Lesson Planning Form for Differentiating Instruction Calvin College Education Program

Teacher Hanna Gibson

Date March 8, 2016 Subject/ Topic/ Theme Local Ecosystems Observation + Art (Kindergarten)

I. Objectives
What is the main focus of this lesson?
Observing and experiencing the ecosystems within the Calvin College Nature Preserve
How does this lesson tie in to a unit plan?
This lesson adds an experiential element to class discussions of local ecosystems.
What are your objectives for this lesson?
1) Identify specific land-based and water-based ecosystems within the preserve.
2) Identify three different species inhabiting this preserve.
3) Identify and select natural artifacts that symbolize the ecosystems experienced at the preserve.

II. Before you start

Prerequisite knowledge and skills.
Assessment
(formative and summative)
Materials-what materials (books,
handouts, etc) do you need for this
lesson and do you have them?
Do you need to set up your
classroom in any special way for
this lesson? If so, describe it.
Knowledge of land vs. water based ecosystems
Listening skills to show respect towards the nature guide
Definition of species meaning a kind of plant or animal (i.e. tree, flower, bird)
Reflection Journal with prompt: What are three new things you learned at the
preserve today? (Formative)
Oral Quiz/Discussion with Teacher with prompt: What are three species you observed
today? (Summative)
Collage made of natural artifacts symbolizing the ecosystems of the preserve
(Formative)
Group-wide questions throughout walk through preserve (Formative)
Students Reflection Journals
Pencils for Writing
Magnifying Glasses for observations of the preserve
Colored paper for collage
Glue for the collage
Plastic bags to collect natural artifacts
In this case, the classroom is not a room, but is rather the Calvin College Nature
Preserve that the group will move throughout over the course of the field trip. The
assessments, discussions, and wrap up will take place in the Bunker Interpretive
Center, a building in the preserve.

III. The Plan

Time The description of (script for) the lesson, wherein you describe teacher activities and student
Parts
activities
About 2 Motivation Ask students questions about what they already know about ecosystems. For example,
Minutes (Opening/ What kinds of animals do you expect to see today?
Introduction/ Introduce tour guide and remind students how to show evidence of good listening
Engagement)
 35
Minutes Begin walking through preserve. Throughout time, stop at the following ecosystems: Stream,
field, pond, wooded area. When stopped, ask students to identify the ecosystem and whether
the area is a land-based or water-based ecosystem.
While walking, point out different species. Possible sightings include squirrels, birds,
butterflies, grasses, flowers, trees, bushes, fish, deer, dragonflies, cattails, etc. Make sure to
give students enough examples to remember for oral quiz.
During walk, remind students to collect natural artifacts (flower petals from the ground,
leaves on the ground, pebbles, sand, sticks, etc.) for their collage. Emphasize the importance
of only picking artifacts from the ground and not picking plants, or destructing ecosystem in
any way.
2-3
After walking is complete, meet back in the Bunker Interpretive Center. While everyone
Minutes
settles in, allow time for students to ask the nature guide questions and to thank them for
Development
helping out.
10
Minutes Discuss what we experienced during the walk, different systems we experienced, species we
saw, etc. This is led primarily by the teacher, with feedback from the class.
Split students into three groups that will go to three separate stations. They will stay in each
45 of these stations for 10-15 minutes then rotate to the next station.
Minutes At Station 1, students will be creating their natural artifact collages. They will glue their
(10-15 natural artifacts onto a piece of colored paper in a design/organization that they feel best
minutes represents their experience at the nature preserve. This will be supervised by an adult
per chaperone or teacher aid.
station At Station 2, students will be writing in their Reflection Journals. They will be given the
plus prompt: What are three new things you learned at the preserve today? and will be expected
transition to write these in ideas or draw pictures in their journal. This will be supervised by an adult
time) chaperone or teacher aid.
At Station 3, the students will be communicating one-on-one with the teacher in an oral
quiz/discussion. They will be asked to identify three species that they observed at the
preserve. The students not meeting with the teacher will be drawing pictures of the species
they observed, and will be observed by an adult chaperone or teacher aid.
As students move on to the closing activity, ask teacher aids and parent chaperones to assist
in clean up.
About 2 The class will gather again, as they prepare to get on the bus.
Minutes Closure Have students share the artwork they made with their neighbor (1 minute)
Remind students to thank the guides, chaperones, and teacher aids and get on the bus, headed
back for school!
Your reflection on the lesson including ideas for improvement for next time:

Adjustments for Older Grades:

1st-2nd Grade: Have students form collage of artifacts into a less abstract picture representing their experience at the
nature preserve, while still using artifacts as materials. Have students recall 5 species observed in the preserve instead of 3
for oral quiz. Students will also transition into writing sentences in the Reflection Journal rather than drawing.
3rd-4th Grade: Include adjustments for 1st-2nd Grade and change oral quiz into a written quiz, as students vocabulary and
spelling knowledge increases. Change prompt for Reflection Journals to What are three qualitative and three quantitative
observations you made today at the nature preserve?
5th-6th Grade: Include adjustments for 3rd-4th Grade and have students add a poetry element to their natural artifact
collage writing a haiku representing their experience at the nature preserve within their picture. Students will also clean
up after themselves
7th-8th Grade: Include adjustments for 5th-6th Grade and split students into smaller groups to walk around the preserve.
Allow students time to separate (within seeing distance) and sit quietly for 5 minutes to observe the ecosystem around
them. When returning to the Bunker Interpretive Center, the discussion should be contributed to equally by the students
and the teacher.
General Adjustments Increasing By Grade:
The expectations for detail, grammar, and style for Reflection Journals should increase with grade level.
The definition of species and ecosystem can become more specified as grades increase, causing observations,
quiz answers, and reflections to shift accordingly.
As grade level increases, so should the level of contribution and feedback from the students.