Context Analysis District Factors Village Elementary School is located in Village Elementary school is part of the Hartland Consolidated

Schools located in Hartland Township, Michigan. The school houses grades kindergarten through fourth. Hartland is a growing community located near Brighton, MI, with a population of 14,663. Many of the adults work in the professional or technical fields. The children attending Hartland Consolidated Schools are primarily Caucasian (98%). Other ethnicities represented in the schools are Asian/Pacific Islander (1%), and Hispanic (1%). The total number of students in the districts is around 5,606, with 13% of them considered economically disadvantaged. Classroom Factors Each student in the class has his/her own desk. The desks are put into groups of 4-6 to promote cooperative learning. There are shelves in the back of the room that contain books for all reading levels, based on the Fountas and Pinnell leveling system. The shelves also contain other age appropriate books and supplies for students to access. The schedule for the day is always on a visual Velcro schedule on the door in the front of the class and the teacher keeps the same schedule everyday so students know what they will be doing every day. There is one computer in the room, but it is for the teachers use only. The students go to the computer lab once a week to do various projects using computers to build their computer skills and reading/writing skills. They also go to a special everyday which is, Media Arts, Physical Education, Music, Art, or Library. There is a sink in the classroom and the boys and girls bathrooms are located down the hall by the cafeteria. Student Characteristics There is one student who is being evaluated for a possible cognitive impairment and/or being on the Autism spectrum. He will soon have an IEP for a sever Speech and Language disability so that he can receive resource room support. There are three students who are receiving Reading Recovery support, four students who are working with a Speech and Language Pathologist, and one student receiving ESL support. This will affect my planning because I need to make sure that every student is involved in the lessons and I am keeping their attention. I also need to schedule my lessons around time that students are being pulled out for support or evaluation or when professional staff pushes into the classroom. Another characteristic is that there are a wide variety of needs. There are a few students who are advanced readers and advanced in math and there are some students who are learning disabled or need additional support, especially in reading. It is very important that I differentiate my lessons in order to include all levels of learning. Another characteristic worth mentioning is that there are a few students whose parents are divorced or come from single parent homes. Two of these children are not adjusting well.

Also, there are a few students who come from very troubled backgrounds and are struggling economically. I need to take their behavior into account when writing my lesson plans. Implications for instruction The students who are receiving reading recovery may need some support with certain parts of the lesson and may need more visual aids. The students who are being evaluated for a possible cognitive impairment or may be on the Autism spectrum may need extra help with certain parts of the lesson like reminders, visual aids, or a class buddy. They may also need directions repeated to them or have a positive behavior supports in place to motivate good working habits. I will also plan my lessons to accommodate the advanced students as well as the students who may need some extra help and direction. Rationale Students: Have you ever wondered where the apple you eat at lunch comes from or how it grows? Have you ever wondered why there are so many different kinds of apples? In this unit you will learn everything you wanted to know about apples. You will learn about the life cycle of an apple, the characteristics of all different kinds of apples, what an apple needs to grow, how we make different products (i.e. applesauce, apple juice, etc.) with apples, and how those products get to your home. We need plants to survive and its important to learn how an apple grows and the life cycle of plants. Teacher: This unit covers apples including, the life cycle, characteristics, solar energy, and goods and services for apples. It reflects the State of Michigan, and Hartland Consolidated School District benchmarks. This unit includes many hands-on activities, group activities, partner activities, and work done individually in order to include the various abilities and learning styles in the class.

