Brandeis University Education Program Unit Plan Format 1. Demographics of Students: In Mrs.

Walls third grade class in Arlington, MA, there is 1 IEP student, 1 ELL student, and 1 504 plan student. The students are ostl! "hite and #ro upper iddle class $ac%grounds. There is 1 $iracial student, 1 student #ro India, and 1 Latino student. The school co unit! is &er! tight'%nit, "ith a strong PT( and a ton o# parent in&ol&e ent. Man! classroo e&ents, acti&ities, and special aterials are #unded through support #ro the PT(. 2. Unit opic: Li#e )cience *+iolog!,- Plant )tructures and .unctions !. Big "dea#s$: Plants need sunlight, "ater, and nutrients to sur&i&e. Plants need to $e pollinated in order to produce seeds. Insects are one "a! plants can $e pollinated. Plants ha&e a predicta$le li#e c!cle that includes seed, adult plant, #lo"ers, and seed production. Plants are crucial to our ecos!ste $ecause the! pla! an i portant role in aiding other li&ing things sur&i&e. Essential %uestions: What do plants need to gro"/ Wh! are insects i portant to plants/ 0o" do plants a%e seeds/ What happens in each stage o# a plants li#e c!cle/ Unit &'(ectives a. )no*ledge &utcomes: 1ear'Pod Pre'Assess ent Assess students prior %no"ledge a$out plants, seeds, and plant li#e c!cles )tandards addressedMA- )cience and Technolog!2Engineering, MA- 3rades 4 ' 5 , Li#e )cienc *+iolog!, Plant )tructures and .unctions 5. Identi#! the structures in plants *lea&es, roots, #lo"ers, ste , $ar%, "ood, that are responsi$le #or #ood production, support, "ater transport, reproduction, gro"th, and protection. 4. 6ecogni7e that plants and ani als go through predicta$le li#e c!cles that include $irth, gro"th, de&elop ent, reproduction, and death. ($ser&ation 8ournal Lesson on Plant 3ro"th-

 The plant li#e c!cle has si9 predicta$le parts o# its li#e c!cle- seed, $a$! plant, adult plant, #lo"ering, seed production, and death. )tandards addressed)cienceMA- )cience and Technolog!2Engineering, MA- 3rades 4 5, Li#e )cience *+iolog!, Plant )tructures and .unctions5. Identi#! the structures in plants *lea&es, roots, #lo"ers, ste , $ar%, "ood, that are responsi$le #or #ood production, support, "ater transport, reproduction, gro"th, and protection. 4. 6ecogni7e that plants and ani als go through predicta$le li#e c!cles that include $irth, gro"th, de&elop ent, reproduction, and death. MathMA. 4. M:. 4 :ra" a scaled picture graph and a scaled $ar graph to represent data set "ith se&eral categories. )ol&e one and t"o step ;ho" an! ore< and ;ho" an! less< pro$le s using in#or ation presented in scaled $ar graphs. .or e9a ple, dra" a $ar graph in "hich each s=uare in the $ar graph ight represent 5 pets. MA. 4. M:. 4 3enerate easure ent data $! easuring lengths using rulers ar%ed "ith hal&es and #ourths o# an inch. )ho" the data $! a%ing a line plot, "here the hori7ontal scale is ar%ed o## in appropriate units "hole nu $ers, hal&es, or =uarters. .ruit :issection #or )eeds )eeds "ill $eco e plants. Each seed is uni=ue so it "ill produce its o"n uni=ue plant .ruit is the #lo"er part o# a plant and it has seeds in it and that a plant produces an! seeds )tandards addressedMA- )cience and Technolog!2Engineering, MA- 3rades 4 ' 5 , Li#e )cience *+iolog!, Plant )tructures and .unctions 5. Identi#! the structures in plants *lea&es, roots, #lo"ers, ste , $ar%, "ood, that are responsi$le #or #ood production, support, "ater transport, reproduction, gro"th, and protection. Annos Magic )eeds )eeds "ill not gro" i# the! are not properl! ta%en care o# or recei&e too uch o# "hat the! need. )eeds are the #irst step in a plants predicta$le li#e c!cle. )tandards addressed)cience- MA- )cience and Technolog!2Engineering, MA3rades 4 ' 5 , Li#e )cience *+iolog!, Plant )tructures and .unctions 5. Identi#! the structures in plants *lea&es, roots, #lo"ers, ste , $ar%, "ood, that are responsi$le #or #ood production,

