Title: Is it Living, 9th Grade Biology

Objectives:
I Can: List and describe the properties that all living things possess.
State standard:
Describe the components of an ecosystem.
Background Knowledge:
Students must be able to distinguish between items that are living and non-living, but with no
previous formal training on the subject.
Misconceptions:
All living things must eat
All living things need water
Vocabulary:
Biotic
Abiotic
Materials:
PowerPoint to blog about their outdoor findings
Is it living Graphic Organizer- this is the same graphic organizer from the previous day to use for
reference
Cellphone/camera
Chromebooks
Biology Book Reading Pages 18-19
Do Now: As students walk into the classroom they will begin to work on their Do Now question.
After this first 5 minutes I will have the students say their morning motivational chant. Their Do
Now question will be to share their Living and Non-living items from home. They will then
write a short journal entry about their two items and explain why there are living or non-living
Class: After students have completed their journal entry about their items, they will share these
short writing assignments with one another. The students will then be going outside to take
pictures of 2 living and 2 non living items. They will then come back inside and create a short

blog on blogger or Google slides where they will show their 4 items. They will be required to
write a short passage about each of the items and explain why there is living or non-living. The
students will not be allowed to just list the 7 characteristics of life, they must elaborate on them.
As the teacher I will be circling around helping the students with the resources and answering
questions.
Recap:
The students will present their information in front of the class, and explain why they chose their
individual items.