Content Analysis Content Michigan Science Standards/Benchmarks: L.OL.E.1- Plants have basic needs (light, air, water, food) L.OL.E.2- Understanding that plants have life cycles L.HE.E.1- Identify observable characteristics of a plant E.ES.01.11- Identify sun as the most important source of heat E.ES.E.1- Demonstrate the importance of warmth for plant growth E.ES.01.12- Describe how earth materials contribute to growth of plant and animal life

Generalizations All plants have basic needs (light, air, water, food). Focus questions: What are the four different needs that an apple needs to grow and/or survive? What happens if apples are denied these needs? The plant life cycle starts as a seed, then embryo, sprout, tree, bud, blossom, fruit, seed. Focus questions: How does the seed change and grow? What does the life cycle of the apple look like? Apples have many different characteristics. Focus questions: How are some apples similar/different than other apples? Why are they different? What do they taste/smell/look/sound like? All plants need sunlight to grow. Focus question: How does the sun give to the apple that helps it grow? Apples make different kinds of products that we find in our homes. Focus question: What are some examples of products we have in our home that are made from apples? The plant needs earth materials such as wind, to reproduce (seed dispersal) Focus question: How can apples reproduce? Concepts Apples Characteristics Life cycle Basic needs Solar Energy Earth materials Goods/Services

Facts All plants have basic needs including air, water, sunlight, and food. If plants are denied their basic needs, the seed/plant will die. The plant life cycle starts as a seed, then embryo, sprout, tree, bud, blossom, fruit, then back to seed. There are many different kinds of apple including, Macintosh, Gala, Fuji, Pink Lady, etc. Apples come in different sizes, colors, and shapes. Some are round, and some look like hearts. All apples have skin, flesh, a core, stem, leaf, and seeds Apples can have different tastes, such as sweet and tart, because they have different amounts of sugar. The sun is the most important source of heat for apples. Apples need warmth to grow. There are many different products you can make from apples including, cider, apple juice, applesauce, apple pie, Apple Jacks, apple butter, etc. When an apple has grown, farmers pick the apples then decide if some apples are better to eat, or better to make other products with. The flesh of the apple can be hard or soft, and the skin can be thick or thin. Thin-skinned apples are easier to eat. Apple trees go through four different seasons. Plants need earth materials such as wind, to reproduce (seed dispersal)

Content outline I. Life Cycle a. The plant life cycle starts is as follows: i. Starts as a seed ii. Then grows into seedling iii. Then the seedling peaks its head out from the ground and becomes a sprout iv. The sprout grows and gets strong until it becomes a tree v. Once the tree grow, it begins to bud vi. The buds will continue to grow and blossom vii. The tree will then turn into a fruit which grows seeds viii. When the apple is fully grown, it will fall off the tree so that animals/humans can carry the seeds so a new tree will grow. ix. The apple tree will change depending on the season of the year Basic Needs a. All plants have basic needs. Apples need; i. Carbon dioxide- To help in the process of photosynthesis. ii. Temperature- Most apples like temperatures humans like. Its always good to know where plants come from so you can make them feel at home. iii. Room to grow- All plants need to have room to grow. The above ground portions of the plant need space so leaves can expand and carry out the job of making food. Roots also need room to grow. Plant growing in small spaces will have their roots crowded, and that results in smaller amounts of growth. iv. Light- Plants will tell you when its not getting enough light because its stems will be thin and it will lean toward the light. v. Water- Water is important in the plants ability to make and move nutrients. Without water, or with too much, a plant will die. vi. Nutrients- Most of the nutrients that a plant needs are dissolved in water and then taken up by the plant through its roots. Apple trees get their nutrients from the soil b. If the apple is denied one of these needs, the tree, and the apple, will die. Solar Energy a. Sun is the most important source of heat b. It is very important for an apple to have warmth for plant growth c. The sun helps the process of photosynthesis Goods/Services a. Apple products (i.e. applesauce, apple juice, cider, apple jacks, etc.) b. Different apple products include; i. Apple juice

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

ii. Cider iii. Apple Jacks iv. Applesauce v. Apple Pie vi. Etc. c. Apple farmers pick apples and decide which apples will be sold and which will make other products d. Apples can travel across the country, or even the world, until it ends up in local stores, and eventually your house! Earth Materials a. Earth materials contribute to growth of apples b. Most of the nutrients that a plant needs are dissolved in water and then taken up by the plant through its roots. Apple trees get their nutrients from the soil c. The plant needs earth materials such as wind, to reproduce (seed dispersal) Characteristics a. Apples can have different tastes, such as sweet and tart, because they have different amounts of sugar. b. Apples can look different, such as yellow, green, and/or red, depending on the have amount of sugar and when they are picked. They can also have bruising on them. c. The flesh of the apple can be hard or soft, and the skin can be thick or thin. d. Thin-skinned apples are easier to eat. e. All apples have skin, flesh, a core, stem, leaf, and seeds f. There are many different kinds of apple including, Macintosh, Gala, Fuji, Pink Lady, etc. g. Apples come in different sizes, colors, and shapes. Some are round, and some look like hearts. h. All apples have skin, flesh, a core, stem, leaf, and seeds

