Inquiry Based Lesson Plan

Teachers: Abigail Vogt Subject: Biology 10th Grade

Standard:

Strand 1: Inquiry Process

Inquiry Process establishes the basis for students learning in science. Students use scientific
processes: questioning, planning and conducting investigations, using appropriate tools and
techniques to gather data, thinking critically and logically about relationships between evidence
and explanations, and communicating results.

Strand 4: Life Science

Life Science expands students biological understanding of life by focusing on the characteristics
of living things, the diversity of life, and how organisms and populations change over time in
terms of biological adaptation and genetics. This understanding includes the relationship of
structures to their functions and life cycles, interrelationships of matter and energy in living
organisms, and the interactions of living organisms with their environment.

Objective (Explicit):

SWD their understanding of where plants get their food by investigating the myth of soil
consumption through experimentation and recognizing that soil is neither added nor subtracted
before, after or during plant growth.

Evidence of Mastery (Measurable):

Mini lab- report containing all of the following:
- Introduction: Include your prelab observations, information on equipment used (types of seeds). This is where

your hypothesis is written. The hypothesis should be written as an "if..then" statement that attempts to answer

the question about whether plants actually consume soil as they grow.
- Experimental Design: Describe your experiment. Make sure your design can answer the following questions:
~ How will you tell if the plant(s) have actually consumed the soil?
~ Do you have a control? What is the purpose of the control?
- Results: Record data over the period of time you observed your plants. Data may include observations of the
plant's growth as well as measurements of soil and plant weight, or height of the plant. Good scientists record

data very carefully and often organize information into charts and graphs.
- Conclusions: Here is where you actually answer the question: Did the plants consume the soil? Use your data

to support your statements. Remember to write in complete sentences. For example, you would say "plants do
/do not consume soil ..... I know this because... ". Do not recopy your entire data here, but do use observations
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and data to support your final answer to the question.

Sub-objectives, SWBAT (Sequenced from basic to complex):

Create a hypothesis answering the question, Do plants consume soil for food?
SAY: Plants do/ do not consume soil as food.
Discuss in a group the basic nutrients a plant need to survive and grow.
SAY: The basic nutrients a plant needs to survive and grow is water, carbon dioxide, soil
(nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and sunlight.
Consult with lab partner to design an experiment that will disprove the idea that plants obtain
their food from the soil.
SAY: The experiment will be set up so that the soil can be weighed after the plant has grown to see
if any soil was lost or consumed during plant growth. (will vary from student to student)
Analyze results from experiment and provide support for a possible answer to the initial question
of the experiment using results.
SAY: The plant does/ does not consume soil because the soil did/ did not lose weight during plant
growth.
Key vocabulary: Materials/Technology Resources to be used:
Sunlight light from the sun (energy) - 4 bean seedlings (bean seeds just beginning to
Carbon Dioxide - a colorless, odorless gas produced by sprout), any seeds can be substituted
burning carbon and organic compounds and by respiration - 2 cups or plant containers
Nitrogen - a colorless, odorless unreactive gas that forms - Soil of any type, a variety of soil types may be
about 78 percent of the earth's atmosphere available
Phosphorus - a poisonous, combustible nonmetal that exists - Balance or Scale / Rulers to measure plants
in two common allotropic forms - Prezi
Roots - the part of a plant that attaches it to the ground or - b.socrative.com
to a support, typically underground, conveying water and - scientific notebooks
nourishment to the rest of the plant via numerous branches
and fibers
Water - Water is a transparent fluid which forms the
world's streams, lakes, oceans and rain, and is the major
constituent of the fluids of organisms
Garden - a piece of ground, often near a house, used for
growing flowers, fruit, or vegetables

