Objective

Mini Lesson

Active Engagement

Sharing and Closing

Problem, Importance, Solutions

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Objective

Students will be able to complete a PSA that expresses a purpose and evidence for a call to action.

Big Idea

The science and engineering practice 8 (Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information) is critical in the growth of scientific thinkers. This lesson will blend the content and the communication standards.

Lesson Author

Michelle Marcus

Troy, MI

Grade Level

Third grade

Subjects

Science

problem-solution

Standards

W.3.1a

Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons.

W.3.1b

Provide reasons that support the opinion.

W.3.1c

Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reasons.

W.3.2

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

W.3.2a

Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension.

SL.3.1a

Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.

3-LS2-1

Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive.

3-LS4-3

Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.

3-LS4-4

Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change.

SP1

Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)

SP6

Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)

SP7

Engaging in argument from evidence

SP8

Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Mini Lesson

10 minutes

Today is our final day for the PSA project. Students have worked on identifying facts to be communicated with an audience, focusing on a purpose for their message, and backing up their message with evidence from research.

My lesson today is short, as the student teams set their own goals in our closing during our last session.

I focus, with the students, on making sure there is a flow to their PSA that walks the audience through 3 concepts:

The Problem
Why the Problem is Important to the Audience
What is the Solution

In order to help the students do this, we will again watch the Woodsy Owl PSA and identify the 3 components.

Then I will share one of the student's pieces (with permission) and have the class critique it for the 3 components of a successful PSA.

The group discussed that the students had some photos that were not bats, which might confuse the audience. They also discussed, with the authors, that the PSA did not follow the 3 components in order, which made it difficult to follow along.

Active Engagement

20 minutes

A Teacher Learns

As the students used their graphic organizers to help them continue their work, I asked them to write the 3 components at the top of their paper. This is how I should have created the document in the first place. (See reflection).

I have included this video from yesterday's lesson to review with you the idea of the students working on purpose and evidence. This is the springboard for today's growth and the boys in this team were then able to come up with a way to state their solution to the identified problem on their organizer.

This Animoto is one of the "almost" finished products. I have included it for you to use with your class, if you wish for them to critique it for the 3 components of Problem, Importance, and Solution.

Sharing and Closing

15 minutes

I ask the students to stop their work and leave their Animotos on their computers. Then, I instruct the partnerships to circulate the room and view their peer's PSA's. While doing this, they are free to leave suggestions, or speak with the authors about ideas for revision and compliments on work. This is also a time that the students gain ideas for their own work.

I then give the groups about 5-10 minutes to revise/complete their PSA's. In the next couple of days, the student's work will be aired on our school wide morning news program. In doing this, the students have a purpose: to inform our school community and call for help!

The following are two of the published PSA's from our session for your viewing pleasure and use with your class, if you see fit.

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