Final Unit Project: Science Newsletter

Life science deals with the growth and interactions of life forms within their environments in
ways that reflect the uniqueness, diversity, genetic continuity, and changing nature of these
life forms. Life science includes the study of topics such as ecosystems, biological diversity,
organisms, cell biology, biochemistry, diseases, genetic engineering, and biotechnology.

The purpose of this assignment is to design a science newsletter covering the outcomes we have
discussed in this unit:

RE9.1 Examine the process of and influences on the transfer of genetic information and the
impact of that understanding on society past and present. (CP, DM)

RE9.2 Observe and describe the significance of cellular reproductive processes, including
mitosis and meiosis. (CP, SI)

RE9.3 Describe the processes and implications of sexual and asexual reproduction in plants
and animals. (SI)

RE9.4 Analyze the process of human reproduction, including the influence of reproductive
and contraceptive technologies. (SI, DM)

Information in this project should include:

 Genetics
 Cell division (mitosis &/or meiosis, binary fission)
 Asexual and sexual reproduction
 Human reproduction

These are the four major concepts our unit has covered. You can decide what information you
want to provide in your newspaper for each of these sections, but you MUST COVER ALL 4
SECTIONS. This assignment allows you to creatively build a newspaper on the life science unit
being creative and using academic language and writing skills.

In this assignment, I want you to be original, creative, as well as provide direct quotes from your
text, notes, and images, as well use outside sources but make sure you provide me a list of your
sources (link to website) Information can be in paragraph form, point form, or diagrams your
choice!

You will have a cover page about what is life science, following 1-2 pages for each outcome
from this unit.

Attached are example layout for a newsletter you can choose to use, or us ideas to help create
your own as well Microsoft word has several layouts as well as google. (remember creativity is
for marks!!)
This assessment of learning I chose to design for my science 9 class is a science newsletter that
will reflect all four outcomes of the life science section in the Saskatchewan curriculum. This
project is independent showing student’s knowledge, understanding of the materials discussed
and information they enjoyed, as well as their creativity. This assignment gives the student free
ranged to cover information they would like to share as long as it comprises all four significant
sections listed in the assignment. This assessment of learning allows students the freedom to
create a design and write about areas and topics that they enjoyed and want to share with others.
This assessment shows me that students have understood materials I have taught them, can put
information into their own words, and provide original ideas.

I chose to do a creative project with my students to allow them the choice of what they want to
include in the project both descriptions and visuals, and I think it is a reasonable assessment of
learning for my students. I can measure my student's strengths and weaknesses, likes and
dislikes, and as well the material that stood out during my teaching to students. This project
allows students to work individually, come up with their ideas, pick out information about topics
that are important and of interest to them, as well a different form of assessment than a typical
unit test. This assessment will be used for differentiated instruction. Instead of a unit test, this
creative project targets different strengths and weaknesses in students, and for me, I can assess to
see how well my students understand the material in a different way of learning and
understanding.

This creative assignment that I have chosen for my students to create incorporates broad areas of
learning and the cross-curricular competencies. This assignment develops lifelong learners;
engaged students develop thinking, identity and interdependence, and literacy within the
students. Students are engaged in constructing and applying science knowledge naturally build a
positive disposition towards learning. They develop their basic skills, lifelong learning, and self-
concept of development within this assignment. As students work on this project, they are
engaged students developing an understanding of the material learned and its importance in
science, life science, and our world and human nature. Students construct their knowledge to
makes sense of the world around them by developing an understanding by building and
reflecting on their observations of the material, images and other sources they choose to use. By
thinking contextually, creatively, and critically, students develop a more profound understanding
of various phenomena in the natural and constructed world. Literacy is developed in the students
as well in this assignment. Students develop knowledge related to literacy, they express and
understanding and communicate using various literacy’s (writing, reading, visual), and develop
an interdependence.

Reflecting on outcome 1: I plan lessons and assessment based on provincial curriculum, I

feel based on the Saskatchewan curriculum I have planned activities throughout this unit that will
demonstrate and cover outcomes and indications. This assessment focuses on an overview of all
four outcomes in this unit, but the student gets to choose what information they think is most
important to be presented in their projects. This allows students to target the outcomes with
specific information, images, and diagrams but with the flexibility of their choice allowing
students to develop their identity in science and their interdependence.

