TLED 408 – Integrated Lesson Plan

Fossils Lesson Plan

ErinLiz Coluna
 Overview of Lesson Plan

In a 5th grade science class, the theme of the unit is fossils. In this unit, the students will
read Cruisin’ the Fossil Coastline: The Travels of an Artist and a Scientist along the Shores of the
Prehistoric Pacific. This literature is a non-fiction narrative that follows a paleontologist and an
artist on a road trip along the Pacific coast where they find different kinds of fossils and explore
their characteristics and why they were found in that specific location. This science class will
coincide with the content area English 5. Integrating literacy skills in this unit is beneficial because
these skills will help their understanding of the concepts in the content area, as well as being able
to use these same comprehension, vocabulary and pre-reading skills in other content areas outside
of science. The SOL standards in both 5th grade science and English include:

▪ Science 5.5
B) Classification of organisms using physical characteristics, body structures, and
behavior of the organism
C) Traits of organisms that allow them to survive in their environment
▪ Science 5.7
A) Identification of rock types
B) The rock cycle and how transformations between rocks occur
C) Earth history and fossil evidence
▪ English 5.4 The student will expand vocabulary when reading
▪ English 5.6 The student will demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction text

Sequencing and Coherence of Unit Plan

WEEK ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION/RATIONALE

Anticipatory Set: Pre reading activity to assess prior

Pre-Reading Activity knowledge, what they remember from previous science
classes and what they need to learn.

“Rate Your Fossil Knowledge”: This activity will list the

vocabulary on a chart where they will check off how well
Vocabulary Activity
1 they know each word. This will be done before reading the
literature.

“QAR”: This activity will allow the students to answer

questions as they read the first section of the text to help
Comprehension Activity
them understand important concepts and information in the
text.

“Fossil Four Square”: This activity will help students

define terms in their own words and create hints for
Vocabulary Activity themselves in regards to each vocabulary word’s definition.
This can be done as they come across the word during their
2 reading.

“QAR”: This activity will allow the students to answer

questions as they read the second section of the text to help
Comprehension Activity
them understand important concepts and information in the
text.
 Anticipatory Set: Re-take the anticipatory set and
Post-Reading compare their results to when they did it as a pre-reading
Activity/Re-Do of activity to see what they learned and areas that still need
Anticipatory Set improvement
3
“QAR”: This activity will allow the students to answer
questions as they read the third section of the text to help
Comprehension Activity
them understand important concepts and information in the
text.

Vocabulary Writing Activity: The students will answer a

Vocabulary Activity prompt that will reinforce their knowledge of the
vocabulary words provided for the unit.

“QAR”: This activity will allow the students to answer

questions as they read the fourth section of the text to help
Comprehension Activity
them understand important concepts and information in the
text.

Writing Activity Reflection: The students will compare

Reflection/Writing their answers on the initial anticipatory set and the second
4
Activity anticipatory set. They will write a short reflection on what
area they improved/learned the most in and what areas they
believe they still need to improve in and why.

“Fossils Everywhere Exhibit”: The students will do a

Performance Based performance based assessment in the form of a curator
Assessment proposing a new exhibit for the Living Museum on a new
fossil that they found.

Interdisciplinary Connections

In this unit, students will also cross over in their English 5.4 and 5.6 SOLs that focus on
vocabulary, prior knowledge, fact vs. opinion and comprehension. The combination of
improving their vocabulary, and comprehension skills with the science content knowledge will
help them in their future academics regarding research. Because the text chosen is nonfiction, the
students will also learn how to tell the difference between fact vs. opinion, which is also
beneficial for future researching skills that they will acquire throughout their academic careers.

Technology

Traditional

The traditional technology that my students will be able to use throughout this lesson plan would
be computers, laptops and tablets. They may also be allowed to use a device that offers voice
recording for one of the activities.
Non- Traditional

Students will also use many non-traditional technologies, such as their Rate Your Fossil
Knowledge and Vocabulary Four Square charts and their QAR packets.

