KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

PROFESSIONAL SEMESTER PROGRAM
LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Teacher Candidate: Jennifer Jenkins Date: 11/15/2017

Cooperating Teacher: _________________________________________________ Coop. Initials: ________________
Group Size: _______________ Allotted Time: 40 minutes Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Subject or Topic: Classifying Animals Unit (Lesson Two) Section: _____________________

STANDARD: (PA Common Core):

Standard - 3.1.3.A1
Describe characteristics of living things that help to identify and classify them.

I. Performance Objectives (Learning Outcomes)

The students will be able to label the different parts of the vertebrate.

II. Instructional Materials

Hard lifesavers (24 for each child)
Gummy lifesavers (23 for each child)
Pipe cleaners
PowerPoint (see attached)
Printed PowerPoint (see accommodations)
Check Sheet (see attached)
Diagram of the spine with labels
Sticky notes (6 for each student)
Crayons
Blank Paper

III. Subject Matter/ Content (prerequisite skills, key vocabulary, big idea)
Prerequisites
o Count to 12
o Knowledge of vertebrates
o Writing
o Know about skeletons
 Key Vocabulary
o Spinal column- is part of the skeleton that runs down your back and is made up
of vertebras.
o Vertebra- bones that make up the spinal column
o Cervical curvature is a part of the spine made up of 7 vertebrae in your neck
o Thoracic curvatures is a part of the spine made up of 12 vertebrae in your
upper back.
o Lumbar curvatures is a part of the spine made up of 5 vertebrae in your lower
back
o Intervertebral Disks cartilage that is in-between each vertebrae to help the
spine move.
Big Idea: The students will be able to label a spine by drawing information from todays
lesson.
Facts/Content:
o In this lesson students will learn about different parts of the spinal column
including the vertebra, cervical curvature, thoracic curvature, lumbar curvature,
and intervertebral disks. The students will learn the definitions of these parts and
take away the information with a model and check sheet.

