LESSON PLAN ANALYSIS

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Lesson Plan Analysis

Kimberly Pridgen
Dr. Jeni Davis/SCE4310
October 16th, 2014

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Lesson Plan Analysis

As a new teacher, using lesson plans created by others can be tricky. It is most practical
to share the wealth, to take the brilliant thinking in lesson planning that has already been done
and use it in your own teaching. However, Ive been learning that not all brilliant lesson plans
are what they seem at the surface. To better my skills in applying lesson plans, I have selected a
plan titled Have You Ever Met a Tree by Nichols Arboretum to analyze. I am wondering, is
this lesson plan truly ready to teach and catering to the nature of science? Upon analyzing this
plan, I will modify it as needed to support the three legs of science: appropriate content, science
process skills, and the nature of science (Weinburgh).
Science Content
In this lesson, students will learn basic facts about trees, or perhaps better stated,
perennial plants. According to dictionary.com, a perennial plant is a plant
having a life cycle lasting more than two years. They will be introduced to vocabulary such as
roots, trunks, branches, stems, leafs, and needlesall parts of a tree. They will also learn about
the needs that trees have if they are to grow (sunlight, water, and soil). Lastly, they will become
familiar with the leaf cycle of a tree (the leaves of a tree are different depending on the time of
the year it is or what type of tree it is). The main focus of this lesson is to help students see that
every tree is unique and different from all others. Also, the author of this lesson plan wants
students to see the importance of trees to world by stating the principles:
1. trees are not just pretty
2. Many animals and birds depend on trees

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Really, I feel like this lesson is simply all about trees. Personally, I feel like this is a broad and
ambitious feat for one lesson. Because there is not standard in Floridas science curriculum that
allows kindergarten students to simply study trees, I would modify the lesson in a way that it
would give students an opportunity to explore the plants/trees around them and to recognize how
they are alike and how they are different. According to the Next Generation Sunshine State
Standards, students in kindergarten are to be able to Observe plants and animals, describe how
they are alike and how they are different in the way they look and in the things they do
(SC.K.L.14.3). This lesson could easily be modified to teach this standard. Before this lesson
could take place, though, the students would need to have prior knowledge of what it means to
be alike, and what it means to be different. Next, kindergarten students are to be able to
collaborate with a partner to collect information (SC.K.N.1.1). When participating in this
lesson, students will meet their tree and collaborate in groups of two to gather information. They
will need to be explicitly taught expectations and procedures for working with another student.
This is something that has already been, by majority, built into the lesson. After the activity
portion is complete, the students will engage in a discussion about the various trees and their
similarities and differences (leaf variations, size, color, way that theyre used by people and
animals, texture, smell). Overall, I believe that the science content provided in this lesson is
appropriate. It simply needed to be aligned to a more specific and focused objective or standard.

Science Process
In this lesson, there are a lot of science processes going on. First, the students are
challenged to carefully observe the tree. They examine the leaves, color, height, smell; anything
that they can observe using their five senses. They must then make sense of their observations by
making inferences and constructing thoughts about what they observed of the tree. Then, the

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students will record their observations and findings. They will also collect physical data to
communicate with their peers about what they found when studying the tree. At the end of this
activity, all student groups can come together to classify their tree findings by similarities and
differences. According to the article, A Leg (or Three) to Stand On by Molly Weinburgh, In
order to draw conclusions about natural phenomena, elementary children in the primary grades
must be good at the basic skills of observing, recording, communicating, classifying, measuring,
inferring, and predicting (page 29). This lesson requires students to use, at minimum, five out of
the seven science processes. In this area, I feel this lesson plan needs no modifications.
Nature of Science
Within this lesson, I saw three characteristics of the nature of science emerge. First, I
noticed that students would begin to understand that science explains and predicts as they
conducted their research on the tree. For example, the student may notice that an oak tree has a
thick, sturdy trunk. Is it because the tree needs protection? Is it because its job is to provide
shade? The student will collect evidence and make predictions based on their findings. Next, I
saw the characteristic of science demands evidence emerge. As the students are recording their
findings (whether in their science journals, or as a loose assignment), they will be required to
provide evidence (drawings, physical evidence, photographs, detailed descriptions) of what they
observed. Lastly, the characteristic of science being a complex and social activity lends itself to
this lesson because at the end of the activity, the pairs will come together to share their findings.
However, it is at the end of this lesson where all three of these characteristics of the nature of
science collide, that I see a slight weakness. It is here that I would like to incorporate an activity
that would really allow the students to see what their fellow scientists found, and to discuss those

