Phase 4: Create/Discuss: Inquiry Project Design

Inquiry Project Plan

Inquiry Title:	Photosynthesis and cellular respiration	Time Frame	6-7 lesson plans	Inquiry Approach:	Disciplined
Name:	Rajmanpreet	Subject(s):	Science	Grade(s):	8

Inquiry Project Rationale & Overview

Rationale

Comprehend the importance of plants for living through traditional/historical knowledge and inquiry
Understand the chemical reactions of photosynthesis and cellular respiration through scientific knowledge and inquiry
Inculcate a caring attitude towards plants to overcome the environmental deterioration
Compare and contrast of traditional as well as scientific knowledge
An opportunity for learners to think and act like a scientist
Understand how to interpret and analyze the data

Overview of the project and activities

A nature walk (an outdoor activity), in the presence of an elder, would give a chance to students for wondering over nature, raise questions and learn from real-life experiences.
On-line resource “Padlet” would be used to encourage participation for those who do not feel comfortable speaking or sharing in large groups.
In-class demonstration/presentation by each student on one traditional plant of student’s choice to enhance their understanding of human interdependence on plants for a living and indigenous knowledge of plants (In-door activity). It would be anticipated that students would bring products made of plants like tea, fruits, flowers etcetera to demonstrate their relationship with plants and nature.
Potted and vascular plants would be given to the students in small groups on the very first day of the unit so that students can ask, investigate, create, discuss, and reflect on the proven hypothesis. The sole purpose of this would be to brainstorm so that students can use their sense of wonder or curiosity to raise scientific questions and relate this topic with real life to keep it alive.
Students would be encouraged to observe all kinds of changes in plants like color, shape, and size (growth) and measure to collect the data to spark curiosity about how do plants grow.
Students would be given autonomy to experiment with the potted and vascular plants by limiting sunlight, water, and air so that they can investigate their hypothesis and find what do plants need to grow and many more.
Students would submit their journals on a daily basis to reflect on their ongoing work, to communicate their ideas, hypothesis, and investigation with the class teachers to get the needed support and resources. It would also work as an assessment tool for the teacher to evaluate the understanding and indulgence of the students on this topic.
Class learnings would be supported and encouraged by PowerPoint presentations made by teachers which would be integrated with videos to demonstrate the chemical processes (photosynthesis and cellular respiration) and scientific methods of investigation.
One lab activity would be involved in the whole unit where students would see themselves as scientists to find chloroplast in the plant leaves.
The unit would be made interdisciplinary, wherever needed and possible, such as the history of plants (History), Measurements, data analysis and interpretation(Mathematics), Environmental education for air pollution and other environmental issues related to plants and human respiration and their interdependence on plants for living
Use of simulation to give near to real-life experience (if needed)

Assessment

Students would be assed “holistically”, based on their deeper understanding and participation which would be clearly reflected through their journals, in-class participation, questions, communication in listening circles, in-class presentation, and lab activity.
Students with combined efforts would set the epitome of best work.

Key Questions For Inquiry

Core Question

Supporting Questions

What are the various ways in which First Peoples’ Use their traditional knowledge about plants to demonstrate an understanding of the properties of plants?

How do local plants contribute to First Peoples’ sense of place, as well as in our sense of place?

How does this plant describe the sense of place? Share it through activity or storytelling or others.

How does this depict the interdependence of living organisms and plants?

Explain the overall reaction of photosynthesis.

What is the role of chloroplast in this reaction and carbon dioxide?

Explain the role of sunlight and water.

Explain the light-independent reaction.

What is a dark reaction in plants?

What can be the consequences if plants would be cut at a higher rate?

How these issues related to plants can be overcome?

What would you do? Demonstrate by doing it? (learners either can plant trees or clean surrounding or use a bicycle for schools etcetera)

Name a few plants of traditional importance.

How do plants contribute to the traditional knowledge of plants?

What are their uses? E.g. Fragrant Pineapple weed (Matricaria discoidea) to make a medicinal tea (The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2019)?

How do plants inculcate a sense of belongingness?

What can be consequences if these plants would be ignored or destroyed by the ongoing actions of humans?

Name the plant. Why did they choose that plant?

History of that plant.

Various characteristics and properties of the plants- life cycle, color, fruit, or flower, uses etcetera.

