find different activities that are interesting to them. The more practice graphing and answering questions, the better prepared they will be to analyze their own data.

9. Have students share what they learned about green crabs from this data. What answers weren’t so clear? What frustrations did they have working with this data? What made it messy or confusing? If they were conducting this investigation, what else would they try to find out?

10. Once students have completed the work in their notebook, invite students to share the different graphs that they constructed and meaning that they made from these graphs.

11. Ask students how they think this practice might help them with analyzing their data. What have they learned about working with data?

Formative Assessment Note: Students will have additional opportunities to develop skills in data analysis. They do not need to be able to construct graphs or choose an appropriate graph to display their data. At this point, they should be able to explain how the information is organized in a dot plot and make observations of the data.

For a quick formative assessment, show a different dot plot, for example, one of the graphs constructed in Lesson 4 or Lesson 11, and have students explain in one sentence what the graph shows.

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Extension: Use Tuva to Look at Vital Signs Data Related to Your Students’ InvestigationIf you are interested in a dataset in having students work with a different dataset from the Vital Signs databank, follow these steps to export data from Vital Signs and import to tuva:

1. Export the data from Vital Signs a. Log in to your Vital Signs account and http://vitalsignsme.org/.

b. Under the “Explore Data” tab, find the “Export Data” link (note: this option will only appear if you are signed in).

c. Click on the “Change Search” icon to search for a particular species or observations in a particular area. To search for all observations made in Maine:

i. Leave the “Search by PLACE” field blank to include all data from Maine.

ii. In the “Search by SPECIES” field, select your species of interest from the drop-down menu. In that same field, select “ID CONFIRMED by expert” from the drop-down menu to be sure you are only pulling high quality data.

iii. Select “Show ALL data” in the “Search by TIME” category.

iv. Select “Export it” in the bottom right corner to export the data.

d. Select the data that you are interested in seeing. i. Select “Species Observations” to get all “FOUND” and “NOT FOUND” data.

ii. Select “General Analysis” to get information on location of the observations and species diversity.

iii. Click in “view data” to see your results.

iv. Click on the “Export data” link above the table to get an excel file of your data.

e. Clean and save your datasheet: i. Remove fields that are not necessary for your analysis. Delete the following sections: “Observation,” “Username,” “Date and Time,” “Common Name,” “Scientific Name,” “Sampling Method.”

ii. Check for any major outliers that may skew the data. If you see any, remove the entire row of data from your sheet.

iii. Save your datasheet in a place where you can find it.

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iv. (Optional) Upload your datasheet to Google Drive (this will allow you to make changes to the document after you have uploaded to Tuva).

2. Upload your data to Tuva: a. Create a free tuva account at: https://tuvalabs.com/

b. Once logged in, click on the box that says, “Import your data.”

c. Select either “Import from your computer” or “Import from Google Drive.” Importing from Google Drive means that any changes made to the datasheet in Google Drive will automatically update in Tuva.

d. Select the Dataset privacy setting, “Anyone with the link,” so that you will be able to share the dataset with your class.

e. Once imported, your dataset will automatically open in Tuva.

f. To return to this dataset, click on the “My Datasets” tab from the Tuva homepage.

g. Share your data with your class by either opening the dataset, copying the link and sending to students, or click on the share icon next to the file in “My Datasets” to see other sharing options.

Note: a free Tuva account comes with only 5 data uploads.

3. Have your students work to construct meaningful graphs with your relevant Vital Signs data!

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Lesson 15: Choices in Graphing (one class period)Students are often limited in their choices in graphing by simply not being exposed to enough graphs. In this activity, students will explore how different graphs highlight and hide particular information that they might need to answer their question. This practice will prepare students for making their own graphing choices and is a good use of class time as students are collecting data if your class is making multiple trips to the field site.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to… Compare different graph types Choose a graph that is most appropriate for answering a statistical question

Standards Alignment:MLR CCSS NGSS

B1 – The Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry: Students plan, conduct, analyze data from, and

communicate results of investigations, including simple

experiments.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.4: Display numerical data in

plots on a number line, including dot plots, histograms,

and box plots.

MS-LS2-1: Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability

on organismsand populations of

organisms in an ecosystem

MaterialsStudent notebook and glossary pages for the activityChart paper and markers (or shared electronic document)

Teacher preparation: 1. Create jigsaw groups so that students can work in expert groups of three or four to create graphs and then mix to share their graphs with representatives from each home group. Below are examples of the graphs that each home group will create:

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2. Prepare a chart or shared class document to match the table “My Graph Choice Chart” in the student notebook.

3. Optional: Print out one graph choice chart for each student, found here: http://participatoryscience.org/sites/default/files/ML1-Graph%20Choice%20Chart_28Feb2013.pdf

4. Review and adapt the student notebook and glossary pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps:Activity 1: Pre-Assess Graph Choice Skills and Knowledge1. Prompt the students to complete the “Do now.” Students are likely to struggle, and that is ok. The purpose of the “Do Now” is to bring forward challenges in representing complex, real-world data.

2. In pairs, have students trade visual representations. Challenge each partner explain to the other what he or she is able to understand about the data and what is not clear. Consider using “Timed Pair Share” (Appendix A).

3. Invite students to share their challenges. What makes showing the data hard? What were you thinking about when you were trying to show your data?

Activity 2: Create Graphs with Example Data1. Explain to students that they will be building on their data analysis skills and developing tools that will help them represent and understand the data that they have collected. They are going to develop new ways of graphing and looking at the data that they will be able to use when they are ready to analyze their own data.

2. Introduce an example investigation (this data is based on a real investigation but has been augmented slightly): Students are interested in Dragonfly nymph larvae. They want to know where and when they would find the most larvae, so they collected data. Point out the data table in the student notebook. Quickly show the following information from Vital Signs:

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Species ID card for Dragonfly nymph: http://vitalsignsme.org/sites/default/files/content/fn_anisoptera_042210.pdf

Observations of Dragonfly nymph: http://vitalsignsme.org/species-anisoptera-infraorder-was-found-vitalsleuth-2015-06-27

3. Next, explain to students that they are going to look at how different ways of looking at the data help answer different questions about the data. Students will examine different graphs to determine “What does each graph show?” and “What doesn’t it show”?