Differentiation

As a future special education teacher, I was aware that my future classroom will more than likely
have many students that need differentiated instruction. Reading is always a daunting task, but
even more daunting for someone who may be an English Language Learner, a struggling reader
or someone with a specific learning disability. I made sure to find a piece of literature that was
heavily encouraged for a wide range of grades (3rd to 7th grade) that was also available as an
audio book that students can use as the read along with the physical text.

In addition to this, many of the activities chosen for this lesson plan can be done on paper or on
an electronic device, such as a laptop or a tablet. Students may also choose to draw answers
instead of writing them if they feel it is necessary and more beneficial to their learning.

Text
The anchor text chosen for this unit is Cruisin’ the Fossil Coastline by Kirk Johnson (author)
and Ray Troll (illustrator), a nonfiction narrative on the journey of Johnson and Troll traveling
the United States to look for fossils, while also documenting the journey and turning it into what
is now the anchor text. Cruisin’ is suitable for readers between the 3rd grade and 7th grade
levels, which allows for lower and upper level readers to be able to engage with the text
effectively.

Additional text chosen include Digging Up Fossils by Maria Jose Serra, Frozen in Time by
Dinosaurs Magazine and Fossils, Uncovered by Alfred Fischer, which are all articles regarding
how fossils are formed, where they are found and the process of fossilization, but in 3 different
reading levels.

Another additional text chosen was in the form of a video called Searching for Concretions:
Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway which is based off of Kirk Johnson and Ray Trolls first book, but
follows the same eagerness for fossil discovery as Cruisin’ the Fossil Coastline has.

Pre-reading Activity

Socrative will be used as the platform for this anticipation guide as it can be given as a paper
anticipation guide and on a mobile device (i.e. a tablet, phone, etc.). This anticipation guide will
have at least one question for each SOL and will include pictures and diagrams for diverse
learners/those with weaker reading skills. The purpose of the anticipation guide for this pre-
reading assignment is for me to assess which areas or SOLs the students are already
knowledgeable or proficient in. By knowing this, I, as their teacher, could spend less time on
what they already know and spend more time on the material they are struggling in or have not
yet learned. By working more on areas that they need more help with, their time would not feel
wasted and they will further their content knowledge while also allowing them more time to
work on vocabulary and comprehension skills.
Materials:

o Socrative Quiz; online or printed

o Link: https://b.socrative.com/teacher/#import-quiz/39954394
o Writing Utensils
o Electronic device; computer, laptop, tablet, iPad, etc.

Instructional Steps:

1. Introduce the new unit to students

2. Pass out the anticipation guide and emphasize that these will NOT be graded
3. Give students about 10-15 minutes to complete the quiz
4. Have students trade quiz with a partner and go over answers with students
5. Save anticipation guide for reflection activity at the end of the unit

Differentiation:

For the pre-reading activity, students are given the option to either take the anticipation guide
quiz on an electronic device such as a computer, laptop or tablet or on a printed copy. This would
be based on the mobility of the student. For those who are struggling readers or English
Language Learners, additional time can be given to them to complete the anticipation guide.

Vocabulary Activities

Introducing Vocabulary Activity: Knowledge Rating

As an introduction to the vocabulary words, I will use the knowledge rating concept. I find this
concept beneficial because it allows me to see how much they remember from the 3rd grade
science SOL on fossils and Earth’s history. This also allows me to see if my students have prior
knowledge on the concepts that we will be going over while reading the text. Furthermore, this
can also show me which words we need to focus more on and which words the students will
need less help with.

Materials:

o Rate Your Fossil Knowledge Chart

o Writing Utensils

Instructional Steps:

1. Hand out a chart to each student

2. Give students about 15 to 20 minutes to completely fill out chart.
3. Give students another 15 to 20 minutes to go over definitions or descriptions they gave to
each vocabulary word. This step could give hints to students who initially were not
confident on if they knew the definition of a word or not.
4. Collect charts and establish which words need more focus than others.

