Lesson Plan

Grade: 9-10th Subject: Biology (Living Earth) Duration: ~1 hour and 20 min
Topic: Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits
Materials: Kahoot Quiz, Fill-in Notes, Yarn, Popsicle sticks, Sticky-notes, Class set of scientific
paper/reading

NGS Standard
HS-LS3-1: Ask questions to relationships about the role of DNA and chromosomes in coding the
instructions for characteristic traits passed from parents to offspring. [Assessment Boundary:
Assessment does not include the phases of meiosis or the biochemical mechanism of specific steps in
the process.] (NGSS, 2013)
Standard Broken Down
Students will understand the importance of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) and its ability to store and
express genetic traits. Students will also understand how cells contain genetic information stored in
chromosomes which are made up of tightly packed DNA (which also have certain segments called
genes).
Lesson Objectives
Learning Objective Major Concepts
1. Students will be able to understand the 1. Cells contain genetic information in the form of
relationship between genes, DNA and DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid). Scientist’s
chromosomes and how interconnected they are understanding of DNA has changed many
with one another. times throughout history.
Importance: Students can understand how
2. Students will also be able to read, interpret, their physical and genetic traits are based
and share their interpretations from a scientific upon how their DNA is coded. Students also
research article using verbal, written and/or understand how the history of DNA has
visual tools. shaped scientist’s research and understandings
Essential Question of it.
How are the characteristics of one generation
passed down to another? 2. Genes are regions of DNA that contain
instructions for coding proteins, regulating the
 structure of DNA or another function that is
still undiscovered.
Importance: Students understand how
complex DNA is and because of this, research
is still conducted about this topic today.

3. Chromosomes are made up of one long piece of

DNA that is coiled up.
Importance: Students are able to connect how
two different terms are relatable and how
easily scientific terms can be interchangeable.
This concept can carry over to any science
class!

Student Learning Goals

Language Objectives/Expectations:
• Students can use scientific language to describe and teach other peers what they have learned.
Literacy Objectives/Expectations:
• Students understand that directly interacting with texts and communicating ideas with
classmates can allow them to become less frustrated and overwhelmed with difficult scientific
articles.
Student Social-Emotional Goal:
• Students will work with their lab groups in discussing what they learned about in the Watson
and Crick research paper. By having students interact and to verbally teach one another, allows
they can become confident in explaining what they have read while also using proper scientific
terminology.
Student Accommodations
Student #1 w/ IEP
Student has accommodation for preferred seating, so they are allowed to sit anywhere in the class.
This student is known to have anxiety and sits in the back of the class away from other students so
that they can clear their mind and calm down when necessary.
Student #2 w/ 504
Student has ADD/ADHD and struggles to pay attention for long periods of time. They have been seen
to work best in groups or short timed scenarios. This student should excel in the partner teaching
exercise since the article is a short read (less than five minutes) and it will allow them to work with
another student. If the student does become off task, I will need to make sure I give subtle reminders
to get them back on track (ex: proximity tactic or verbally asking them if they need any help).

