In A Family Way - Author(s): Anne T. Phinney - Grade Level: 5 and 6 - Subject Area: Science - Each student will be assigned a rare species of animal to research. These species will step away from the traditional and well known variety of animals that may include zebra, lion and elephant. An example of this list would include tamandua, thylacine, vicuna, and narwhal.

Planning Guide

Creating Learner-Focused Schools

* Madison-Oneida BOCES- This document may not be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the District Superintendent or his designee.

LU Title: In a Family Way	Author(s): Anne T. Phinney
Grade Level: 5 and 6	School Address: Town of Webb School Main Street Old Forge, NY 13420
Subject Area: Science	School Phone/Fax: 315-369-3222

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Declarative	Procedural
Difference between mammal, bird, reptile, and insect.	Writing skills-sentence structure
Understanding of reproductive systems.	Technology research via the internet
Understanding of selective breeding	Interpreting data and graphing
Understanding of embryonic development and gestaion.	measuring and counting
Varieties of neonatal care	Problem solving
Impact of endangered species on world environment	Observation and scientific method

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

What adaptations would a hedgehog make if it became an egg layer?
What is the advantage of egg laying over live birth and vs. versa?
What is the advantage of producing young in litters vs. single infants?
What technological advances have been developed to manipulate reproduction?
What role will zoos play in the reproduction and preservation of endangered species?

Can you think of a better method of reproduction that may be the standard after another million years of evolution?

INITIATING ACTIVITY

Each student will be assigned a rare species of animal to research. These species will step away from the traditional and well known variety of animals that may include zebra, lion and elephant. An example of this list would include tamandua, thylacine, vicuna, and narwhal. Each student's research will include, geography, habits, and population status. A mobile will be constructed from a wire hanger and will display the research of the animal, a drawing of the animal and a map of the location of the animal's habitat.

1. Visit from local veterinarian about reproduction as a part of her practice. Our local vet arranges for students to come and watch neutering and spaying operations.

2. Search the Internet for a collection of web-sites featuring endangered animals.

3. Breed a class pet such as rat, guinea pig or rabbit. Observe and record changes along the way.

Connection to State Learning Standards

Content Area: Math, Science, Technology and Social Studies

Level: Fifth, Sixth grade

Benchmarks: Know how organisms, including humans, reproduce their own kind.

Understand the importance of preserving the diversity of species and habitats.

Understand how diversity of populations within ecosystems relates to the stability of ecosystems.

Understand how the structure and replication of genetic material result in offspring that resemble their parents.

Know how organisms are classified into a hierarchy of groups and subgroups based on similarities that reflect their evolutionary relationships.

Benchmarks: Know the approximate location of the Earth's continents in relation to each other and to principal parallels and meridians.

Know the ways in which the physical environment is stressed by human activities.

Standard: Math/Science/Tech #4- Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.

Standard: Social Studies #3

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we live- local, national, and global- including the distribution of people, places, and environments over the Earth's surface.

Unit Theme: In A Family Way

Standard: ELA #3 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation. As listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will present, in oral and written language and from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and judgements on experiences, ideas, information and issues.

Standard:

Benchmarks: Apply reading skills to a variety of academic and nonacademic texts.

Understand that within a group there are different points of view.

Know that individual values and interests contribute to the presence of different points of view and perspectives.

Present well-developed arguments and clear analysis of issues and ideas in a variety of oral and written formats.

Benchmarks:

Learning Experiences

Declarative Knowledge

What declarative knowledge should students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand…

What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge?

What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

1.The development of an individual from conception to birth.

2. Gestation Length vs. species.

3. Reproductive Physiology and Endocrinology

4. Variety of endangered species.

5. Laws governing endangered animals.

6. Geography of specific species.

7. Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer.