Differentiation:

For struggling readers or English Language Learners, it would be beneficial to send home the list
of vocabulary words prior to the Introducing Vocabulary Activity. This would allow them to
gain some prior knowledge on the words, which allows them to spend less time struggling with
trying to create a description or definition. In addition to this, for students that may have less
mobility than others, the activity could be done on an electronic device that is approved by me.
Lastly, another way to differentiate this activity would be to allow students who struggle with
spelling or creating sentences to instead draw pictures in the Definition/Description box.

Teaching Vocabulary Activity: Vocabulary Four Square

For the Teaching Vocabulary Activity, I chose the Vocabulary Four Square concept. I chose this
because I believe that completing these as a class or in small groups can help students better
understand definitions of each of these words. By being able to complete the Four Square as a
class or in small groups, they can use the ideas of their classmates or myself to help create a
working definition of the given vocabulary words. They could also use this chart as a way to
review the vocabulary words throughout the unit.

Materials:

o Fossil Knowledge Four Square Charts

o Writing Utensil

Instructional Steps:

1. Hand out a chart to each student and dictionaries to each student OR each group
2.
a. AS A CLASS
i. Ask for at least three volunteers to give their definition in their own words
and write them each down on the board. These working definitions can be
used individually or combined to create a working definition for students
who are unsure of how to define the given vocabulary words.
ii. Once a definition is written down by each student, have them complete the
Sentence Using the Word box on their own.
iii. Complete the Synonyms and Antonyms box asking volunteers to help.
Dictionaries would be used for this section.
iv. Once synonyms and antonyms are filled out, have them complete the One
Word or Drawing to Help Remember Meaning box.
v. Follow above steps for each word. Can be done as the words pop up
throughout the literature.
b. IN SMALL GROUPS; give about 3-5 minutes for each box
i. Have the groups discuss each person’s definition of the given vocabulary
words. These working definitions can be used individually or combined to
create a working definition for students who are unsure of how to define
the given vocabulary words.
ii. Once a definition is written down by each student, have them complete the
Sentence Using the Word box on their own. During this, all students
should be quiet.
iii. Have the groups fill out the Synonyms and Antonyms box using the
dictionaries at their desks/tables.
 iv. Once synonyms and antonyms are filled out, have them complete the One
Word or Drawing to Help Remember Meaning box. During this, all
students should be quiet.
v. Follow above steps for each word. Can be done as the words pop up
throughout the literature.

Differentiation:

For students that may have less mobility than others, the activity could be done on an electronic
device that is approved by me. Lastly, another way to differentiate this activity would be to allow
students who struggle with spelling or creating sentences to instead draw pictures in the bottom
left box.

Reinforcing Vocabulary Activity: Writing Activity

For the Reinforcing Vocabulary Activity, the students will be creating a short 150 word or more
story that uses at least 6 of the vocabulary words. This allows them to be creative while also
forcing them to know how to use the vocabulary words in the right context. By giving them a
prompt, it can help guide them into a specific direction that would make it possible to use as
many vocabulary words as possible.

Materials:

o Writing Activity Prompt Sheet

o Writing Utensils
o Colored Pencils

Instructional Steps:

1. Hand out a chart to each student.

2. Give loose leaf paper or computer paper to each student to allow them to complete this
assignment. Give around 45 minutes to complete the prompt. If additional time is needed,
let students complete during the next class period.
3. Collect completed prompts and grade on the vocabulary words being properly used. Do
not deduct points for misspellings.
*Ideally, this activity would be executed once the literature has been completed*

Differentiation:

For this activity, students that may have less mobility than others, the activity could be done on
an electronic device that is approved by me. The activity could also be done in the form of a
comic strip, which requires less words but would still need at least one sentence for each box
where a vocabulary word would be included. For those working on an electronic device, either
the paragraph form or comic strip form can be used.