Unit Objectives Michigan Science Benchmarks L.OL.E.1- Plants have basic needs (light, air, water, food) Unit Outcomes: Students will: L.HE.E.1- Identify observable characteristics of a plant E.ES.01.12- Describe how earth materials contribute to growth of plant and animal life Describe and write the basic needs of an apple List at least 3 things an apple needs to grow Predict what will happen if an apple is denied one of these needs and explain why they made that predication Investigate the predictions of what will happen if an apple is denied one of these needs Describe, write, and create the life cycle of an apple List the steps and parts of the apple life cycle Explain in his/her own words what happens during each step of a life cycle verbally and through written expression Produce a diagram of the life cycle of the apple Examine apples and describe the differences/similarities of apples through written observations Recall at least three characteristics of apples Create a visual representation of an apple and label the different parts and characteristics of the apple Explain in his/her own words why the sun is important to the life of an apple Produce a visual that shows how the sun effects the life cycle of an apple Describe how the sun helps in the process of photosynthesis Predict what would happen to the plant if the sun no longer existed Describe how plants get their nutrients through the soil Recall the parts of the apple (roots, stem, etc.) that help the plant get the nutrients from the soil Explain in his/her own words why the plant needs earth materials such as wind,

L.OL.E.2- Understand that plants have life cycles

E.ES.01.11- Identify sun as the most important source of heat

 E.ES.E.1- Demonstrate the importance of warmth for plant growth Additional Affective Goal

to reproduce (seed dispersal) Investigate what would happen when seeds do not have soil Explain in his/her own words why a plant cannot survive without earth materials Explain in his/her own words why the plant needs warmth to grow Identify warmth as one of the basic needs for a plant to grow Value the importance of working cooperatively

Pre-Unit Analysis Students were given a paper and pencil pre-assessment that assessed the three main objectives. They were given a rating of either N, L, or S, for each objective. N=No evidence of understanding, L= Limited understanding and S= Substantial understanding. Objective #1Characteristics of Apples 0=N 1-2=L 3=S Student Number Ava Zach Cheyenne Jade Allison Alex Kinsley Grant Tristen Rebecca Aurora Kennedy Collin Mcquilla Owen Haylee Grace Drew Melea Wyatt Oliver Gavin Alessandra Tyler Objective #2-Life Cylce of Apples 0-1=N 2-3=L 4=S #1 Characteristics S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S L S #2 Life Cycle L N N L L L N L L N L L L L L L L L L L L L L L Objective #3- Basic needs of Apples 0-2=N 3-5=L 6-7= S #3 Basic Needs L N L L L L L L N L L S N L L L L L L L L L N L

Pre-Assessment Planning for Instruction Objective 1. Students will correctly identify the correct characteristics of apples Pre-Assessment Strategy Students were given a paper and pencil assessment and were asked to answer the true or false questions by circling a smiley face for true, or an X for false. If they answered 0 they received an N, 1-2 L, 3-S. Pre-Assessment Strategy Students were given a paper and pencil assessment and were asked to answer the true or false questions by circling a smiley face for true, or an X for false. If they answered 0-1 they received an N 2-3 L, 4-S. Summary of Results In the pre-assessment, 23 students could correctly identify the correct characteristics of apples. While 1 student had limited understanding. Implications for Instruction Most of the students can identify the characteristics of apples. I will not spend much time on this topic.

Objective 2. Students will show their understanding of an apples life cycle by circling the correct answer.

