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Life Science Health Fair
Life Science Health Fair
Our school uses Project Based Learning (PBL) as a focus for in-depth learning and this project is a joint project between two pods in our building. According to the Buck Institute for Education, "Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge" (Buck Institute for Education, n.d.). In this multi-faceted project, the 8th graders (referred to as olders in this site) partnered with the Intermediate Pod (Grades 2-3 and referred to as youngers) to design a health fair. The youngers focus is on the basic organs, functions and a disease that could affect the system, while the olders will extend their knowledge of the systems to the immune system and how life on space could affect the different body systems.
Lesson Plan and Resources
Lesson Plan and Resources
Standard: SC8.1.1. Life Systems
Standard: SC8.1.1. Life Systems
"Levels of Organization in Living Systems: Students model the cell as the basic unit of a living system. They realize that all functions that sustain life act within a single cell and cells differentiate into specialized cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems" (Natrona Schools, n.d.).
To introduce the unit, students watched the Body Systems video from Flocabulary and completed the accompanying lesson plan. In this lesson, students were asked to personify one of the human body systems. "Write about your daily life from the point of view of this system. What is your day like? What important tasks do you have to get done? What other systems do you interact with" (Flocabulary, n.d.)? This artifact shows the importance of giving students a foundation in knowledge about the body systems. In order for students to understand the levels of organization, it helps to give them context before being able to extend their thinking to life in space.
8th Grade Symbaloo Research Websites
8th Grade Symbaloo Research Websites
Standard: Science and Engineering Practices in the Next Generation Science Standards
Standard: Science and Engineering Practices in the Next Generation Science Standards
"Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information. Students will gather, read, and synthesize information from multiple appropriate sources and assess the credibility, accuracy, and possible bias of each publication and methods used, and describe how they are supported or not supported by evidence. Students will communicate scientific and/or technical information in writing and/or through oral presentations" (NGSS Lead States, 2013).
In this artifact, each student was responsible for creating a research website for the youngers to use a starting place for their research. The olders conducted research on both the web and in our school library to create a webmix using the website Symbaloo. In this activity, students were required to demonstrate their ability to research and communicate information in a scientific context. Each students was assigned one of the six main body systems on which to become an expert. Each tile on the webmix represents either a bookmark link, image file, video or book located in our school library. They were required to have at least 15 tiles with five each dedicated to the organs in the system, the function of the system and potential diseases that could affect the system. The youngers, then, had a starting place to conduct their research for their presentations.
ARTIFACT #3: Health Fair Unit with Life in Space Extension
ARTIFACT #3: Health Fair Unit with Life in Space Extension
Standard: LS1.A Structure and Function
Standard: LS1.A Structure and Function
"All living things are made up of cells. In organisms, cells work together to form tissues and organs that are specialized for particular body functions" (NGSS Lead States, 2013).
In this artifact, students will be addressing the driving question: How can we as health fair professionals design a health fair to inform the community about how the function of each body system affects the immune system to keep ourselves healthy? Working with community health experts, students will work in a small group of three students to develop an effective booth at the school's health fair. Students will also gain knowledge of healthy decision making to demonstrate understanding of the middle school physical education standards.
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