Backwards Design Lesson Plan

Grade: 7th Subject:Science

Content (Topic, Standard, etc.)

Topic:Cycles and Patterns of Earth and the Moon

Content Statement:The atmosphere has different properties at different elevations and

contains a mixture of gases that cycle through the lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and
atmosphere.

Stage One: Desired Results (What will students learn...)

Student Learning Target (SWBAT):

What the greenhouse effect is and how it makes life possible on Earth
What a greenhouse gas is and how it creates the greenhouse effect
How the suns rays become trapped in the Earths atmosphere and how this releases heat
and energy

Misconceptions/ Questions:
That greenhouse gases are bad and/or are completely the result of human-activity
Both of these misconceptions are addressed in the lesson plans PowerPoint
What the ozone layer is (O3 molecules) and what function they serve
Briefly discussed in this lesson plans PowerPoint as a second protection from the Earth

Academic Language:
Greenhouse effect: the trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower atmosphere due to the
greater transparency of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun than to infrared
radiation emitted from the planet's surface
Greenhouse gas: a gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared
radiation, e.g., carbon dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons
Ozone layer: a layer in the earth's stratosphere at an altitude of about 6.2 miles (10 km)
containing a high concentration of ozone, which absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation
reaching the earth from the sun
Pollution: the presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance or thing that has
harmful or poisonous effects
UV radiation: Ultraviolet radiation is electromagnetic radiation or light having a wavelength
greater than 100 nm but less than 400 nm

Stage Two: Assessment Evidence (Formative and Summative check for learning...)

How will you know if each student has met the learning goals:
Formative:
Classroom discussion and questions during the
Powerpoint and the game
How does the game relate?
Explain the greenhouse students roles. Explain what
happens when the ray students bounce off the
atmosphere
Summative:
Exit slip asking students to apply critical thinking
between the game and real-life events
Can they make the connection
that more greenhouse gases would result in a warmer
atmosphere (AKA global warming)

Stage Three: Active Learning Plan (Include Steps, Questions, and Resources)

Resources for Activity:

Tables will need to be moved to create a clear pathway for the student rays to travel
A video and notes will be prepared in case students can not behave and get out of hand that
will go into more detail about the greenhouse gases

Instructional Activity:
Class will begin by taking notes on the Powerpoint presentation Greenhouse Gases
Emphasis needs to be made that this a natural process and that it makes life possible on
Earth (without it Earth would be too cold to inhabit)
The game: this will be similar to Red Rover and will allow students to become engaged and
move around while simulating the movement and bouncing of the suns rays by the
greenhouse gases
The teacher will begin by emphasizing that this will be a fun activity but, if it gets out of hand,
that notes are prepared and can be done instead
Come back to the first slide and explain that the game will be modelling the process shown in
the picture
Explain that when the suns rays hit the Earth, they release energy in the form of heat
Have students move the desks around to create a clear path in the room, pull up a picture of
the Earth on the PowerPoint
The teacher will stand at the opposite side of the room and assign 5 students to be the
greenhouse gases who will stand at the halfway point between the teacher and the
SmartBoard
The remaining students will line up beside the teacher and will be called the suns rays
The teacher will explain that the suns rays will be sent by the teacher towards the
greenhouse gases in a straight line and will be allowed to pass through
Once through the atmosphere, the suns rays will move in straight-lined angles and attempt
to get past the greenhouse gases
If the suns rays bump into a greenhouse gas then they must head back towards the Earth in
a straight line and then try again
When a suns ray does manage to get through they should come back to me to be sent out
again
After a few minutes (every suns ray has had a chance or two), allow students to ask any
questions they might have and clear up any confusion
Assign five more students to be greenhouse gases and then repeat the process
The suns rays will now have a more difficult time escaping now and will consequently be
sent back towards the Earth more often before getting out
Once students have a few minutes to play the second time, have them put the tables back
and sit down while pulling out a half sheet of paper
After the second round of games, bring students attention back to the picture on the first slide
Reiterate that when the suns rays bounce off of the Earth that heat is released
Make it clear that the suns rays are not actively trying to escape in the real world and that this
was just used in the game to help illustrate the point
Remind students that, normally, this is a natural and healthy process
Assign an exit slip question
Make it clear that students need to put in thought and critical thinking but will not be penalized
for being unable to come up with the correct answer

Modifications Needed:
3 will only use half of the room and half the number of students (2 and then 5) because it is
such a small class of students
Guided notes for the IEP students
Prepared printed reading for student with severe concussion
If student with severe Downs Syndrome wants to participate: she can become the Sun with
me and send out student rays

Stage Four: Reflection (What went well, wrong, what needs changed?)

What went well?

Students seemed to truly enjoy the activity and, for the majority of students, the connection to
how greenhouse gases work was made
Students were more engaged with the notes afterwards
The set-up and clean-up went smoothly and students, for the most part, listened and did not
too rough with the activity
What did not go well?
Students needed to be reminded that they were modelling a scientific process and not playing
Red Rover. Some students began to try to crawl under desks or tables to avoid the
greenhouse gas students. This was addressed in later classes and students were instructed
to only move in straight angles and not stop
Students with severe learning disabilities still seemed to struggle with the concept
Some students were not interested in participating
What needs changed?
I would see if I could find a video to show the progress of greenhouse gases in order to give
students a moving visual representation of what they were to do in the activity
Students with severe learning disabilities would be given a simple worksheet where they
would have to explain what the activity was demonstrating (ex/ fill-in-the-blank) instead of the
described exit slip.
They would then keep this worksheet in order to study and review the concept for the
assessment