Illustration of personal connection.

How does a tree grow?

What do you think plants need to grow? why?

What is photosynthesis?

How does this chemical reaction occur?

Describe the interdependence of living organisms on plants.

What happens when there is no sunlight?

Discuss the interrelation between cellular respiration and photosynthesis.

Name several issues of environment (e.g. Global warming, deforestation etcetera)

What are the reasons behind these?

How these affect living organisms?

How these can be overcome?

Inquiry Approach and Rationale

Nature walk in the presence of an expert/elder either into school grounds or nearby park/area to give an exposure of natural plants in the surrounding area of traditional importance, where students would be asking the questions and simultaneously gathering information about plants(ask and investigate) which contribute in acquiring traditional knowledge. The main objective of this activity would be to form a connection between them and plants so that they can understand the interdependence of both, sense of place, and show a caring attitude towards (Core competencies) plants. Students would be generating hypotheses (create) based on their observation by the end of this activity. It would be followed by further research from family elders or members, class teacher, books, and online resources (ICT). It would be followed by online activity (Padlet) where students would share their stories of plants.

To build the confidence of the students, the in-class presentation would be organized. Through sharing the acquired knowledge (discuss), it would help to build a community by exchanging knowledge of other communities’ traditions and values regarding plants. A great opportunity to connect and reflect on personal experiences with plants and learn through nature. They will also be provided with the scientific knowledge of chemical processes that occurred in plants based on their hypothesis and investigation

By the end of this, learners would come to know that plants produce oxygen through photosynthesis, and other organisms like humans and animals depend on them for oxygen. Along with that, they will come to know the inevitable role of plants in the form of food and others in living organisms. Thus, they will start valuing more plants. It would also work as an eye-opener for students that how intentionally or unintentionally, humans are contributing to environmental deterioration and this can be tackled if every human makes effort.

Core Principles of Effective Teaching (Sharon Friesen)

Core Principle 1: Effective teaching practice begins with the thoughtful and intentional design of learning that engages students intellectually and academically. *What aspects of the inquiry are the most challenging and meaningful for students?	To discipline the inquiry can be challenging because young minds’ curiosity and wonder can take this topic in several directions, so to guide students and focus on one aspect at a time could be challenging.
Core Principle 2: The work that students are asked to undertake is worthy of their time and attention, is personally relevant, and deeply connected to the world in which they live. *What makes this inquiry valuable, meaningful, and “alive” for the students and teachers?	However, the way, it can be connected to real-life instances and activities and made alive through experiential and experimental learning is worth the time and attention. Students are expected to participate holistically, and enthusiastically.
Core Principle 3: Assessment practices are clearly focused on improving student learning and guiding teaching decisions and actions. *How do I define learning and success in this inquiry? How is learning expressed and articulated in peer, self and teacher assessments?	The ongoing journal would be a great initiative to assess students holistically and to push them beyond their limits by encouraging questions on their work. Through these, challenging students can be identified and provided with needed support.
Core Principle 4: Teachers foster a variety of interdependent relationships in classrooms that promote learning and create a strong culture around learning. *How do I connect students with each other, with experts in the field, with larger communities and nature, and across disciplines?	Presentations, listening circles, and working in groups would be great efforts to build a community in the class, where students would get a chance to get exposure to other cultures and learn from others.
Core Principle 5: Teachers improve their practice in the company of peers. *How do I reflect on the inquiry together, and/or collaborate with others?	Journals of students and teachers, work of students, and the reflection on it would be an influential tool to make further improvements to make it universal in approach.

BC Curriculum Core Competencies

Communication	Thinking	Personal & Social
Interaction with elders, community members, classmates, and teachers through nature walk, presentation, listening circles, journal discussions, and peer feedback would be ways to enhance communication skills and vocabulary related to plants.	Students are expected to engage intellectually and academically to follow all the steps of inquiry which would be apparent from their questions, hypothesis, investigation, and participation in activities.	The acquired knowledge of human interdependence and how humans are responsible for the degradation of plants would affect their attitude in their personal social life. They would reflect more care and value towards plants

BC Curriculum Big Ideas (STUDENTS UNDERSTAND)

Human interdependence on plants for living-practical applications
Indigenous and traditional knowledge of plants- Contribution of Plants to inculcate a sense of place and well-being
Scientific knowledge of plants
Consequences of plants destructions
Ways to overcome those

BC Curriculum Learning Standards

(STUDENTS DO)

(STUDENTS KNOW)

Learning Standards – Curricular Competencies

Learning Standards – Content

Use scientific and traditional understandings to identify relationships and draw conclusions

Transfer and apply learning to new situations

Gain experiences and perspectives that how plants give a sense of place

Identify, research, understand, compare, and contrast the traditional and scientific knowledge, and discuss or share

Students would make observations, measurements, and notice minor changes in plant color, shape, and size.

