Final+Project+Lesson+Plan+Review

=Distance Learning - Lesson Review= Below is what you submitted to dl@pisgahforestinstitute.org on Sunday, April 13, 2008 at 21:07:04


 * Name:** Kim Collazo (final lesson)
 * E-mail:** kscollazo@gmail.com
 * Lesson Title:** Worming Around
 * Topic:** Ecology
 * Subtopic:** Ecosystems, Forest Ecology, Appalachian Forests
 * Question 1:** This lesson is correlated with science strands at the 6th grade level.
 * Question 2 :** NCSCOS Science Goal 4: The learner will investigate the cycling of matter. 4.01 Describe the flow of energy and matter in natural systems. •Energy flows through ecosystems in one direction, from sun through producers to consumers to decomposers. •Matter is transferred from one organism to another and between organisms and their environments. •Water, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and oxygen are substances cycled between the living and non-living environments. 4.02 Evaluate the significant role of decomposers. NCSCOS Science Goal 7.02: Investigate factors that determine the growth and survival of organisms including: light, temperature range, mineral availability, soil/rock type, water, and energy.
 * Question 3:** I think the objective is stated clearly.
 * Question 4:** Hopefully the instructions are clear and easy to follow.
 * Question 5:** Students are asked to explain their theories based on observations. In addition they must construct an illustration based on what they understand and how it relates to their observations.
 * Question 6:** If I were to add another question it would probably be to ask the students how how their "captive" worms are similar and different than "free" worms they might find in their native habitats.
 * Question 7:** Students must have a good understanding of the procedures for getting materials prior to the activity. Also, prior to inverting the worm homes, I would make sure I instructed them on how this should be carried out to cause the least amount of damage to the viewable trails and other details they'll be able to see. We also would have a serious discussion about respecting living organisms. (Overall my kids did a great job with this when we carried out this lesson this year).
 * Question 8:** I like the fact that the kids take ownership of their worms and really take an interest in how best to care for them. It is also a dynamic way for them to see how decomposers really work to replenish the nutrients in the soil.
 * Question 9:** The only thing I didn't like about how I constructed this lesson was that the web sites have to be typed by the students.
 * Question 10:** I changed this by putting them on my classroom website and having the kids go there first so they have live links as they find their 10 facts.
 * Question 11:** It would be interesting to add a comparison component, like another species of worm, or other well-known, easy to work with decomposer. The kids could observe similarities and differences in the way the decomposer works.
 * Rating:** 8

[|FormMail] V1.92 © 1995 - 2002 Matt Wright A Free Product of [|Matt's Script Archive, Inc.]