4. Assign each group of students to one of the graphs listed. Have students work together to follow the directions and use the data tables at each station to create their graphs.

Activity 3: Compare Graphs1. Once students have created their graphs, regroup them so that each group has a representative with each graph type.

2. Have each group share their graph and what they think it is showing. As students share, they should begin to fill in their graph choice chart in their student notebook. They should leave the “Question” column blank. It is ok if they are unable to fill in the whole chart at this time.

3. Emphasize that different kinds of graphs are more useful than others at answering different kinds of questions. Introduce the following question and challenge students to pick which graph would be best for answering the question: How did the number of dragonfly nymph larvae change over time? (Answer: the line graph)

a. Give students a minute to discuss answers before sharing. b. Call on students to share their choices, making sure that students share how they came to their answer. c. Add the question to the appropriate spot on the class chart.d. As information is added to the class chart, make sure students note it in their science notebook.

4. Repeat the same process with the questions: How much variability is in our data? How sure can we be in our answer? (dot plot or bar

graph with raw data) Were more dragonfly nymph larvae found in rocky or murky stream beds? (either of the

bar graphs) What was the range of data? Were there any outliers? (dot plot or bar graph with raw

data) How much data was collected? (dot plot or bar graph with raw data)

Modifications: Print out the example graphs from this lesson plan and hand them out to students instead of having them construct graphs on their own.

Reach out to your Math teacher colleagues for help with graphing!

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5. As students share, ideas will emerge about the particular uses for each type of graph. Take note of the ideas in the graph chart. Make sure to draw out the following ideas:

The line graph shows change over time The bar graph without raw data makes it easy to compare the

two groups, but does not show any variability in the data The bar graph with the raw data makes the variability in the

data visible Dot plots show variability in the data

6. Make sure students add any necessary additional notes in the student notebook.

7. (Optional) Pass out the graph choice chart from the Maine Data Literacy Project. Explain that this chart is just like the guide that the class has made with example questions and graphs. Have students look over the chart and share similarities and differences that they notice from the chart that the class made: http://participatoryscience.org/sites/default/files/ML1-Graph%20Choice%20Chart_28Feb2013.pdf

8. Ask students to share ideas about how these charts could be helpful to them as they plan to graph their own data.

9. Give students time to reflect on their own investigation and track their progress using the scoring criteria for the lesson.

Extension Ideas: Here are some options if students need extra support in making choices in graphing: For extra support on how questions connect to choices in graphing, use the powerpoint

developed by the Maine Data literacy project: http://participatoryscience.org/data-activity/practice-asking-questions-precipitation-data

Use the “Graph Match Activity” in Appendix H for reinforcement

Formative Assessment Note: By the end of this lesson, students should understand that certain graphs are better for answering some questions than others. Students will have additional support with choosing an appropriate graph to match their research question.

For a quick formative assessment, ask students to share an idea for one other type of graph they could use to show the data from Lesson 4 or Lesson 11.

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Lesson 16: What are the Features of a Good Graph? (optional- ½ class period)Students have looked at a lot of graphs throughout this unit. What makes a good graph? What should students pay attention to when creating their own graphs? In this lesson, students will answer these questions and create their own criteria for a good graph. Use this lesson only if students need extra support in graphing.

Learning outcomes: Students will be able to… Identify the critical features of a graph Revise a graph to clarify the information in it

Standards Alignment: MLR CCSS NGSS

B1 – The Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry: Students plan, conduct, analyze data

from, and communicate results of investigations,

including simple experiments.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.4: Display numerical data in plots on a number line, including dot

plots, histograms, and box plots.

Practice 4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data

MaterialsVariety of graphs used and produced throughout the unit Student notebook pages for the lesson (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher preparation:1. Pull out the graphs that have been constructed throughout the unit. Print out copies of the graphs made using Tuva.

See Appendix I for a bank of graphs that should be familiar to students, including strong and weak examples of graphs using the dragonfly nymph data (from Lesson 15).

2. Review and adapt the student notebook pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps: 1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now”

2. Explain to students that their challenge for this activity is to set their own criteria for what makes a good graph. They will use these criteria when they create the graphs of their own data.

3. Pass out the example graphs. Have students separate out the “good graphs” and “graphs that need improvement.”

4. Once students have separated the graphs, ask students to share how they made their decisions.

Formative Assessment Note: Have students write their suggestions for improvement on a sticky note. Collect the graphs with their notes as a quick assessment of the lesson objectives.

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5. Direct students to focus on the “good graphs.” Have them work together to use the graphs to identify features of a good graph. Students may not have names for each feature. That is ok, they can describe them or give an example. Have students compile these ideas into a checklist in the student notebook.

6. Have student teams report their ideas. Consider using the “Stand and Share” structure from Appendix A. As students share, others should add to the list in their notebook. You may want to model this checklist on the board.

7. Have students look back at the “graphs that need improvement.” Have students identify ways to improve these graphs using the criteria generated by the class.

Extensions: If students need more support in construction with graphing, extend the checklist into the form of a table that includes good and bad examples of each feature. Assign a few students to each item on the checklist to create examples. Don’t forget to check with your math teacher colleagues for support with graphing!

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Lesson 17: Analyzing My Data (1 to 2 class periods)Once students have gathered enough data, it is time to organize and analyze their observations. At this point, students have created a variety of graphs (in the Oh Deer!, Biodiversity Jenga, and Sampling activities). Students should be developing independence in choosing their graphs and creating them. In this activity, students will work through their data, guided by the prompts in the student notebook, while teachers play a supporting role.