Summary of Results

Implications for Instruction In the pre-assessment, A little more than 20 students had three quarters of the limited understanding, students knows while 4 students had something about this no evidence of concept while 4 of understanding. them have no understanding. I may need to spend extra time explain the concept to some and have a more challenging activity for others to do while Im explaining. Summary of Results In the pre-assessment, 1 student had substantial understanding, 19 students had limited understanding, while 4 students had no evidence of understanding. Implications for Instruction This concept will probably be the most confusing for the students. I will need to review this concept often. For the student with substantial understanding, I may plan a challenging activity, while other

Objective 3. Students will identify and list the basic needs of apples.

Pre-Assessment Strategy Students were given a paper and pencil assessment and were asked to answer the true or false questions by circling a smiley face for true, or an X for false. Then, students are asked to list 4 basic needs of

apples. If they answered 0-2 they received an N, 3-5 L, 6-7S.

students work on the concept. I may also need to pull four students and work with them while other students complete activities to ensure understanding.

Pre-Assessment Data N #1 #2 #3 0 4 4 L 1 20 19 S 23 0 1

25

20

15 N L 10 S

0 #1 #2 #3

Students of Special Concern There are 3 students of which I have special concern. One student has some behavior issues, such as incompletion of work and little to no cooperation or participation. This student circled all the answers, but did not attempt to list basic needs for an apple, therefore received a low limited ability score for the life cycle of the apple, and a no evidence of understanding for the basic needs of the apple. This student gets pulled out for Reading Recovery, and his extremely low reading ability could be the cause of the incomplete work and/or effort. The next student has attention issues and also has a hard time completing work. He is a very high reader but may have some fine motor and attention issues. This could cause him to not complete work or stay on task and focused. The last student is a caring student but is being evaluated for qualification for special education under an ASD, CI, or SLP certification. He has fine motor issues, low reading ability, and attention issues. He does not complete work, needs multiple prompts to stay on task, and has a difficulty paying attention on the teacher and on tasks. This student tries very hard however, and may respond in a one-on-one situation.

Student for Learning Analysis The student I chose for the analysis is a low reader but an overall bright student. He has severe behavior issues, along with attention issues and possible fine motor problems. He has issues at both home and school and has been placed on a behavior plan while awaiting referral into special education for an emotional impairment. He is capable of completing the work but needs many prompts to stay on task and to do his best work. I am interested to see how he does on the unit, especially because I will be attempting to incorporate a great deal of hands on and cooperative learning work. On the pre-assessment he correctly answered all the questions about the characteristics of apples, but started circling the answers for the life cycle by making a picture rather than focusing on the answer which gave him a score of limited understanding. Lastly, on the last objective, basic needs of an apple, he did not answer any questions correctly and only listed two of four answers and left the other two blank. It seemed that on the pre-assessment he was able to focus on the questions, but as the questions continued, he lost focus and motivation. I think this student will need help on the rest of the unit and reminders to stay on task and do his best work. I will also try to make learning hands-on and motivate him with positive supports to keep him focused. He has good days and bad days so I am interested to work with him and help him complete this unit successfully.

Culminating Activity At the end of the unit the students will be participating in two culminating activities. First, they will participate in an apple taste test. Students will be given apple products to taste and rate them as to whether or not they like them. Students will also have the opportunity to share with the parent volunteers what they have learned about apples, and the projects that they have done while learning. Second, they will plant their own apple tree as a class. A local apple orchard donated a small apple tree to the classroom. Students will discuss where to plant it, based on what it needs to grow. They will also discuss what it will look like as it grows and matures. Then, as a class they will plant the apple tree in the school garden. Lastly, students will write a narrative on the process of planting an apple tree.

Rubric For Culminating Activity The point of these activities is to see if the students can use what they learned about apples, to participate in an apple taste test, and in planting a real apple tree. Therefore, these assignments are graded on a pass/fail basis. If students participate and demonstrate an understanding of the apple life cycle, basic needs, and characteristics, they will pass. If the student does not participate, or does not demonstrate any understanding of the apple life cycle, basic needs, and characteristics, they will fail.