Comprehension Activities
The comprehension activity I chose was a Question-Answer Relation, or QAR, Reading Guide.
This strategy is used specifically for after the student has already read a particular section of
literature. QARs include for types of questions: right there questions, think and search questions,
author and you, and on my own questions. Each type of questions requires varying levels of
thinking for the student.

Rationale:

QARs are beneficial because of the varying levels of thinking the different types of questions
require. Some may require little thinking as the answer is directly in the text, while some
questions require students to connect their answers to their personal lives or the world outside of
the classroom. The author and you and on my own questions also allow students to use higher-
level thinking skills.

Materials:

o QAR Packet (Section 1 Questions Shown Below)

o Writing Utensil

Instructional Steps:

1. Hand out a QAR packet to each student

2. Upon completing each section, give students time during class or assign specific
questions as homework for students to complete. If done in class, allow students
to discuss their answers with their table. If done at home, give time in class for the
students discuss their as one whole group.
3. Continue Step 2 until all sections of the QAR packet are completed.
4. Collect QAR packets and grade based on completion, unless answers are not
appropriate. Separate grade is given for participation during small group or whole
class discussion.

Differentiation:

For the QAR packet, students with limited mobility will be able to use electronic devices such as
tablets or iPads. Recording devices could also be used for students with limited mobility to give
responses to questions. In addition to this, questions can be answered in bullet point form or
answered by using drawings instead of sentences.

Assessment Plan:

I will assess my students’ levels of comprehension through observing the small group
discussions and going through their QAR responses. I will give one point per question to
students if I see they are actively participating in their small group discussion and an additional
one point for the completion of the question in their QAR packet. For large group discussions, I
would require each student to participate in the discussion at least once for each section in the
QAR packet which would give them their point for the day, and an additional point per question
upon seeing that they have been completed in the packet.

Reflection Activity
Students are given an opportunity to reflect upon retaking their Anticipation Guide towards the
end of the unit. Students are asked to compare their scores between the initial Anticipation Guide
and their Anticipation Guide retake. They are to compare how much they have improved what
strategies they believe helped them improve their score. In addition to this, if they find that they
have not improved on one or more questions, they will take this time to reflect on what concepts
they still struggle with and what they can do in the future as independent learners to work
towards learning concepts that are challenging for them.

Writing Activity

Writing activities are present through this lesson plan. For reinforcing their vocabulary
knowledge, they are required to complete a prompt that requires at least 150 words. In addition
to this, they are also required to write a reflection on their Anticipation Guide retake for when
they are done reading the literature. While the students will not have points deducted for spelling
or grammatical errors, it offers them practice for writing paragraphs and deeper level thinking
that connects not only their content knowledge but also their newly found comprehension and
vocabulary skills.

Communication Activity
Oral communication is present throughout the vocabulary and comprehension activities. Students
are encouraged to discuss working definitions of the vocabulary and their answers for their QAR
packets. These discussions help enhance the knowledge students gain by having peers explain in
their own words their thoughts and perceptions. These discussions also help enhance social skills
through the use of newly gained content knowledge and comprehension skills.

Performance Based Assessment

The final assignment for the unit will be a performance based assessment where students act as a
paleontologist that is trying to convince the head curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of
Natural history to exhibit the fossil of a newly discovered dinosaur that they found, much like
how Kirk Johnson convinced curator Larry Barnes to look more into researching extinct marine
mammals in the literature.
Criteria 4 2 0

Appearance and Visually appealing Visually appealing Sloppy presentation

Spelling presentation board with presentation board with board and more than 6
less than 2 spelling less than 6 spelling spelling errors
errors errors

Description of what the Description includes Description includes No information

extinct animal looked physical adaptations to just physical included
like environment as well as characteristics. No
any unique physical connection to how they
characteristics adapt to the
environment

Description of extinct Description of both the Description of either the No information

animal’s habitat and habitat and diet are habitat or diet included included
diet included

Visual of the fossil and Printed or drawn picture Printed or drawn picture No picture presented
extinct animal of both the fossil and of either the fossil or
extinct animal extinct animal