TE 802 – Unit Plan Assignment

Name: Alexis Anderson

Part I: Information About the Lesson

Unit Topic: Photosynthesis

Generating Big Ideas

1. Abstract: This unit is about the process of photosynthesis in plants. Students will be expected to
illustrate the process of photosynthesis and explain how light energy is transformed into stored
chemical energy.
2. What are the underlying big ideas? Photosynthesis is one of the most important processes in our
natural world. It is the foundation for all of life, the source of all new food (organic molecules) and new
oxygen gas. Plants take in low energy molecules (carbon dioxide and water) and use energy from the
sun to rearrange them into high energy molecules (glucose and oxygen gas). Therefore, energy is being
taken in in the reaction of photosynthesis. Plants produce more glucose than they use for energy and
that extra glucose is used to build biomass.
3. Phenomenon:
A seed from an Eastern White Pine tree (Michigan’s state tree) increases in size by 50x into a massive
tree over a period of years. Where does all that mass come from and the energy that is needed for it to
live? The seed takes in water, carbon dioxide, and light energy to make glucose and oxygen gas. They
use glucose as an energy source just like us. As they use glucose, they give off carbon dioxide or respire
(just like us) and they get energy from this. The glucose they don’t use for energy is stored as biomass
(starch, cellulose) which builds the wood, branches, and leaves of the tree. Basically, the mass of the
tree mostly comes from the carbon in carbon dioxide.
4. Draw for yourself a full explanatory diagram (your model) that combines representations of observable
things and unobservable processes at work.

5. What does success for students look like?

Students should be able to use the Big Ideas to explain how any plant grows, not just trees. They can
 apply what they’ve learned to growing a plant at home, planting a tree in their yard, or to
understanding how plants are essential parts of our ecosystem. Students should be able to predict
what might happen if there were no plants. Students will draw evidence from any activity we’ve
completed in the unit or any experience they may have had with the natural world.

Objectives for Student Learning

Currently, there is little difference between the Michigan Science Standards (MSS) and the NGSS Performance
Expectations. The NGSS website offers more depth around the DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs than does the MDE
website. Therefore, you are encouraged to use the NGSS framework to identify a small number of
performance expectations that apply to your unit and follow up with the MSS to ensure overlap.

You may also decide to mix and match different DCIs, SEPs and CCCs. For example, performance expectation
HS-PS1-1 states: Use the periodic table as a model (SEP) to predict the relative properties of elements (DCI)
based on the patterns (CCC) of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms. You may also decide to have
students construct an explanation (SEP) related to the DCI & CCC above. If you decide to make adjustments to
the performance expectations like in the example above, please be sure to include this as well.

NGSS Performance Expectations (include any additions/modification):

HS-LS1-5 - Use a model to illustrate how photosynthesis transforms light energy into stored chemical
energy.

Michigan Objectives (if different than above):

N/A
Part II. Planning for Each Practice (Eliciting, Supporting & Pressing)
Planning for Practice #2
Walk through the steps in the Eliciting Students Ideas Tool to help you fill out the table below.
Describe how you will introduce the phenomenon: I will introduce the phenomena through an asynchronous introduction video that connects
the previous unit on environmental justice to what plants need to stay alive. They will complete an exit ticket responding to the video.
What questions will you ask to help…
Step 1. Elicit observations
What do we see happening to a tree over its lifetime?
What does it start as?
What do we see when we look at a tree?
Step 2. Elicit hypotheses without explanation
What do you know about plant’s needs already?
Do crops need food? Do they need energy?
What about flowers? What about trees?
If a plant needs food, what is a plant’s food?
Step 3. Press for explanation
- What processes might be going on here that we can’t see?
- How do you think plants grow?
- Why do these processes give plants matter and energy?
What to listen for and plan to respond to…
- What if students cite relevant features of the task?
That is helpful. I will use these ideas as the unit progresses.
- What if students cite irrelevant ideas or cannot understand the
representation/ problem?
That is good still. We will address those as the unit progresses. If they
can’t understand the representation they will have a lot more time to
work with it in other situations like in small groups, pairs, and in
activities.
- What if students give inferences rather than observations?
I will thank them for their contribution and encourage them, but also
tell them I am just going to look at observations right now because
we don’t know enough yet.
- What if students exhibit pre-conceptions?
That is okay we will work through those and make sure those pre-
conceptions are only used if we have evidence for them from this
class.
- What if students cite relevant facets of the big idea?
That is great we will add these to the class model and continue to
evaluate them.
- What if students do make connections to what they’ve
experienced?
Again that is great we will add them to the class model and continue
to evaluate them.
- What if students offer explanations congruent with scientific
explanation?
That is great I will add this to the class model.
- What if students offer simplistic cause-effect? Example: "Why does

