TIANA SCOTT

PROFESSOR NAVARRO
LBS 405
4 MAY 2019
5E LESSON PLAN RATIONALE

A. Designing Learning Activities: ​The learning activities will increase engagement and
access to learning because the activities are fun for the students. When students are
learning something and it is fun for them to do and it is easy for them to be involved, they
get more out of the lesson. I based the whole topic on something the students will be
interested in which is crayons and heat. The second graders are still at an age where they
like to color and as they are coloring or watching the heat transform the crayons it will be
interesting for them to watch. The fact that I am using heat to melt down the crayons, the
students will be amazed and engaged because they will be able to see the physical change
of the crayons. This will help them get a visual understanding of how heat can change the
form and properties of an object. This will also peak their interest in science and they’ll
be excited for the next lesson. Adding in the poster and a showing the class their poster
gives them a chance to apply what they learned and it is another form of assessment for
me as I can see what they did and did not understand.

B. Designing Instructional Strategies​: I will model what I want the students to be

writing down in their notebooks and give an example of an observation they might see.
Modeling is important because it allows the students to see and know exactly what the
teacher wants them to be doing. I will be asking questions to guide their discussions with
classmates as well as asking questions for the students to be thinking about when writing
information down in their science notebooks. Asking guiding questions helps students
stay on task and it keeps them focused on what it is they need to be answering/thinking
about. I am going to write down key instructions on the board to scaffold for my students
who need extra accommodations. This not only helps students struggling but it just helps
everyone because then in case the students forgot what I’ve asked of them they are able
to see the board as a visual of what they need to be doing.

C. Academic Rigor: ​This lesson plan encourages higher level thinking because they will
be forced to answer questions they have never thought about before. The students will
know how a crayon works because they’ve been using crayons since kindergarten but
when I ask what properties of the crayon make it work it will make them think about
those certain properties. These will connect concepts for them because as they see the
crayon being melted down into a liquid they will think of what other materials or objects
can do that same thing because not everything does that. They will have to analyze why
and for objects that don’t react that same way they will have to figure out why. It also
will connect for them that heat can change a materials’ characteristics.

D. Language Demands: ​This lesson appeals to English learners as much as it does with
Standard English learners. In my lesson I’ve allowed for English learners to write notes
down in their science notebooks in their own language if it helps them better with finding
their observations. This lesson require some scientific terms like “heat”, “melting”,
“solid”, and “freezing” which before this lesson they must understand what those words
mean in order to grasp the concept. I make sure that I am speaking slowly and clearly and
if students are not understanding what I’m saying then I’m rephrasing it so that everyone
is on the same page. I believe this lesson helps students understand those words even
more because then they can physically see the words in action. As I’m walking around
guiding discussions with peers I make sure that I hear specific academic language being
used correctly.

E. Organization of Student Work: ​In the beginning as students are writing down their
beginning ideas on what the properties of a crayon are they are working alone. Working
alone allows them to formulate their own thoughts. If I was to just ask what the properties
are and they immediately shout out answers, it doesn’t allow time for people to think or
those who need more time to process their thoughts wouldn’t be given a fair chance.
Once they jot down their ideas I have them discuss with a partner. This gives students a
chance to write down ideas that maybe they haven’t thought of, or if they put down
something that doesn’t make sense to their partner then they can elaborate and maybe
take it off if need be or convince their partner of their idea. This collaboration is
important in the process of learning. When I’m showing the melting of the crayons I
break the groups down into about 8 or 9 so they can get a closer look at what is
happening with the crayons. This will support their learning as well because then I have a
chance to see what their thinking process is as the crayons are melting and I can guide it a
little better than I’d be able to in a whole group setting. When working on their posters I
break the groups down even smaller to about 3 students per group. The reason I do this is
because it gives every student an opportunity to work on a part of the poster without
some doing work while others are just watching. Group work should be broken down
small enough so each student is contributing a fair amount to the project.

F. Student Assets and Needs: ​This lesson builds mainly on students’ funds of
knowledge, prior experiences, and interests. I’m sure at this point students have seen ice
cream melt, or ice cubes melt when taken out of a freezing/really cold setting. Once taken
out of this setting heat is applied to these things and they melt. Same goes for if they have
seen an adult light a candle, etc. Heat is applied which melts the object and when these
objects freeze they transform back to a solid setting. This lesson just gives them the
scientific reason for why these things transform the way they do. They always understood
the concept I’m just adding more depth to it and allowing them a chance for higher
thinking.

G. Socio-Emotional Development Considerations’: ​This lesson works on the

socio-emotional development of my students as they are collaborating, discussing, and
working with other students on the tasks. They are learning how other people may have
different ideas or opinions than them but that’s okay because they are building, learning,
and working together.

H. Resources, Materials, Tools, and/or Educational Technology to Support

Learning: ​I chose the specific materials because they were readily available and make
the lesson a much smoother process. I chose to melt the crayons with a burner because it
was slow enough for the children to see the change in phase but it was also fast enough
where I can do the experiment several times with different students groups.