Authentic Lessons for 21st Century Learning

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Brittany Bowens

LEARN Author

K20 Center

Academic Credentials

Bachelor of Science in Biology Education
University of Central Oklahoma 2011

About Me

Brittany Bowens serves the K20 Educational and Community Center as a Science Online Learning Writer. Bowens and the fellow instructional design team work to develop high-quality science curriculum for K12 schools that can be used in a face-to-face, hybrid, or fully online platforms that support the mission of the K20 Center and its projects. Bowens also develops science lessons aligned to the Oklahoma Academic Standards that is accessible for implementation by any teacher. Her mission is to cultivate the love of learning and encourage creativity, compassion, and innovation.

Recent Publications

Concept Speed Dating

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 6th - 12th

This strategy is used to help students collect and share information from trusted sources while also building soft skills. Read more »

Strategy Instructional Strategy

User Group Group Size

  • Whole Class

Copied To Clipboard Placement In Lesson

  • Explore/Learning Activity, Explain/Closing

Time Frame Time To Complete

  • More Than 30 Minutes

Tag Intention Or Purpose

  • Activate Prior Knowledge, Active Engagement, Collaborate, Conversation Starter, Identify, Organize, Persuade, Physical Movement, Requires Multiple Meetings to Complete, Research, Review, Speak & Listen, Synthesize, Vocabulary, Writing

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 6th - 12th
Balancing Act, Part 2

Stoichiometry_Grams to Grams

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 10th - 12th

This is part 2 of a 3-part lesson. In this lesson, students will reflect on the purpose and significance of stoichiometry in understanding the quantitative aspects of a chemical reaction. This lesson encourages students to think about how stoichiometry calculations can provide insights into the relative... Read more »

Lesson 5E Lesson
Balancing Act, Part 2

Stoichiometry_Grams to Grams

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 10th - 12th

Subject Subject

  • Science

Course Course

  • Chemistry

Copied To Clipboard Standards

  • CH.PS1.7 , CH.PS1.7.1
More 2-3 days
Time Frame 115 min
Balancing Act, Part 1

Stoichiometry_ Mole to Mole Ratio

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 10th - 12th

This is part 1 of a 3 part lesson. In this lesson, students learn the role of the balanced chemical equation in establishing the stoichiometric relationship between different substances involved in a chemical reaction. This lesson encourages students to reflect on how the coefficients in the balanced... Read more »

Lesson 5E Lesson
Balancing Act, Part 1

Stoichiometry_ Mole to Mole Ratio

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 10th - 12th

Subject Subject

  • Science

Course Course

  • Chemistry

Copied To Clipboard Standards

  • CH.PS1.7 , CH.PS1.7.1
More 2-3 days
Time Frame 105
The Cold, Hard Truth

Flow of Heat Energy

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - 12th

In this lesson, students observe the movement of heat energy by measuring the rise in water temperature after placing hot metal washers in the water. Students also calculate the amount of heat energy transferred between the washers and water. Lastly, students cite specific evidence to refute or agree... Read more »

Lesson 5E Lesson
The Cold, Hard Truth

Flow of Heat Energy

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - 12th

Subject Subject

  • Science

Course Course

  • Chemistry, Physical Science, Physics

Copied To Clipboard Standards

  • HS-PS3-2, HS-PS3-4, PS.PS2.5.1, PS.PS3.1.4, CH.PS1.8.1, PH.PS1, CH.PS3.4.1, PH.PS2.5.DCI.1
More 150 minutes
Time Frame 2-3 class period(s)
Connecting Social Issues and Human Health Inequities (Storyline Unit)

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - Undergraduate

This collection is a series of five lessons about health disparities that exist among communities. In Lesson 1, students will learn about what occurs in the respiratory system before, during, and after an asthma attack. In Lesson 2, students will analyze Oklahoma City's air quality and pollutant levels... Read more »

Tag Calendar Placement

  • Any time of year

User Group Group Size

  • Whole Class

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - Undergraduate

Subject Subject

  • Science

Course Course

  • Biology I, Environmental Science

Copied To Clipboard Standards

  • HS-LS1-2, HS-LS1-3, HS-LS2-2, HS-LS2-5, HS-LS2-6, HS-LS2-7, HS-LS4-6, B.LS1.2, B.LS1.2.1, B.LS1.3 , B.LS1.3.1, B.LS2.2 , B.LS2.2.1, B.LS2.2.2, B.LS2.2.3, B.LS2.2.4, B.LS2.2.5, B.LS2.5 , B.LS2.5.1, B.LS2.5.2, B.LS2.6 , B.LS2.6.1, B.LS2.6.2, B.LS2.6.3
More
Time Frame
Oh, MRSA Me!

Natural Selection and Adaptation

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - 10th

This lesson is designed to view the benefits of natural selection occurring in one species (bacteria) having an adverse effect on another (humans). It also teaches students how to extrapolate and interpret the meanings of graphs and predict solutions based on that data. Read more »

Lesson 5E Lesson
Oh, MRSA Me!

Natural Selection and Adaptation

Subject Subject

  • Science

Course Course

  • Biology I

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - 10th

Copied To Clipboard Standards

  • B.LS4.3
More 3-4 periods
Time Frame 195
Goodness Gracious, Great Balls of Fire!

Chemical Reactions

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - 11th

This lesson is a basic introduction to setting up a chemical equation. This could be part of a unit for physical science and can be done as a refresher or opener in chemistry for chemical equations. Read more »

Lesson 5E Lesson

Tag Related

  • Individual Career Academic Plan (ICAP)

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - 11th

Course Course

  • Chemistry, Physical Science

Copied To Clipboard Standards

  • PS.PS1.7 , PS.PS1.7.1
More 2-3 periods
Time Frame 125 minutes
Let It Sink In!

Earth's Systems

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 6th - 7th

In this lesson, students will learn about the different stages in which a rock can exist due to natural causes or human impact. Students will construct models that illustrate how biochemical processes cycle through living and nonliving organisms. Read more »

Lesson 5E Lesson
Let It Sink In!

Earth's Systems

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 6th - 7th

Subject Subject

  • Science

Copied To Clipboard Standards

  • ESS2, 6.ESS2.1 , 6.ESS2.1.1, 7.LS2.3 , 7.LS2.3.2, 7.ESS3, 7.LS2.3.4
More 3 class periods
Time Frame 160 minutes
Follow the Green, Not the Dream

Environmental Science

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 10th - 12th

This lesson focuses on the benefits, costs, and risks of creating products to protect natural systems and life on Earth. Students will design a tool that can be used to conserve a natural resource, and then they will modify their original designs based on research and peer feedback. In groups, students... Read more »

Lesson 5E Lesson
Follow the Green, Not the Dream

Environmental Science

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 10th - 12th

Subject Subject

  • Science

Course Course

  • Environmental Science

Copied To Clipboard Standards

  • EN.ESS3.4
More 3-4 class periods
Time Frame 160-180 minutes
Bio-Dome

Biology

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - 10th

In this lesson, students will explore biotic and abiotic factors and the essential elements that are cycled throughout Earth’s many ecosystems. Students will determine how the cycling of these elements sustains life and then will create their own closed ecosystems. Read more »

Lesson 5E Lesson
Bio-Dome

Biology

Subject Subject

  • Science

Course Course

  • Biology I

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - 10th

Copied To Clipboard Standards

  • B.LS2.5
More 3-4 class periods
Time Frame 195 minutes