Post-Assessment Students were given a paper and pencil pre-assessment that assessed the three main objectives. They were given a rating of either N, L, or S, for each objective. N=No evidence of understanding, L= Limited understanding and S= Substantial understanding. Objective #1Characteristics of Apples 0=N 1-2=L 3=S Student Number Ava Zach Cheyenne Jade Allison Alex Kinsley Grant Tristen Rebecca Aurora Kennedy Collin Mcquilla Owen Haylee Grace Drew Melea Wyatt Oliver Gavin Alessandra Tyler Objective #2-Life Cylce of Apples 0-1=N 2-3=L 4=S #1 Characteristics S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S #2 Life Cycle S S S S L L S L S S S L N S S L S L S S L S L S Objective #3- Basic needs of Apples 0-2=N 3-5=L 6-7= S #3 Basic Needs L S S S S S S S S S S S L S S L S S S S S S S S

Group Analysis of Student Learning Objective 1. Students will correctly identify the correct characteristics of apples Assessment Strategy Students were given a paper and pencil assessment and were asked to answer the true or false questions by circling a smiley face for true, or an X for false. If they answered 0 they received an N, 1-2 L, 3-S. Summary of Results All 24 students were able to circle the correctly identify the correct answers by circling either the smiley face for true or the X for false.

Objective 2. Students will show their understanding of an apples life cycle by circling the correct answer.

Pre-Assessment Strategy Students were given a paper and pencil assessment and were asked to answer the true or false questions by circling a smiley face for true, or an X for false. If they answered 0-1 they received an N 2-3 L, 4-S.

Summary of Results 15 of the students correctly answered the true or false questions by circling a smiley face for true, or an X for false and received an S for substantial understanding. 8 of the students were able to correctly answer 2-3 true or false questions and received an L for limited understanding. 1 student only correctly answered 1 true or false questions and received an N for no understanding. Summary of Results 21 of the students correctly answered the true or false questions by circling a smiley face for true, or an X for false and received an S for substantial understanding. 3 of the students were able to correctly answer 3-5 true or false questions and received an L for limited understanding.

Objective 3. Students will identify and list the basic needs of apples.

Pre-Assessment Strategy Students were given a paper and pencil assessment and were asked to answer the true or false questions by circling a smiley face for true, or an X for false. Then, students are asked to list 4 basic needs of apples. If they answered 0-2 they received an N, 3-5 L, 6-7S.

Post-assessment data

N #1 #2 #3 0 1 0

L 0 8 3

S 24 15 21

30

25

20 N 15 L S 10

0 Objective 1 Objective 2 Objective 3

Summary Statement for Student Learning There was evidence of student learning in all three areas that were assessed. The first objective was for students to correctly circle the correct true or false answer. One student moved from limited understanding to substantial understanding, while the other 23 students remained at substantial understanding. There were also substantial gains in the second objective, which was to again, circle the correct true or false answer. 8 students remained at limited understanding. 11 students moved from limited understanding to substantial understanding. Unfortunately, 1 student went from limited understanding to no evidence of understanding. The 4 students who made the biggest gains went from no evidence of understanding to substantial understanding. Students made the biggest gains in the third objective. This was the most challenging objective because it was the one that students were most unfamiliar with. 1 student remained at substantial understanding, while 2 remained at limited understanding. 1 student moved from no evidence of understanding to limited understanding, while 17 students moved from limited understanding to substantial understanding. The 3 students who made the remarkable gains went from no evidence of understanding to substantial understanding. While teaching the unit, I was able to observe incredible student learning, although the postassessment showed that one student regressed in their scores. The assessment only focused on 3 objectives and did not show all of the learning gains made by all students. Individual Analysis Collin showed substantial understanding in the first objective, no evidence of understanding in the second objective, and limited understanding in the third objective. I was surprised at how well he did on the pre-assessment, especially because of his low reading ability. Collin has had to overcome great struggles in his home life, as his parents are divorced, and he has had to move around more times than a typical child his age. Collin is now qualified for special education services under a label of emotional impairment. Unfortunately, due to his behaviors Collin was removed from the classroom often which caused him to miss a great deal of academic instruction, including many lessons of my unit. A few adaptations were made for Collin during the unit. During the first lesson, I asked students to write what they knew about apples, and what they wanted to know about apples for a KWL chart. Collin had a very difficult time staying focused, and refused to do any of the writing because he was too embarrassed to ask for help with spelling. I was able to pull him aside individually, and work with him one-on-one on his spelling. I also talked to him about letting me know when he needed to ask for help. We came up with a secret signal that would be between him and I, to let me know when he needed help without the rest of the class knowing. This seemed to motivate him and made him feel comfortable with asking for help. Another adaptation

