UNLV Student: Samantha Lowy PSMT Name: Ms.

Gallagher
Lesson Plan W.G. Science, WG Lesson Plan Topic: Mystery Science-
Title/Unit: writing integrated Natural Selection,
Journal entry as a
wolf
Date: 3/18/19-3/22/19 Estimated Time: 40-50 minutes per
rotation
Grade Level: 3rd Grade School Site: Vassiliadis Elem

I. State Standards:

 W.3.1- Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective
technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequence.
 S.L3.1- Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly.
 NV.L.5.D.3- Students know differences among individuals within a species give them advantages
and/or disadvantages in surviving and reproducing.

II. Teaching Models:

 Whole Group
 Direct
 Cooperative
 Bloom’s Question Stems

III. Objectives:

 SWBAT write a journal entry about what they experienced as a wolf, and whether or not
they survived winter.
 SWBAT contribute to discussions about various science topics discussed this week by
providing experiences and evidence.
 SWBAT complete activities to understand how natural selection works in different
animal groups.

IV. Materials:

 Dixie cups
 Journals
 Mystery Science
o #5 lizards and natural selection—lizard worksheets, quiz
o Natural selection activity—Dixie cups
o #6 dogs wagging their tails—field journal notes, quiz
V. Instructional Procedures:

-- Monday:

 Science:

 Motivation/Engagement: 5 min
o Who remembers what selection is? Bloom’s 1
o How can you describe what is does? Bloom’s 2
o Talk about today, and how lizards are a great example of selection.
 Developmental Activities or Learning Experiences: 25 min
o Pull up mystery science 5
o Watch clip 1
 How are we able to tell the anoles apart? Bloom’s 2
 Why do the sticky rings on the green anoles work? Bloom’s 3
 How would you explain what might have happened to the green anoles
when the brown anoles came to Florida? Bloom’s 4

o Watch clip 2
 Why do you think brown anoles are more bottom dwellers, and why green
anoles are more top dwellers? Bloom’s 4
 What is the problem you notice? Bloom’s 4

 Closure:5 min
o Start and/or complete activity
 Extension:
o Continue with lesson
-- Tuesday:
 Science:
 Motivation/Engagement:
o We learned about natural selection yesterday, who can remind me what it means
again? Bloom’s 1
o What would happen if you were wolves, would natural selection work as well?
Bloom’s 2
o Give a brief description of expectations and what they are doing for the lesson.
 Developmental Activities or Learning Experiences: 25 min
o Set the scene:
 Have students close eyes
 Imagine they are in Yellowstone – pull up a picture if they do not know
 Draw attention to the Gray Wolf – pull pic
 Winter has set, and you pups are grown up enough to form your own pack.
 You must survive winter which lasts from November to April.
 o What did you observe about the conditions you are in? Bloom’s 2
o How would you demonstrate how wolves act when it comes to getting food?
Bloom’s 3
 Describe how and what wolves eat based on status in a pack, and that
when they get an animal they need to be respectful of who grabbed it first.
 No stealing
 You must grab one Dixie cup at a time and bring it to your desk before
grabbing another cup.
o Describe that wolves need at least 3 pounds of meat a day. You are going on for at
least 5 months of scarce food. No running or pushing, wolves stalk their prey and
then attack when they are least expecting it! By the end you need at least 450
pounds of food at the end to survive winter.
o How is this activity connected to the lizard activity from yesterday? Bloom’s 4
o How would you explain my expectations in a short summary? Bloom’s 4
o Allow children to begin and closely monitor to make sure there is no tomfoolery.
o Once all of the cups have been collected have students count up how many
pounds of food they have.
o Refer back to the board where the number of pounds per animal on the cup is
worth.
o Tally the number of who lived and who survived.
o What explanation do you have for why natural selection works out here? Bloom’s
4
o What choice would you have made differently to have survived? Bloom’s 5
o Go back over the beginning and setting the stage.
o Explain that this is a good way to start a writing piece.
o Give an example of a journal entry of a wolf that survived or did not.
o This is the expectation:
 Set the stage
 Talk about the struggle
 Talk about the animals you collected
 Give voice to your characters
 In the end make the reader understand if you survived or not.
o Have students begin writing.
o Have early finishers go back and revise their work
 Closure:5 min
o Determine the value of the food, and explain to me why it is more important to
get that animal. Bloom’s 5
o After completing the activity, how would you explain the reason why natural
selection happens? Bloom’s 6
o Allow a few students to share journal entries.
  Extension:
o Have more students read stories till the end of time runs out.
-- Wednesday:

 Science: Seminar

 Motivation/Engagement: 5 min
 Developmental Activities or Learning Experiences: 25 min
 Closure:5 min
 Extension:
-- Thursday: Meeting with Mona at the University

-- Friday:

 Science:
 Motivation/Engagement: 5 min
o How many of you guys have dogs at home? Bloom’s 1
o What do you know about dogs wagging their tails? Bloom’s 1
o How would you identify another way dogs communicate with us? Bloom’s 1
 Developmental Activities or Learning Experiences: 25 min
o Play video 1
 How can you describe the importance of dogs being able to communicate
with each other? Bloom’s 2
o Play video 2
 What did you observe with the ways the wolves acted compared to your
dogs at home that are similar? Bloom’s 2
 How can you describe another animal that lives in a group? Bloom’s 2
 Why does living in a group work? Bloom’s 3

o Play video 3
 Pass out pre-made journals
 Why do you think it is a good idea to take notes in a journal like this?
Bloom’s 4
 How would you explain the barking the meerkats do? Bloom’s 4
 What can you point out about what the black birds did? Bloom’s 4
 What can you infer about the Snow Monkey in Japan? Bloom’s 4
 What would you suggest the Bison was doing to the wolf? Bloom’s 5

 Closure:5 min
o Have students fill in questions 9 and 10
o Discuss the ant video

 Extension:
 o Have students share what they wrote for 9 and 10

VI. Accommodations:

 Read questions multiple times and slower for those who did not understand the first time.

VII. Modifications:

 Partner work will be optional for those who have a hard time understanding, and cannot
finish material in a timely manner.
 One student may be prescribed a scribe to write her answers if time is short.

VIII. Differentiation:

 Partner choices will allow for students to work with peers, and gain different point of
views.

IX. Assessment and Evaluation of Learning:

 Formative Assessment:
o Quiz for Mystery Science 5
o Quiz for Mystery Science 6
o Outcome of the activity on Tuesday
 Summative Assessment:
o To be determined on another date.

X. Homework Assignment:

Monday: Think of how other animals may go through natural selection

Tuesday: Think about what other outcome you would have had if you grabbed different animals.

Wednesday: What other ways are you noticing natural selection?

Thursday: Eat a good breakfast for SBAC!

Friday: How is being in a group preparing you for SBAC?