Learning Objectives: Students will be able to… Graph the data in a way that will help them answer their question

Standards Alignment: MLR CCSS NGSS

B1 – The Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry: Students plan, conduct, analyze data

from, and communicate results of investigations,

including simple experiments.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.A.3: Recognize that a measure of

center for a numerical data set summarizes all of its values

with a single number, while a measure of variation describes

how its values vary with a single number.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.4: Display numerical data in plots on a number line, including dot

plots, histograms, and box plots.

MS-LS 2-1: Analyze and interpret data to provide

evidence for the effects of resource availability on

organisms and populations of organisms in an

ecosystem.

MaterialsChart paper to model dot plot and data cleaningStudent notebook pages (printed or shared electronically)Data Analysis Boom! Quiz, Quiz, Trade cards (from Appendix A)

Teacher Preparation:1. Pull out example dot plots from previous activities for students to use as a reference.

2. Make sure that students have all the data that they collected for their investigation.

3. Print and cut out the Data Analysis Boom! Quiz, Quiz, Trade cards from Appendix A.

Note: There are many sets of question cards, be sure to use the Data Analysis ones only.

4. Review and adapt the student notebook pages for the activity.

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Lesson Steps: Activity 1: Data Cleaning1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now”

2. Explain to students that it is time to organize their data so that they can see the variability in their data and look for any interesting patterns, clusters or trends. See if students are able to identify a dot plot as the best way to do that.

3. Help students get started with their dot plot by modeling the process with a familiar research question. Explain your thinking through the process of creating and scaling the x axis and plotting one or two data points. Below is an example:

I want to look at the data that I collected to answer the question, “How does the presence of Japanese Knotweed impact biodiversity at my field site?” In order to answer that question, I will need to look at what the biodiversity was each time I collected my data. So, I am going to make a dot plot with biodiversity my x axis. Now, the lowest species count is 0 and the highest is 11, so I am going to number my x axis 0 through 11 and mark every other number. My first data point is a species count of 4, so where should I put that data point? What would I do if I collected a species count of 4 two different times? …

Make sure to plot a few obvious outliers on the example dot plot.

4. Have students create their own dot plot with the data that they collected. Note: students may want to divide up their data into subcategories or organize it differently. This is not necessary yet. Explain that they are going to look at the overall picture of their data first.

5. Explain to students that before they analyze their data, they are going to “clean it up” or remove any data points that may skew their results. Scientists clean their data to reduce variability caused by samples that aren’t representative of the population or variability caused by human error. For example, one student’s quadrat could have randomly ended up in the school parking lot, giving a species count of 0. He or she might want to remove that data point. Choose an outlier and circle lightly. Explain that you will want to look at that data point and see if it should be included. Explain that to do this, you will go back to your data sheets and see if something was different or wrong about this data point.

6. Have students look over their graphs to identify outliers in the data. Encourage students to help each other in deciding whether a point counts as an outlier.

Modifications: Have students use Tuva to construct their graphs. To upload a data set and share it with students, follow the steps below:

a. Create a free teacher account: https://tuvalabs.com/home/ b. Go to “My Datasets”: https://tuvalabs.com/mydatasets/ c. Upload the class data table (you will want to remove the columns with non-numerical data from the spreadsheet that you upload). If you are uploading data from a google sheet, this data set will update automatically when you make changes to the document from google drive. d. Click on the “share” icon to get a link that you can copy into an email or shared document and send to students.

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7. Remind students of the information that students collected that is connected with each data point. Students most likely collected observations of the field site, took photos, and possibly posted to Vital Signs. They can use all of this information to determine whether the data point should be cleaned.

8. Challenge the students to come up a few guidelines for determining whether a piece of data should be included in the class data set. Ideas might include:

Photos are clear (not blurry) Photo evidence supports the data (number of

species, found/not found, etc) Written evidence matches picture evidence Data is clearly recorded Data is representative of the field site (no

parking lot data!)

See the “Quality Assurance Check” and “Peer Review Tool” for more ideas.

9. Collect student ideas on a chart or on the board.

10. Give students time to look over their data and make decisions about what needs to be “cleaned.” Have them remove any of the unrepresentative data from their graph and datasheets. Make sure students note what data was removed and why in their student notebook.

Activity 2: Organizing the Data1. Once students have a graph of “clean” data, it is time for them to apply their skills in statistical thinking and organizing the data.

2. Get student moving around while also helping them describe what they see in the data by doing 8 minutes of Boom! Quiz, Quiz, Trade with the Data Analysis cards (see Appendix A). Have students carry their graph as the move around to talk with others.

3. Give students 5 minutes to record notes from their discussions in the “Step 3: Statistical Thinking” section of the student notebook.

4. Next, challenge students to apply their graphing skills to see if they can better organize their data to help them answer their research question.

Note: This step is not necessary for all research questions.

Formative Assessment Note: This is a great opportunity to assess students’ understanding of what makes quality data. Check for mention of sampling bias or claims supported by evidence.

Modifications: Rather than using the Data Analysis cards for Boom! Quiz, Quiz, Trade, pass them out to small groups, and have students use them to support group discussion about the data.

If students need more support in describing their data, take out the graphs created in lesson 4, 11, 14, or another example of a distribution of data and model how to use the graphs to answer the questions in the student notebook.

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5. Model the process of further organizing the data an example research question. Example: The question that I am trying to answer is “How does the presence of Japanese knotweed impact biodiversity at my field site?”

I collected data from places where there was no Japanese knotweed and where I found Japanese knotweed, so I could divide my data into “knotweed found” and “knotweed NOT found.”

6. Invite students to share ideas about how you could reorganize this data to help you answer the question. Here are some options:

Make two dot plots side by side, one that shows biodiversity where there is no Japanese knotweed, one that shows biodiversity where it is present.

Make a bar graph of the mean biodiversity for each of the two categories “Japanese Knotweed Found” and “Japanese Knotweed NOT found.” Add the raw data to the dot plot to show the variability in the data.

Refer to the graph choice chart made in class or from the Maine Data literacy project as you discuss these options. Point students to the work that they have done in this section to support them in graphing decisions.

