Lesson Plan for Implementing

NETS•S—Template I
(More Directed Learning Activities)
Template with guiding questions
Teacher(s)
Name Toyin Ayoade

Position Teacher

School/District Cobb county

E-mail

Phone

Grade Level(s) Kindergarten

Content Area Science

Time line 1 week

Standards (What do you want students to know and be able to do? What knowledge, skills, and strategies do you
expect students to gain? Are there connections to other curriculum areas and subject area benchmarks? ) Please
put a summary of the standards you will be addressing rather than abbreviations and numbers that indicate which
standards were addressed.

Students will obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about how organisms (alive
and not alive) and non-living objects are grouped. Construct an explanation based on
observations to recognize the differences between organisms and nonliving objects.
a. Develop a model to represent how a set of organisms and nonliving objects are
sorted into groups based on their attributes.
b. Develop a model to represent how a set of organisms and nonliving objects are
sorted into groups based on their attributes.
Content Standards
Students use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and to
demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other
resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.
Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of
their creation or communication.
NETS*S Standards:

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 Overview (a short summary of the lesson or unit including assignment or expected or possible products)

In this unit, students will:

 Observe, classify and arrange objects/organisms into groups of living and non-living things.

 Construct their own explanations about how they can differentiate between living and nonliving objects.

 Create models that represents organisms.

Essential Questions (What essential question or learning are you addressing? What would students care or
want to know about the topic? What are some questions to get students thinking about the topic or generate
interest about the topic? Additionally, what questions can you ask students to help them focus on important
aspects of the topic? (Guiding questions) What background or prior knowledge will you expect students to bring
to this topic and build on?) Remember, essential questions are meant to guide the lesson by provoking inquiry.
They should not be answered with a simple “yes” or “no” and should have many acceptable answers.

How can I identify the difference between living and non-living items?
How can I sort a group of organisms and nonliving objects based on their attributes?
Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings:
● Recognize how living organisms are different from nonliving objects.
● Living things and non-living things are different.
● Babies do resemble their parents; and all things can be sorted by observable physical attributes.

Assessment (What will students do or produce to illustrate their learning? What can students do to generate new
knowledge? How will you assess how students are progressing (formative assessment)? How will you assess
what they produce or do? How will you differentiate products?) You must attach copies of your assessment and/or
rubrics. Include these in your presentation as well.

Students will create a presentation or a poster on living things and non-living things. Students’ presentation or
poster will be assessed using the teacher created rubric to determine if students have mastered the content.
Formative assessment will also be given to individual students to assess what their knowledge on living things
and non-living things. Products are differentiated on the kind of technology they decide to use. Some group
might use chatter Pix, Pic Collage, voki or photo story.

Resources (How does technology support student learning? What digital tools, and resources—online student
tools, research sites, student handouts, tools, tutorials, templates, assessment rubrics, etc—help elucidate or
explain the content or allow students to interact with the content? What previous technology skills should students
have to complete this project?)

Technology is used to enhance students’ learning throughout the lesson. In this lesson, students will learn how
to present information using different format and technology. Students will have the options to choose from
different apps Like chatter pix, picCollage, Voki, or photo story. Before completing the product, students will go
on pebbleGo to learn about living things and non-living things. I will model how to use each of the
technological tools and the students can pick which of the tools they feel comfortable using. On the first day of
the lesson, students will go outside to explore and take pictures of the things they see using iPads. Students
will have the opportunity to interact with the content in various ways from picture cards, materials, and video.
Some previous technology skills which are required in completing the project are; how to take pictures, typing,
how to use the iPad, and how to record their voice. I will group the students with each group having at least a
student who possess the knowledge of technology.

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Instructional Plan
Preparation (What student needs, interests, and prior learning provide a foundation for this lesson? How can
you find out if students have this foundation? What difficulties might students have?)

Due to the fact that my students are kindergarteners, it is highly important they understand why following
instruction is significant. I will give multi-step directions and the students need to pay attention. Students need
to know how to work in groups and what it means to work as a team. I will find out if the students have prior
foundation by observing them when teaching the lesson. Students might have difficulties typing the words,
recording their voice, and using the Voki app. I and my paraprofessional will be available to help students when
needed.

Management Describe the classroom management strategies will you use to manage your students and the use
of digital tools and resources. How and where will your students work? (Small groups, whole group, individuals,
classroom, lab, etc.) What strategies will you use to achieve equitable access to the Internet while completing this
lesson? Describe what technical issues might arise during the Internet lesson and explain how you will resolve or
trouble-shoot them? Please note: Trouble-shooting should occur prior to implementing the lesson as well as
throughout the process. Be sure to indicate how you prepared for problems and work through the issues that
occurred as you implemented and even after the lesson was completed.

One of my strategies is to separate the groups from each other so they can focus on their projects. I will
choose a leader in each group to lead the team. Each person in a group will be assigned a role and ways to
contribute to the group. I will troubleshoot the iPads prior to assigning it to the students to use. One technical
issue that might arise is the iPad freezing, and I will have to power it off and restart it. The iPad’s battery might
also be drained while students are using it. If that happens, I will charge the iPad and have the group continue
working the following day. Another problem I might encounter is students trying to record at the same time,
therefore all talking at the same time. To avoid students talking at the same time to minimize interference, I will
work with a group during special time, so they can record their voice with less noise.

