This 3-week project examines whether humans are more alike or different. Students will independently answer the driving question in their electronic portfolios based on lab activities. Content standards address genetics and inherited traits. Students will break into groups to compare physical traits and create a chart of their similarities and differences. Assessments include quizzes, presentations, journals, and an electronic portfolio. The project provides scaffolding to develop an understanding of concepts through inquiry and hands-on activities.

1. PROJECT OVERVIEW
Name of Project: Alike or Different? Duration: 3 weeks?
Subject/Course: Life Science Teacher(s): Ms. Velasco Grade Level: 7
Other subject areas to Computers,
be included, if any:
Project Idea Students will independently answer the driving question in their electronic portfolio based on their investigations from
Summary of the issue, lab activities.
challenge, investigation,
scenario, or problem:
Driving Question Are we more alike than we are different?
Content and Skills 2b. Students know sexual reproduction produces offspring that inherit half their genes from each parent.
Standards to be 2c. Students know an inherited trait can be determined by one or more genes.
addressed: 2d. Students know plant and animal cells contain many thousands of different genes and typically have two copies of every gene.
The two copies (or alleles) of the gene may or may not be identical, and one may be dominant in determining the phenotype while
the other is recessive.
T+A E T+A E
21st Century Skills Collaboration x Other: Online Research x
to be explicitly taught and
assessed (T+A) or that
will be encouraged (E) by
Presentation x
project work, but not
taught or assessed: Critical Thinking: x
Presentation Audience:
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 1

2. Group: Group website x
Culminating Class:
Products and
Performances
School:
Community:
An electronic portfolio Experts:
Individual: x
Web:
Other:
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Entry event to Students will break into groups of 3 or 4 and create a T-chart that lists their similar and different physical traits.
launch inquiry,
engage students:
Assessments Quizzes/Tests x Practice Presentations
Formative
Assessments Journal/Learning Log x Notes
(During
Project) Preliminary Plans/Outlines/Prototypes Checklists
Rough Drafts x Concept Maps x
Online Tests/Exams x Other:
Written Product(s), with rubric: x Other Product(s) or Performance(s), with rubric:
Summative __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________
Assessments
(End of Project) Oral Presentation, with rubric x Peer Evaluation x
Multiple Choice/Short Answer Test x Self-Evaluation x
Essay Test Other:
.
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 2

3. Resources On-site people, facilities:
Needed
Equipment:
Materials:
Community resources:
Reflection Journal/Learning Log x Focus Group
Methods (Individual,
Group, and/or Whole-Class Discussion x Fishbowl Discussion
Whole Class)
Survey x Other:
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 3

4. PROJECT TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE
Project: Course/Semester:
Knowledge and Skills Needed By Students Scaffolding / Materials/ Lessons To Be Provided
to successfully complete culminating products and by the project teacher, other teachers, experts,
performances, and do well on summative assessments mentors, or community members
Develop competency in the area of inquiry

Build a foundation of factual knowledge To understand the conceptual framework…
They will organize knowledge by…

1. applying & understanding concepts through inquiry &
active involvment



© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 4

5. PROJECT CALENDAR
Project: Start Date:
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
Project Week One
a. begin
investigatio
ns with
questions
that they
ask
themselves
b. give them
items to
observe
c. concentrate
on
collecting &
using
evidence
2. characteristics of
a scientifically
literature person:
a. aware that
science,
math,
technology
are
interdepen
dent
b. can ask,
find,
determine
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 5

6. answers to
questions
derived
from
curiosity
c. can pose,
evaluate
arguments
based on
evidence &
apply
conclusions
Project Week Two
Project Week Three
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 6

7. Project Week Four
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 7

8. © 2008 Buck Institute for Education 8