KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Teacher Candidate:
Cooperating Teacher:
Group Size:

Amber Golembiewski
Dr. Varano

Date:

9/26/14

Coop. Initials

24

Allotted Time 45 Min

Grade Level

Subject or Topic:

Lesson 1: Habitat Intro

Section

STANDARD:
4.1.3.D:
Identify organisms that are dependent on one another in a given ecosystem.

Define habitat and explain how a change in habitat affects an organism.

I. Performance Objectives (Learning Outcomes):

A. The third grade students will show how the four aspects of a habitat rely on
each other by completing a lap sit activity.
B. The third grade students will interpret why the activity worked and did not
work by completing a reflection sheet for their science notebooks.
II. Instructional Materials
A. 24 large index cards of 4 different colors
B. Heavy tape
C. Computer
D. Screen
E. Projector
F. A Home for Pearl Squirrel book
III. Subject Matter/Content (prerequisite skills, key vocabulary, big idea, outline of
additional content)
A. Prerequisite skills
1. Students should know what an organism is.
B. Key Vocabulary

1. Habitat- a special place where animals live

2. Ecosystem- the community of living things interacting with nonliving things
C. Big Idea
1. Why habitats work.
D. Additional content
1. None needed.
IV. Implementation
A. Introduction
1. The teacher will play the e-book A Home for Pearl Squirrel for the
students.
B. Development
1. The teacher will ask students to help you define the word habitat,
and to give examples. Write them on the board.
2. The teacher will organize six groups of four, and tape a differentcolor index card to the students within each group. Each color card
represents one of the four components of a habitat (food, water,
shelter, and space.)
3. Using the list of habitats they brainstormed, the teacher will
challenge students to name some places in each habitat where they
might find the four components. Write them on the board as well.
4. The teacher will have the kids form one large circle, making certain
to alternate habitat components. Then have everyone take one step
toward the center of the circle and take hold of the shoulders of the
person in front of him or her.
5. On the count of three, the teacher will have the students sit down on
the knees of the person behind them, while the people in front of
them sit on their knees. Point out that this works because each
member of the circle is supporting everyone else.
6. The teacher will ask kids stand up, then ask volunteers to suggest
things that can go wrong in a habitat. Select one of these, and ask the
students which aspect of the habitat this would ruin. Have at least
one of students holding that particular habitat index card leave the
circle. Then repeat the "lap sit." Now ask students to explain, in their
own words, why the habitat "circle" fell apart this time.
7. The students will write their responses as well as a refection from the
activity for their science notebooks. (See Attached)
C. Closure
1. The teacher will ask volunteers to read their responses to the class.

D. Accommodations/Differentiation
1. Z.B. has mild spastic cerebral palsy. He has poor motor control
which causes writing difficulty. To accommodate for these needs he
will have a laptop to type his response with. The activity might be
difficult for his muscles so allow breaks if needed.

E. Assessment/Evaluation Plan
1. Formative
a. The teacher will collect the sheets for the science notebooks.
2. Summative
a. There is no summative assessment for this lesson.

V. Reflective Response
A. Report of Student Performance in Terms of Stated Objectives (Reflection on
student performance written after lesson is taught, includes remediation for
students who fail to meet acceptable level of achievement)

Remediation Plan

B. Personal Reflection (Questions written before lesson is taught. Reflective

answers to question recorded after lesson is taught)
1. What can I do to engage my students more?

2. How can this lesson be improved?

VI. Resources (in APA format)
Not-So-Messy Hands-On Science | Scholastic.com. (n.d.). Retrieved January 13, 2015,
from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/not-so-messy-handsscience
TumbleBooks - eBooks for eKids! (n.d.). Retrieved January 10, 2015, from
http://asp.tumblebooks.com/library/asp/full_book.asp?ProductID=2229

Science Notebook Reflection Sheet

Lap Sit Habitat Activity
1. Why did the lap sit work the first time we tried it? How is this like a real
habitat?

2. Why did the lap sit activity not work the second time we tried it? How does this
relate to actual habitats?