Stephanie Severn + Aaron Nawrot - Personal …severn-efolio.wmwikis.net/file/view/Science+Circus+LP.pdfStephanie Severn + Aaron Nawrot Exploration: Tell students that they will be

Stephanie Severn + Aaron Nawrot

Science Circus Lesson Plan

Topic: Living Systems

Grade Level: 4th grade

SOL: 4.1 The students will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning and

conducting investigations in which (a) distinctions are made among observations, conclusions, inferences, and predictions, (e)

predictions and inferences are made, and conclusions are drawn based on data from a variety of sources.

4.5 The student will investigate and understand how plants and animals, including humans, in an ecosystem interact with one another and

with the nonliving components in the ecosystem. Key concepts include (f) influences of human activity on ecosystems.

Subject: Investigating the influences of humans on ecosystems

Day’s Question: How do we help and hurt the earth?

Procedures for Learning Experience Guiding Questions Materials Needed Evaluation

(Assessment)

Approx.

Time

Needed

Engagement:

Begin the lesson by having a discussion about the

previous Service Learning Project that the students

recently completed. Ask students to recall what

they did and why they did it. Reinforce the

necessity for children to engage in their community

and make things better. Ask students if they know

of any other ways they can help their community to

make things better. Suggest that there are many

other problems to learn about, specifically what

humans do to the earth’s ecosystems, and that we

can do something about it. For some things, the

students may be familiar, like pollution. For other

things, the students will probably not be familiar,

like hunting vs. poaching. Record notes on the

Smartboard. Encourage students to believe that

they can greatly help the earth’s ecosystems by

choosing to do the right thing and that, as everyday

scientists, they have the responsibility to

investigate, observe, and develop solutions to help

the earth.

How do scientists

investigate?

How do scientists make

observations?

How are observations related

to evidence?

How do you think scientists

work together?

Smartboard

Participation during

discussion, responses

to questions,

appropriateness of

connections between

Service Learning

Project and Science

Circus (informal,

formative)

7 minutes


Exploration:

Tell students that they will be completing a science

circus to investigate different impacts humans have

had on the earth’s ecosystems, how these impacts

may help or hurt the earth, and whether or not a

solution needs to be discovered. Students will be

working in groups of 5 students each. Each group

will have one student who serves as the

“Equalizer.” The “Equalizer” will be in charge of

making sure every group member gets to share his

or her thoughts at each station. Explain that the

role of “Equalizer” is very important and should be

taken seriously by the students because science is a

social activity and that as scientists, students will

need to work together to solve problems. At each

station, students will read the student cards,

complete the activity, and answer the questions in

their science journals. Each student is expected to

participate within their group. Throughout the

circus, students should be considering what is good

and what is bad about each human impact and what

solutions they could come up with.

Explain each station and how the circus will

operate to the class before having students begin

the circus. Develop background information,

define any unfamiliar terms or vocabulary, and

allow questions to be answered for everyone to

hear at one time. Once students are comfortable

with every station, send each group to their first

station. Students will receive 7 minutes at each

station with 1 minute to change stations. The

stations include: station 1: “Going Downstream,”

station 2: “Industrialization Nation,” station 3:

“TIMMMBER!,” station 4: “Hunting vs.

Poaching,” and station 5: “Where Does the Litter

Are you making observations

in your investigations?

Are you using personal

opinion to draw conclusions?

What do scientists use?

Are you making inferences

during your investigation?

How are you finding new

knowledge?

Science

Notebooks

Student Cards

Teacher Cards

All required

materials listed on

Teacher Cards

including:

computers,

handouts, images,

Smartboard, etc.

Timer


activities, responses

in science journals

according to rubric

(formal, formative)

55

minutes


Go?.” See the attached student and teacher cards

for set-up and content information about each

station.

