So this Science course required me to teach my students via the Ways of Thinking and Doing framework. Honestly, I have been so busy setting the preliminary paper that I lacked the headspace to think about this lesson plan. But since I have to attend a Microsoft Teams meeting to discuss my lesson plan, I hastily put something together:

1. Pique students’ curiosity with a hook question: Why do penguins turn their backs toward the Sun?
2. Solicit responses and explain that black absorbs heat better than white.
3. Reiterate the idea that the Sun is the source of heat (and light) energy.
4. Invite students to embark on a journey. Dive into the topic of how penguins stay warm in the Antarctica 
5. Show students a down jacket. Get them to state that it traps air, which is a poor conductor of heat.

Claim: A down jacket helps to keep a person warm.

Evidence: A down jacket traps air within the jacket.

Reasoning: Air is a poor conductor of heat. The trapped air reduces the transfer of heat from the person’s body to the colder surroundings.

1. Guide students to draw similarities between down jackets and penguins. Explain that penguins’ feathers trap air. Hence, this air layer acts as an insulator, keeping the birds warm even in freezing temperatures. Also explain that these feathers are waterproof.
2. Introduce to students the concept of blubber (thick layer of fat). This further insulates them against the cold.

Claim: Blubber helps penguins stay warm in cold environments.

Evidence: Penguins have a thick layer of fat called blubber beneath their skin.

Reasoning: Blubber acts as an insulator that reduces the loss of heat from the penguin’s body to the cold surroundings. This helps the penguin maintain its body temperature even in freezing temperatures.