T&L Instructional Plan

Background Information

Teacher Candidate: Madeline Bergstrom_______________ Date: 9/12/17______________

Cooperating Teacher: Lori Crain______________________ Grade: 3rd________________
School District: Auburn, WA _______________________ School: Hazelwood____________
University Supervisor: Sandra Hart
Unit/Subject: Growth Mindset within STEM Challenges
Instructional Plan Title/Focus: Little Reds Cookie Catapults

Section 1: Planning for Instruction and Assessment

a. Instructional Plan Purpose:

The goal of this lesson is for students to exercise their growth mindsets through trial and error experiments.
They will practice working in a team to make plans and adjustments to reach a goal. Students will be
expected to collaborate with peers in order to physically create a structure that can launch a cookie over a
hurdle in order to reach a target. They will be asked to exercise their growth mindsets to overcome
challenges. This is important because learning is done best when students understand the possible growth
they can do in the midst of uncertainty and/or perceived failures. Students must accept that their first attempt
at a challenge may not always result in success or mastery.
Students will learn the value in multiple attempts at solving a problem through the challenge of launching a
cookie over an obstacle. They will be working in teams to complete the task and must adjust their initial
thoughts in order to complete the mission. Hands on experimenting helps to solidify the need for multiple
tests and a strong growth mindset.

b. State/National Learning Standards:

Next Gen Science:

Different solutions need to be tested in order to determine which of them best solves the problem, given
the criteria and the constraints. (3-5-ETS1-3)

ELA:
SL.3.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others ideas and
expressing their own clearly.

c. Content Objectives and alignment to State Learning Standards:

1. SWBAT create possible solutions to a problem using multiple tests to determine the best one.

Aligned standard: Next Gen Science:

o Different solutions need to be tested in order to determine which of them best solves the problem,
given the criteria and the constraints. (3-5-ETS1-3)

Language Objectives:
1. SWBAT participate in verbal discussions with peers focused on the completion of a given task.

Aligned standard: ELA:

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 SL.3.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others ideas and
expressing their own clearly.

d. Previous Learning Experiences:

Students will have prior knowledge regarding growth mindset with the understanding that people may learn from
their mistakes. They will also know that or brain is built to expand based on our learning opportunities. Students
will not have completed any prior STEM challenges before this lesson takes place.

e. Planning for Student Learning Needs:

ELL accommodations:
-Teacher will pair students with others who can help fill the language gaps and relay the necessary information to
them. Stronger ELLs will be paired with strong readers and lower level ELLs will be paired with someone who
can help translate in their native language.
-Teacher will provide everyone with a copy of the readers theatre scripts so that ELLs and even struggling
readers can follow along while their classmates read out loud.
-The use of visuals such as the catapult picture with help relay the language used to something all students can
see and grasp.
-Multiple means of expression- Fingers, verbal, written, physical display, etc.

f. Assessment Strategies:

Content/Language Objectives Assessment Strategies

SWBAT create possible solutions to a
problem using multiple tests to determine the
best one.
SWBAT participate in verbal discussions with
peers focused on the completion of a given
task.
Informal: Students will be given a piece of paper upon the
commencement of the building stage that instructs them to
design their model catapult (Figure 1). They will then be
given time to test and recreate additional models that better
solve the challenge. In their teams, they will record a
picture of what their changing model looks like in order to
track their growth. This is designed to help students
understand that their first ideas may not always be the best
ones, but rather with repeated adjustments, they can make
better solutions to a problem. The teacher will review these
planning pages during the process and combine their final
products with their checklists to see how they are
progressing with this specific concept.
Informal: Students will practice this skill by showing that
they can effectively verbally communicate their ideas to
their team member(s) while also listening to others. The
teacher will take note of those who need extra support with
this skill and scaffold as necessary.

g. Student Voice:

Student-based evidence to be Description of how students will

K-12 students will be able to: collected (things produced by reflect on their learning.
students: journals, exit slips,
self-assessments, work
2