support, "ater transport, reproduction, gro"th, and protection. Math- MA- >urriculu .ra e"or% #or Mathe atics4.(A.4- ?se ultiplication and di&ision "ithin 100 to sol&e "ord pro$le s in situations in&ol&ing e=ual groups, arra!s, and easure ent =uantities, e.g., $! using dra"ings and e=uations "ith a s! $ol #or the un%no"n nu $er to represent the pro$le :I Literac! Lesson #or Plant ?nit )eeds are created through the process o# pollination- ;"hen pollen #ro one #lo"er lands on the stig a o# another, it gro"s a pollen tu$e, #inds @anA egg cell, and together the! a%e a seed.< *>ole 55, Plants ha&e a set li#e c!cle "ith distinct parts. These parts are seed creation, seed, !oung plant2sprout, adult plant, #lo"ers, and seed production. )eeds "ho dont recei&e sun, "ater, and into plants. )tandards addressedMA- )cience and Technolog!2 Engineering, MA- 3rades 4' 5, Li#e )cience *+iolog!, Plant )tructures and .unctions 5. Identi#! the structures in plants *lea&es, roots, #lo"ers, ste , $ar%, "ood, that are responsi$le #or #ood production, support, "ater transport, reproduction gro"th, and protection 4. 6ecogni7e that plants and ani als go through predicta$le li#e c!cles that include $irth, gro"th, de&elop ent, reproduction, and death. 0ai%u Plant Lesson To co prehend "hat distinguishes a hai%u #ro other #or s o# poetr!- an ancient #or o# 8apanese poetr!, the! are co onl! a$out nature, and the! ha&e three lines- the #irst ha&ing #i&e s!lla$les, the second ha&ing se&en s!lla$les, and the third ha&ing #i&e s!lla$les. )tandards addressed)cience- MA- )cience and Technolog!2Engineering, MAinerals "ill not gro"

3rades 4 ' 5, Li#e )cience *+iolog!, Plant )tructures and .unctions 5. Identi#! the structures in plants *lea&es, roots, #lo"ers, ste , $ar%, "ood, that are responsi$le #or #ood production, support, "ater transport, reproduction, gro"th, and protection. 4. 6ecogni7e that plants and ani als go through predicta$le li#e c!cles that include $irth, gro"th, de&elop ent, reproduction, and death. ELA- MA. >urriculu .ra e"or% #or ELA B.A. Identi#! ele ents o# poetr! *e.g., rh! e, rh!th , #igurati&e language, alliteration, ono atopoeia,. C. E9plain ho" speci#ic aspects o# a te9ts illustrations contri$ute to "hat is con&e!ed $! the "ords in a stor! e.g., create ood, e phasi7e aspects o# a character or setting,. 5. 6e#er to parts o# stories, dra as, and poe s "hen "riting or spea%ing a$out a te9t, using ter s such as chapter, scene, and stan7aD descri$e ho" each successi&e part $uilds on earlier sections 4. :eter ine the eaning o# "ords and phrases as the! are used in a te9t, distinguishing literal #ro nonliteral language 0ands'(n Pollination Lesson When pollen #ro #or ed. one #lo"er eets another #lo"er, a seed is an! "a!s, including insects and

.lo"ers can $e pollinated in "ind. )tandards addressed-

)cience-MA- )cience and Technolog!2Engineering, MA3rades 4 ' 5, Li#e )cience *+iolog!, Plant )tructures and .unctions 4. 6ecogni7e that plants and ani als go through predicta$le li#e c!cles that include $irth, gro"th, de&elop ent, reproduction, and death. Plant Panto i e Plants ha&e a set li#e c!cle "ith si9 predicta$le parts o# its li#e

