Inquiry Based Lesson Plan

Teachers: Amy Smeester Subject: General Biology

Standard:

● Essential HS.L2U3.18. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate about the positive and negative ethical,
social, economic, and political implications of human activity on the biodiversity of an ecosystem.
● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such
that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
● ISTE 3c. Students curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and methods to
create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections or conclusions.
Objective (Explicit):

● Students will be able to identify types of information that must be known in order to create an
effective conservation technique for an animal.
Evidence of Mastery (Measurable):

Students will answer the question, “What are at least three of the most important things that wildlife biologists need to
know in order to create the best conservation techniques? Explain why these are important.” Mastery is dependent on
listing three pieces of information and a logical explanation for each.

Sub-objectives, SWBAT (Sequenced from basic to complex):

● Students will conduct research on the desert tortoise in order to create a conservation strategy.
● Students will critique and give feedback on another group’s strategy.
● Students will identify information they need to know about the desert tortoise in order to create a
good conservation strategy.
Key vocabulary: Materials/Technology Resources to be used:

-endangered: seriously at risk of extinction -laptops/phones with Internet

-vulnerable: likely to become endangered unless the -biology textbooks

circumstances that are threatening its survival and reproduction
improve -pencil

-threatened: one that is likely to become an endangered species -blank paper

in the near future throughout all or a significant portion of its -device with video chat
range

-extinct: no longer in existence

-conservation: preservation, protection, or restoration of the

natural environment and of wildlife

Engage (Make content and learning relevant to real life and connect to student interest)

Students will engage in a video chat with a wildlife biologist. This wildlife biologist will show them a desert tortoise
and tell the class some interesting facts about the tortoise, explain how it is important to our desert ecosystem, and
explain that it is considered “vulnerable” and “threatened” in terms of extinction. The biologist will then tell the class
that he needs their help coming up with a plan to help protect the desert tortoise from extinction.
Explore Teacher Will:
I will sort students into groups of 3 and explain
that they now have 15-20 minutes to come up
with a plan to help save the desert tortoise. I will
walk around the classroom to help facilitate this
activity, ensure that students are on the right
path, and ask guiding questions.
Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation
-cooperative grouping
-multiple resources available
-group discussion
Explain Teacher Will:
I will explain how groups should be giving
feedback to one another. Then I will walk around
the classroom to facilitate the activity, ensure
students are on the right path, and ask guiding
questions.
Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation
-students are able to give and receive feedback from their peers
-group discussion
Elaborat Teacher Will:
e
I will walk around the classroom to facilitate the
activity, ensure students are on the right path,
and ask guiding questions.
Student Will:
The students will be sorted into groups of 3. They
will have 15-20 minutes to come up with a way to
help protect the desert tortoise. As a group, they
must decide what information they need to look for
in order to come up with their plan. The students
can use any resources available in the classroom.
This includes textbooks, the Internet, and asking the
wildlife biologist questions via video chat.
Student Will:
Students will pair up with another group and explain
what they have found. Each group will share what
type of information they gathered, their strategy
they came up with for helping save the desert
tortoise, and why they chose that strategy. Each
group will give feedback to the other group that
includes what they think the group did well in their
research, what questions or concerns they have
about the strategy chosen, and what other
information the group might need in order to
improve their strategy.
Student Will:
Based on the peer feedback and their own
assessment of their conservation plan, students will
write down what kind of questions they would need
to know and research in order to tweak and improve
their conservation plan. They may write them down
individually or discuss with their group members to
come up with these questions. The students will be
provided with a template of effective ways to phrase
 their questions.

Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation

-choice of individual or group work

-question template

Evaluate

Students will complete an exit ticket that asks, “What are at least three of the most important things that wildlife
biologists need to know in order to create the best conservation techniques? Explain why these are important.”