Mini-Lesson

OVERVIEW

Throughout this unit, learners will be organized into inquiry circles and science investigation teams that reflect the roles of practicing scientists. By taking on the roles of scientists as they engage in text-based and hands-on investigations, and by learning to read, write, speak, and listen like scientists, children develop deeper science learning and science-specific disciplinary literacies.

DAILY SCHEDULE

The sequence of instruction for the unit will be as follows (you may space the three components throughout the day in the way that best fits your usual schedule):

• mini-lesson on science-specific disciplinary literacy
• science inquiry circles
• guided science investigation

SUPPORTING MATERIALS

The “Lessons at a Glance” document (in the “Before the Unit Begins” section) lists the materials needed for each day’s lesson. Any additional supporting documents referenced in a lesson (including anchor charts and printable or downloadable files) can be found in the “Supporting Files” section for that day’s lesson.

MINI-LESSON

Each day, the teacher will lead a mini-lesson on a science-based disciplinary literacy before the children work in their inquiry circles. The mini-lessons are taught as whole-class lessons in which the teacher models and explains a literacy strategy relevant for use with exploratory texts or media. Mini-lessons are organized around teaching children various literacy strategies associated with science and scientists. They are designed to help learners become more strategic in their reading through intentional instruction. The strategies children learn in the mini-lessons are practiced with texts during the inquiry circles.

Our goal in these lessons is to give you (the teacher) suggested language to use when teaching these strategies and a set of materials that will support you in explaining those strategies to children. We have not scripted the lessons for you. Rather, we hope you take these suggestions as the starting points for working with children on constructing an understanding of what it is we do when we read and write like a scientist

SCIENCE INQUIRY CIRCLES

Throughout this unit, children will participate in inquiry circles—small teams that work together to investigate a topic. The exploratory texts and media learners will be using should guide them toward acquiring or building on information that leads to thinking about the topic and asking questions. You will recognize that the instructional model of inquiry circles is similar to that of literature circles in which learners build skills and develop strategies in reading. Inquiry circles in this unit will focus on topics related to the theme of the science investigation.

Each inquiry circle of learners will select a North American ecosystem to investigate throughout the unit, using exploratory texts. A list of suggested ecosystems (aquatic polar, desert, tundra, ocean, temperate forest, and grassland) and text resources are provided for you on the unit website. Please be sure to gather or obtain access to these resources prior to beginning the unit. You, the teacher, will model (using a pond ecosystem) inquiry and literacy practices for learners, who will work together to collect data about the ecosystem they select.

When creating inquiry circles, we suggest no more than four children per team, although the number of inquiry circles you have will depend on the size of your class and other considerations. Team roles (see below) will guide children’s work in their inquiry circles, which will be based on the ecosystem they select (e.g., an inquiry circle investigating a desert).

SCIENCE LANGUAGE

The strategies related to science-specific reading and writing in the mini-lessons and inquiry circles enable deep science learning. Rather than simply memorizing vocabulary words without true understanding of their relationship to their scientific work, children develop fluency with the language of science in context, both in text-based inquiry and scientific inquiry. We encourage you to model using this language in context often to enhance children’s learning.

We have provided science language picture cards suitable for building reference-word walls for children.  The teacher will need to print color copies of the picture cards before Day 1. Each day’s science language is listed near the end of the lesson. The science language picture cards and a list of all the science language used can be found in the “Before the Unit Begins” section.

GUIDED SCIENCE INVESTIGATIONS

Science investigations are teacher-facilitated science explorations, with children working in collaborative teams. Team roles will also guide children’s work in their science investigation teams. You may choose to rotate team roles in any way that works for your class.

In this unit, learners will conduct investigations on a mystery “green substance” as they discover how organisms rely on the living and nonliving components in their environment, how producers and consumers interact in ecosystems, how energy is transferred through food chains, and how a change in one part of an ecosystem affects all the other parts.

Background information relevant to each day’s lesson is included for the teacher. The information provided is not intended for the children, as it may contain terminology or concepts above their grade level. Rather, it is intended to enhance the teacher’s understanding of the daily topic or concept.

TEAM ROLES

Typically, science teams have a leader, called the Lead Scientist, and various other scientific roles, such as Lab Director, Data Scientist, and Equipment Director. To provide variety, learners should rotate positions in different activities, allowing each learner to try each role.

The “Team Roles” anchor chart PDF in the Day 1 folder contains four 8.5” x 11” reproducible anchor charts that you will review with your learners and display as a reference.

You may use a variety of methods when assigning team roles or allow learners to choose their roles. Team roles will be the same for science investigations and inquiry circle time each day, with the opportunity to switch roles daily or throughout the unit. Team roles are given below (be sure to form the teams or allow learners to form the teams during today’s mini-lesson):

Lead Scientist

• Asks the questions.
• Guides the work of the team by reading directions.
• Keeps the team focused on the investigation and text-based inquiry.
• Checks the work.

Lab Director

• Makes sure the team follows the classroom rules and the safety rules.
• Leads the discussion about the daily results and progress.
• Directs the cleanup.
• Asks others to help.

Data Scientist

• Checks that daily measurements and observations are recorded.
• Leads the team in making data charts or graphs and completing the Inquiry Charts.
• Tells the teacher when the team is finished.
• Explains the team’s results or progress to the class.

Equipment Director

• Picks up and distributes the materials.
• Operates, or helps other team members operate, the equipment.
• Asks the teacher any questions the team has.
• Returns materials to the designated area.

PROCEDURE

Each italicized statement below contains suggested wording the teacher may choose to use for the lesson; additional teacher actions and considerations are in parentheses.

EXPLAIN THE STRATEGY

Tell what the strategy is (declarative knowledge)

1. Today, we will start a new unit in which we all will become scientists! We will be using exploratory texts to help us learn more about North American ecosystems. An ecosystem describes a group of organisms that live and interact with each other and the nonliving environment which includes things such as sunlight, air, water, weather, and rocks.
2. You will work together with a team in an inquiry circle to investigate one particular ecosystem that will help you understand more about producers and consumers that live there and the relationship between them. In your inquiry circles, you will explore texts (e.g., books and web pages) to find out more about your ecosystem.
3. The text-based inquiry you will experience as you learn more about your ecosystem involves asking questions and gathering information to answer questions. During inquiry circles, you can ask each other questions, discuss information you collected together, and think about other questions you might have about your ecosystem. In some ways, this is like the inquiry you experience in a science investigation. We have an inquiry toolbox that will help you in your work. (Point to the “Inquiry Toolbox” anchor chart and read aloud to the class.)

Tell when and why to use the strategy (conditional knowledge)

1. When we investigate our ecosystems, we will practice our roles as scientists. We will do this because scientists use different ways to observe the world, including reading scientific texts, writing reports, and conducting investigations. You will take on the role of a scientist conducting inquiry by speaking like a scientist (using new vocabulary), reading like a scientist (using strategies to find information), and writing like a scientist (using journals to organize important information and observations). There is no better way to learn about science than to become a scientist!

Tell how to use the strategy (procedural knowledge)

1. While in inquiry circles, you will take on different scientific roles within your team. Typically, science teams have a leader, called the Lead Scientist, and various other positions, such as Lab Director, Data Scientist, and Equipment Director. These roles are the same as the roles you will have during the science investigations. (Point out and read each job description on the “Team Roles” anchor chart. At this point the teacher can assign roles or allow children to choose their roles, reminding them that they will have the opportunity to assume different roles later.)
2. Every day we will have a mini-lesson that helps us know how to read like a scientist and record our information like a scientist. We will talk more about that tomorrow.