Unit Plan

Theme/Title of plan: Our Planet Grade level: 2nd grade Rationale: In this unit, students will do math, science, and problem-solving activities that relate to Earth Day. Motivation/Classroom Management: For this unit, I will create a Help Our Earth scavenger hunt. Whenever a student completes an activity correctly, he or she receives a clue. At the end of the unit, if students have the full set of clues for the hunt, theyll be able to participate. The scavenger hunt will take place on the schools playground/nature trail area. Goals: 1. Students will understand that different coin combinations can make the same total amount of money. 2. Students will demonstrate money-counting abilities. 3. Students will be able to name all the planets of our solar system in their order of distance from the sun. 4. Students will grasp the concept of the term orbit in relation to our sun and planets. 5. The students will demonstrate the ability to work in groups and to take turns listening to the input of others in addition to offering up their own ideas and opinions. Standards: Instructional strategies: Direct instruction, which is highly teacher-directed and effective for providing information or developing step-by-step skills. It also works well for actively involving students in knowledge construction. Indirect instruction, which seeks a high level of student involvement in observing, investigating, drawing inferences from data, or forming hypotheses, is used in this unit as well. It takes advantage of students' interest and curiosity, often encouraging them to generate alternatives or solve problems. The emphasis in experiential learning is on the process of learning and not on the product. Experiential learning, also utilized in this unit, can be viewed as a cycle consisting of five phases: experiencing (an activity occurs); sharing or publishing (reactions and observations are shared); analyzing or processing (patterns and dynamics are determined); inferring or generalizing (principles are derived); and,

applying (plans are made to use learning in new situations). Lastly, this unit draws upon interactive instruction, which relies heavily on discussion and sharing among participants. Students can learn from peers and teachers to develop social skills and abilities, to organize their thoughts, and to develop rational arguments. Technology: In these particular lessons, I did not utilize technology. Rather, I used a lot of hands-on activities and reading/writing activities. Real World transfer: These lessons teach students valuable money handling skills, and also ways to protect their environment for the good of themselves and those around them.

Math Lesson
Objectives: Students will show the same amount of money in more than one way, using coins. Academic Language: penny, nickel, dime, quarter, recycle, reimburse Activities and Procedures Hook: I will go to the front of the classroom where Ive placed recycling bins for aluminum cans and plastic bottles. Ill explain to and/or remind students that recycling certain materials can actually earn us money to buy things like new books, ice cream, or movie trips! Introduction: I will largely write on the board the amounts each bottle and can are worth when recycled at our Classroom Recycling Center. I might write 2 cents/can and 3 cents/bottle, for example. Ill tell students that these amounts may not seem like a lot, but that most of our families go through many cans and bottles every month. I will next explain to and/or remind students that the same amount of money can be represented in different ways. I will use laminated, magnetic coins to demonstrate on the board different ways to make up fifty cents, seventy-five cents, one dollar, thirty-four cents, etc. I will tell students that recycling center employees may hand out the same amount in different ways. Body: Students will come to the front of the class where our (now emptied) bins are located. One-third of the students will be working at the plastics bin, while another third are manning the aluminum bin. The remaining third of students will be customers, with varying amounts of cans/bottles to redeem. Using the given knowledge of what each can and bottle is worth, the worker students will work together to determine what they owe each customer student. Once the amount owed is determined by the group, students will take turns giving the correct amount. Another student in the group will then give the same amount using a different combination of coins. Ill monitor and closely observe this activity, ensuring that each student gets a turn to pay another student. Students will switch stat ions so that they all get to be both workers and customers. Closing: Students will return to their seats, and Ill ask if there are any questions about what weve done today. I will review what we learned by going over a few examples from our Classroom Recycling Center. I will then pass out their homework, which is a worksheet where theyll circle different coins to come up with the same monetary amount. Evaluation: I will closely observe students to ensure that theyre grasping the objectives of the lesson, and correct them when necessary. Students will also independently complete a worksheet depicting different coin combinations representing the same amount of money. I will collect and evaluate these worksheets.

Differentiation For student with a Learning Disability: For a student with a learning disability, I would just provide more one-on-one instruction in coin counting. Id do this by standing near the student during the whole-class activity. I might also have this student complete their worksheet with me, instead of taking it as homework. This would help me see what extra help, if any, is still needed for the student to grasp the lesson. For student with ADHD: This lesson has a lot of movement and socialization opportunities, which makes it appropriate for students with ADHD. I will re-direct any students who get distracted. Extension Activities: We could use coins to demonstrate counting by ones, fives, and tens.

