ED 345 Calvin University Teacher Intern Lesson Plan Template

Teacher Intern: Mallory Hoatlin Date: October 21, 2019

Grade Level: 3rd Subject/ Topic: Science - Squirrels
Approx. time spent planning this lesson: 45 minutes *The template will expand as text is added.*
DOMAIN 1: PLANNING & PREPARATION
Main Focus/Essential Questions: How can we use a timeline to think about the past?
Brief Context: This is the first introductory lesson to this learning set, where students will be starting to think about how
long ago these events would have actually taken place.
Prerequisite Knowledge/Skills:
Lesson Objectives/Learning Targets Aligned Assessments
Consider formative & summative tools
Please number objectives and the aligned assessment measures.
The learner will: I will assess learning by:
1. Sort events on a timeline. 1. Students will be creating their own timelines and
figuring out how to organize their events
sequentially.
Standards Addressed in Lesson: 3-LS4-1. Analyze and interpret data from fossils to provide evidence of the organisms
and the environments in which they lived long ago. (Include full standard.)
Instructional Resources: Lucas Education Research, Sprocket

Consideration of Learners:
How have you responded to your diverse learners? Consider UDL (Multiple means of Engagement, Representation,
Action & Expression) & principles of differentiation. If appropriate, identify individual accommodations you will make
in response to needs or interests of students.
Students will be able to see the timeline in two different ways, both on the board and on the floor of the hallway. This is
meant to help our visual learners get a better grasp on how far away these events actually are. Students will also be able
to work in mixed ability groups to discuss some of their findings.

DOMAIN 2: THE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

BUILDING RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS: (Note any specific ways in which you plan to establish rapport, build mutual
trust, monitor & maintain relationships. Consider student-teacher & student-student relationships.)
Students will be working as a whole class to determine the order of events without the dates.
ORGANIZATIONAL ROUTINES: (Identify ways that you have intentionally organized time, space, materials, & students
to minimize disruptions and maximize learning.)
Students will be brought into the hallway for the large timeline activity. While out there, students will all be seated in
one area and will be staying seated for the duration of that activity.
SPECIFYING & REINFORCING PRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR: (Note how expectations are specified, productive behavior is
reinforced and disruptive behavior is redirected.)
Expectations for the hallway timeline activity will be stated before transitioning into the hallway. Students who are off
task during the timeline activity in the hallway will be asked to go back into the classroom and rejoin the group when
they are ready to do their job.
DOMAIN 3: INSTRUCTION
CONTENT MANAGEMENT: YOUR INSTRUCTION
Motivation/Opening/Intro: [Think creatively about how to recruit learning.]
1. Show prehistoric video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASxQKIUf6x8
2. Ask students for their ideas about how this environment looks similar to and different from the squirrel’s
environment that we have been learning about.
3. Now, we are going to spend a little time focusing on the second half of our unit Driving Question: Why we can’t
find any stegosauruses.
 4. Ask students to describe a timeline and note times when they have used a timeline.
Development: [It may help to number your steps with corresponding times.]
1. This morning, I got out of bed and brushed my teeth. Who did that, too? On the first day of 3rd grade, some of
you were kind of nervous. Raise your hand if you remember being nervous.
2. Can you show with your hands how long ago getting up and brushing your teeth was? What about the first day
of third grade?
3. Lay small images of events on the floor with no dates. Have students describe what they think is in each image.
4. Lead students in deciding what order the events should go in. Do not let them know whether their ideas are
correct or incorrect but acknowledge that the class is unsure of some ideas.
5. Put the numbers 1, 50, 100, 200, 50000, 200000, 65000000, 150000000, 1000000000, and 4600000000 on the
board. Have students repeat the numbers with you. Let them know that each of these numbers matches up with
one of the images they looked at earlier.
6. Take students into the hallway with tile floors. To show such a large number, we are going to need to break it
into chunks. Each tile is going to represent 100 million years.
7. Introduce the photos of the events with dates, that students will be adding to the timeline.
8. One by one have students lay the pictures in the write spots, with one student sharing the dates as well as the
description of the image.
9. Once finished, have students share what they notice about the location of and space between different events.
By using a timeline, we can measure and figure out the time in between different events.
Closure: (Be creative and consider authentic audiences for the work. Think beyond giving an assignment or
independent practice.)
1. Invite students to write in their science notebooks some of their observations of the timeline and the
ordering of events.
2. Once finished writing, students will meet in their scientist groups to discuss their observations and
noticings.

DOMAIN #4: PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

EVIDENCE OF PROFESSIONALISM: Please note recent evidence of your efforts as a professional.

REFLECTION AFTER TEACHING THE LESSON: Overall, this lesson went really well. Students seemed to be able to
deepen their understanding of how long ago some of these events were. Next time I teach this lesson, it would be
more helpful to go over expectations for hallway behavior a little more. It was nice that our classroom is the only class
in that hallway, but the students were still a little louder than they should have been.