Lesson Plan: Science in Action

Time Period: Two lessons of at least 45 minutes with one intermediary online homework or computer club activity

Age range: 12-14

About this lesson

The aim of these two lessons is to explore two aspects of 'science in the real world'.

The first lesson explores the work of the veterinary team at a PDSA PetAid hospital and encourages pupils to:

• identify questions that are suitable for scientific enquiry
• use a variety of strategies to answer scientific questions of different kinds
• plan and set targets for a piece of work
• consider the strength of the evidence, or the quality of the product, in relation to the question investigated
• compare the different investigative methods used
• work together in a group

Using the internet resource you will be able to lead a discussion on how vets and nurses apply the science knowledge, skills and understanding gained at school - and how they progressed to become qualified vets.

The second lesson focuses on the methods vets use in their examinations to ask questions, seek out evidence and come to conclusions.

Learning Intentions

Both lessons take students 'outside the classroom' to investigate the work of scientists in an everyday setting.

The PetCasts found in the website have been filmed with professional PDSA vets and nurses. The staff give genuine insights into real jobs and they all enjoyed learning science at school.

Learning Outcomes

Students should gain a good awareness of how the scientific principle is applied in a real working environment. They should understand the need to apply scientific questions rigorously and the importance of assessing evidence correctly - after all, a pet's life could depend on it.

For children interested in becoming vets during their careers, the activity stimulates and informs; it encourages them to consider their own career choices and shows the career routes most favoured by vets and veterinary nurses.

Prior Learning

The careers section of this lesson requires no prior learning.

The extension lesson, lesson 2, requires some prior learning. Before starting this activity, you will have engaged them in different aspects of QCA Unit 9a. They should understand the importance of identifying questions suitable for scientific enquiry, using a variety of questions to invite response and considering the strength of evidence in relation to the question asked.

Links to the National Curriculum England and Wales

Subject

Science Key Stage 3

Syllabus Link

Sc1 Scientific enquiry

Ideas and evidence in science

1. Pupils should be taught:

a) about the interplay between empirical questions, evidence and scientific explanations using historical and contemporary examples

b) that it is important to test explanations by using them to make predictions and by seeing if evidence matches the predictions

c) about the ways in which scientists work today

2. Investigative skills:

Planning

Obtaining and presenting evidence

Considering evidence

Evaluating

Links to the Scottish Guidelines

Subject

Science Level S2

Syllabus Link

Skills Exemplification

1. Pupils should be taught:

a) how individually, or sometimes in small groups, with appropriate input from the teacher they can identify a number of key questions to investigate

b) to decide on appropriate strategies, procedures, sources of information, evidence and resources or equipment to carry out a fair investigation

c) how to plan a valid and reliable test for a given hypothesis

d) how to write a systematic and structured report outlining the key stages in their investigation using appropriate illustrations and scientific vocabulary

e) how to reflect critically on the approach used and identify shortcomings

Pupils learn how scientists work together on present-day scientific developments and about the importance of experimental evidence in supporting scientific ideas.

Keywords

Investigation, scientific enquiry, strategy, identify, explain, evaluation, test, survey, hypotheses, evidence, method, sampling.

Resources

• Computer and data projector
• Space for group discussion

Lesson Structure: Lesson 1

Introduction and Warm-up (Timing: 10 mins)

Show the PDSA Introductory PowerPoint. It will describe in simple terms what PDSA does, the importance of pet care, advocated by the 2007 Animal Welfare Act, and the lesson to follow.

Ask students about their interests in animals and domestic pets. See if they understand the work of veterinary surgeries and think of vets as scientists.

Introduce the theme of teamwork - how the class works as a team and how vets and nurses must also work as a team.

Main Items (Timing: 25 mins)

Connect to the Internet and the Schools PDSA Science in Action area and run through the following areas:

1. Show students the 2 minute PetCast video clip 'Watch a typical veterinary emergency'.

2. Take the virtual tour of a PetAid hospital to identify the working environment for vets and nurses.

3. Then go to the Science in Action Careers area and run through the video Pet Cast interviews with a range of PDSA vets and nurses.

Ask students to consider the different working lives led by vets and nurses, and how the science they are studying at school is applied in a PetAid hospital.

Plenary (Timing: 10 mins)

Confirm learning and invite students to revisit the careers area as a homework activity. Students can also print out a copy of Science In Action: careers leaflet with more detailed information about the roles in a PDSA PetAid hospital and becoming a vet or veterinary nurse.

Extension Lesson Structure: Lesson 2

Introduction and Warm-up (Timing: 10 mins)

In this session students are going to explore how PDSA vets and nurses apply their questioning skills during pet examinations.

Spend a few minutes revising students' understanding of investigative methods and the use of simple clear questioning.

Main items (Timing: 25 mins)

Connect to the Internet and the Schools PDSA Science in Action area and run your selection of video interviews from the following areas:

1. Science in Action PetCasts. Links from this page go to a number of video interviews with PDSA vets and nurses. The first explores veterinary examinations with three different animals - dogs, cats and rabbits.

2. Prevention and Vaccination gives students more information about the processes and products used by vets when treating or preventing illness.

3. Helping Sick Animals offers just two video interviews but these are more advanced and should be used with older or more advanced learners.

At this point you may wish to weave in other aspects of Unit 9a you may be working on, relating student questioning skills to the work of PDSA vets and nurses shown on video.

Plenary (Timing : 10 mins)

Confirm learning and invite students to revisit the website after the lesson. Remind them of the Science in Action Careers leaflet available online.

As an extension homework activity invite students to return online to take the short Science Challenge - helping a vet calculate the correct dosage of a drug to administer; just one of the scientific activities carried out every day in a PDSA PetAid hospital.

Competency Standards

As a result of these sessions children should be able to demonstrate a better understanding of the career paths of vets and nurses, how they use questioning skills in their pet examinations and other work - and some useful facts about veterinary careers.