DIXIE STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

ELEMENTARY 3rd SEMESTER LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

(1/25/13)
Teacher Candidate __Paula Finlinson_____ Grade Level _2__ Title ____Habitat Survival___
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS (classroom factors)
Contextual Factors:
20 students
10 boys
10 girls
1 Pacific Islander
4 Hispanic
1 Behavioral IEP
3 Academic IEP
3 Speech IEP
3 ELL
2 High Level Learners
2 SPED Students

Classroom environment:

Large room. Multi colored rug at the front of the room. Students are organized in tables
of 4 with all of the students facing the front. The room has a Promethean board, 4 iPads,
clickers, and projector. Large tiki hut reading nook at the corner of the room.
WALK-AWAY (As a result of this lesson, what do I want the students to know, understand, and be able to do?)
State Standard/Objective:
2nd Grade Science
Standard 4 Objective 1.b Develop, communicate, and justify an explanation as to why a habitat is or is not suitable for a
specific organism.

Content Walk-Away:
Students will understand why animals need to live in a habitat that supports their needs.

Language Walk-Away:
Students will write why animals need to live in a habitat that supports their needs.

Vocabulary:

Habitat, camouflage, suitable

ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE (What evidence do I need to show the students have
learned the Walk-Away?)

Modifications/Accomodations (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)

Formative Evidence (checking for understanding throughout the lesson):

Observation, question, evaluate responses.

ELL: Brainstorm with

them about an animal
to choose.
Low: Allow them to list
only 2 characteristics.

Content Walk-Away Evidence (Summative):

I will write why my animals habitat is suitable for them.

High: Verbally ask them

of a second animal and
how its habitat is
suitable for them.

Language Walk-Away Evidence (Summative):

I will write why my animals habitat is suitable for them.

Approx
.

ACTIVE LEARNING PLAN

Time
Activate/Building Background Knowledge
Last week we learned about 4 different habitats. Who can quietly raise their hand and remind me what these
habitats are? Right, there is the tundra, desert, ocean, and rainforest habitats. Do you think that an animal
from the ocean habitat lets say a dolphin, could live in the desert habitat? Why not? How about a polar bear
living in the rainforest? Neither of those would turn out very well would they? Today we are going to learn
how each of the habitats help the animals that live in them survive.
IOP 1,2,3,7,8,9,19
Formative assessment: Observation
Learning Goal
Recall the habitats we have
learned previously.

Success Criteria
Answer questions about animals
living in a different habitat.

Modification/accommodations: (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)

ELL: Have a picture of each of the previous habitats to help remind them.
Low: Write down the previous habitats as I show the picture of them.

Assessment Strategy
Questioning.

High: Ask what we have in our habitat that helps us survive.

Focus Lesson (I do it)

Were going to talk about 4 animals, one for each habitat. Well learn about how their habitat helps them
survive. As I go through the slideshow well write down a few key words on our graphic organizer to help us
remember the information. Start slideshow. The first animal is the spider monkey. Does anyone remember
which habitat the spider monkey lives in? They live in the rainforest. The spider monkey likes to eat fruits,
nuts, and insects. The rainforest has a lot of all of these. Remember that in the rainforest it is very wet so there
are many fruit and nut trees. Also, do you remember that we learned insects make up 90% of all the animals
in the rainforest. The rainforest habitat provides plenty of food for the spider monkey. Spider monkeys lives at
the very top of the trees, its called the canopy. The rainforest has very tall trees that the monkey can swing
from. The rainforest habitat helps him survive by keeping them high off the ground where his main predators
are. Lets look at the dolphin now. Which environment does the dolphin live in? Right, the ocean! Can you
imagine if the dolphin lived in a different habitat? There is now way that it could survive in a different habitat.
The ocean has salt water and all of the other habitats have freshwater. The dolphin has to have salt water to
survive. Dolphins eat mostly fish. The ocean habitat has plenty of fish to help it survive. Do you think that the
desert would be a habitat that would support the dolphin? This is the snowy owl that lives in the tundra
habitat. The tundra is very cold and is covered in snow most of the year. The snowy owl has feathers over its
entire body, even its feet! I dont think that the snowy owl would survive very well in the desert habitat; he
would be too hot! The cold weather of the tundra is a suitable habitat for the snowy owl because it is cold.
Another thing I notice about the snowy owl is that it is white and the snow in the tundra is white. This helps
the owl camouflage to make it less obvious to its prey. I bet everybody knows what animal this one is? Thats
right, its a rattlesnake! Do you think the tundra would be a suitable environment for the rattlesnake? I dont
think so either. The rattlesnake needs to be somewhere warm and dry. Rattlesnakes also need very little
water. Their main source of water is from the prey that they eat like mice. The desert is a very suitable
environment for the rattlesnake.

Formative Assessment: Asking questions and watching to see that students are paying attention.
Learning Goal
Understand that animals have
certain physical characteristics
that helps them survive in their
environment.

Success Criteria
Students will participate in the
class discussion.