was to pull him one-on-one to assist him with activities by reading him the instructions and working with him to complete the activity or task, and also to help him catch up on the information that he missed while out of the classroom. Finally, I often placed Collin with a peer buddy. If the activity was one that I was concerned about him succeeding with, I placed him with a buddy at a higher level. He has always enjoyed and worked well with peers, so this helped motivate him and keep him on task. This resulted in his success and during these times I was able to observe that he was making gains in each of the three objectives. For example, during the My Apple Activity I require that students do some writing. Knowing that Collin typically shuts down during writing activities due to his below grade level abilities, I placed him with a peer buddy to work together. Collin successfully completed the activity and I saw very little behavior issues. However, if the activity was one that I knew Collin would excel in, I placed him with a peer buddy at a slightly lower level. This placed him in a leadership role, which boosted his selfconfidence and kept him motivated and on task. For example, during the seed experiment, I placed him with a student with autism, who struggles with remembering directions. Collin was very proud to be helping this student and his work showed it. He was focused, helpful, and did a very impressive job with his experiment. I was again, able to observe that he was making gains in each objective.

Reflection and Self Evaluation My class showed significant gains in objectives two and three. I was so proud of the gains they made in the third objective because it was the most challenging for them and they had little to no background knowledge with that concept, and yet at the end of the unit 21 of them showed substantial understanding. Students did not show as much improvement in the first objective because they were most familiar with that concept and most students showed substantial understanding on the pre-assessment. After taking the post-assessment, it was clear that15 students improved on the second objective. 8 students remained at limited understanding. 11 students moved from limited understanding to substantial understanding. Unfortunately, 1 student went from limited understanding to no evidence of understanding. While learning about the life cycle of the apple, students had a lot of fun watching videos, creating their own book, and working on the computer to show the life cycle. However, on the post-assessment, the wording, although the same as the pre-assessment was very straightforward, and I believe that if I had allowed students to draw or explain the life cycle of the apple, they would have explained it or shown it correctly. I think that changing the assessment to allow them to show me what they know wouldve been more appropriate, especially since some of my students are low level readers. However, next time I would also make sure that I spent more time talking and using the language that I used on the post-assessment so they could answer the questions correctly when asked, without having to draw or explain. On the third objective, 23 students improved after the unit. 1 student remained at substantial understanding, while 2 remained at limited understanding. 1 student moved from no evidence of understanding to limited understanding, while 17 students moved from limited understanding to substantial understanding. I am so proud that 3 students made remarkable gains by moving from no evidence of understanding to substantial understanding. This objective required students to identify and list the basic needs of apples. During the unit, students had a hard time understanding how the sun is the main source of food for apples, because it was a more abstract concept than they typically encounter at their age. They understood that apples need the sun, but had a hard time really grasping that the sun is a food source. Therefore, I spent a great deal of time on this concept and used many different strategies to approach the topic, so that I would be able to reach all students. I create direct, indirect, and cooperative lessons on this topic and also infused these lessons with a great deal of visuals and technology to help aid the students understanding. My unit had many hands-on activities that I feel greatly increased student learning and understanding. I also used technology to help aid me supporting the students when they were presented with information. The students did a wonderful job on the assessments that involved creating, such as making their own life cycle book, or creating a diagram of what apples need to survive. However, they did not do as well as expected on the final assessment. I think this is

