Sierra Nevada College Lesson Plan

Teacher
Candidate:
Grade/Subject:
Lesson
Content:
SNC
Supervisor:

Danielle Lastella
3rd Grade Science
Climate Zones
K. Odegard

Lead
Teacher:
District:
School:

n/a

Time
Allotted:

65 - 80 min

n/a
n/a

Materials, including technology:

Computers, interactive notebook, climate zone book components, markers, colored
pencils, animal picture cards.

Standard(s), including literacy for all content areas and/or SMP

3-ESS2-2. Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the
world.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2.A Introduce a topic and group related information together;
include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension.
How will learning be assessed at the end of the unit/learning cycle (summative):
The students will make a book that investigates and compares different climate zones of the
world.
Objective(s): high cognitive demand for diverse learners

Cognitive Level (DOK or

Blooms)
DOK 1

1. I can explain the difference between climate and

weather.
2. I can research and use data to investigate and
compare different climates around the world.

DOK 2/3

Connections to past learning or experience, building background

The students will discuss their experience with different regions around the world have
they or anyone they know ever been to (places depicted on poster board).
Essential Vocabulary
Temperate

Definitions
How much heat is present.

Arid

A place that has little or no rain, too hot for plants to

grow.
Imaginary line drawn around the Earth equally distant
from north and south poles.

Equator

Strategy for teaching new vocabulary

Word wall, Choral response, Frayer-model note taker (pasted into interactive notebooks)
Sequence and Scope of Instruction (include
instructional strategies, questions, opportunities
for meaning making through discourse and other

Instructional Strategy

Estimate
d time

Sierra Nevada College Lesson Plan

engagement strategies, formative assessments,
opportunities for metacognition, grouping,
differentiation and transitions)
DAY 2
Warm up/Introduction/building background: The
teacher will display titled posters representing
elements of each of the different climate zones of
the world: temperate, polar, arid, tropical,
mediterranean, and mountainous. The teacher will
ask students to discuss similarities and differences
regarding each poster.
The teacher will ask the students if they or anyone
they know has ever been to any of the regions
depicted in the posters. Pair share.
Objectives: State objectives and relate them to
CCSS.
Vocab:
Teacher introduces vocabulary terms, and asks
the students to do a choral response. Then the
words are posted onto the word wall. Students
copy the words and definitions into their
interactive notebooks, and draw a non-linguistic
representation if needed.
ELLs will be given term definitions, using primary
language if needed
*SPED Modification: work with a partner
*GT: Personally contextualize term in a sentence
Teacher directed: The teacher will hand out the
components of their climate zones of the world
book and will explain to the class that they will
be assembling a book to help them research the
differences between these zones. Using modeling,
the teacher will demonstrate how to assemble the
book.
Group work/Centers:
The teacher will divide the class into six groups,
one for each climate zone. The students will then
use pre-selected websites to research each
climate zone (kidtopia/kidsclick) and fill in the
page of their climate book with a picture
representation. They will also look up the specific
climate zone in regard to their world map, and will
color in that area. The students will use their word
bank and work together to fill in the blanks which
describe their region.

Group Discourse/build
background, observing,
visual, pair-share.

Objectives Reviewed

Vocabulary note taking in

IN, partner practice
(SPED/ELL), phonemic
awareness, kinesthetic,
differentiation, discourse.

6-8 min

1 min

4-6 min

4-5 min
Teacher directed, group
discourse, active learning,
kinesthetic.

Metacognition, kinesthetic,
collaborative, student
discourse. predicting,
questioning

1620min

Modification, differentiation
Transition, kinesthetic,

16-20
min

Sierra Nevada College Lesson Plan

ELL/SPED Modification: The blanks will either be
provided, or partial words depending on level. Can
also work with a peer.

collaborative, student
discourse. predicting,
questioning, metacognition.
Formative assessment,
analysis.

Group discourse: The teacher will bring the class

back together (Gesture: Hands on top! Everybody
stop! or similar) The teacher will explain that
each group will come to the front of the classroom
one at a time to teach the other groups what
facts they have gathered using research.
The class will slowly create a complete book
together as each group shows the class their
information. The teacher will question and guide
the students through this process to assure each
student has all of the correct information.
Independent work/Summative: Teacher directed after assembling their book, the students will be
seated in their regular seats. The students will be
given a picture of an animal that lives in the
climate region they have studied. The students
will be asked to use the back of their books to
name the animal, describe the animal, and make
suggestions as to why the animal looks the way it
does and how that helps the animal survive in the
climate it lives in (for example, a wolf would be
furry, dense coat, strong body, lightly colored. The
wolf would thrive in a polar environment because
its coat keeps it warm, it blends into the
landscape, and it looks like it is built for hunting.)
The teacher will walk the room to see if any
students need assistance, and then students will
then turn in their books to the teacher once
complete.

Summative assessment.
metacognition, kinesthetic,
modification, collaborative
work, student discourse,
predicting, questioning,
differentiation, meaning
making.

15-17
min

2-3 min
Closure

Modifications: ELL/SPED may work with a partner,

may orally report about the animal.
Closure activity:
Exit ticket: If you were to live in any climate zone,
where would you want to live and why? What would
you need to survive?
Closure: specific activity to review content

Exit ticket.
Teacher Candidate Reflection on the lesson (after delivery)

Sierra Nevada College Lesson Plan

[Type text]
SNC: April 3, 2014