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Science Unit Overview 

Our 2nd Grade classroom had a wonderful collection of animal bones, and the students were very inquisitive about them. A couple of days after school started, my Cooperating Teacher challenged me to plan and prepare a science inquiry unit on bones. Shortly thereafter, I started building this science unit.

My intentions with this unit was to gain a personal perspective of how to teach science inquiry. However, the primary purposes of these lessons were to give the students a basic foundation in understanding, planning, and conducting scientific inquiry. The focus of this unit was on developing questions about what the students wanted to know, making hypotheses, investigating and exploring the hypotheses, recording the results, and making conclusions based on those findings. While the students did not necessarily plan these investigations, they did experience inquiry.

• The kick-off lesson, Lesson # 1 was a read aloud of “Bones: Our Skeletal System (Human Body)” by Seymour Simon and an introduction to KWL (what is known, what would like to be known, and what will be learned). In this lesson, the students built knowledge for identifying the bones of their bodies. The students were expected to learn the names of six bones in their body. They were given a handout to help them remember and label each of the bones on a worksheet. Regretfully, I sent all of these worksheets home with the students at the end that day. However, you can view the handout by clicking on this link (HANDOUT LINK). This handout would help build knowledge and vocabulary in preperation for Lesson # 4.

• Lesson # 2 was about the K (what is known) in KWL and it introduced the students to scientific inquiry. It was an investigation into what the students knew about bones and again about building knowledge. From classroom discussion, I learned that they did not know a great deal about bones. What they did know was basically descriptive knowledge like size, shape, and color. This information was again put on poster paper and posted on the wall for future referencing. However, to again build a basis for what they would like to know, I did another read aloud "The Human Body" book by Carothers and Henke. After the read aloud, the students were then given a true or false worksheet titled “Boning up on the Human Skeleton” to asses what they had learned. To view a worksheet click on this link (WORKSHEET LINK). After doing the worksheet, the students were then asked to turn the paper over and using complete sentences write four facts they knew about bones. To view one of the student facts worksheets click on this link (FACTS WORKSHEET LINK)

• Lesson # 3 was about the W (what they would like to know) in KWL. Click this link to see Lesson # 3 (LESSON 3 Link). It was intended to find out what the students specifically wanted to know about bones and answering these questions would be the foundation for the unit’s remaining lessons. Click this link to see the student generated questions (Student Questions Link). This information was recorded on poster paper and placed on the wall for referencing as the unit progressed.

• Lesson # 4 was an introduction to measurement. In this lesson, the students working with a partner measured the length of one of their hands, click to see (ARTIFACT ONE), click to see (ARTIFACT TWO). This lesson laid the groundwork for Lesson # 5 which required the students to measure a cow femur and their own femur. They were then required to compare the size of the two, click to see (STUDENT WORKSHEET LINK). This would hopefully give them an idea of the size and shape of bones when trying to decide whether the bones in our class were human or animal, see Lesson # 7.  This question of whether the bones were human or animal originated in Lesson # 3.

• Lesson # 6 was another read aloud “The Skeleton Inside You” by Philip Balestino with the intention of again building student knowledge. In this lesson, the students were given the challenge of finding the three primary functions of bones. After the read aloud, there was a discussion to see if the class had learned the three primary functions of bones. I loved it because they were able to come up with all three basic functions. Bones provide the body structure. Bones protect internal organs. Bones help the body move. I recorded this information on a piece of poster paper, and it was placed on the wall beside the KWL lesson posters that were created in Lesson # 2 and 3.

• Lesson # 7 was the final assessment of what the students had learned bones. It would require them to use scientific inquiry to complete the lesson. One the student questions was whether the bone were human or animal. Lesson #7 would help them answer this question. In this lesson, the students worked in groups of three students. Each student was given an assignment in the group. Each group was given a bone, a book about bones, and a worksheet to complete. One student was given the assignment of holding the bone for examination, one student was to hold the book for research, and the other student was scribe for filling out the group worksheet. Some groups were given an animal bone, other groups were given a facsimile of a human bone, and two groups were given one of each. Their challenge was to first make a hypothesis of whether their bone was human or animal. They were then required to search in their book for a bone similar to theirs, and then make a conclusion based on size, shape, and color whether their bone was human or animal. You can click this link to see Lesson # 7 (LESSON # 7 Link ), and you click these two links to view the group worksheets (GROUP # 1 ARTIFACT) (GROUP # 2 ARTIFACT). After the group workshops, the groups were given the opportunity to share their findings with the class. Amazingly, only one group was incorrect in their final conclusion. However, this was unimportant because the group did follow the inquiry process. In the end, it was all about establishing a way of doing science, and they now had that foundation.

• I also designed a Webquest about Human Bones. This webquest was designed as an engaging search vehicle for finding the primary functions of bones. However, searching this website was a little above my students current computer skills so instead of giving them free run of it, I walked them through each section. This way I was able to ensure that everyone was able to get through the tasks. The webquest can be viewed at the web address below.

  http://students.washington.edu/nobler/webquest/webquest.html

Time did not allow for continued scientific inquiry of bones. At this point in time, the students would not be able to explain the process step-by-step. As I reflect on the successes and limitations of these lessons, the students should have been given further instruction and had time to discuss the process of scientific inquiry.

 As for what I have learned from all of this, I now have a basic understanding of how to teach scientific inquiry. While I am still learning and a work in progress, I know how to use the cycle of science inquiry to help students develop inquisitive minds. Inquiry is essential for developing a deep understanding of any subject matter. Once students learn this process, they are then be able to transfer this skill into other areas of their lives.