Standards Overview

Inquiry Circle

OVERVIEW

CULMINATING ACTIVITY

Students have worked in inquiry circle groups to research various organisms. During this time, students have practiced becoming a scientist by speaking, reading, and writing like one. Inquiry circle groups will work together to create a product to share at the scientific symposium.

TIME: 30–45 minutes

PROCEDURE

1. Say something like, “Now that everyone has written a synthesis statement about their organism, we will create a product to share what we know in a scientific symposium.”
2. Say something like, “Groups will work together to pick one product to create. Remember, your product must show what you know about your organism’s physical traits as adults and offspring.”
3. Distribute the choice sheet and review the options. For technology-based products, be sure the app is available in your school district and that you are familiar with it.
4. Facilitate groups (if needed) to come to a consensus about which product to create.
5. Say something like, “Including today, there are three days scheduled to work on the culminating product.”
6. Have groups present their products on the last day of the unit.

Science Lesson

OVERVIEW

In day two of this two-part activity, students will be able to finish an illustration of what they predict an offspring butterfly will look like based on its parents’ physical characteristics. A slideshow and discussion questions will help them expand on the concept of dominant and recessive traits.

TIME: 30 minutes

GUIDING QUESTIONS

How are butterflies and their offspring similar? Different? Why do offspring look like their parents?

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

See the accompanying slideshow for background information.

SETUP

Students will probably need time to finish their offspring illustrations that they started yesterday. Once they have been completed and the slideshow is over, ask students to place their completed illustrations along with their parent pictures on their desks. Ensure there is enough room for students to move around when looking at their peers’ work. 

MATERIALS

• Student work from the day before
• Dominant and Recessive Traits PowerPoint® slide set

PROCEDURE

DAILY OBSERVATIONS

Give students time to observe their organisms (whether they are in the larva, pupa, or adult stage), take measurements of the larvae (if applicable), and record their observations in their science notebooks. Facilitate group discussions by asking questions like, “What did you notice?” “What has changed since the last time you observed your organisms?”

PROCEDURE

Engage

1. Review with the class what they have learned about dominant and recessive traits.

Explore

2. Tell the class that they will finish the construction of their offspring today and that when everyone is finished, they will display and explain their work to the class. 

Explain

3. When students complete their work, ask each group to share what their prediction was about what the offspring would look like.
4. Then have them show the class their offspring and explain its appearance. Why does it look the way it does? Accept all responses.
5. When all groups have presented their offspring, ask them why some traits were in uppercase letters. (dominant) Why were some traits in lower case letters? (recessive)
6. Explain again that in order to inherit a recessive trait, you need 2 copies of that recessive gene. If one parent has a dominant trait and the other has a recessive trait, the dominant trait appears.)
7. Ask the groups if their predictions about the appearance of the offspring were correct? Why or why not? Remind them that in science investigations you don’t always get the results you expect!

Elaborate

8. Give students time to do a gallery walk around the room to observe their classmates’ results. Facilitate by asking questions and encouraging the use of scientific language as students discuss what they observe.
9. When students have finished, come together to discuss their observations. Ask questions like, “What did you notice about each other’s offspring?” “How were the offspring similar to or different from their parents?” “Why is this so?”
10. Using what they have learned, can students predict one trait that might be dominant in their own family?

Evaluate

11. In their science notebooks, have students write “Why do offspring look like their parents?” at the top of a clean page. Ask students to write one or two sentences that answer the question. Allow them time for collaboration with classmates to think of their answers. When they are finished, ask students to share and celebrate all they have learned!
12. Do students communicate concept understanding of dominant and recessive traits? Are they able to apply new knowledge to different scenarios? (family?)

Expanded Standards