Step 4. Summarize
- What are some things we are still wondering about plants?
- How could we test our hypotheses?
- What kinds of information or experiences do we need to learn more?
water boil?" "Because you put it on the stove."
I will probe them to go deeper in my real-time and asynchronous
feedback. I will continue to ask them “why” and “how” and to give
more details.
- What if kids offer explanations that involve alternative
conceptions?
I will make sure to address them in class later in the unit, not as a
negative, but just as something we should explore and figure out.
- What if students are unable to respond to any of these questions?
I will try again after we have done more activities. Or I will restate the
questions in another way.
Planning Practice #3
You should think about questions for each of your P3 activities – for us, please fill this out for at least 3 activities. Walk through the steps in the
Supporting On-going Changes in Students’ Thinking Tool to help you fill out the table below.

Describe how you will introduce each activity:

- Activity 1: I will explain that there is a reaction that gives plants the matter and energy they need called photosynthesis and we will work to
figure out the basic inputs and outputs.
- Activity 2: We will write, pair, share the main ideas we took away from the photosynthesis simulation and then I will explain what we need to
know more about.
- Activity 3: I will explain we still need some clarification on some main ideas so we will be arguing for those as a class today.
What questions will you ask to help students… What to listen for and plan to respond to
Step 1. Orient to the concepts - What if students can cite relevant features of the activity?
Activity 1: I will ask probing questions into those ideas to make them think
What can we observe in this activity? What are we looking for? deeper. I will make their ideas public so other students know these
Activity 2: ideas came up.
What do we still need to know to answer our driving question? - What if students focus on extraneous features of activity?
Activity 3: We will address these as a whole class. I will not shut them down, but I
What do we still need to know to answer our driving question? will try to re-focus the class on the main ideas of the simulation.
Step 2. Notice observations and patterns (back-pocket questions) - What if students can cite relevant features of the activity?
Activity 1: Same as above^
What molecules do you see on the screen? What molecules do you see - What if students are focused on extraneous features of activity?
pop up? What do you notice when the sun is turned off? The CO2? The ^Same as above
water? - What if students mention patterns, but do not explain the
Activity 2: significance?
What in this reading have you seen before? What can you connect to I will continue to probe them by asking what those patterns may
previous learning or your own experiences? mean. I will encourage any ideas or guesses.
Activity 3:
What are you noticing about our class’ answers? Are we all in
agreement?
Step 3. Make connections to the big idea (back-pocket questions) - What if students hesitate or seem to rely on vocabulary?
Activity 1: I will try to rephrase the question or repeat the question. I could also
What materials are needed for photosynthesis, for the tree to grow? try to put them into partners to talk about it first then come back to
What are the products of photosynthesis, what does the tree let go of talk as a whole class.
while it is growing? - What if students can make connections between activity and some
Activity 2: aspect of big idea?
What new information do you have that you can now apply to I will make sure to highlight these ideas in our whole class discussion.
answering our driving question? I will continue to bring these ideas up as we go through the unit.
Activity 3:
Can we now explain how a seed grows into a large Eastern White Pine
tree? How does this information help answer our driving question?
Step 4. Whole class coordination of student’s ideas & their questions - What if students hesitate?
Activity 1: I can try pair, share activities before asking these deep questions so
What did you and your partner discuss were the main takeaways from students feel more confident explaining the main ideas that we can
the simulation? add to the model.
Activity 2: - What if students can describe patterns, insights?
What did you think was most important from the reading? What can That’s great, I will encourage them to include their insights to the
we add to our class model? class model sheet.
Activity 3:
What did you think was most important from this conversation? Can
someone add the main ideas to our class model?
Planning Practice #4
Walk through the steps in the Pressing for Explanations Tool to help you fill out the table below.
Describe how you will introduce the activity: Say something like: “Today we are going to commit to writing final explanations for our driving
questions. You will each get to argue your points for what you believe is happening as a seed grows into a tree.”
What questions will you ask to help…
Step 1. Re-orient students to the focal models and
hypotheses.
What is our driving question again? What event are we
trying to explain?
Step 2. Coordinate a tentative explanation with