Note: students should be able to move through the rest of the lesson at their own pace, providing lots of time for individual and small group support.

7. Give students time to determine how they might reorganize their data and make new graphs in Part II of the student notebook pages. Students that do not need to add to or change their graphs can continue to Part III in the student notebook.

8. Students should continue on to gather statistical information on these new graphs. Have them complete the “Statistical Thinking” section of Part II as well.

9. Students should continue on to Part III to create a Results narrative. The product from this section is a one-paragraph summary of the information gathered

through the statistical thinking questions. There are guidelines and sentence starters for this paragraph in the student notebook.

These paragraphs, along with the graphs that students created, should be kept with students’ Introduction and Methods sections.

Note: students should NOT be drawing conclusions from the data in this section. They are only showing and describing the data that was collected.

Given the practice they have had with describing data, students should be able to complete this section without much assistance.

10. As students finish, have students or student groups exchange graphs and results narratives for peer review.

a. Using the Peer Review Tool in the science notebook, students should review provide both “warm” and “cool” feedback on each other’s results.

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b. Have students meet to discuss feedback.

c. Give students time to make revisions, as needed.

Summative Assessment Note: Students should reach level three of the stars and stairs form three before moving on to developing conclusions.

Modifications:Students can work collaboratively on their results by having different students complete different graphs and describe what they see in each. Students can also work from one graph of combined data to complete the statistical thinking portion on their own or in small groups.

Students that are creating documentaries or radio shows may want to record discussions about the data during this activity.

Students that are using the Vee diagram should record their results narrative in Box 5 and attach their graphs to the document.

Use the time that students are working through the statistical thinking section to conference with students individually or in small groups.

If students are struggling, consider going back to any of the data analysis lessons for repeated practice, or explore some of the additional resources below: Khan Academy videos: On constructing dot plots: https://www.khanacademy.org/math/cc-sixth-grade-math/cc-6th-data-

statistics/dot-plot/v/frequency-tables-and-dot-plots Using dot plots to compare distributions: https://www.khanacademy.org/math/cc-sixth-grade-math/cc-

6th-data-statistics/dot-plot/v/frequency-tables-and-dot-plots Maine Data Literacy Project Resources: Making a dot plot and scaling its axis: http://participatoryscience.org/sites/default/files/ML2-

INSTR_Scaling_an_Axis_and_Making_a_dotPlot.ppt What kind of Graph should I make? http://participatoryscience.org/sites/default/files/ML1-

INSTR_WhatKindOfGraph.ppt Graph choice chart: http://participatoryscience.org/sites/default/files/ML1-Graph%20Choice

%20Chart_28Feb2013.pdf

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Part VI: Draw Conclusions

Lesson 18: Choosing the Right Evidence and Drawing Conclusions (one class period)In this lesson, students will learn to pick out relevant information so that they can begin to organize their evidence into a strong scientific argument.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to… Distinguish between relevant and irrelevant evidence Pull out relevant evidence to form a claim.

Standards Alignment: MLR CCSS NGSS

B1 – The Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry: Students plan, conduct, analyze data

from, and communicate results of investigations,

including simple experiments.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear

reasons and relevant evidence.

Practice 7: Engage in Argument from Evidence

MaterialsEvidence cards (one set per student group)EnvelopesBlank notecards (approximately 4 per student)Student notebook and glossary pages for the lesson (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher preparation: 1. Create student groups of 3 to 4. If students have been working in groups for their investigation, use these groups.

2. Look over the example evidence cards in Appendix J. Make changes if you want them to relate more directly to your students’ investigations.

3. Print out the cards the cards out and put each set in an envelope. Create enough sets so each student group has one of each set.

4. Review and adapt the student notebook pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps

Activity 1: Picking out Relevant Evidence1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now.”

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2. Do a quick “Take a Stand” with the question from the “Do Now” (see Appendix A). Have students explain their answers.

3. Explain to students that you are going to work on organizing your evidence into a strong argument. A big part of making an argument is picking out which information is really important. First you are going to practice with an example argument.

4. Arrange students into groups of 3 to 4 and pass out the set of evidence cards to each one. Have students find the question card and read it.

5. Next, have students take out the evidence cards. Explain that these cards are all pieces of evidence that were gathered to answer the research question. The challenge is to figure out which of these pieces of evidence help to answer the question. If they help answer the question, they are “relevant.” If they don’t, they are “irrelevant.” Have students set out the “relevant” and “irrelevant” cards.

6. Choose one card and think aloud about how it does or does not help answer the question. Invite students to share their ideas about it as well. See the example below:

I want to know if the presence of Japanese knotweed impacts biodiversity, so is it important to know that Japanese knotweed has hollow stems? Does that help me answer my question? That helped me identify the plant, but it doesn’t tell me about how it connects to biodiversity, so that fact is irrelevant to my question.

7. Have students work in their teams to sort the cards. Once they have sorted the cards, they should record (or paste) the relevant cards in the table in the student notebook. They should also fill in how they knew the card was relevant.

8. Have students share one or two of their choices. As they do, make sure they explain how they knew it was relevant (or not). If any groups were not sure or disagreed about a card, make sure they share. Work as a class to try to decide.

9. Using the evidence provided (and only the evidence provided) have students make a claim. a. Give students time to look over the “relevant” evidence and discuss their thinking with the group.

b. Do a quick “Take a Stand” (see Appendix A). Choose a few students to explain what evidence helped them form their claim and why that evidence was important.

Activity 2: Gathering Relevant Evidence for your own Argument1. Explain to students that they are going to repeat the same activity using their own evidence. Help students brainstorm ideas for what might be useful as evidence. Examples could include:

Mean data points Most common data points Modifications:

If many students are working on the same investigation, assign students specific content to review for evidence cards. For example, one

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The range of data Interesting outliers Patterns, trends, or clusters in the data Data from the Vital Signs website, for example, where a species has been found or not

found in the past (gathered from background research, Part II) Facts about the species gathered through research (gathered from background

research, Part II) Concepts pertaining to interdependent relationships in ecosystems (from background

knowledge built in Part I)

2. Pass out blank notecards. Make sure that students write their question on one of the cards, and make cards for “relevant” and “irrelevant” evidence.