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findings! Even though this lesson possesses many characteristics of the nature of science, their
incorporation could still be strengthened to make it even more beneficial to the students.

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The modifications that I made to this lesson plan, along with any rationale can be found
throughout the original lesson plan in blue.

Have You Ever Met a Tree?

Nichols Arboretum
Recommended Age Level: Pre-Kindergarten and Early Elementary
Guiding Questions
1. Have you ever met a tree?
2. What are some of the characteristics or features of different trees?
Objectives
Concepts:
Trees are perennial plants that have long woody trunks.
Every tree is uniqueno two trees are exactly alike.
Observe plants and animals, describe how they are alike and how they are different in the
way they look and in the things they do (SC.K.L.14.3)
Collaborate with a partner to collect information (SC.K.N.1.1)
I added these standards to provide focus to the lesson that would lead it in a specific and
meaningful direction.
Principles
Perennial plants, like trees, stay alive for many years and you can see them all year long.
They dont die after one year or one season.
Some trees have leaves, some have needles.
Many trees have some kind of fruit that they bear every year during a particular season.
Trees are not just pretty, they are important to us for many reasons. Some provide fruit
and nuts for food, some provide wood to use to build things, and all trees are important
because they produce oxygen for us to breathe.
Many animals and birds depend on trees for food and shade. Some even make their
homes in trees!
Facts
All trees have roots, trunks, branches and stems, and some kind of leaf or needle.
Trees need sunlight, water, and soil to live and grow.
Some trees lose their leaves or some of their needles every year. Some trees with needles
stay green all year.
Skills
I can make observations of a tree using my senses.
I can make comparisons between the tree I observed and the trees observed by my
classmates.
I can make inferences about my observations.
I can draw conclusions about my findings.

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I can communicate observations and findings with a partner, and then with my
classmates.
I added more specific language to the skills to allow for better measurement of student
engagement with the processes of science in this lesson.
Materials
1. A tree for every child or pair
2. Drawing paper and something to put paper on so you can draw and write outside (science
notebook)
3. Pencils, crayons, or colored markers
4. Clear contact paper
5. Optional: may want to have seat cushions or something to put on the ground to sit on if
children go out on wet or muddy days to examine and draw/write about their trees.
6. Bag or box to keep their materials in
7. A camera or electronic device to capture photographs (if available)
I added this piece of material because I believe that if students are able to take photographs of
their findings, it would allow them to better see how each tree is alike and different when it is
time to share their findings.
Room Preparation
No room required! Need to find many trees so every child or pair can meet a tree.
When children complete drawings or posters and make presentations, have them sit in a
circle so all can see, hear, and share in discussions.
Safety and Precautions
Just be ready to deal with varying weather conditions.
Procedures and Activities
Introduction
Ask children the guiding questions:
1. Have you ever met a tree?
Listen as children share the kinds of trees they have met trees they have at home,
have climbed, have picked fruit from, have seen bird nests in, have watched squirrels
climb and scamper on, have sat under on a hot and sunny day, have swung beneath on a
swing, have raked and played in the fall leaves of, may even have planted.
Lead discussion to basic understandings that we know many different kinds of trees and
that they offer us many different things, from shade, to play, to food.
2. What are some of the unique characteristics or features of trees?
No two trees are exactly alike, just as no two people are just alike. Think about and share
characteristics of some favorite trees. Some ideas:
o What are the trees physical traits? (size; leaves or needles; shape, size, and color
of leaves; fruit and/or nuts, flowers, bark texture and color)
o How do people use the tree? (make maple syrup, eat nuts, enjoy flowers, sit under
for shade, decorate for holidays, use for firewood or to build things, use for play
and fun.

