Week One: Introduction to the GED Science Test

GED Science Spring 2008 GED Science

The GED Science Class uses Steck-Vaughn’s GED Science as its primary text. There is a lot of material to cover, so you may choose to assign some of the readings as homework so that classes can focus more on skills and how to answer the questions rather than silent reading time.

An important classroom ritual to develop is asking students to design three reading comprehension questions after each reading (whether before or during class). These questions should aim to mimic the questions from the workbook, which reflect test questions. When students develop such questions, they become more adept at answering them. Week One: Introduction to the GED Science Test

This lesson will acquaint learners with the GED Science Test and what they will need to pass it. Learners should be given an opportunity to discuss experiences they’ve had taking tests, both successful and frustrating. The lesson will also introduce important test-taking and study skills before issuing the first official GED practice test. Be sure to explain that the test is a way for them to see where they’re at, and to know the types of questions that are going to be asked of them. At the end of the quarter, students will have the opportunity to take the test a second time to see how they’ve improved.

Objectives: -develop personal test-taking strategies -develop personal study strategies -demonstrate understanding of the GED test expectations through discussion -demonstrate understanding of classroom expectations through discussion -practice taking tests in a comfortable environment -share test-taking stories and strategies in group discussion

Content SV 5-8, Classroom Expectations and Syllabus GED Practice Test Test-Taking Discuss reactions to test

Notes:

Minnesota Literacy Council 1 GED Science Spring 2008

Week Two: Introduction to Life Science - Cells

Objectives: Increase familiarity with cellular structures Demonstrate knowledge of photosynthesis Identify main ideas Restate information Practice answering GED-style questions Identify part of diagrams Read diagrams Design reading comprehension questions

Content SV 34-39, 42-47, Current science articles from internet or magazines Reading Identify the main idea in workbook passages, Discuss and identify Comprehension main ideas in current science articles, Discuss personally-designed reading questions in small groups

Critical Thinking Restate information in workbook activity, Summarize and restate information from current event articles in group activity and discussion Graphic Identify parts of diagram from workbook and/or articles in group Literacy/ Critical activities Thinking Test-Taking Answer and discuss questions from workbook Vocabulary Organism, Nucleus, Tissue, Parts of a Cell, Cellular Respiration, Molecule

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Week Three: Life Science - The Human Body

This week students will explore faulty logic and make personal connections to science. Have students take the test in the computer lab and print the results. Ask “right” and “left” brained people to sit in two different groups to discuss if the results are rational or if there is faulty logic.

Objectives: Discuss functions of the human body Discuss human body systems Discuss the human brain Recognize unstated assumptions Identify faulty logic Read maps

Content SV 58-63, 66-71, “One Brain or Two?”, Right/Left Brain Test with students printed results http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/split.html http://www.blogthings.com/areyourightorleftbrainedquiz/ Reading Discuss content of workbook, Discuss “One Brain or Two” in group Comprehension discussion and activity, Discuss self-designed reading comprehension questions Critical Thinking Discuss assumptions in life situations, Discuss types of faulty logic in small group activities by coming up with life examples of each, Discuss whether or not people are “Right or Left Brained” by identifying faulty logic Graphic Analyze map in workbook page 63 Literacy/ Critical Thinking Test-Taking Discuss answers to workbook questions Vocabulary Body systems, body parts, portions of brain

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Minnesota Literacy Council 3 GED Science Spring 2008 Week Four: Life Science - Genetics and Evolution

Objectives: Demonstrate knowledge of genetics in class discussion Demonstrate knowledge of evolution in class discussion Determine fact from opinion Summarize information Read tables

Content SV 50-55, 74-79, Recent articles on genetics from internet Reading Discuss reading comprehension questions in small groups, Practice Comprehension summarizing information in workbook, Summarize and present information in internet articles in small group activities Critical Thinking Generate a student list of facts and opinions on the board and discuss the differences between the two, Students write list of several facts about themselves and several opinions they hold and share with partners who call out “Fact” or “Opinion” Graphic Literacy Discuss the elements and content of the table on 76 Vocabulary Genetics, Dominant and Recessive Traits, Hereditary, Natural Selection

