Middle School Curriculum
Back in 1963 when LAB-AIDS® shipped its first kit, we had a vision, to revolutionize the middle school classroom with one of the first inquiry-based approaches to learning science through hands-on activity. More Info
Reproduction | NGSS
~15-20 40 to 50 minute class periods
What are the ethical issues involved in using genetic information?
Students explore how organisms get their traits and what causes variation from one organism to
another. They also analyze and interpret evidence for how certain traits affect reproduction. Students
learn how both genes and the environment can influence traits and apply what is learned to a human
genetic condition.
PE Assessment Example:Think back to what you know about Marfan syndrome and fibrillin. Draw a
labeled diagram that models the cause-and-effect relationship between the fibrillin gene, fibrillin protein,
and traits/ symptoms for a. a person without Marfan syndrome, b. a person with Marfan syndrome.
Reproduction is part of Issues and Science three year middle school program, designed by SEPUP at the Lawrence Hall of Science. This three to four week unit anchors the lessons around the the socio-science issue: What are the ethical issues involved in using genetic information? Investigative phenomena within the 14 activities connect back to the issue and storyline. This unit builds towards and assesses PEs LS1-4, LS1-5, LS3-1, LS3-2.
View a Sample Reproduction Student Book Selection or Sample Teacher Edition Selection.
Content in Reproduction | NGSS is organized into 14 activities, as follows:
| Activity Title | Activity Type | Activity Overview | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Joe's Situation | View and Reflect | Students are introduced to a scenario of a student who has just learned he may have inherited a genetic condition (Marfan syndrome). |
| 2. | Creature Features | Modeling | Students develop models to investigate the inheritance of a trait in imaginary creatures. |
| 3. | Reproduction | Reading | Students read about the differences between sexual and asexual reproduction at the cellular level. |
| 4. | Gene Combo | Investigation | Students model the inheritance of single-gene traits by collecting and analyzing data from coin tosses. |
| 5. | Gene Squares | Problem Solving | Students use Punnett squares to model sexual reproduction and predict the approximate frequencies of traits among offspring. |
| 6. | Mendel, First Geneticist | Reading | Students read about Gregor Mendel’s experiments with pea plants. |
| 7. | Do Genes Determine Everything? | Laboratory | Students design an experiment to investigate the effect of the environment on such plant traits as seedling color. |
| 8. | Show Me the Genes! | Reading | Students read about the behavior of chromosomes and the function of DNA during sexual reproduction. |
| 9. | Breeding Critters-More Traits | Investigation | Students create imaginary critter offspring to model patterns of inheritance and develop explanations of what happens in terms of genes, chromosomes, and environmental effects. |
| 10. | Animal Behavior | Investigation | Students read one of four real case studies on a behavioral or physical trait in an animal. They examine and interpret graphs to argue for how those traits increase the animal’s reproductive success. |
| 11. | Plant-Animal Interactions | Investigation | Students read about four different flowers and four different pollinators. They construct an argument for how the structure of the plant increases its reproductive success by attracting a specific type of pollinator. |
| 12. | How Do Genes Produce Traits? | Modeling | Students use a simplified codon table to determine part of the fibrillin protein sequence from a given DNA sequence and explore the protein’s three-dimensional structure. |
| 13. | Fault in the Genes | Modeling | Students model mutations and their effects on protein sequence and structure. |
| 14. | Advising Joe | Talking It Over | Students revisit the Marfan scenario and use a model to construct an explanation of what is going on and an argument about what Joe should do. |
Lab-Aids® provides several useful tools to guide you and your students through the Reproduction unit:
Student Book
The Student Book guides students in exploring a socio-science issue and connected phemonena through a series of varied activity types. Activity types use one of twelve different instructional strategies to apply Science and Engineering Practices to specific Disciplinary Core Ideas and Cross Cutting Concepts.
SEPUP's integrated literacy strategies help students process new science content, develop their analytical skills, make connections between related concepts, and express their knowledge orally and in writing. The built-in assessment system helps teachers identify students' strengths and weaknesses from the beginning of the unit. This allows them to adjust activities when needed so that all students get the best chance to build their knowledge and appreciation of science. At the back of the Student Book there is an Appendix containing additional resources for students, such as science skills, literacy strategies, and media literacy among others.
Lab-Aids® Science Lab Notebook
A science notebook not only models the way scientists work, but it helps to develop and reinforce students’ science learning and literacy skills.
The Lab-Aids Science Lab Notebook is designed to support best practice note-booking strategies. It includes three-hole punched pages in a two-column design for Cornell-style notes. GraphAnywhere pages allow students to both write and easily create data-tables and graphs anywhere on the page. The unique “Lab-Log” column serves as a blank canvas for drawings, connections, and self-reflective notes. 160 pages total.
Complete Equipment Package
Lab-Aids programs include high-quality equipment for each activity. This includes innovative lab-ware to be used throughout the year, specific solutions and materials for unique labs, as well as items needed for card sorts, modeling, role-plays, and projects.
Materials for up to 5 classes of 32 students, mobile storage cart, Online Portal for one teacher includes online subscription to Teacher Edition and Resources, Student Book in English/Spanish (E/S), student sheets (E/S), visual aids (E/S), PowerPoints, online assessment system, LABsent, and supplemental resources)
Teacher Edition and Resources
The SEPUP Teacher Edition (TE) guides you through each activity in the Student Book and helps you see the development of concepts within the big picture of the unit. It helps you set up the equipment from the kit, organize the classroom, conduct activities, and manage practical details, all of which enhance students’ learning environment.
The Teacher Edition text is broken down into several sections, such as Activity Overview, NGSS Connections and Correlations, Materials and Advanced Prep, Teaching Summary, and Background information to name a few. The Teacher Edition is packaged as a color-printed, loose-leaf binder which allows you to personalize it with highlighting, annotations, rearrangements, and insertions. It provides full support for teaching the program. Additional support resources can also found in the Teacher Resource book.
The Teacher Resource (TR) provides background and suggestions to increase the overall effectiveness of implementing the program across all levels of learners. Some sections include: SEPUP’s Approach to Teaching and Learning, Differentiation Strategies for Diverse Learners, Literacy Strategies for Supporting Reading Comprehension and for Enhancing Students’ Writing, and comprehensive instruction on the SEPUP Assessment System. There is also a section containing unit specific resources, such as overviews, unit storyline and phenomena table, NGSS correlations, assessment blueprints, and item banks."
Online Portal for Students
Access to Student online portal for 1 year, which includes: the digital Student Book (Spanish coming soon), additional resources, and LABsent sheets and videos for absent students. Ability to highlight, bookmark and make notes in the Student Book, complete homework and assessments, and communicate with the teacher. Also available as multi-year subscriptions.
Online Portal for Teachers
Access to Teacher online portal for 7 years, which includes: online subscription to the Teacher Edition and Resources, Student Book (Spanish coming soon), LABsent sheets & videos for absent students, Editable PowerPoints for each lesson, and integrated online assessment system. Ability to highlight, bookmark, and make notes in personal Student and Teacher books, create and assign homework and assessments, and communicate with students. Available as multi-year subscriptions. Single Sign-On (SSO) available
| Reproduction | NGSS | Item # | Price | Quantity |
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