Benjamin Bergmans Term 3 Science Lesson Plan

For Professor NancyLee Bergey , GSE Fall 2015

Core Decisions
What
The third grade students will be taught about the growth, development, and
reproduction of plant organisms .
NGSS core disciplinary idea - Life Science: Growth and Development of
Organisms.
Related third grade NGSS topics - Interdependent Relationships in
Ecosystems and Inheritance and Variation of Traits
Content Goals
To identify the the location and purpose of the following: stem, seed,

Commented [NRB1]: I dont really see this in the

lesson - I would not try to add it in this context. Just
take it out, but please do add Framework goals from
the other two Dimensions, not just Disciplinary Core
Ideas.
Commented [NRB2]: Fix

flower, fruit (maybe), roots, leaf, and pollen. (I expect they will already be
somewhat familiar with most of these).

Commented [NRB3]: Third grade at PAS - I would

hope so. Maybe not pollen, but most likely, yes.

To understand the role of pollen and pollinators in reproduction.

To understand why plants need water, dirt, and sun to grow.
To hear the term photosynthesis in context.

Commented [NRB4]: I need to see how you plan to

approach this and the two above it.

To realize that all living things go through the cycle of birth, growth,
reproduction and death.
Process Goals
To realize that science is all around them.
To appreciate that science can be dirty.
To appreciate the interdependence of all living things.

Commented [NRB5]: OK these look like affective

goals, and good ones, but not process goals.
By process I mean either SAPA processes or NGSS
Practices.
So keep these in, as affective goals, but please explain
how students will engage in processes.

 To appreciate nature as something living and therefore sacred.

To be amazed that a small seed can turn into a huge tree.
To wonder what else is going on in the dirt.
How
I will use actual plants to teach about plants.
I will lecture vocabulary terms to the students using actual plants as models.

I will make this a hands on experience by having students touch many plants
and dig in the dirt.

I will encourage students to ask questions as a means of engaging their

Commented [NRB6]: Please find a way to learn which

terms students do not need to have taught. Perhaps
you could give out a diagram at a prior class session to
have them fill in as a formative assessment, and then
build the lesson around that?
Commented [NRB7]: Please turn on spell check.
Find and correct errors before turning in documents.
Hyphenating hands-on would probably fix this.

interests. To support student learning, I will engage students in discussion

around their questions.
Why
I have selected this topic because I am knowledgeable about it.
Furthermore, it is important to me that:
students learn that food comes from the ground.
students know that living beings are interdependent.
students learn that plants are living, breathing creatures.
I have selected these previously mentioned teaching methods, because I believe

Commented [NRB8]: Although I hope that you

prepare yourself to teach by learning about the content,
this is not a very student-centered reason. Do they
need this information (I can see some of this below)?
Does it relate to something else they are studying?
Commented [NRB9]: OK - these are better. But does
food come from the ground? What do plants get from
the ground?

Commented [NRB10]: Yes, kids tend to preference

animals, but dont you think your students are pretty
aware of this?

the students in my class are too often told to be quiet, and therefore could benefit
from a small group discussion in which they are encouraged to speak.

Commented [NRB11]: Wow. OK.

I am sad that so much of the school day takes place indoors.

I believe students will be excited to do science outdoors.

Commented [NRB12]: I was going to comment on the

one before that you might not have tried teaching
outside, but this line makes it clear that you are
planning to go out. Have you checked about things like
legality with your classroom mentor?
On the academic side, this plan to go outside should
definitely be explained in the how section.

 State standards played no role in my decision since students do not test for
PSSA science until fourth grade. The Penn Alexander science teacher will
assuredly prepare the students for the PSSA science portion, so I am not
concerned with it.
Importantly, this lesson is not tied to the students prior interests. I did not tie it to
the students interests because I still dont know what students I will be doing this

Commented [NRB13]: I hope that this is true, and of

course you cant do much in one lesson, but it is not
OK for k-3 teachers to put the burden on the 4th grade
teachers because that is the grade that is tested. I am
not a great proponent of standardized tests, but all k-4
teachers are responsible for that 4th grade science test.

lesson with. Plus, the small group of students will probably have varying
interests, so it would be difficult to create a lesson which incorporates each of
their individual interests anyway. I think the important thing is that I will allow
students to explore nature and to ask questions, which will then allow me to play
off their interests.
This lesson is not tied to students prior knowledge or recent science lessons.