8. Genetics/ DNA model

9. Ecology: How are all living things connected?

10. Evolution of Reproduction

11. Become familiar with past and present leaders and scientists of environmental concerns.

1. Witness live or video birth, and egg hatching.

2. Care for pregnant animals and neonates. Keep journals of events leading up to birth.

3. Dissection of preserved or computer simulated specimens.

4. Clay models of animals. Internet search.

5. Textbook reading, Internet search, visit from environmental lawyer.

6. National Geographic, mapping of researched animals.

7. Guest Speakers: Veterinarian, Local Farmers or animal breeders.

8. Study origins of dog breeds and purposes there of.

Science textbook reading and discussion.
Science textbook reading and discussion along with building a time line of reproductive development.
Research various scientists and environmentalists both past and present. Produce oral autobiographical monologues.

1.Watch video of live birth and egg hatching

2.Journal writing and observation.

3.Note taking and sketching.

4.Gross and fine manipulation of clay medium/research skills on Internet.

5.Internet search, and textbook reading.

6.Mapping, and identification of continents and countries.

7.Local veterinarian and farmer will discuss reproduction as a part of their businesses.

8. Small group research and presentation.

Textbook reading and note taking.

Textbook reading and class discussion on sequence of events in evolution.

Library and Internet research skills.

1.After observing these two birth pres. we will comp./cont. them on a wall chart during class discussion.

2.After establishing a pregnant class pet, students will make daily observations and journal entries about physiological and behavioral changes in the female.

3.Students will perform dissection on real or virtual specimen of mammal, reptile, and bird to compare anatomical differences especially those related to reproduction.

4.Students will form figures out of clay and present them with information gleaned from Internet search.

5.An environmental lawyer will visit and discuss laws that students have previously researched in their textbook reading and Internet search.

6. Students will create a world map and place cutouts of animals on geographically correct sites.

8. In groups students will research and present information about the origins and purposes of specific dog breeds to generate an understanding of genetics and the manipulation thereof.

9. Students will read and interpret reading into notes from the chapter on reproduction.

10. Students will produce a time line of the evolution of reproductive improvements and changes.

11. Students will research and present information on famous environmentalists and scientists, past and present, who contributed to repro. advances.

Learning Experiences

Procedural Knowledge

What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able to:

What will be done to help students construct models, shape & internalize the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Comparing and Contrasting
Observation and Opinion
Sequencing
Research and Data Collecting, Processing and Analysis
Internet Use
Identify key points and words during lecture, guest speaker presentations.
Discuss both sides of issues concerning habitat destruction and economic development.
Locate geographical hot-spots of issues pertaining to endangered species and other environmental concerns.

Recognize similarities and differences among animal groups and other groups of living things.
Recognize the difference between opinion and observation along with the appropriate uses of both in research.
Learn the order of events leading up to the Endangered Species Act.
Use the scientific Method to explore and explain the outcomes of various classroom experiments. They will graph data.
Use the internet to enhance research of endangered animals and reproductive techniques for their survival in captivity.
Students will practice note taking and the extraction of key points in a lecture or discussion.
Students will research opinions of both sides of the conservation of animal species and economic rights issues.
Students will keep track of global areas of concern regarding environmental issues.

Students will choose two groups of animals to compare and contrast in essay form.
Student groups will produce observations and opinions while watching various animal behaviors either in the classroom or by way of video tape.
Students will produce a time line based on the research of various political events, extinction of species and laws created to protect the environment.
Students will hypothesize, set up, run, and analyze classroom experiments involving the reproduction of various invertebrates such as fruit flies, isopods and mealworms. They will produce graphs from collected data.
Students will learn to use the internet to locate web sites and links that relate to the issue of endangered animals.
The skill of note taking will be practiced and learned by picking out the key points during guest speaking lectures and discussions.
Students will role play the opinions and discoveries of famous environmentalists such as Jane Goodall, Louis Leaky, Rachel Carson, and John Muir.
Students will collect newspaper articles and internet news articles regarding environmental issues around the world presently.

Learning Experiences

Extending and Refining

What knowledge will students be extending and refining? Specifically, they will be extending and refining their understanding of…

What reasoning process will they be using?

