Clair Gallant

ELED 3221
11/12/2015

Reflection

In the experiment the students found out that DNA could actually be extracted from
something. Prior to beginning the lesson from questioning I knew that the students had
very basic knowledge of genes. They knew that living organisms had genes and that this
genetic makeup determined what something looked like. The students were surprised
during the Strawberry DNA Extraction Experiment that they could actually see the DNA.
The students surprisingly worked very well together throughout the entire lesson. I
believe the students were so well behaved because they were not accustom to studying
science. While I was with these students for the IMB Clinical they were only studying
Social Studies and would not begin Science until December. I think the excitement of
learning something new kept them on their best behavior especially during the
experiment.
The experiment ended the same for everyone so the activity was not very open ended but
it did not need to be. For this activity I felt that every group coming to the same
conclusion would mean they all got to see the extracted DNA and this would be the best
for students to see the meaning of the lesson.
The students were able to extend the investigation of this lesson when we discussed how
the Strawberry DNA Extraction Experiment could be done with other fruits. Many of the
students were asking me how they could continue to do this activity at home with other
fruit the next time.
The students were able to connect this to their daily lives when they realized DNA could
not only be extracted from fruits but from everything. They realized this is done in labs
with medical research, when they go to the doctor, and other things they seemed to
understand better after the lesson.
I tried to accommodate for individual differences with lots of collaboration and an
experiment. I think when students are able to work together this can help anyone who
may be struggling in some way and also the experiment allowed for the students who
learn best with hands on activities to have an opportunity for that.
I believe for this lesson I did use technology effectively. I believe the Power Point was a
great tool to use for the Explanation phase of the lesson because it was very easy for me
to follow and for the students as well. My mentor said the students were used to Power
Points during their instruction for almost every subject. It seemed to keep my lesson
organized and also helped with organizing the experiment.
I believe the students got a great deal from the experience. I know they probably do not
typically have a lot of time to do experiments on their own when they study Science
during the year so I know they really enjoyed the chance to do something hands on. The

students were also thrilled that not only did they have a chance to perform the experiment
on their own, but they also got to see the results.
The experiment is definitely what I remember most from this experience mainly because
of how excited the students were. They were also very proud of themselves that the
experiment was completed correctly and they all were successful in extracting the DNA.
If I were to do this lesson again I would want the students to leave with a better
knowledge of the standard taught. Although I do think the students had a much better
understanding of genetics and inherited traits and behaviors once the lesson was
completed, I felt that some still did not quite understand the main idea.
As a learner when teaching this lesson I learned that students really are all beginning on
many different levels when approaching a new subject. Some students may be very
familiar with the topic being covered while others have never heard of it. This means that
differentiation must be implemented in every lesson for students to be successful. As a
teacher I learned from this lesson how much students really do enjoy hands on
experiments and activities. I believe as a teacher I would incorporate as much of this type
of learning as possible.

Summary of Lesson
This lesson will cover topics on genetics and inherited traits and behaviors and related
material. The class will begin with an introduction video and handouts to help students visualized
and better understand the topic of the lesson. The teacher will review a power point on the
content information involving genetics and how they relate to our inherited traits and behaviors
and also acquired traits and behaviors. The students will then have an opportunity to look for
some of these traits on themselves while working and discussing their findings with their group
members. The students will then carry out an experiment to extract DNA from strawberries. The
students will have an evaluation on the content of this lesson with a worksheet labeling inherited
and acquired traits, writing the definitions of these terms, and adding a few traits to the list of
traits on the worksheet that they think of on their own. Students will need to label 8 out of 12 of
the traits correctly to receive passing credit.