Inquiry Based Lesson Plan

Topic: Effect of Food on pH of Human Body

Grade: VIII

Subject: Science 

Time: 7 days

Question	Does our diet affect our body’s pH?
Hypothesis	The food, that we consume, affects the pH of our body.
Background Information	Students should have the background knowledge about the pH and different food groups. On day one, teacher will explore students background information about these concepts. For further clarification, she will share reading material with students.
Sources of Data	Sources of data will be students own selves. They will first make a dietary plan for four days like, what they will eat in morning, noon and at night (Teacher will guide them to include some acidifying food materials and some alkalizing food material). They will eat the things according to their dietary plan for four days. They will check the pH of their body before taking meal and then, they will consume the food and after that they will check pH of their saliva by using pH strip and pH scale(Teacher will make them know how they will check the pH of their saliva through a demonstration) and note it down. These measurements of the pH on daily basis will be the data for them to know that whether the food, they eat, affects the pH of their body or not?
Data Collection	For four days, students will check the pH in morning before breakfast, after that, when they will eat breakfast, then they will check the pH of their saliva. After that, they will record the pH after taking lunch and after dinner. They will make a table in which they will write the pH before taking anything, pH after eating a food item. They will write the name of the food item and in front of that, they will write the pH and they will also write that whether the pH has risen or lowered by eating a specific food item. In this way, they will collect the data for four days.
Data Analysis	When students will collect the data, they will step up into the phase of analysis. They will analyze it that whether the pH has increased or decreased after eating a specific food item. Then, they analyze that which kind of food cause the pH to rise and which kind of food cause it to lower.
Proving or disproving Hypothesis	On the basis of the data analysis, students will conclude that whether the food, that they consume, have an effect on the pH of their body or not? If the food items cause the pH to raise or lower, then, they will conclude that yes, food affects the pH of our body and their hypothesis will be proved. If the food items do not cause the pH to raise or lower, then, they will conclude that food does not affect the pH of our body and their hypothesis will be disproved. They will also conclude that which kind of food cause the pH to raise and which kind of food cause the pH to lower. In this way, they will drive a conclusion of their inquiry. Then, in one day time, they will make a presentation of their process and conclusion of inquiry and write a detailed report of their process of inquiry and conclusion that they have devised by analyzing their data.
Assessment	Assessment will be taken formatively throughout the inquiry when teacher will check students work on daily basis and provide them feedback. Teacher will keep checking the progress of students. If students are out of the track, then teacher will assist them to come on the track by providing feedback. Furthermore, summative assessment will be taken through the presentation which students will deliver on last day of their inquiry about their process and the conclusion of the inquiry. Another summative assessment will be the final report that students will submit at the end of the inquiry lesson.
Resources and Material	Reading material about pH and food groups.   pH strips   pH scale   Food items (for those students who can’t afford the food that they have mentioned in the list)