Tarbox

Celeste Tarbox
EDU 521
NancyLee Bergey
November 16, 2014

Lesson Plan Revised

Core Designs of Lesson Design

What

Using seeds, students will have an opportunity to practice skills such as identifying
and using their five senses, describing an object, and classifying objects into specific
categories. Students will have the opportunity to explore seeds and develop a better
understanding of their complexity and how much they range in shape and size.
Students will have practice verbalizing their thoughts after selecting a group
characterization. Students will have practice working together to come to a
conclusion Students will have practice describing an object to their classmates.
Students will feel comfortable sharing their ideas with the group and to know that
no answer is wrong!

How

First and foremost, I will model whatever skill I wish the students to practice. We
will review the five senses before starting the activity. I will pull information and
access their prior knowledge about the five senses. Second, I wanted this lesson to
be hands-on because I believe that active participation leads to discovery and
internalization. In using their five senses, I have made this lesson hands-on.

Why

I picked the topic of seeds after I accompanied my students on their field trip to
Solly Farms in Warminster, PA. On their tour of the farm, they were shown a variety
of different squash and played with maraca gourds. I had the idea of bringing in
different types of seeds to explore (sort, categorize/classify, taste). From this idea, I
decided to highlight the use of students senses to describe the characteristics of
seeds.

I wanted to access students prior experience on the farm and that is why I chose a
topic that was related to this particular experience but that went beyond what they
may learn in the classroom. I want to introduce them to all different types of seeds
because Im curious if when they think of seeds, they think of pumpkin and apple
seeds. (The 1st Grade recently completed two thematic units on pumpkins and
apples.) I want to facilitate that moment when a students prior knowledge clashes
with what is being presented to them. Seeds arent just small and black (apple
seeds) or pale and taste great with salt (pumpkin seeds) Seeds can be nuts! Seeds

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can be tiny! Seeds can be big (coconut)! Seeds can float in the air. Seeds can float on
water.

I firmly believe in Gardners theory of multiple intelligences and I try to address
multiple intelligences in my teaching. In this lesson, students will handle objects
skillfully (bodily-kinesthetic), they will use logical reasoning (logical-mathematical)
when defending their classifications of the seeds, they will use their five senses,
including hearing (musical-rhythmic and harmonic), they will use a graphic
organizer (visual-spatial), they will interact with their classmates (interpersonal),
and they will classify natural forms (i.e. seeds) (naturalistic).


Goals/Objectives

Students will observe and describe the characteristics of seeds. Students will discuss
ways to find out how seeds are alike and different. Students will have practice using
their senses while observing a variety of seeds. Students will draw and describe
seeds using an observation data table.

Standards

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.MD.A.1
Describe measurable attributes of objects, such as length or weight. Describe several
measurable attributes of a single object.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.MD.A.2
Directly compare two objects with a measurable attribute in common, to see which
object has more of/less of the attribute, and describe the difference.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.MD.B.3
Classify objects into given categories; count the number of objects in each category
and sort the categories by count.

Framework of K-12 Science Education
Dimension 1: Scientific and Engineering Practices
1. Analyzing and interpreting data
2. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Dimension 2: Crosscutting Concepts
Structure and function. The way in which an object or living thing is shaped
and its substructure determine many of its properties and functions.

Materials and Preparation

3 egg cartons (labeled)
10 different types of (edible) seeds (sunflower, sesame, almond, pistachio, pecan,
rye, poppy, chickpea, lima bean, pumpkin)
Seeds by Ken Robbins

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6 Describe it! graphic organizers

6 classification data collection worksheet
Five Senses chart (with laminated pieces)
Sticky tack
Basket with 12 pencils and 3 erasers
3 bottles of glue
6 mini magnifying glasses
6 jumbo play tweezers

Learning Environment and Management Issues

I will remove six students from the general education classroom. We will move
together to the conference room on the 1st floor. This room does not contain a
printer/copier so it is often unoccupied during the day. I do not anticipate any
interruptions. The six students will sit at a round table. There are only four wooden
chairs; therefore, two office chairs with wheels will need to be used. I anticipate this
potentially being an issue with my students, but I will address this issue at the
beginning of the lesson by setting expectations.

Plan/Procedure

1. The hook. (5 minutes)
a. I will start with a guided discovery of seeds. I will bring in a tray of
fruit that is cut in half (avocado, apple, kiwi, pomegrante). I will show
the tray of fruit to the students. I will ask them to observe the objects
and to share out any noticings. I want to reintroduce the topic of seeds
to generate interest and excitement as well as the opportunity to
review vocabulary and access students prior knowledge.

