SINGLE SUBJECT CREDENTIAL PROGRAM

EDSC LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

Revised 4.15
For directions on how to complete this form, see EDSC Lesson Plan Directions and Scoring Guide in the SSCP Handbook at
www.sscphandbook.org.

Name
Amber Mejia
Class Title
Life Science

CWID

Subject Area

805457801
Lesson Title
Genetic Controversies
Project

Life Science
Unit Title
genetics

Grade Levels
7th

Total Minutes
10 days

CLASS DESCRIPTION
There are 7 students who are classified as English Learners 2 are early advanced-02 are intermediate -03, and 2 are
Early Intermediate-04 and 3 students classified as special needs. 1 has Aspergers, and I dont know the other 2. They
have IEPs but my MT has not received the student profile for them yet. The class is in a science classroom and all the
students sit at lab tables. One of the SSN have expressed that they like a lot of visuals and that the teacher speaks
slowly.
STANDARDS AND LESSON OBJECTIVES
CCSS Math, CCSS ELA & Literacy History/Social
Studies, Science and Technical Subjects, NGSS, and
English Language Development Standards (ELD)
Content Standards
NGSS MS-LS3-2 Develop and use a model to describe
ELD 7 I.A.3. Emerging: Supporting opinions and
why sexual reproduction results in offspring with identical
persuading others
genetic information and sexual reproduction results in
Negotiate with or persuade others in conversations (e.g.,
offspring with genetic variation.
to gain and hold the floor or ask for clarification) using
learned phrases (e.g., I think. . . , Would you please
repeat that?) and open responses.
ELD 7 I.A.3 Expanding: Supporting opinions and
persuading others
Negotiate with or persuade others in conversations (e.g.,
to provide counter arguments) using learned phrases (I
agree with X, but . . ), and open responses.
ELD 7 I.A.3 Bridging: Supporting opinions and
persuading others
Negotiate with or persuade others in conversations using
appropriate register (e.g., to acknowledge new
information) using a variety of learned phrases, indirect
reported speech
(e.g., I heard you say X, and I havent thought about that
before), and open responses.
ELD 7 I.C.9 Emerging: Presenting
Plan and deliver brief informative oral presentations on familiar topics.
ELD 7 I.C.9 Expanding: Presenting
Plan and deliver longer oral presentations on a variety of
topics, using details and evidence to support ideas.
ELD 7 I.C.9 Bridging: Presenting
Plan and deliver longer oral presentations on a variety of
topics in
a variety of disciplines, using reasoning and evidence to support ideas, as
well as growing understanding of register.
ELD 7 I.C.11.a. Emerging: Justifying/arguing
Justify opinions by providing some textual evidence or
relevant background knowledge with substantial support.
ELD 7 I.C.11.a. Expanding: Justifying/arguing
Justify opinions or persuade others by providing relevant
textual evidence or relevant background knowledge with
moderate support.
ELD 7 I.C.11.a. Bridging: Justifying/arguing
Justify opinions or persuade others by providing detailed
and relevant textual evidence or relevant background
knowledge with light support.
ELD 7 I.C.10b Emerging: Writing

Lesson Objective(s)
Students will analyze the different genetic controversies
by researching and developing an argument as to why the
government should fund their genetic topic.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT
Purpose/Focus of
Type
Assessment

Write brief summaries of texts and experiences using

complete sentences and key words (e.g., from notes or
graphic organizers).
ELD 7 I.C.10b Expanding: Writing
Write increasingly concise summaries of texts and
experiences using complete sentences and key words
(e.g., from notes or graphic organizers).
ELD 7 I.C.10b Bridging: Writing
Write clear and coherent summaries of texts and
experiences using complete and concise sentences and
key words (e.g., from notes or graphic organizers).
Evidence
If the students can complete the genetic project and
accurately and clearly present the information then they
learned how genetics is a wide variety of topics.

Implementation

Feedback Strategy

How Informs Teaching

The students will be informed

verbally during the class
discussion

This will inform the teacher

about the students knowledge
of the different controversies in
the field of genetics. If all
students do well on the
assessment then the teacher will
not have to explain what the
different controversies mean.

EL

This is an introduction to the

controversies project. The
students will be researching
these topics further, but I need
to know how much they know
before they start the project.

