Benjamin Bergmans Lesson Plan 1: Population Density Map

Goal
Students will read maps (including simple keys) to make evidence-based
inferences about human population tendencies.
Students will conclude that people live near water bodies because water is used
for drinking and growing food.
PA Core Standards (Geography)
7.2.K.B. Identify land and water forms.
7.4.K.A. Identify local bodies of water and landforms to gain an understanding of
their impact on the local community.
7.1.1.A. Identify geographic tools.
7.2.1.B. Identify the basic physical processes that affect the physical
characteristics of places.
7.1.1.B. Describe places in geographic reference in physical features.
Materials and Preparation
Smartboard (technology)
Google Map of Philly
Population density map of the US
Pencils for every student
Terrain map of Niger
Population density map of Niger (worksheet) for every student
Plan
1. I will hook the students by explaining that we will be using maps to learn about
why people live in Philadelphia and other areas.
2. Before getting into the lesson, I will review norms of behavior and consequences.
3. Students will say aloud what they notice about the Google Map of Philadelphia. I
will guide students to notice that two rivers run along the city. I will explain that a
lot of people live in Philadelphia because of the rivers. I will ask students why it is
important to live near a river. I will guide students towards the conclusion that
people live near rivers because we drink water and use it to grow plants for food.
(8 minutes)
4. Next I will show a population density map of the US on the Smartboard. (I will
create the map myself so that it is basic. The map will clearly show that people
tend to live on the coasts. The key will be very simple: Red - Many people; Blue Some people; Yellow - Few people). I will ask students what they notice, and

guide students to the conclusion that many people live near the oceans. I will ask
students why they think people live near the oceans. (8 minutes)
5. Then I will show students a terrain map of Niger on the Smartboard. (The map
will clearly demarcate how the north of Niger is desert and the south is
grasslands). I will ask students where they think people live in Niger, and why. I
will guide students to the conclusion that people live in the south because it gets
more rain. (5 minutes)
6. Students will go back to their seats. They will each be given a worksheet with a
population density map of Niger (with only two different densities) and questions
about the map. I will review the worksheet aloud because some students have
trouble reading. I will pair students who have trouble reading with those who can
read well. One question will ask them to write one sentence describing what the
map is telling them. Another question will ask them to write why they think (infer)
most people live in the south. The worksheet will provide hints (e.g. the north of
Niger is desert, and gets very little rain). A final question may even ask them to
write why they think rain is so important. (15 minutes)
7. I will discuss the answers with the class, calling on students to share their
responses. (5 minutes).
Assessment
While students are on the carpet reviewing maps as a class (steps 3-5), I will
observe which students are able to explain why people live near water. I will
observe what students notice about the maps, paying attention to how well
students use geographic keys and landmarks. These observations will simply be
mental notes.
While students are doing seat work (step 6), I will walk around the room
assessing student work by looking at what students are writing and by answering
student questions.
During step 7, the concluding discussion, I will call on students who have trouble
writing and reading to share why they think people live in the part of Niger where
it rains a lot. The reason for calling on these students is because they may have
difficulty expressing their thoughts in writing.
I will collect the worksheets for further analysis. I will consider things like... If a
student could not answer a question is it because they could not read the
question, they could not read the map to answer the question, or they could not
write their thoughts. A follow-up lesson may be necessary depending on the
results of the assessment data.
Benjamin Bergmans Lesson Plan 2: Growing Plants Experiment

Goal

Students will be introduced to the scientific process.

Students will formulate a hypothesis and test it with an experiment.
Students will plant a vegetable seed.
Students will water their plant and place it in sunlight.

PA Core Standards (Biological Sciences)

3.1.1.A2. Investigate the dependence of living things on the suns energy, water,
food/nutrients, air, living space, and shelter.
3.1.1.A5. Identify and describe plant parts and their function.
3.1.1.B1. Grow plants from seed and describe how they grow and change.
Materials and Preparation
Small planting containers filled with soil for every student
Vegetable seeds
Cups labeled with the students name and measurement markings
Gallon of water
Science notebooks and pencils
Windowsill labeled with each students name to further minimize confusion about
whose plant is whose.
Plan
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.
6.

7.
8.

