Michaela Stoffel

Indiana Wesleyan University

Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template
CAEP 2018 K-6 Elementary Teacher Preparation Standards

LESSON RATIONALE
Students will create a bird-feeder from recycled, bird-safe materials. While designing their own bird feeder, students will
discuss the basic needs that an animal has and how they meet these needs with the design they construct.

READINESS
I. Goals/Objectives/Standard(s)
A. Goal(s)— Students will learn what animals need to survive and create an artifact that meets those needs.
B. Objective(s)—
- Students will be able to list the four basic needs of animals and apply that knowledge to birds.
- Students will be able to design and build a bird feeder that meets the basic needs of the bird.
C. Standard(s):
K.LS.3: Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.
II. Management Plan
Time: Anticipatory Set (5 minutes), Purpose Statement (1 minute), Lesson Presentation (25 min), Closure (3 min)
Space: Students will remain at their seats for most the lesson presentation. Once I release students to begin their bird
feeders, they will be allowed to spread out to the other tables around the room to have more room to work.
Materials: Milk jugs or milk containers (1 per group), scissors, wooden twigs/coffee stirrers/dowels (2 per group), bird
seeds, mini cups, water, tape, paper plates (optional for use to feed birds), possible decorations (tree bark, shells etc),
paint, paint brushes, glue, twine/thin rope, worksheet, pencils, slideshow presentation.
Expectations: Students will practice active listening during the lesson presentation portion. They should volunteer, as
well as respect their peers as they share. Students are to cooperate and practice teamwork skills as they create their
birdfeeder with a partner. Students who are disruptive or argumentative will be given a reminder to change their
behavior. Failure to adjust behavior after a reminder will result in a color change on our behavior chart.

III. Anticipatory Set:

“To live in the wild means that animals find their own food, water, and shelter and are not taken care of by humans. What
kind of animals do we find in the wild here in Indiana?” Allow students to share. Start by generating a list of animals on
the white board. See how many students can think of. “Now, where might you have seen these animals before? Perhaps
you may see them at the park, in your backyard, or while you are on a drive.” Allow students to share. Form another
column that list possible locations animals in the wild may live.

• Purpose: “Today, we are going to discover all the things that animals need to survive, whether in the wild or in a
protected area. With your classmates, you are going to make a birdhouse that will help birds in our area live a
longer and better life. It is important that we learn ways to protect the living things in the world around us. “

PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION

IV. Adaptation to Individual Differences and Diverse Learners—
• Students will have the benefit of learning in a large group setting, and as in partners. Students will be helping
each other with the building process and interact creatively with each other as they work
• The four basic needs of birds will be written on the board for students to refer back to.
• Students may assist peers who need help.
• Caroline would benefit from a partner who is an efficient worker. I will make her “buddies” with her neighbor at
her table group Caleb, and have him encourage her each other when constructing the feeder..
• Jace and Landon are easily triggered by circumstances that are unfair. If someone in their table group got more
of the supplies than they did, they would likely refuse to participate in the activity, or require intervention. I can
make sure that they get all the materials they need when they come to collect them.
• Mrs. Edgington will be available to also circle the room while students are working, and guide them in filling out
their worksheet and completing their feeder. She will likely have to spend a good amount of time guiding Reilly
as she works.
• There are no ELL learners.

