"What If?" A Jigsaw Activity

Lesson Details Subject: Science Learning Level: Middle School Author(s): Michelle Gex, Betty Howell, Lisa Rizzuto O'Keefe Submitted by:

Abstract In this jigsaw activity, students in the Home Group are presented with scenarios where the structure of a particular organelle has been changed. As a group, they need to decide how this changes the cells function. Upon determining that, they need to create a visual aide to help them present their resulting decisions. Students are then re-grouped and present their ideas to the members of their Learning Group, ensuring that all students become familiar with all of the scenarios. Lesson fundamental understandings: Essential Questions: ENDURING UNDERSTANDING: "Structure" is how something is built. "Function" is how something works. How something is built affects how it works. Likewise, how something works affects how it is built. This is true with all living things. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: - How would the function of a cell change if the structure was altered? - What would happen to the structure of a cell if it began to function differently? KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS: The events leading up to the discovery of cells is worth being familiar with. The components of the Cell Theory are important to know. The fact that the structure and function of living things is forever linked is an enduring understanding. Standards National Standards CONTENT STANDARD C: STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: Living systems at all levels of organization demonstrate the complementary nature of structure and function. Important levels of organization for structure and function include cells, organs, tissues, organ systems, whole organisms and ecosystems. Cells carry on the many functions needed to sustain life. They grow and divide, thereby producing more cells. This requires that they take in nutrients, which they use to provide energy for the work that cells do and to make the materials that a cell or an organism needs. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION STANDARDS FOR STUDENTS -- Social, ethical and human issues: Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits and productivity. Technology productivity tools: Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity and promote creativity. Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, preparing publications and producing other creative works. INFORMATION LITERACY STANDARDS: The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and participates effectively in groups to pursue and generate information. State Standards CONTENT STANDARD 6.0 -- STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: Students understand that all life forms, at all levels of an organism, use specialized structures and similar processes to meet life's needs. 6.5.2 -- STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: Investigate, compare and contrast the different structures of organisms that serve different functions for growth, reproduction and survival. 6.8.3 -- STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: Investigate and describe how cells grow, divide and take in nutrients, which they use to provide energy for cellular function. 6.8.5 -- STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: Investigate and describe how plants have specialized structures and systems for a variety of functions. Lesson Prerequisite Skills Prior to beginning this lesson, students should be familiar with the following concepts:    - components of the Cell Theory    - proper use of spelling and grammar - use of a drawing or paint program Teacher Information/Situations/Setting/Time Students will work in groups of four with each student being assigned a role as moderator, recorder, researcher and scribe. The teacher will facilitate the group discussion and then monitor the interactions within each student group. The students will spend one day working with their group, one day creating their visual representation and one day presenting it to the other groups. Assessment FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Continual observation and questioning throughout the unit will provide some means of assessment. As each student successfully completes this activity, they are encouraged to move on to the next activity. The mastery of this activity provides both the teacher and the student with an opportunity to assess their current progress. Daily learning logs also allow the teacher to determine the level of the students' understanding. Assessment will be a combination of peer evaluations and teacher evaluation. This assignment will be given a grade. SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Summative assessment will place with the Journaling Activity, which is completed at the end of the unit. Student Activity/Tasks Students are put into groups of four, with each student performing a particular role (moderator, recorder, researcher and scribe). The moderator facilitates the discussion and makes sure each group member's input is heard. The recorder keeps a running list of all relevant comments. The researcher is responsible for accessing the information that the students already have from their textbooks, learning logs, notes, assignments and other sources. The scribe compiles their final thoughts in a clear and concise manner. This initial group of four is known as the "Home Group". The Home Group is presented with a scenario where some structure of a cell has been changed. As a group, they need to decide how this structure change will affect the function of the cell. Some possible scenarios are: - the cell wall is flexible as opposed to rigid - the nucleus contains no genetic information - the cytoplasm is solid as opposed to a gel-like liquid - the cell membrane is completely permeable as opposed to semi-permeable - chloroplasts are found in animal cells - the cell contains no vacuoles After the home group determines how the structure change will affect the function of the cell, they are to create a visual aide that helps indicate this change using a computerized paint or drawing program. Each member of the Home Group is given a copy of the final draft of their visual aide. At this point the students are re-grouped into four new groups. These new groups ("Learning Groups") will consist of one member from each of the Home Groups. An easy way to accomplish this re-grouping is to put all of the moderators together, all of the recorders together, etc.. Within their Learning Group, each student will present their results using their visual aid. Each member will present, effectively ensuring that each student becomes familiar with all of the scenarios and their resulting changes in functions. Enrichment/Alternate Activity: After completing this activity, students could come up with their own scenarios and trade them with other students. All of the students could be given the same scenario, work on it independently and then share their ideas with the group. The more general the structure change, the more varied the changes in function will be. Cross-Curricular: Technology Requirements/Tools/Materials Because the students need to create their visual aides, access to a computer drawing or paint program is required. Acknowledgements: Additional Resources Main URL: Related Lessons Related Resources What if Rubric Copyright © 1997-2003 Career Connection to Teaching with Technology USDOE Technology Innovation Challenge Grant Marshall Ransom, Project Manager All rights reserved.