1. Explain student learning targets
and what is required to meet
them (including why they are
important to learn).
2. Monitor their own learning
progress toward the learning
targets using the tools provided
(checklists, rubrics, etc.).
3. Explain how to access
resources and additional
support when needed (and
how/why those resources will
help them).
samples, projects, papers,
etc.)
Verbal class discussion
Checklist
Final classroom questions
Before the lesson begins, the teacher
will have students read the learning
goals and brainstorm some possible
success criteria to help guide the
focus for the day.
The teacher will ask the teams to
assess their progress during the
challenge by marking off items of
the checklist they have completed.
At the end of the lesson they will
reflect on their feelings about it by
explaining what they favorite part of
the lesson was (Figure 2).
Students will be asked to create a
goal they have for what they could
do better with their approach to the
next STEM challenge based on the
checklist and write it on the bottom
of their paper (Figure 2).

h. Grouping of Students for Instruction:

Students will be asked to participate in whole class discussion about growth mindset lead by the teacher so
that everyone can build a foundation for how to approach the challenge. They will be asked to talk with their
table partner during this portion of the lesson as well (pre-determined) to collaborate ideas built off the
teachers previously stated examples. Next, they will be asked to participate in a brief read aloud sitting at
their desks by reading certain parts of the text. They will be assigned a number 1-3 that indicates their part in
the read aloud. This will place others in their group around the room, making it so they must remain
accountable for reading their parts. They will then break up into their groups for the actual challenge. Students
with specific language barriers will be pre-assigned to a group with a student who can help them understand
the steps. Students will be able to collaborate and share the work in order to satisfy the language component
of the lesson. They will assess their own progress as well as their teams progress in these same groupings in
order to make group goals as well as personal ones. Returning to their seats, students will be given an exit
ticket that asks them to reflect on their experience which can be used to track students growth over the course
of the lesson series.
Section 2: Instruction and Engaging Students in Learning

a. Introduction:

For the last couple of days, we have been practicing new skills to help us become successful third graders.
For example, we talked about 2 specific skills for learning on Monday. Can anyone remind me of what we
can those were that help support our learning? (focus attention and listen carefully) Today, we are going to
exercise our brains with a challenge that will require us to have a positive mindset. We will be working on
several STEM challenges over the year, but for the first one, I figured we would start with one based on a
story many of you may be familiar with- Little Red Riding Hood.

During this activity we will be exercising our planning skills as well as our ability to move on from the
mistakes we make. This is important because that is how we learn and grow! There will be several chances
for you to improve during this time, which is the mark of a true third grader.
(2-3 minutes total).
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b. Questions:

What does the word fixed mean? (Remember/Understand)

How can I change this idea (any fixed mindset idea) into a growth mindset focused thought? (Apply)
Does little red have a fixed or a growth mindset? (Understand)
What is something that could be improved upon in your next design? (Evaluate>Create)
Showing on your fingers (1-5) how frustrated did you feel with this activity? (Evaluate)
Showing on your fingers again (1-5) how well do you think you used a growth mindset to overcome those
frustrations? (Evaluate)
What is your favorite thing about this challenge? (Analyze)
What is one thing you would like to improve on in the next STEM challenge? (Evaluate)
How will you do it? (Apply)

c. Learning Activities:

Learning Steps and Activities Supporting Theories/Principles

Introduction into growth mindset- discuss fixed Multiple means of representation- verbal and
versus growth and formulate some examples of each. visual displays of ideas being discussed. Color
Teacher will record examples on two pieces of paper coordination to stop light (Red-stop/fixed. Green-
(Red- fixed. Green-growth.) displayed on the go/growth.) explained to kids supports parallel
projector and then have class brainstorm ways to turn connections to real world.
a fixed mindset idea into a growth oriented thought.
(ie- I cant do this. > I cant do this YET!)
1- Teacher examples of fixed and growth. Gradual release of responsibility- allows teacher to
2- Teacher example of fixed, group talk for growth. slowly give freedom of knowledge to students by
3- Partner 1- fixed, partner 2- growth. first modeling new ideas then helping them form
4- Partner 2- fixed, partner 2- growth. from that until independence is reached.
(6-8 minutes)
Explore the story- students will be given a copy of Table groupings readers theatre- supports reading
the readers theatre script (figure 3) and be instructed fluency and expression while giving nearby ELL
to highlight their lines and practice (2-3 minutes). support.
(Teacher is narrator. 1- Granny, 2- Little Red, 3-
Wolf.) Teacher will walk around the room and
instruct students to hold a number 1-3 on their
fingers that will indicate which character they are as
well as which group they will be doing the challenge
with.

