Lesson Overview

5e Lesson Plan Model

Many of my science lessons are based upon and taught using the 5E lesson plan
model: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. This lesson plan model
allows me to incorporate a variety of learning opportunities and strategies for
students. With multiple learning experiences, students can gain new ideas,
demonstrate thinking, draw conclusions, develop critical thinking skills, and interact with
peers through discussions and hands-on activities. With each stage in this lesson
model, I select strategies that will serve students best for the concepts and content
being delivered to them. These strategies were selected for this lesson to facilitate peer
discussions, participation in a group activity, reflective learning practices, and
accountability for learning.
Unit Focus
The Ecosystems and Interactions unit focuses on students recognizing the
interrelationship between organisms and their ecosystems. It engages students in
understanding that organisms have observable characteristics that are fully inherited
and can be affected by the climate and/or environment. Students distinguish structures
that define classes of animals and plants, and develop an understanding that all
organisms go through predictable life cycles. They learn that organisms depend upon
one another for growth and development and discover that plants use the sun's energy
to produce food for themselves. They observe how the sun's energy is transferred within
a food chain from producers to consumers to decomposers.
Lesson Synopsis
In this lesson, Plant Kingdom Classifying Vascular and Nonvascular Plants, students
examine several images of vascular and nonvascular plants. They note similarities and
differences between the images shown which leads them to distinguishing that there are
different types of plants. With a powerpoint and guided discussion, they note differences
of vascular and nonvascular plants by creating a foldable in their interactive notebook.
They use this foldable to as they analyze a mixture of vascular and nonvascular plant
images and try to determine which plant does not belong based on their characteristics
and features. At the end of the lesson, I review the images with them to identify which
one does not belong. We discuss the features/characteristics that become their
evidence to write a claim statement about each one. The lesson wraps up withstudents
constructing a diagram that illustrates the similarities and differences between vascular
and nonvascular plants. I use this as a formative assessment for this lesson.
Next Generation Science Standards
This lesson will indirectly address and support future lessons on the following NGSS
Standard(s):
2-LS4-1. Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in
different habitats.
5-LS1-1. Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly
from air and water.
5-LS2-1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals,
decomposers, and the environment.

Why Do I Teach this Lesson and Address This Standard?

I teach the Plant Kingdom Classifying Vascular and Nonvascular Plants lesson because
many of my students have very limited background in science since the elementary
school's within my district do not formally teach science prior to my students entering
the 5th grade (the middle school); therefore, they have not been exposed to earlier
grade level NGSS standards or other previous state standards pertaining to animals,
plants, other living organisms, and ecosystems. I find it important to expose my
students to parts of these earlier standards in order for them to truly develop a thorough
understanding of how matter moves among organisms and developing models to
describe how animals' food was once energy from the sun in future lessons. Students
take part in inquiry based investigations and apply their evidence to explain justify their
thinking. Providing my students the opportunity to practice this type of learning will help
to facilitate their scientific thinking for future investigations in any lesson.
Scientific & Engineering Practices
Students are engaged in the following scientific and engineering Practices
4.) Analyzing and Interpreting: Students compare and contrast a variety of vascular and
nonvascular plant images and identify the similarities and differences between them.
They use their analysis of the features and characteristics to determine which plants are
vascular or nonvascular.
Crosscutting Concepts
The Plant Kingdom Classifying Vascular and Nonvascular Plants lesson will correlate to
other interdisciplinary areas. These Crosscutting Concepts include:
6.) Structure and Function: Students observe and identify different substructures of
vascular and nonvascular plants that support their function of obtaining air, water, and
sunlight to sustain life.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Disciplinary Core Ideas within this lesson include:
LS1.A Structure and Function:
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Importance of Modeling to Develop Student
Responsibility, Accountability, and Independence
Depending upon the time of year, this lesson is taught, teachers should consider
modeling how groups should work together; establish group norms for activities, class
discussions, and partner talks. In addition, it is important to model think aloud
strategies. This sets up students to be more expressive and develop thinking skills
during an activity. The first half of the year, I model what group work and/or talks “look
like and sound like.” I intervene the moment students are off task with reminders and
redirecting. By the second and last half of the year, I am able to ask students, “Who
can give of three reminders for group activities to be successful?” Who can tell us two
reminders for partner talks?” Students take responsibility for becoming successful
learners. Again before teaching this lesson, consider the time of year, it may be
necessary to do a lot of front loading to get students to eventually become more
independent and transition through the lessons in a timely manner.
COLLAPSE

