Name Taylor Gamache

Class ELED 3221-090

Date 3/15/2015
edTPA Indirect Instruction Lesson Plan Template
Matter really matters.
Big Idea: The big idea for this lesson is matter. I can build on this lesson by showing students
that matter is everywhere.
Grade Level: 4th grade
NC Essential Standard(s): 4.P.2: Understand the composition and properties of matter before and after
they undergo a change or interaction.

Next Generation Science Standard(s): 2.PS1.1: Plan and conduct an investigation to classify
different kinds of materials by their observable properties.
Four Strands of Science Learning:
Strand one: Making connections to science: Learning about science liquids and gases,
everything falls into one of those categories.
Strand two: Generating scientific evidence: Asking questions about solids, liquids, and gases.
What makes something a solid, liquid, or gas? Can these properties change?
Strand three: Reflecting on scientific knowledge: What can we do to find out about forms of
matter? And how can we research it further?
Strand four: Work in groups to make root beer floats; observe the changes and the components
of the root beer floats that are solids, liquids, and gases. Present what your group saw happening.
21st Century Skills: Communication: Students will be working together in groups of four to
make root beer floats and presenting their findings to the class. This will allow them to work
together, communicate with each other about observations and report to their other classmates
about what they have found.
Academic Language Demand
Language Function: I chose analyze for this lesson. The students will be examining
solids, liquids, and gases for the purpose of explaining and interpreting.
Analyze

Argue

Categorize

Interpret

Predict

Question

Compare/contras
t
Retell

Describe

Explain

Summarize

Scientific Vocabulary: matter, solid, liquid, gases, change, temperature, and physical
characteristics.

Instructional Objective: Students will be able to identify solids, liquids, and gases. They will do
this by making root beer floats.
Prior Knowledge (student): Use a measuring cup correctly, follow step-by-step instructions,
work in a group, lastly, what a liquid is.
Content Knowledge (teacher): The teacher will need to know what materials are needed, clear
cups, measuring cups, spoons, straws, root beer, and ice cream. The teacher will also need to
know, how students work together in order to group them appropriately. Teacher will need to
know the components of the root beer float, solid is ice cream, root beer, and is the liquid, and
the carbonation bubbles are the gas.
Connections to Students Lives: Kids love root beer floats! ( I hope) Matter is all over, we are
made up of matter and so are our favorite things.
Accommodations for Students with Special Needs (individual and/or small group): What will
you do for students with special needs (ELL, ability, etc.)? NOTE: These accommodations
should be woven throughout the 5E cycle. You are just summarizing those accommodations
here.
Materials and Technology Requirements: Book called, What is the World Made of by
Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld, ice cream, spoons, cups, measuring cups, straws, and root beer,
observation note sheet, science journals to record KWL chart, pencil, microwave to warm up one
groups root beer.
Total Estimated Time: 1 hour.
Source of Inspiration for the Lesson: My clinical teacher gave me this idea.
Safety Considerations: I will make sure students are being monitored, I will help the group that
has to use the microwave, the measuring glasses are not made of glass, group students in groups
that get along. Confirm that no students have allergies the food in the activity.

Content and Strategies (Procedure)

In your procedure, be sure to include all of the following 5Es. Your procedure should be
detailed enough for a colleague to follow. If you will be relying on technology (e.g., a YouTube
video), describe your back up plan thoroughly. Imagine your most novice colleague needing to
teach from your plan. Dont just answer the questions. Additionally, I expect you to include
possible questions you could ask for each section. This needs to include higher-order
questions.
Engage:

Students will begin by making a KWL Chart.

Ask students what they know about matter.
Ask students question. What is matter? Can you see it? Do you think it can change?
Do not give any restrictions give a chance for students to think freely.
Record what they know under the K section of the KWL chart.
Ask what students would like to know, What questions do they have about matter? What do
they think about matter?
Allow students to share their responses and add to the KWL chart.
Read the book, What is the World Made of? by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld.

Explore:

Give students a card sort with different pictures. The students will put them into categories of
solids, liquids, or gases. The cards will include pictures of, toy blocks, milk, a cup, a person, a
windy day, balloon, helium, boiling water, and a book bag.
Students will be split into four groups.
Students will be asked to sort cards into solids, liquids, or gases.
Ask students questions, like What makes that a liquids, or why did you sort that card that
way?
Observe and listen to students ideas.

Explain:

Come back together as a class.

Ask volunteer students to share their ideas of they sorted their objects with the class.
Talk about what makes something a solid, liquid, or gas. Refer to the book What the World is
made of for ideas.
Students will record this in their science journals.

