Digital Unit Plan Goals, Objectives and Assessments

Unit Title: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Name: Thong Thi Dinh
Content Area: Foundational Level General Science
Grade Level: 7th graders
Next Generation Science Standards/ Performance Expectations
MS-LS1-1: Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells; either one cell or many different numbers and types
of cells.
MS-LS1-2: Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function.
MS-LS1-3: Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells.
MS-LS1-8: Gather and synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli by sending messages to the brain for immediate
behavior or storage as memories.
Description of the Anchoring activity.
Before introducing the activity an introductory schmeel will be given to students: All living things are made of cells. Cells come in different
shapes and sizes and carries out many different functions. In our body, interaction between different systems of cells helps us live day to day. The
anchoring activity will consist of a video (Bill Nye on Cells). Students will first create their own graphic organizer on what they know about what
makes us who we are. The question that students will aim to gather background schema on will revolve around the following question: What
makes us who we are? What makes us a living organism?
http://www.schooltube.com/video/5883521fda9293df5bc9/Bill-Nye-on-Cells
Big Ideas/ Driving Question of the Unit
Driving Question: How does the human brain maintain homeostasis on a cellular level?
Unit Goals--- Describe what you want students to be able to do.
Students will conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells.
Students will describe the structure and function of a cell as a complex structure by creating a model.
Students will demonstrate their understanding of subsystems found within the body by making a claim and supporting the claim with evidence/
support.

Students will be able to explain how homeostasis is important to the human body by analyzing how external environment effects the internal
environment of an individual.
Students will be able to demonstrate mastery of how the human body organization is important for humans to function as a whole.
Lesson 1 [What makes us so similar?]
Student Learning Objective:
Acceptable Evidence Formative and/ or Summative Assessment
Students will be able to explain what we (living things) are made of on Students will conduct an investigation (research) to provide an
a cellular level.
understanding that living things are made of cells; either one or many
different type of cells.
Lesson 2 [Peanut Butter is to Jelly as Structure is to Function]
Student Learning Objective:
Acceptable Evidence Formative and/ or Summative Assessment
Students will be able to make the connection that structure and
Students will gather information in regards to how cells work as a
function go hand and hand in regards to the complex structure of a
whole to creatively develop a model of a cell to depict its complex
cell.
makeup and functions. Students will also create their own analogies
(parts of a cell to real world experiences) to demonstrate the
relationship of structure and function.
Lesson 3 [Eleven this; Eleven that; Eleven organ systems]
Student Learning Objective:
Acceptable Evidence Formative and/ or Summative Assessment
Students will be able to differentiate and explain that the human body Students will make a claim and create their own response to the
consists of various organ systems which allows for humans to work as
following question: The human body is composed of 11 different
a whole.
organ systems do you think one organ system is more important than
the others? If so, which one --- provide support/ evidence telling why?
If no, explain why not with support/ evidence.
Lesson 4 [Im Going to Let you Finish. BUT HOMEOSTASIS has one of the most significant needs for the human body]
Student Learning Objective:
Acceptable Evidence Formative and/ or Summative Assessment
Students will be able to define homeostasis and explain why it is
Students will design an experiment to investigate the bodys ability to
important to the human body.
self-regulate. Students will then transfer their data collected from the
investigation to a formal written response (mini lab write up).
Lesson 5 [Organization is Key!]
Student Learning Objective:
Acceptable Evidence Formative and/ or Summative Assessment
Students will work together in groups to demonstrate their
Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the bodys organization
understanding of the bodys organization level. [Cells Tissues
level [Cells Tissues Organs Organ Systems Organism] by
Organs Organ Systems Organism]
creating their own graphic organizer showing the relationship of each

organization level.
Unit Summative Assessment
Students will demonstrate their understanding of the overall driving question How does the human brain maintain homeostasis on a cellular
level? Students will work together in groups to explain/ present the importance of the human bodys organization. Students will be given four
different options to demonstrate their mastery of the driving question by tying all concepts/ ideas together. As a group, students will choose
one out of the four options to creatively present their mastery of the overall driving question. A rubric will be provided for students to
understand and know what is expected for them to present.
Useful Websites:
Lesson 1
Bill Nye intro to Cells
http://www.schooltube.com/video/5883521fda9293df5bc9/Bill-Nye-on-Cells
Brain Pop about Cells
https://www.brainpop.com/health/bodysystems/cells/
Brain Pop about Cell Structures
https://www.brainpop.com/science/cellularlifeandgenetics/cellstructures/
Lesson 2
Interactive Web for Cell Structures/ Functions
http://www.wiley.com/college/boyer/0470003790/animations/cell_structure/cell_structure.swf
Lesson 3
Brain Pop about the Human Body
https://www.brainpop.com/health/bodysystems/humanbody/
Lesson 4
Brain Pop about Homeostasis
https://www.brainpop.com/health/bodysystems/homeostasis/
Lesson 5
Organization of the Human Body
http://www.ck12.org/biology/Organization-of-the-Human-Body/lesson/Organization-of-the-Human-Body-BIO/