Part 1 Essential Question and Standard Reflection
- What was the essential question you chose to answer?
o A: What happens inside our bodies when we get sick?
o B: How do our body systems work together when we play our
favorite sport?
- How did what you learn about cells and human body systems help you
to answer this essential question?
We learned about the functions of cells and body systems so we can know how it works, and what it does while we play sports. If we didn’t know the functions, it would be hard for us to determine which parts we use to do what. For example, we now understand that the lungs help us breathe.
- How does this relate to the idea that the body is a system of
subsystems made up of groups of cells?
It relates because the body systems that support our daily life is made out of other subsystems like tissues and cells. Body systems also need to be built, it doesn’t come out of thin air. If we don’t know about other subsystems, then we wouldn’t know how or why the body system can work.
Part 2 Learning Experiences
- Which learning experience was the most impactful or memorable for
you as a learner?
o Stations Activities (Organization of Life, Body System
Interactions, Specialized Human Cells)
o Self-directed notes (Human Body and Cell Notes)
o Watching Videos (Ali Isaacson, The pathway of Oxygen,
Microscope Parts)
o Teacher Mini-Lessons (Heart flow diagram, Direct instruction,
Explanation of Body System functions)
o Dissections (Pig’s heart/ lungs and Bullfrog)
o Group work (VR or Cardboard Human body project, Cell
Analogies, Microscope Observations, Connectors)
o Extended learning activities (digestion simulation, mini-lung
models, and knee reflex check)
o Modeling activities (Edible cell, clay or digital models)
o Review Games (Kahoot, Gimkit, Cells Guess Who)
o Independent research projects (Blind Box Project)
- Explain why by reflecting on the type of learner you are.
I am someone who likes direct and clear information, things like models are good for me because the labels help me connect to the picture. Sometimes videos can be harder for me because they move fast and can be quicker than my thinking process. I take time to write notes, and understand so it can be memorized and well comprehended.
Part 3 Improvements
•
If you could improve ONE aspect of your learning in this unit as a
whole, what would it be and why? Provide a change that could enhance
future learning experiences.
o Adding all required elements of a model (title, labels,
descriptions, scale, and color)
o CER writing (checking that evidence does not include reasoning
or that each point of evidence is linked back to the claim with the
use of your learning)
o Reviewing more for L2 quizzes
o Checking the rubric more carefully
o Using a final checklist before submitting assignments
o Submitting assignments on time
o Work towards extension (L4) opportunities
o Try to achieve an L3 initially without the need for resubmissions\
Sometimes I don’t check the rubric because I can’t find it, or I think I know the expectations already. I need to find it and check my work before submitting so I don’t miss crucial parts. For example, in the cell analogy project, we missed an organelle. Finally, checking rubrics can allow my thinking to be more straightforward so my work is easier to follow.
