SIOP Lesson Plan Outline

Date: 11/15/2017 Grade/Class/Subject 7TH Grade Science

Unit Theme: Volcanoes Standards: Content Standard 4, Key Ideas and Details
Standard 2, Craft and Structure Standard 3

Lesson Objectives:
Content Knowledge: By the end of the lesson, ESOLs will:
1. Explain what causes a volcanic eruption.
2. Summarize the events of the Mount St. Helen eruption in 1980.
3. Write a fictional account of the eruption using facts and time line studied.

Language Objectives: By the end of the lesson, ESOLs will demonstrate increasing proficiency in the
performance of the following functions and their forms:

Form
Function
(grammatical term and/or example, eg. Past Tense:
(in ing form, eg. Retelling a story )
The boy went to see his grandfather;)
1) Asking clarifying questions Present tense: How do scientists predict volcanic
eruptions?

2) Understanding cause and effect Modals: The heat from a volcanic eruption can
cause mudslides.

3) Summarizing Past tense: The eruption of Mount St. Helens

caused a lot of damage.

Vocabulary Objectives: By the end of the lesson, ESOLs will demonstrate an understanding of the
following vocabulary words:

Academic Vocabulary Cohesion Words

Content Vocabulary (vocabulary that may need to be taught or (vocabulary that may need to be taught or
(new vocabulary to be explicitly taught that emphasized that is critical to participation in emphasized that link concepts in
is critical to an understanding of the content) academic tasks, such as categorize, list, meaningful ways, such as conjunctions and
describe) time markers)
Volcano Fact Before
Eruption Fiction Following
Landslide/mudslide/avalanche Explain During
Earthquake Describe Morning
Crater Summarize Afternoon
Molten Evening
Lava
Fi

Special Cross-Cultural Considerations for ESOLs: 8 scholars from various countries (Philippines,
Russia, Vietnam, Mexico, Puerto Rico) may come with knowledge about volcanoes from their native
countries. A list of vocab words presented in both English and their native languages could be helpful
especially with a chapter book such as the one being used.
Materials: Copies of I Survived the Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980 by Lauren Tarshis; Notebooks;
Journals; Pencils; Time line print outs; Print out of text from The Atlantic article The Eruption of Mount St.

1
Helens in 1980 https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2015/05/the-eruption-of-mount-st-helens-in-
1980/393557/ as well as copies of the images for students to pass around and share; Print out of summary
of events from PBS https://net.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.earthsys.helens/mount-st-
helens-before-and-after/?#.Wg1i02eWzxk

Lesson Sequence (This may be adjusted as necessary to accommodate unique lesson plan features)
MOTIVATION: (Describe how you will build background and the specific strategies that you will use to
ensure the participation of ESOLs.)
Students will be asked to predict what occurred at Mount St. Helens, how scientists predict volcanic
eruptions, and what causes them. We will keep a record of ideas on the whiteboard in a concept map.
Following this introduction, we will continue to discuss volcanoes and the terminology associated with them,
as well as where in the world they are located- focusing specifically on those in ESOLs native countries.
Students will begin to keep a list of vocabulary words associated with volcanoes.
Finally, we will discuss what it means for a book or movie to be based on a true story.

PRESENTATION: (Describe the specific techniques you will use to make your presentation of new material
comprehensible to ESOLs, to provide opportunities for interaction through appropriate questioning, and to
assess whether or not ESOLs are getting it.)
Scholars will read I Survived -- ESOLs will join me to read the text together while native English speakers
will read in pairs. As scholars work through the book, they will take notes on facts they learn about
volcanoes and the time line of the Mount St. Helen eruption. The pairs and my ESOL group will discuss how
the characters handle the situations they are presented with and whether it seems realistic as well as how
they think they would react.

PRACTICE/APPLICATION: (Describe the activities you will use to allow for meaningful interaction and
practice using ALL language skills, the strategies you will use to ensure full participation by ESOLs, and the
techniques you will use to assess their success in the activities.)
Following our reading, the scholars will summarize the true events that occurred and together we will build
a timeline of events. We will compare this time line to that of the time line presented by The Atlantic and by
PBSs summary, determining if we think this was a realistic telling of events.
After this comparison, scholars will be instructed to create their own fictional version, pretending they were
there that day and writing a journal entry about the experience. Scholars will be asked to use vocabulary
words we have written down throughout the unit and to follow the time line we have created.

EXTENSION: (Describe additional follow-up activities you will use with ESOLs to address any areas that you
deem need further explanation or practice to ensure their mastery of the content and language objectives.)

2
Throughout the unit, I will be working specifically with ESOLs as we read the short chapter book, able to
gage their comprehension levels. With our final activity, a journal entry, I will be able to determine if they
have truly retained the new words we have learned. If I find some or all need more help with this unit, I will
meet one on one with them, determining where they are lacking comprehension.