Citizen Science Lesson Plan

Date: 11/10/2014
Goals/Objectives:
Students will be able to demonstrate that plants and animals have specific requirements to
survive by drawing a picture of an animal and plant of their choice.
Students will also do a watch for wild in the park and will use technology to record their
findings.
Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs):
L.OL.04.15 Determine that plants require air, water, light, and a source of energy and building
material for growth and repair.
L.OL.04.16 Determine that animals require air, water, and a source of energy and building
material for growth and repair.
ISTE-T Standards:
3. Research and information fluency - Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use
information.
a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry
b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of
sources and media
c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to
specific tasks
d. Process data and report results
5. Digital citizenship - Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to
technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.
a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology
b. Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and
productivity
c. Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning
d. Exhibit leadership for digital citizenship
Materials & Supplies Needed:
Access to the park
Notepads
Pencils
Computer with Internet Access - http://scistarter.com/project/874-Watch%20the%20Wild
Transportation for students with physical disabilities

Activity Element
& Time (in
minutes)

Procedures and management

Academic, social & linguistic

adaptations, resources, and
support

Introduction
(30 seconds)

Plant and animals are both living things! Do they both

need the same things to survive?

Activity 1
(15 minutes)

Students will read the chapter on plant and animals in

groups of three and will make a Venn Diagram showing
what needs animals and plants share in common and the
needs that they have that are different.

Transition

Walk as a class with parent chaperones to the nearest

park (only 0.5 miles away).

Activity 2
(20 minutes)

Transition

Activity 3
(15 minutes)

Students will work in their groups of three watching for

plants and animals at the nearest park and descriptively
write about what they see. They will also take note of
any of the needs they notice of the animals and plants in
the wild that they see.
After walking back from the park have students sit in
their groups of three from the wild watch
Students will take turns recording their findings on
scistarter.com in their groups of 3. Groups who are
waiting will begin Activity 4.

Transition

Activity 4
(15 minutes)

Conclusion:

Have students get out a piece of paper and write their

name on it.
Students will choose one animal and one plant and will
draw and label different parts of them on their piece of
paper. Then they will list and draw the needs of each
animal.
Now we know the needs of both plants and animals!
We will dig deeper into this topic next week.

Auditory discussion helps

less visual learners.
Discussion also allows
for the building of
communication and
social skills.
Social collaboration and
multiple modes of
learning with
organizational charts,
discussion, and reading.
Students with physical
disabilities will have the
opportunity to be driven
to the park by one of our
chaperones.
Working in groups can
help students collaborate
academically and
socially.

Working with technology

in a research-based way
supports students who are
technology-based
learners.

Written and visual

demonstration of learning
meets needs of multiple
learning styles.