ALEX Learning Activity

Synthetic vs. Natural: What's the Best Choice?

A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.

  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Holly Evans
System:Jefferson County
School:Rudd Middle School
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 2271
Title:
Synthetic vs. Natural: What's the Best Choice?
Digital Tool/Resource:
One-Third of Cancer Patients Use Alternative Medicine
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

In this activity, students will investigate the effectiveness of a pharmaceutical medicine and its natural counterpart. They will evaluate the pros and cons of each and make a recommendation about the best choice for the consumer. Students present their research to the class and evaluate the research of their peers.

This activity was created as a result of the Alex Resource Development Summit.
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
Science
SC2015 (2015)
Grade: 8
Physical Science
3 ) Construct explanations based on evidence from investigations to differentiate among compounds, mixtures, and solutions.

a. Collect and analyze information to illustrate how synthetic materials (e.g., medicine, food additives, alternative fuels, plastics) are derived from natural resources and how they impact society.

Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SCI.AAS.8.3- Differentiate between compounds and mixtures.
SCI.AAS.8.3a- Recognize that synthetic materials are made from natural resources; identify a synthetic material and the natural resource from which it is derived.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 8
R3. Use digital and electronic tools appropriately, safely, and ethically when researching and writing, both individually and collaboratively.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 8
9. Participate in collaborative discussions about arguments by evaluating claims, findings, reasoning, relevance, and evidence from multiple sources.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 8
25. Produce research writings independently over extended periods of time which encompass research, reflection, and revision and over shorter time frames.

Examples: a day or two, a single sitting
Learning Objectives:

1.  Students will be able to explain how synthetic products are made from natural resources.

2.  Students will be able to evaluate the effects of synthetic and natural products with similar functions to determine the best consumer choice.

3.  Students will create and present a poster to express their evidence-based opinion.

4.  Students will write reviews of their classmates' opinions.
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:

1.  Students will read the article, "One-Third of Cancer Patients Use Complementary or Alternative Medicine."

2.  Student groups draw cards for assigned synthetic/natural product pairs using the Product Cards.

3.  Using digital devices with internet access, students work in groups to research their product pairs by referring to their Research Guide.

4.  Student groups make a poster that shows the pros and cons of the natural and synthetic medicines in their assigned product pair and make a recommendation about which remedy is the best choice.

5.  Student groups present their posters to the class.

6.  Students engage in a gallery walk with other groups' posters and write reviews using the Project Review Form.
Assessment Strategies:

Student posters and presentations are evaluated using a rubric.

The rubric assesses student posters, presentations, and written reviews of other projects.
Advanced Preparation:

Project cards will need to be printed and cut out ahead of time. The project cards can be laminated for longevity.

Student Project Review Forms will need to be printed out ahead of time.  An alternate method is to write the sentence stem on the board or chart paper and students can copy it onto their own paper as many times as needed.

Rubrics need to be printed and cut apart.

Students will need access to digital devices with internet access.
Variation Tips (optional):
 
Notes or Recommendations (optional):
 
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: natural medicine, opposing viewpoint, presentation, research, synthetic medicine, writing