Computational Thinking Lesson Plan

Grade: 9th Grade

Time Duration: 2 days
Overall Goal: The overall goal of our lesson is to help students understand computational
thinking in regards to pattern recognition. Computational thinking consists of ways to solve
different problems by breaking it down to a simpler form, focusing on a single element at a time,
learning through step-by -step procedures, and using past experience and knowledge to make
inferences about future scenarios. All these problem solving skills can come together to help
students have a new take on what they learn in the classroom.
As we delve into specifically the pattern recognition aspect of computational
thinking,students will participate in an activity about identifying how different animals live in
certain habitats and climates around the world. We will begin the lesson by posing questions to
them about specifically finding patterns among things, and help students to get a feel for
identifying patterns through the topic of biodiversity. This will help the student to grow
knowledge and better understanding about pattern recognition, and can hep with various events
throughout life in the real world. We will show an animated video about the three main divisions
of biodiversity and how different animals belong to different kind of climates and habitats. This
will help them practice their pattern recognition skills through the videa before stepping into the
full lesson and activity. Throughout these introductory activities, the students will be taking notes
on patterns they see across species and habitat as they watch the video and we discuss in class
afterwards.
Following this introductory activity, the main activity of the lesson will be a biodiversity
Jeopardy game and an Animal Matching game. After completing this game, the students should
feel prepared to identify which animals live in which habitats based on the the features they
share with animals similar to them and identifying those patterns across species. Learning about
different habitats around the world and learning about adaptations animals face to survive is a
very important topic for students to take from in an educational biology setting.

Standards Learning Objective Assessment

 WG.3.3 ● Students will be able to
Describe the world patterns identify different forms of
of natural vegetation and biodiversity that are
biodiversity and their natural to niche
relations to world climate ecosystems
patterns ● Students will be able to
understand why certain
plants and animals
can/cannot survive in
other ecosystems
● Students will be able to
recognize patterns
between multiple species
and ecosystems
-We will assess
students by having
them pick one of
their favorite animals
and have them
describe their
habitats in a short
essay. Then we will
have the students
discuss patterns
amongst their
respective animals

Key Terms & Definitions: Commented [1]: This should be significantly expanded
Pattern Recognition: finding regularities across data from several locations, on (for future lessons). What are the different
ecosystems? What are the environmental factors at
communities, cultures, ethnicities, age groups, etc. play in the different ecosystems? etc.
Biodiversity: the animal and plant life in a habitat or ecosystem. Certain
biodiversity are incapable of living in certain ecosystems.
Ecosystem: the community, climate, and habitat that certain biodiversity live in,
and how they interact with one another

Lesson Introduction (Hook, Grabber):

To begin the lesson, we will show the students a short video
(https://youtu.be/iR2AyybowPcabout ) what biodiversity is on a large scale and how biodiversity
interacts with its ecosystems. Then, after they have seen the video, they will discuss with their
small group what ecosystems they know about and what animals and plants in these
ecosystems. We will then introduce the idea that certain biodiversity can only survive in certain
ecosystems. With this topic in mind we will ask the students to identify patterns amongst
biodiversity in a particular ecosystem by giving them a list of animals that live in niche
ecosystems (i.e. Penguin to the tundra) and have them write down what common traits these
animals have in common. We will instruct them to make changes or add patterns they see
throughout the lesson as they learn more about what biodiversity is and why it is important.

Lesson Main:
To start off the activities, we will provide the students with two stations, an online jeopardy game
and a matching game, that they will each spend half of their time on. Both of the stations provide
different ways to learn and will give students who like testing their knowledge in a fast paced and
trivial way and students who like a more slower paced and hands on learning style a chance to
reinforce their strengths and work on their weaknesses. It will also help students be more
acclimated to an online way of assessment, as well as a more traditional way of assessment.

The first station will be a biology “Jeopardy game”, relating to biodiversity, habitat, and different
types of species. This will be an online game where we will give the students a URL
(https://jeopardylabs.com/edit2/6532098). This will be an engaging activity because it will give
students the opportunity to test their knowledge in a fun way and give them a little competition
amongst their peers. The way this game works is by having the students log onto a device, and
use the URL to get into the game. They will then click on the topic they want and answer the
question until they have completed all of the questions.

The second station will be a matching game which will be more “hands on” for students that do
not particularly like learning through online sources, and prefer something that they can
physically hold. The way this matching game works is by having all of the pictures and answers
facing up, and the students will then pair the correct picture of an animal or ecosystem with the
correct definition of where the animal or ecosystem is or lives. Once the students are playing the
games and obtaining the information, they will then switch stations and learn both through online
and through a paper game. This will insure that they have a full understanding of the material,
and that they can learn in more ways than one. The activities are also great for students to be
fully engaged and not be entirely bored while learning, especially at a high school level.