3. Give students time to gather their evidence and write it onto the cards and sort them into the appropriate piles.

4. Have students write out their investigation question on a card, just like on the practice cards. Have them trade card sets with another group to sort out relevant from irrelevant evidence.

5. Instruct the two groups that traded cards to share their decisions and the reasons behind them.

6. When a decision is reached on each card, have students write only their relevant evidence only in the table (or paste in the evidence card) and record the reasoning as to why it is relevant. This will help students in constructing their written arguments in the next lesson.

7. Once students complete their table, they should look over their evidence to see if they are able to make a claim. Have them write their tentative claim in the science notebook. With the evidence collected, students should have all they need for a claim.

Modifications:If many students are working on the same investigation, assign students specific content to review for evidence cards. For example, one

Formative Assessment Note: Students will have opportunity to fully develop their arguments later on. It is not necessary that they have a clear argument by the end of this lesson. Instead, check that the evidence that they have chosen directly connects to their research question and the claim that they formed. You can assess this quickly by having them explain their choices for relevant evidence directly to you as they are working.

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Lesson 19: Forming Conclusions-Constructing an Argument (one class period)When constructing arguments, student most often struggle with explaining the reasoning behind their claims. In this lesson, students will compare and contrast arguments with and without strong reasoning to help them recognize the importance of reasoning in scientific argumentation. Then, they will apply their knowledge to construct their own argument with a claim, evidence and reasoning.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to… Identify examples of strong reasoning Add or improve the reasoning in their scientific arguments

Standards Alignment:MLR CCSS NGSS

B1 – The Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry: Students plan, conduct, analyze data

from, and communicate results of investigations,

including simple experiments.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear

reasons and relevant evidence.

Practice 7: Engage in Argument from Evidence

MaterialsEvidence gathered from Lesson 18Student notebook pages for the lesson (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher Preparation:

1. For background information on constructing arguments with claim, evidence, and reasoning (CER), watch the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KKsLuRPsvU 2. Make sure that students have the table completed from Lesson 18.

3. Review and adapt student notebook pages.

Lesson Steps: 1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now.”

2. Invite students to share their answers.

3. Explain to students that they just used a tool called a contrast matrix. Contrast matrices are great tools to show relationships between objects or ideas. This tool will be especially useful in helping students draw out the relationships between claims and evidence.

Modifications: See Appendix K for additional graphic organizers and sentence starters to support writing of claims, evidence and reasoning.

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4. Next, show the scientific conclusion contrast matrix. Explain that this one will require paying more attention. Give students time to complete this challenge individually. Then, have students share their answer with a partner.

5. Ask students to share the difference between the argument.

6. Explain that in addition to relevant evidence, scientific arguments need to be supported by reasoning. Reasoning is the glue between a claim and the evidence. It explains why the evidence supports the claim.

a. Have students circle the claim in Pat and Jaime’s green crab arguments: We think we found a green crab.

b. Have students underline the evidence that supports the claim: a pentagon-shaped shell, 5 spines outside its eyes, and the fact that it was small, aggressive, and quick

c. Have students put a star next to the key pieces of the argument that show reasoning. It had several features green crabs that green crabs are known for.

7. Emphasize that the reasoning shows the thinking behind the evidence. It represents how we know that the evidence is relevant to the claim. In this case, the fact that the observed crab had 5 spines is only relevant because these are known for having 5 spines. If all crabs had 5 spines, that wouldn’t be relevant evidence. Good words that show reasoning include “therefore” “If…then…” “…because…”

8. Challenge students to find the claim, evidence and reasoning in the ball python arguments. Claim: Becky, our class’s ball python, is probably not hungry.Evidence: My evidence is she ate three weeks ago.Reasoning: Ball pythons typically go months without eating.

9. Have students turn back to the table that they created in lesson 18 to identify the work that they have already done in developing their claim, evidence, and reasoning.

a. Have students point to the evidence that they collected. Invite students to read a few examples. Have them underline the evidence.

b. Ask students if they can find the claim (the answer that is written at the bottom of the table). Have them circle the claim.

c. Challenge students to locate the reasoning in their argument. Remind students that the reasoning shows the thinking behind the evidence. They already did this work by explaining why their evidence is relevant. Have students share examples of reasoning from the “explanation” column in their table. Have students out a star next to any reasoning.

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10. Have students construct their own argument with claim, evidence, and reasoning in the in a separate document that they can add on to later. They can check their work by identifying the claim, evidence, and reasoning by circling, underlining, and starring, as they did in step 9.

11. When they are finished, have students check their work using the scoring criteria.

Modifications: Students can write bulleted claims, evidence, and reasoning in Box 6 of the Vee diagram, rather than writing out their conclusions (Appendix C).

Once students have circled the claim, underlined the evidence, and starred the reasoning in their own argument, use these notes as the basis for one-on-one conferencing. For example, “I can see you need more reasoning…” “This sentence that you say is evidence, doesn’t actually support the claim…”

Students can also record an “interview with the researcher” that explains the claim, evidence, and reasoning rather than writing out the conclusions.

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Lesson 20: Discussion of the Results (one to two class periods) Students will interrogate their data, searching for places of uncertainty. They will add discussion of their uncertainty to complete their conclusions and discussion.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to… Identify uncertainty in their data Provide and receive critiques by posing and responding to questions that elicit pertinent

elaboration and detail. Pose questions to further their investigation

Standards Alignment: MLR CCSS NGSS

E2 – The Living Environment – Ecosystems: Examine how

the characteristics of the physical, non-living (abiotic) environment, the types and behaviors of living (biotic) organisms, and the flow of matter and energy affect

organisms and the ecosystem of which they are

part.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.SP.A.2: Use data from a random sample to draw inferences about a population with an unknown characteristic of

interest. Generate multiple samples (or simulated samples) of the same size to gauge the

variation in estimates or predictions.