Science Lesson
Objectives: Students will learn about the positions of different planets in our solar system. This activity will also be a refresher on ordinal numbers. Academic Language: position, solar system, Earth, orbit, rotation Activities and Procedures Hook: I would ask students, How many of you would like some extra time on the playground today? Introduction: I will tell students that well be going outdoors to make a human model of our solar system and the Earths position in that system. I will randomly select students to be planets and then will place a pre-made laminated necklace/label around their necks with the name of the planet theyll represent. I will select one student to be the sun. Body: We will go to the playground and I will assist the students in lining up in the proper order. I will call students forward and then give some key facts about their planet, while all other students listen/watch. I will stress that Earth is the only planet known to support living things. I will provide more facts about Earth than the other planets, as this is the Unit focus. I will introduce a silly phrase to students to help them remember the order of our planets: My (Mercury) Very (Venus) Excellent (Earth) Mother (Mars) Just (Jupiter) Served (Saturn) Us (Uranus) Noodles (Neptune). I will allow all students to orbit the sun, which will allow them to get some physical activity built into their school day. Closing: When we come back into the classroom, Ill read students the book What's So Special About Planet Earth? by Robert E. Wells. This serves to remind students that we must take care of our Earth, because its the most special of all planets. I will lastly pass out a coloring worksheet to further reinforce planetary order. Evaluation: Students will be evaluated on their attentiveness during the lesson. I will look for active participation from each student, and I will also evaluate the worksheet that each student is to complete at the end of the lesson. Differentiation For student with a Learning Disability: I would provide extra guidance and one-on-one assistance to a student with a learning disability. I would also be sure to read this student the worksheet directions aloud, and mark the correct colors next to the color words if he or she is a struggling reader.

For student with ADHD: This lesson is already wonderful for students with ADHD because it combines lots of movement and variety. Extension Activities: I would have students focus more intently on our planet, Earth. We would discuss the various habitats that make up our planet, our weather patterns, the many species of plants and animals that inhabit Earth, etc. When it comes to an Our Planet unit, the possibilities for science lessons are seemingly endless!

Problem-Solving Lesson
Objectives: Students will be able to identify things they can do to save our earth. They will also be able to locate an area at their home that causes high air pollution. Academic Language: project, meetings, conscious, pollutant Activities and Procedures Hook: Explain to students, On a beautiful, spring morning in April, 20,000 people gathered together in Washington D.C. to begin a project to save our earth. It was the 22nd of April in 1970 when Earth Day was born. There were many schools around the United States where Earth Day supporters met to hold their own campaigns. On April 22, 1970, over 20,000,000 people began their fight to save the planet earth. Introduction: Say to students, Wouldnt it be awesome if all of us could do things to help keep our planet beautiful and healthy too? Body: The teacher will read the book, For the Love of Our Earth by P.K. Hallinan to the class. As students listen, have them think of ways they can help save our earth and environment. As a class, brainstorm ideas of things we can do to save our earth. Write down the students responses on the board. Next, students will each trace their hand and write one thing they can do to save the earth in the center of their hand. Hands will be placed on a bulletin board in the classroom titled, "For the Love of Our Earth We Will..." Talk to the class about the different types of things that endanger our environment. Discuss specifically air, water, and land pollutants. With the list the class brain stormed about how they can save the earth, have them categorize their ideas under Water, Land and Air using the worksheet Water, Land and Air Pollutants included in the appendix. Closing: To culminate this lesson, brainstorm as a class a project you could do to protect our environment. Help the students to come up with a specific project that could be done at school or in the community. You could contact your principal, or a local environment protection agency to find out if what youve decided on as a class can realistically be done. As a class, plan on carrying out the project. Evaluation: The Water, Land and Air Pollutants worksheet will be assessed. Differentiation For student with a Learning Disability: When doing the tracing/writing project, this student should be given extra help. I would sit near him or her, and make sure they were grasping what needs to be done.

For student with ADHD: I would allow this student to be my helper when placing student work onto the bulletin board. This would allow for some needed movement and extra stimulation. Extension Activities: Students in the class will be paired off by numbering off 1, 2, 1, 2, etc. Each pair will be given time to think of something that harms our environment and they will also think of a solution to this problem. All 1's will design an environmental poster with their idea of something that harms our environment. All 2's will design a poster illustrating a solution to this problem. You may want to assign pairs specific types of things that harm our land, water, or air so that there are a variety of posters. Students will share their posters with the class. Posters will be displayed throughout the school so the other students may see them.

Lesson Materials