The teacher will write the

following warm up question on
the board, what do you know
about cloning, genetically
engineered foods, genetically
testing for disorders, and the
use of forensics in criminal
cases? Then teacher will lead
the class in a discussion.

PM

The different pages that are

filled out each day will help the
students move along in their
research every day.

Students will be filling out a

daily sheet for their research on
their topic.

They will get written feedback

from the teacher.

If the students are not filling

out their daily sheet then I
know that they are not working
on or dont understand their
research.

The actual informal

debate speech and the
panel hearing for each
groups topic is the
assessment as well as
the power point
presentation and the
information chart each
person fills out about a
topic.

Students will use their

information chart to
research their chosen
topic. They will vote
within their group to
further research one
topic that they feel
should get funding. Each
group will come up with
an argument supporting
their topic. They will put
together a power point
presentation. The groups
will each choose a
representative to go up
in the panel and present
their argument to the
class using their power
point presentation.

They will get verbal and

written feedback from
the teacher. Verbal
during the panel and
written from the
information chart and
the power point
presentation.

This will inform the

teacher how much the
students are able to
combine from previous
lessons in order to
understand the research
information they gather
in the project.

INSTRUCTION
Instructional Strategies
Guided instruction- when I go over the directions for the project and the timeline.
Independent instruction-when each student has to research their own topic.
Group work- when the groups vote on which topic they want funded and do additional research and making a
presentation.
Lesson Introduction/Anticipatory Set
Time
Teacher Does
Student Does
5 min

1. Teacher will give out the EL Assessment.

Lesson Body
Time
Teacher Does
10
2. Teacher will go over the project with the class.
days
Directions will be displayed on the board and the
teacher will go over the steps of the project. The

1. Students will do the EL Assessment.

Student Does
2. Students will listen attentively to the teacher as
she explains the project directions. Students will get
into groups and each person will pick a topic to

teacher will then instruct the students to get into

groups and the teacher will hand each group a sheet
with 4 topics. Teacher will instruct each group
member to pick a topic and research that topic.
Then teacher will give the students the website they
use to research on the board and go through the
website as a class using the projector, so the
students know how to navigate the website.
3. Teacher will display the project timeline on the
board and go over the timeline with the students as
a class. Teacher will also pass out a timeline sheet
to each group and instruct the group to fill it out as
they go along. The teacher will instruct one student
to be the record keeper who will hold the groups
sheets.
4. Teacher will pass out information sheet to each
student and instruct them to fill out this sheet for
their specific topic to write in all the information to
support the topic for funding. The information sheet
will be a scaffold to help the students research their
topic.
5. Teacher will pass out a daily sheet for each group.
Teacher will instruct the groups to assign someone
the role of press secretary who will be filling out the
daily work report for the group and turn it in to the
teacher. The press secretary will also be picking up
the previous days sheet with the feedback. Teacher
will instruct each group to assign a student to be the
panelist of the group who will be presenting the
argument to the government (the class). Teacher
will pass out the group work plan and have each
group fill it out.
6. Teacher will instruct each student to take their
research and present the information to their group.
Teacher will tell each group to vote on which topic
they want to be funded.
7. Then the teacher will instruct the groups to
prepare a presentation to take to the government
(the class) so that it can be voted on. The teacher
will instruct the students who do not have a role will
be making the presentation and gathering any
additional evidence. The rest of the students will
think of questions to ask and the other group
members will help their panelist answer any
questions.
8. Teacher will instruct the panelists to present their
argument to the government (the class). The
teacher will instruct the students to take notes on
each argument.

research on the laptops. Students will listen

attentively to the teacher and as she navigates the
website.

3. Students will look at the timeline and listen to the

teacher as she explains the timeline. Each group will
assign someone a record keeper to hold the group
sheets.