available evidence.
What do we think is causing the seed to increase in
mass dramatically and become a huge tree? Where is
that mass coming from and how does it have the
energy to perform these tasks?
Step 3. Commit an explanation to paper
Now write down your explanation individually on a
piece of paper in front of you. From the data you
collected in the simulation, or ideas you read about in
What to listen for and plan to respond to
- What if students can only talk about their explanations in terms of specific
observables and not in terms of an underlying model? (see examples on previous
page).
I will help them develop the model by framing the discussion. If they only talk about
specific observables I will try to make them see the big picture. I will remind them
that this is over a tree’s lifetime and we are trying to make an explanation for why
how this continues to happen over that trees lifetime, not just during certain times
or at a certain event.
- What if students start talking about descriptive findings only, or talk only about
how things are correlated?
I will probe them by continually asking “why” what they are observing is happening
or why those things correlate.
- What if students depend only on vocabulary in their explanations?
I will ask them what each of those vocabulary terms mean. Again, I will probe them
“why” this explains what is happening.
- What if students respond to an imagined question?
I will accept their answer and thank them for their contribution. I will then ask how
that relates to our driving question. If they can’t remember the driving question I
will have another student repeat it.
- What if students skip over the chain of events?
I will slow them down and ask them to explain each step of photosynthesis for me. I
will have different students do it so as not to overwhelm one student. I will ask
directed questions about the steps they are missing so they don’t forget about
them.
- What if students cannot begin to write an explanation, how will you help them
begin?
I will ask them to begin by writing down the things they know plants need. Then, I
will ask them to write down what happens to each of those things once they are
 the chlorophyll reading, or ideas you learned in the
Nearpod, you need to include two pieces of evidence
that supports your explanation.
Step 4. Talk about the strength of the data and the
reasoning
Does your evidence connect to the claim you are making
in your explanation? Where did you get the data from?
What evidence from our activities most logically applies
to our driving question?
Step 5. Write a final explanation
What can you revise about your initial explanation? Is
this your final explanation? What else can you add?
Step 6. Apply the new explanatory model
How would you explain what this looks like in another
organism that can perform photosynthesis like the green I will tell them to take a step back and bring out their final explanation for our original
slug for example? Can we apply our ideas to this
organism if the same reactions are taking place?
taken inside the plant. That should help get them started.
- What if students cannot imagine what a piece of evidence might be?
I will show them the class model slide they have accumulated over the unit. This has
some of the very important ideas so I will tell them they could use ideas from here
as long as they cite where they came from.
- How will you help them not just state of piece of evidence, but understand what
counts as evidence?
I will explain the definition of evidence and make sure I tell them pieces of
information that do not count as evidence and why.
- What will you do if students cannot make connections between evidence and
explanations?
I will ask that student to show/tell me their explanation. Then, I will go back to each
activity we did and ask what that told us in relation to that student’s explanation.
Hopefully they will see there is a connection between the evidence we gathered and
their explanation. If not, I will point out one of the connections to try and jumpstart
them giving connections themselves.
- Or if they don’t see how evidence might contradict an explanation?
I will have to have a conversation with them about how some scientists have found
evidence that contradicts what another scientist’s conclusion may be. If another
student brings up evidence that is contradictory I will make sure to highlight that
and ask the class why that might not support our current explanation.
- How can you help students understand what might have to be changed in their
previous model?
I can ask them probing and pressing questions to make them realize the importance
of every idea they list. I can ask them to specify things that I think might not make
sense with the model.
- How might you help students who cannot understand how to apply their
explanatory model to another kind of situation or phenomenon?
model and explain it to me. Then I will say “okay if the same reactions are happening
in this green slug, he just gets the water and carbon dioxide differently, then how
does the green slug get the matter and energy he needs?” What is happening on a
microscopic level ?
Part III: Representation of Student Thinking
For each question below, write approximately a one paragraph response.

