KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

PROFESSIONAL SEMESTER PROGRAM
LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Teacher Candidate: _Katie Gibbs_____________________________________ Date: _______________________

Cooperating Teacher: _________________________________________________ Coop. Initials: ________________
Group Size: _24_________________ Allotted Time: _1 hour________ Grade Level: _4th_____________
Subject or Topic: _____Plant Cells___________________________________ Section: _____________________

STANDARD:
A. 3.1.5.A5 Explain the concept of a cell as the basic unit of life. Compare and contrast
plant and animal cells.

I. Performance Objectives
A. Fourth grade students will be able to identify and locate organelles in a plant cell by
correctly drawing and labeling a diagram in their science notebook.

II. Instructional Materials

A. Cell PowerPoint (see attached)
B. Guided Notes (see attached)
C. Plant Cell Microscope Worksheet (see attached)
D. 12 Microscopes
E. 12 Prepared slides (3 Onion Roots, 2 Corn Stem, 2 Tomato Leaf, 3 Carrot Root, and 2
Rice Leaf)
F. 6 Extension cords

III. Subject Matter/ Content

A. Prerequisite Skills
1. Basic understanding of cells and the cell theory.
2. Able to identify organelles both by location and function.
B. Key Vocabulary
1. Chloroplast- small sac containing chlorophyll; carries out photosynthesis
2. Vacuole- a tiny hollow space filled with fluid in the cytoplasm of a cell

3. Cell Wall- rigid wall that surrounds the plasma membrane and supports the
cells
C. Big Idea
1. Organelles in a plant cell and their functions.
D. Content
1. Cell Wall
a. Rigid wall that surrounds the plasma membrane and supports the cells
2. Chloroplast
a. Small sac containing chlorophyll
b. Carries out photosynthesis
3. Vacuole
a. A tiny hollow space filled with fluid in the cytoplasm of a cell

IV. Implementation
A. Introduction –
1. Listen to the Cell Organelle Rap to review material learned in previous class periods.
 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuOLY7b646w)
2. Ask students what new organelles they heard mentioned in the rap.
3. Inform students that they will be learning about plant cells in today's class.
B. Development –
1. Have students take out their guided notes (see attached).
2. Open the Cells PowerPoint (see attached) and go to slide15.
3. Instruct students to pay attention to the information on the slides and to fill in the
blanks on their guided notes packet (see attached).
4. Teach the information on slide16.
5. When students are finished filling in the information, advance to slide 17.
6. When students finish filling in the information, advance to the last side (slide 18).
7. Have students put away their guided notes (see attached) and pull out their science
notebooks.
8. Distribute the Plant Cell Microscope Worksheet (see attached) to every student.
9. Instruct each pair of students to put the prepared slide found on their tables into
their microscopes.
10. Have students turn on the microscope and peer though the eyepiece.
11. At the top of the page in the correct location, have students record which plant cells
they are looking at.
a. Students will find the name of their plant cell on the left side of their
microscope slide.
12. Have students draw what they see in the microscope in the circle provided.
13. Prompt students to label the organelles listed in the word bank.
a. Have students reference the photo provided on the worksheet to aid the
students in labeling organelles visible.
b. If students need assistance, have them raise their hand and wait for the
teacher's assistance.
14. Have students describe what they saw through written words on their paper in the
notes section.
15. Have students turn to their partner and share information about their discoveries.
16. Have students put away all materials.
C. Closure –
1. Write the different items that the children examined on the white board (Onion
Roots, Corn Stem, Tomato Leaf, Carrot Root, and Rice Leaf).
a. Write the names spaced out in a horizontal line on the top of the white
board.
2. Have students collaborate with their groupmates to discuss the adjectives they used
to describe the cells, and the organelles that were visible.
3. Have one student from each group come up to the board to record the best five
adjectives used to describe their cells.
4. Have a different student from each group come up to the board to draw what they
saw in the microscope, and label the organelles they saw in their cells.
5. When students have all returned to their seats, have the students copy the
information on the board into their Plant Cell Microscope Worksheet (see attached).
6. Have students discuss the similarities and differences between the cells with a
partner.
a. Students should write on the bottom of page three in their worksheet one
similarity and one difference between their cell and any other cell of their
choice.
7. Have one student collect everyone's worksheets and place them on the teacher's
 desk.
D. Accommodations / Differentiation
1. Lily will use her completed notes instead of filling in the blank on the regular guided
notes. She will also have a modified Plant Cell Microscope Worksheet (see attached)
with less text and a font that is easier for her to read.
2. Students will be able to adapt the Plant Cell Microscope Worksheet (see attached) to
their individual needs by either observing primarily through notes or diagrams.
Although each student is required to do both, the students will be able to choose
which they put more detail into. They will also be able to talk with a partner during
the process. This can help students receive academic support through a peer, which
may be more effective and timely.
E. Assessment/Evaluation plan
1. Formative
a. The Plant Cell Microscope Worksheet (see attached) will be collected for
completion. Students will receive five points for a completed worksheet,
and zero points for a worksheet that is less than half way completed.
i. The completeness of the worksheet will be based on the organelles
labeled and the descriptions given. Students should label the
organelles listed by first identifying them in the cell and then labeling
their placement on the drawing in their notes.
ii. Students will receive one additional point for recording one similarity
and one difference on the bottom of their worksheet.
2. Summative
a. No summative assessment will be given until the unit test.

V. Reflective Response

A. Report of Students’ Performance in Terms of States Objectives

Remediation

B. Personal Reflection
 1. How well did the students work with the microscopes? Was it too complex or too
easy of a learning experience?

2. Did students think of quality adjectives to describe their cells? What prompts can I
use in the future to help them think of even better and more descriptive adjectives?

3. Does the use of a real life example solidify the information for students? Do they
comprehend and retain the information from the PowerPoint? Can they apply the
information retained into a real life scenario?

VI. Resources
Cell Structure. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2016, from Bilogy 4 Kids website:
http://www.biology4kids.com/files/cell_cytoplasm.html

Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://dictionary.kids.net.au/word/organelle

Images:
Plant Cell. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2016, from
https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/cells/plantcell.html

(n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2016, from

http://bms.westfordk12.us/pages/teams/7green/cells/GroupH/Hindex.html

(n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2016, from http://resourcemine.blogspot.com/2012/08/animal-cell-

plant-cell-normal-0-false.html
Plant Cell. (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2016, from
https://www.thinglink.com/scene/720638306718580738