Science Lesson Plan, 3rd grade

What:
The curricular content learned by the students is understanding how birds adapt to their
environments. I want my students to pay close attention to details about birds and the materials
that they are given. I think that this activity gives students an opportunity to learn from a hands
on activity, which is designed to keep them engaged and inquisitive. Furthermore, my class is
starting a science unit which revolves around animals. While we have not had any lessons on
animals yet, I think this would be a good opportunity for students to get a taste of what the unit
has to offer. The most important skill that I want my students to learn is how to take concrete
information away after participating in a hands-on activity. My other main goal is to have
students to have good conversation based off of their observations. The last thing I am especially
curious about is the difference between the way my 3rd grade students respond to the activity to
the way the 6th graders understand the activity. The way we will get to measure this difference is
between the questions we ask, and by giving either more or less information to the groups of
students as needed.

How:
I will teach the content through an activity that requires both observation skills, and through an
activity that allows students the chance to get to explore the way beaks work with an abundance
of equal tools. In addition to scientific observation skills, I want my 3rd grade students to be able
to assist each other, and share tools/seeds. My strategy will be asking a lot of questions, at first
about the birds in the pictures, and later about what they are experiencing as they do the activity
of trying to pick up food with their varying tools.( it) I think being able to replicate the beaks of
the birds will be very beneficial in giving students concrete understanding of the way birds have
to eat food. Additionally, I think having a chance to work both by themselves and together is a
strong learning tool for students. The last skill is doing a matching game during the closing
activity, which will be a fun outlet for the students.

Why:
I selected this topic for tow main reasons. The primary reason is that Carlo and I are the only
student teachers from Penn TEP at Jackson, and were thought it would be beneficial for us to be
able to observe each other in our school environment/to lesson plan together because otherwise
co-planning with other TEP students would have been a challenge. The other main reason I
wanted to do this lesson, besides that NancyLee suggested a form of it after I told her that my
class was learning about animals, so learning about birds feels particularly relevant. My how and

what are influenced by the curriculum of my school, as well as the general way our science
methods course classes have gone. We have spent a lot of class time learning about different
activities that are engaging for students, that differ from just using kits or simply divulging
information in a lecture style. So, when planning this lesson, I found it necessary to try and
replicate that style.

SWBAT: Identify different bird adaptations through noticing different birds beaks.
3.1.6.A5 Describe basic structures that plants and animals have that contribute their
ability to make or find food and reproduce.

Materials:
Clothespins (Duck, Spoonbill)
Straws (Avocet, Ibis)
Droppers (Hummingbird,)
Tweezers (Black Skimmer, Cardinal, Woodpecker)
Water (bottle)- to represent the nectar from a flower or sap from a tree
Rice
Fruits (Raisins)
Mixed bag of Nuts
Pictures of birds
Paper or Tarp to spread on table to prevent messes
Paper to spread on table before? - You know that mess does not bother me but this simplifies
clean up, and helps you stay on the good side of whoevers room you are using!

Launch (5-10 minutes): Show pictures of 8 different birds with distinctly different beaks. Ask
students to turn and talk (~2 minutes) about what they notice about each bird. Teachers should
avoid bringing focus to the beak of the birds. Allow students to share out a few different
characteristics about each bird. Take out the beak tools and (for 3rd grade) demonstrate how to

use each tool. If a student is comfortable working with a particular tool, they can volunteer to
help demonstrate how to use the tools. This should be done as a way to preemptively circumvent
struggles that students have.

Explore (20 minutes): Each student should be given a clothespin, tweezers, straw, and droppers.
The different foods will be laid out and the students will use the different tools to reenact how the
bird eats. Before students participate in the activity, I will have the materials and food dispersed
in a clean and organized manner. Each student will have one of each tool, some of each food in
front of them, a bottle of water for the group to share, and a bucket water with rice on the bottom
to share. This will help the students to understand how the different shape/size beaks are optimal
for that specific birds diet. Leave enough time to clean up, because with water, fruits, and seeds,
there likely will be a bit of a mess.
Questions to ask: Which tool was easiest to use when picking up the food? Which tool do you
think was easiest to pick up water with? What tool do you think is the best and why?

Closure (10 minutes): Teachers should introduce the idea of adaptation to the students. Birds
adapt from generation to generation, so that their beaks can best collect food and nutrition in
their environment. This form of adaptation works best for the birds and enables more of their
species to live longer. At this time, we will open the power point of the different bird species
with various beaks and they will try and match the tools that they used with the bird beaks. At the
end of the lesson, students will clean up with me, throwing out used food that they do not want to
eat, will help me dump out water, and wipe down the tables.
Classroom Arrangement and Management Issues:
1. Like my other lessons, I will have my science lesson at the tables located directly outside
of my classroom. Having the students sitting around the table with me either sitting or
standing at the front of the table will enable students to interact with each other, engage
with the materials, and look to me when they need guidance.
2. Students will have materials in front of them at the outset of the lesson, and will have
one of each tool. Pictures of the birds will be displayed by the teacher on a computer
screen.
3. The biggest management concern that I have is that students might get a little wound up
because the activity might not feel like a normal school lesson. Consequently, they might
be standing up or moving around. I will have to set very clear guidelines about following
directions, students will not be able to participate if they play around too much, and do
not take the lesson seriously.
Anticipating Student Responses/My Possible Responses:

a.) Management Issues: While I referenced this earlier, I will have to set very clear
guidelines to prevent students from acting wild. I imagine that they will be very
engaged in the activity.
b.) Responses to content of lesson: Students might not be able to successfully make
matches at the end of the lesson. So, I will have to give hints, and try and make
connections.
Accommodations:
a.) Find material too challenging: I will step in and help with the activity, or even have other
students try to help out.
b.) Find material too easy: I will ask them further questions about adaptation that we
designed for the 6th graders.