Lesson Plan Template Revised 11/12/2016

Alexandra Schoessler
Creative Problem Solving
Ecology
Too Much of a Good Thing?
50 min period
7th Grade
Life Science
STANDARDS/ELEMENTS: CCGPS, GPS/GSE (where applicable) and TAG Standards
S7L4. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to examine the interdependence of organisms with one another
and their environments.
c. Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for how resource availability, disease, climate, and human activity
affect individual organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems.

TAG Standards
3. The student creates products and/or presentations that synthesize information from diverse sources and communicate
expertise to a variety of authentic audiences.
7. The student responds to contributions of others, considering all available information.

ENDURING UNDERSTANDING(s):
Scientists analyze and interpret evidence to solve problems and make decisions.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION(s)
What are some feasible personal solutions to the plastic waste issue?

TEACHER LESSON PREPARATION

Prepare video and articles

ACTIVATING STRATEGY
Show students the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6xlNyWPpB8
Discuss their notes from the night before (reduce, reuse, recycle) 5-7 min

Instructional Sequence and Activities including use of technology

- Have the students read one of the three articles:
- “A Whopping 91% of Plastics Isn’t Recycled”
- “Washington state's coastline is becoming the ocean's dumping ground”
-When they are finished, have the students turn and talk to a neighbor that read a different article than them twice so
they are able to hear about each article.
- Ask the students about their initial thoughts on what they just read…curb the conversation towards the creation of a
solution for the average American
- Begin the stages of the CPS model, students will work with partners and come up with points for each of the stages
and be prepared to share at least one of their ideas with the whole class for some of the more open ended stages:
1. The Mess (too much plastic waste)
2. Fact Finding
3. Problem Finding (brainstorm the problems that result from the mess)
4. Idea Finding - have brainstorming rules on the board
5. Solution Finding – chart with criteria will be on their paper
Criteria
- Can the average American do this?
- Is this a long-term solution?
- Is this going to cause more problems for people?
- (Choose your own)
6. Choose your solution! (discuss solutions each group chose with the whole class)

***If this is taking longer than the class period allows, have students pause after step 5 and finish/present their ideas
the next day
Assessment Strategies
Lesson Plan Template Revised 11/12/2016

Students will be assessed with their group sheet they turn in and informally through their discussion.

Differentiation
This lesson provides enrichment for a topic covered in their environmental issues chapter. Students will be pushed to think about a
prevalent issue and how it applies to them.

Materials/Links/Text References/Resources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6xlNyWPpB8
Articles attached below