Engage (Make content and learning relevant to real life and connect to student interest)
Ask student why there is a warning on plastic bags? Students should eventually answer that they can suffocate
small children not under supervision. After this, they will be asked Like humans need air to survive, what do
plants need to survive?
Expl Teacher Will: Explain to the students that they will Student Will: Design an experiment answering the
ore be creating an experiment answering the question, question, Where do plants get their food? They
Where do plants get their food? After facilitating a will first create a hypothesis they can test and write
quick discussion to give the students ideas for their it down in their notebook. After consulting with
experiment, the teacher will pass out materials and their lab partners, they will write down the
aid students having trouble with their experiment. procedures for their experiment (record the before
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Then the teacher will go over safety procedures for weights of their soil, control, independent/
this experiment (do not eat any materials like seeds, dependent variables, etc.) in their notebook and then
do not break scale). Teacher will also stop students get the teachers okay to begin. After the experiment
at different points of the experiment to be sure every has been carried out, students will record the after
student is on track. For example, after creating their weight of the soil, plant length, etc. They will use
hypothesis, the teacher will make sure they are this data in the next part of the lesson. Clean up!
ready to make their procedures accordingly.
Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation: Students may be offered a template for the lab notebook with
section to fill in the blank with key words or phrases. Intern/ co- teacher may work student through their
experiment step-by-step if need be. Students may be given multiple attempts at experiment or extended
time.
Expl Teacher Will: After experiments are finished, the Student Will: Engage in the discussion providing
ain teacher will engage students in a discussion based answer to given questions such as The soil did not
explanation. They will ask students questions like lose any weight during the experiment. This
What were your results? Why do you think those supports my hypothesis that plants do not consume
are the results you got? Do your results support soil for nutrients. It seems plants must get their food
your hypothesis? Can we support an answer to the from another source. Students will record these
question, Where do plants get their food? Then statements as their conclusions in their notebook.
the teacher will give a short lecture on the basic Students will answer socrative questions during the
nutrients plants need to survive and where the plants lecture.
get those nutrients.
Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation: Student may be given more time on socrative questions. They can
also be given a template to takes notes on during the lecture.

Elab Teacher Will: Ask students to create a new design Student Will: Create a design original to
orate that can bring one basic nutrient to a plant. Teacher themselves that will provide one nutrient to a plant.
will give an example such as the two liter bottle and The student will draw a diagram of the design in
cloth example where the bottom half of a two liter their notebook and explain why the plant need the
bottle holds water, the top half is turned upside nutrient and how their design brings the nutrient to
down and the spouts and a cloth is put into the the plant. They will then be given the option to
water, the soil and the plant will be put in the top present their design to the class if theyd like but
half. This design allows the plants to get water they will not actually be creating the design for this
without be watered every day. Teacher will walk lesson. The student only needs to demonstrate that
around room and aid struggling students. they know where a nutrient comes from that a plant
need and that their design will provide the nutrient
to the plant.
Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation: Students struggling with design ideas may be given an examples
worksheet with a few vague ideas they can build off of. They may be able to take their notebook home and
bring their design the next day if they need more time.
Evaluate
Ticket Out: The students will be asked to answer a final set of questions on socrative to assess their understanding
of where plants get their nutrients. This will provide an opportunity for the teacher to evaluate student progress
toward achieving the educational objectives and know where he/ she needs to revisit in the next lesson.
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Rubric for Plant Inquiry Research Report

Plant Inquiry Research Report

Teacher Name: Ms. Vogt

Student Name: ________________________________________

Format: 2 pages, double spaced, 12 point font, Times New Roman

CATEGORY 5-4 3 2 1-0

Amount of All topics are All topics are All topics are One or more topics
Information addressed (Why addressed (see 5-4 addressed (see 5-4 were not
does the plant point column for point column for addressed.
need that nutrient? topics). There are topics). There are Nutrients are
Where do they get at least 2 nutrients at least 1 nutrients unclear or absent.
that nutrient? Can analyzed. analyzed.
that nutrient be
replaced by
another?). There
are at least 3
nutrients analyzed.
Content Information clearly Information clearly Information clearly Information has
relates to the main relates to the main relates to the main little or nothing to
topic. Each nutrient topic. Each nutrient topic. No details do with the main
includes 3-5 includes 1-2 and/or examples topic. No
supporting details supporting details are given for each introduction and/ or
and/or examples. and/or examples. nutrient. conclusion.
Introduction and Introduction and Introduction and/ or
conclusion conclusion conclusion
included. included. included.
First Draft Detailed draft is Draft includes all Draft includes most Draft is missing
neatly presented required required required
and includes all information and is information and is information and is
required legible. legible. difficult to read.
information.

Sources All sources All sources All sources 1-0 sources used.
(information and (information and (information and Not accurately
graphics) are graphics) are graphics) are documented.
accurately accurately accurately
documented in the documented, but a documented, but
desired format. At few are not in the many are not in the
least 3 sources desired format. At desired format. At
used. least 2 sources least 1 sources
used. used.
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