Explanation:

Bring the students back to their desks upon

completion of each station. Ask students to take 1

minute to reflect on what they learned by writing a

few sentences in their science journal. They can

write about what they did at each station, specific

facts they found interesting or learned, what

questions they may still have, or what solutions

they came up with. Revisit the notes taken at the

beginning of class. Tell students that they will be

having a discussion about the circus in the form of

a science forum. Explain again that science is a

social activity and as scientist they will need to

work together to reflect and discuss what they

learned. For each station, have students discuss

what they learned about the human impact, how it

is good and how it is bad, how it affects the

ecosystem, and what solutions they may have

considered. Use the teacher cards to reinforce any

additional content knowledge not discussed by the

students. Additionally, have students discuss about

working in groups and whether they learned

something new because of what a group member

shared. Record notes on the Smartboard. Make

sure that students use scientific terminology, like

observed, investigated, questioned, predicted,

hypothesized, inferred, etc., to describe the

influences of human activity on the earth’s

ecosystems and their role as scientists for

determining appropriate solutions.

How were you scientists

today?

How did your investigation

help you to understand?

What do you now understand

that you didn’t before?

How well did you work with

your group today?

Smartboard

Teacher Cards


reflection and

discussion, sensitivity

to understanding,

cooperation with

peers (informal,

summative)

8 minutes

Extension:

Students will be contemplating solutions to each of

the impacts described at each station. They may

Do you think our

understanding will change?

Smartboard

Completion of

extension activity

according to PBL

TBD


feel particularly burdened by one or two impacts

that they encounter. Based on this knowledge,

collectively decide on one impact that the students

believe is a very important problem to resolve.

Based on the class choice, have students complete a

follow-up activity at a later date where they

research, design, and develop a solution to the

impact of choice to present to a panel of experts.

This may include a solution proposal, a tested

prototype, or something else. Specifics will be

developed organically by the students upon

completion of the science circus.

Would scientists consider

multiple conclusions?

requirements TBD

Notes:

During the Exploration experience, clearly explain the transition process and the role of the timer. Students will need to transition independently

and understand which activity to go to next. They should be familiar with this process from previous activities completed this year. The teacher

should be available to answer any questions at each activity.

Due to the limited time allotted for Science each day, the Extension experience will be a follow-up activity designed around the students’ interests

while completing the circus. This will transition into a Problem Based Learning activity. Additionally, have students pack up their bags and be

ready for dismissal prior to beginning the lesson. This will provide an additional 15-20 minutes of time for completing the circus.

This lesson fits into the topic, Living Systems, by being one component of the Virginia Standards of Learning expected to be taught in the Fourth

grade. The science circus lesson is supposed to be flexible within this strand once students develop a beginning understanding of the concept of

ecosystem. This lesson is positioned particularly after the Service Learning Project for Newport News Public Schools because the students should

feel empowered to create change and be sensitive to other problems that humans have caused affecting the earth.

Differentiation strategies to be considered based on the student population in the classroom include: group students heterogeneously by academic

level (for SPED students) and/or language proficiency (For ESL students); provide SPED students additional support through assistance from a

SPED teacher or assistant; orally read instructions and questions and modify writing requirements for ESL students.

Safety should be considered as students will be moving quickly between stations and viewing material on-line. Students should be expected to

navigate safely, like they do while in the halls, and all on-line material should be thoroughly inspected by the teacher to make sure there is not any

unsafe material accessible to students.


Sources:

The Forest History Society. (2009). If trees could talk: From forest to farm and back again. Retrieved from http://www.foresthistory.org/

Goodall, E. (1840). Cottonopolis [Engraving]. Retrieved from http://www.goodallartists.ca/

Great Pacific Garbage Patch [Video File]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh6lkv1udb0/

International Wildlife Museum. (2009). Stealing wildlife: Poaching is not hunting. Retrieved from http://www.thewildlifemuseum.org/

National Geographic. Deforestation. Retrieved from http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/

United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2013). AirData. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/

University of Michigan. Global Deforestation. Retrieved from http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/

Virginia Department of Education. (2004). Science standards of learning for Virginia public schools. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/

Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. (2013). Virginia Watersheds. Retrieved from http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/

Student Cards:


Station 1: Going Downstream – Pollution in Virginia Watersheds

Directions:

1. Find Newport News on the map on the Smartboard. Newport News is in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The Chesapeake

Bay watershed is pink on the map.

2. Locate sources of pollution on the map. Trace the path that the pollution follows through the watershed.

Questions:

1. Where do you think the water in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed goes?

2. What types of pollution do you think are in our watershed? Think about the different ways we use the land in our area and

what kind of pollution they create.