MS-LS2-1: Analyze and interpret data to provide

evidence for the effects of resource availability on

organisms and populations of organisms in an

ecosystem.OR

MS-LS2-2: Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across

multiple ecosystems.B1 – The Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry: Students plan, conduct, analyze data

from, and communicate results of investigations,

including simple experiments.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.9: Compare and contrast the information gained from

experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources with that gained from reading

a text on the same topic

MS-LS2-4: Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or

biological components of an ecosystem affect

populations.

MaterialsStar and Stairs, Form 4Scientific Discussion cards from Appendix MStudent notebook pages for the lesson (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher preparation:

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1. Find the Discussion cards in Appendix M. Print, cut out, and attach each question to a larger notecard so that students can take notes on the back (or you can save preparation time by having students cut and paste the cards).

2. Assign students to groups of three to four. If students have been conducting their investigations in small groups, use these groups.

3. Review and adapt the student notebook pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps: 1. For the “Do Now,” pass out the Stars and Stairs, form 4.

2. Have students share what they think they have achieved already and what they think they still need to do have a complete conclusion. Students should be able to identify that they need to add information about how confident they can be in their results in order to meet stair 3.

3. Explain to students that many times the most important learning from an investigation is from the discussion of the results. In this activity, students are going to have a formal scientific discussion to dive deep into their learning from their investigation. In particular, the purpose of this discussion is to identify:

a. How confident they can be in their results, and what factors might have affected their data

b. other possible ways to interpret the data or other conclusions that could be drawn

c. What’s the big picture? Why are these results important?

d. What the next steps should be if they were to continue their investigation.

4. Model the structure for the conversations. Invite student volunteers to help

a. Put a pile of question cards in the middle of the table

b. Take turns drawing a card and reading it to the group.

c. Go around in a circle with each person sharing his or her ideas for each question.

d. The student who read the question is responsible for taking notes on the back of the question card on the group’s responses.

Modifications:If the whole class is working together on one investigation, use the “Fish Bowl” activity to facilitate whole class discussion. Have students take turns taking notes on what they hear.

If students are working independently, they can still have these discussions in groups, with each student sharing about their own investigation.

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Let students know that they will use the information generated through these conversations to complete their conclusions and discussions, started in Lesson 19.

5. Arrange students into groups and pass out the Discussion cards from Appendix L. Allow students 15 minutes for discussion and notes.

6. Once students are finished, they should use the information gathered to add on to their conclusions. Cards should be kept accessible so they can refer back to their discussion.

7. Once students have completed their writing, they should have them switch with a partner for peer review.

a. Students should read through the full Conclusions and Discussion once before providing feedback.

b. Students should use the Scientific Conclusions Peer Review Tool in the student notebook to check their partner’s work, provide feedback, give examples.

c. The two partners should meet to share feedback.

8. Students should revise their work based on the peer review.

9. Once students have completed revisions, they should check their work using the Stars and Stairs, form 4.

Summative Assessment Notes: Make sure that students hold on to this writing to use in their final project!

Paragraphs generated at the end of this activity can be used as formal assessment for the unit, along with the graphs created in the Part V. An additional final project is not required. Students should be able to reach level 3 of Stars and Stairs form 4 at this point.

Peer Review forms may also be collected as evidence of students’ ability to recognize and evaluate different components of scientific argumentation.

Modifications: Have students divide the work and contribute to a shared discussion section. Each student can write about one of the following topics:- level of certainty or confidence in the findings - possible alternative explanations- significance of the findings- next steps

Students can also record their conversations to be used in a radio program or documentary, rather than writing out the discussion.

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Part VII: Communicating Results

Lesson 21: The Abstract (1/2 class period)In this lesson, students will use the information that they have collected throughout their investigation to create a concise summary of their work. The abstracts can be used to share student work, whether their final product is a formal article, poster, documentary film, radio show, or podcast. Students should be able to work through this lesson independently providing opportunity for one-on-one conferencing related to conclusions and discussion.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to… Create a concise summary that includes all major aspects of their work over the unit.

Standards Alignment:MLR CCSS NGSS

B1 – The Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry: Students plan, conduct, analyze data

from, and communicate results of investigations,

including simple experiments.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.2Determine the central ideas

or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate

summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or

opinions.

Practice 8: Obtaining, Evaluating, and

Communicating Information

MaterialsStudents will need access to their writing from previous lessons including the introduction, methods, results and conclusions and discussion. Student notebook pages for the lesson (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher Preparation1. Make sure that students are able to access their writing from throughout the unit.

2. Review and adapt the student notebook pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps: 1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now.”

2. Have students turn to a partner and share their work.

3. Explain to students that a key part of sharing their findings is being able to communicate the most important information in the most concise way possible. That’s the purpose of an abstract. Scientists will often read an abstract to determine whether they are interested in the rest of the article. This is similar to looking at the back of a book or watching a trailer for a movie (the only difference being that abstract DO give away the ending).

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4. Show students the checklist for the parts of an abstract in the student notebook.

5. Go over the example abstract. Challenge students to identify each component of the abstract.

The purpose of this project was to find out if Old Orchard Beach is losing sand (State the purpose).

We've been doing the project for four years, and we went to the beach once a month to measure the amount of sand at our beach. We used the Emery Method which is to start in the dunes at a set stake and we measure every three meters until we get to the water and as we go we record the measurements (Summarize your fieldwork).

Our findings indicate that we have not been losing sand but may be even gaining sand (State the results).

This information is important to our community because our beach is a major tourist attraction which powers our town’s economy (State the importance of the findings).

7. Explain that students are going to write their own abstracts to use to get people to read their article, watch their documentary, etc.

a. First they will locate it in the writing that they have done (the introduction, methods, results, and conclusions and discussion).

b. Then they will use the information to write their abstract.

c. Finally, they will cut it down to make it as concise as possible.

