5th Grade Body Systems—Helpful Teacher Tips

Helpful Teacher Tips

Lesson 1: The Mysterious Object

Copies to be made:

• Home School Worksheet The Mysterious Object on page 21in the Teacher's Guide

Mystery Object: The identity of the mystery object (an owl pellet) should not be revealed to the students. However, several students may know what it is. One way to handle this is to encourage the students to collect more data to confirm their hunch. Also, several students may say the object is an owl pellet but not really know what that is. Uncovering the identity of the mystery object is not a unit goal; however, it is enjoyable and a hook for students.

Due to some renewed concerns about the safety of owl pellets, the students must wear gloves, which have been added to the kit. Their workstations must be covered so that the students do not directly touch their desks. At the conclusion of the lab, students should also thoroughly wash their hands. Click here for the safety protocol sheet, which is also available under "Teacher Resources" on the electronic curriculum.

Quantitative Observations: As students are making observations, encourage them to include quantitative observations, such as the length of the owl pellet or the circumference at the widest spot.

Lesson 2: The Clues

Copies to be made:

• Science Notebook Page The Clues pages 31 and 33
• Teacher-generated Observations and Inferences Rubric

When students respond to the prompt "maybe these bones are" on the Science Notebook Page The Clues, require them to explain their thoughts and/or use evidence/prior knowledge to support their ideas.

Lesson 3: Mystery Bones

Copies to be made:

• Science Notebook Page Mystery Bones page 43
• Teacher-generated Observations and Inferences Rubric

Lesson 4: Human Bones

Copies to be made:

• Science Notebook Page Human Bones page 53
• Group Recording Sheet Human Bones page 55

Scaled drawing of bones:

• A body outline can be made by tracing a student's outline or tracing a projected image from page 53 in the Teacher's Guide.
• This lesson presents a wonderful opportunity to revisit the idea of scale that was introduced in the Astronomy unit.

Supplemental Resources: The Search for the Missing Bones book has been added to your kit. Below are some web sites that show X-rays of bones:

http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/VL/xrays/

http://www.radiologyinfo.org/photocat/photos_more_pc.cfm?Category=Radiography_( X-ray)& ? category=Bone&&proc_code=bonerad

Lesson 5: Major Bone Groups

Copies to be made:

• Science Notebook Page Major Bone Groups page 65
• Group Recording Sheet Major Bone Groups page 67
• Teacher-generated Bone Groups and Functions Recording Sheet

Six sets of Major Bone Group Cards have been added to your kits.

For the class chart (see page 60 in Teacher's Guide), add a third column to the chart and title it "why do you think so?"

Supplementary Resources: The Eyewitness Skeleton video is in the library. The Eyewitness Skeleton book has been added to your kit. At the end of the lesson, it is imperative that the video or book is shown to the students so that they can begin to correct any misinformation on the class chart. Skeletons! Skeletons! All About Bones by Katy Hall is an engaging read-aloud about bones within humans and animals. The book is on loan from HP. The Glow-In-The-Dark Book Of Human Skeletons by Michael Novak is an amusing book that addresses the major bone groups and also shows bone groups in various animals. The book is available through the library.

Lesson 6: Mystery Bone Groups

Optional copies to be made:

• Teacher-Generated Comparing Bones Warm-Up Questions

In the Getting Started section on page 83, the students are to compare human bones to their mystery bones. A T-chart or Venn Diagram is a good organizational tool to help students make the comparisons.

Students will have limited understanding of classification. You may have to devote some instructional time to discussing the purpose behind various classification schemas. See page 84 in the Teacher's Guide for more information.

Lesson 7: Teeth and Jaws

Copies to be made:

• Teacher-Generated My Teeth Lab Sheet
• Optional Teacher-Generated Thinking About Teeth Question Sheet
• Science Notebook Page Teeth and Jaws page 95
• Home School Worksheet Teeth and Jaws page 9
• Reference Sheet Teeth page 99

6 sets of Animal Skull cards have been added to your kit.

