CycleXActivity1+Materials

Here are two options: Option#1: Here is a link to a "Google doc" which can be edited, changed, etc, and the newest version is always there.

Cycle X instructor materials

Option #2: Link to Microsoft Word document



Option#3: I simply copy and pasted the Microsoft Word file here. You can edit within Wiki, but would need to copy and pasted back to Word. It works fairly well.

**Cycle X – How do living things grow?** Activity 1 – How do living and non-living things differ on a microscopic level? One of the big ideas in the curriculum is for students to develop a model for classifying living, once living and non-living matter. In cycle 1, students generated a list of characteristics of life. In this activity students should discover that cellular composition is one of those characteristics. Establishing that living things are made of cells will help students throughout this cycle develop an understanding for how living things grow. This activity has two goals – a skill and a concept. They should learn the skill of using a microscope. By the end of the activity, they should add the idea that living and once-living matter is composed of cells to their list of characteristics of life. The activity has students re-visit their initial ideas about characteristics of life. Student initial ideas are drawn out by prompting them to sketch what they think a cell looks like. Instructors will gain valuable insight into students’ pre-conceptions. Students then observe slide of living/once-living/non-living matter under microscopes. Students should use their observations as evidence to revise their list of characteristics of living things to include cells. A characteristic of living things is that they are made up of cells.
 * Background Information **
 * Rationale**
 * Target Ideas**

Students recognize there are common traits of living things, but rarely include cells as one of those characteristics. **Initial Ideas 1 (time)** //Individual –// Initially students will write down a new list of characteristics of life. G//roup// – Students should discuss in small groups their lists, and compile into one list of characteristics of life. Have each group record on a whiteboard. //Small group discussion.// During this discussion, you should refrain from giving suggestions or making corrections. Use this time to learn about what the students are thinking and to question the rationale for their choices. Use questioning to encourage students to be thoughtful in their choices (e.g. Why did you choose to include DNA in your list? What evidence do you have for its inclusion?), rather than developing complete list. Whiteboarded lists should be saved for presentations at the end of Activity 1. **Initial Ideas 2 (time)** //Individual –//Students read about a cell, then diagram their initial ideas of what a cell looks like. Ask students clarifying questions about why they’ve drawn the cell as they did, but refrain from making corrections. Allow sufficient time for students to give thorough responses (5 minutes). This will be very interesting and useful for you as an instructor to guide your future discussions.
 * Common student ideas**
 * Implementation (tips, tricks, potential pitfalls & timesavers) **

**Collecting and Interpreting Evidence** Each group will prepare four example slides, and observe seven different examples of living/non-living/once living matter. **Add notes on preparing slides tips/tricks?** As students are making observations, they should begin by engaging their prior knowledge to classify matter as living or non-living (i.e. Elodea is a plant, therefore living). As an instructor be sure that they include an observation for presence/non-presence of cells. They should develop a pattern that living material is composed of cells while non-living material is not. As they move through the slides, they may have difficulty classifying cork or onion skin as “once-living.” Encourage them to use the previous observations of cell presence/non-presence to reach a conclusion. Question 1 should re-state the cells vs. no cells characteristic. Question 2 allows students to reflect upon numerous observations. Possible responses could be, “The cells in the living matter exhibited traits of life – green, plump (turgid), full of liquid. The cell of once-living matter appeared less alive – dried up, shriveled, etc.” It is not important for students to develop a definitive list at this point, it will be addressed later in the cycle. **Summarizing Questions** Question S1 asks students to think about how they developed their new understanding. Class Discussion - You should be sure that they are using evidence to back up any revisions to their list. Question S2 – students should cite a specific example (e.g. Elodea slide) as evidence that living organisms can be made of multiple cells. Question S3 - students should cite a specific example (e.g. Euglena slide) as evidence that living organisms can be made of single cells.

Activity 2 – How do cells perform the functions of life? In activity 1, students refined their Cycle 1 list of characteristics of living things, and recognized that those characteristics may be performed within a single cell. In this activity students should solidify their understanding that a single-celled organism has structures and functions that yield the characteristics of living things. Secondarily, this activity introduces scientists’ ideas about functions of living things so that students can ensure their list of characteristics is complete. This activity has the goal of establishing a connection between function and structure. It is not necessary that students recognize individual structures even thought the curriculum
 * Background Information **
 * Rationale**

