At Carmody, we are working on a genetics unit in science. The eighth graders are currently learning about sexual and asexual reproduction. The big idea is framed around NGSS MS-LS3-1: "Using models, describe why structural changes to genes on chromosomes affect proteins, which affect traits."

Some of the unit essential questions are:

1. How are the characteristics of one generation related to the previous generation?
2. Why and how do individuals of the same species vary in how they look, function, and behave?
3. How do organisms grow and develop?

This past week, our learning target (goal) was that "students will understand how species use sexual and asexual reproduction to pass on genetic information to their offspring." The success criteria used to determine whether students met the learning target were as follows:

1. I can describe the differences between sexual and asexual reproduction.
2. I can research an organism and its reproduction type.
3. I can draw conclusions on the advantages and disadvantages of each reproduction type.

My CT prefers to write success criteria using action verbs, describing how students will demonstrate their learning.

We addressed the learning target by first defining asexual and sexual reproduction. Students were asked to copy down the definitions in their notebooks. Then we did an activity where students were assigned a plant/animal and asked to research an article about its reproduction type. We concluded the lessons by asking students to complete a chart about the advantages and disadvantages of each type.

I think the tasks we selected were appropriate because they were clearly aligned with the learning target and required increasing cognitive demand. Students had to be proficient with the scientific vocabulary, perform research on their own to collect evidence, and draw inferences based on the evidence from the article.

From these lessons, I have a better understanding of the backward design process and how, working from a standard, a lesson can be developed, enacted, and reflected upon to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Assessment data collected during and at the end of the lessons will be used to this end.