3. Where does pollution end up in our watershed? Why is this pollution bad for the environment?

4. Why do you think pollution from Alexandria, a city on the Potomac River, can hurt the environment near Virginia Beach?

Station 2: Industrialization Nation

farm

factory


Directions:

1. Look at the piece of art, called Cottonopolis, by Edward Goodall.

2. Talk with your group about what you see in the piece. Think about how it relates to pollution.

Questions:

1. What kinds of pollution do you see? What is causing the pollution? What are the effects of the pollution?

2. Why do you think the piece is titled Cottonopolis? How is it related to the shirt you see on the table?

3. Why is pollution sometimes a necessary thing for humans?

4. Do you think the artist likes pollution? Why or why not?

Station 3: TIMMMBER! – Deforestation in the U.S.


Deforestation is when we cut down forests to use the land for another purpose, such as farming or timber. Every year, the world loses more and

more forests to deforestation!

Directions:

1. Look at the pictures of the forest and the maps showing the amount of forests in the U.S.

2. Why do you think there is less forest in 1920?

3. Talk to your group members about what likely happened to the land. Make a prediction about what the forest would look like

in 2013. Sketch what you think the map like look like today.

4. With your group, think about how deforestation can be good and how it can be bad.

Questions:


1. Why is there less forest in 1920?

2. What are some good reasons to deforest? Why is deforestation bad?

3. What can we do to help reforest?

4. What might the map and photo look like today?

Station 4: Hunting vs. Poaching

Hunting is legally killing wild animals, while following the laws and showing respect for the animal and environment. Hunters have the necessary

licenses for hunting and do not waste the meat or other animal parts.

Poaching is illegally killing wild animals. Poaching includes killing animals out of season or legal hunting hours, killing endangered species, and

only killing for certain parts, leaving the rest of the animal to waste.

Directions:

1. Make sure all the cards are turned face-up.

2. Using your knowledge of the difference between hunting and poaching, talk to your group about whether each of the animals

on the cards can be legally hunted. If so, discuss how you legally hunt it. Be sure to talk about why we have the hunting laws

that we do.

Questions:

1. Why is poaching harmful?

2. How can you legally hunt certain animals?

3. Why do we have the hunting laws that we do?

4. How do we prevent poaching?

Station 5: Where Does the Litter Go?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh6lkv1udb0 (stop after 3 min.)

Directions:

1. Watch the YouTube video about Garbage Island.

2. Talk to your group about your thoughts and reactions to the video. What did you learn? What surprised you?

Questions:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh6lkv1udb0


1. Where did all the trash come from and how did it collect in the ocean?

2. What can we do to fix this problem?

3. What should we do with all our trash?

Teacher Cards:


Station 1: Going Downstream – Pollution in Virginia Watersheds

Key concepts:

Virginia is made up of several watersheds, the largest being the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Potomac, Rappahannock, York, and James rivers

flow into the Chesapeake Bay, carrying water pollutants into the bay. Students will recognize that they live in Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Pollutants, such as fertilizer, motor oil, chemicals, and litter, get into the water and flow through the watershed until emptying into the

Chesapeake. This pollution can be very harmful to the aquatic environments in the watershed. By tracing the flow of water, students will

demonstrate how water and pollutants travel through the watershed. This activity will help students understand how water pollution spreads and

how effects can occur far from the pollutant source.

Materials:

Smartboard

Virginia Watersheds map

Science notebook

Notes: This activity incorporates concepts and skills from the social studies curriculum, such as knowledge of Virginia geography and map skills.

This activity also uses technology to enhance student learning.

Guiding Questions:

1. What watershed is Newport News in? Where does the water in this watershed go?

2. What type of pollutants may be found in our watershed and where do they go?

3. Why is water pollution harmful to the environment?

4. How can water pollution be prevented/alleviated?

For discussion:

Who can find Newport News on the map? Tell students that Newport News is part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. What rivers empty into the

Chesapeake Bay? Where would pollution go if it entered the watershed through the James River? The Potomac River? Emphasize that pollution

from all the rivers will eventually end up in the Chesapeake Bay. What type of pollution may be present in the Chesapeake Bay? Where does it

come from? Why is water pollution harmful to the environment? Discuss different types of pollution and their sources, such as fertilizer and

manure from farms, motor oil from roads, chemicals from factories and mining, litter. Discuss several harmful effects of pollution, such as animal

deaths or toxin accumulation, mutations, and algae blooms. How can this pollution problem be prevented or slowed? Introduce ways to help

decrease water pollution.

