Lesson Planning Form for Accessible Instruction Calvin College Education Program

Teacher: Rachel Haverkamp

Date: 11/17/15

Subject/ Topic/ Theme: Question

Grade: 1

I. Objectives
How does this lesson connect to the unit plan?
This is the first lesson in the unit that introduces the concept of scientific investigation as a process that scientists use to learn new things. It teaches the first step of the
QPOE2 model: Question.
cognitiveR U Ap An E C*

Learners will be able to:

Know that asking questions is the first step in scientific investigation

Recall that scientists ask questions about the world around them
Make a glossary and define the vocabulary words in it: sink, float, freshwater, saltwater, buoyancy
Participate in class discussions
Relate personal experiences to newfound knowledge about water, and illustrate and label those experiences

physical
development

socioemotional

R
R
R
X
Ap

Common Core standards (or GLCEs if not available in Common Core) addressed:
S.IA.01.12 Share ideas about science through purposeful conversation.
E.FE.02.11 Identify water sources (wells, springs, lakes, rivers, oceans).

(Note: Write as many as needed. Indicate taxonomy levels and connections to applicable national or state standards. If an objective applies to particular learners
write the name(s) of the learner(s) to whom it applies.)
*remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, create

II. Before you start

Identify prerequisite
knowledge and skills.

Students know what a lake, ocean, and salt is. Students have previous experience with water and can
understand that things either float or sink. They know what a glossary is and what it is used for, and
have used them in other content areas.
Pre-assessment (for learning):

Pose the question, Why is it important for scientists to ask questions? ask students if they know what
the definition of each vocabulary word is before discussing it as a class.
Formative (for learning):

Outline assessment
activities
(applicable to this lesson)

What barriers might this

lesson present?
What will it take
neurodevelopmentally,
experientially,
emotionally, etc., for your
students to do this lesson?

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Write the vocabulary words on chart paper during the introductory class discussion for students to
refer to. Record their correct responses and make the chart available for students to look at as they fill
out their glossaries.
Formative (as learning):

Students will fill out their own glossary in their learning packets and draw corresponding illustrations.
To deepen learning, they will connect the vocabulary words with personal experiences with water by
creating and labeling an illustration.
Summative (of learning):
All students will complete the question page of the learning packet.
Provide Multiple Means of
Representation
Provide options for perceptionmaking information perceptible
Write the vocabulary words for the
glossary on a piece of chart paper
and record student responses to
provide options for the display of
auditory and visual information

Provide Multiple Means of Action

and Expression
Provide options for physical actionincrease options for interaction
Give students a chance to move
around when switching from the
rug to their desks rather than sitting
still for the entire time. Allow
students to sit or kneel on their
chairs, or stand while they work on
their glossary.

Provide Multiple Means of

Engagement
Provide options for recruiting
interest- choice, relevance, value,
authenticity, minimize threats
Books recruit the first graders
interest well; giving students the
option to volunteer their answer and
calling on multiple students reduces
threats; the new vocabulary is made
relevant by applying it to a story I
tell them and to their lives in the
show what you know portion of
the learning packet.

Materials-what materials
(books, handouts, etc) do
you need for this lesson
and are they ready to
use?

How will your classroom

be set up for this lesson?

Provide options for language,

mathematical expressions, and
symbols- clarify & connect
language
Define vocabulary words in words
that students suggest themselves
and are therefore familiar with

Provide options for expression and

communication- increase medium
of expression
Students have opportunities
communicate knowledge verbally,
written, and through pictures.

Provide options for sustaining effort

and persistence- optimize
challenge, collaboration, masteryoriented feedback

Provide options for comprehensionactivate, apply & highlight

Activate background knowledge by
asking students to recall previous
experiences theyve had with water

Provide options for executive

functions- coordinate short & long
term goals, monitor progress, and
modify strategies

Provide options for self-regulationexpectations, personal skills and

strategies, self-assessment &
reflection
Students are given the goal of
completing the questions section
of their learning packet. The
directions will be displayed on the
smartboard so there is a clear
understanding of where they should
stop.

The glossary chart in the

students learning packet is premade to assist them in
managing information.

Students are asked to

collaborate and communicate
with their table mates to recall
meanings of vocabulary words
and to articulate definitions in
their own words.

Scientific Investigation learning packet, pencils, crayons, pages 5-6 in Explore Water by Anita
Yasuda, chart paper and marker

Students will gather on an area rug in the corner of the room and then complete their packet work at
their seats.

III. The Plan

Time
9:30

9:35

9:37

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Components
Motivation
(opening/
introduction/
engagement)

Development
(the largest
component or
main body of
the lesson)

Describe teacher activities

AND
student activities
for each component of the lesson. Include important higher order thinking questions and/or
prompts.
Tell students that their new unit they will be
Students will gather on the rug and listen to the
studying is scientific investigation. Describe the
introduction of the new unit. They will raise their
process briefly, and then tell students that the first
hand when called on to answer why scientists ask
step in the investigation is to ask a question. Ask
questions
students why it is important to ask questions.
Ask students to raise their hand if they have been to
a lake before. Ask students to raise their hand if
they have been to the ocean before. Ask students to
raise their hand if they have been to both. Call on
the students who raised their hand for both if
they noticed any differences between lake water
and ocean water.

Students will raise their hands to answer if they

have been to a lake, ocean, or both. If they
answered both, be willing to list any differences
between lake and ocean water.

Read pages 5-6 in Exploring Water to teach

students more about saltwater and freshwater. As
each of the vocabulary words comes up, write them
on the chart paper because they are important
words to remember.

Follow along and listen to the information about

saltwater and freshwater.

