Understanding By Design Unit

Title of Unit
Curriculum Area
Developed By

Scientific Method
Biology
Kelsie Honda

Grade Level
Time Frame

High School, 9-11th grade

4 Class Periods (two short, two long periods)

Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)

Content Standards
According to the HCCPS III State Standards: Note: Students will be tested on the standards on the EOC course exam at the end of the year.
SC.BS.1.1:
SC.BS.1.2:
SC.BS.1.4:
SC.BS.1.3:
SC.BS.1.5:
SC.BS.1.6:
SC.BS.1.7:

Describe how a testable hypothesis may need to be revised to guide a scientific investigation
Design and safely implement an experiment, including the appropriate use of tools and techniques to organize, analyze, and validate data.
Determine the connections among hypothesis, scientific evidence, and conclusions
Defend and support conclusions, explanations, and arguments based on logic, scientific knowledge, and evidence from data.
Communicate the components of a scientific investigation, using appropriate techniques.
Engage in and explain the importance of peer review in science.
Revise, as needed, conclusions and explanations based on new evidence.

Understandings
Students will understand that scientific inquiry involves asking
scientifically oriented questions, collecting evidence, analyzing
evidence, forming conclusions explanations, connecting
explanations to scientific content and knowledge, and
communicating and justifying explanations.

Essential Questions
How do scientists solve every day problems?
What elements of design are critical in conducting a science
investigation?
How do people use the process of the scientific method to
investigate questions about the natural world?

Students will also understand that science involves a particular way

of knowing that includes relying on evidence, logical arguments,
and peer review. Scientific ideas are constantly revised over time as
new evidence becomes available.

Knowledge

Skills

Students will know

Students will be able to

Key terms: hypothesis, control group, experimental group,

independent variable, dependent variable, germination.

How the process of science is used to define a problem, test a

hypothesis, perform experiments, collect data, analyze data,
and form a conclusion based on collected data.

Difference between the experimental group and control group, as

well as the independent versus the dependent variable

design and conduct scientific investigations to answer

biological questions by creating a testable hypothesis,
identify variables, use a control or a comparison group
when appropriate, select and use appropriate
measurement tools, collect and record data, organize
data into charts and graphs, analyze and interpret data,
and communicate findings.

to formulate and revise scientific explanations and models of

biological phenomena using logic and evidence to explain

observations, make inferences and predictions, explain

the relationship between evidence and explanation

Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)

Performance Task Description
Role
Audience
Situation
Product/Performan
ce
Standards

Task 1:
Goal - Using the puzzle pieces, game board, and list of moves, you are to develop a theory of the game that
someone lost the instructions to.
Role - You are a person trying to figure out rules of the game.
Audience - Peers, anyone who will play the game.
Situation - I was cleaning my file cabinet and found some games. I could not find the rules for the games but I
did find a list of players moves. Play the game and figure out the rules so that you could teach the rest of the
class.
Product Performance and Purpose - You need to create a set of rules for the game. Your set of rules should
reflect all moves and any other possible moves.
Standards - SC.BS: 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7
Task 2:
Goal - Find out how scientists solve every day problems.
Role - Student scientist
Audience - Classmates
Situation - What is the relationship between environmental conditions and seed germination? How will we
define germination?
Product Performance and Purpose - You need to write a lab report with the main parts of the scientific method.
Your lab report should include: title, introduction, materials, procedure, results and data tables, and analysis of
your results.
Standards - SC.BS: 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7
Task 3:
Goal - Find out how scientists solve every day problems with the following scenario:
I have a salt water acqurium at home and I buy brine shrimp to feed my fish. I just realized that I can save
money if I buy shrimp cysts instead of adult shrimp but I have to get them to hatch before I can use them.

Role - Student scientist

Audience - Classmates
Situation - What factors could affect the hatching of brine shrimp? What is the relationship between salt
concentration and the number of brine shrimp that hatch?
Product Performance and Purpose - You need to write a lab report with the main parts of the scientific method.
Your lab report should include: title, introduction, materials, procedure, results and data tables, and analysis of
your results.
Standards - SC.BS: 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7
Blue Print: in LiveText

Other Evidence
Pre-assessment - given a scenario of how to set up a scientific experiment. I will look for the use of key words presented above.
Post-assessment - given a scenario, like the ones tested in class, and have them explain how to set up the experiment with the key
words.
Thinking Maps - reflection of how students organize their thoughts based on our class, group discussions and homework and labs.
Observation of collaborative group work - These activities are mostly all student driven. They will be working collaboratively in groups
with all members participating and contributing to the groups goal. To see this, I will be walking around monitoring their discussions,
ensuring that students stay on task.