Reflecting upon outcome 6: I create summative assessment, this assessment of learning I have
developed a rubric that targets several goals and outcomes I want my students to focus on for this
project. Before students start the project, I want to go over the rubric with them to make sure
they understand it as well think if anything else should be added in or possibly changed. I want
my students to be able to understand this assessment and make sure they achieve the outcomes
required. Other examples of summative assessment I have planned for this unit include quizzes,
activities within cells, and labeling diagrams.

Reflecting upon outcome 14. I understand how to plan for differentiated and adaptation, I
feel that my plans make it likely that student with different needs would experience success. I
have left room for student choice in this assignment to allow for differentiation and adaptation. I
have told students where they can find layouts if they are unable or need help creating a
newsletter layout, allow class time for students to access computers during class, and allow
students to present material in various ways (images, diagrams, point form, quotes, written). In
other assessments that provide differentiated instruction include written out questions, labeling
diagrams, and provide videos to help reach all my students to provided them with a positive
learning experience.

Reflecting upon outcome 15. I create engaging learning activities and tasks, my planned
instruction and activities relate the learning to student’s interest. I have designed mini quizzes
within the unit, activities, drawings, and incorporated videos into my lessons to create an
environment where my students are engaged in learning activities and tasks. I have created this
assessment that I think will be engaging for students compared to a unit test or research paper. I
want my students to enjoy and want to complete the assignments I have provided, and with this
final project, I think I have created that for my students.
Reflecting upon outcome 16. My planned activities would improve the disciple specific
literacy skills of my students I feel I know key literacies for my subject, and have shared them
explicitly with my students. I will allow my students opportunities to self assess and improve
literacy strategies within their assignments thought this term, as well as this final project. The
rubric I will be marking this assessment with, I want my students to hand in a copy of the rubric
with their assignment to see what they think they deserve for their work completed. I think this
will help improve students work overall, and strengthen their literacy of the subject. Throughout
the unit I have planned to share key literacies with my students to help them understand and
strengthen their science literacy. I plan to do this by using several tools (reading, writing, visuals,
videos, oral) and differentiated instruction to make sure my students have the best learning
environment possible.

Reflecting upon outcome 18. The final task in my unit elicits evidence of application in a new
situation I feel that this final assessment will provide clear evidence of my students applying
their learning in a performed task. Students will be able to write, describe, provide visual aids of
information they have learned in all four outcomes of the life science unit, and be able to put it in
their own words while providing me with an understanding of what I have taught my students
successfully or not well enough
 Student: _______________________ Date: _________________ Total: /20

Science Newsletter Rubric

Needs
Category Outstanding Satisfactory improvement Unsatisfactory
(4) (3) (2) (1)

Covers unit Includes essential Includes essential Content is minimum

information in-depth knowledge about the information about there are several
with details. Subject unit. Subject knowledge the unit but there are grammatical errors
Content knowledge is appears to be good some 1-2 grammatical
excellent. Covers information from errors
materials from class textbook and class notes
and textbook, as well
as other sources

Excellent Original creative ideas Basic layout little No evidence of

incorporation of that is eye-catching and creativity shown, original creativity and
unique multiple ideas. utilizes specific talents. provides information thinking
Original and broad use Unique layout, images, about unit outcomes,
Creativity of images, fonts, colors and writing some evidence of
writing styles, colors, original thinking.
creative headings and
titles and layout that is
eye-catching

Provides a clear and Provides a clear Content is logically There was no clear or
precise interpretation interpretation of organized for the logical organizational
Organization of elements of the elements of the text. most part , is fairly structure, information
text. Is easy to follow. easy to follow is scattered
Is engaging and easy
to follow.

Covers all four Covers all four Covers 3 outcomes Covers 1-2 outcomes
Requirements outcomes with outcomes with good with minimal with little or no
exceeding information information information information

All images are related All images and diagrams All images and No images that related
Use of to the topic make it are related to the diagrams relate to to information or help
Diagrams/ easier to understand, information and make it material presented reader understand
Graphics and describe the topic easier to understand information