Lesson Break Down

Activity #1
Purpose: Pre-Assessment/Warm-Up Duration: 10 min
Description:
• Students will answer one question projected from a PPT slide that asks them to “write or draw
any information that you think is remotely relatable to the word DNA”.
• After students answer the question, several students will be randomly called upon to share
their answers/thoughts.
• After the warm-up question, students will be asked to get their smartphone devices to join the
Kahoot! game. The game will consist of 12 questions in which students will answer each
question on their smartphone. All of the questions will address concepts/ideas about DNA, its
history and potential relationship with chromosomes.
• At the end of the school day I can access the quiz and see what questions students
answered the most correctly, incorrectly etc.
Activity #2
Purpose: Direct Instruction Duration: 20-30min
Description:
• Students will be encouraged to take notes during this segment via fill-in the blank notes that
will be passed out.
• I will instruct students via a PowerPoint on how what is DNA and how it is related to
chromosomes.
• I will engage students during the notes by asking them questions and to interact with the yarn
and popsicle stick that I will pass out before the lecture.
Activity #3
Purpose: Student Discussion/Ongoing Assessment Duration: 30-35 min
Description:
• A handout will be given to students that covers a short segment of Watson and Crick’s original
research paper regarding the discovery/structure of DNA.
• As students read they can mark on the paper key terms or ideas presented in the paper.
• After reading silently for 10-15 minutes, students will go to their lab stations and get into their
lab groups in order to discuss what they understood from the reading and how it relates back to
what was discussed during the mini ‘lecture’. Students will also discuss what one concept they
think is correct and incorrect in the paper.
• From this activity, students are able to understand how scientist’s understanding of
DNA has changed over time.
• After discussing for 10-15 minutes, one representative from each group will share to the rest of
the class what was discussed, one thing they think they understood, and one concept/idea they
believe is incorrectly presented in the paper regarding DNA.
• Students will go into their pre-assigned groups that have 4 different mascots within
each group. At random, one mascot will be chosen to speak for their group and then the
same mascot will speak for the next group and so on until every group has shared with
the class.
Activity #4
Purpose: Summative Assessment Duration: 10 min
Description:
• Students will respond to the following prompt on the white board:
“Based on today’s lesson about DNA, what questions or concepts do you/do you not
understand? Either make-up a question that you could answer correctly (multiple choice, fill in
the blank, diagram it etc.) OR ask me a question that you are still unsure about.”
Then on a sticky-note provided to them at their desks, students will respond to the prompt and
post their answer to either the red, yellow or green section of the white board.
• At the end of the day I can compare what concepts and ideas stuck with the majority of the
class for each period. Based on these reflections, I can also address any
misconceptions/questions in the following class.
 Assessment
• A quick pre-assessment will be given at the beginning of class to see what students know
about DNA and genetics. This will be done via a warm-up question and Kahoot! quiz.
• An ongoing/formative assessment will be done during class while walking around and
listening to different group’s discussions. If a group is struggling to communicate I can offer
various conversation starters and brainstorm multiple ideas with them about the impressions
they got from the scientific article. If a group is finished early I can ask various members in the
group of what they discussed and potentially challenge their thinking/ideas that was discussed.
• A summative assessment will be given at the end of the class as a reflective ‘exit ticket’.
Students will respond to the question posted on the white board and provide their answer on a
sticky note which can be stuck onto the white board in the ‘green’, ‘yellow’, or ‘red’ section of
the board. Red represents a question or concept students still don’t understand, yellow
represents a concepts students are still not confident about and green represents an idea, vocab
term, or concept that they completely understand.
Classroom Management
• Walk around the classroom during the lecture to help individual students
• Check-in on groups during their post reading discussion and help some groups brainstorm
ideas if they are confused or if they finished early
• Be sure to check up on the IEP and 504 student periodically/when appropriate

UDL Principles
Multiple Means • Direct Instruction: Students will learn from the teacher how DNA and
of chromosomes are related. During the lecture students will become hands on
Representation
learners via the yarn activity during the lecture.
• Student Based Discussion/Teaching: Students will share what they have
learned from lecture with an allowed ‘think-pair-share’ session in which they
can ask their partner any questions about what was reviewed in the lecture and
accompanying activity.
Multiple Means Students will be exposed to a direct lecture via a PowerPoint, an animated video as
of Engagement a quick review of what DNA is, and an online quiz that students can participate in

with their smart phones. If a student does not have one, they may partner up with
 someone who does.
Multiple Means Students will be given multiple means of expressing their knowledge for the exit
of Expression ticket. Students will have the chance to respond to the prompt via creating a

question that shows what they have learned from class or asking me a question they
are uncertain about.
 Resources

NGSS. (2013). HS.Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems. Retrieved from

https://www.nextgenscience.org/topic-arrangement/hsmatter-and-energy-organisms-

and-ecosystems