Assessment Strategy
Questioning and discussion.

Modification/accommodations:
ELL: Have them seated at the front so the powerpoint is clearly visible to them.
Low: Pre-teach them about how animals cant live outside of their environment.
High: Ask if anyone can think of another animal and a physical characteristic they have that helps them?

Guided Instruction (We do it)

Lets think of some other animals and how their habitats are suitable for them. Lets also make a list of
different animals in the habitats to help you write your story in a few minutes. Class discussion.
SIOP 18,21,23

Formative Assessment: Class discussion

Learning Goal
Students will think of different
animals and how that animals
habitat is suitable for them.

Success Criteria
Students will participate and
answer questions. I will use name
sticks so all stay engaged.

Assessment Strategy
Questioning and discussion.

Modification/accommodations:
ELL: Allow them to say the animals name in Spanish.
Low: Allow them to write the animals names down to take to their desks and help with their story.
High: Discuss animals that migrate from one habitat to another.

Collaborative/Cooperative (You do it together)

In a few minutes I am going to excuse you to your desks. You will use this paper to write about any animal
that you would like. You need to be sure to write about its characteristics and how their habitat is a suitable
environment for them. Write about what things are in the habitat that helps it survive. You can use the list of
animals that we wrote together on the board. Ill give you 1 minute to quietly look at the list and think of
which animal you would like to write about. There shouldnt be any talking while youre deciding on an
animal. (wait time). Now, turn to your rug partner. The person with the longest hair will go first. You have 2
minutes to talk to your partner about the animal that you chose. Share with them some of the characteristics
of your animal and how their habitat is suitable for them. Switch partners.
SIOP 4,5,6,10,11,12,16,17,20,22,24

Formative Assessment: Listen to student conversations.

Learning Goal
Students will choose an animal to
write about and brainstorm the
animals characteristics and how
they are suitable for its habitat.

Success Criteria
Students will discuss the animal
and characteristics with their
partner.

Assessment Strategy
Conversation with their partner.

Modification/accommodations:
ELL: Pair up the Spanish speakers and allow them to discuss in Spanish if they choose.
Low: Ill partner with them to help guide the discussion.
High: Allow them to choose an animal that is not on the list.

Independent (You do it alone)

Move them to their desks. Here is your paper where you will write about your animal. Please use your best
handwriting so that your family will be impressed with your hard work. You need to tell us what your animal
is, some of its characteristics (at least 3), the habitat that it lives in, and how the habitat is suitable for them.

Work efficiently. The only thing I should hear is pencils writing.

SIOP 25, 26

Summative Assessment:
Students will write a paper about their chosen animal. They need to list characteristics of the animal and how
those characteristics are suitable for the environment.

Modification/accommodations:
ELL: Suggest that they brainstorm and write down some key points theyd like to make in Spanish before
writing their paper in English.
Low: They only need to list 2 characteristics.
High: Verbally ask them of another animal that has characteristics making them suitable for their
environment.

Closure/Review of walk-aways, vocabulary, and essential questions

(Note: Closure includes student interactions, reflection, and/or demonstrations.)
Okay class, today we learned about how an animals habitat is a suitable environment for them. Are all
habitats suitable for one animal? Could an animal live in all of the habitats? Who would like to raise their
hand and share their animal and how the animals environment is suitable for them? Great, job today.
SIOP 27,28,29,30

SIOP Indicators (Add SIOP number and description within the lesson plan)
Preparation: 1-Content objectives, 2-Language objectives, 3-Content appropriate, 4-Supplementary
materials, 5-Adaptation of content, 6-Meaningful activities
Building Background: 7-Linked to background, 8-Linked to past learning, 9-Key vocabulary
Comprehensive Input: 10-Appropriate speech, 11-Clear explanation, 12-Variety of techniques
Interaction: 16-Opportunity for interaction, 17-Grouping supports objectives, 18-Wait time, 19Opportunity for L1 students
Practice/Application: 20-Hands-on materials, 21-Activities to apply content/language knowledge, 22Language skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking
Lesson Delivery: 23-Content objective supported, 24-Language objective supported, 25-Students
engaged, 26-Pacing
Review/Assessment: 27-Review vocabulary, 28-Review concepts, 29-Feedback, 30-Assessment

TEACHING NOTES
What do I need to remember to do? What materials do I need to have ready? What is the approximate time needed for

this lesson?
create-an-animal paper
lined paper
1 hour
powerpoint prepared

REFLECTION AFTER LESSON

How can I use the assessment data to reflect on & evaluate the outcomes of teaching and learning? How can I transfer
what I learned from teaching this lesson to future teaching? What was effective and not effective? What goals can I set
to improve my practice and student learning?
The ELL and low level learner both struggled with the assessment. They didnt list any of the things that I had asked them
to list. In hindsight I should have pulled them as well as some others to the side table and help them with the assessment.
In the future I need to do better differentiating for my low level student because writing is something that he really
struggles with.