Storyline Link

1. Distribute 7.1.H1: Giant Sequoia Tree Probe and ask students to respond individually to the prompts. Explain to students that they will have an opportunity to return to their answers later so it is not necessary to provide a “correct” answer. Tell students it is important to fully record their ideas. Provide 5-10 minutes for students to complete the probe.

TEACHER NOTE

Students who are learning English or who are below grade level may communicate their ideas more clearly using pictures or symbols. The intent here is not to make a model, but rather to give students another option for how to express their ideas. At this point, it is not necessary for students to communicate in complete sentences or with accurate grammar and spelling.

2. Ask students to put their response sheets into their science notebook or some other place where they can find it later.

TEACHER NOTE

This can also be presented on a display so that students can record their thinking in their science notebook. See an example of this modification in 7.1.R1: Display Idea for Giant Sequoia Tree Probe.

3. Explain to students that you will now how them the growing tree video. Direct students to take notes on the events that occur and any information that they think might explain the events. Show the video twice to provide sufficient time for students to make observations.

TEACHER NOTE

The growing tree video shows a seedling growing into a large tree. This is an opportunity to assess students’ prior knowledge about the phenomenon and determine what knowledge they are bringing to the unit. Students should notice the addition of a significant amount of matter to the tree, the development of new branches, and green leaves. If the majority of your students bring up ideas such as photosynthesis or chemical reactions, this could be an indication that the students have advanced knowledge of the phenomenon. However, it may also be an indication that students have heard of these terms but do not have a deep understanding of the underlying concepts. Monitoring their conversations and science notebook entries will help to determine students’ level of understanding.

4. Ask students to think about the questions they have about what they saw in the growing tree video. Direct students to record those questions in their science notebook.
5. Ask students to consider where they have seen or heard of similar phenomena. Record their ideas on a chart in the classroom. Students might suggest growing vegetables, shrubs, or trees in their neighborhood or other plants they encounter in their daily lives. Students who share experiences growing plants should be asked to describe those experiences, including what they did to help the plants grow.
6. Consider taking students on a short walk around campus to observe plants in the schoolyard or presenting photos of plants in a nearby park. Students can record observations of plants they see during their walk, possibly taking photos.

   TEACHER NOTE

   These experiences do not need to be scientific. Encourage students to share experiences related to growing plants that reflect their home and family experiences. It is also appropriate for students to share experiences that they cannot fully explain such as why a family member planted something in a particular area or repotted plants. The intent is to gather personal and community connections to the phenomenon.

   To help students engage with the phenomenon, consider bringing in a small seed and a large piece of wood. Let students hold both the seed and the piece of wood and compare the mass of each. Ask students their ideas and questions about how something so tiny can grow into a very massive tree.
7. Ask students to share their questions with a partner. When pairs have had a chance to discuss, ask students to share some of the questions they developed with their table. As students share, walk around and monitor their conversations.

TEACHER NOTE

Students learning English can be encouraged to use their drawings in their science notebook to communicate with their partners. As students share their ideas with the class, revoice student ideas so that students who are learning English or may have limited academic vocabulary can have the opportunity to hear their ideas again and in a variety of contexts. For example, you might say, “So you noticed that the tree grew taller faster than it grew wider.”

8. Facilitate a class discussion around which particular question or questions to investigate further. Direct students to write their questions on individual sticky notes. Individual student questions can be gathered, or you can ask table groups to share their questions to select one or two questions for the table. Ask students to share their questions by reading one question aloud at a time. After the first question is read, ask the class if anyone has a similar question. If so, ask the student who had a similar question to read aloud their question and then place it next to the first question, clumping both questions together in a clump. If there are no other similar student questions, ask students for a different question. Once all the questions have been read and “clumped,” facilitate a class conversation about possible categories or titles of each clump. As clumps are assigned a “title,” circle the clump and record the title above the clump. You should now have a series of possible question clumps to investigate.
9. At this point, groups of students could select different questions to investigate, the class could decide to investigate one particular question, or the class could be directed to investigate the clump related to “tree growth” with a question such as: How the tree grew from a small seedling to a larger tree. Where did the matter come from? If you are going to move forward in the lesson sequence as written, explain that the class will continue investigating how the tree gets the matter to grow by focusing on the question: Where does the matter come from for the tree to grow from a small seedling to a larger tree? If this exact question was not suggested by students in the previous discussion, adjust the prompt to connect to students’ questions. If students generate questions related to the notion of “tree growth” such as what makes the tree grow so tall? or would all trees grow at the same rate?, the guiding question can be replaced with one that was generated from the students.

10. Distribute 7.1.H2: Make a Model. Tell students to create a model that includes both drawings and words. Their model should represent their initial ideas about the focus question related to the increase in tree mass.

TEACHER NOTE

This is an opportunity to assess students’ prior knowledge about developing and using models to determine what knowledge they are bringing to the unit. Record if students are using observations from the video or the list of related phenomena in their models (evidence), if the models contain visible and invisible components, and if the models show relationships. If this is the first time students have made a model, they may need some encouragement to record their ideas. Remind students that this model will represent their initial thinking, and there will be opportunities to add or revise their models later. This is also an opportunity to assess students’ prior knowledge related to the CCC Energy and Matter. For example, are students including both energy and matter elements in the model? Is matter represented as particles in any part of the model? Are there indications that matter is changing form or transported through the system?

11. Direct students to share their ideas with their team (2–4 students) in order to create a group model. Distribute chart paper or large whiteboards for students to create their group model. As student groups work, ask the groups to consider.
    1. What are the parts (components) that are part of this process? Are any of these parts invisible? If so, how did you/could you represent the “invisible” parts on your model?
    2. What are the relationships between these parts?
    3. How does your model show what is happening at the beginning, middle, and end of the process?
    4. How is the matter transported into, out of, and within the tree or system?
    5. How much matter is there before, during, and after the process? Does it change?
12. Explain to the students that this is their first opportunity to explain this phenomenon with their model, and as they learn more, they will have additional opportunities to add and revise this model.
13. Once the groups have had sufficient time to record their ideas, you may choose to have a few groups share their models, depending on how much time you can provide.
14. Five minutes before the end of the class, direct students to add to or revise their initial model and record it in their science notebook based on discussions in their group.
15. End class by asking students to record any new questions they might have about the phenomenon.
16. Collect 7.1.H1: Giant Sequoia Tree Probe and 7.1.H2: Make a Model and assess student prior knowledge. Prior knowledge should be evaluated in all three dimensions. For example, consider student models. Were they able to describe the phenomenon accurately using words and pictures? Do their models show visible and invisible components? Relationships? Student understanding of concepts related to Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms (DCI) and Energy in Chemical Processes and Everyday Life (DCI) may include inaccurate ideas such as the mass comes from soil or lack an awareness that invisible gases have mass and enter the plant. Do students include some description of the conservation of mass or the role of energy in moving matter? If they use terms like photosynthesis, is there evidence that these terms are applied accurately to explain the phenomenon? These student work pieces can be used to make instructional decisions as you move through the series of lessons; indicating areas where you may need to slow down to allow more processing time or areas where students may have more understanding than the lesson anticipates. Return 7.1.H1: Giant Sequoia Tree Probe and 7.1.H2: Make a Model to students after you have reviewed them. These should be placed in their science notebook.