Commented [NRB14]: OK, so I think in saying that

you think they will enjoy being outside and that they will
like exploring and asking questions you ARE attending
to their interests. I think you are thinking too much
about individual interests, rather than general interests.

The students have been studying sound waves all year. You, NancyLee, gave
me a great suggestion for a sound wave experiment (the swinging tuning fork).
However, I do not want to teach them more about sound waves. While I
recognize the importance of going into depth on a topic, there is such a thing as
overkill. Students should be exposed to a variety of sciences, not just sound
waves.

Commented [NRB15]: It is fine not to go on with

sound. And of course plants is an important topic. But
it is a shame that this lesson is not tied to anything
else.

Lesson Plan Template

Goals / Objectives (This is copied right from the What section above).

Commented [NRB16]: Yes, which is how you should

have known that I was expecting something different
above. That was supposed to be in narrative form.

 Content Goals
To identify the the location and purpose of the following: stem, seed,
flower, fruit, roots, leaf, and pollen. (I expect they will already be familiar
with most of these).
To understand the role of pollen and pollinators in reproduction.

Commented [NRB17]: I did not see evidence of this in

anything above.

To understand why plants need water, dirt, and sun to grow.

Commented [NRB18]: Will they understand WHY as a

result of this lesson?

To hear the term photosynthesis in context.

To realize that all living things go through the cycle of birth, growth,
reproduction and death.
Process Goals

Commented [NRB19]: Again, this is very important.

But I think that students study life cycles in second
grade

To realize that science is all around them.

To appreciate that science can be dirty.
To appreciate the interdependence of all living things.
To appreciate nature as something living and therefore sacred.
To be amazed that a small seed can turn into a huge tree.
To wonder what else is going on in the dirt.

Standards and Assessment Anchors

I do not believe this is applicable as I explained in the Why section above.

Commented [NRB20]: It is necessary for your grade.

Remember that this is a learning exercise for you. You
need to be able to include detailed choices in your
lesson plans as a teacher. Here you are practicing.

Materials and preparation

No materials are needed beyond what Penn Alexanders garden already
provides.

Commented [NRB21]: Lucky you - but the garden was

a lot of work. Please dont destroy what others have
done.

 I will familiarize myself with the garden in preparation for knowing which plants I
can pick. I will bring a plant with dried seeds still on it to the lesson if I can not
find one in the garden.

Commented [NRB22]: Please speak with the teachers

who have been responsible for setting up the garden.
Please do not take from garden near Powel.

Classroom arrangement and management issues

The students will be outside, so management is a major concern. I will probably
have to deal with kids who want to run around rather than pay attention to me. I
believe using a strict tone of voice, explaining how being outside is a privilege,
and explaining consequences for misbehavior will allow me to control the
physical movement of the students. Ideally, what I have to say will be so
interesting that behavior management will not be an issue. I will also be sure to
project my voice given that the outside environment will have distracting, loud
noises. Furthermore, because I can choose what students I do this lesson with, I
will be sure to choose well-behaved students for this science lesson.

Plan

Commented [NRB23]: You can tell I am worried here,

Benjamin. We intentionally make this a small group
lesson so that management is not an issue. I am
concerned that you are not going to learn enough
about your instruction when management is so much of
a concern.

1) The hook is that we are going outside to explore plants and bugs.
2) It should take five minutes to get outside.
3) I will have each student de-root one plant, but I will tell them which one and model
how to do so. The plants will probably be different species. I will point to the basic
components of the plant, so that students learn not only its components but also begin
to realize that varying species all have the same basic components. I will ask for
questions. This should take seven minutes.

Commented [NRB24]: Does this mean dig up? De

root sounds like cutting off the roots. That is not what
you mean, is it?
Commented [NRB25]: You definitely need permission
to do this. But if you get that, I suggest marking plants
that may be dug up before going out. Mark more than
the number of kids in your group so that everyone gets
a choice. Are you sure that having a trowel would not
make it more likely that the roots can be extracted
without losing too much?
Is there any reason to stay outside after this?

3) I will then go back to our original plant to explain pollen and pollinators to describe
plant reproduction. I will tie this into interdependence of species. I will lecture and then I
will ask for questions. This should take six minutes.

Commented [NRB26]: Are you trying to do this

outside? Is there benefit to that?

4) I will allow students to pluck seeds from a plant. I will instruct the students in planting
their seed. I will explain what a seed needs to grow. The purpose of this is not to have
the student grow a plant so much as to familiarize them with the simple process of
plating a seed. I will ask for questions. This should take seven minutes.