Elaborate:

Students will go back to their same groups they did the sort in.
They will make root beer floats.
They will be given an observation worksheet, measuring cups, a can of root beer, a cup of ice
cream, and a spoon.
Allow students to assemble the root beer float and record observations of what is happening.
Observe and notice students thinking.
Ask questions, such as, Do you think that the ice cream and root beer could be easily separated?
Why or why not? Do you think other drinks besides root beer would make the same reaction?
Why or why not? What is making all of the bubbles and carbonation?
Students will come back to the carpet, each of the four groups had a different variable on their
[instructions when making their root beer floats.( group 1= cold root beer, group 2= warm root
beer, group 3 = ice cream at the bottom of the cup and pour root beer over it. Group 4= pour in
half cup of root beer, add ice cream, pour half cup of root beer. ) Each group will share their
observations with the class, and we can see the different variables made a difference in their
observations.

Evaluate:

Students will be informally evaluated throughout the lesson.

Students will fill in the L part of the KWL Chart when the lesson is finished with what they have
learned.
Students will also fill out and observation and questionnaire while doing their root beer float
experiment.
The solid, liquid, and gas, sorting activity.

To be completed after the lesson is taught (if applicable)

Assessment Results of All Objectives/Skills:
Reflection on Lesson:
I was nervous about teaching this lesson at first, but I am very pleased with how it turned out.
The kids and I had so much fun! I felt recharged afterwards and all of the planning and
researching was very worthwhile. I was given a forty-five minute time slot, and it went by so
fast. I had to keep a close eye on the clock to make sure that I was designating enough time to
each section, this was hard to do because they were full of questions. This particular group of
students did science the first half of the year and now they are working on social studies, so this
lesson on matter served as a review. We started with the KWL chart and they knew so much
about matter! I was very impressed, and their teacher was so proud. They knew matter was
everywhere, and everything was a solid, liquid, or gas. A few of the questions for what they
wanted to know were, is matter apart of weather? and can you see gas? After this we read

the book, What our world is made of. I was worried at first that it was below their level and
they would be bored with it. However, they had fun with it, and I enjoyed reading it to them,
because I too did not know much about matter prior to teaching this. Throughout the book, we
started a conversation about matter changing forms, (mainly water) through temperature,
changing from a solid to a liquid. We also talked about how liquid, takes form in whatever
shapes it is in, and liquid on its own does not have a shape. When we did the card sort, the
students picked up on things that I did not think of beforehand. For instance, one of the pictures
was of a cup, and it was labeled cup. Some of the students thought it was a liquid because the
cup had milk in it, others thought it was a solid. At this time, we only had 25 minutes left, and I
really wanted them to make their root beer floats in groups and present their what they observed
to their classmates. I had pre determined their groups, was which a good idea because it saved
time, as well as I had each groups supplies in one bag, a can of root beer, a measuring cup,
instructions and observation sheet, a spoon, and an ice-cream cup. They had about 10 minutes to
assemble their ice cream float. Each group had a different variable. Group one had a root beer
float can that had been in the fridge and was cold. Group two had to warm their root beer up in
the microwave for 45 seconds, group three had to put their ice cream in first and then the root
beer, and group four put half a cup of root beer in, then their ice cream, and then the rest of the
root beer. Some of the kids in the class had never made a root beer float or even seen one, so this
was extra exciting to them. They observed if the soda was flat, or fizzy, if the root beer and ice
cream could be separated, and if the ice cream was melting. They also had to identify which
ingredient was the solid, gas, or liquid. When they were done, each group presented what they
observed while making and observing their root beer float. We made a list of the groups and what
they observed on the board and students copied it into their notebooks. When we were done we
summarized what matter was and gave examples of solid, liquids, and gases. We filled in the
LEARN Section of the KWL as a class, and then the students each got to make and drink their
own root beer float to celebrate what we learned! At this point it was about an hours worth of
time, but my CT said it was fine, it just cut unto their recess and the kids wanted to keep going. I
had a lot of fun teaching this lesson, and even though everything did not go according to plan, it
went well. This was the first science lesson I ever taught and I am so grateful to have had a great
first experience. The students were receptive, and could have gone on and talked about matter all
day if they could.

Graded Elements

Developing (Level 1)

Acceptable (Level 2)

Exemplary (Level 3)

Initial Planning
Several required components are
missing. The components presented
do not align well with the lesson.

Most required components are present.

One or two may be missing, require more
detail, and/or not be completely aligned
with the lesson.

All required components are present and align with the

lesson.

(0-1 point)

(2 points)

(3 points)

One or more required components

are missing. The components
presented do not align well with the
lesson.

All required components are present. One

or two may not be completely aligned with
the lesson.

All required components are present and align with the

lesson.

(0-1 point)

(2 points)

(3 points)

Identification of academic
language demand (both
language function & vocab),
instructional objective, and
content knowledge

Several required components are

missing. The components presented
do not align well with the lesson.

Most required components are present.

One or two may be missing, require more
detail, and/or not be completely aligned
with the lesson.

All required components are present and align with the

lesson.

(0-1 point)

(2 points)

(3 points)

Identification of connections
to students lives, prior
knowledge, and
accommodations for special
needs

One or more required components

are missing. The components
presented do not align well with the
lesson.