Engage
15 MINUTES
To begin, I have students take the handout from the center of their table. I say to them,
"I am about to show you a variety of plants. On each slide, there are two images. I want
you to observe them carefully and write similarities and differences on your paper."
I selected this powerpoint because I want them to notice that some of the plants have
roots, stems, and leaves and flowers while others do not, rather they appear to growing
on other living organisms.
As students work through each image, I circulate the room observing what they are
writing and discussing. After the last slide, I ask students to turn and talk (using
our turn and talk norms) and share the similarities and differences between each image
they observed.
I reconvene the groups to the front board and redisplay the images. Here I ask each
group to report out the similarities and differences they noted about each one. When all
groups have shared, I ask them: "Based on your observations, would you classify these
plants into the same group? Why or Why not?" My intent is for them to classify the
plants into at least two groups. I listen to their thoughts and then say, "Yesterday, we
previewed the words vascular and nonvascular." I post the word meanings and
continue saying, "If we use these terms as our categories, which images would you
place in each?" I let them think for a few seconds and then move on, telling them we
are going to define these terms more in our notebook.

the handout

observe them carefully

notice

writing and discussing

turn and talk norms

powerpoint

observing

similarities
COLLAPSE

Explain
10 MINUTES
Setting Our Goal for Today
After distinguishing between the vascular and nonvascular images, I call on a student to
read our standard's board aloud to set the goal and expectation for the day. "Today we
will distinguish the similarities and differences between vascular and nonvascular plants
by examining a variety of plants and identifying their structures that classify them as
those plants."
Guided Discussion on Vascular and Nonvascular Plants
To start our discussion, I project a powerpoint which I use throughout the remainder of
the discussion, and say: "Let's find out more about these two plant groups. As I go
through some slides, we are creating a foldable of notes to keep in our interactive
notebook. This foldable helps us distinguish the similarities and difference between
them."

powerpoint
COLLAPSE

Explore
30 MINUTES
Odd One Out- Which Plant Should Not Be Classified with the Others
I direct students' attention to the six stations. I tell students that each station has
one photo in the center of the table. Each photo has a variety either vascular or
nonvascular plants on it, but not all of them belong with the other plants displayed in the
photo. I explain to them, that they need to examine each photo and determine which
plant should not be classified with the other plants displayed.
Then I go on holding up the examine, claim, and support graphic organizer, and direct
students to use this as they determine the odd one (plant) out. I instruct students
to refer to their vocabulary foldable help them determine which plant is the odd one
out. Once they determine the odd one out plant, I have them justify their decision
by writing a claim statement. They write a claim statement using the following sentence
frame: "I claim the ____ does not belong to with the other plants." Following the claim
statement, I tell students each claim must be supported with evidence and tell them to
use a sentence frame: "The evidence I have to support my claim is (use observations as
your evidence and definitions to help write an explanation to the claim.")
As students are examining each photo and writing claim statements, I am walking
around monitoring groups. I am looking atstudent observations and descriptions on his
or her graphic organizer. In addition, I am observing claim statement written and look to
see if written evidence accurately supports the claim. If it does not, I stop and ask
guiding questions:
"What do you notice in this picture?"
"Tell me some similarities and differences you observe within this image?"
"Let's look at your foldable and focus on some characteristics about vascular and
nonvascular plants. Based on what you described about the picture, are there
characteristics we can use to support a possible explanation?"
With guiding questions, I anticipate students will identify definitions to use as evidence
for their claim statement. I continue walking around the room monitoring and checking
in with students.

which plant should not be classified

refer to their vocabulary foldable

which plant
examine, claim, and support graphic organizer

determine the odd one

student observations

examining each photo

photo
COLLAPSE

Elaborate/Evaluate
15 MINUTES
Using Diagrams to Show What We Have Learned

Applying What We Have Learned

After examining vascular and nonvascular plants, determining which ones don't belong,
I tell students they are working with their elbow partner for our next assignment. I
explain that they are creating a diagram that illustrates the similarities and differences
between vascular and nonvascular plants. I point out that they may decide on the type
of diagram they wish to use. I show them samples of different diagrams they may use. I
add on, that if they have an idea of their own for a diagram, I am open to the idea of that
too. I tell them to run it by me first to verify if it illustrates similarities and differences.
Once students determine a diagram to use, I hand each pair a baggie of characteristics.
I explain to them they need to sort through all the characteristics and decide which
characteristics belong to vascular plants and nonvascular plants. As the organize the
characteristics as similarities and differences, I move throughout the
room observing groups and noting student arrangements.
When they finish, I collect the diagrams and use as a formative assessment.

characteristics

type of diagram
collect the diagrams

noting student arrangements