9Name: Holly Collier

Class: B
Date:
edTPA Indirect Instruction Lesson Plan Template
Gravity
_____________________________________________________________________________
Big Idea: What big idea/unifying science concept is addressed in your lesson? Use the
Disciplinary Core Ideas and Science and Engineering Practices from the NGSS to help you
identify the big idea(s). Think about how you would teach this idea in multiple lessons- how
would it build?
Since we live on Earth, a force called gravity keeps us on the ground! Gravity keeps us
from floating into the air and holds down everything around us! Gravity pulls the objects on the
Earth towards Earths center, which is why we stay standing on the ground.
Grade Level: For what grade level is the lesson designed? 3rd Grade
NC Essential Standard(s): What specific standards are you going to address in this lesson?
Write it out, dont just list the number. http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/acre/standards/new-standards/
3.P.1.3: Students know that the earth pulls on all objects on or near the earth without
touching those objects.
Next Generation Science Standard(s): What K-5 performance expectation is addressed?
Please list the full code (i.e. K-PS2-1) and the statement. The NGSS are located here:
http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards.

5-PS2-1
Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.
[Clarification statement: Down is a local description of the direction that points toward the
center of the spherical Earth]. [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include mathematical
representation of gravitational force.]
Four Strands of Science Learning: Which of the Four Strands are emphasized in your lesson?
List each applicable Strand and provide an example of where it is present in the lesson.
Strand 1: Students will be testing materials that they use in their everyday lives or at
least see in their everyday lives. The students will be making connections between the
materials they are testing and the concepts of gravity.
Strand 2: The students will be testing the different materials in order to learn about
gravity.

Strand 3: During the explain phase the students will be sharing, comparing, and
analyzing their test results. Through this they will be thinking like scientists.
Strand 4: Group work and collaboration throughout the explore phase and engage phase.
21st Century Skills: Using the 21st Century Skills Map-Science available on Moodle, choose
the two or three skills that are emphasized your lesson. Explain why you chose these.
Critical thinking and problem solving: The students will be analyzing the test results in
order to determine what gravity is and why the different items fell the way they did.
Communication and collaboration: The students will be working together. Within their
groups they will be collaborating on their answers, thoughts, and ideas.
Leadership and responsibility: The students will be responsible for their individual jobs
within their groups. Their leadership skills will be showed throughout their ability to compelte
their job successfully.
Academic Language Demand
Language Function: In the table below highlight the one most important language
function for your lesson. Explain why you chose this.
Analyze

Argue

Categorize

Interpret

Predict

Question

Compare/contras
t
Retell

Describe

Explain

Summarize

Scientific Vocabulary: What are the key scientific terms that your students will learn
through this lesson?
I selected the term predict for my science vocabulary term. The students will be
predicting which item they think will hit the ground first.

Instructional Objective: What is the specific learning objective for your lesson? What are the
students going to be expected to know and do? How will you know? Make sure your
instructional objective includes: conditions, performance, and criteria!
Performance: Students are expected to complete the explore phase of the lesson plan
where they will do a gravity test on the items within their groups bags. They should work
together as a group and as a class during group discussions. Students are expected to perform at
their best, worksheets should be completed, and they should engage in discussion and in the
informational videos.
Conditions: Students will work in their groups in order to complete their group bags.
Students will also be engaging in group discussions as well as small group discussions. They are
expected to share their thoughts and knowledge regarding the topics.
Criteria: Students will earn 5 points for fully completing the group work worksheet. It
will not be scored on accuracy, but on effort. The students should attempt to complete all of the
experiments and should predict before beginning each experiment, they will also earn 5 points
for engaging in group discussions as well as small group discussion. Students are expected to
pay attention to the videos included within the lesson as well. With a total of 10 points on the

table, the students should complete the worksheet completely, and should be engaged in the
group discussions and other parts of the lesson. Earning at least 4 points in the formal and
informal assessments will show mastery.
Prior Knowledge (student): What knowledge and skills should students already have to be
successful in this lesson?
Students are not expected to have much prior knowledge. They should be able to work in
groups as well as discus various topics. Since this is an introduction to gravity the
students are not expected to have prior knowledge on gravity. It would be beneficial for
the students to have heard something about Gravity however, no prior knowledge on
gravity is required for students to complete and engage in this lesson.
Content Knowledge (teacher): What background knowledge does the teacher need to have?
Provide enough content here so that a novice colleague could teach this lesson.
The teacher should have some knowledge of gravity. They should be able to engage in
the experiments with the students and should be able to answer questions asked by the
students. While the teacher is not expected to be an expert on gravity, they should have
enough knowledge or access to information in order to meet the needs and expectations
of their students.
Connections to Students Lives: How do you anticipate making this lesson relevant to your
students? How will you connect this lesson to your students experiences and interests?
This lesson will connect to students lives because they will be testing objects that they
see and use each day. They will be learning about gravity through familiar objects so this
will engage them in the lesson. Seeing as gravity is what is holding them on the earth,
the lesson will connect directly to the students themselves.
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.
Accommodations within the classroom include behavior. Students are already in a class
according to ability levels and the majority of the problems within the classroom are caused by
misbehaviors. Throughout the lessons and observations I have completed so far I have picked up
on some skills that help me to manage students behavior within the classroom. Some of these
skills include keeping the students involved during the lesson, asking the ones who can't sit still
for long to help with passing out materials, think pair share times, and overall ensuring that the
students are engaged. Scaffolding will be provided in order to ensure students are on task and
keeping their work focused on gravity. Scaffolding will also be in place for any struggling
students with the experiment.
Materials and Technology Requirements: What materials do you (as teacher) and students
need? What resources will be used? If materials are exotic, where can they be found? You need
to be specific with the amount of materials you will need.