Describe what will be done.

Reproductive Physiology of mammals, birds, reptiles, invertebrates.

2.Advantages and disadvantages of different kinds of reproduction.

3.Evolution of reproduction: Where has it been and where is it headed?

1. Comparing
Classifying

2. Comparing
Classifying
Inductive Reasoning
Deductive Reasoning
3. Inductive reasoning
Analyzing Perspectives
Abstracting

1. Students will record the similarities and differences, reproductively between animal groups. This information will come from note taking as well as lecture, Internet searching through specific zoo web sites and textbook reading. A com/cont. graphic organizer will facilitate the process.

With established knowledge, students will be able to verbally discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various repro. abilities, such as egg laying, and litter bearing.
Students will use their knowledge of evolution of reproduction and its advantages to predict future evolutionary changes, both natural and manipulated. From this knowledge they will be able to plan the preservation of an endangered species from a scientific stand point.

Planning Guide

Unit: In a Family Way

Step 1	Step 2	Step 3
*What knowledge* will students be using meaningfully? Specifically, they will be demonstrating their understanding of and ability to:**	What reasoning process will they be using?	Describe student's products and performances and the criteria for evaluation.
…devise a plan that will help preserve the gene pool of an endangered species. The plan will integrate the student's knowledge of reproductive anatomy and physiology, genetics and scientific advances in the field of reproduction. Students will also be able to address the issues of economical and ethical controversies that exist in this situation. Students will demonstrate this knowledge through a number of procedural skills including the collection and graphing of relevant information.	[ ] Decision Making (selecting from seemingly equal alternatives or examining the decisions of others) [ ] Problem Solving (seeking to achieve a goal by overcoming constraints or limiting conditions) [ ] Invention (creating something to meet a need or improve on a situation) [ ] Experimental Inquiry (generating an explanation for a phenomenon and testing the explanation) [ ] Investigation (resolving confusions or contradictions related to a historical event, a hypothetical past or future event, or to the defining characteristics of something) [ ] Systems Analysis (analyzing the parts of a system and how they interact) [ ] Other:	Products/Performances. 1. Students write a plan and procedure for saving a specific endangered species assigned to them. 2. Students give an oral presentation of their plan and procedure including support for the various choices that they made for saving their endangered animal. 3. Students will incorporate a computer generated graph that is relevant to their plan and clearly indicates this efficiently and effectively.
		Criteria for evaluation: Students will use proper grammar, punctuation and spelling. There will be emphasis on relevant vocabulary introduced and recorded during the unit. All written information will be word processed with special care taken to use the technology appropriately and correctly. Students will present their plan orally with proper pronunciation of words and articulation of thoughts and ideas. They will demonstrate their knowledge by understanding what it is they are saying. Their thoughts will be organized and sequential. A computer generated graph will accompany this plan demonstrating the students' knowledge and skill in using a spreadsheet and selecting an appropriate graph to display their information.

Rubric:

Key Questions:

What are the key elements, traits, or dimensions that will be evaluated?

Are the identified elements of equal importance or will they be weighed differently?