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V. Lesson Presentation (Input/Output)
• Show a slideshow of three bird pictures one by one to the class. As I show each picture I will ask “What is the
bird in each picture doing? Tell me what their behavior is like.” Call on students to answer. “Why do you think
the bird is behaving this way or doing this action?” Allow students to answer. After students share their initial
thoughts, I will guide students to state that birds get hungry and need food as seen in the first picture. Birds also
get thirsty and need to drink like we do (picture 2). Students should share that birds also need a place to rest
and sleep just like we do. They must have a place to call home to take care of their children. “A shelter is a place
that protects an animal from bad weather or from danger.”
• After showing the three pictures I will ask the class “Do you think these birds would be able to survive without
food water, or a shelter? Allow students to answer and provide reasoning. “Food, water, and shelter are the
three basic needs of every animal on Earth. This also includes us, humans! “Can anyone think of another thing
that all animals and humans need to live?” Allow students to answer, look for the response “air.” “That’s right,
we all need air to breathe. Without air, animals and humans would die very quickly, that is, unless you are an
animal that lives underwater.” Students should now be able to identify the four basic needs of living things: air,
water, food, and shelter.
• “How can we help the birds in the wild to meet their basic needs?” Affirm students’ ideas. “We are going to make
design, build, and prepare our very own bird feeders to help the birds around us survive.”
• “I am going to split you up into partners. Each partner will get a milk jug or carton. Each group is going to build a
bird feeder so that the birds can get everything they need to survive. Discuss with your partner how you want to
build your bird feeder. Think about how you can make sure your bird feeder meets all the birds’ needs. Draw
your “plan” on the worksheet provided. The top of your worksheet also asks you to draw a line from the bird to
the things that it must have to survive. Both of your group members should be providing ideas and details to
add to your bird feeder.” Show students a completed bird feeder that I made myself (modeling). Partners will
work on the worksheet collectively.
• “I am going to give you some suggestions for things to include on your bird feeder.” Use my bird feeder as
reference. “There needs to be an opening for the birds to get into the container. You can use your scissors to cut
an opening, but first draw on your container where you would like to get. I am also going to come around to each
group and give you a roll of tape. You might want to cover any edges that are pointy so that the birds don’t get
hurt. There also needs to be a place where the birds can sit. You will have access to wooden sticks you may use.”
Demonstrate for students how to poke holes into the container or glue them on the walls. “We have mini cups
available that you can put on the inside of the container that can be filled with water for the birds to drink. Food
can be simply placed loosely inside your feeder. Birds will find a way to eat it. If you find other ways to meet the
birds’ basic needs, you are free to be creative and use your materials differently. One person from your group
needs to come to the front and gather the supplies for your group. I will assist you as you need with cutting your
milk container or organizing your bird feeder.
• If students are having trouble coming up with ideas I will ask them questions such as “How will the birds be
protected from the rain in your bird feeder? How will the bird be able to find food in your bird feeder? How are
you planning to provide water to the birds that come to your bird feeder?”
• “Today is the first day of working on our bird feeders. We want to put lots of hard work into making our bird
feeders the best we can for the birds. I want you to get as far as you can today, but I do not expect any groups to
finish their bird feeders today. Tomorrow, we will work on painting and decorating our bird feeder. Once all our
bird feeders are ready, we will place them outside near the playground and see if birds come to our feeder.”

VI. Check for understanding.

- I will go around the room and ask students to share their ideas of how they want to make sure the bird will have
their basic needs met in their bird feeder.
- After students have begun constructing their bird feeder, I will ask them about the steps they are taking to add
to their bird feeder. I will also check for progress on their worksheets. Students should not start creating until
they have drawn a design they want to work from.
- I will check for understanding of the what animals need to survive when they share during the closure.

VII. Review learning outcomes / Closure

“Who can remind me the four basic needs that animals and humans need to survive? Call on 4 different
students to answer (each student will give a different element). “Looking at your birdfeeder design so far, which
parts will provide the bird with food, water, or shelter?” Allow students to answer. The next time that the class
works on this project and can finish the bird feeders, students will present their bird feeders with each other.
Students will set their feeders up and students will rotate around the room and view their peers work.

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PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT
- I will informally question students about the basic needs of animals and about the construction of their bird
feeder/their initial planning ideas. I will gauge whether students are able to use materials effectively on their
bird feeder.
- I will collect students’ worksheets in which they locate what birds need to survive and illustrate how they want
their bird feeder to look. These will be given a check, or I will conference privately with groups of partners about
improvements that can be made.
- Students will build on the idea of “what animals need to survive” and start to investigate how the biomes and
environment in which they live impact how needs are.

REFLECTION AND POST-LESSON ANALYSIS

1. How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not, why not?
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
3. How should I alter this lesson?
4. How would I pace it differently?
5. Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?
7. Were students able to visualize ways to construct their bird feeder?
8. Was putting students with a partner beneficial, or should students have worked individually/with a larger
group?
9. Would students be able to apply their knowledge if given another animal to investigate?

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 Name : ____________________________________

Build A Bird Feeder

What do animals need?
1. Draw a line from the bird to all the things it needs to survive

2. Draw a plan for what your bird feeder will look like.