http://www.schooltube.com/video/06dc03155a637ed7255b/Bill%20Nye%20the
%20Science%20Guy%20-%20%22G-R-A-V-I-T-Y%22
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKWjMz0LrWU

Bags for each group with pencil, piece of paper, paper clip, marble, ball, and the coin. 6 groups
so there should be 6 bags for class B
Group gravity test worksheets
Extra items in case any are misplaced or left out of bag accidently

Total Estimated Time: How long do you expect your lesson will take?
35-45 minutes
Source of Inspiration for the Lesson: Web site, textbook, colleague?
I read many different lessons online and combined tons of ideas from each. I came up
with the concept on my own but I Google searched the gravity bag test and tons of materials and
ideas came up!
Safety Considerations: How will you make sure students are safe in your lesson?
Ensuring that they are interacting with the materials appropriately and are not playing
around while completing their gravity tests. Also ensuring that students all feel comfortable in
the classroom. Since they are in the classroom daily, they should be used to the environment, but
its always good to double-check.

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: How will students attention or interest be captured? How will you access students
prior knowledge and experiences so they can connect what they will be learning to their own
lives? How will you identify prior conceptions? (Note: Do NOT just put a video link here! If you
are using media or text to engage students, describe the prompts you will use to frame students
viewing of the video/reading of the book and the questions you will use to elicit their thinking on
the concepts presented later in the lesson. Another hint: if you find yourself teaching concepts,
vocabulary, etc. here, move it to the Explain stage! Here, you should just be eliciting students
prior knowledge on the topic.)
Ask the students to predict if they think a heavier or larger object would fall to Earth
faster than a lighter or smaller object. Give examples of things ask the students, Do you think a
marble or a ball would fall to the ground faster?
Allow the students to discuss and predict the answer to this question. Once they have
discussed and shared answers stand on a chair in the front of the room and drop the ball and
marble at the same time. If the students do not determine that the objects touched the ground at
the same time, repeat the demonstration. Ask the class Why do we think the they hit the
ground at the same time? They arent the same weight, so why did they hit the ground at
the same time? Allow the students to discuss and predict again then announce, Lets
experiment with some more objects to find out!
Informal assessments should be made during this time
Explore: What common concrete experience will the students have that allows all students
access to materials and gives them time to talk about and communicate their ideas? What
questions will you ask to facilitate exploration?
Okay class in order to find out why the ball and the marble hit the ground at the
same time we are going to do some experiments that will help us find answers! Now, I want
everyone to work with their group that they are sitting with for this experiment. (Students
desks are set up into groups of 3 or 4, before beginning ensure that students are dispersed evenly
depending on who is present/absent that day). I am going to give every class a bag with their
items in it. Once we begin the experiments your group will open the bag and test the
objects. Now, we dont have a lot of time so I a going to give everyone in the group a job,
you can rotate jobs for each experiment. Everyone will get a change to drop the items so
dont worry if you dont get to go first. (Teacher should be passing out materials while
explaining this information). So within your groups two students will be the droppers, the
droppers will each drop one of the two items your using for that experiment. Whenever

your dropping them make sure you are dropping them from the same level! Some of you
may have to hold your arms up tall or hold them down low in order to get on the same level
as your partner. One student will be the judge; the judge sits on the ground and watches to
see which item touches the ground first! One student will be the recorder; (the recorder
writes down which objects are being tested, and then circles the object that touched the
ground first. If there are four people in your group the person that doesnt have a job
should be making sure the droppers are dropping the items at the same level!
The students will work with balls, marbles, coins, pencils, paper, and paper clips in order to
explore how fast these items fall to the ground when dropped. The students will work in small
groups in order to test these objects. The students will count the seconds have various jobs in
order to complete this work. The student jobs can be rotated so everyone gets to try each job. If
there are more than 3 people in the group (groups should be no more than 4 students) then the
fourth student can simply observe or assist another job when they are not assigned to a job. Im
going to pass out worksheets for you to record your data on, it is a blank chart so make
sure your writing down the items your dropping with for each of the experiments. I also
made a prediction column, so before you drop your items your group should predict which
one they think will hit the ground first just like we did before the ball and the marble!
Every groups bag has 5 (4-8) objects in it. So if you use two objects for each experiment
how many experiments will we be doing...? Perfect!
Formal assessment
Group members names:
Record the objects for each experiment, predict which one your group predicts will hit the
ground first, then circle the object that hit the ground first after you test it!
Object 1

Object 2

Prediction???

