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    Photosynthesis

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    Subject: Science, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)

    Lesson Length: 1 - 2 class sessions

    Topic: Life Science- From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

    Grade Level: 6, 7, 8

    Standards / Framework:

    Brief Description: Students will be able to explain the energy flow during the process of photosynthesis.

    Know Before You Start: Students should be familiar with different types of energy such as chemical and solar.

    Hook:

    • Ask students:
      • “What is photosynthesis?” 
      • “How do living things get energy and what are some ways that they use it?” 
      • “What do plants make in the process of photosynthesis?”

    Activity:

    • Preteach key vocabulary terms such as chloroplast, producer, cellular respiration, molecule, and reactants.
    • Have students read the article from the Smithsonian Science Education Center. As students read, have them complete a graphic organizer. 
    • Have students either watch the YouTube video of the photosynthesis experiment or carry it out with partners in the classroom. 
    • Have students discuss their notes and their takeaways from the experiment.
    • Support student understanding by reviewing the energy flow process and recapping the key takeaways from the reading and experiment.
    • Have students create a comic that illustrates the energy flow during the process of photosynthesis.

    Closure:

    • Have students share their comics with a partner or in small groups.
    • Recap the activity by stating that the comics illustrate how energy flows during the process of photosynthesis. It is important to understand this concept because without photosynthesis humans wouldn’t have enough oxygen in the air to breathe!

    Differentiation:

    • Allow students to use the speech-to-text feature.
    • Allow students to work in pairs or groups as needed.
    • Allow students to use the voiceover feature to read their comics aloud.
    • Provide students with a graphic organizer, such as Draw/Plan Then Write, to map out their comic before creating. 
    • Provide students with a word bank of vocabulary terms to use in the comic.

    Resources:

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