DIXIE STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

STUDENT TEACHING LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

(1/25/13)
Teacher Candidate Adriana Villanueva

Grade Level

4th

Title: Comparing Deserts and Coral Reefs

CONTEXTUAL FACTORS (classroom factors)

28 Students

21 boys 7 girls

5 students with behavior problems.

4 students with IEP: 1 for depression and defiant behavior, 1 for academic support,
1 for anxiety and social misconduct, and 1 for Aspergers.

7 High-ability students: High abilities include mathematics, reading, writing, and

other language arts functions.

7 struggling learners.

3 ELL students, 2 of them have tested out of the ELL program (tested on a WIDA
level 6 or higher), 1 is WIDA level 4. 1 of these students receives additional
academic support as outlined in their IEP.

Classroom environment:
The students are all seated in tables and there are 4-5 students at each table. There is a
Smart Board located at the front of the classroom that is connected to an overhead
projector. There is also an Elmo projector that is connected to the computer and can
display on the Smart Board. Each student has a designated iPad where they complete
multiple assignments throughout the day.

WALK-AWAY (As a result of this lesson, what do I want the students to know, understand, and be able to do?)
State Standard/Objective:

Reading: Informational Text Standard 5

Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect,
problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.
ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE (What evidence do I need to show the students have
learned the Walk-Away?)
Formative Evidence (checking for understanding throughout the lesson):
Students will be able to fill in a Venn Diagram comparing desert biomes and coral reef

Modifications/Accomodations (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)

-Provide students with

many prompts about

biomes.
Content Walk-Away Evidence (Summative):
I will identify the similarities and differences between a coral reef and a desert.
Language Walk-Away Evidence (Summative):
I will write about how coral reefs and deserts are similar and different.
SIOP 1,2,3

Approx
.
Time
5
minute
s

different things that

they can compare and
contrast.
-Provide HAL students
with opportunities to
share their thinking with
the class.

ACTIVE LEARNING PLAN

Activate/Building Background Knowledge

Yesterday, we compared and contrasted different plants, creatures, and areas found in a coral reef. We filled
out a Venn Diagrams to organize this information. Venn Diagrams are great tools when identifying how
things are similar and how they are different. Today, we are going to use the information that we learned
about coral reefs to compare them to deserts.
SIOP 7,8,9
Formative assessment:
Learning Goal
Success Criteria
Assessment Strategy
Students understand that when
Students are attentive and
Students will be assessed through
we compare and contrast items,
engaged while we discuss the
observation according to how
we look at both the similarities
previous days lesson.
they participate.
and the differences between those
two items.
Modification/accommodations: (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)
Call on ELL student to remind the class how information on Venn Diagrams are organized.
Focus Lesson (I do it)
Although it may seem that deserts and coral reefs are different, they do have many similar characteristics.
We can compare and contrast desert biomes according to the different plants, animals, and climate that is
found in those areas. We can also think about what the environments look like.
Write these points on the board.
I am going to go back to the A Walk in the Desert story on page 546 to remind myself of the different things
that can be found in a desert.
Open book to page 546. Do a quick picture walk and discuss the features of a desert.
The first thing that stuck out to me was the different climates in deserts and coral reefs. Deserts have very
hot, dry climates. I was able to get this information from page 548. This is a unique feature to deserts, and I
am going to record it on the Venn Diagram.
From reading At Home in the Coral Reef, I learned that coral reefs have very tropical climates. They
definitely are not as dry and hot as a desert! I will record this information on the Venn Diagram as well.
SIOP 10,11.12.
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Students are able to understand
how to retrieve information from
the text in order to compare and
contrast.

Success Criteria
Students are attentive while I
present this information to them.
They are also filling out their own
Venn Diagram.

Modification/accommodations:
Write information on the big Venn Diagram at the front of the room.
Guided Instruction (We do it)

Assessment Strategy
Students will be assessed through
observation, and their ability to
fill in their Venn Diagram.

I compared the climate of a desert to that of a coral reef. I can also compare the animals found in a desert to
the animals found in a coral reef. What is an animal that is found in a desert? In a coral reef? Look back in
the story if you need a reminder.
Use sticks to randomly select students to answer the questions. Allow enough wait time for students to
think before calling on somebody. Record their answers on the big Venn Diagram at the front of the room.
SIOP 12,16,18
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Success Criteria
Assessment Strategy
Students are able to compare the
Students are able to participate in Students will be assessed through
animals in a desert to the animals a group discussion and assist the
questioning and observation.
found in a coral reef.
class with filling in the Venn
Diagram. They are also filling out
their own Venn Diagram.
Modification/accommodations:
Allow enough wait time for ELL, struggling learners, and IEP students to think.
Collaborative/Cooperative (You do it together)
Work as a table and think of other things that we can compare and contrast. When you come up with
something unique, send someone up from your group to write it on the Venn Diagram.
Use A Walk in the Desert and At Home at the Coral Reef to refer to in order to obtain more information. The
class goal is to have this entire Venn Diagram filled up!
SIOP 16,18,21,22. 23,24, 25
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Success Criteria
Assessment Strategy
Students are able to work
Students are able to work with
Students will be assessed through
collaboratively to find similarities the members of their table and
observation, and also by the
and differences about deserts and identify similarities and
information that they record on
coral reefs.
differences between deserts and
the big Venn Diagram.
coral reefs.
Modification/accommodations:
Assist struggling learners and provide them with helpful prompts.
Independent (You do it alone)
**This section will be completed on the following day!
Using the information from the Venn Diagram, write a 3-4 page essay comparing deserts to coral reefs. Make
sure that you address multiple ways that coral reefs and deserts are unique to each other, as well as how they
are similar.
Dont forget to include a strong conclusion paragraph that wraps everything up!
Summative Assessment:
Students are able to write about how coral reefs and deserts are similar and different.
Modification/accommodations:
The big Venn Diagram at the front of the room will act as a visual aid and writing prompt to ELLs and
struggling learners.
SIOP 23,30
Closure/Review of walk-aways, vocabulary, and essential questions
Today, we compared coral reefs to deserts. Were there more similarities or more differences between coral
reefs and deserts? What is something unique that you discovered through this activity?
Allow sufficient wait time for students to think.
SIOP 27,28,29

SIOP Indicators (Add SIOP number and description within the lesson plan)
Preparation: 1-Content objectives, 2-Language objectives, 3-Content appropriate, 4-Supplementary
materials, 5-Adaptation of content, 6-Meaningful activities
Building Background: 7-Linked to background, 8-Linked to past learning, 9-Key vocabulary

Comprehensive Input: 10-Appropriate speech, 11-Clear explanation, 12-Variety of techniques

Interaction: 16-Opportunity for interaction, 17-Grouping supports objectives, 18-Wait time, 19Opportunity for L1 students
Practice/Application: 20-Hands-on materials, 21-Activities to apply content/language knowledge, 22Language skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking
Lesson Delivery: 23-Content objective supported, 24-Language objective supported, 25-Students
engaged, 26-Pacing
Review/Assessment: 27-Review vocabulary, 28-Review concepts, 29-Feedback, 30-Assessment

TEACHING NOTES
What do I need to remember to do? What materials do I need to have ready? What is the approximate time needed for
this lesson?

REFLECTION AFTER LESSON

How can I use the assessment data to reflect on & evaluate the outcomes of teaching and learning? How can I transfer
what I learned from teaching this lesson to future teaching? What was effective and not effective? What goals can I set
to improve my practice and student learning?