Last week, I
developed a lesson for students using the backward design lesson plan. Using the backward design process was easier
than expected. In my lesson, students
were expected to explain why an ecosystem can support a variety of organisms,
and determine the interaction of organisms in an ecosystem. These goals were met, but there were areas
that I would improve upon if I were to teach this lesson again.
I enjoyed using
the backward design process to plan the lesson on food chains. I was able to focus on the desired outcome
and be sure the activities focused on the essential questions. I kept these questions in the back of my head
while I planned the lesson.
I taught my lesson
to a small group of fifth graders. At
the beginning of my lesson, students were introduced to a freshwater
ecosystem. Students listed all the
animals living in the ecosystem: fish, snails, plants, algae, turtles, and
ducks. One student thought that crabs
would live in this ecosystem, until another student mentioned that crabs lived
in salt water. We discussed the
difference between salt and freshwater.
The same student realized that freshwater was the type of water he
fished in on the weekends with his father.
Then they all make the connection to the fish tank they used to have in
their classroom, so we drew a fish tank on a piece of chart paper and placed
the animals in the tank.
After listed the
animals in the ecosystem, students began to discuss how each animal
survived. They understood that each
animal needed to eat in order to survive.
We drew arrows from each animal to their food so students were able to
see a visual representation of this process.
They realized that plants were the beginning of the chain, so we
identified plants as producers because they make their own food through
photosynthesis. One student made the
connection of the three P’s: plants,
producer, and photosynthesis. We
discussed the role of each, decomposer, producer, and consumer.
Using the visual
representation of how animals receive their energy, or get their food, students
were able to successfully play the food chain game. They were excited to put what they learned to
practice. It was interesting to see
their confusion once they had to identify a food chain with a decomposer. Most students thought the decomposer was the
beginning of the chain, not at the end.
They were amazed to see the animation of how the animals interacted with
each other in the food chain. This was a
great way to reinforce what we had already discussed.
After the
activity, the formative assessment was given.
Students had to identify the flow of energy between organisms in a food
chain. They needed to determine where
the majority of the plants energy ended.
A few students believed most of the plants energy ended in the
grasshopper because this was the first animal who consumed the plant, but a few
said most of the energy ended up in the fox because that is the last animal in
the food chain. After everyone was
finished, the students discussed their answers and had to explain why the
grasshopper received most of the plants energy.
At the end of the
lesson, we returned to the scenario and students were able to answer the
question posed by the scientist in the scenario. They determined that the ecosystem sustained
itself because each animal depended on each other for energy to survive. They also said that if any animal was to be
taken out of the ecosystem, then the balance would be off and changes would
happen.
If I were to teach
this lesson again, I would have spent a little more time explain the role of a
decomposer in a food chain. We discussed
that decomposers fed on dead animals to turn them into nutrients; but since
decomposers were not identified in the freshwater ecosystem, students did not
get a visual representation of their role until the online activity.
Using the backward
design process to plan my lesson allowed me to focus on what I wanted students
to know by the end of the lesson. I was
able to keep my activities tailored to the desired outcome. The students were able to reach the
established goals. I know this because
they were able to successfully finished the online activities. I used the formative assessment to determine
90% of the students understood the flow of energy from one organism to
another. The lesson was successful, but
I feel I could have spent more time on the role of decomposers in a food
chain.