Lesson Ending:
To wrap up this lesson, we will provide students paper, and instruct them to choose an animal of
any kind, and describe the animals habitat, and why they live and survive in the area that is native
to them. The students will use the Ipads as a resource to search the appropriate animal they
decide to choose. It will be an animal that they have learned about before, so a list will be
provided. The students will then write their animal and their reasoning on the paper, which will
lead us into a group discussion. This will help us know and understand that the student
completed the task correctly and understood the material. Once everyone has presented, we will
allow any questions between the students to ask their peers and us as the leaders. We will have
them identify pattern recognition, and we will all discuss the outcome of these patterns as a
group.

Assessment Rubric:
Great Average Poor
 Biodiversity life Student is able to identify all
forms and niche life forms that are specific to
niche ecosystems in the
ecosystems different stations created to
assess their knowledge
Student is able to identify
some of the life forms
that are specific to niche
ecosystems in the
different stations created
to assess their
knowledge
Student is able to identify
few or none of the life
forms that are specific to
niche ecosystems in the
different stations created
to assess their
knowledge

Biodiversity Student demonstrates strong Student demonstrates Student demonstrates

ability to live in understanding of why or why
not a certain biodiversity is
certain capable of living in specific
ecosystems ecosystems
some understanding of
why or why not a certain
biodiversity is capable of
living in specific
ecosystems
little to no understanding
of why or why not a
certain biodiversity is
capable of living in
specific ecosystems

Recognizing Student correctly identifies Student correctly Student does not

patterns patterns in certain species’
ability to live in niche
amongst climates and habitats and
biodiversity what those patterns mean
identifies some patterns
in certain species’ ability
to live in niche climates
and habitats and has
some understanding
what those patterns
mean
correctly identify patterns
in certain species’ ability
to live in niche climates
and habitats and has little
to no understanding what
those patterns mean

Computational Student demonstrates full Student demonstrates Student does not

Thinking understanding of how the
lesson relates to
Relation computational thinking,
specifically pattern
recognition
partial understanding of
how the lesson relates to
computational thinking,
specifically pattern
recognition
demonstrate
understanding of how the
lesson relates to
computational thinking,
specifically pattern
recognition

Resources / Artifacts:
Our Biodiversity Jeopardy Game:
https://www.playfactile.com/biodiversityjeopardygame/play

Intro video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK_vRtHJZu4
Commented [2]: This looks good! For the final PBL
lesson, be working on expanding on these resources -
Screencast: for everyone. Full credit for one person would be
https://youtu.be/CU6qJNcsMmo creating a game/activity and a screencast of how to
deliver it in the lesson. Think about creating demo
assignments / example presentations with screencasts
Matching game: of how to deliver them / websites that walk you through
the entire lesson, etc. This is worth 60 points total (so
https://1drv.ms/p/s!Auu3pMGNV18ag2izqSuzrmRcJbZc 6 class preps / 6 badges) - so this should be significant
work. Keep this in mind for the PBL lesson!
Differentiation:

1. Differentiation for ability levels

High ability learners, low ability learners.
This type of activity will be a great introduction for all kinds of ability learners. It is a concept that
can be developed for kids who need time to take lessons slower because it is more of a
basic/introductory approach; yet, it is still fundamental and required for high-skilled learners to
grasp a basic knowledge on biodiversity. The activity of the Jeopardy game helps because low
ability learners can pick the lower numbers for slightly easier questions, but still have the option
to challenge themselves by picking a higher-valued question if they choose to do so.

2. Differentiation for demographics

Gender, race, culture, and/or sexual identity
Learning about all different aspects of animal life and diversity across habitats is a global topic. It
incorporates the Earth in its entirety, which spans across all countries and races and cultures.
Everything about this lesson is kept at a gender neutral state. It discusses biological relations,
and that does not affect whether the learner is male, female, or transgender. Sexual identity is
also unphased since this is basic science of the species and habitats of the globe, and anyone of
any sexual identity or gender or race can feel included in this lesson and take the material for
what it is.

3. Differentiation for languages

ESL, EFL, ENL
This lesson does not include a variety of different languages outside of English. If need be,
students who are not familiar with the English language can be given translating sheets or
devices so that they can get as great of an opportunity as possible to learn about biodiversity and
animals along with their classmates

4. Differentiation for access & resources

Computers, Internet connection, and/or Wifi access
With the video and the Jeopardy game, students will need a sufficient internet connection to be
able to access and function the Jeopardy game on their personal devices. If a classroom
happened to not have students with individual devices, the activity could still be playable, but it
would become an entire class-hands on group activity. Each student could then go around and
pick their category and question and go from there. It would be less beneficial to the student’s
overall grasp of the concept, but it would still work under those circumstances.

Anticipated Difficulties:
Certain difficulties that students may endure throughout the lesson may be having trouble
identifying where certain species reside, what they eat, and why they have to live in the
environment that they live in right away. This may be tricky, but manageable for secondary
students to work through. The focus is to use common knowledge and to form common sense of
where, what, and why animals live in the habitats that they do. Certain ways that we will be able
to overcome these challenges is by creating a matching game that will have many options and
opportunities to try over and over again until the objective is met.