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Alien Offspring

A 5th Grade STEM Lesson

Arianna Johnson

1/10/24

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Notes for Teachers

This lesson is taught in the classroom.

Intro Activity Resources

Potential Video Resources:

Generation Genius

Potential Informational Text Resources:

GET EPIC

List of Materials (Enough for your whole class size)

PTC Test Paper
Coins to flip
Individual Student Devices

Sketches App (or something similar)
Google Slides

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Standards

SCIENCE

5.L3U1.9 Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about patterns between the offspring of plants, and the offspring of animals (including humans); construct an explanation of how genetic information is passed from one generation to the next.

ELA

5.W.7 Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic and to answer a specific question.

TECHNOLOGY

Standard 6: Creative Communicator

3-5.6.c. Students, in collaboration with an educator, create digital artifacts using digital tools to communicate ideas visually, graphically, and/or auditorily.

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Objectives:

Today, I will be able to…

Obtain and evaluate information about patterns between the offspring of plants and animals.
Construct an explanation about how genetic information is passed from one generation to the next by creating aliens and monsters.

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Agenda (1-3 days)

Day 1-2

Anchoring Event (5-10m)
Discussions (5-10m)
Building Background (20-30m with partner)

People
Animals

Man’s Best Friend Dice Roll Game

Day 2-3

Review Video (10m)

Phenotypes and Genotypes

Review Game (10m)

ASU Monster Maker

Instruction (5m)

Alien Offspring

Work Time (30m)

Create and design alien offspring on Sketches App

Reflection (5-10m)

Explain how your alien received the traits that it has? Use evidence from your project to support your answer.

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Intro/Driving Question/Opening

(Day 1)

Anchoring Event (5-10m)

Students will watch a video or read a book about inherited human traits.

Discussions (5–10m)

Why are traits important?
What are some traits you might have?
Where do you think you got those?

Building Background (30-40m) WITH PARTNERS

People (10m)

Students will make a list of all the traits that they believe that they have in their families and share with a partner.
Students will look at similarities and differences between each other.

Animals (20-30m)

Students will us a 4-sided dice to create a dog using a similar TEMPLATE. After choices are made, give them time to draw and and color their dogs.
Have students share with the class.

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Hands-on Activity Instructions

(Days 2-3)

Project Structure: Students should work independently on most parts of this lesson apart from the PTC Paper Test.

Review Video/Discussion (5-10m)

Code Breaking Game/Typing Practice (10m)

Building Background (15m)

Alleles and Genes Video
PTC Paper Test WITH PARTNERS
Reflection on what their results mean about their genetics.

Instruction (5m)

Alien Offspring
Use knowledge of genetics to flip a coin and create an alien offspring.

Work Time (20-30m)

Flip coin and use the TEMPLATE to record data about what your alien will look like.
Use the Sketches app, or something similar, to draw your alien on a technological device. This will be presented to the class.

Reflection (5-10m)

Verbally or on paper.
Explain how your alien received the traits that it has. Use evidence from your project to support your answer.

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Assessment

Formative

Verbal Check-ins
Walk around and ask groups questions about their designs.

Where did that trait come from?
Is that dominant or recessive?

1-3-5 on hands. How do you feel? 1; I’m not getting it at all. 3; I’m kind of getting the idea. 5; I’m a total pro.
What do you still wonder? (On a notecard before leaving the room)

Summative

Completion of the following activities:

Man’s Best Friend Dice Roll
A Completed Reflection about PTC Paper Data Collection/Discussions.
Alien Offspring: Genotypes and Phenotypes, Chart and Visual

Verbal/Paper Reflection

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Differentiation

If students are struggling with the content and need a supporting activity, you can have them…

Rewatch videos with more time to work.
Use the Text-to-Speech function on their devices to help with reading passages.
Allow them to draw or verbally give responses when applicable.
Draw pictures of their families and circle the similarities that they notice between their family and themselves.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

If students are demonstrating mastery of concepts and need an extension activity, you can have them…

Research and create their own possible kids by using their own genes and a person they imagine and draw.
Research and discover what traits are more uncommon in the world and why they appear to be that way.
Create offspring of an animal of choice by using what they’ve learned about genetics.