Students should be able to work independently (or in investigation groups) to do this.

*Make sure that students hold on to this writing to use in their final project!

Modifications: If students have been working collaboratively on an investigation, have them each write an abstract and then vote on one to use for their final product (this also applies for lesson 22).

Work with your Language Arts colleagues for support with the writing pieces in Lessons 21 and 22.

Rather than create an Abstract, students can make a preview or trailer for a documentary film or radio program, following the same guidelines.

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Lesson 22: The Title (1/2 class period)Students will review and then create titles for formal scientific research. This lesson is designed for students that are constructing science articles or posters, however it can be easily adapted for students creating titles for documentary films, radio shows, podcasts or other creative products.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to…● Write a strong title that communicates key information about the content of their work

Standards Alignment:MLR CCSS NGSS

B1 – The Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry: Students plan, conduct, analyze data

from, and communicate results of investigations,

including simple experiments.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.4

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the

development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Practice 8: Obtaining, Evaluating, and

Communicating Information

Materials: Student notebook pages (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher Preparation:1. Review and adapt the student notebook pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps:1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now.”

2. Have students read the titles that they wrote down.

3. Next, read a few articles from scientific reports. Project the titles so that students can see them. Here are a few examples:

Under Antarctic Ice, Bacteria Break Down the Powerful Methane Before it can Reach the Atmosphere (Science News for Students)

Diverse Landscapes Are More Productive and Adapt Better to Climate Change (Science Daily)

Earthworms at the Root of Sugar Maple Decline (Science Daily)

4. Ask students to explain any differences that they notice about formal scientific titles and creative ones. Use a “Timed Pair Share” (Appendix A).

5. Explain to students that they are going to learn how to develop strong titles for their research paper, and so they need to understand what goes into a strong title.

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6. Give students one to two minutes to look over the research paper titles projected on the board. Challenge them to identify the common components of these titles.

7. Direct students to the Title Practice lesson in the student notebook. Have students read over the list of features of a good title. Invite them to share any additional features that are missing from the list.

8. Model evaluating a title using the example of the study in the student notebook. a. Read through the example study on bird feeders.

b. Work with students to identify: i. the subject (sparrows)

ii. what the investigators are trying to find out (which attachments to birdfeeders are more effective)iii. the result (birdfeeders with flash tape were used less often)

b. Read title #1

c. Check for each of the important components

d. Give “warm” (positive) feedback while students take notes on the student sheet (includes subject and variable).

e. Give “cool” (constructive) feedback while students take notes on the student sheet (not specific to type of bird, unclear what the researchers were trying to find out).

9. Have students work in pairs to complete feedback for #2 and #3 and choose the strongest title.

10. Next, explain that students will practice developing their own titles. Model the process of identifying the important information and creating a title with the first example on the student sheet.

a. Read through the example study

b. Work with students to identify and mark:i. the subject (circle: the venus fly trap)ii. what the researchers were trying to find out (underline: the effect of pH)iii. the result (star: rate of closing decreased as pH increased)

c. Think aloud as you work through creating your own title (Increased pH Levels Decrease the Rate of the Closing Mechanism in Venus Fly Traps) Modifications:

If students have been working collaboratively on an investigation, have them each write a title and then vote on one to use for their final product.

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11. Have students work in independently to create titles based on the second example. Make sure that they identify the key components.

12. Invite students to share their titles for example 2 with the class.

13. Have students go on to create the title for their own research paper.

14. Once students have written their own title, have students exchange papers and give “warm” and “cool” feedback to each other.

Modifications: If students have been working collaboratively on an investigation, have them each write a title and then vote on one to use for their final product.

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Lesson 23: Create a Final Product (variable—depends on the product)Students will create final projects to showcase their work. Students will review the Stars and Stairs rubrics before, during, and after completing their work to ensure they are meeting standards and requirements for the project. This lesson is intentionally left unstructured, as the timing and activity involved will vary according to project option.

Learning Outcomes: Produce a final project that showcases their learning

Standards Alignment:MLR CCSS NGSS

E2 – The Living Environment – Ecosystems: Examine how

the characteristics of the physical, non-living (abiotic) environment, the types and behaviors of living (biotic) organisms, and the flow of matter and energy affect

organisms and the ecosystem of which they are

part.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.SP.A.2: Use data from a random sample to draw inferences about a population with an unknown characteristic of

interest. Generate multiple samples (or simulated samples)

of the same size to gauge the variation in estimates or

predictions.

MS-LS2-1: Analyze and interpret data to provide

evidence for the effects of resource availability on

organisms and populations of organisms in an

ecosystem.OR

MS-LS2-2: Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across

multiple ecosystems.B1 – The Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry: Students plan, conduct, analyze data

from, and communicate results of investigations,

including simple experiments.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.9: Compare and contrast the information gained from

experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources with that gained from reading

a text on the same topic

MS-LS2-4: Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or

biological components of an ecosystem affect

populations.

Materials:Stars and Stairs Student-Friendly Rubrics (from Appendix B)Student notebook pages for the lesson (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher Preparation:1. Make sure that students can access the writing (or recordings) that they have on their investigation, including the abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion and conclusions.

2. Print a class set of the all four of the Stairs and Stairs forms for so that each student can have access to the forms at once (or you can have students re-use ones that you passed out earlier in the unit).

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3. Set clear time constraints for work on final projects.

4. Review and adapt the student notebook pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now.”

2. Have students shout out what they have already done. See if anyone can identify that they still need to find a way to share their findings. Explain that they are going to pull together their work so that they can make it understandable to the community.

