Day 14: Culminating Activity (Part 1)

Photo by Allison Shelley for EDUimages

STANDARDS OVERVIEW

Reading Strategy:

Children are introduced to the culminating activity and make a plan for creating life cycle posters.

Science Concept:

A life cycle describes the stages or changes an organism goes through during its life.

Reading TEKS:

2.(b)(13) Inquiry and research: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student engages in both short-term and sustained recursive inquiry processes for a variety of purposes. The student is expected to: (E) demonstrate understanding of information gathered; (G) use an appropriate mode of delivery, whether written, oral, or multimodal, to present results.

Science TEKS:

2.3 Scientific and engineering practices. The student develops evidence-based explanations and communicates findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions. The student is expected to: (A) develop explanations and propose solutions supported by data and models; (B) communicate explanations and solutions individually and collaboratively in a variety of settings and formats; and (C) listen actively to others' explanations to identify important evidence and engage respectfully in scientific discussion; 2.13 Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms have structures and undergo processes that help them interact and survive within their environments. The student is expected to: (D) investigate and describe some of the unique life cycles of animals where young animals do not resemble their parents, including butterflies and frogs.

NGSS:

1-LS2-2 Science: uses drawings, sketches, and models as a way to communicate ideas. 2-LS4-1 Make observations (firsthand or from media) to collect data which can be used to make comparisons.

CCSS:

W.2.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section; SL.2.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups; (b) Build on others’ talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of others. SL.2.5 Create audio recordings of stories or poems; add drawings or other visual displays to stories or recounts of experiences when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

Science and Literacy Connection:

At the end of an investigation, scientists share new knowledge with others in many ways including scientific presentations, published papers, and the media.

Science Language:

Culminating Project

OVERVIEW

Teams are introduced to the culminating activity for this unit and begin work on posters for tomorrow’s poster session.

SUMMARY OF THE WORK THUS FAR 

All learners should have completed their work in their inquiry circles and in their science investigations. In their inquiry circles, each team has created synthesis statements about animals using new knowledge from different sources. Through observations and science activities, they have also learned about the changes that butterflies undergo during their life cycles. Today learners will be introduced to the culminating activity: creating posters about the life cycles of all the animals they have investigated.

They will create their posters today and be prepared to display and talk about them tomorrow during a simulated science poster session.

We suggest that you allow 60–90 minutes for each day, but you can decide how much time to allow based on your schedule and learners’ needs.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER   

Scientists often present their expertise in the topic they’ve been studying at a science conference poster session. In this way, new information can be shared across the scientific community. Poster sessions give scientists the opportunity to summarize their findings using a graphic. It is also a great way to talk about their work with other scientists and the public as they stand next to their posters to answer questions.

There are several things the scientific community expects, including the use of scientific language in both the written and spoken presentation. These are things to note and talk about with children as they prepare for the culminating activity. Remind them of the new science language they have learned.

MATERIALS 

Each team member needs:
- Butterfly Investigation Journal
- pencil
Each team needs: 
- team Inquiry Chart 
- 1 “Poster Planning” sheet
- materials for making a poster, including traditional materials (e.g., paper and writing/drawing materials, poster board or chart paper, markers)  
SETUP 
- Designate a central location where learners can access all the construction materials needed for their culminating projects. 
- Make copies of the “Poster Planning” sheet (1 per team).
 

PROCEDURE  
1. Explain to the class that when investigations are over, scientists often prepare posters to share their information with others at science meetings. Each scientist or team of scientists creates a poster that contains images, labels, and text. During the poster session, other scientists can view the posters and ask the scientists questions about their work.
1. For the culminating activity, each team will create 2 posters to inform others about the life cycles of animals.
1. Using pictures and text, they will create a poster that demonstrates their understanding of the life cycles of the animal they were investigating in inquiry circles, and another poster about the life cycle of a butterfly.
1. The posters should include:
- a title
- images or drawings that represent the different stages in the life cycles of the animals
- labels for the images
1. Along with the posters, one (or more) team member(s) will give a science talk about
- who the science team members are
- what the team did during its investigations (inquiry circles and science investigation)
- what the team has learned about animal life cycles (use the poster to explain the life cycle diagrams the team has created).
Remind the children to use the science language they have learned.
1. Tell learners that they have some decisions to make as they start their projects. Distribute the “Poster Planning” sheet (1 per team).
1. Read over the planning sheet together and point out the many different parts of the poster that will need to be created. Before they create anything, teams need to decide who will be responsible for each part of the project (writing, drawing, speaking, etc.). Remind them that they are a team and should work together to create their project. They should write the names of the team members on the planning sheet so that they know who is doing what.
1. Tell learners they will have today to work on their projects. (The teacher can allow more time at their discretion.)
1. Let them know that their culminating projects will be presented at their own scientific poster session in the classroom before their fellow classmates and any invited guests, and that they should be prepared to answer questions from their audience . (The teacher may choose to invite parents or colleagues to attend.) 
1. After the project has been explained and questions have been answered, learners will use the remaining time to work on their projects. The teacher should move around between the teams, offering guidance as needed and asking questions about their work. 
Expanded Standards

Reading TEKS:
2.(b)(13) Inquiry and research: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student engages in both short-term and sustained recursive inquiry processes for a variety of purposes. The student is expected to: (E) demonstrate understanding of information gathered; (G) use an appropriate mode of delivery, whether written, oral, or multimodal, to present results.

NGSS:
1-LS2-2 Science: uses drawings, sketches, and models as a way to communicate ideas. 2-LS4-1 Make observations (firsthand or from media) to collect data which can be used to make comparisons.

CCSS:
W.2.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section; SL.2.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups; (b) Build on others’ talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of others. SL.2.5 Create audio recordings of stories or poems; add drawings or other visual displays to stories or recounts of experiences when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

Science TEKS:

2.3 Scientific and engineering practices. The student develops evidence-based explanations and communicates findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions. The student is expected to: (A) develop explanations and propose solutions supported by data and models; (B) communicate explanations and solutions individually and collaboratively in a variety of settings and formats; and (C) listen actively to others’ explanations to identify important evidence and engage respectfully in scientific discussion; 2.13 Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms have structures and undergo processes that help them interact and survive within their environments. The student is expected to: (D) investigate and describe some of the unique life cycles of animals where young animals do not resemble their parents, including butterflies and frogs.