Safety:

There are no safety concerns.

Resources:

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/education/sol/watersheds.asp


Station 2: Industrialization Nation

Key concepts:

Air pollution is an environmental issue that has been occurring for centuries. Pollution is a natural consequence of human progress; however, air

pollution has negative environmental effects, such as decreased air quality, ozone depletion, and atmospheric changes. Students will understand

the connection between pollution and the progress of humans. They will be able to see how their lives of convenience negatively affect the

environment. Students will also see how art often depicts current social issues and can serve as a method to express opinions.

Materials:

Photo of Cottonopolis by Edward Goodall

Cotton t-shirt

Science notebook

Notes:

This station represents the integration of social studies in the science circus. This station incorporates art and human progress into the topic of air

pollution. This activity also connects to the deforestation activity in that students must consider the benefits and drawbacks of human progress.

Guiding Questions:

1. What do you see in the artwork?

2. What kinds of human impact do you see? What negative effects of pollution do you see?

3. Why do you think the piece is titled Cottonopolis? How is it related to the shirt on the table?

4. Why is pollution sometimes a necessary thing for humans?

5. How does the artist feel about industrialization?

For discussion:

What did you see in the piece of art? What evidence of human impact did you notice? Students will point out the air pollution spewing out of the

factories and the smog in the sky. Using these observations, discuss the negative effects of air pollution. Have students think about the benefits

and drawbacks of human progress. How does the piece relate to the shirt on the table? Discuss how air pollution relates to the comfortable

lifestyle they are used to living. How does the artist feel about industrialization? Does he like it? Discuss why the piece suggests that the artist

does not like industrialization, including the mood and use of color.

Safety:


Resources:

http://www.epa.gov/airquality/airdata/


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cottonopolis1.jpg

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/12/06/a-problem-nearly-one-third-of-co2-emissions-occured-since-1998-and-it-hasnt-warmed/

Station 3: TIMMMBER! – Deforestation in the U.S.

Key concepts: Deforestation is the process of cutting down forests to use the land for another purpose. Discuss the harmful impacts of

deforestation, as well as the benefits we derive from it. Students can use these benefits and drawbacks to make a conclusion on the relative value

of the practice of deforestation. Students will use the maps and pictures to visualize and understand deforestation has changed the landscape of the

U.S. over time. Highlight the semi-permanent nature of deforestation, as well as ways to help stop deforestation.

Materials:

Photographs of deforested area

Maps of forested area in U.S.

Colored pencil/crayon (optional)

Science notebook

Notes:

In order to conserve paper, the photographs and maps can be viewed on a computer. Students should carefully consider the benefits and

drawbacks of deforestation when making their decision on the value of the practice. The members of the group do not have to all agree; students

should make a decision for themselves, instead of trying to form a group decision.

Guiding Questions:

1. What differences do you see in the pictures of the forest? Why is there less forest in 1920?

2. What happened to cause these changes? Why did it happen?

3. What are some good reasons to deforest? Why is deforestation bad?

4. What can we do to help reforest?

5. What would the map and photo look like today? For Discussion:

What differences did you notice among the pictures of the forest and the different maps? What do you think happened? Reinforce the concept of

deforestation and discuss the reasons behind it. Why is deforestation a problem? Highlight the numerous environmental effects of deforestation,

including habitat destruction, loss of trees which take in carbon dioxide, and increased erosion. Let students also discuss the benefits of

deforestation, such as timber and room for farm land or other developments. Allow students to share their views on the value of deforestation,

weighing the pros and cons. Also bring up the difference between forested land and farm land. Students may realize that there are plants growing

in both land uses, but they should begin to understand the differences. Forests provide a habitat for many animals, help prevent erosion, and do


not leach the soil, unlike crops grown on farms. What can we do to help the deforestation problem? Discuss possible ways to help the problem,

including things that can be done at school. Possible solutions include reforestation, forest protection, and cutting down on paper/timber usage.