All required components are present. One

or two may require more detail or not be
completely aligned with the lesson.

All required components are present and align with the

lesson.

(0-1 point)

(2 points)

(3 points)

Identification of central
focus, lesson subject, grade
level, materials, time, lesson
source, and safety

Identification of NC
Standards, NGSS, 4 Strands
and 21st Century Skills

Lesson Introduction

Engage

Engage stage states pre-skills rather

than using questions to gauge
readiness and generate curiosity.
Misses opportunity to motivate
students and help them make
connections to their lives and prior
knowledge.

Engage activity somewhat sets the stage

for attending to the lesson, but important
connections to students lives and/or prior
conceptions are missing.

(0-2 points)

(3-4 points)

Engage activity creates interest and generates curiosity in

the topic by connecting it to students lives. Identifies prior
conceptions to gauge readiness for the lesson. Clear
connections made to prior learning or knowledge. Provides
focus for the remainder of the lesson. Highly relevant and
compelling questions are present.
(5 points)

Lesson Development

Explore

Explain

Elaborate

Students are given a limited

opportunity to explore with materials
or phenomena. Not clear how the
exploration will provide a common
experience for students to build
conceptual knowledge and
communicate their ideas with others.

Students have the opportunity to get

directly involved with phenomena and
materials. They are provided with a
common experience so they can share
and communicate their ideas about the
core concepts addressed. Teacher
direction may drive instruction rather than
student inquiry.

Students have the opportunity to get directly involved with

phenomena and materials. Students are provided with a
common experience that assists them in sharing and
communicating their ideas about the core concepts
addressed. Student inquiry drives the instruction. Highly
relevant and compelling questions are present.

(0-2 points)

(3-4 points)

(5 points)

Explain stage does not introduce

students to common language, terms,
or vocabulary, and is entirely teacherdirected. No opportunities are given
for students to communicate their
ideas with others through writing,
drawing, or speaking, and/or the
product or activity does not relate to
stated objective(s).

Students have some opportunities to

explain concepts, but this process may be
primarily teacher-directed. There may not
be sufficient opportunities for students to
communicate with others to develop and
demonstrate their mastery of new
vocabulary or terms through writing,
drawing, and speaking.

Students are encouraged to explain concepts in their own

words based on what they did in the Explore phase.
Teacher introduces common language, terms, and
vocabulary and helps students build on their initial
explanations to construct more accurate and sophisticated
explanations. Some form of writing, drawing, or speaking is
used to assess students development, progress, and
growth with the new information presented. This stage is
predominantly student-led, with the teacher asking highly
relevant and compelling questions to guide the process.

(0-2 points)

(3-4 points)

(5 points)

Activities are unrelated to concepts

learned and/or do not facilitate deeper
understanding in students.

Activities provide some opportunity for

students to expand their understanding of
the concepts or to make connections with
related concepts.

Activities allow for students to elaborate on the concepts

learned, make connections to other related concepts, and
apply their understandings to the world around them.
Highly relevant and compelling questions are present.

(0-2 points)

(3-4 points)

(5 points)

Lesson Evaluation
Assessment is limited to one form in a
single stage and does not relate to
the objective(s).

Assessments gauge student learning of

the objective(s) but may not directly align
with the conditions or behaviors of the
objective(s). Only formative OR summative
assessments (not both) are used and are
not fully incorporated through all stages of
the lesson.

Candidate effectively proposes multiple strategies for

determining levels of mastery of lesson objective(s).
Assessments are clearly aligned with the objectives of the
lesson. Both formative and summative assessments are
seamlessly incorporated throughout all stages of the
lesson.

(0-2 points)

(3-4 points)

(5 points)

Evaluate

Additional Lesson Components

Alignment/structure of
lesson

Lesson focuses on how to complete

an activity, rather than on developing
student understanding of content and
skills.
Several key activities do not align to
the objective(s) and standards.
(0-1 point)

Accurate science content

Communication of ideas

Lesson sequence is clear and time is

allowed for student questions and practice,
but important details regarding some
segments may be missing from the lesson.

Sequence and organization of lesson is effective, logical

and structured to increase student understanding. Lesson
sequence allows for student questions, practice and
success during each important segment.
All activities align to the objective(s) and standards.

Most activities align to the objective(s) and

standards.
(2 points)

(3 points)

Science content is not accurate.

Science content is accurate in most of the

lesson plan.

Science content is accurate throughout the entire lesson.

(0 point)

(1 point)

(2 points)

The plan is difficult to read or hard to

follow because of excessive
mechanical (spelling, grammar)
errors.

Ideas are communicated somewhat

clearly, with some mechanical (spelling,
grammar) errors found.

Ideas are communicated clearly, with no mechanical

(spelling, grammar) errors found in the lesson plan.

(0-1 point)

(2 points)

(3 points)