Author |
Grade Level |
Time Frame |
Featured Picture |
---|---|---|---|
Matthew Binder – Pacific Grove Middle School (PGUSD) | 7 – 8 | 4, 50 minutes class periods | Add one picture that best summarizes the lesson |
DRIVING QUESTION
How does the dentition (the morphology of teeth) and jaw structure of an animal relate to its feeding habits and diet?
Some questions that students might come up with:
- What role does the animal have in its environment? (primary, secondary, tertiary consumer)
- How much does an animal have to eat on daily basis in order to survive?
- What kind of food might have been available during the time that this animal was alive?
- Does an animal’s tooth size relate to how much it eats and how big its prey is?
LEARNING GOALS
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer nec odio. Praesent libero. Sed cursus ante dapibus diam. Sed nisi. Nulla quis sem at nibh elementum imperdiet. Duis sagittis ipsum. Praesent mauris. Fusce nec tellus sed augue semper porta. Mauris massa.
COLLABORATIONS
- Students are assigned (at random) an .stl file of the jaw and dentition of a common or extinct mammal (marine or terrestrial) (http://morphosource.org/ )
- Students then partner up with two other classmates to form a group of 3 with rotating responsibilities.
- Student A – Visualizer: imports the .stl file into 3D View (or other visualizing app) to make detailed measurements of the main teeth in the jaws of the team’s mammals.
- Student B – Investigator: using pre-defined websites to conduct research on the structure and function of teeth in various closely-related species.
- Student C: Curator: brings the .stl file into Cura – the Taz 3D printer software.
STEM INTEGRATION
Science: text
Technology: text
Engineering: text
Mathematics: text
ASSESSMENT
Each team will produce a scaled, 3D printed portion of the jaw and associated dentition of their mammal skull. Accompanying this printout is a description of the form and function of their model including a 3D View – generated labeled visual representation and 1 page explanation, including images of the animal’s feeding preferences and behaviors as inferred through their careful analysis of their model and their online research.
Formative Assessments:
- Teacher initiated informal check for understandings and Q&A
- Exit slips and knowledge checks with Google Forms
- Students reflections and other short written responses on the class discussion board via Google Classroom
Summative Assessments:
- Student 1 page written explanation and short oral presentation
- Unit assessment of Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
ANCHORING EVENT & PROCEDURE
- Students are shown various skulls, lower jaws (from collection) and asked about what kinds of diets these animals may have had when alive.
- Students think about their own teeth and dentition pattern and consider their own diets. (answers vary)
- Students are given time to think of the possible live histories of the animals represented in this collection.
- ENGAGE:
Teacher uses a variety of classroom specimens of jaws and teeth to engage the class in the lesson topic. Specimens are passed around for students to tactically and visually observe. - Using Google Classroom, the teacher distributes a variety of jaw and dentition digitized models (stl format) currently available from http://morphosource.org/. Students will not have specific knowledge as to the animal (past or present) from which their model originated and will make inferences about what the animal might possibly be.
- EXPLORE:
Using chromebooks, students will visualize their stl file specimen using by importing it into Chrome 3DView (or another 3D model viewing app). Concurrently, students conduct research on what they believe their mammal to be (or a similar species). - EXPLAIN AND ELABORATE:
Students then make accurate measurements (in mm) using the built in tools and add their annotations to the on-screen model. In partnership with their team members, students will gain understanding of the feeding patterns/food type associated with the structure and dentition of their models. - Students import their model (stl file) using Cura (from Taz 3D Printer) to prepare and print a scaled 3D printed model of their specimen.
- Once the print is complete, students engage in a discussion with their team on the possible feeding preferences and patterns that the mammal (from which their specimen was derived) likely pursued. Students use evidence from the structure of the jaw and dentition to make inferences about these connections.
- EVALUATE: Students then present their findings to the class using their models along with their research notes as a resource. They draw conclusions about the feeding behaviors and patterns that pertain to their specimens based on their investigations. (Rubrics will be used to evaluate student presentations).
- After the team presents their findings, the teacher reveals the species from which the model was derived and allows for the team and the class as a whole to confirm or challenge the information that the teacher presents about the given mammal.