Safety:


Resources:

http://www.foresthistory.org/education/curriculum/Activity/activ2/2studentPages.pdf

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/forests/solutions-to-deforestation/

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestation-overview/

http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange2/current/lectures/deforest/deforest.html

Station 4: Hunting vs. Poaching

Key concepts:

Hunting is the responsible and legal killing of wild animals. Hunters hold licenses for hunting and abide by all laws. They have a high respect for

animals and do not waste the meat or other animal parts. Poaching, however, is the illegal killing of wild animals, including killing out of season

or out of legal hunting hours, killing endangered species, killing without a license, and killing for a certain animal part (and leaving the other parts

to waste). Students will read the definitions of the two terms and apply this knowledge deciding how, if at all, certain animals can be legally

hunted. Students will discuss why poaching is harmful to the environment, but hunting is more acceptable. Discuss possible ways to help stop

poaching.

Materials:

Cards with information on hunting for Newport News area animals

Science notebook

Notes:

Depending on the population, students may have very different feelings on the practice of hunting. Some students may have more experience with

hunting, so they are better able to understand the benefits of legal hunting. Make sure students understand that poaching does not just happen with

endangered species, but occurs anytime someone kills a wild animal in an unlawful manner.

Guiding Questions:

1. What is the difference between hunting and poaching?

2. Name several animals that can be hunted. Name several that are poached?

3. Why is poaching harmful? Why is hunting considered to be an acceptable practice?

4. Why do we have the hunting laws that we do?


5. How can we protect animals from poachers?

For Discussion:

Who can describe the difference between hunting and poaching? Can you give an example of each one? Emphasize that poaching occurs when

hunting laws are not followed. Introduce the harmful effects of poaching on animal populations. Discuss why hunting, which is controlled by

laws, is not as detrimental. Mention that hunting actually helps control populations of animals, such as deer, and that hunters kill animals to use

for meat and other parts. Poachers, however, typically kill animals for small parts, such as furs or tusks/teeth. How can we protect animals from

poachers? Ask students to think of what has already been done to help protect animals and what can still be done.

Safety:


Resources:

http://www.thewildlifemuseum.org/exhibits/Poaching/doc/Hunting%20Versus%20Poaching.pdf

http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/poaching/

Station 5: Where Does the Litter Go?

Key concepts: When we throw trash away, it does not disappear; it has to go somewhere! When we properly throw something away, it typically

ends up in a landfill. Unfortunately, litter often does not. Litter often finds its way to waterways, where it is eventually deposited in the ocean.

The garbage island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is an example of a large accumulation of garbage that negatively affects the environment.

Students will watch the video to get a visual representation of this garbage island and realize that trash does not disappear once we throw it away.

Students will discuss proper ways to dispose of trash and how to help decrease the amount of waste we produce.

Materials:

Laptop/computer

Science notebook

Notes: Make sure this station is far enough away from other stations so that students can hear the video well without disrupting other stations. If

not, students may need to use headphones.

Guiding Questions:

1. What is litter and why is it harmful to the environment?

2. Where does trash go after it is thrown away?

3. Where did the trash come from and how does it in the ocean?

4. How can we fix the waste problem?

5. What should we do with all our trash?


6. What can we do to reduce our waste?

For discussion:

What happens to trash after we throw it in the trashcan? What about the trash that is not properly thrown away, called litter? Discuss the

definition of litter and where trash goes. Mention that some trash ends up in landfills, whereas some gets into the waterways and finally gets into

the bays and oceans. Include why litter is harmful to the environment. How does trash collect in the ocean, as seen in the video? Talk about how

trash travels in waterways and circulates with the currents. How can we fix the waste problem? Identify several potential solutions, such as

recycling, using biodegradable materials, and reducing waste.

Safety:


Resources:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh6lkv1udb0

Documents

Stephanie Severn + Aaron Nawrot - Personal …severn-efolio.wmwikis.net/file/view/Science+Circus+LP.pdfStephanie Severn + Aaron Nawrot Exploration: Tell students that they will be