Katie

Barnes
Teaching Date: November 26th
Indiana Wesleyan University
Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template
CAEP 2018 K-6 Elementary Teacher Preparation Standards

** Students have been learning about the first thanksgiving and the Mayflower – they have also been practicing
for their own class play for Thanksgiving

LESSON RATIONALE
This lesson will challenge students to share their own thoughts will the peers in their group. They will also be challenged
to work together to build a boat that will help the Pilgrims make it across the ocean.

READINESS
I. Goals/Objectives/Standard(s)
A. Goal(s):
• Students will be able to use given materials to work together and build a boat.
B. Objective(s):
• By using given materials, students will work in groups to create a boat that will float in the water.
C. Standard(s):
• K-2.E.2: Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate and investigate how the
shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve an identified problem.
II. Management Plan:
• Time for lesson: the lesson will last 30 minutes
o 3 minutes – anticipatory set
o 14 minutes – explain procedures, allow students to talk about ideas, allow students to build boat
o 5 minutes – test boats
o 4 minutes – talk about weight determining if boats sunk or float in the water
o 4 minutes – finish the youtube video
• Space: Students will be working at their seats in their table groups
• Materials:
o Cardboard
o Styrofoam cups
o Straws
o Tape
o Aluminum foil
o Youtube read aloud video
o Bowl
o Water
III. Anticipatory Set
• “I am going to play a video. As we listen to the story, I want you to pay close attention to how the pilgrims
make it across the water.”
• Play youtube video: Peter the Cat: The First Thanksgiving – Children’s Stories Read Aloud – Kids Books
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0rPJdYVbjA&t=197s
o Stop video at 1:41 – right after it talks about the Pilgrims and the Mayflower
§ Ask, “How did the Pilgrims make it across the ocean?” Allow time for student response.
IV. Purpose:
• “Today you are going to work in groups and make your own Mayflower ship! As you are making your
ship, you need to think if it will sink or float when we put it in the water. We are going to see if each
table can make a boat that will help the Pilgrims make it across the ocean!”

PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION
V. Adaptation to Individual Differences and Diverse Learners:
• For students who may be struggling, I will be there to assist throughout the lesson.
• I will bring in a model of a boat to help students come up with ideas if they are struggling.

VI. Lesson Presentation (Input/Output)
• “What makes an object sink or float?” Allow time for student response. “When an object is too heavy, it can
begin to sink. Today we are going to be talking about density. Can you all say density?” Allow time for

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 students to repeat. “Good job! If an object has too much density, it will sink when we put it in the water –
because it is too heavy. So, when you are building your boats, you want to make sure they are light and
don’t have a lot of density – that way they will float when we put them in the water.”
• “Each table will have supplies to use for their boat. You can have cardboard, styrofoam cups, straws,
tape, aluminum foil, and cotton balls.” Show items to students. “As a table group, you have to work
together to build a boat that will float so the Pilgrims can use it to make it across the ocean!”
• Show students my example of a boat. “This is the boat I made for the Pilgrims! You guys can make on like
mine or make one that looks completely different. I will leave mine at the front of the room in case you
all need some ideas. I am going to give you guys 1 minute to first talk about how you want to make your
boat. As you all are talking, I will pass out the supplies. Don’t start building until I tell you to!”
• Pass out supplies. Give students 1 minute to talk about ideas.
• “Now that you have talked about ideas, you now have 12 minutes to build your boat! When the timer
goes off, that means it is time to clean up and stop building your boat. If you have any questions, raise
your hand and I will be around to help you.”
• Set timer for 12 minutes. Walk around room assisting students as needed.
• Tell students when they have 2 minutes remaining.

VII. Check for understanding.
• When time is out, say, “It is now time to clean our workspace so we can test each boat!”
• “First, we are going to test my boat, and then we will test each tables boat!”
• Have the helper dots from each table bring their boat up and place it in the water.
• Have students observe whether each boat sinks or floats
• Once each table has put their boat in the water ask, “Why do you think some of our boats sunk and some
were able to float in the water?” Allow time for student response. Guide conversation into the weight of each
boat determined whether it sunk or float in the water.

VIII. Review learning outcomes / Closure
• “Now that we each had a chance to build our own boat for the Pilgrims, we are going to finish our video
and see what happens to the Pilgrims after they made it across the ocean!”
• Play the rest of Pete the Cat: The First Thanksgiving
o “What happened to the pilgrims once they made it to land?” Allow time for student response.
“That’s right! They met the Indians and then planned for the First Thanksgiving! So, because the
pilgrims were able to use a boat to make it across the ocean, we know are able to celebrate
Thanksgiving!”

PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT
• Formative Assessment
• Walk around, assess students during worktime
• Listen to their conversations – ask questions to provoke deeper thinking

REFLECTION AND POST-LESSON ANALYSIS
1. How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not, why not?
a. All of the students were able to work together in groups to make a boat.
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
a. Strengths: I thought I did a good job connecting with the students – I used a read aloud about a
Thanksgiving play (they had just done one themselves) and they were excited to see all of the
characters.
b. Weaknesses: I think I should have had students sit closer to the front of the room while we were
testing the boats. They were all engaged in the process, it was just hard for some of them to see from
their seats.
3. How should I alter this lesson?
a. I would keep the students in groups, but maybe add a few more materials. Some students kept
asking me if they could have more straws, cups, etc.
4. How would I pace it differently?
a. I think I would spend a little more time at the end connecting the concept of density to the lesson.
5. Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?
a. Yes, every student was engaged and actively working with their peers to build their boat.
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?

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 a. As I walked around the room, I was asking higher-level thinking questions. I also put students in
groups for this project because I knew if I had them do it independently, some of the students would
be overwhelmed with the task.
7. Was each student involved in the making of the boats?
a. Yes, all of the students were able to work together. However, a few students needed reminders
throughout work time that they were working with their peers.
8. Were students able to explain why some boats sunk while others didn’t through the grand conversation?
a. All of the boats were able to float! So, students were able to explain why they were able to float
instead of sink.