c!cle- seed, $a$! plant, adult plant, #lo"ering, seed production, and death. )tandards addressedMA: Science and Technology/Engineering, MA: Grades 3 5 , Life Science (Biology) Plant Structures and Functions 2. Identify the structures in plants (leaves, roots, flowers, stem, bark, wood) that are responsible for food production, support, water transport, reproduction, growth, and protection 3. Recognize that plants and animals go through predictable life cycles that include birth, growth, development, reproduction, and death. '. S+ill &utcomes 1ear'Pod Pre'Assess ent )tudents "ill $e a$le to engage in ultiple ethods o# assess ent to sho"case their prior %no"ledge )tudents "ill $e a$le to operate their o"n iPads to $uild ore e9perience "ith technolog!. ($ser&ation 8ournal Lesson on Plant 3ro"th )tudents "ill $e a$le to "rite a$out and dra" "hat the! o$ser&e a$out their plant each da!, including easuring the plant. )tudents "ill $e a$le to ta%e part in the li#e o# their plant $! ta%ing care o# it and gi&ing it the necessar! attention it needs to go through its entire li#e c!cle. )tudents "ill $e a$le to $ring all their data together and co pare their data to that o# their class ates. .ruit :issection #or )eeds )tudents "ill $e a$le to dissect #ruit and identi#! the seeds in each #ruit. )tudents "ill $e a$le to note the di##erence in each #ruits seeds )tudents "ill $e a$le to dra" "hat the seeds loo% li%e and descri$e "hat the! loo% li%e )tudents "ill $e a$le to articulate that the #ruit is the #lo"er portion o# the plant, the #ruit contains seeds, and the seeds #ro the #ruits can produce a plant Annos Magic )eeds )tudents "ill $e a$le to discuss the purpose o# seeds "hile in ath class, and "ill "itness ho" "hat the! are learning in ath lends itsel# to science. )tudents "ill $e a$le to re&ie" their %no"ledge o# ultiplication and di&ision nu $er stories and "rite out their procedure #or

sol&ing the pro$le . )tudents "ill $e a$le to listen to and discuss the stor! read aloud to the . :I Literature Lesson #or Plant ?nit )tudents "ill $e a$le to read and &er$all! discuss a le&eled $oo% #or their speci#ic reading group. )tudents "ill $e a$le to "rite and dra" their o"n interpretations o# the process o# pollination and the plant li#e c!cle. )tudents "ill $e a$le to present "hat the! ha&e created "ith the rest o# their group. 0ai%u Plant Lesson )tudents "ill $e a$le to &er$ali7e "hat characteristics poe a hai%u. a%e a athe atical

)tudents "ill $e a$le to de&ise three di##erent hai%u poe s and illustrate pictures to go along "ith the . )tudents "ill $e a$le to closel! e9a ine nature and ta%e notes on "hat the! see )tudents "ill $e a$le to present one hai%u to a group o# si9 students. 0ands'(n Pollination Lesson )tudents "ill $e a$le to discuss and "rite a$out ho" pollination "or%s )tudents "ill $e a$le to e9a ine "hat happens during the process o# pollination using e&er!da! o$Eects. Plant Panto i e )tudents "ill $e a$le to ph!sicall! participate in the li#e c!cle o# a plant $! using their $odies and #ull! co it to panto i ing an en&iron ent #ro their i aginations. )tudents "ill $e a$le to descri$e di##erent o ents the! e9perienced "hile participating in the stor! and &er$all! re#lect upon their e9periences.

 )tudents "ill $e a$le to identi#! and discuss the plant li#e c!cle a#ter the e9perience. Briefly Descri'e ,ssessment of ,'ove -esson . Unit &utcomes (How will you determine what the students have learned during and as a result of the lesson? What evidence from the lesson supports your beliefs about student learning?) a. Formative assessments 1ear'Pod Pre'Assess ent- I "ill %no" "hat the! ha&e learned $ased on their ans"ers to the 1earPod =uestions. +! assessing their %no"ledge through dra"ing, "riting, and ultiple choice, all in one sitting, it sho"s ! $elie# that students need to $e a$le to sho"case "hat the! %no" in ore "a!s than one. ($ser&ation 8ournal Lesson on Plant 3ro"th- What the! ha&e learned "ill $e $ased on their "ritings and dra"ings in their plant Eournal. Allo"ing students ultiple "a!s to articulate "hat the! o$ser&e aligns "ith ! $elie# a$out student learning $ecause it accounts #or nu erous learning st!les. .ruit :issection #or )eeds- I "ill deter ine their grasp o# the lesson $ased on "hat students can articulate during the e9perience, ho" the! descri$e each seed, and ho" the! dra" each seed. Again, allo"ing ! students an! "a!s to sho"case their learning can reall! sho" ho" uch a student understands and "here there are still gaps in their %no"ledge $ase. Annos Magic )eeds- )tudents "ill de onstrate "hat the! ha&e learned $ased on their responses to the "ord pro$le s, "hich need to include a picture and a "ritten e9planation o# ho" the! sol&ed the pro$le . .urther ore, $ecause each pro$le $uilds on the ne9t one, and all the ans"ers to each pro$le need to $e correct in order to sol&e all o# the , it holds students accounta$le #or their learning and a%ing sure the! understand each step o# the pro$le $e#ore the! o&e to the ne9t one. :I Literac! Lesson- )tudents "ill sho"case "hat the! ha&e learned $! the "or% the! produce on their di##erentiated acti&it!. A teacher "ill also $e a$le to assess the during the actual lesson $! chec%ing their co prehension on their reading. This lesson o##ers "a!s #or the students to process their thin%ing in a s all group and then on their o"n to solidi#! their learning. 0ai%u Plant Lesson- The hai%us the students "rite "ill ser&e as an assess ent $ecause it "ill de onstrate their grasp o# this poetr! genre and i# the! can appl! their ne" %no"ledge on plants. It pushes students to create original "or%, "hich is "hat I $elie&e trul! sho"cases understanding. 0ands'(n Pollination Lesson- The con&ersation the students had during the lesson and their re#lections in their Eournals "ill de onstrate "hat the! got out o# the e9peri ent. This illustrates one ! $elie#s in student learning that it should $e hands on and that the! are ore li%el! to re e $er the in#or ation in the lesson i# the! ha&e a great e9perience "ith it.

