Early Childhood Special Education Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Megan Ryan

Grade Level: K

Life Cycle of An Apple

Unit of Study: Fall
Goal of Lesson (Common Core State Standards/Division of Early Childhood where appropriate)
This will be our first science lesson that explores the concept a Life cycle. After the lesson is complete, students will be
assessed by explaining through words and pictures what they have learned. This is important because it is a common core
standard for Kindergarten and will be referred back to throughout the science curriculum this year.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the
effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
Objectives:
Students will be able to identify and describe the steps of the life cycle with 100% accuracy.
Pre-Assessment:
The class will do a whole group activity where we read a story discussing the life cycle. From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons.
This book will introduce our science unit study of the Life cycle. In order to introduce them to this unit and set the stage for
the study of life cycles we will discuss the different stages of how an apple grows. (Soil Plant Water/Sunlight Grow)
Before, during, and after reading the story, the teacher will use a checklist to obtain data about how many students in the
classroom understand the concept of a cycle before the activity.
Post-Assessment:
In order to assess whether students have fully grasped the concept of a life cycle, or how an apple grows, students will
complete an assignment to show their development and understanding. Each child will produce a picture story, correctly
identifying the different stages of the life cycle of how an apple grows. Teacher will assess students understanding of the
apple life cycle based on their project and accuracy in which they identify the different stages.
Materials:
Students will work in groups. Each group will need a small planting pot, soil, seeds, water, and grown apples to perform our
experiment.
We will use a smart board to go through the life cycle together after reading the story to simulate the way in which the process
works. Students will interact by adding soil, seeds, water, sunlight etc.

The activity will include pre-cut stages of the life cycle, pictures, and crayons , scissors, glue and paper. Based on their
capabilities each group will use different materials to create their picture story of a life cycle.
Use of Technology:
The smart board will be used to show the class how the life cycle works before they explore with the materials at their tables.
This will be helpful because it will provide whole-group instruction before exploration to ensure that they have an idea of the
information beforehand.
Differentiation:
Besides the reading of the story, every stage of this lesson will be differentiated.
Different groups will have different supports during the lesson. AAC devices, audio-visual devices, and other technologies will
be used as necessary to promote learning.
Different materials will be provided for students during the assessment part of the activity in order to ensure that they will
have the opportunity to succeed. The different materials listed in the materials section will be used and divided based on each
childs wants and needs. Based on the materials they are given each child should have the opportunity to create their picture
story with as little teachers assistance as possible. Support will be given when necessary and warranted.
Seating Configuration/Use of Physical Space:
Children will participate in listening to the story together and as a class we will use the smart board to simulate the life cycle of
the apple.
Groups will be used for the exploration and assessment parts of the activity in order to successfully assign teaching assistants
and materials based on needs. We will use the carpet for the story and the tables for the smart board and activity.
Teaching roles and collaboration:
While the lead teacher reads the story, other teaching assistants will be setting up the smart board activity and various
materials. Seating configurations have already been discussed so each teacher knows where to place materials for each group.
During the activity, the group with the lowest functioning will have a teacher at their table to assist with exploration and
completion of the activity.
One teacher should be circulating at all times in order to promote all students success and monitor use of materials and
progress.
Classroom Management:
For children without individual behavior plans, a Working Towards chart will be created. Based on the needs of the

classroom children will either individually or as a whole work towards a reward. Rewards will be discussed and decided with
the help of the teacher. Rewards will be given periodically throughout the day, specifically during Work Time. Students that
are participating appropriately will earn stickers towards their reward.
For children with interfering behaviors and individual behavior plans, rewards and consequences will be decided on an
individual basis. If behavior is not interfering with learning of the class, attention or breaks will be given to further their own
learning if does not result in an interference.
Engagement of students/anticipatory set/Motivation:
Students will be excited to learn more about the way apples grow because it is our first life cycle study that will lead to life
cycle studies of plants and then butterflies!
After this lesson about how an apple grows, we will eat apples as a class for snack!
Connection to Previous lesson/Prior Knowledge:
While the concept of a life cycle may be new for many of the students, they understand that they grow so we will make the
connection about how we grow to understand the way apples grow.
Lesson Presentation:
Estimated Time:
The lesson will be introduced with the story by Gail Gibbons. This will be how we present the concept of growth and begin to
study the apples!
After we read the story and participate with the smart board activity and before we explore with the materials, the lead
teacher will create examples of each type of assessment activity on their. One option will be to order pre-cut life stages for
children to glue, other children will have to cut the stages out and order them, and the highest functioning students will be
expected to draw and label their own pictures to create the picture story. These will all be modeled on the smart board.
Using the materials directly at each table will help the students interact directly with the objectives of the lesson and further
their understanding.
We will use our transition cues and independent activities during and after the lesson to allow students to move from each
stage of the lesson.
Guided Practice/Active Involvement/Small group work/Independent Practice:
Estimated Time:
In our science center for this week, these materials will be made available to these children to allow them to continue to
explore after the lesson is finished.
Independent work will be utilized for homework where students can show their parents what theyve learned and continue to

work on these concepts

Final Summary/Closure:
Estimated Time:
We will make a class chart on the smart board about all the ideas that we discussed and learned during this activity. We will
use this time and chart to Segway into our next life cycle study of a plant.
Extension:
The students learning during this lesson will be reinforced throughout the year with different exploration of life cycles during
this science unit.