A lesson plan for grade 7 Science

Learning outcomes

Students will:

• plot the track of a hurricane on a map.
• make predictions about the hurricane’s path using data segments.
• explain which areas are more likely to be in the hurricane’s projected path.
• explain how their predictions change over time as the amount of data they manipulate increases.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 hour

Materials/resources

• Copies of a hurricane-tracking map with latitude/longitude lines marked (one per pair of students)
• Overhead transparency of student map
• Colored pencils
• Copies of hurricane path data in one-day segments (See website resources for sources of tracking data)
• Paper
• Pencil

Technology resources

• Computer with Internet connection
• Websites with hurricane track information on them (See On the web section in sidebar)
• Overhead projector
• A cable or other method to project an Internet site onto a larger screen

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Learning outcomes

Students will examine changes in technology, medicine, and health that took place in North Carolina between 1870 and 1930 and construct products and ideas which demonstrate understanding of how these changes impacted people living in North Carolina at that time.

To achieve these goals, students will employ the eight intelligences of Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory and:

Study the artifacts from the Country Doctor Museum in Bailey, NC and develop multimedia presentations that compare and contrast the technologies available to doctors at that time with those of today.

Use games and simulation to recreate the role of a country doctor in the early 1900s.

Reflect upon the lives of different men and women who made important contributions to the field of medicine during this time period and write journal or diary entries emulating their thoughts and aspirations.

Graph and evaluate the relationship of deaths due to influenza with the age, gender, and race of the deceased during the epidemic of 1918–1919.

Research and compare the “Humoral Theory” of disease with the “Germ Theory” of disease and how it affected the way doctors practiced medicine.

Sketch a typical country doctor’s office of 1900, applying what they have learned about medical technologies and practices of the time in order to determine what should be included and excluded.

Create an advertisement to promote a “sure-fire” remedy that has been concocted.

Build a homeopathic medicine kit with some of the herbs they feel would be most beneficial from the Country Doctor Museum’s Medicinal Herb Garden.

Compose a song depicting the characteristics and consequences of a serious medical phenomenon such as the influenza epidemic of 1918.

Collect several “tried and true” home remedies or cures from older citizens of the community and share these with the class. Create a medical folklore database and share this with the community.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

2 weeks

Materials/resources

Materials

Colored pencils

Graph paper

A folder/portfolio for each student

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Learning outcomes

The goals and objectives are to aid the students in understanding and appreciating a variety of genres--in this case poetry. The unit incorporates vocabulary necessary for the study of literature (figurative language and elements of poetry) as well as recognizing the different types of poems dealing with many topics. By incorporating music and popular songs, this lesson helps students learn to understand and appreciate the different poets rhythms and styles. Finally, students learn to write and illustrate expressing themselves through the use of imagery and mood.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

5 weeks

Materials/resources

Variety of poetry found in resources that include:

• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
• Alice in Wonderland by Walt Disney (movie)
• The Book of Secrets by Loreena McKennitt (cd)
• The Complete Poems of Carl Sandburg by Carl Sandburg
• Literature and Language (gold level) McDougal Littell
• Modern Maturity August-September, 1985
• Sports Pages by Arnold Adoff
• Tyrannosaurus was a Beast by Jack Prelutsky
• cassettes, cd’s or albums of different songs containing lyrics with poetic devices
• American Sports Poems by R.R. Knudson and May Swenson

Technology resources

• The Internet is needed to view statistics on ACC tournament standings and gather information concerning chosen teams as well as locating poetry resources.
• ClarisWorks word processing is used to generate individual poems for display. Clip art is an important part of the final product, so students must know how to import graphics. They can also use Hyperstudio to display their poetry and import sound and graphics.
• ClarisWorks data base and spread sheet are used in social studies and math class to record current information on the colleges. After students locate information using resources such as almanacs and the internet, they create a data base of the colleges to make comparisons and contrasts. (This is completed during social studies class.) Statistics are used on ClarisWorks spread sheet in order to calculate totals and compare data. (This is completed during math class.)

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• learn the dangers of substance abuse.
• acquire information to help them make healthy choices.
• assess peer pressure.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

45 minutes

Materials/resources

• Overhead sheet of definitions for: Alcohol, Intoxicate, Drug, and Nicotine.
• Growing Up Drug Free: A Parent’s Guide to Prevention from the U.S. Dept. of Education

Technology resources

Overhead projector

Pre-activities

Begin the lesson with an oral quiz using questions taken from Growing Up Drug Free: A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (I use six questions from the Test Your Knowledge of Drugs section). This gets the students involved and participating in the lesson.

1. What is the most commonly used drug in the United States? a) heroin b) cocaine c) alcohol d) marijuana. (c)
2. Name the three drugs most commonly used by children. (Alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana).
3. Which drug is associated with the most teenage deaths? (Alcohol). After they get the answer, ask them why that would be. Students will have many answers, but eventually will say that after drinking, teenagers often do something stupid and dangerous and frequently get into cars. We also discuss alcohol poisoning.
4. People who have not used alcohol and other drugs before their 20th birthday a) have no risk of becoming chemically dependent b)are less likely to develop a drinking problem or use illicit drugs c) have an increased risk of becoming chemically dependent. (b) Ask the students to discuss why they think that may be.
5. Anabolic steroids are dangerous because they may result in (students will often need a definition of steroids before you continue with this question) a) development of female characteristics in males b) development of male characteristics in females c) stunted growth d) damage to the liver and cardiovascular system e) overaggressive behavior f)all of the above (f)
6. How is marijuana harmful? a) it hinders the user’s short-term memory b) students may find it hard to study and learn while under the influence of marijuana c) it affects timing and coordination d)all of the above (d)

Students usually have some questions and discussion regarding the quiz.

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