Hands in the River Lesson 4: Research and Data Analysis

Sierra Nevada Journeys Hands in the River Unit

Lesson 4: Research and Data Analysis

Enduring Understanding: Students will understand the importance of a watershed, which is tied directly to the water cycle, and the impact environmental factors and humans can have on this system and what impact this has on humans. Students will gather evidence and research in order to answer/address questions with empirical evidence.

Essential Questions: Why is explanation through evidence important in science?

Objectives:

• Students will be able to research New Zealand Mudsnails and write about them knowledgeably
• Students will be able to make an explanation using evidence about the health of the Truckee River.

Standards:

5-ESS2-1: Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.

3-5-ETS1-2 Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constrains of the problem.

Crosscutting concepts:

• A System can be described in terms of its components and their interactions.
• Science findings are limited to questions that can be answered with empirical evidence.

Common Core:

RI.5.9 Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

W.5.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Materials:

• Notebooks
• New Zealand Mud Snail articles
• Markers
• Data from the field trip

Key Vocabulary:

• Explanation
• Evidence
• Research
• Data

Invitation: (5 minutes)

1.    Ask the students to think about the field trip and what we did. Ask: Was our watershed healthy? Why? Have them talk with a partner. Have a few students share with the class.

2.    Show the data that all the classes collected from the river. Have them talk about the data and what it shows in partners.

3.    Ask if we found any mud snails?

Explore: (15 minutes)

***Collaboration***

1.    Have the students get into groups of 3-4. Hand each group the New Zealand Mud Snail articles, pictures, maps, and their journals.

2.    Tell them that you want them to find as much information about they mud snail as they can. They can write down facts on the correct page in their journals.

3.    Have some students share some of the facts they learned about the New Zealand Mud Snail with the class.

Concept Invention: (15 minutes)

1.    Ask the students what they were just doing in their groups. Research is used to find out information about something we want to learn more about. Do you feel like you know more about the New Zealand Mud Snail?

2.    Now that they have the data from the river and the research about the mud snails ask if they feel that they can decide if the river is healthy.

3.    Ask the students what Evidence is. Explain that our data and our research is our evidence. We will be using our evidence in order to make an explanation about the area of the river we tested.

4.    Explain what an explanation is and why scientists use explanation.

***Check for Understanding***

5.    Pose the question (and write it on the board): Are New Zealand Mud Snails harmful to a watershed?

6.    Have students think about it first and then share there answer with a partner. Have a few students share with the rest of the class.

7.    Write Explanation on the board. From what the students said, write an explanation after the word.

8.    Ask the students to talk with their partner about what evidence they used to make that explanation. Have students share with the class.

9.    Write Evidence on the board. From what the students said write out their evidence after the word.

10. Explain that the students will be doing this on their own in the next activity.

Application: (15 minutes)

1.    Using the research, data collected, and the new knowledge they will be coming up with an explanation about the health of the river.

2.    Students will be using the prompt in their journals in order to make an explanation.

3.    Model for the students what you expect from them.

***Check for Understanding***

1.    Have students share with their partner or group their explanation. Walk around and listen to student conversations.

2.    Have a few students share their explanations and evidence with the class.

Reflect: (15 minutes)

1.    Have the students brainstorm with a partner times in their lives that they will use an explanation using evidence.

2.    Ask the students to think back to the first class, when the instructor had the cup of water. Have their views about water changed since that first class? Why or why not?

3.    Review concepts learned in earlier lessons to prepare for post-assessment.