Teacher: Rachel Valiquette Date: March 24th, 2017

School: Conrad Ball Middle School Grade Level: 6th grade Content Area: Earth Science
Title: Beneficial for What? Lesson #: 2 of

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson: (Write Content Standards directly from the standard)
Next Generation Science Standards:
MS-ESS3-1: Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earths mineral,
energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes.
MS-ESS3-3: Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the
environment.
MS-ESS3-4: Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita
consumption of natural resources impact Earths systems.
Common Core Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects Standards:
CCSS RST6-8.2: Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct
from prior knowledge or opinions.
CCSS WHST 6-8.1: Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.

Understandings: (Big Ideas)

1. Students will compare the different forms of renewable and nonrenewable energy. (Blooms analyze)
2. Students will discover the benefits of different forms of renewable and nonrenewable energy. (Blooms apply)
3. Students will hypothesize about the uses of technologies and how limitations on their use are driven by
individual and societal needs, desires and values. (Blooms create)
4. Students will discover that human activity draws on natural resources and has both short and long-term
consequences, both positive and negative, for the health of people and the natural environment. (Blooms apply)
5. Students will hypothesize about the effects of the human population and per-capita consumption of natural
resources on Earth. (Blooms create)
6. Students will demonstrate their abilities to complete self-paced research. (Blooms understand)
7. Students will show their ability to follow proper classroom behavior policies by using technology in an
appropriate manner. (Blooms understand)

Inquiry Questions: (Essential questions relating knowledge at end of the unit of instruction, select applicable
questions from standard)
1. What is the difference between renewable and nonrenewable energy?
2. How can your knowledge of energy sources help shape the future?
3. How are the limitations of different forms of technology driven by individual and social needs?
4. How can different technologies reduce the human impact on the environment?
5. What are the different regional factors that limit options for technology use?

Evidence Outcomes: (Learning Targets)

Every student will be able to: Discuss benefits and challenges related to global and local energy options related to
current events.
This means I can: Choose an alternative energy source that will provide minimal negative impact on Earths
atmosphere.

Planned Lesson Activities

Name and Beneficial for What?
Purpose of
Lesson The purpose of this lesson is to guide students through learning about the different natural
resources. It encompases various learning techniques such as research, speech writing, group
presentations, and listening skills. During todays lesson students will finish becoming an expert
on a natural resource of their choice. Students will then get into small groups with students who
chose the same natural resource as then. This small group will write a quick sales-pitch in
which they attempt to convince the audience that their natural resource is the best for Earths
environment. During the sales-pitches students will be writing down notes in their graphic
organizer.

Approx. Time Materials: students iPad, energy graphic organizer

and Materials
Approximate time:
0-5 minutes: Do Now
5-8 minutes: Agenda, Standard, and Learning Target
8-15 minutes: Natural Resource group collaboration
15-30 minutes: Small group sales pitch writing
30-54 minutes: Presentations

Anticipatory The students follow a routine each morning in which they answer a Do Now question. This
Set questions is typically a simple question in which students will have a variety of answers all
revolving around a similar idea. Using this routine helps students to make connections to what
they learned in the previous day and help them connect those ideas to what they will be learning
about in following lessons. For this Do Now, I will have the students answer the question,
Which alternative energy source has the greatest benefits for Earths environment? Why? I
came up with this question because I wanted to see how research has swayed the students to
lean towards a particular energy source. By knowing where the students are starting with the
information for the project, the easier it will be to help guide students through work and help them
choose a resource they are interested in learning about. They will complete this task in their Do
Now folder on their iPads. If a students does not have their iPad present in class, they are
expected to problem solve and use a paper and pencil.

Procedures Teacher Actions Student Actions

0-5 minutes: Do Now 0-5 minutes: The students are

During the first 5 mes of class I will have the students expected to complete their Do
complete a Do Now activity that they are used to seeing in Now on their iPad or on paper.
their everyday practice. This Do Now question will involve
students answering the question, Which alternative energy
source has the greatest benefits for Earths environment?
Why? The Do Now will be displayed on the projector and
will also be available in a folder that students can locate on
their iPads. After I have assessed that the students have
completed the Do Now, I will ask some of the students to
share out their answers and we will have an open discussion
about them as a class. I like to give the students an
opportunity to jot down thoughts that they have in regards to
the prompt and then see them make those clarifying
connections when we hold the class discussion.
Check for understanding - Ask some of the students to share
their answers for the Do Now question on molecules.
(Intrapersonal, interpersonal, verbal/linguistic, visual/spatial)

