EDCI 397 Formal Lesson Plan Template

PURPOSE OF THE LESSON

(What will the students learn? How does this learning fit within project goals?)

Essential Idea/Question Driving the Project:

What is the importance of trees?

Standard for this Lesson:

3.0 Life Science

Topic for this Lesson:

Diversity of Life

Indicator for this Lesson:

Compare and explain how external features of plants and animals help them survive in different environments.

Lesson Objective:
Use your five senses and magnifying instruments to examine a different parts of trees to describe external features and their role.

Evidence (Formative Assessment):

(How will students apply? What will they produce?) Students will go on a nature walk and complete a poster or collage to present what they explored. On the nature walk students will collect leaves, twigs, complete bark scrapings, and etc. Students will use magnifying materials to make observations based on what they collected. Students will apply their understanding through a poster or collage that they will present to small groups of their peers. The collage/poster will explain their findings and observations.

INSTRUCTIONAL DECISION-MAKING
(What knowledge of my students influences my instructional decision in this lesson? How will my instruction remove barriers to learning and/or build on students strengths? We will complete a KWL chart as a whole class so that I am aware of what the students may already know about trees. This will build on students strengths because I will know where to start with my instruction that is most beneficial for the students.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEURES
Instructional Materials:
Crayons/Markers/Color Pencils Glue/Tape Poster paper Construction paper KWL chart

Technology:
Magnifying tools (hand held magnifying glasses and microscopes) Measurement tools (rulers, meter sticks, and measuring tape)

Management Considerations (Routines and Transitions):

Transitions from inside to outside need to be taken into consideration. Consider students safety when working outside. Group work time

Learning Experience
Event Procedure/Activity & Questioning Strategies

To introduce the activity, we will start by planting a tree outside of our classroom. We will water the tree and monitor its growth. This idea can be incorporated into a classroom job. We will complete a KWL chart as a class so I am aware of what they students may already know about trees. If the discussion ends, I can facilitate with these questions: 1. Are all trees the same colors? 2. Are all trees the same size and shape? This activity will engage students with a lesson about trees and activate prior knowledge as we discuss what they already know about the topic. Students will go on a nature walk around the school. Students should collect different objects from the trees (bark, leaves, etc.) Show students how to do a bark rub (putting a paper against the tree and rubbing a crayon over it). Students will explore the environment and begin to make observations and compare what they find. Students will explore by using 21st century skills as they make connections and develop new ideas. They will work with other students to collect objects, examine their findings, and compare the objects.

LAUNCH
(20-30 minutes)

EXPLORE
(15 minutes)

Students will decide if they would like to share what they discovered on the nature walk in partners, small group, or as a class. Through their decision, students will then share their findings and collections from the nature walk. I should observe each students collections. PRESENT
(15 minutes)

I will refer back to the KWL chart to see what the students already know about trees. I will supplement their findings with classroom instruction to further their knowledge about trees and to make sure we cover all content necessary. In this stage, I will allow the students to reveal their level of understanding as they share what they found based on the nature walk. The students will discuss their ideas with other students and justify their own ideas with evidence from their findings. I will monitor the students and ask students for clarification and justification. Students are going to use magnifying tools and their senses to make observations about their collections and findings (size, color, texture, smell, etc.). Students will choose between making a collage or poster to display their observations to the class.

APPLY
(30-40 minutes)

Students will present their collage or poster in small groups and talk about important features that are described on their collage or poster. Students will be able to apply what they learned by revealing their understanding in a product of learning. They will choose between making a poster or collage to display their results. The students will be able to present their final product in small groups to show their understanding. During this stage, I will assess, monitor and provide feedback. Finish the Learning section of the KWL chart. Questions to ask the class: How did this activity relate to the importance of trees? What do you hope we will learn next? With a closure students will be able to review the importance of this lesson. As this is only the beginning of the unit about trees, students will think about why this lesson was necessary for the overall goal of describing the importance of trees.

CLOSURE
(10 minutes)

ANALYSIS AND REFLECTION

(What does the data from the formative assessment indicate about student learning? To what extent did students reach the desired result? What insights did you develop about teaching? How can you improve your professional skills?) The formative assessment will show what students learned through this activity. Because the students will be collecting different objects on the nature walk and make observations using their senses and magnifying tools we will be able to see if the students can make distinctions between objects. As students will be collecting objects from different trees, we will be able to see if they can describe the differences and similarities between the objects. The students will have reached the desired result if they are able to describe their findings by explaining to their peers the purpose and distinctions between the different externals features of trees.