Commented [NRB27]: spelling

5) I will assess student learning by calling on students to name different parts of the

Commented [NRB28]: Dont you think these kids have

planted a seed before? You might ask the kindergarten
teacher.

plant, to describe the reproduction process, and to describe what plants need to grow. I
believe assessment will be easy since it will only be a group of four students. Also
notice that this is the only time I will ask students questions. This should take five
minutes.

Commented [NRB29]: Here again, I want to know

what these students knew before they had this lesson.
Otherwise this assessment does not show what
students have learned from your lesson. I suspect that
plant parts are not new unless you are getting into
individual flower parts. As you know, this is not a good
time to show those plant parts outside, so I am not sure
that it was worth being outside for this part.
Commented [NRB30]: Are you asserting this as a
positive element of the lesson?

6) It takes five minutes to walk back to class. The total lesson takes 30 minutes from
door to door.

Commented [NRB31]: What happens when you get

back inside?

Anticipating students responses and your possible responses

I will keep my responses to student questions short and to the point.
I anticipate that students will want to know the names of certain plants, so I will
familiarize myself with the garden beforehand.
Students may want to know why bees pollinate.
Students may want to know how pollen allows for plant reproduction.

Commented [NRB32]: From here down these are

interesting questions that you should either be
prepared to answer or be prepared to offer resources
(web pages, for example) so that students can answer
them for themselves.

Students may want to know if a certain plant is poisonous.

Students may want to know why pollen causes allergies.
Students may want to know if grass has flowers.

Commented [NRB33]: I really like this one. But I am

not sure kids will ask it, since they are not going to see
flowers on anything.

Accommodations
I will be working with an ESL student who barely speaks English. I will
accommodate her by repeating words and corresponding the words I use with

Commented [NRB34]: Rewrite this section. I know

what you mean, but you did not say it!

their physical representation. I will also give her a word bank which matches up
key terms to a picture of the term.

Commented [NRB35]: This is great.

For students who need a greater challenge, I will ask them to describe why
humans rely on bees for food (not just honey).

Commented [NRB36]: This would be an excellent

overarching question for this lesson.

Concluding Thoughts
The process goals are much more important to me than the content goals. I am not sure
how to assess my process goals though.
Commented [NRB37]: Again - these are not process
goals, they are affective goals. And they are good
goals.

Continuing over here:

As I say, your affective goals are good ones, and I see how each element (looking at roots,
finding seeds, planting seeds) is related to the affective goals. But I think there is either too
much in the lesson (could be a unit) or not enough to reach the goal.
For example, if you wanted to talk about pollination, it would be better to have flowers to look at.
Since this is the wrong time of year for this outside, you might want to bring some flowers from a
florist. Two tulips (one each for two pairs) would give you easily seen structures for kids to look
at while thinking about pollination. (Of course tulips dont need bees, but you could use texts or
photos from the Internet to show flowers that require bees, and if you wanted to you could
illustrate how plants have co-evolved with bees to provide something the bees need AND to get

If you had an exit slip that asked, What was the best
thing about this lesson? and the answer was, We got
to go outside
Commented [NRB38]: OK - looking back over all of
this, it does seem to me that you plan to try to cover
way too much in your lesson, and although I see how
each of these ideas relates to these overarching
affective goals, I am not sure that you get there. Some
of this, of course is because of the artificial nature of
teaching only one lesson. (I am now going to write on
the document itself.)

the maximum amounts of pollen distributed. So that would be a lot of attention to one aspect,
but definitely hits the interdependence hard.

Another way to go might be to take the kids outside, and either assign them an element in the
garden and yard (variety a plus) or ask them to identify something they like out there, and then
get them to figure out how it is related to other things outside. You could even be creating some
kind of web (interdependence web, not necessarily a food web, since shelter might be
important, too.) Here I would say that answering questions as they come up, particularly after
asking others in the group what they know about the question, is a good way to meet as
needed teaching. After this initial foray, you could pick out some other things to ask kids about how does this (a rock, a bush that was not included, a bird that flies by) fit into our web.
Then you could go back in and ask each student to write poem, make a drawing, or write a
paragraph (for those who feel less artistic) on the theme of interdependence, based on the
outdoor experience. Keep your interdependence web available, but make it clear that they
should feel free to add elements. You might even insist that they show how they are part of this
interdependence.

I think that the lesson needs significant work before I approve it. Start with your end goals, and
then write the lesson to get you there.