Ball

Marble

Ball

Explain: How will you structure student sharing from exploration? How will you facilitate
students conceptual development? How will you help students connect explanations back to
their experience? How will you build on student explanations to help students use appropriate
vocabulary to label concepts and ideas? What questions will you ask to facilitate this process?
Now that we completed our experiments does anyone think they can answer our
question about the ball and the marble? Allow students to discuss and share their answers
and discoveries with the class. When you were doing your experiments did you find any
other objects that hit the ground at the same time?
So, lets see from what your all telling me, most of these objects hit the ground at the same
time? Does anyone know why this is?
What is pulling these objects to the ground?
1. The paper is so light, why didnt it take longer to fall to the ground? Allow the
students to discuss these questions, hoping someone will bring up gravity. If not, the
teacher should proceed to ask the question, What is keeping us on the ground? If the
students dont mention gravity introduce it as a teacher by saying, Gravity is what keeps
us on the ground, it pulls objects such as the tissue, humans, and all other objects to the
ground and keeps us from floating in the air. Gravity is the attraction between all matter;
it is the force that pulls objects toward each other. The larger the object, the greater the
force. Because of the Earths size, the pull of gravity is very apparent. A common
misconception is that only large objects have gravitational force.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKWjMz0LrWU
Play the video in order to provide the students with information on gravity. Have the
students record on thing they learned from the video on their desks using the dry erase
marker. While they are sharing write some of the vocabulary on the board.
http://www.schooltube.com/video/06dc03155a637ed7255b/Bill%20Nye%20the
%20Science%20Guy%20-%20%22G-R-A-V-I-T-Y%22
Once students have finished watching the video a person from each group will share
something they learned. Once that has been done provide information. THIS IS JUST
AN OPTION DOESNT HAVE TO BE USED IN LESSON. ONLY IF NEEDED FOR
TIME OR ENGAGEMENT
During this time informal assessments should be made
Elaborate: What opportunities will there be for students to apply newly learned ideas, concepts,
and skills? (Note: Another activity is ideal, which may also be used as a more formal, summative

assessment.) What questions will you ask to facilitate students application of the learned ideas,
concepts, and skills?
Students will work in pairs in order to come up with their own definition of gravity. They will
extend their knowledge by providing an explanation of why they think certain objects fall to the
ground faster, slower, or at the same rate as other objects. The students will jot down notes in
order to answer the questions above. Once their answers have been determined they will share
their answers with the class. This will be an informal assessment within the lesson. This will act
as an assessment in the sense that it gives students the opportunity to extend their knowledge.
The assessment will be based on their connection amongst the new knowledge regarding gravity
and will show their ability to continue making predictions regarding gravity. This activity will
facilitate students learning because they are being asked to use the knowledge that have gained in
order to come up with their own definition of gravity as well as their own explanation of why
objects the objects within the experiment touched the ground at the same and or different times.
Come up with your own definition of gravity. Make a definition that you
understand. All were doing here is writing about what we think gravity is.
Remember use your own words! Once you have come up with a definition for
gravity I want you give me a thumbs up.
Now that everyone is done I want you to work with the people at your table to come
up with an explanation or reason why yall think some objects hit the ground at the
same time and some didn't. Remember use the information we learned in the video
and the information we talked about so far.
Evaluate: How will you assess each students progress toward the stated objective(s)? What
evidence will be collected? What types of assessment will be used (formal, informal, formative,
summative)? (Note: List out all of the types of assessment you have integrated throughout the
other 4Es.)
The students will be assessed informally and formally throughout the lesson. The group
work within the gravity tests will be turned in for completion, and the informal assessments will
be completed throughout the lesson and especially during the explain phase and elaborate phases
of the lesson. During the explore phase the students will be working together in order to test
different objects gravity. The informal and formal assessment will both be included within this
phase. The formal would be the worksheet and the informal would be the groups working well
together and working hard on the various jobs. Informal assessments will be made through
group discussions between both the explain phase as well as the elaborate phase. The informal
assessments will be compiled in order to come up with a general sense of the students
understanding of gravity. Both the informal and formal assessment will total in 5 points each,
making the entire lesson worth 10 points.
To be completed after the lesson is taught (if applicable)
Assessment Results of All Objectives/Skills:
The students did very well with this lesson. Overall each group earned the total 5 points and
every student earned the 5 participation points. I completed the informal assessments by making
note of the students who werent paying attention or participating, and I didnt have to write

down anyones name. I was very pleased with this turn out!! They asked such engaging
questions that showed me their engagement in the lesson. They were interested, predicting the
outcomes, and trying as hard as they could to answer the discussion questions. They all actually
wanted to get picked to answer the questions, which was a very big surprise to me.
Reflection on Lesson:

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)