Plant Panto i e- The "or% the students produce during the acti&it! and ho" acti&el! the! engage "ith it "ill sho" e i# the! understood. Their Eournal responses "ill also clue e in i# the! too% the "or% seriousl! or i# the! "ere not reall! thin%ing a$out it. This lesson supports one o# ! $elie#s regarding student learning in that it engages %ids ph!sicall! to get their learning into their $odies, thus creating a e ora$le !et educational e9perience. '. Summative assessments Plant Assess ent- Each student "ill $e creating their o"n original plant proEect that the! "ill $e "or%ing on throughout the unit. These "ill $e presented to their class ates and "ill sho"case "hat the! learned a$out plants. The assess ent and pictures o# student "or% are included. Differentiation Plans I created one lesson that is speci#icall! di##erentiated #or the di##erent reading le&els in ! classroo . The $oo%s the students read and the supple ental acti&it! enhances their %no"ledge a$out plans and deepens their learning. It is #urther di##erentiated in that each o# the di##erent $oo%s has a di##erent acti&it! to go along "ith it. E&en the acti&it! ta%es into account the students reading le&els and has the do a speci#ic acti&it! that directl! correlates to "hat %ind o# acti&it! "ill $est help this group o# students succeed. Potential Pitfalls 1earPod Pre'Assess entI speci#icall! chose to do ! #irst lesson as a pre'assess ent in order to get a handle on "here ! students currentl! "ere in their %no"ledge o# plants. .ro there, I "as a$le to acco odate #or ! students "ho needed ore support in their learning and #or students "ho "ould $ene#it #ro ore o# a challenge in the unit. ($ser&ation 8ounral Lesson on Plant 3ro"thA potential pit#all o# this lesson is that the plants a! not gro". To account #or this, each pair planted B seeds, "hich eans the! ha&e B chances to hope#ull! ha&e a plant gro". .urther ore, to a%e sure "e had ti e to easure and o$ser&e our plants each da!, I speci#icall! added the ti e to the schedule $ecause it "as i portant #or ! students and I. .ruit :issection #or )eedsThis lesson acco odated #or all o# the learners in ! classroo $ecause it "as entirel! $ased on the student and "hat the! o$ser&ed. The! used onl! &oca$ular! and sentence structures that the! "ere co #orta$le "ith and could $est illustrate their understanding. The dra"ing portion o# the acti&it! continued to o##er students the opportunit! to sho"case their learning in a #or other than "ords. Annos Magic )eedsThe pac%et I created #or this acti&it! had increasingl! ore di##icult pro$le s. +ecause the! $uilt upon each other, i# a student did not correctl! ans"er a pro$le , the rest o# their ans"ers "ould $e o##. To aid ! students "ho I %ne" "ould struggle, I pulled the in a s all group and "or%ed "ith the together.