Prior to completing the lesson, make sure the standard food form has been submitted to and approved by the school nurse.

Supplementary Resources: The Human Body class set of books contains information on teeth.

Lesson 8: Mystery Teeth

Copies to be made:

• Science Notebook Page Mystery Teeth page 109
• Teacher-generated Observations and Inferences Rubric

To answer the question "What kinds of teeth did you find?" on the Mystery Teeth Science Notebook Page, students should describe the teeth in detail and can then make some inferences based on the features of the teeth. This should be explained to the students. Furthermore, students should be required to back up their inferences.

Supplemental Resources: If time permits, show students some online pictures of fossils. At the following web site, Paul Sereno, world-renowned paleontologist, shows many of his recent finds and specifically describes the teeth of the fossils. The "Replica Skeletons" section contains many great pictures, especially under "skulls." http://www.projectexploration.org

Lesson 9: Comparing Animal Skeletons

Copies to be made:

• Science Notebook Page Comparing Animal Skeletons page 119
• Group Recording Sheet Comparing Animal Skeletons pages 121 and 123
• Teacher-generated Observations and Inferences Rubric

Sets of 5 Animal Skeleton Cards, printed on card stock, have been added to your kits. Note on page 112 of the teacher's edition that the students will not compare all skeletons. One pair will compare 2 of the skeletons while the other pair will compare the others. They will then share their information.

Supplementary Resources: The ZooBooks series in the library contains full skeleton pictures of animals. The following web site contains many full-sized animal skeletons. http://www.animalskeletons.net/animal_skeletons.html

Lesson 10: Types of Joints

Copies to be made:

• Science Notebook Page Types of Joints pages 139 and 141
• Reference Sheet Types of Joints
• Home-School Worksheet Types of Joints page 143

Supplementary Resources: Students have little experience with the different types of joints. The reference sheet Types of Joints will be helpful. The Skeleton and Muscular System, a book referenced on page 136 in the Teacher's Guide, has been added to the kit. The Human Body class set of books also contains information on joints. Additional books are available in the library to support the content in this lesson.

Lesson 11: Human Bones Revisited

Copies to be made:

• Science Notebook Page Human Bones Revisited

Students are to work individually on this activity. This will allow you to informally assess their understanding of the material to this point.

Lesson 12: Movement

Copies to be made:

• Science Notebook Page Movement page 161
• Task Card page 159 *one for each pair of students

Students will need the arm and hand Major Bone Groups card. This lesson is much more complex than it seems at first. Students are asked to visualize and draw a system that has not been studied yet. It will take some prompting from the teacher to help the students with this process. The questions on page 156 of the TE can be helpful.

Supplemental Resources: Muscles: Our Muscular System and The Skeleton and Muscular System, books referenced on page 157 in the Teacher's Guide, have been added to the kit.

Lesson 13: Chicken Wing Dissection

Copies to be made:

• Science Notebook Page Chicken Wing Dissection pages 169, 171 and 173--copy for each student or post for class discussion/review.
• Teacher-generated Chicken Wing Lab Review
• *These will not be brought into the dissection area.

You will need to schedule a time with the science coordinator for the dissection. All dissections will take place in an area other than the classroom. It is important to go over the Science Notebook Page with the students prior to dissection. This will help to alleviate any feelings of uneasiness associated with dissection.

Processing for Meaning on page 167 is very important to summarize and wrap up the lesson.

Optional Lesson 15: Amateur Zoologist

Copies to be made:

• Group Recording Sheet Amateur Zoologist page 191
• Reference Sheet Skeleton Chart page 193

Students will need to reference the 6 Major Bone Groups cards during this investigation. This will require two pairs of students to share one set. Many owl pellets will not contain a complete skeleton; however, students with extra bones can share with pairs that have fewer bones. It will also be important to discuss with the class why some owl pellets have more bones than others.