5-8 minutes: Agenda, Standard, and Learning Target 5-8 minutes: The students are
I will explain to the students the agenda for the day. The expected to listen to the daily
agenda will be as follows: plan and to ask questions.
Complete the Do Now activity which asks the
question, Which alternative energy source has the
most benefits for Earths environment? Why?
Discuss the learning target for the day which will be,
Every student will be able to: Discuss benefits and
challenges related to global and local energy options
related to current events. Which means I can:
Choose an alternative energy source that will provide
minimal negative impact on Earths atmosphere.
Natural Resource group collaboration in which
students will work with other students who chose the
same resource they did to compare benefits
Small group sales pitch writing. I will give students
time to break up into 2-3 person groups within their
natural resource group to write a short sales pitch in
which they will state their name, which resource they
chose, and list various benefits in an attempt to sway
the audience towards their choice
Presentations
CER writing
It is important that I show the students what the assignment
looks like and the important steps they need to remember in
order to prevent taking too much time with individual
students to clarify the procedure.
(verbal/linguistic)

8-15 minutes: Natural Resource group collaboration 8-15 minutes: The students will
During the natural resource group collaboration, students will be put into groups based on their
work with a group that chose their same natural resource to natural resource selection and
bounce ideas off of each other and help their fellow group bounce ideas off of one another
mates add to their benefits section. I am hoping this will give to make sure they are all
the opportunity for students who were slower in their experts on that natural
research to benefit from the students who excel in research resource.
by sharing information. I also hope that it will help create
solid benefits, over simply stating facts.
 Check for understanding within the group
(verbal/linguistic, interpersonal)

15-30 minutes: Small group sales pitch writing 15-30 minutes: Within their
During the sales pitch writing, students will get into groups natural resource group, students
of 2-3 within their natural resource group and write a pitch to will split into small groups in
sell the other class on their natural resource. They will utilize which they will write a short
the benefits they wrote in their graphic organizer. Having the sales-pitch. Students are
students write out their speech will give them an opportunity expected to all be participating in
to practice writing skills as well as literacy skills. Having a the speech writing as well as the
written speech will also take away from the amount of presentation.
students who will simply read what they have written on their
graphic organizer.
Check for understanding:
(verbal/linguistic, visual/spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal)

30-54 minutes: Presentations 30-54 minutes: Students are

I chose to have the students present their findings in small expected to participate in their
groups to ensure that each student feels comfortable and is groups presentation as well as
working at a level appropriate to their understanding. During take notes in their graphic
the presentations, students will be working on their graphic organizer on other natural
organizer and filling in the section that is being presented on. resources.
Students are supposedly experts on a natural resource in
which they will present to the other students. The
presentation will help students with their verbal skills as well
as presentation techniques. Presentations also allow
students to teach other students. When you are able to teach
someone else, it reinforces the information.
(verbal/linguistic, visual/spatial, interpersonal)

Closure The closure of todays lesson will be a class discussion of natural resources. I will encourage
students to share with their table partners as well as with the class what they found interesting
about natural resources or which resource they have chosen to become an expert in. By
concluding the class in this way, I believe that it will help students who have not come up with
ideas yet to build off of other students ideas and research.

Differentiation Do Now: During the Do Now, students are allowed to use their notes to answer the prompt.
There are several modes of accessing the daily prompt, such as it is projected on the screen as
well as accessible through their iPads. The students are also encouraged to answer the prompt
using whatever creative outlet they choose.

Self-Paced Research: The research students will be conducting in this class provides various
modes of differentiation. The students are given the choice to choose which natural resource they
wish to become an expert in. Students are also given various resources to complete their
research which they can choose from or find their own.

Presentation techniques
Assessment Do Now: The Do Now is a basic post-lesson assessment that students complete each morning
to help their understanding of prior knowledge and how they can connect that knowledge to the
days lesson.

Checks for Understanding X3: Throughout the lesson I check in on the students understanding of
the content and assignment and expectations for the day in order to guide each student
individually, or as a whole group, towards what is best for their learning progression.