KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Teacher Candidate: Alison Waldron

Date: 3/12/14

Cooperating Teacher: N/A

Coop. Initials: N/A

Group Size: 30

Grade Level: 3rd Grade

Allotted Time: 60 minutes

Subject or Topic: Science - Organisms

Section: EEU 205

STANDARD(S):
S3.B.1.1.3: Describe the basic needs of plants and animals and their dependence on light,
food, air, water, and shelter.
S3.B.1.1.4: Describe how plants and animals go through life cycles.
S3.B.2.1.1: Identify adaptations of plants and animals that have helped them to survive.
S3.B.2.1.2: Identify and describe plant and animal characteristics that are necessary for
survival.
I. Performance Objectives (Learning Outcomes):
A. Students will list the adaptations and characteristics of plants that are
necessary for survival
B. Students will discuss the possible ways in which bees transfer pollen between
flowers
C. Students will label the parts of a bee on their inquiry sheet
D. Students will be able to label the parts of a flower on their inquiry sheet
E. Students will write their hypotheses about all the possible ways which bees
transfer pollen between flowers
II.

Instructional Materials
A. Magnifying lenses or dissecting microscope (one for each table)
B. Dead honey bees with pollen attached to their legs
Contact local beekeeper (online)
C. Exit slips

D.
E.
F.
G.

Inquiry sheets
Laminated bee posters (one for every group)
Laminated vocabulary words
Velcro (for vocabulary words)

III.

Subject Matter/Content (prerequisite skills, key vocabulary, big idea)

A. Pre-requisites
Fine motor skills
Group/Social skills
1. Sharing microscope
B. Key Vocabulary/Content
Honey Bees
Pollen
Pollination
Microscope
Hind Legs
Antennae
Pollen Baskets
Stigmas
Depositing
Fertilizing
Transfer
Hypotheses
C. Big Idea: Why are bees so important for plant survival?
Activity- Bee anatomy
D. Content:
Stages of bee pollination
Bee anatomy
What would happen if there were no bees

IV.

Implementation
A. Introduction
Hold up the book What If There Were No Bees? by Suzanne Slade
1. Read title and author
2. Ask questions like Has anyone read this before?, What do
you think this book is about?, What do you think will happen
if there were no bees?.
3. Read book.
a. Ask questions:
i. Page 3: What do you think the bees do with
the pollen and nectar?
ii. Page 6: Have any of you ever eaten honey
before? What does it go best with?

iii. Page 11: What do you think would happen if

there were no bees?
iv. End: What were some things that were effected
if there were no bees?
4. After the book is finished ask What do you think we are going
to learn about today?
a. Let a couple ideas be called out
5. Guide the children back to the groups/seats by calling on them
by shirt color.
B. Development
Have one or two students help you pass out the
microscopes/magnifying glasses
1. While passing them out, ask the students if they know what
they are
2. Also explain not to touch any of the materials until teacher says
so
*Depending on the time of day, a co-teacher or helper could set out
most of the inquiry pieces before-hand for less time wasted.
Pass out the honey bees, one to each table/group
1. Explain that the bees were not harmed and died with natural
causes (only if beekeeper says this is true)
2. Ask the students if they know what kind of bugs these are and
why they are important (recall from story)
Ask questions will the students are examining the bees
1. How do bees transfer pollen between flowers?
2. Where is the pollen located?
3. Why is the pollen stored on the bees legs?
Discuss with the students possible ways in which bees transfer
pollen between flowers.
1. Have students write their hypotheses on pieces of paper first
2. (Have the students discuss in groups their opinions)
Have the students describe the appearance of the hind legs
Explain background knowledge
1. The hind legs on a honey bee are larger and broader than its
front legs, and are covered with long hairs.
2. The spaces between the hairs are called pollen baskets.
3. Pollen is trapped in these baskets and carried from flower to
flower as the bee searches for food.
4. When the bee lands on a flower, it brushes against the
stigmas, depositing pollen, and fertilizing the flower.
Bring up the Smart Exchange Powerpoint and have the students
learn and interact with bees and the different parts of the flower
1. http://exchange.smarttech.com/details.html?id=f41ba05e-6acd44c3-9063-69ad68251de9

C. Closure
Activity:
1. Pass out laminated bee pictures and bee vocabulary words
a. Cut out and laminated before hand
2. Have the students, as a group, decide where the vocabulary
words are located on the bee
a. Limited teacher guidance
i. Children can ask if the puzzle is correct and
teacher can say only yes and no
3. When everyone is finished passing the vocabulary words in the
correct spots, teacher asked for volunteers to bring their work
to the front of the room
a. If there are still some errors ask questions like
i. Where else do you think this would go?
ii. Great guess, but else where would this go?
After activity:
1. Review vocabulary
a. using volunteers work
2. Ask open-ended questions for further thinking
a. Would you like to be a bee?
i. Why or why not?
b. Why are plants so important?
c. Optional: For those of you that disliked bees before
this lesson, Do you still dislike bees after learning about
how beneficial they are to plants?
i. Why or why not?
3. Have the students fill out the exit slip from memory
a. Flower part might be hard from only seeing them on the
board once, but the teacher can help when needed
Tomorrow we will be learning about why plants are also important
for humans and animals through what they produce in the air.
D. Accommodations/Differentiation
Braille on vocabulary words
1. For the vision impaired
Holding up the projects and microscopes
1. For the hearing impaired
Peer help
1. A peer can help the student read or write during the whole
lesson
Help teacher pass out materials
1. Child with ADHD; to keep them focused

E. Assessment/Evaluation Plan
1. Formative
a. Prediction sheet
b. Exit slip
2. Summative
a. Unit test at the end
V.

Reflective Response
A. Report of Students Performance in Terms of Stated Objectives
Reflection on the students performance after lesson is taught
Remediation for failing students to meet acceptable level
B. Personal Reflection
Questions written before lesson
Answer to pre-made questions below
1. Were the students able to list the adaptations and characteristics
of plants that are necessary for survival?
2. Were the students able to discuss the possible ways in which
bees transfer pollen between flowers?
3. Were the students be able label the parts of a bee on their
inquiry sheet?
4. Were the students be able to label the parts of a flower on their
inquiry sheet?
5. Were the students able to write their hypotheses about all the
possible ways which bees transfer pollen between flowers?

VI.

Resources
A. Slade, Suzanne. (2011). What If There Were No Bees?. Picture Window
Books.
B. Bates, Ramona. (1994). Flowers & Seeds. North Carolina: Carson-Dellosa
Publishing Company, Inc.
C. Bee picture:
http://pheylonian.com/photos/custom/Pollen-Bee01.png
D. Smart Exchange:
http://exchange.smarttech.com/details.html?id=f41ba05e-6acd-44c39063-69ad68251de9
1. Flower labeling picture