Spring 2015

ED 322 Lesson Plan Format

Field Study Teacher: Christa Pete School: Mesa
Grade Level: 4th Grade Number of Students in Class: 20
Unit: The Solar System Lesson Duration: 30 minutes (1 day)
Day, Date, and Time of Lesson: Week 1, Day 2

1. Objective(s): Describe what the eight planets in the solar system are and explain in their own words
what they known or have learned from watching the video on the eight planets in the solar system.

2. Colorado Academic Standards:

Standard: 3. Earth Systems Science
Prepared Graduates:
Describe and interpret how Earth's geologic history and place in space are relevant to our understanding
of the processes that have shaped our planet.
Concepts and skills students master:
1. Earth is part of the solar system, which includes the Sun, Moon, and other bodies that orbit the Sun in
predictable patterns that lead to observable paths of objects in the sky as seen from Earth.
Evidence Outcomes:
a. Gather, analyze, and interpret data about components of the solar system (DOK 1-2)

3. Learning Target(s): I will be able to identify the 8 planets in our solar system. I will also be able to
explain in what I know, what I learned, and what I found interesting about the eight planets in the solar
system by gathering data about the planets from the short video. From these observations, I will also be
able to analyze and interpret the data by writing in my science notebook about the eight planets.

4. Assessment: There will be an informal assessment as the teacher observes the students as they write
in their science journals. The teacher will also assess the students understanding of the eight planets by
reviewing their journal entries. Their journal entry should include their interpretation of the information
they have gathered from the video they have watch about the eight planets in the solar system. The
information they have gathered should also include the analyzation of what they know, an interesting
fact and what they learned about the planets.

5. Materials: Science notebooks; pencil; color pencils; crayons; online video

https://youtu.be/5c_lL6I3OaA.

6. Essential Questions or Big Picture Statement: What do the students already know about the eight
planets in our solar system? What will the students find interesting and learn about the eight planets
after discovering the information from watching a brief video of the solar system?

7. Introduction/Anticipatory Set: To get the students attention the teacher will gather the students in
their table groups and ask them what they know about the solar system. The teacher will then inform
the students of their objectives for that day and will start with the lesson by first showing the students a
PowerPoint of the eight planets. Also, before starting the lesson the teacher will ask the students if they
understand what they will be doing and if they have any questions. To check if they understand the

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 Spring 2015
teacher will ask the students to give a thumbs up, thumbs down, or a sideways thumb.

8. ****Step-by-Step Lesson Process:****

Step 1: Gather students in their table groups. (2 minutes); Step 2: Inform students of the lesson, which
will focus on the planets of the Solar System, they will be working on by lecturing to the students a brief
PowerPoint of the different types of planets, such as the size and the distance from the sun, they will be
introduced to in the video. During this time the teacher will ask the students to write down or memorize
the names of the planets (3 minutes informal assessment); Step 3: After the PowerPoint, the teacher
will tell the students to grab their science notebooks which will be used to write their interpretations of
the information they will gather and analyze after watching the video of the planets in the solar system.
Meanwhile, the teacher will bring up the video that the students will be watching while the students are
getting their science journals (2 minutes); Step 4: After gathering their notebooks and in their seats, the
students will be informed that they will be watching the video of the solar system. Also, at this time the
teacher will inform the students to pay attention to the information they will be given in the video by
writing down the names of the planets if they missed it during the PowerPoint lecture and any other
information such as the size, distance from sun, the orbit of the planets, and the classification of the
planets (inner/outer, etc.) they find interesting that they can add to their journal entry. (1 minute
informal assessment); Step 5: Remind students what they are going to be writing down. Begin 8 minute
video (8 minutes); Step 6: After video, the teacher and the students will have a discussion on what was
included in the video. Inform student that they will write in their science journals about what they
already know about the solar system, what they found interesting, and what they learned from the
video about the solar system. Before letting the students work on their journals, the students will be
shown an example of what their journal entry must include by writing my own response on the board.
Teacher will inform students that they can also add pictures in the notebooks if they would like too.
During this time, the teacher will walk around assessing the students work to make sure they have
followed directions and I will be available to answer any questions the students may have (10 minutes
informal assessment); Step 7: Teacher will inform the students that they have a minute to finish what
they are working on (1 minute); Step 8: Teacher will inform students to put their science notebooks
away and to clean up their areas. Before releasing the students we will go over the planets in the correct
order and will ask each student what they learned and ask if they still have questions about the lesson (3
minutes informal assessment).

Label Assessments: After watching the short video of the solar systems, the students will be asked to
write in their Science Journals and draw a picture (optional) of what they have learned while watching
the video. They will also be asked to write one or two interesting things they did not know about our
solar system. Teacher will walk around the classroom checking students notebooks to make sure they
are making an entry in their journals about what they learned and what they found interesting. If the
students have not followed the directions the teacher will correct the students to make sure they are on
track. Teacher will also be available to answer students questions.

Students incorporated feedback from BOTH instructor comments and peer review, and articulated
how they used the feedback to improve their lesson plan.
After looking at the feedback from both the instructor and the peer reviewer, although I did not
find much from the peer review, I relooked at the areas I was having problems on and tried to
think of a way that I could make those sections better. By looking at the comments by the
instructor I was able to think about what I wanted to add to try to make it meet the criteria of
the rubric. I did make corrections in these areas: Assessment, Essential Question,

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 Spring 2015
Introduction/Anticipatory Set, and the step-by-step lesson process. Hopefully I have done a
better job; but I can only learn from my mistakes.

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