- Final assessment in the form of a independent quiz/test at the end of the week that covers the essential learning outcomes.
STANDARDS
NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS (NGSS)
MS-LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
This section has 6 preformance expectations, please identify those that apply to your lesson.
MS-LS3 Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits
This section has 2 preformance expectations, please identify those that apply to your lesson.
Performance Expectation |
Connection to Lesson |
---|---|
Insert Preformance expectations | How it connects to the lesson |
Science & Engineering Practices |
Connection to Lesson |
Insert Science Practices | How it connects to the lesson |
Disciplinary Core Ideas |
Connection to Lesson |
Insert Disciplinary Core Ideas | How it connects to the lesson |
Crosscutting Concept |
Connection to Lesson |
Insert Crosscutting concepts | How it connects to the lesson |
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS (CCSS)
?
ISTE:
- Knowledge Constructor
- 3d: Students build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and problems, developing ideas and theories and pursuing answers and solutions.
- 3c: Students curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and methods to create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections or conclusions.
- Creative Communicator
- 6c: Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations.
- Global Collaborator
- 7c: Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various roles and responsibilities to work effectively toward a common goal.
RESOURCES & MATERIALS
- Various animal skulls (mammals preferably) and jaws (fossils or otherwise) – These can be acquired directly from our local Pacific Grove Natural History Museum.
- 3D Printer
- Chromebooks
- Typical Mammalian Skull Chart: http://www.skullsunlimited.com/userfiles/image/education_6_large.jpg
Database Tips:
Morphosource is an excellent site for fossils. This site required one extra step. The files are not STL, and most 3D printers will use STL files. Most of the files will be on PLY format, but there is an easy way to convert. 1) Download the open source software, MeshLab to convert the files to STL. 2) From MeshLab, import your PLY file, and then export as STL (Binary).
KEY ACADEMIC AND/OR SCIENTIFIC LANGUAGE
Anterior: situated located before or toward the front.
Auditory bullae (singular – bulla): bony capsules which encase parts of the inner ear.
Binocular vision: the ability of an animal to focus on an object with both eyes
Canine teeth: located between the incisors and premolars; usually large, conical and pointed when found in meat-eating animals; used to kill and hold prey;.
Carnivore: an animal that eats meat nearly exclusively. carnassial teeth — “scissor like”, cheek teeth in carnivorous animals used for shearing meat – very noticeable in both the cat and dog families.
Carrion: the remains of dead animals.
Crepuscular: most active in early morning and evening
Cusps: a point on the grinding surface of a tooth. deciduous teeth — teeth that have an earlier form which is shed and replace by permanent teeth.
Diurnal: most active during daylight.
Habitat: an arrangement of food, water, cover and space that constitutes a natural environment for a particular species of animal.
Herbivore: an animal that eats plants nearly exclusively.
Incisors: teeth at the front of the jaw used for nipping or chiseling . mandible — the entire lower jaw. maxilla (maxillary) — the bone in the upper jaw that bears the canine, premolar and molar teeth. molars — the non-deciduous, posterior teeth in the upper and lower jaws.
Monocular vision: the ability of an animal to individually focus on an object with one eye.
Nasal passage: the anterior most pair of middle top bones encasing “flaky” thin bony structures (nasal turbinates) which provide the framework for the membranes in the nose that sense odor. nocturnal — most active during darkness.
Omnivore: an animal that eats both meat and plants.
Orbit: the bony socket that contains the eyeball.
Palate: the bony roof of the mouth.
Posterior: situated behind or toward the rear.
Pre-molars: deciduous teeth posterior to the canines and anterior to the molars.
*Various ecological terminology such as consumers, predators, etc.
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
Students need to be familiar with the fundamental concepts related to 3D printing, digitizing (scanning), and modeling. An introduction around these concepts that includes hands-on experience with a 3D printer, scanner, modeling programs, and associated visualizing software is highly recommended. Additionally, students need to be able to access Google Classroom (along with their Google Drive), and be able to navigate various websites with ease.