Michelle Svenson Alexandra Warwick

Introduction to Classification: Which Leaves will Brown the Fastest?

Science, Grade 6 80 minute lesson in 2 parts (40 minutes per day) Content Standards 1. Design and conduct different kinds of scientific investigations
Students understand that different kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations. Students should develop general abilities such as making systematic observations, taking accurate measurements, and identifying and controlling variables.

Iowa Core: Science 6-8, Science as Inquiry 2. Think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations
Students should be able to review data from an experiment, summarize the data, and form a logical argument between cause and effect relationships. Students should begin to state some explanations in terms of relationships between two or more variables.

Iowa Core: Science 6-8, Science as Inquiry

Science Idea Classification as a part of the scientific process Objectives 1. Students will be able to explain why/how we use the tool of classification, including how it fits into the scientific process. 2. Students will be able to apply basic classification skills to organize objects in nature in order to conduct an experiment. Materials (8) Gallon sized bags (enough for all students) box of small bags (8) posters (5) Elmers Glue Trees with leaves Handouts 55 copies of one scientific inquiry worksheet

Procedure
Day 1 Prior Knowledge Assessment To determine students prior knowledge, we will pose the questions What is classification? and Why might it be important in science? we will tailor our lessons based on their verbal responses; it will give us some insight into how much we have to explain classification before we begin more complex activities. Engage (5 minutes) To capture their interest, we will ask students, What is classification? and Do you think that you could fit into a certain classification? We will then tell students that we are going to classify them into different groups for an activity. We will then split students into four groups based off of the season they were born in. Explore (3 minutes) Once students are split into four groups, we will tell them that within their groups they must classify themselves by another characteristic of their choice (e.g. hair color, shoe style etc). Students will be given just a few minutes to complete this challenge and we will have a count down at the end so they know when their time is almost up. Explain (5 minutes) Once students have classified themselves, we will ask each group to share what characteristic they chose to classify themselves by and why they chose to use this particular characteristic. This exercise is aimed at students being able to understand what classification is, how there are many ways to classify things, and how there can be many different levels of classification at once (increasing in specificity). Elaborate (4 minutes for explanation, 20 minutes for leaf gathering, 3 minutes for recap/conclusion) Next we will elaborate on these concepts, as well as introduce how classification fits into the

framework of the process skills by beginning an experiment with fall leaves (which leaves will brown the fastest?). In groups, they will collect different leaves from trees outside. If we have extra time on the end of the first day, well have them start on the worksheet: make observations about their leaves and compare/contrast them with other leaves from the group. We will store leaves from each group in a gallon sized bag. (Otherwise we will start with this on the second day) Day 2 (40 minutes) The second day, we will talk with them about the experiment and the best way to classify them to figure out the answer. Within their group, they will classify their leaves by whatever characteristic they decided. Once organized, each group will glue their leaves to a poster board and label the leaves by the characteristic they chose (e.g. small leaves, medium leaves, large leaves). Then, they will continue the worksheet: answering how they classified their leaves and why. Then they will make a prediction on which leaves will brown the fastest and will explain why they think so. Evaluate The bulk of evaluation will come from the worksheet as well as a written response at the conclusion of the experiment, Why do you think scientists use the tool of classification? Conclusion Once the leaves are classified on the poster boards we provide, we will display the boards around the classroom so the students can feel a sense of fulfillment, as well as being able to continue their observations. At the end of the period on wednesday, we will discuss why scientists use classification when conducting experiments (in order to control variables (specificity), compare/contrast, make inferences). We will also visit the classroom the following week to make final observations of the leaves and discuss our discoveries. Differentiation For those students who work faster we will have them use a key to identify the types of leaves they have collected. We have also formulated an extra activity: How would you classify the animal artifacts in the science room? If there were any visually impaired learners in our classroom, we would assist this student in making observations of leaves using available senses. We would ask this student to identify how the leaf smelled, felt, or sounded when crumpled up in the students hand. We would also need to provide the worksheet we created in Braille if the student was a fluent reader, or have the student dictate answers to us verbally which we would write down. Possible Alternative Conceptions It is likely that the students will not know which leaves will brown first as there could be a number of reasons why this would happen. As we guide them through the experiment and more

theories about why the leaves turn brown are disproved, this should lead the children away from conceptions that are not based in strong evidence. It is also possible that students will have alternative conceptions about why scientists classify things. We will discuss this on the first day, and use it in a process on the second day so students will begin to understand the importance of classification in science.