9:42

Tell students that two things could happen if I drop

something in the water. What are they? (sink or
float). Write the two new vocabulary words on the
chart paper.

Answer with sink or float

9:43

Tell students that you have a new big first grade

word to teach them. That word is buoyancy (write
on chart paper), and you use it to describe how well
something floats in water. If something is really
buoyant, it floats really well in water.
Ask students to give examples of things that are
really buoyant. Tell students that if something is not
very buoyant, it doesnt float very well, and likes to
sink instead of stay afloat. Ask students to come up
with things that are not very buoyant.

Listen to the description of the new word

buoyancy.

Tell a brief story about the first time you went to

the ocean. You realized that the water was
saltwater, not freshwater. Being the scientist that
you are, you wondered, Do things float better in
saltwater or freshwater? Are things more buoyant
in saltwater or freshwater, or are they equally as
buoyant? Tell students that you need their help
solving this question, and that they would be
solving this question using scientific investigation.

Listen intently to the story.

Revisit all of the words on the chart paper, and

explain the next set of directions to students. Tell
them that they each have a packet in their yellow
folders and when they get back to their seats, to get
it out. Show them how it has the question at the
top. Tell them that first, before they start their
investigation, they need to do this thing called a
knowledge probe. They will make a glossary,
something they are familiar with, and fill it in with
the words on the chart paper. Tell students that their
job is to cut out the words that will go in the
glossary and write definitions for them. Tell them if
they need help remembering what any of the new
words mean, they can ask their table mates or look
at the chart paper we used during discussion. Tell
students that their next job is to think about what
they have experienced with waterabout
hydrologists, saltwater and freshwater, sinking and
floating, and buoyancy. Tell them that when they
have thought of experiences with water, to make an
illustration (a word they are familiar with and have
used during writing workshop) and label their
illustration that reflects their experience. Dismiss
students by rows, as they are ready.

Listen to the instructions on how to fill out the

learning packet.

Have the trusty timer set the timer for 10 minutes

as the students work on their glossary. When the
ten minutes is up, remind students of your story and
tell them that you knew about saltwater and
freshwater and all of these vocabulary terms

The trusty timer sets the timer for 10 minutes.

Fill out the glossary, collaborating with peers and
referring to the chart paper as needed. Think about
personal experiences with water. Draw an

9:45

9:46

9:50

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Closure
(conclusion,
culmination,
wrap-up)

Raise their hands to give examples of things that

are really buoyant.
Raise their hands to give examples of things that
are not very buoyant

Consider the question, do things float better in

saltwater or freshwater?

Watch and listen as the teacher models the

instructions using the learning packet.
Recall what a glossary is and the different subjects
theyve used it in.

Walk back to their seats when they are dismissed

and begin individual work on their learning packet.

because you had experience with water. Tell

illustration that reflects those personal experiences,
students to turn to the next page in their packet, and and label the illustration.
explain that they will draw and label their own
experiences with water. Tell students to work until
the recess bell rings.
Your reflection about the lesson, including evidence(s) of student learning and engagement, as well as ideas for improvement
for next time. (Write this after teaching the lesson, if you had a chance to teach it. If you did not teach this lesson, focus on the
process of preparing the lesson.)
This lesson went much differently than planned. Rather than working together as a class, the students were split up into three groups
for their usual Terrific Tuesday rotation. The three groups rotated through cooking with the teacher, an individual art project, and
science, which is when I taught my lesson. For the sake of time, I had decided to have children cut and paste the vocabulary words in
their glossary as well as their corresponding definitions. I wanted to spend more time reading and discussing the books from which
the words were derived.
The other two first grade teachers have been using my unit as well, but taught this lesson a day earlier. They had planned to cut and
paste, too. However, one of the other teachers said that her class had a really hard time with cutting and pasting the words into the
right spots. Even though I had planned to guide the students through the construction of their glossary, I reconsidered. This particular
teacher recommended that I have students write the glossary out. I was a bit skeptical of her recommendation thinking of how long it
would take first graders to write six sentences, but my own teacher also recommended that I take her advice, so I did.
Writing out the glossaries, however, took just as long as Id expected. None of the students in the first group finished, and none of
them got to the what you know part of the learning packet. I let my teacher know, and she agreed with my decision to have the
remaining two groups cut and paste their glossary words and definitions. These groups accomplished much more, and I think they
learned just as much, if not more, than if they were to write them out. Writing for them is just copying letters down. Cutting and
pasting requires them to actually read the definitions to make sure they match up with the words. Only about 1/3 of the class
completed the task in full, but at least the majority of students made it to a point where they could complete the rest of the work on
their own without any instructions. For those in the first group who began writing their definitions, I made sure they received the
words and definitions that they needed.
Even though the lesson didnt go as planned, I think the students were engaged in their learning. They thought it was so cool that I
called them all hydrologists because they were studying water. The books really drew them in, and as I read some facts like most of
the earth is covered in water, some students blurted out that they already knew that. However, when I continued and read water
covers of Earths surface, many were surprised that it was that much! I had students take a poll to get an idea of what their
experience was with water by asking them how many people have been to a lake and how many people had been to an ocean. While
the students loved being able to raise their hand and vote, it also made them want to share all of their stories about going to a
particular beach or lake or ocean. Thankfully, I was prepared. One student in particular kept shushing the other students in her group,
saying things like Cmon guys, be quiet so we can keep learning! which was both amusing and encouraging.
As for improvements, I would be much more aware of time. Running out of time was the primary thing that put me in a crunch. Its
difficult to gauge the timing of things because some students can cut and write much faster than the others. I would also try to avoid
putting all the students at the same table. I obviously had not planned to work with small groups in this lesson, but I should have set
up two tables before we began.
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