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Week Five: Life Science - Exploring Ecosystems

Objectives: Demonstrate understanding of ecosystems Demonstrate understanding of life cycles Discuss how organisms are interconnected Identify supporting details Identify conclusions Applying ideas to new contexts Read flow charts Read and design trophic pyramids

Content SV 82-87, 90-95 Reading Identify supporting details in workbook, Students write down details Comprehension about themselves and let partners draw a conclusion (“I like music, I paint, I visit art museums” Partner conclusion: “You like the arts), Discuss student-designed comprehension questions Critical Thinking Discuss applying ideas to new contexts in workbook and in life (“What if we ate all of the rabbits in the state?” Predators would run out of food), Students work in groups to draw trophic pyramids for a region they choose (see 86) on large newsprint to share with the class Graphic Literacy Discuss reading the flow chart diagrams in the workbook (84, 91, 92), Discuss and design trophic pyramids Vocabulary Nitrogen fixation, Nitrification, Dentrification, Carnivores, Omnivores, Herbivores, Decomposers, Ecosystems, Dependency, Interconnectedness

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Week Six: Life Science Labs Students will explore Life Science information through other media in this lesson. It is best to divide the class into small groups that can move from one station to another. You can design experiments and activities that relate to Life Science or use some of the following suggestions:

Watch a movie for the first hour about microorganisms or insect ecosystems: The Unknown World (available from Rondo Library), Microcosmos (reserve from St. Paul libraries)

After the movie: A station where students use the microscope (located at Rondo)

Have student groups act as explorers who have discovered a new ecosystem; create trophic pyramids, energy flow charts, drawings, and descriptions of the new creatures they’ve discovered and how they are interconnected

Design questions about a topic related to life science and have students research it online, or have students search for a current topic in Life Science to share with their groups/class Week Seven: Introduction to Earth and Space Science – The Earth’s Structure

Objectives: Demonstrate understanding of the Earth’s structure Demonstrate understanding of plate tectonics Demonstrate understanding of seismic activity Identify implications Recognize cause and effect relationships

Content SV 110-115, 118-123 Reading Discussion of content and student-designed comprehension questions Comprehension Critical Thinking Use life statements and ask students to state implications (“I spent all my money at the casino.” Implication: I won’t be able to pay my bills this month), Generate a list of student-generated cause and effect statements on the board, Have students write a list of causes on a sheet of paper and share them with a partner who supplies an effect Graphic Literacy Discuss reading the flow chart diagrams in the workbook (84, 91, 92), Discuss and design trophic pyramids Vocabulary Layers of the earth, Tectonic plates, Convection, Magma, Seismic waves

Notes:

Week Eight: Earth and Space Science – Climate and Resources

Objectives: Demonstrate an understanding of weather and climate Demonstrate knowledge of the Earth’s resources Demonstrate understanding of Human Impact Discern the adequacy of facts Use evidence to support a conclusion Determine the values of a writer

Content SV 126-131, 134-139, a few conspiracy theories from the internet that may appeal to student interests Reading Discussion of student-generated comprehension questions, Determine Comprehension the values of a writer using the workbook and conspiracy theories Critical Thinking Determine the adequacy of facts in workbook and with conspiracy theories in workbook activities Vocabulary Weather vs. Climate, Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources

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Week Nine: Earth and Space Science – Discover Space This week students will give presentations on the planets of the solar system. Divide the students into groups and each group read about one (or more, depending on the size of the class) of the planets. Supply large newsprint and markers and give students time to create a presentation. It should include basic details of the planet, like temperature and size, a few facts the group found interesting, and they should draw one chart or graph to display information.

