Kylie Morris

November 11, 2018

High School Biology Lesson Example Lesson Plan

Colorado Academic Standards: High School Science

Standard 2: Life Science
Prepared Graduates: Explain and illustrate with examples how living systems interact with the biotic
and abiotic environment.
Concept 1: Matter tends to be cycled within an ecosystem, while energy is transformed and eventually
exits an ecosystem.
Evidence Outcome c. Analyze and interpret data from experiments on ecosystems where matter such
as fertilizer has been added or withdrawn such as through drought (DOK 1-3)

2. Objective(s): In one class period, students will model the eutrophication process by creating a
diagram using relevant vocabulary.

3. Learning Target(s):
I can explain how oxygen is cycled in large bodies of water.
I can identify how fertilizers and other pollutants have an impact on local aquatic ecology.
4. Assessment:
Formative: Student eutrophication diagrams, and responses in small groups and whole class regarding
carbon cycles and eutrophication process.

5. Materials:
Anticipatory video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LAT1gLMPu4
Post-it notes (5 per student) yellow for anticipatory set
1 pack of markers per table.
4 BLUE sticky notes per student for “art walk”.
4 sections of butcher paper, approximately 2’x 2’

6. Essential Questions:
In what ways do your think agricultural fertilizers affect marine environments?
What can “dead zones” tell us about human impacts on our environment?
7. Introduction/Anticipatory Set:
Eutrophication Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LAT1gLMPu4
Sticky notes at each students’ desk. Instructions verbal and on the board to write 5 main words related
to eutrophication from the video on each sticky note. (5 minutes including video)

8. Step-by-Step Process
Teacher guided: Explain that our goal is to explore eutrophication. See Introduction/Anticipatory Set.
(5 minutes)
Direct Teacher Instruction: Remind students of previous lesson in carbon cycle, they can open their
resources. To understand eutrophication, let’s go back and identify the major components of the carbon
cycle. Guide students to open resources and talk in table groups to identify and write down a simple
carbon cycle diagram in your science notebooks for today. (10 minutes)

Example of basic carbon cycle

Teacher Instruction/Guided
(Formative Assessment): Ask
students to name some of the
components of the carbon cycle and
write the list of words on the board.
Follow up with students on why
they chose that vocabulary as the
teacher uses the vocabulary and
descriptors to create a diagram. Ask
students to check their diagram with
the one created on the board and add
any changes if needed. (5 minutes)

Small Student Groups (21st

Century Skills): Students work
with their “music” partners that
were formed in the beginning of the
semester (in their notebooks) and use the sticky notes that they created at the beginning of class. Using
a sheet of butcher paper provided, students create a diagram for eutrophication using the sticky notes
and any vocabulary that may be missing. Use images and lines with arrows. (20 minutes including
transition time into groups)
Approximate example (depth/scope) of student diagrams:

Transition: Students clean up markers and post their diagrams along the walls. Clean areas, and ready
to go except with pencil/writing implement. (2 minutes)
Whole Class (Formative Assessment): Students independently visit each poster “art walk” style using
blue sticky notes to ask questions and make comments on each diagram. (5 minutes)
CLOSURE: When students are done, return to their poster and answer 1-3 questions posted on your
models as a group, writing the question and group responses science notebooks. (5 minutes)
*next class period: Using elbow partners, discuss 1 question and answer from your eutrophication
models. Read and interpret data and graphs relating to eutrophication in various bodies of water.