3. Give students time to put the following sections together, in the following order: Title (from Lesson 22) Abstract (from Lesson 21) Introduction (from Lesson 9) Methods (from Lesson 12) Results (graphs and results narrative from Lesson 17) Conclusions (from Lesson 19) Discussion (from Lesson 20) Stars and Stairs forms 1 through 4 (or you can hand out new copies if students don’t

have them)

4. Review the options for the format that they have chosen for their work (students should have already chosen their project option:

Fill out a Vee diagram Submit a scientific article to Maine’s Middle School Journal of Scientific research Create a science poster (students organize their writing with additional visuals on a

large poster) Make a documentary film Record a radio show or podcast Choose an additional creative product

6. Regardless of the product, remind students that they will need to show evidence of reaching the steps outlined in each form of the Stars and Stairs. If students have chosen a creative product, they will need to be imaginative about how they can demonstrate each step.

7. Go over the timeline for the project and your expectations for how students will use their time (students should not need much work time if there are writing articles or completing the Vee diagram).

8. Give students time to work on their projects. Check in frequently as students work. Remind them often of project deadlines.

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Lesson 24: Peer Review (one class period)Students will participate in peer review. They will use the familiar Stars and Stairs rubrics to find evidence of proficiency and find opportunities for improvement in each other’s work. They will use their review to conference with each other and then make revisions.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to… Provide constructive feedback based on established criteria Incorporate feedback to improve the quality of their work.

Standards Alignment: MLR CCSS NGSS

B1 – The Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry: Students

plan, conduct, analyze data from, and

communicate results of investigations, including

simple experiments.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.5With some guidance and support

from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by

planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience

have been addressed.

Practice 8: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating

Information

Materials:Stars and Stairs Student-Friendly Rubrics (from Appendix B)Student notebook pages for the lesson (printed or shared electronically)

Teacher Preparation:1. Make sure that students have their final product and the stars and stairs rubrics.

2. Assign partners for peer review.

3. Review and adapt the student notebook pages for the lesson.

Lesson Steps1. As students complete their projects, they are ready for peer review. Assign students to partners.

2. Instructions are clearly written in the student notebook; however you may wish to highlight a few key points:

Students will work through the writing one section at a time. They should make sure that the Stars and Stairs form matches the section that they are working on.

Students will look for evidence that their partners reached each step in the Stars and Stairs documents. If they find evidence that the writer reached the stair, they should write it as “warm feedback”

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Students should give recommendations for meeting additional stairs in the “cool feedback” section.

They should check off the box that shows the highest stair that was reached.

3. Give students 20 to 30 minutes to follow the instructions in the student notebook to complete peer review. At this point in the investigation, they should be able to work without much teacher guidance.

4. As students complete their review, they should meet with their partner to discuss the feedback. There are detailed instructions for this conversation in the student notebook.

5. Once students have given and received feedback, they should take time to make revisions to their work.

Modifications:Students can also complete peer review in groups, with each student responsible for feedback in on one section of an article. Multiple students can also give feedback on one article and compare results. If students need more support with Peer Review, choose a few students to model a conversation in front of the class using the Fish Bowl technique (Appendix A).

Since students will be primarily self-directed throughout this lesson, you can use this time for one-on-one or small group conferencing with students.

Summative Assessment Notes: Peer Feedback Review Forms can serve as a strong assessment of the reviewer’s ability to recognize and understanding of the key skills and concepts identified in the Stars and Stairs rubrics. Consider collecting these as evidence of learning.

Once students have revised their work, use the project rubric in Appendix B for summative assessment.

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Lesson 25 Share with the Community!In this lesson, students will share their work with the Vital Signs community and explore different avenues for sharing their work. This lesson is intentionally left unstructured, as sharing will look different across communities.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to… Communicate their work to an authentic audience

Standards Alignment: MLR CCSS NGSS

B1 – The Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry: Students plan, conduct, analyze data

from, and communicate results of investigations,

including simple experiments.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.6Use technology, including the

Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the

relationships between information and ideas clearly and efficiently.

Practice 8: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating

Information

MaterialsVital signs student logins and passwordsAccess to the internetStickers or post-its (optional)

Teacher Preparation:1. Students will need to use their Vital Signs account to post their project to the project bank. They will use the login that they used to post their data. Make sure that you have this information available to students that might have forgotten. If you need help finding this information, contact Vital Signs.

2. Consider different options for students to share their work. Here are some ideas: Submit student articles to the Maine Middle School Journal of Scientific Research (see

Appendix M for instructions) Have students present their findings to the rest of the class. Have students present their work to other classes in the school. Invites families and

community members to come, too. Host a community night where students make presentations to community members.

o Issue a press release to announce the event: http://vitalsignsme.org/how-write-press-release

Have students put their writing into a flyer or brochure and distribute to the community. Post the work on the school website. Gather additional ideas from the class

Whatever you choose, please let Vital Signs know about it!

3. Review and adapt the student notebook pages for the lesson.

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Lesson Steps:1. Prompt students to complete the “Do Now.”

2. Have students share their ideas in a “Timed Pair Share” (Appendix A).

3. Explain to students that it is time to share their work with the Vital Signs community. They are going to post their work to the Project Bank.

4. Direct students to the instructions in the student notebook and give students time to post their work.

5. Once projects are posted, explain that their work is important to their community, too and not just Vital Signs. Challenge the class to generate ideas for how to share with the community.

a. List two or three options from the step 1 of the “Teacher Preparation” section.

b. Have students do a one minute “Idea Volley” in groups of 2 to 4 to generate additional ideas.

c. Select one student from each group to share their brainstorm.

d. Collect a list of ideas on chart paper or on the board.

6. Examine the options: a. Assign each group to one of the options.

b. Give students 5 minutes to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each.

c. Choose a student to report to the class.

7. If no obvious best option emerges, have students vote using “spend a buck” (Appendix A).

8. Work with the students to plan their action/event. Assign (or let students choose) specific roles in the project Create subcommittees, like communications, event details, technology, etc. Get support from colleagues, school administration, and community partners Let Vital Signs know what you are up to. We would love to help and/or participate!

9. Share with your community.

10. Celebrate the completion of an authentic investigation!

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