because I created the assessment to resemble a paper and pencil test, where I asked a question, and the students circled the true or false answer. Although I did read each question to the students, to accommodate the lower readers, I think it was hard for some of the students to hear the question and circle true or false. This kind of test was new for them, and while most of them did a fine job, I think it was confusing and a little frustrating for others. The post-assessment showed that all students made gains throughout unit, except for one student. The data shows that he went from a limited understanding in objective 2, to no evidence of understanding. This is due to his behavior issues. I do believe that he made gains because I worked with him one-on-one and observed his work. However, on the day of the assessment, he was pulled out of the classroom because he was displaying inappropriate behavior. Therefore he was not able to finish the test. When I attempted to have him finish the assessment on a later day, he simply circle random answers because he explained that he did not want to do the assessment, and became non-compliant. However, I am sure that he has a strong understanding of all three objectives because of my observations and assessments throughout the lesson. For example, one activity in the unit involved an apple taste test. I invited parent involvement to come and help our students with this activity, and also to talk to our apple experts and view all the hard work we had done as a class. During this activity, this particular student was extremely excited and went into great detail about the life cycle of an apple to a visiting parent. All the information he shared was correct, and I was very proud by his understanding. So although he did not show gains on the assessment, I do believe that he made them and has a good understanding of all three objectives. Almost every day, I observed and talked with the students about apples. We spent a great deal of time working together to become apple experts and the students were really excited to learn what we were going to do with apples every day. Students would ask me questions about apples throughout the day, and would even share learning experiences with me that they had with apples outside of the classroom. I was incredibly proud of the students and of the unit I had created. However, there are some things I would do differently next time. First off, I would adjust my time on almost every lesson of the unit. As a new teacher, I had an idea in my head of how long something should take, when in reality I realized I either gave students too much time, or not enough time. While we finished everything I set out to accomplish, my unit did go over a few extra days, so I would like to make my times more efficient, and add or take out activities to cater to the needs of the students. Overall, I am extremely happy with my unit and believe that it was successful. The students had fun with the activities, while learning all about apples. All 24 students made gains in the third objective, and I greatly enjoyed watching each student observe and learn. I believe that I incorporated a lot of great strategies and tools to support student learning. My students showed tremendous gains, and together, we became apple experts and I look forward to utilizing what I learned in this unit, to many future units.

List of Unit Teaching Materials I like apples! Youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w TTz2dL0jb8 Computers for each student The Apple Star Story http://www.cometogetherkids.com/2 012/09/the-story-of-apple-star.html Apple core chart/diagram Paper plates Apple part labels for students Sid the Seed Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feat ure=player_embedded&v=jm12JKh NnWY Apple slices Experiment worksheets Containers for water, milk, soda, and lemon juice Water Milk Soda Lemon juice Labeled paper plates (milk, water, soda, lemon juice) Basic Needs PowerPoint Basic Needs of Apple Worksheets The Apple Pie Tree book by Zoe Hall Cups Soil Grass seed Water Smartboard presention Seeds Brainstorming chart What do apples make? Scholastic News- Making Apple Cider

All handouts are included with each lesson plan Pencils Crayons Colored pencils Markers Plain, white paper I love apples! Youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m NKH-Ayp2mc Document camera to display apple 5 senses worksheets (24) Book, Little Mouse and the Big Red Apple by A.H. Benjamin and Gwyneth Williamson Apple brainstorming charts (What we think we know, what we want to know, what we learned) Book, Up!Up!Up! Its Apple Picking Time by Jody Fickes Shapiro My Apple booklets Counting bears Scales Counting cubes String Buckets of water I am a little apple Youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T eqaekAUN0o Apples (all different colors with students numbers written on the bottom) 1 orange Labels

Scholastic News- Apple Orchard Jobs Weekly Reader Have an Apple Papers with six boxes so students can make a sequenced picture What I tasted worksheets Parent volunteer send home forms Apple products (for apple taste test, brought in by students) How do apples grow? by Betsy Maestro The season of the apple by Gail Gibbons Apples big book by Melvin and Gilda Berger Apple mini-books Why are plants good for us? Brainstorm chart We need plants diagram Apple dicuts Apple tree (donated by local apple orchard)