Paragraph 1: What is this representation of student thinking? Where did it come from?
This is the group’s initial and final models answering our driving question: How do plants get the matter and
energy they need? I created the Google Jamboard template and shared it with them. They were then
responsible to add their ideas using sticky notes.

Paragraph 2: When and how will you use this representation?

Students will start their initial models the second day of the unit. They will revise their final models on the 3 rd
to last day of the unit. When they are revising, they will use the class model on the first slide of the Jamboard
to record important ideas we may come across while completing our activities. Students will use the class
model on the first slide for starting their own small group model, but will develop their own representation.

Paragraph 3: Why will you use this representation?

I will use this virtual modeling representation for a variety of reasons. This representation allows me and
others coming into our virtual classroom the ability to see the progression of students thinking over the time
of our unit. It also allows the students to recognize that they have learned something over the time of this unit
because they are able to look at their initial ideas and change them based on what they know now. We will
also use this representation because it is a visual representation as well as a written representation. Students
can add images or draw pictures to make more sense of the complex processes that are happening.
Part IV: Assessment of Students
Assessment Tasks
You will need to collect written work from your students to both during the unit (formative or mini-
summative) and at the end of the unit (summative). Describe at least three formative assessment tasks and at
least one summative below - including the actual question(s) where possible. You may also include an
attachment with your assessments if that’s easier. However, please still add a description below.

Formative Assessments
These are assessment tasks that you will use throughout the course of the unit to know how students
understand the ideas and you should use their responses to guide your teaching. Examples include (but are
not limited to) warm-ups, exit slips, [pictures of] students’ models, and written explanations.

Assessment Description of Formative Assessment (including exact wording where possible)

Task
1 Exit Ticket: Humans use food to gain energy. What is a plant’s food? What do you know about
plant’s food? What processes may be going on that we can’t see? What questions do you
have about plants as of now?
2 Warm Up: The chloroplast becomes excited by light energy and then becomes unexcited again when it releases
energy/makes sugar. There are two transfers of energy in photosynthesis. Knowing what you know about chemical reactions,
what does two transfers of energy mean? 
3 Exit Ticket: Explain what is happening to the energy in the first stage of photosynthesis.
Explain what is happening to the matter in the first stage. What lingering questions do you
have?

Summative Assessments
These are assessment tasks that you will use at the end of the unit in order to see whether students learned
what you wanted them to learn. Examples include (but are not limited to) multiple choice questions, short
answer explanations, “transfer questions” (i.e., applying information to new context/phenomenon), essays,
and projects.

Assessment Description of Summative Assessment (including exact wording where possible)

Task
1 Creating Final Models on Google Jamboard. Instructions: 1. Organize your model (get rid of
things you no longer needed, delete classmate comments after considering them) 2. Make
sure all the ideas on the Class Model slide are included on your group’s model 3. Make sure
you are actually answering our Driving Question (Use your own ideas accumulated
throughout the unit, not Google!
2 A photosynthesis Quiz on Schoology. You can access a pdf of the assessment at this link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sWpyYbf12X-hofjbJvJYZ8-IZkKxSKGw/view?
usp=sharing
Unit Plan Rubric (not including summary table) /180
Points Points
Sections Possible Earned Comments
Big ideas
- Complete and accurate
- Topics → big ideas 30
- Phenomenon
- Model
Objectives
- Includes all relevant NGSS (& state)
objectives
- Lesson objectives are observable 10
outcomes that match state & NGSS
objectives and are appropriate for
students
Practice 2
- Questions 15
- What to listen for
Practice 3
- Activities
45
- Questions
- What to listen for
Practice 4
- Questions 15
- What to listen for
Representation of student thinking
- Paragraph 1 (Description of
representation)
- Paragraph 2 (Describe routines and 15
timing of representation)
- Paragraph 3 (Linking representation to
personal vision of teaching)
Formative assessment tasks
- Includes specific Qs
- Matches objective(s) 30
- Involves each student and reveals
students’ reasoning
Summative assessment task(s)
- Includes specific Qs
- Matches objective(s) 20
- Involves each student and reveals
students’ reasoning