Unit Title: The Fourteenth Goldfish

Lesson Title: Science, Language Arts, and Morality

Curriculum Area (s):
Language Arts, Science
Grade Level: 5th grade
Time Required: 1-2 class
periods

Author: Betsy Lyle

Author Contact:
balyle9219@ung.edu
Instructional Groupings:

Are you using whole group, small group,

partners,
quads, homogeneous, heterogeneous?
Whole Class

Parts of Novel Study assignment addressed in this lesson:

Interdisciplinary Lesson
Standards: List the state standards that you are using in this unit/lesson.
Language Arts:
ELACC5W1: Text Types and Purposes: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts,
supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
Science:
S5CS8: Students will understand important features of the process of
scientific inquiry.
Objectives:
1. Students will explore scientific inquiry.
2. Students will consider the consequences of new discoveries.
3. Students will further develop their writing skills.
Materials:
Each student will need their copy of the class novel, as well as a writing
utensil and paper.
Overview: What is the purpose of the lesson?
The purpose of this lesson is to enhance writing skills while using the current
class novel to explore another discipline (science). This lesson incorporates
science and language arts to strengthen the students understanding of the
importance of writing and literacy in all fields. Students will also be writing
opinion pieces, which meets a standard as well as better equips students for
life situations they will face in which they will need to clearly and respectfully
present their case.
How will I differentiate? For readiness interest learning profile
affect/learning environment combination
Differentiation will be mainly based on student learning profile. Our first lesson
activity involves students describing what sorts of scientific inquiry Ellies
grandfather may have used to arrive at his discovery. Students may describe

this using words, a diagram, or another representation of the idea. For final
assessment, students will all write an essay (opinion piece), but scaffolds will
aid in accommodating student readiness. Students who need additional
support with science academic language may reference helpful posters on the
wall, as well as utilize BYOT or the teacher to ask questions.
As a result of this lesson/unit students will
Understand (big ideas, principles, generalizations, rules, the point of the discipline or
topic within
the discipline)

Students will understand that actions have consequences, and some of those
may be unexpected. Students will understand that writing in more contexts
than ELA classes.
Know (facts, vocabulary, howtos, information that can be memorized)
Students will know how to write an opinion piece with proper textual support.
Students will also know the main ideas of scientific inquiry.
Do (Skills) (thinking skills, skills of the disciplineskills you will assess)
Students will be able to define scientific inquiry and how it could have looked
for Ellies grandfather. Students will evaluate the consequences of the
discovery of T. melvinius.
PreAssessment How will you find out about where your students are at for this
lesson? What will
your preassessment look like?

The only part of this lesson that really needs a pre-assessment is the part that
covers scientific inquiry. Because this lesson is being taught in a Language
Arts classroom, the teacher will be familiar with the students background
knowledge and experience with ELA concepts. However, the teacher will need
to know what the students bring to class in terms of knowledge of scientific
inquiry. To gain this knowledge, the teacher will ask the students what they
know about the scientific process of inquiry as a checkpoint at the end of the
lesson immediately preceding this one. This is similar to a Ticket out the Door
activity, with students writing a 1-4 sentence summary of what they know
regarding scientific inquiry on a piece of paper to be given to the teacher.
Steps in the Lesson: Include ideas for wholeclass instructions, if any; differentiated
activities;
Sharing; , instructional strategies

1. When students have arrived to the classroom, the teacher will lead a

short discussion to remind students what they have discussed regarding

the novel so far. After this discussion, the teacher will introduce and
review the concept of scientific inquiry. The level of depth here will be

determined by the preassessment.

2. The first main activity requires students to consider the actions and

details provided in the novel about Ellies grandfather and his research.
Students will be expected to describe the process he may have used,
combining students knowledge of the novel as well as their knowledge
of scientific process. Students may present their work in various forms,
including a written statement, series of pictures with captions, graphic
organizer, etc. This is a participation grade.
3. After students have explored scientific inquiry in the previous activity,

students will write an opinion piece using their thoughts on scientific

inquiry and process to discuss the morality of the situation Ellies
grandfather faced. They may include their ideas on how the situation
could or should be handled. These will be assessed with the
accompanying rubric.
Closure Activity/Wrap up: This may be in the form of independent practice, a
chance to share, or
explicit restatement of the goals of the lesson.

To wrap up this lesson, students may choose to share their responses. The
teacher will use this opportunity as an informal check on students to ensure
that students grasp the main ideas. Students will share in a whole class
setting to give them a chance to voice their opinion pieces and explain their
ideas of the scientific inquiry process.
PostAssessment: How will you use this data to inform your next learning experience?
This lessons assessment will be accomplished through the grading of student
opinion pieces. Students will be assessed on conventions of standard English
that have been covered in class so far this year, as well as their ability to write
a respectful opinion piece. As the teacher reads these, they may note areas
that need to be addressed in the future. Thus, the assessment for this lesson
also serves as a post-assessment.
Additional Resources: Provide any websites or other resources you used.
If your activities are not original, you must provide your source.