Students will perform a lab activity to identify starch.

Students will write a journal at the end of the class to reflect their understanding.

Characteristics of plants and their uses other than food and respiration.

Acquired knowledge from families, the elder (guest), and peers during activities

Scientific and traditional knowledge of properties and uses of plants

Photosynthesis

Light reaction

Dark rection

Cellular respiration

The interdependence of human on plants for living

Indigenous Connections/ First Peoples Principles of Learning

How will I incorporate Indigenous knowledge and principles of learning?

By incorporating traditional knowledge along with scientific understanding by inviting an elder.
By identifying relationships and making it interdisciplinary with the knowledge of first people to make it more alive.
Holistic, interdisciplinary, and experiential

Respectful Relations

How will I invite students of all backgrounds, interests, and skills into the inquiry?

By gathering knowledge from elders in the families of students and identifying all kinds of similarities between both kinds of knowledge.
The division into small groups so that everyone can get a chance to share and ask.
Ongoing formative assessment to support challenged students for whom inquiry could be a new approach.
Use of gender-neutral terms during lessons by all.

Project Overview

Time Estimate		Description of Teacher and Student Activities	Assessment Activities
Ask	Ongoing	Potted and vascular plants would be given to students to wonder, observe, measure, and ask questions.	Journal and participation (holistic)
Investigate	Ongoing	A nature walk, online and offline resources, support from the teacher, elders in family and community to support the investigation	Journal and participation (holistic)
Create	Ongoing	Lab activity and video demonstrations would help to create and investigate. The teacher would guide the process.	Holistic
Discuss	Ongoing	Listening circles, presentation, small or large groups discussion, Padlet, and journal discussion in groups	Holistic
Reflect	Ongoing	Journal writing by both students and teacher	Holistic

Materials

A draft/rubric would be prepared by the teacher to discipline and guide the inquiry approach.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i2TINV4wkYNrhT4QIw7hSeyGclW6–f4/view?usp=sharing

http://www.fnesc.ca/science-first-peoples/

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/native-medicines

PowerPoint presentations (teacher and students)

Real-life objects (fruits, flowers, and any products made up of using plants)

Lab material and procedure

PowerPoint including YouTube videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPBMG5EYydo&t=47s (photosynthesis- light reaction)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6Le0S52wt0 (the function of sunlight light)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpdRsAv7ltM (Function of co2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2ZTumtpHrs (The Calvin Cycle)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8wA_0pfBu8 (function of chloroplast function)

Students would be expected to have all the observed data and measurements like on changed color of leaves, height, and count of leaves.

They will be expected to come in class with their created hypothesis based on previous lessons and observations.

Organizational Strategies

Permission of parents/guardians and the school board would be obtained for outdoor activity.
Division of students into small groups in the starting for outdoor as well as indoor class activities, Flexibility in time designated to class activities.
Volunteers(elders) from society to guide and look after each group.
Each student must ask at least 2 questions throughout the lesson plan to encourage participation and peer response during activities either in small groups, online or large groups
Listening circles to share journals, in small as well as big groups
Activities would be performed in small groups to support challenged students
Journals would be given every time to reflect on and for a deeper understanding of the content

Proactive, Positive Classroom Learning Environment Strategies

Expected challenges can be identified and tackled in advance to respect diversity. Everyone would be allotted a specific time slot in small groups to share and get feedback from peers. All the students would be given a rubric before the peer review to be respectful towards their peers’ work.

Extensions

Reflections (to be completed after Project Completion)

What did I learn about Inquiry-Based Pedagogy?

What challenges and successes did I experience?

What would I adapt for next time?

What questions do I still have about Inquiry-Based Pedagogy?