I will hook the students by telling them they will be growing their own plant.
I will review norms of behavior and consequences.
I will describe to students the scientific process. (5 minutes)
In their notebook, students will write down the question: How much water do
plants need to grow. I will explain that some students will be growing plants by
watering the plant a cup (perhaps not an actual cup but a mini one) each class
period, and others will water theirs just a cup. I will model how to write a
hypothesis about which will grow more, and students will write their own
hypothesis. (e.g. I predict that the plants receiving more water will grow more).
(15 minutes)
Students will be given a container of soil and a vegetable seed. Students will be
instructed, with modeling, how to plant the seed. (10 minutes)
After planting, I will fill each students cup (either a half or quarter full) and they
will then water their plant. While filling cups we will discuss the importance of
water for plants. (10 minutes)
Students will bring their plant to the windowsill for sunlight. There will be a brief
discussion on the importance of sunlight for growing plants. (5 minutes)
I will ask each student to write in their notebook two things plants need to grow.
(5 minutes)

Assessment
I will collect the science notebooks to determine whether students were able to
formulate a hypothesis. For those students who have trouble writing, I will ask
them to verbally tell me their prediction.
I will observe how well students can plant their seed, water it, and place it in on
the windowsill in accordance with my directions.
I will notice whether students can identify the seed as such.
Overall, the goals of this lesson are not demanding, and so an assessment of
this lesson is not rigorous. However, follow-up lessons in which students write
and describe the changes in their plant and record results should provide me
evidence of whether or not students are learning the PA Core Standards in
Biology written at the beginning of this lesson plan.

Benjamin Bergmans Lesson Plan 3: Plants Need Water

Goal
Students will be able to identify the main idea of a nonfiction text.
Students will be able to identify the reasons an author gives in support of their
main idea.
PA Core Standard (Reading)
CC.1.2.1.H Identify the reasons an author gives to support points in a text.
Materials and Preparation
Scotch tape
Dry-erase board and markers
Water and You text
Paper cutouts of the texts details will be taped on the dry-erase board
prior to the start of the lesson.
Water and Plants text and graphic organizer worksheet for every student

 There are three different versions of the text to accommodate different

reading levels. Each of the differentiated versions has the same main idea
and the same supporting reasons.
Pencils for every student
Plan
1. Upon transitioning the students from their seats to the carpet, I will hook
students into the lesson by telling them that we will be learning about why they
need water to live.
2. I will review norms of behavior and consequences.
3. I will introduce the lesson by telling students that they will be learning about main
ideas and supporting details in nonfiction texts. I will engage the students prior
knowledge by reviewing the definitions they already learned for main idea and
supporting details. I will then ask a (few) student(s) to explain these concepts in
their own words. (2 minutes)
4. Next I will explain to the students the importance of being able to identify the
main idea of a nonfiction text. (1 minute)
5. I will read aloud Water and You. As I read, I will explain how I go about
identifying the main point of a text (e.g. looking at the texts title). (6 minutes)
6. After reading the text, I will ask students what the main point is. (3 minutes)
7. I will then write the main point (i.e. humans need water to live) on the dry-erase
board and explain to the students that this is what I consider to be the main idea,
and I will briefly explain why I think its the main idea, citing evidence from the
text. (2 minutes)
8. Next I will explain that the taped pieces of paper on the dry-erase board each
contain a detail of the text, but only some of these details are reasons to support
the authors point. One-by-one I will read aloud the details and ask students
whether they think it is supportive of the main point. Students will use a thumbsup or thumbs-down method to express their opinion. If the class opinion of a
detail is divided, I will call on students to explain their reasoning. I will separate
supportive details from the other details. (6 minutes)

9. Before students go back to their seats, I will explain to them their next task: They
will need to read a new text about water called Water and Plants, and they will
need to use the graphic organizer on the back to write down the authors point
and three reasons the author gives which support it. (1 minute)
10. Students transition to their seats. As students are sitting, I will give each student
the version of the text/graphic organizer which corresponds to their reading level.
(1-2 minutes)
11. As students work I will walk around the room answering questions. I anticipate
having many questions about how to spell or read a word. I will help guide
students in their formulation of a main idea sentence by asking questions like,
What was this text mostly about? Students will also be helping one another,
and the classroom norm of them doing so is well established. (20 minutes)
12. I will ask students to share their main idea sentence and supporting details, and I
will elaborate on student responses as necessary. (3 minutes)
13. I will collect the graphic organizers. (1 minute)
Assessment
After the read aloud I will ask students what the main idea is; student responses
will begin to give me an understanding of their ability to identify the main idea of a
nonfiction text.
After the read aloud students will express their opinion (using the thumbs-up
method) on whether a detail supports the main idea or not. During this time I will
quickly scan the room to see which students are identifying the supporting details
correctly. This initial assessment will begin to help me determine which students I
should spend relatively more time helping during the follow-up reading activity.
While walking around the class helping students during the follow-up activity, I
will be continually assessing how well each student is able to identify the main
point and supporting reasons by observing what they write in their graphic
organizer and by talking to students. At the end of the lesson I will collect the
graphic organizers for further analysis. I will write down notes on each students
(mis)understandings. If I notice a pattern of misunderstanding (e.g. confusing a

reason for the main point) amongst a sizeable portion of the students, I will
consider planning a mini-lesson to address this misunderstanding.