Class reads the story aloud together. Students follow
along and read their parts in unison with the rest of
their group.
(3-4 minutes)
Prepare for the challenge- teacher reads the bottom
of the final readers theatre page telling them to
create the props for the activity. 1- cuts, 2- color, 3-
asks/assists teacher with stapling (Figure 4).
(2-3 minutes)
Teacher briefing of learning goals and success
criteria by displaying the final checklist they will be
completing under the document camera so that
students know what to work toward. (2 minutes)
Expression in story based on various voices
reading different parts. Read aloud favors students
who may need visual support to decipher the text.
Shared duties- team building prior to the execution
of teamwork in the latter portion of the activity.
Student voice monitoring tool. 4
Visual representation holds students accountable
for their progress toward meeting these goals.
Planning- teams work together to plan a model
catapult design. They must draw and label a picture
of their initial ideas on the light bulb handout (Figure
1) before receiving materials to create it. (2-3
minutes). The teacher will display a picture of a real
life catapult to support those students who may not
know what it is in the first place. (Figure 5)
Teacher will then give materials to groups in order
for them to create their models. (4-6 minutes).
Teacher will then give all of the teams one cookie to
try and launch over the forest obstacle to reach the
house.
Teacher will ask all groups to assess the quality of
their initial ideas and then work in their groups to
adjust their design on paper before retrying their
catapult. Every time they make an adjustment, they
must record it in their light bulb hand out. (10-15
minutes)
Reflection- Teacher asks students to stop what they
are doing and answer a few questions as follows:
-Showing on your fingers (1-5) how frustrated did
you feel with this activity?
- Showing on your fingers again (1-5) how well do
you think you used a growth mindset to overcome
those frustrations?
(1 minute)
Vygotsky- social-cultural learning. Team
collaboration aids in the development of ones own
ideas.
Multiple means of expression- pictorial and
physical. Develops planning process and promotes
thoughtful design.
Visual representation- UDL
Trial and error- recording growth helps students
understand the need for multiple trials.
Engineering growth- the multiple design
adjustments will help show the students how many
times an initial design might need to be changed in
order to get the job done.
Self-regulated learning- students control their
learning by self-assessing progress. Fingers allow
for immediate feedback and support multiple
means of expression (UDL). Checklist format
reduces the amount of work students must put into
the final portion of the activity and allows them to
see exactly what they should be working toward
next time.

b. Closure:

In closing, the class will then be instructed to talk in their groups about something that went well for them
during the process and something they can work to improve on for the next challenge. The final checklist
will be displayed under the document camera again for reference to our goals. Once they have discussed
these areas, they will be asked to clean up their materials and return to their seats. The teacher will pass out a
checklist to students while briefly discussing the importance of reflecting on learning. Under to document
camera, the teacher will model how to self assess their progress so far (1-4 in the boxes). Students will then
explain one thing they enjoyed about the challenge and set a new goal for the next STEM challenge.
(5-7 minutes total).

c. Independent Practice:

The overarching theme of growth mindset saturates this lesson and can be used as a tool to promote
independent learning in and out of the classroom. People who have a resilient growth mindset can
accomplish nearly anything. Therefore, it is important for students to take what they learned about never
giving up and trying new ideas from this lesson into their lives. Students can use this hands-on experience to
relate to other instances of frustration in learning. One way we me be able to involve students families in the
lesson is to send home a letter about what we are working on and how to promote a growth mindset in
challenging activities. We may even be able to send home ideas for families to try together, similar to the one
we will be doing today.

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d. Instructional Materials, Resources, and Technology:

Projector, document camera, red paper, green paper, reader theatre scripts (one per student & teacher),
highlighters, pencils, Handout copies of figure 1 & 2, stapler, color utensils, scissors, popsicle sticks, rubber
bands, plastic spoons, tape (scotch/painters, etc.), cookies

e. Acknowledgements:

Growth Mindset S.T.E.M. Little Red Riding Hood- Cookie Catapult Challenge. (n.d.). Retrieved 12 Sep
2017, from https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/

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Figure 1

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Figure 2

Based on the checklist above, what is one thing you would like to improve on in the next STEM challenge?
How will you do it?

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Figure 3

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Figure 4

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Figure 5

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