2. Activity. Seed Exploration.
a. Give students three trays of assorted seeds and tools to use to explore .
Model how to use magnifying glasses and tweezers.
b. Allow students to play with seeds and prompt them with questions.
i. My friend Adam works in community gardens throughout
Philadelphia. He let me have some of his special seeds to share
with all of you! Now I know you have learned about seeds
before, can someone share something they remember about
seeds?
3. KWL.
a. (FYI: That morning, I decided to add an informal KWL section into my
lesson. )
b. Ask students after they had explored the trays of seeds what they
knew about seeds. Use Post-its to record their knowledge.
c. Ask students if they have any questions about seeds. Use Post-its to
record their knowledge.
d. Ask them how we might answer some of these questions.

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i. Through books and exploration, we might answer some of our
questions.
ii. We are also going to learn more about seeds by using our
senses!
4. Activity. Using Our Senses. (15 minutes)
a. Were going to use our senses to describe seeds.
b. Background. (5 minutes)
i. We will review the senses as a group using an anchor chart
(picture attached). I will ask the students to name the five
senses. With their help, we will fill in the statements, I can
smell/hear/taste/touch/see with my [blank]. Students will fill
in the blank on the anchor chart in their writing. Once we have
filled in the chart, we will continue with the activity.
c. Graphic Organizer. (see attached) (3 minutes)
i. I will replicate the graphic organizer on a large piece of chart
paper. I will demonstrate how to fill in a section on the
worksheet using an example (i.e. sunflower seed).
1. Example Seed (sunflower seed)

a. Brainstorm as many words as they can to
describe the seed. Prompt them by asking about
the shape, color, texture, or size of the seed.
b. Use the Describe it! graphic organizer to organize
their thoughts and observations.
2. Students Choice Seed.
a. Each student picks a different seed.
b. They record their observations on the Describe
it! graphic organizer by recording words that
describe their seed just as we practiced together.
c. Students glue down their example seed next to
where they wrote what they are describing.
5. Share out. (15 minutes)

a. Each student will share out one word for each sense (i.e. I chose the
pistachio. It is hard, it smells salty, it tastes salty, it feels smooth).
b. I will record their observations on an anchor chart
c. After each student has shared out their data, we will look at the chart
as a group.
i. I will ask the students if they see any similarities or differences.
6. Read-aloud. (10 minutes)
a. I will read Seeds by Ken Robbins (photo attached). This informational
text will give students an opportunity to listen about seeds.

Assessment of Goals/Objectives

I will perform informal (and formative) assessments at the beginning of the lesson
by asking students about their prior knowledge of seeds. I will also gather

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information about their learning through the graphic organizer that they will fill out
during the 45 minute lesson. The Describe it! graphic organizer will demonstrate if
they are able to describe the characteristics of seeds using their five senses.

Anticipating Students Responses and Your Possible Responses

1. Management Issues
a. I plan to pick students that have demonstrated an interest in science
and therefore, may not be the most compliant students. Prior to
starting, I plan to go over expectations. Despite the new space, I will
make clear to them that they are still in a classroom and that Mrs.
Sharp trusts them to act appropriately, like Peace Makers and not
Peace Breakers.
b. I predict that allowing students to each choose a different seed may
not go well, but I want them to learn to negotiate and decide on their
own who gets which seed. There are twelve seeds and six students.
There may be overlap in their choices, but I have faith in them that
they will be able to sort it out with a little guidance from me.
c. I want the students to be able to taste the seed that they choose.
Certain seeds are edible raw, but others, I will need to have prepared
ahead of time (chickpeas, beans, corn, lima bean, etc.)
d. One of their classmates is allergic to nuts, so she will obviously not be
present in the conference room, but to make sure that the students
wash their hands (prior to the lesson and) after the lesson before
returning to their classroom.
2. Response to Content of the Lesson
a. Students may struggle with the classification activity, but hopefully
through modeling it with one of their seeds, they will be able to
succeed. I am also pairing them up at this point in the lesson, so with
assistance, they will are more capable of succeeding (zone of proximal
development).

Accommodations

1. Accommodations for students who may find material too challenging
a. If the student struggles with the Describe it! graphic designer, I will
give the student a large index card and guide them to write down any
word that they can use to describe the seed and will prompt them to
write down the color, shape, texture, and or size.
2. Accommodations for students who may need greater challenge and/or finish
early
a. For the student that needs a greater challenge, I will ask her to think
about how seeds travel. She can classify the seeds this way.
b. If a student finishes early, I will ask them to draw their seed on the
back of the Describe it! graphic organizer.

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Describe it!
What Im describing:

How it smells:

How it feels:

How it looks:

How it tastes:

How it sounds:

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