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o

How do critters or animals and birds enjoy the tree? Have their homes in the tree,
eat the fruit, nuts or seeds, play in the tree go to for shelter or shade.
3. Today, you are going to meet a tree and be a scientist who observes and studies a tree
to learn what special characteristics it has. Then you are going to draw and write about
your tree so you can introduce it to others. We will then look at what others found to see
how trees are alike and how they are different. I believe that generally prefacing the
lesson and what the students are expected to do is a vital part of a lesson. I believe this
because the article Decookbook It! quotes to, [h]ave students write out their plan as a
condition to begin any experiment. Students are anxious to do something without the
benefit of a written plan. At a minimum, their plan should include the question they are
going to investigateand what they will use to compare results (Shiland, page 17).
Because this lesson is created for kindergarten students, the feat of writing out their
research plan would be a little tricky. Still, I believe that they should begin their research
with a specific purpose in mind, in agreeance with the article.
Activity
Getting Ready to Go Outside & Meet a Tree
Briefly go over what we are going to do with our trees, including
1. Make observations like a scientist check it out!
Carefully use your eyes to study the whole tree, from the very top to the very bottom of
it! Your eyes are like a camera taking snapshots of how tall or short your tree is, what
kind of branches it has, whether it has needles or leaves, if there are any critters in it or
any evidence that critters do come and use or live in it
2. Look to see what its physical features are.
Does your tree have a smooth or rough trunk? Long willowy branches or short stumpy
branches? Does your tree weep or have a rounded top or a pointed, narrow top? Are
there leaves or needles? What exactly do the leaves or needles look like? Do you see any
flowers, nuts, pine cones or other things growing? Do any critters use the tree or even live
in it?
3. Document your observations like a scientist.
Scientists have to figure out ways to remember what they did and saw and to share their
findings with other people. Here are some of the ways you can document your
observations:
Make a bark rubbing. Make a rubbing of a leaf or needle. Draw a picture of a leaf, taking
special note of the pattern of its veins. Draw the entire tree, paying attention to how it
branches and whether its leaves grow in groups or on single stems. Draw the flowers,
nuts or other interesting parts. Draw a picture of any critters you see visiting or living in
the tree. (If you watch carefully, you may see ants carrying aphids up and down the
trunk.) Draw a picture of any critter homes you see birds nests, squirrels nest,
hornets or bees nest. Seal leaves, needles, and twig samples in between pieces of clear
contact paper.
Note: You may need to show children an example and demonstrate how to do some of
the strategies, such as how to seal leaf and twigs in contact paper or how to do rubbings.
Give children a sack or box that contains the materials they need and go meet a tree. Have
them share what they are going to look for and do before they go outside to their trees.
If children are working in pairs, let them get together before they go outside. They can talk about
whether they are going to split up tasks or if they will each do every activity.

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Go outdoors and let children meet their trees.

You might give them some guidance such as every 10 minutes or so share that they should move
on to drawing their tree, doing bark rubbing, doing leaf or needle rubbing, sketching critters and
nests, etc.
Children may need some extra time to document their observations and to complete their
activities inside the classroom. Also give them time to practice making a presentation and
sharing their drawings, rubbings, sealed samples. And writing.
Evaluation
Back in the classroom, ask again:
1. Have you ever met a tree?
2. Ask each group to present their findings to the class.
Let children make their presentations and share their drawings. Listen for evidence that they
understand characteristics of all trees, physical features of different kinds of trees, how
people and critters enjoy and use trees.
3. Ask each group to display their findings at their desk or spot in the classroom, and
conduct a brief gallery walk.
I added these two steps to the evaluation to extend students opportunity to engage in
science as a complex and social activity.
4. What are some of the characteristics or features of different trees?
5. Ask students to record in their science notebooks one thing that was alike about their tree
and another groups tree, and one thing that was different as an exit slip.
I added this exit slip exercise as closure to this lesson in order to hold every student
accountable for the learning that went on during the lesson. I will then be able to use
this data to plan further lessons, and to see what areas the students need more
support in.