The rest o# ! students each had partners "ho the! could sol&e the pro$le s "ith. :I Literac! LessonThis acti&it! trul! ta%es into account each student and those the! are learning alongside. (ne challenge is "hen students are not in the s all groups and the teachers a%ing sure the! are on tas%, "hile still tr!ing to aid the group the! are "or%ing "ith. I #ound it "as di##icult at #irst, $ut "ith ore practice each da!, I learned ho" to #eel con#ident in ! a$ilit! to essentiall! run acti&ities "ith t"o di##erent groups o# students. 0ai%u Plant LessonA challenge "ith this lesson is that i# students do not ta%e se&eral o$ser&ation notes, the! a! struggle "ith "riting their hai%us. To ini i7e these issues, %eep chec%ing in "ith students "hile the! are "riting do"n their o$ser&ations. As% the =uestions a$out "hat is around the and encourage the to use their #i&e senses. 0ands'(n Pollination LessonA di##icult! I had "ith this lesson "as aiding ! students reali7e that the le onade the! "ere a%ing "as a seed, e phasi7ing the #act that seeds *i.e. co pletel! ne" ite s, are ade "hen pollen i9es "ith an egg that is in a #lo"er. Le onade is a li=uid and not a solid li%e a seed and $ecause o# this students "ere thin%ing that the le onade "as the nectar. To a%e this clear and to a&oid as uch con#usion as possi$le, I #irst had to sho" a &ideo a$out pollination to ! students, then I e9plained it to the , then "e did the hands on e9peri ent. I #ound this to $e e##ecti&e $ecause $! the ti e "e reached the e9peri ent, ! students "ere prett! con#ident in their understanding o# seed creation. Plant Panto i eThis acti&it! is "onder#ul $ecause it engages %ids in a ph!sical "a! "ith their learning and puts the entirel! in the place o# a seed. I also lo&e it $ecause students get an introduction to !oga, "hich an! o# the are interested in, $ut dont ha&e a lot o# %no"ledge a$out. A de#inite challenge "ith this acti&it! is "hen students dont engage "ith it entirel! or are a%ing a Eo%e out o# it. To ini i7e this %ind o# $eha&ior, I speci#icall! spo%e to the a$out ho" special the acti&it! "as, and i# the! could not ta%e it seriousl!, the! "ould $e as%ed to return to the classroo to "or% on their plant proEects. +ecause I had tal%ed to the a$out it earlier, I had no real disruptions, and the inor ones I had, a loo% to the student not #ollo"ing instructions =uic%l! #i9ed the issue. Plant ProEectWith ! plant proEect, "hich "ould ser&e as ! end o# unit assess ent, I "as a$le to account #or all the &arieties o# learners in ! classroo . )peci#icall! putting in place guidelines #or "hat "as e9pected #ro the entire proEect, and then #or each indi&idual proEect. .or instance, I %no" an! o# ! scholars "ould ha&e chosen the s%it option o# the proEect $ecause the! &ie" it as the ;easiest< o# the proEect options. 0o"e&er, "hen I re=uired that the! "rite a script #or their proEect and that the! "ere not allo"ed to create an! other aspect o# the proEect until their scripts "ere appro&ed $! a teacher, an! o# the opted out o# that option. Those that chose it, stuc% "ith it and "ere putting a lot o# thought and e##ort into their "or%.

/aterials -ist 1earPod Pre'Assess ent 55 iPads Plant ?nit Pre'Assess ent on 1earPod ($ser&ation 8ournal Lesson on Plant 3ro"th Wisconsin .ast Plant )eeds, >ontainers #or plants Light )ource Irrigation s!ste $ees on toothpic%s o$ser&ation Eournals rulers utensils #or coloring and "riting .ruit :issection #or )eeds 40 toothpic%s 40 spoons 5 di##erent %inds o# #ruit 15 pieces o# each o# these #ruits 15 paper plates Plant ($ser&ation 8ournals Pencils A )eed is )leep! $! :iana 0utts Aston .ruit :issection o# )eeds "or%sheet 55 copies Annos Magic )eeds 55 copies o# the pac%et cop! o# Annos Magic )eeds $oo% $! Mitsu asa Anno White $oard White $oard ar%ers

:I Literac! Lesson The Tin! )eed $! Eric >arle A )eed Is a Pro ise $! >laire Merrill Li#e>!cles- .ro )eed to )un#lo"er $! :r 3erald Legg

The Magic )chool +us Plants )eeds $! 8oanna >ole :ra"ing and "riting acti&it! pac%ets #or The Tin! )eed :ra"ing and "riting acti&it! pac%ets #or .ro )eed to )un#lo"er

:ra"ing and "riting acti&it! pac%ets #or A )eed Is a Pro ise

 :ra"ing and "riting acti&it! pac%ets #or Magic )chool +us 0ai%u Plant Lesson 54 clip$oards "ith paper on each 54 pieces o# paper to "rite hai%us on and to dra" on :ra"ing and coloring White $oard :r! erase ar%ers aterials * ar%ers, colored pencils, cra!ons,

0ands'(n Pollination Lesson 50 #lo"er :i9ie or s all cups >ontainer o# le onade Water in hal# the cups 54 plant Eournals Pencils 1e"spapers to co&er the ta$le sur#ace Plant Panto i e The )eed $! Ann >a eron )tudents need lots o# space to o&e so going outside or #inding an e pt! space in the $uilding "ould $e $est. i9