Objectives: Demonstrate understanding of the solar system Identify various bodies in space Demonstrate understanding of revolutions and orbits Identify implications in a text Present information on a topic

Content SV 142-147, printed information on each of the planets as handouts http://www.nineplanets.org/ Reading Discuss student-generated reading comprehension questions, Comprehension determining information relevant to the class Critical Thinking Discuss making inferences (Suggestion) Walk into class clearly displaying the traits of an emotion, but do not tell students what it is. Once they are wondering what you’re up to, stop abruptly and ask, “What can you say about me by the way I was behaving? How did I feel?” After students give answers, explain that they’ve just made an inference. Afterwards, have student pairs do a similar activity with one another, either through miming or with words Vocabulary Draw a graph or chart on presentation papers

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Minnesota Literacy Council 9 GED Science Spring 2008 Week Ten: Introduction to Physical Science – Matter and Atoms

Objectives: Demonstrate understanding of matter Demonstrate understanding of atoms and molecules Compare and Contrast information Apply ideas to new contexts Read a Venn diagram Read a Bar graph Read the Periodic Table

Content SV 158-163, 166-171, RGO 20 (blank Venn diagram) Reading Discuss reading student-generated comprehension questions, Comprehension Compare and contrast personal information with partners on a Venn diagram (We both have kids, but I have three and she has one; We both like spaghetti; She prefers ham, but I prefer turkey for Christmas, etc…) Critical Thinking Name categories of things with different but recognizable traits to apply ideas to new contexts Graphic Literacy Discuss and practice reading the Periodic table of elements, Discuss the bar graph on page 162, Discuss and create Venn Diagrams

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Week Eleven: Physical Science – Motion and Energy

Objectives: Demonstrate an understanding of the Laws of Motion Solve problems relating to force and acceleration Demonstrate an understanding of energy Recognize unstated assumptions Assess the adequacy of visual information

Content SV 182-187, 190-195, teacher-created assumption exercises based on student interests Reading Discuss student-generated reading comprehension questions Comprehension Critical Thinking Discuss unstated assumptions in workbook exercise, Give simple scenarios to make assumptions accessible to life experience (“The President lives moved into the White House.” Assumptions: The author assumes you know it is the US President, who the President is, and what or where the White House is) Graphic Literacy Practice assessing the adequacy of visual data in the workbook

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Week Twelve: Post-Testing and Evaluation Allow students to compare their scores from the beginning and end of the class, and pass out evaluation forms afterwards.

Minnesota Literacy Council 11 GED Science Spring 2008 Syllabus and Classroom Expectations

Welcome to the GED Science class! There is a lot of information to know about science for the GED Test, and your teacher may ask you to complete homework. If so, please have it completed before class.

After you read for each class, please write three questions about the material to ask the class. You can know the answers to the questions, or you can learn from them. Try to make your questions like the ones in the workbook. When you practice writing questions, you’ll improve at answering them.

Week One: Introduction to the GED Science Class Learn what to expect on the test and take a practice test to see where you’re at.

Week Two: Introduction to Life Science Learn about cells, the basic unit of life.

Week Three: Life Science – The Human Body Learn about the systems that keep your body working.

Week Four: Life Science – Genetics and Evolution Learn about genes and how organisms adapt over time.

Week Five: Life Science – Exploring Ecosystems Learn about how organisms large and small are all connected.

Week Six: Life Science – Learning Labs Discover more about Life Science outside of the workbook.

Week Seven: Introduction to Earth and Space Science Learn about the Earth’s structure

Week Eight: Earth and Space Science – Climate and Resources Learn about climate, weather, and the resources that we use.

Week Nine: Earth and Space Science – Discover Space Learn about outer space and the solar system.

Week Ten: Introduction to Physical Science Learn about matter and atoms.

Week Eleven: Physical Science – Motion and Energy Learn about the Laws of Motion and energy.

Week Twelve: Practice Test and Evaluation

Minnesota Literacy Council GED Science Curriculum January 7th- March 20th 2008

Abbreviations for Materials SV- Steck-Vaughn’s GED Science RGO- Reading Graphic Organizers

Questions about the Curriculum? Please Contact Tina Hyland – [email protected] MLC Learning Center Rondo: 651-266-7421 MLC Learning Center North Side: 612-377-7421

Minnesota Literacy Council 13