Rethinking a Lesson: Adding a dash of the 5 Cs

I tried lots of new things this year. Some of them worked wonders, like #HyperDocs. Some of them fell flat, like Portfolio Grading. They were big changes and I put a lot of thought and work in to them. My students and I learned a lot, but the best lesson I did this year came just from tweaking a lesson I had always done to add a dash of the 5Cs...

Teaching 7th graders to understand the DNA molecule even though it is too small to see can be challenging. I have always used models for this. I thought I had perfected this with a one day modeling activity that used candy to make DNA molecules. Students were given step by step directions on how to build their candy DNA molecule, including written explanation for what each piece of candy represented. If they followed directions carefully and got their model just right, they got to eat it! As you can imagine this was a very popular lesson with middle school students, and with teachers. There are even several versions of this lesson online. Here is one from the Genetic Science Learning Center:

As I prepared to teach this lesson this year, it occurred to me that there was very little student thinking going on. The 4 Cs (collaboration, critical thinking, creativity and communication) were in short supply. While students were building a model, they were following a scripted recipe of sorts, and weren't being creative or critically thinking. They were working with a partner, but that was the extent of their collaboration. Communication involved answering some DOK1 and maybe DOK2 questions on a a digital worksheet (cringe).  As for what I consider the 5th and most important C, choice, there was none, unless you count how they divvied up the candy at the end. 

So, I reworked the assignment with these 5 Cs in mind and came up with "The DNA Project." 

Phase 1: Students were challenged to design their own model of DNA. Equipped with some video resources, good old google and an assortment of candy to choose from, they had to decide how to create their model. In order to get materials they had to have a plan on scratch paper showing what each piece of candy would represent. They built their DNA molecules and submitted a snapshot of it, making sure to include labels. 

Phase 2: We started class together by reviewing the snapshots anonymously. THIS WAS THE BEST PART OF THE LESSON. For each model we shared strengths and suggestions. Something that was done well, as well as an aspect of DNA that wasn't captured in the model. "This one has really clear base pairs with the 4 colors of gummy bears, but the sides of the molecule really could be made up of two different kinds of candy, because that's what the DNA molecule has, two types of molecules."

Then students went to the next level by learning about DNA replication. They re-created their DNA molecule (with improvements) and then did a short video showing it replicate (or copy itself). They were challenged to explain what was happening as it copied. Student Example

Phase 3: Again, we reviewed for strengths and suggestions, and had great discussion.
Lastly, students were challenged to explain how this DNA molecule related to genes, chromosomes and cells (which we had previously studied.) They could show this any way they like, but had to video or screencast it. We were out of candy by then, but they could use our mini makerspace, draw on whiteboards or use a tool like Google Slides. Student Example 

IT WAS AMAZING! My students so owned their learning! They were invested in the project, not just because they got to eat it, but because it was their own design. The strengths and suggestions discussions were short, but so much more meaningful and the students retained the information so much better.

How did you grade all those projects?

Here's the other best thing I did: "I DIDN'T GRADE THE PROJECT." That's right! No rubrics, no points for getting the model perfect the first time, no penalties for taking on a little too much and not finishing, no late night for me agonizing over where this project fit in the rubric. I recorded it as a participation grade worth 0%. The next week I gave them a difficult DNA Quiz and my class averaged an 86%.

What about classroom management, you ask? Wasn't your class a zoo? 

It was noisy and a bit messy, but kids were on task and working, all the way through the last day. Was it perfect? No. There were a few who sat on their hands, as always. There were some who took over and wanted everything done their way, just like any group projects, even those involving adults... but these were also opportunities. Since the vast majority were engaged in their own design process, it was much easier to find and work with these groups. And since the projects themselves were just learning opportunities, not masterpieces, those who really dug in did fabulously on the quiz.

What about time management? Didn't some kids finish faster than others?

Yes, some kids got bogged down time-wise in working out their models or revising their videos. In some cases I had students skip the last portion of the assignment, or skip video recording one phase if they could explain to me what would happen. Again, since the project wasn't graded, we could focus on the process, not the product.

Didn't it take them FOREVER to record and edit and submit their videos?

Actually, no. I directed them to use Screencastify and it was amazingly easy for them to record and submit a shareable link. The lesson did take longer. I would have spent 1 day on the DNA structure and 1 day on DNA replication. This took 3 full days, plus the quiz on the fourth day, but it was so worth it!

Would you do it again?

In a heartbeat. It wasn't a perfect lesson (I would try to find a way to build in more practice with the vocabulary: "base pairs" vs "gummy bears."), but it was close! It was already a good lesson, but by tweaking it just a little bit, giving it an injection of the 5 Cs, it became a great one. 

What do you think? Do you have an example of a lesson that uses the 5Cs? Is there a lesson of yours that could use a dose of the 5 Cs? Please comment and share.