Life Cycle of a Bee

Life Cycle of a Bee

Author(s):
Renee Ervin and Lauren Ranck
W401 Section: 23621


Grade Level:
4th grade
Timeframe: This lesson will span over 3 days for 40-45 minutes each session.
Lesson Description or Explanation

Students will spend a day individually researching the life cycle of a bee. The information that they find will be used to complete a concept map using the software Inspiration 8. Students will later use this information as a reference to complete a separate part of the lesson.

Students will complete a KWL chart after completing their day of research. Once students have completed the KWL chart, they will turn their attention the PowerPoint that we will present to them. Students will then record one new finding that they did not know previously.

Students will spend the day visiting stations at 15 minute increments. One station will require students to illustrate the life cycle of a bee. Another station will require students to make a 3D model of a bee using appropriate characteristics and details. The final station will require students to role play the different cycles of a bee’s life. Students will use the information they recently gathered in their Inspiration 8 projects to refer to when completing the stations.

Indiana Curricular Standards

4.1.3 Explain that clear communication is an essential part of doing science since it enables scientists to inform others about their work, to expose their ideas to evaluation by other scientists, and to allow scientists to stay informed about scientific discoveries around the world.
4.2.5 Write descriptions of investigations, using observations and other evidence as support for explanations.
4.2.6 Support statements with facts found in print and electronic media, identify the sources used, and expect others to do the same.
4.4.3 Observe and describe that organisms interact with one another in various ways, such as providing food, pollination, and seed dispersal


ISTE Standards
• 2 Social, ethical and human issues:
o Students understand the ethical, cultural and societal issues related to technology.
o Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
• 3 Technology productivity tools:
o Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
o Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produces other creative works.
• 5 Technology research tools:
o Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
o Students use technology tools to process data and report results.

Assessments
Formative/Summative
Formative Assessment: As a formative assessment, we will talk with each student after they have completed each station. We will gather notes about what each child has done, and what they know and understand as a result of completing each station. We will then ask them what they failed to find and what more they would have wanted to know.

Summative Assessment: Each student will have a final product at the completion of each station. We will use a rubric designed for each station to figure out what we would like for them to understand as a result of the station. We will be able to use their concept maps as a reference of anything that maybe unclear to us as we are looking over their final products.

Prior Knowledge
Curricular Knowledge or Skills: We will have introduced the subject of bees to our class previously. We are going to take the different aspects of bees and make small lessons out of them. Our students will understand our topic and be able to gain some of their own knowledge about the life cycle of a bee on their own. They will compile the data and bring it to class as a reference for the remainder of our lesson. We will present them with a PowerPoint presentation about the life cycle of a bee and as a result they will be able to take all of the knowledge they have gained as they look into the life cycle in more depth at each station.
Technology Knowledge: They have used Inspiration 8 for several other projects throughout the year. They know how to use the school computers and are familiar with going to safe and secure websites that have been provided for them. Our students are also familiar with using the school printers responsibly.

Technology

Internet Resources: (please list URLs)
http://www.riverdeep.net/current/2002/05/050602_bees.jhtml
http://gears.tucson.ars.ag.gov/ic/apples/apples.html
http://www.eduwebs.org/bugs/honey_bee.htm
http://www.everythingabout.net/articles/biology/animals/arthropods/insects/bees/honey_bee/
http://www.gobeekeeping.com/o8916.htm
http://www.beeguardian.org/index.html


Hardware:
School Computers, Microsoft Office, Printers

Software:
Inspiration 8


Procedure
Day 1: Introduction to Assignment
o Construct a KWL chart of student’s knowledge of the life cycle of bees.
o Students will go to the computer lab and open “Bee Assignment” under Inspiration 8
o Students will be given a websites box on their Inspiration project page. These will be the only websites that students will be able to use during their research.
o Students will use the websites given to construct a concept map of the information they gather pertaining to the life cycle of bees.
o At the end of our session, students will have gathered information they will use to construct their project. Students will print out their gathered information and store it in their project folder. Students will be able to refer to this information while they are visiting the stations presented to them during the remainder of the study.

Day 2: KWL., Power Point Presentation
o Construct a KWL chart of student’s current knowledge of the life cycle of bees
o Once the research had been conducted, we would have students watch the Power Point on the life cycle of bees.
o Once the Power Point presentation was over, students would document in their notes one new thing that they learned from the Power Point.
o Students would share the one new thing that they learned with the remainder of the class.

Day 3: Stations
Have the students explore each station with 15 minute intervals:
o Station 1: Have students use their notes and artistic abilities to draw of illustrate the life cycle of a bee.
o Station 2: Have students use their knowledge and artistic abilities to draw or construct a 3D model of a bee using appropriate characteristics and details.
o Station 3: Have students role play the life cycle of a bee. Have students assign different stages to different people and bring the stages to life. Students may use props and words in this station. Students must incorporate and act out the functions and characteristics of each stage.

Differentiated Instruction

ESL For our ESL students we will show them how to use the Google language translation feature to translate each website into their first language. This will allow them to be able to read the same information that the other students will be able to without the difficulty of translating it on their own. They will also be able to type their information on the concept maps in their first language as well. This will allow them to have the information in their first language for reference during the remainder of the lesson. We will also collaborate with the ESL teacher to help us understand and correctly assess these students.

Challenge/Extend
We will design their concept map to be appropriate in length and depth for each student. This will allow them to be pushed as much as they need to be without having them complete additional and unnecessary assignments.
Each individual station is differentiated because of the openness in the design and the tasks asked of the students. Each student will come up with their own interpretation and best representation of their understanding of each station. This allows each student to take what they know and understand and apply it to the individual task regarding the life cycle of the bee at each station. It pushes students of all levels to work at their zone of proximal development.

Special Needs
We will make each students concept map appropriate in length and depth for each child’s individual needs. We will also collaborate with any special education teachers to design a project and task that is appropriate for their needs. Each student will be able to have success doing this project with a few slight modifications with collaboration from the special education teachers and ourselves.
We will print out a copy of the PowerPoint presentation so that students who need an extra reminder and support would be able to have that as a reference for the remainder of the project. This could also help the collaboration between us and the special education teacher, so we could all be on the same page with the project.
Each individual station is differentiated because of the openness in the design and the tasks asked of the students. Each student will come up with their own interpretation and best representation of their understanding of each station. This allows each student to take what they know and understand and apply it to the individual task regarding the life cycle of the bee at each station. It pushes students of all levels to work at their zone of proximal development.