SINGLE SUBJECT CREDENTIAL PROGRAM

EDSC LESSON PLAN

Name
Jason Unger
Class Title
Biology

CWID

Subject Area

800460404
Lesson Title
Epistemic inquiry:
Greenhouse Effect digital
lab

Science
Unit Title
Ecology

Grade Levels
10

Total Minutes
38

CLASS DESCRIPTION
This lesson is given to a single student, Fernando, who is an ELL of Hispanic heritage.
If this lesson was given to the entire class, class description would be as follows:

Aliso Niguel High School significant student racial demographics are 60% white, 16% Hispanic or Latino, and
12% Asian.

In the sixth period Biology class, there are three ELs, one of whom is also one of four SSNs.

Seating arrangement in this class is 28 students arranged in seven table-units of four students.
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
1.A.1. Exchanging information and ideas with others
through oral collaborative discussions on a range of social
and academic topics.
1.A.3. Offering and justifying opinions, negotiating with
and persuading others in communicative exchanges.
1.A.4. Adapting language choices to various contexts
HS-LS4-6. Create or revise a simulation to test a solution
(based on task, purpose, audience, and text type).
to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on
1.B.6. Reading closely literary and informational texts
biodiversity.
and viewing multimedia to determine how meaning is
conveyed explicitly and implicitly through language.
1.C.10. Writing literary and informational texts to
present, describe, and explain ideas and information,
using appropriate technology
2.B. Expanding and enriching ideas
Lesson Objective(s)
Evidence
This lesson is an inquiry epistemic practice. The key
points are the historical timeline of the greenhouse effect,
Engage student in epistemic inquiry through KQHL based
the effect that gas layers have on the retention of infrared
upon video and internet research, then have the student
photons, and what molecules do and do not divert
apply the scientific method to describe the experiment
infrared photons. The student composing a research
that was conducted with the Greenhouse Effect digital
question, hypothesis, experimental design and materials,
lab.
recording data and results, and drawing a conclusion from
each of the three simulations will provide evidence.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT
Purpose/Focus of
Type
Implementation
Feedback Strategy
How Informs Teaching
Assessment
Establishes a baseline
Make a brief introductory Answer any questions
with a video that
Introduce student to the
statement and play
about the KQHL activity
provides many visuals
EL
KQHL activity and the
video that displays the
and the greenhouse
and clearly explains the
greenhouse effect.
greenhouse effect.
effect.
concept of the
greenhouse effect.
PM
Student participates in
Guide student through
Answer questions that
Observing student
epistemic inquiry and
an introduction to the
the student has about
engage in designing an
treats the greenhouse
greenhouse gas
what can be controlled
experiment based on the
gas simulation as an
simulation lab. Describe
and what is being
simulation reveals what
experiment designed to
all the independent
recorded.
the student does or does
test the effect of
variables that can be
not know about the
greenhouse gas
controlled by the student
scientific method. The
concentration on the
and point out what
topic may need to be
temperature.
information can be
reviewed further.
recorded as a dependent
variable. Relate them as
potential cause and

effect.

Student reflects on what

was learned by
completing the L portion
of the KQHL

After completion of the

experimental design
based on the greenhouse
gas simulation, student
is complimented and
directed to the L portion
of the KQHL.

Give student time to ask

any additional questions.

Allows assessment of
what the student learned
from the lesson and what
may need further
attention.

INSTRUCTION
Instructional Strategies
Inquiry epistemic practice,
Lesson Introduction/Anticipatory Set
Time
Teacher Does

Introduces student to epistemic inquiry and the

KQHL method. Shows student a Q and A sheet
that explains what KQHL is, what to expect about
4 min
future applications, and what to do if there are
questions about the process.

Show student the greenhouse effect video.

Lesson Body
Time
Teacher Does

30 min

Instructs student to complete the Know portion

of the KQHL front page.
Instructs student to go to the evidence section of
the NASA global climate change site and conduct
research. Explain that the Q section will be three
questions they have, each from a different
evidence category. Teacher then explains that
the H section will be an ifthen statement
that correlates with one or more of the questions.
Explains that the L section will be the final task in
the lab procedure.
Directs student to the Greenhouse Effect virtual
lab. Go over the format of the inquiry lab sheet
and explain how the student will proceed with
the virtual lab.

Student Does
Student reads the Q and A to get an introduction
to the KQHL method. Any questions are clarified.
Student watches instructional video from HHMI
website for an introduction to what effects
different gasses have on infrared photons that
are reflected from the surface of the Earth.
Student Does
Student puts together prior knowledge and what
was learned from the greenhouse effect video to
complete the Know portion of the KQHL front
page.
Student will think of three research questions
based on what is noticed from research in the
students choice of three different evidence
categories. These will be written in the Q section.
Student will form a hypothesis about the effects
that greenhouse gasses are having. This will be
written in the H section.
With some guidance by the teacher, the student
explores the frequency at which infrared
radiation is deflected when greenhouse gas
concentration is manipulated, going from the
low to lots levels. The student may refer to
three positions on the greenhouse gas
composition scale that replicate the gas
concentrations during the ice age, the year 1750,
and today. The greenhouse gas concentration is
to be treated as the cause. The effect is observed
as variation in temperature. The student may
also manipulate the number of clouds in the
atmosphere, and observe the change in the
occurrence of infrared radiation deflection
change in temperature.

Lesson Closure
Time
Teacher Does
Student Does

Directs student back to the KQHL chart to

Completes the L section of the KQHL chart with

4 min
complete the L section with things learned during
things learned during the lesson.
the lesson.
Instructional Materials, Equipment, and Multimedia
KQHL/experimental design handout, HHMI greenhouse effect video (https://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/greenhouseeffect#video-7b9676a4-5f24-4837-9aaf-9352eed43c1e), NASA global climate change webpage
(http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/), PhET the Greenhouse Effect interactive simulation
(https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/greenhouse).
DIFFERENTIATION
English Learners
Striving Readers
Students with Special
Advanced Students
Needs
The introductory video
The Greenhouse Effect
This digital lab can be
They can put additional
gives visuals to correspond
digital lab does not require
accessed from home. SSNs
effort into the experimental
with the audible
reading paragraphs of text.
who need additional time
design and be more
information.
The striving readers will be
can complete the
detailed. There are two

in control of manipulating
the scenario and seeing
additional parts to the
immediate feedback, rather experimental design at
simulation that advanced
than having to read text
home.
students can explore if they
and research to investigate
finish early.
cause and effect.
REFLECTION: SUMMARY, RATIONALE, AND IMPLEMENTATION
Executed in the classroom (without the time restraints of taking a student to the library and setting up a video
camera), this lesson would take 46 minutes. The added time would be valuable for allowing advanced students to
refine the experimental design and explore the additional simulations in the Greenhouse Effect digital lab. It would also
extend the time the teacher could spend with ELs, striving readers, and SSNs to make the expectations clear and
resolve any misunderstandings.
The strategy for this lesson is indirect instruction. The web tools are put together in a sequence that builds a
foundation for the experimental design activity. A variety of text formats makes this lesson more comprehensible for
those who may have difficulty getting all of the information from written text. The teacher incorporates more questions
than answers into the short lecture portions, and leaves it to students to attempt to find answers through their
research on the NASA site and experimentation with the Greenhouse Effect digital lab.