IV. Implementation

A. Introduction
The teacher will transition into science
o The diagram of the spine will be clipped onto the black board.
o The labeling pieces will be placed on the board below the spine out of
order.
o Trays with materials for the activity will be placed in the back of the room
One tray for each child.
Trays include:
24 Hard lifesavers
23 Gummy lifesavers
1 pipe cleaner
o If a student does not want to touch the materials they may draw the
parts of the spine with crayons and paper.
 The teacher will say Today scientists we are going to be learning more about
vertebrates. Yesterday, we learned that vertebrates have a spine. Now we will be
looking at what the spine is made up of and how it works. To start todays lesson
we will be watching a short video.
o Play video
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4MLWJDL_a8
The teacher will say Did everyone hear some of those big science words in that
song? Today we will be learning what some of those words mean and we will be
creating our own model spine to take home.
B. Development
The teacher will hand out sticky notes.
o The teacher will instruct students not to touch them until told.
The teacher will start the power point showing the title slide.
The teacher will say Does anyone remember anything from the video about
the spine?
o Allow student to raise their hands and entertain their answers.
o Pass out one preset tray in the back of the room to each student.
Remind the child to not touch the objects till directed to do so
and DO NOT eat the candy.
Play through the slides
o Slide one: Spinal Column
Before we talk about the spine we should know its science
name. Its science name is the spinal column. Can everyone say
spinal column? The spinal column is part of the skeleton that
runs down your back and is made up of vertebras.
The teacher will instruct the children to write spinal column
on one of their sticky note and set it aside.
o Slide Two: Vertebrae
This next slide is about the vertebras. The vertebrae are small
bones that make up the spinal column. You have 24 vertebrae
in your spine.
The teacher will now direct the students to write vertebrae on
one of their sticky notes and set it to the side.
The teacher will instruct the students to pick up one
 hard lifesaver.
o The teacher will say The hard lifesavers will
act as your vertebra for our activity.
The teacher will instruct the student to return the hard
life saver to their tray.
o Slide Three: Intervertebral Disks
The teacher will say The last part of the spine we will learn is
the intervertebral disk. Intervertebral Disks are cartilage that is
in-between each vertebrae to help the spine move.
The teacher will now direct the students to write intervertebral
disks on one of their sticky notes and set it to the side.
The teacher will instruct the student to pick up one of
their gummy life savers.
o The teacher will say The gummy lifesavers
will act as our intervertebral disks in our
activity. Remember one intervertebral disk
comes between each vertebra.
The teacher will direct the students to put their gummy
lifesaver back on their tray.
The teacher will ask the students to show their red, yellow, or green cards on
whether or not they understand the materials. (cards are already provided in
their desks)
o Slide Four: cervical curvature
This slide is about the cervical curvature. The cervical
curvature is a part of the spine made up of 7 vertebrae in your
neck. Lower your chin to your chest do you feel your cervical
curvature?
The teacher will now direct the students to write cervical
curvature on one of their sticky notes and set it to the side.
The teacher will instruct the students to pick up the pipe
cleaner on their tray.
o The teacher will say This pipe cleaner is what
will hold our sine together.
The teacher will instruct the students to bend the top of
 the pipe cleaner so no lifesavers will fall off.
o The teacher will say Now students since we
know there are 7 vertebra in our cervical
curvature we will string 7 hard lifesavers onto
our pipe cleaner, but remember a intervertebral
disk (gummy lifesaver) must come between
each one.
The teacher will allow the students to string their
lifesavers. The teacher will walk around the room to see
if anyone needs assistance.
o Slide Five: Thoracic curvatures
The teacher will say The Thoracic curvatures are up next.
The Thoracic curvature is a part of the spine made up of 12
vertebrae in your upper back. These vertebrae carry a lot more
weight than your cervical curvature in your neck.
The teacher will now direct the students to write thoracic
curvature on one of their sticky notes and set it to the side.
The teacher will instruct the student to count out 12 hard
lifesavers.
The teacher will say Since there are 12 vertebra in our
thoracic curvature we will need to string 12 hard
candies onto our pipe cleaner.
o The teacher will remind students that the
gummy candy must go in-between each hard
candy.
The teacher will allow the students to sting their
lifesavers. The teacher will walk around the room to see
if anyone needs assistance.
o Slide Six: Lumbar Curvature
The teacher will say In this slide we will learn about the
lumbar curvature. The lumbar curvature is a part of the spine
made up of 5 vertebrae in your lower back. Can you lean over
and feel your lumbar curvature? What does it feel like?
The teacher will now direct the students to write lumbar
 curvature on one of their sticky notes and set it to the side.
The teacher will now instruct the students to string the last of
their 5 lifesavers creating their lumbar curvature.
Our lumbar curvature is made up of 5 vertebra so those
will be the last 5 we will string on our pipe cleaner to
make our spine.
Teacher will instruct the students to bend the end of the pipe
cleaner so no life savers fall off the bottom.
Close the power point
The teacher will now go to the board with the spine pinned on it.
The teacher will say Now that we have built our spine it is time to label it!
What is the first thing we should label?
o Students will answer (Spinal Column)
o Teacher will take the premade label that say spinal column and place it
at the top of the spine.
The teacher will instruct the students to do the same thing with
their sticky notes.
The teacher will now ask What are the hard bones in our spinal column?
o Students will answer vertebra
o Teacher will take the premade label that says vertebra and place it near
one of the vertebra on the spinal column.
The teacher will instruct the students to do the same thing with
their sticky notes.
The teacher will now ask What is the flexible cartilage in-between our
vertebra?
o Students will answer (Intervertebral Disks)
o Teacher will take the premade label that says intervertebral disks and
place it near one of the intervertebral disks on the spinal column.
The teacher will instruct the students to do the same thing with
their sticky notes.
The teacher will now ask What is the section of 7 vertebra at the top of our
neck called?
o Students will answer cervical curvature
o Teacher will take the premade label that says cervical curvature and
 place it in the correct place on the spine.
The teacher will instruct the students to do the same thing with
their sticky notes.
The teacher will now ask What is the section of 12 vertebra at the top of our
backs called?
o Students will answer thoracic curvature
o Teacher will take the premade label that says thoracic curvatures and
place it in the correct place on the spine.
The teacher will instruct the students to do the same thing with
their sticky notes.
The teacher will now ask What is the last section of 5 vertebra in your lower
back called?
o Students will answer Lumbar Curvature
o Teacher will take the premade label that says Lumbar Curvature and
place it in the correct place on the spine.
The teacher will instruct the students to do the same thing with
their sticky notes.

C. Closure
The teacher will pass out the check sheet for the students to take home with
their spine.
The teacher will say Now that we have created our spinal column we now
know more about what makes some animals vertebrates. Tomorrow we will
learn about different types of vertebrates. Now if you will please take out your
history books and turn to page 23.

D. Accommodations / Differentiation
Accommodations:
o Child: I.J.- Low vision
They will be give large print note sheet and a print out of the
power point.
Differentiation:
 o Students may draw the parts of the spine if they do not want to touch
the materials.

E. Assessment/Evaluation plan
1. Formative: Red, Yellow, Green Cards
Evidence: Number of colors of cards
o Red: stop Im confused
o Yellow: move a little slower
o Green: good to go
2. Summative: There is no summative assessment in this lesson

V. Reflective Response

A. Report of Students Performance in Terms of States Objectives

a. Reflect after lesson is taught

B. Remediation Plan

C. Personal Reflection Questions

Was I clear with my definitions?
Was the material to advance?
Was the spine activity a good take home example?

VI. Resources
B, E. (1970, January 01). Apologia Anatomy & Physiology Unit Two: Build A Spine.
Retrieved November 17, 2017, from http://aclassofone.blogspot.com/2013/11/apologia-
anatomy-physiology-unit-two_19.html?m=1
The Human Body for Kids/Learn about the Human Body for Children/Spine. (2016, April
15). Retrieved November 17, 2017, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4MLWJDL_a8
 All images fin the PowerPoint came from Google.