Lesson+Comparison

Both lessons (gr. 7 & 12) require students to use internet technology, authoritative websites, and IPad applications to discover information about their particular planet/celestial body. For grade 7, however, students choose only a planet, whereas the seniors are free to choose other bodies such as the sun, comets, meteors, etc. This defines boundaries for the 7th graders and to aid them in their focus and move the research forward. Collaboration is aided by the similarities they encounter among their planets, while seniors have a wider focus to explore.

While 7th graders are scaffolded with question such as "Is it important for information to be up-to-date?" "Does this site have the information I need?" "Is the author stating fact or opinion?" "Is this information on my level?" the seniors have moved beyond that to applying the information to their argument. Scaffolding consists on this level of "How does this information support my argument?" "How could this position be refuted?" "What are the arguments against my position?" to fully prepared for defending one's evidence. They both are scaffolded with premium sources, however, the introduction of the NASA application and the United Streaming Discovery videos, and their textbooks.

The role of the instruction specialist is more intense at the 7th grade level than it is at the senior level. HOwever, the instructional specialist is ready to provide further support in the technical aspects of the online presentation software, the use of Parliamentary procedure, and the refutation of opposing arguments. Legal precedents could be introduced, or historical refutations.

Instruction specialists are involved with the 7th grade from technical to presentational. Simply moving from one arena to another requires supported instruction and encouragement. The student scientist needs ongoing and repeated assistance becoming and staying organized.

**//Core Standard 12th grade //** · Describe the age, origin and evolution of our solar system and describe the characteristics of objects in our solar system.

ü ES.2.2 Describe the motions of the various kinds of objects in our solar system, including planets, satellites, comets, and asteroids. Explain that Kepler’s laws determine the orbits of those objects and know that Kepler’s laws are a direct consequence of Newton’s law of universal gravitation together with his laws of motion.

ES.1.7 - 7th grade

 * Describe the characteristics and motions of the various kinds of objects in our solar system, including planets, satellites, comets, and asteroids. Explain that Kepler's laws determine the orbits of the planets. (Core Standard)

The core standards are very similar except in the addition of Newtons' Laws in the 12 grade standard. For the AASL standards, the 12th grade requirements encourage more collaboration and evidentiary support of argument.