Characteristics of life are created by cellular functions carried out by specific structures. Students do not include cells as a characteristic of living things. Students will not know that the functions of life can be carried out by a single cell. Students will not recognize that the characteristics of life (larger organism) are occur within a cell. **Initial Ideas 1 (time)** //Individual –// Initially students will answer questions about whether the characteristics of life could exist in a single cell. At this point, the instructor should assess whether students believe there are characteristics of life which are not carried out by cells. **Initial Ideas 2 (time)** //Individual –// Students are asked to begin connecting function with structure within a cell. G//roup discussion// – Allow students to develop their own creative models. Ask questions to ensure that students are creating pieces of the analogy to carry out every one of their characteristics of living things. For example, “How does your kitchen analogy include a requirement to grow and reproduce?” As a facilitator you want each group to create a robust analogy that includes a structure for each and every characteristic on their list. If they are missing a characteristic, let it go for now, and bring it up during whole class discussion. //Whole class.// During this discussion, you should refrain from giving suggestions or making corrections. If students do not provide evidence, logic or reason for their choices, press them to provide it. **Experiment 1 (time)** The instructor should introduce the list of functions as - essential processes in order for a cell to be alive. The point of this exercise is twofold: It forces students to match an organism-scale characteristic to a cellular level function, and secondarily it probes how comprehensive the students’ lists of characteristics of life are. The first question afterwards should catch incongruencies between their list and functions. The second question should get students think about specific structures within a cell. You may wish to remind them of their observations of cells under a microscope in activity 1, but the next activity will raise the issue directly. (i.e. “When you looked at the Elodea cells, were they uniform or did it seem to be made up of smaller pieces?”) **Experiment 2** There are two goals within this experiment: 1) For students to observe individual structures within a cell perform specific functions. 2) For students to recognize structural patterns in cells between different types of organisms (i.e. plants cells are brick-like whereas animal cells are rounded). Summarizing Question 1. Allow students to respond individually. You should informally gather ideas to address in upcoming discussion. //Class discussion//. Focus the discussion on the main idea – structures within the cell have specific functions. Do not get lost in particulars of the cell. Be sure to address the observation that choloroplasts do not exist in all of the cells, so photosynthesis is not an essential characteristic of living things.
 * Target Ideas**
 * Common student ideas**
 * Implementation (tips, tricks, potential pitfalls & timesavers) **

**Add notes on preparing slides tips/tricks?** As students are making observations, they should begin by engaging their prior knowledge to classify matter as living or non-living (i.e. Elodea is a plant, therefore living). As an instructor be sure that they include an observation for presence/non-presence of cells. They should develop a pattern that living material is composed of cells while non-living material is not. As they move through the slides, they may have difficulty classifying cork or onion skin as “once-living.” Encourage them to use the previous observations of cell presence/non-presence to reach a conclusion. Question 1 should re-state the cells vs. no cells characteristic. Question 2 allows students to reflect upon numerous observations. Possible responses could be, “The cells in the living matter exhibited traits of life – green, plump (turgid), full of liquid. The cell of once-living matter appeared less alive – dried up, shriveled, etc.” It is not important for students to develop a definitive list at this point, it will be addressed later in the cycle. **Summarizing Questions** Question S1 asks students to think about how they developed their new understanding. Class Discussion - You should be sure that they are using evidence to back up any revisions to their list. Question S2 – students should cite a specific example (e.g. Elodea slide) as evidence that living organisms can be made of multiple cells. Question S3 - students should cite a specific example (e.g. Euglena slide) as evidence that living organisms can be made of single cells.

**Schedule** **Equipment List** - letter E - silt/sand - nylon thread - cork || X || ||  ||  ||  ||
 * Management **
 * || Act 1 || Act 2 || Act 3 || Exp 1 || Exp 2 ||
 * Whiteboards (2’ by 2’), 1 per group || X || ||  ||  ||  ||
 * Dry Erase markers (at least one per group) || X || ||  ||  ||  ||
 * Euglena || X || ||  ||  ||  ||
 * Elodea leaf || X || ||  ||  ||  ||
 * Onion skin || X || ||  ||  ||  ||
 * Microscopes – 1 per group || X || ||  ||  ||  ||
 * Glass slides – 4 slides per group || X || ||  ||  ||  ||
 * Cover slips – 4 per group || X || ||  ||  ||  ||
 * Eyedroppers – 1 per group || X || ||  ||  ||  ||
 * Prepared slides (– 1 set per group)
 * Water for slide preparation || X || ||  ||  ||  ||
 * DetainTM || X || ||  ||  ||  ||
 * Iodine solution (3% is common) || X || ||  ||  ||  ||
 * Methylene blue || X || ||  ||  ||  ||


 * Resources **
 * Homework, answer guides, student homework sheets** (to turn in)

Activity 2. Experiment 1.

The purpose of this activity is two-fold: Students may identify missing pieces from their list of characteristics of living thing
 * Students will see the functions of cells, and identify that a cell must complete those functions in order to be considered alive