Shovel Dirt Play-doh Seeds 4 per group (I have 5 groups, so I will need 20 seeds) Ziploc sandwich size bages 4 per group (20) Wet paper towel Book- Just a seed by Wendy Blaxland Book-The giving tree by Shel Silverstein Brads Apple products for taste test (determined by parent volunteers) Cups Utensils Napkins Plates

Resources Apple Orchard Jobs. (2007, September). Scholastic News, 64, 1-8. Bauer, J. (2006). Amazing apples. New York: Scholastic. Benjamin, A. H., & Williamson, G. (2001). Little Mouse and the big red apple. Wilton, CT: Tiger Tales. Berger, M., & Berger, G. (2004). Apples. New York: Scholastic. Blaxland, W., & Magerl, C. (19971996). Just a seed. New York: Scholastic. Cahalane, S. (2011, April 3). Science for Kids. Science for Kids. Retrieved September 9, 2013, from http://scienceforkidsblog.blogspot.com Cooley, S. (2010, October 2). First Grader...at Last!. : Appletivities...and 2 Apple FREEBIES!. Retrieved December 10, 2013, from http://firstgraderatlast.blogspot.com/2013/09/appletivitiesand-2-apple-freebies.html Gibbons, G. (1984). The seasons of Arnold's apple tree. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Golden, D. (2011, July 8). Golden Gang Kindergarten: Apples. Golden Gang Kindergarten: Apples. Retrieved September 10, 2013, from http://goldengangkindergarten.blogspot.com/2013/09/apples.html Hall, Z., & Riegel, E. (1997). The apple pie tree. New York: Scholastic. Harry, P. (n.d.). Harry Kindergarten. Harry Kindergarten. Retrieved September 9, 2013, from http://www.harrykindergartenmusic.com/. Harry, P. (2010, September 21). I Love Apples! (kids' song). YouTube. Retrieved September 9, 2013, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNKH-Ayp2mc. Kazoo, G. (2013, February 13). Gary Kazoo - "I Like Apples" - Children's Song. YouTube. Retrieved September 9, 2013, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTTz2dL0jb8. Leeby, M. (2010, October 9). Seed Experiment. Learning with Mrs. Leeby. Retrieved September 10, 2013, from http://www.learningwithmrsleeby.blogspot.com/2013/03/snow-day-andscience-freebie.html Making Apple Cider. (2004, September). Scholastic News, 61, 1-4. Mike, M. (2010, October 10). Mr. Mike TV. Mr. Mike TV. Retrieved September 9, 2013, from http://www.mrmiketv.com.

Novobilsky, L. (2012, September 17). The Apple Star Story. Come Together Kids. Retrieved September 10, 2013, from http://www.cometogetherkids.com/2012/09/the-story-of-applestar.html. Pagan, D. (2009, November 7). Sid The Seed. YouTube. Retrieved December 10, 2013, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm12JKhNnWY Partin, J (n.d.). Kindergarten Lifestyle. Kindergarten Lifestyle. Retrieved September 9,2013, from http://kindergatenligestyle.blogspot.com/. Paul, S. (2013, September 26). Sarah's First Grade Snippets. Sarah's First Grade Snippets. Retrieved September 9, 2013, from http://snippetsbysarah.blogspot.com/. Reader. (2010, September). Have an Apple. Weekly Reader, 1, 1-4. Shapiro, J. F., DeRosa, R., Blane, S., Hermann, A., Slimak, E., & Harvill, K. (20042003). Up, up, up! it's apple-picking time. New York: Scholastic, Inc.. Silverstein, S. (1964). The giving tree. New York: Harper & Row. VanMeter, S., Dillon, S., & Berry, K. (2013, March 27). Primary Possibilities. Primary Possibilities. Retrieved September 10, 2013, from http://primarypossibilities.blogspot.com/