Submitted by Jaime Miller
Objectives:
Content:
Students will...
- demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics that differentiate various types of insects from each other.
- display an understanding of the categories into which insects can be grouped according to their characteristics.
- identify characteristics that describe a particular insect.
Cultural:
Language: Content Obligatory
Students will...
- use the verb chunk il doit avoir to explain what characteristics an insect must have.
- use various adjectives to describe insects, differentiate between them and classify them with words such as long/ue (long), bleu/e (blue), and petit/e (small)…
- use various verbs to describe insects, differentiate between them and classify them with words such as saute (hops), vole (flies), and nage (swims).
Language: Content Compatible
Students will...
- use verbs in the 1st person present tense to express thoughts on where an insect belongs, according to specified characteristics with verbs such as croire (to believe) or penser (to think).
- use the chunk ça devrait être... to express thoughts on which group an insect should belong, according to specified characteristics.
- use the clause parce que... to explain why they believe an insect belongs to a particular group.
Learning Strategies / Social and Skills Development:
Students will...
- activate background knowledge about the characteristics of true insects to help them complete the tasks.
- manipulate plastic insects and drawings of insects to help them observe characteristics and classify insects.
- group and classify insects according to different attributes.
- use graphic organizers to create a visual representation of categories of insects according to their characteristics.
Time Frame:
This lesson will be covered in the second week of the unit. Total time estimated at 1 hour (2 30-minute periods)
Materials Needed:
- 16 or more hoops for "Venn diagrams" (working in groups of 2)
- representations of insects (drawings/photos and plastic toys)
- note cards (on which to write characteristics),
- big piece of butcher paper (for Dichotomous key)
- markers
- writing paper
Description of Assessment (Performance Project):
Preview:
1. Review from previous lesson
- Ask students to tell you all of characteristics a real insect must have. When students name a characteristic, draw it on the board and write one word in or next to it, describing it. At the end you will have drawn an insect.
- Students can then partner up and repeat the review, each taking a turn. One states the characteristic it must have, the other draws it.
Focused Learning:
1. Dichotomous key (with 10 insects) - on butcher paper
- Explain activity: "A dichotomous key is like an upside down tree. It is a type of diagram that lets us put objects into different groups. At the end each object is in its own group. We will be able to see how the objects are all alike but all different. We'll use insects as objects when we do this together."
- Model with one insect
- Decide which characteristic is true about all insects together and write it on top of the paper. "They are all insects." (said)insects (written)
- Think of a characteristic that some of the insects have that the other do not (thus giving us two groups of classifications) "Some are oval shaped" (said) "oval shaped" (written)
- Draw a line down from the first classification "insects" and split it in two so that the two new classifications have space. Label these groups.
insects
_________|_________
| |
oval shaped not oval shaped- Continue this process with more oral student participation (thinking of categories, placing insects orally) until all insects are in a group alone.
2. Venn diagram (whole class)
Label two large hoops "Un vrai insect" and "Un faux insect" and affix to the wall so all can see.
- Choose two physical/observable characteristics and place one into each hoop of the "Venn diagram" they represent. Choose one picture of an insect and think aloud in deciding where to place it ("I think/believe a ___________ should be here because it_________.") Then ask a few students, one at a time, to choose an insect, think aloud about where it should be and then place it.
2b. Venn diagram (small groups)
- Distribute a Venn diagram (2 hoops) to each group of two as well as characteristic cards and a few pictures of insects.
- Students will each choose an insect or characteristic, then think aloud ("I think/believe a ________should be here because it__________"), and place it in the appropriate hoop.
Expansion
One member of each pair stays near the hoops they have placed objects in to answer any questions that classmates may have about their classification. The other member in each pair circulates, exploring the other groups' classifications and asking questions if necessary. Then, members of each pair switch places, and the student who was circulating stays by their hoops and the one who stayed now circulates.
Assessment:
Students' ability to create categories to classify insects will be assessed through the use of Venn diagrams and their participation in the creation of the dichotomous key.
Students' ability to classify insects according to their characteristics will be assessed by observing and listening to students thinking aloud and placing insects in the Venn diagrams.