	Element #1	Element #2	Element #3	Element #4
Elements Scale	Written Plan to save an assigned endangered animal.	Oral presentation of plan to save endangered animal.	Computer generated graph relevant to written and oral plan.	Components of plan.
Weights	40%	25%	15%	20%
4	Students always use proper grammar and spelling. Thoughts and organization are sequential and clear. Successful use of many vocabulary words introduced during the unit is evident and relevant. The report is word processed with effort made to produce a professional document.	Students articulate thoughts and ideas smoothly throughout the plan. All words are pronounced correctly and many new vocabulary words are incorporated into the oral presentation in a relevant manner. The thoughts are not read, but presented in a natural matter of speaking as has been demonstrated in the past.	The graph is computer generated and demonstrates, efficiently, its relevance to the student's plan. Proper headings and labels are present.	The student demonstrates with great detail, an understanding of the anatomy and physiology of reproduction in the animal assigned. Many reproductive technologies and manipulations are described and related to the plan to save this animal. Many issues of ethics and economics are mentioned with clarity and understanding.
3	Proper grammar and spelling are demonstrated most of the time. Thoughts and organization are sequential and clear most of the time. Limited vocabulary from the unit is used and is relevant most of the time. The document is word processed with minor typing and mechanical errors.	Students articulate thoughts and ideas smoothly most of the time. Most words are pronounced correctly and some new vocabulary words are incorporated into the presentation in a relevant manner. Most of the information is not read.	The graph is computer generated and demonstrates some relevance to the student's plan. Some proper headings and labels are present.	The student demonstrates, with some detail, an understanding of the A+P of reproduction in the animal assigned. Some reproductive tech. and manipulation is described and related to the plan. Some issues of ethics and economics are mentioned with clarity and understanding.
2	Proper grammar and spelling are demonstrated some of the time. Thoughts and organization are sequential and clear some of the time. Few vocabulary words from the unit are used and relevant to the plan. The document is word processed with many errors related to typing and mechanics. Little effort has been made to correct these.	Students articulate thoughts and ideas smoothly some of the time. Some words are pronounced correctly and few new vocab. Words are incorporated into the presentation in a relevant manner. Some of the information is not read.	The graph is computer generated and demonstrates little relevance to the student's plan. Few proper headings and labels exist.	The student demonstrates, with few details, an understanding of the A+P of reproduction in the animal assigned. Few reproductive tech. and manipulations are described and related to the plan. Few issues of ethics and economics are mentioned.
1	Proper spelling and grammar are rarely demonstrated. Thoughts and organization are rarely sequential and clear. No vocabulary words from the unit are evident or relevant to the plan. The document is hand written.	Students do not articulate their thoughts smoothly at all. Most words are pronounced incorrectly and no vocab. words from the unit are used in a relevant manner or at all. The student read the entire report.	The graph is generated by hand.	The student shows no understanding of reprod. A+P. There is no mention of technology and manipulation of reproduction. No issues of ethics or economics are mentioned.

NOTE: Rubric or other performance assessment instruments may be used.

Constructing a Holistic
Scoring Tool
(Rubric or Activity Specific Key)

Key Questions:

* How many score points are needed to discriminate among the full range of different degrees of understanding, proficiency, or quality?

This response, product, or performance provides evidence of understanding of concept/principle/generalization or proficiency in skill/process/strategy.

Score Point 4	Score Point 3
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Score Point 2	Score Point 1
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Have You Considered These Yet?

Learn to Learn Skills:

Effective communication and listening skills:

Comprehends reading assignments and listening skills activities.

Writes with direction and organization.

Presents material and research with articulation and organization.

Works well with others during group activities.

Uses technology correctly and efficiently.

Demonstrates ability to solve problems and reach established goals.

Shows self-respect and respect for others.

Assessment Modifications: Any student with a IEP will follow the modifications identified by the Resource Room teacher. This teacher will assist the student during classroom activities on a push-in basis. Title I students will be assisted by their Resource Room teacher during the activities and during their scheduled Res. Room times out of the classroom. This will provide these students with more time to emphasize and organize procedural and declarative knowledge.

Unit Schedule/Time Plan: This unit will require a maximum of eight weeks, averaging one hour of implementation, four days per week and one half hour of planning per week. If more time can be designated each day through integration of other content areas, the unit can be accomplished in four to six weeks. The culminating activity should require three additional hours at the end of the unit time.

Written Overview: This unit will provide students with an in depth understanding of the reproductive anatomy and physiology in three animal groups, mammals, reptiles, and birds. Students will also learn of the technological advances and manipulations that humans have discovered and used to alter reproduction in animals as well as humans. As a result of this scientific advancement students will explore the uses of these technologies in the race against time to preserve the gene pools of endangered species worldwide. Group discussions will generate questions about the ethics and impact of such manipulations and how they effect the economic conditions of various third world countries.