Extension Ideas
Children may enjoy working on their oral presentations to the point of taping or
videotaping their talks. They can listen to or watch their tapes to learn about effective
speaking skills and send copies to family members or friends to share what they have
done.
Children might showcase their work with an exhibit of their drawings.
Invite a landscaper or nursery owner to come and share information about trees and about
their careers.
Children might learn about how important trees are for human and environmental
purposesto prevent soil erosion, to provide shade and winter wind breaks, to produce
oxygen. Some may enjoy looking into topics such as logging and rain forest issues. They
could research Michigans history as a lumber producer.
Contact a county conservationist or another group in the community that plants seedlings
every year. Children may get involved in planting. Arbor Day and Earth Day are
particularly nice occasions for such a planting. Local maples tend to be prodigious seed

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producers; you might ask a parent to nurture some volunteer trees for a year just for
such plantings.
Have children use a field guide or reference book to learn more about their particular
kind of tree. (The US Government Printing Office is an inexpensive source of such
guides; the MSU Cooperative Extension Service produces one specific to Michigan.)
Children may compile their work into a big scrapbook about all their trees. Some children
may enjoy studying their trees for a year to see and draw how they change from season to
season.
See if a group taps maple trees for syrup in your area. (In southeastern Michigan,
try Cranbrook Institute of Science. Let children get involved in the process of making
maple syrup, then celebrate with pancakes and syrup!
Visit a nursery and let children meet many different kinds of trees and learn about why
people buy and plant certain kinds of trees. Children might design a yard, park, or school
playground and include different kinds of trees for different purposes, such as shade,
homes for birds and squirrels, wind protection in the winter, flowering trees for spring,
pine trees for greenery all year.
Research the emerald ash borer that began killing the ash trees in our neighborhoods in
southeastern Michigan in summer 2002! Here are some more links for your research.
Visit the National Audubon Societys Birder Homepage to learn about bird watching,
habitats, bird feeders, migration patterns, rare and common birds, and current bird
research. You can also link to bird museums, magazines and organizations!
Children could visit an apple orchard in the fall, pick some apples, and study different
varieties of apple and fruit trees. They could check out recipes and have an experimental
kitchen to test recipes like apple pies, crisps, and cakes. They could make applesauce,
apple butter, and apple leather.
Some children might like to try our Solar Apple Baker lesson to learn about drying fruits
by using solar energy.
These storybooks also are fun to read as a follow-up to this activity:
o The Man Who Talked to a Tree, by Byrd Baylor
o Oak and Company, by Richard Mabey
o The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
o Tree Flowers, by Millicent E. Selsam
Plan an environmental field trip:
o Collier Road Landfill in Pontiac
o Ecology Center in Ann Arbor
o Gerald E. Eddy Geology Center
o Nichols Arboretum in Ann Arbor
o Project Grow in Ann Arbor
Careers Related to Lesson Topic
Botanist
Environmentalist: Take Project Grow Tour with Lynda Asher
Interpretive Naturalist and Park Manager: See Career Presentation by Matthew Heumann
Landscape Architect
Nursery Owner
Natural Resources: Tour the Nichols Arboretum in Ann Arbor

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Works Cited
NGSS Lead States (2013). Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States. The
National Academic Press.
Perennial. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved October 16, 2014. Dictionary.com
website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/perennial
Shiland, T. (1997). Decookbook it!. National Science Teachers Association.
Weinburgh, M. (2003). A Leg (or Three) to Stand On. National Science Teachers Association.