4. Students will each get an information sheet which

they will each fill out with the research of their topic.
Students will use the website that the teacher went
over in class to research their topic. They will gather
information that will support their argument that
their topic should be funded.
5. Students will look at the daily work report as a
group. The groups will assign a press secretary. The
groups will decide what the press secretary will write
on the daily sheet. The groups will also look at the
feedback that the teacher gives. They will assign a
student in their group to be the panelist who will
present the argument to the government (the class).
The group will fill out the group work plan.
6. Each student will take the information that they
gathered and they will present the information to
their group peers. The groups will then vote on
which topic they want to be funded.
7. Groups will present arguments in favor of funding
for their topic. They will make a power point
presentation. The students who do not have a role
will be making the presentation and gathering any
additional evidence. The rest of the students will
think of questions to ask and the other group
members will help their panelist answer any
questions.
8. Students will have each panelist in their group go
up and present their argument for their topic to be
funded. All the other students will be taking notes
while the panelists are presenting their arguments.

Lesson Closure
Time
Teacher Does
Student Does
9. Teacher will instruct the government (the class) to
vote on which topic their think should be funded and
9. The students will vote on which topic they think
which group presented the best argument. The
10 min
should be funded based on the arguments and also
teacher will tally the votes and announce the topic
which group gave the best argument for that topic.
that got funded and which group had the best
argument.
Instructional Materials, Equipment, and Multimedia
Projector, computer, class laptops, project handouts, research website http://mariana68.wix.com/genetics

Co-Teaching Strategies
One teach-one assist
Team teaching
DIFFERENTIATION
English Learners

Group work will help them

because they will be put in
group with others that are
proficient in English and
can help them through the
language of the project.

Striving Readers

The topic information sheet

will help scaffold the
information that is being
researched.
The website will help them
because they websites
used to research are
already previewed by the
teacher to make sure they
are appropriate enough for
the students to understand.

Students with Special

Needs
The group work will help
the SSN because they will
be able to interact with
their peers and if they have
any questions they can
always ask their group
members.

Advanced Students

The advanced students are

going to be able to add
more in depth information
to their topic. They will
also have to use other
acceptable websites to
gather more information.
This will challenge the
students to use their critical
thinking and research skills
to decode possible more
difficult text.

The project timeline will

help the student with
Aspergers because she
needs to know how much
time she has for each task
and what the task is for the
day. The group work will
also help with the social
skills.
REFLECTION: SUMMARY, RATIONALE, AND IMPLEMENTATION
This lesson I came way after the inquiry and the modeling lesson plans were made. We have past the cells unit
already, which is why I am making this lesson with genetics. This project was intended to be a great summative
assessment for the topic of advances in modern genetics. The goal is for the students to understand the different
advances in genetics that are being faced today in their generation. I start off with the warm up question that includes
the 4 topics that they will be researching so that I can get information about their prior knowledge on the topics. I will
be able to have a comparison for before and after they do their research. I go over the project before they actually
start because it will give them a sense of what the project is about and what they will be expected to do. I display the
directions on the board as a visual for the ELs. The students are put into groups of 4 because each student will
research one of 4 topics. The groups are already established from the last project and they include a mix of students in
order to help the ELs, SSNs, and striving readers with the project text and the research. I chose to go over the
website with the whole class so that they will know how to navigate it when it is time for them to research. I display
the timeline for the class and go over it because I want all the students to know where they are expected to be each
day in order to finish the project on time to present. I also hand out a timeline sheet to each group so that they will be
able to have their own copy and refer to it when they want to know where they should be. The website came from a
PBL lesson that I found on a website. We are only using the different resources that are given on the website for the
topics. I have the groups assign a member as press secretary and panelist because this will help the groups stay
organized. This is also the reason why I have the students fill out daily work report, so I can give them feedback on
what they did for the day and it will keep them on task so they do not fall behind. This will help the student with
Aspergers because she likes to have structure and a certain date to finish things so she does not fall behind. The rest
of the students without a role will be making the power point presentation and gathering any additional information so
that each member contributes to the project in some way. I have them each research a topic and then vote on which
one they want to fund amongst the groups so that they will know all their options before they decide which topic they
want to justify. The power point presentation will help the panelist with their argument, because the class will be able
to visualize what the panelist is saying. This will help the ELs with the language so they can look at the pictures and
text if they do not understand what is being said. Lastly, I have the students take notes so that they can have enough
information to vote on which topic they want to have funded and they will also be able to vote on which group gave
the best argument.
The topic information sheet
is scaffold to help them
research their topic. It
gives the information
outline of what they need
to look for in order to have
a good argument.