This 5E lesson begins with an Engage activity that assesses prior knowledge of water cycle from elementary school.  It is followed by an Explore activity where students observe a teacher demonstrating the water cycle in a bowl and gather information based on their observations.  It continues with an Explain where students have the opportunity to explain what they understand on the water cycle with an emphasis of phase changes.  In the evaluate stage, students apply their knowledge of solids and liquids to classfiy various forms of precipitation.  .   

Students will participate in a 5E lesson. To ENGAGE, students will connect their understanding of similarities between parent and offspring to the fundamental molecule of life: DNA. To EXPLORE, students will participate in interactives to observe, analyze and summarize how genes are used to create proteins and traits. In the EXPLAIN section, students will take notes on DNA replication and the Central Dogma. To ELABORATE on their understanding of DNA, students will participate in a protein synthesis race (game) to practice transcription and translation. Formative evaluations of students's ability to explain the process of protein synthesis include (1) a protein synthesis and codon practice sheet, (2) a labeling activity, and (3) making a recording that models and explain the process. As an extension, students can apply their understanding of mRNA to explain how the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines work. Finally, int summative EVALUATE, students model replication, transcription, and translation as they build an organism!

Students will participate in a 5E lesson on classification. To ENGAGE, students will think about common vs scientific names and interpret relatedness between four species. To EXPLORE, students will watch a clip of their choice from Our Planet and document organisms' defining characteristics. Students create a hierarchy to predict the relatedness of the species. To then learn about classification systems, students will participate in the EXPLAIN activities. Three videos and guided notes are available for students to document their learning. An EVALUATIVE formative assignment Candy Cladogram Drag and Drop is available for students to practice their understanding of phylogenetics. Then, students will ELABORATE on their knowledge by researching the scientific names of the organisms they observed in the Our Planet clip (explore section). Students will evaluate the accuracy of their orginial hierarchy and explain how scientific developments have impacted classification. Additional cladograms are included for students to interpret.

In the engage section of the 5Elesson, students are introduced to the role of fossils as evidence of evolution and evolutionary relationships by watching a videos about the discovery of Lucy and Ardi and consider what type of information that they can gain from skull fossils. Students will then explore features of skulls from human ancestors and the modern day Homo sapien. After measuring skull to cheekbone ratios, students will create a graph to compare various species. Several interactives are provided to explain fossils, skeletal evidence for human evolution, and phylogenetic trees. Then, students will apply their skills of analyzing data about anatomical similarities and genetic information to depict evolutionary relationships between organisms using cladograms. To evaluate student understanding, students will complete an evolutionary relationships CER.

Students will participate in a 5E lesson. To ENGAGE, students will connect their understanding of the characteristics of life to the fundamental molecule of life: DNA. To EXPLORE, students will extract DNA from fruit in a hands on (or video of a) lab, and then, students will act as Watson and Crick and use clues to discover the structure of DNA. In the EXPLAIN section, students will use slides to fill out guided notes on the structure of DNA and RNA. To ELABORATE on their understanding of DNA, students can participate in the CRISPR-Cas9 interactive and the Regulation of the Lactase Gene click and learn. Formative evaluations of students's ability to model DNA include (1) using an online interactive, (2) using their bodies as a class, and (3) using a cut and paste model. Finally, the summative EVALUATE is a DNA Model FlipGrid in which students use various materials to construct and explain the structure of DNA.