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Instructional Strategies and Learning Activities – Describe the research-based instructional strategies you will
use with this lesson. How will your learning environment support these activities? What is your role? What are the
students' roles in the lesson? How can you ensure higher order thinking at the analysis, evaluation, or
creativity levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy? How can the technology support your teaching? What authentic,
relevant, and meaningful learning activities and tasks will your students complete? How will they build knowledge
and skills? How will students use digital tools and resources to communicate and collaborate with each other
and others? How will you facilitate the collaboration?

The research-based instructional strategy that will be used is explicit instruction that is systematic, direct,
engaging, and success oriented. According to Archer & Hughes (2011), the effectiveness of explicit instruction has
been validated again and again in research involving both general education and special education students. This
form of instruction is a systematic method of teaching with emphasis on proceeding in small steps, checking for
student’s understanding, and achieving active and successful participation by all students.
The learning environment will be set up in ways students will have access to materials and technology that will be
used in completing the task. I will provide a safe learning environment where students are free to ask questions.
The learning environment will motivate students to learn and gain knowledge.
Teacher’s role
 Teacher will provide materials to make poster.
 Teacher will observe students during their discussion in their group on living and nonliving things.
 Teacher will scaffold instruction.
Students’ role
 Students will identify whether pictures are living things or non-living things.
 Students will create posters on living things and non-living things.
 Students will explain their understanding on been able to differentiate between living things and non-living
things.
 Students will with evidence explain why they created their categories.
 Students will explore and work on observing and identifying what they think are living things and non-living
things.
I will ask higher order thinking questions as I walk around the classroom observing students. It is important to keep
in mind that the lesson is for kindergarteners. Here are some of the questions I will ask,
 What evidence can you present to support why a tree is a living thing?
 How would you describe a seed?
 Can you recall the difference between living things and non-living things?
 How will you justify your answers?
Technology will be used throughout the lesson. I will play a video on living things and non-living things on
discovery education. Students will have the opportunity to go on pebbleGo to learn about living things and non-
living things.
Here are some of the digital tools and resources students will use to communicate and collaborate with one
another;
 ChatterPix
 Voki
 Photo story
 Pic Collage
 Camera
I will facilitate the collaboration by giving rewards to the group who are on task and who are following direction. I
will remind students of rules for working in groups and what teamwork should look like.

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Differentiation (How will you differentiate content and process to accommodate various learning styles and
abilities? How will you help students learn independently and with others? How will you provide extensions and
opportunities for enrichment? What assistive technologies will you need to provide?)

All students will have access to iPads, and they will have the option to pick what technology they feel comfortable
using. Picture cards will be provided for some students, so they would not have to take pictures. I will help the
students with spelling out some of the words, some words will be typed out for students to use.
Extension
My high students will create a presentation using Voki to present a well detail information on living things and
non-living things.

Reflection (Will there be a closing event? Will students be asked to reflect upon their work? Will students be
asked to provide feedback on the assignment itself? What will be your process for answering the following
questions?
• Did students find the lesson meaningful and worth completing?
• In what ways was this lesson effective?
• What went well and why?
• What did not go well and why?
• How would you teach this lesson differently?)

Students will have the opportunity to present their project to the class and talk about what they know. Students
will be asked to provide feedback to their peers after the presentation. Students will reflect on their experience
in using technology and working in groups. I will observe the students during the activity to evaluate their
actions and results.

Overall, the lesson went very well, and students were impressed with the chatterpix. Students were impressed
with how they could hear their voice with the charts moving up and down. Students were able to use chatterpix
easily without any issues, even my low students were able to use the tool without difficulties. Students enjoyed
using all the technology. The higher students were able to use voki presenter and most especially enjoyed
using the avatar for their presentation. Voki presenter did not work for everyone because of the typing part of it.
Students could record their voice instead of typing, but they preferred to use chatterpix.

Closure: Anything else you would like to reflect upon regarding lessons learned and/or your experience with
implementing this lesson. What advice would you give others if they were to implement the lesson? Please
provide a quality reflection on your experience with this lesson and its implementation.
I would advise to group students based on their abilities. I feel like the above grade students could have been
challenged in the lesson. Having mixed groups prevented me from seeing the full potential of my higher
students. One of the important lessons I learned is how technology can help identify students’ knowledge as
early as in kindergarten. When I was planning the lesson, I thought students might struggle because of their
age. Students actually enjoyed using the

Reference

Archer, A.L. & Hughes, C.A. (2011). Explicit instruction: Effective and efficient teaching.
New York, NY: Guilford Press.

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 Rubric for project: Living and Nonliving things

Category 1 2 3 4

Group’s ability Group does Group had two Group had Group was
to distinguish not know the or more error one error ability to
between living difference when when distinguish
things and between living distinguishing distinguishing between living
non-living things and living things living things things and
things non-living and non-living and non-living non-living
things things things things

Group was Group Group was Group was Group was

able to explain provides no able to give able to explain able to explain
why explanation of limited why and give
something is a why explanation something is a reasons on
living thing or something is a and reasons living thing or why
non-living living thing or on why non-living something is a
thing non-living something is a thing living thing or
thing living thing or non-living
non-living thing
thing
Presentation Not talking Group had Group had a Creative and
during little to say clear, well went over and
presentation about living delivered beyond what
things and presentation was asked
non-living
things

Total point

Name:
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Cut and paste

Living things Nonliving things

by Unknown by Unknown by Unknown

Author is Author is licensed Author is
licensed under under licensed under

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