Learning Plan (Stage 3)

Codeeachlearningactivitywithoneof
theseletters:
W - Ensure that students understand
WHERE the unit is headed, and
WHY.
H - HOOK students in the beginning and
HOLD their attention throughout.
E - EQUIP students with necessary
experiences, tools, knowledge, and
know-how to meet performance
goals.
R - Provide students with numerous
opportunities to RETHINK big
ideas, REFLECT on progress, and
REVISE their work.
E2 - Build in opportunities for students
to EVALUATE progress and selfassess.
T - Be TAILORED to reflect individual
talents, interests, styles, and
needs.
O - Be ORGANIZED to optimize deep
understanding as opposed to superficial
coverage.

Day 1:

Pre-assessment of the scientific method - W

I will be giving students a template and the following materials: mung bean seeds,
petri dishes, and graduated cylinders. Students will be investigating the
amount of water on the amount of seed germination and set up their own
experiment. (It will need to get OKed by me first ) - E

Class notes & Guided practice questions as a class - W

Scientific Method Game (Mastermind) - H

Practice problems (Independent practice) in note packet. Questions include

describing the given scenario and identifying the different groups and
variables. - E
Day 2: Students are to design a their very own lab experiment

Students will need to first identify independent and dependent variables, control
and experimental groups, experimental design, and data table before setting
up.
Day 3: Students will set up the experiment on their own.

Each group will assign roles in their groups to carry out the experiment. They will
be observing seed germination over the period of 3 days. - E

Students will need to (on their own time) check their plates and count how many
seeds germinated and form their own conclusions. During this time, students
are encouraged to analyze their results regarding how they set their
experiment up. For example, too much or too little water? - R

At the end of the 3 days, students will need to analyze the data and answer the
analysis questions - R

After the lab is done, we are going to have a class discussion that consists of the
various environments that the seed was placed on. Was there a specific type
of environment where the seed germinated the best? Is it possible to drown a
seed in too much water? Too little water? What are the optimal conditions? E

In addition, students will need to write and type out their formal lab report using
the given template. This will allow them to formulate a logical conclusion
about the relationship between the amount of water and seed germination -

E
Day 6: Brine Shrimp Experimental Design Test

Each group will assign roles in their groups to carry out the experiment. They will
be observing Brine Shrimp for 3 days. - E

At the end of the 3 days, students will need to analyze the data and answer the
analysis questions - R

After the lab is done, we are going to have a class discussion that consists of the
various environments of the brine shrimp- E

In addition, students will need to write and type out their formal lab report using
the given template. This will allow them to formulate a theory about the
relationship between the concentration of salinity in the hatching of brine
shrimp - E
Day 9: Experimental Design test

Rubric for authentic tasks:

Students will take a post-test to see how much they have learned over the past
couple of days. - T

They will be asked questions such as identifying variables, set up procedures,

possible hypothesis, and possible questions. - O

POINTS

Identifyingall
keywords

Allsections
incorrect
order

1to2
sections
outof
order
1problem

Title

POINTS
Introduction

Materials

Procedure

POINTS
Results

POINTS
Analysisof
Results

1or0
3sections
outoforder

Original,
2
appropriate
problems
Problems:justrewordedplagiarized=2misleading

1or0

Missingor
Complete,
1problem
2
notanintro.
inown
problems
words,
accurate
Problems:incomplete,x2plagiarizedinaccurate
Incomplete
Listed,
1problem
2
ormissing
complete,
problems
quantities,
specific
Problems:notlistedlacksquantitieslacksspecifics
Incomplete
No
1problem
2
ormissing
problems
problems
Problems:Notstepbysteplacksspecificdetails(e.g.
amounts)

No
Formhas12 Formhas Missing
problems
errors
3errors
Problems:FormatofDataTablemissingdetails
Didnotusearuler

1or0

Missing
explained,
1problem
2
accurate,
problems
units
Problems:inc.,x2inaccuratelacksunits
unexplained