1.

Postcards from Pluto part 2, third grade

2. Essential Questions: What are defining characteristics of the
planets of our solar system? What are the five parts of a friendly
letter?
3. Standards: State Science Standard 5.4.4.A.4 Analyze and evaluate
evidence in the form of data tables and photographs to categorize and
relate solar system objects (e.g., planets, dwarf planets, moons,
asteroids, and comets).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2.B Develop the topic with facts, definitions,
and details.
4.
Learning Objectives

SWBAT synthesize what they learned

previously about planets

SWBAT follow the format of writing a

friendly letter

Assessments
Students will write a postcard
detailing the important facts of their
specific planet. They will include
how many moons their planet has,
what the surface is made of, if it is
an inner or an outer planet and if life
could be sustained. Students will
also include 3 fun facts about their
planet. Students will then reply to
their peers postcards using the
friendly letter format
Students postcards will include:
heading, greeting, heading, body,
closing and signature

5. Materials: Postcards from Pluto: A Tour of the Solar System by

Loreen Leedy, Elmo overhead projector, postcard paper,
makers/colored pencils/crayons
6. Pre-lesson assignments and/or prior knowledge: Students
have been exploring and discovering information about the solar
system for a week. They have been working to complete Space Log
Books with information about each planet in the Solar System.
Students were read Postcards from Pluto the previous day.
7. Lesson Beginning: Students will be called to the rug. When they
are quiet, students will be told they are about to blast off to space.
Students will then be reminded of the story they were read the day
before. Teacher will explain that today we are going to write our own
postcards about our favorite planets. Teacher will tell students they

will turn and talk about their favorite planet with their partner and why
it is their favorite. Teacher will briefly model turning and talking.
Students will be given 1 minute to turn and talk. Teacher will
countdown from five to regain students attention.
8. Instructional Plan: Teacher will ask students if theyve written a
letter or received a letter. Students will be reminded that they read a
letter every morning during morning meeting. Students will be asked if
they remember any other letters they read the previous day. Students
will be shown the Venus postcard from Postcards from Pluto (which was
read the previous day). Teacher will read postcard to students and ask
what information they see that is important. Students will be asked
what information they think is missing from this postcard. Teacher will
write a list of the important information on the board (that should be
used in their postcards). Students will be asked what parts of the letter
they see and what they think is missing. Teacher will use an anchor
chart to explain the 5 parts of a friendly letter. Teacher will explain
that students are going to write her a postcard about their favorite
planet. This postcard will include how many moons their planet has,
what the surface is made of, if it is an inner or an outer planet and if
life could be sustained. Students will also include 3 fun facts about
their planet, as well as questions they may have. Students will be told
that when they are done writing their letters, they will decorate the
front of the postcard with a picture of their planet. Students will be
given 15-20 minutes to complete their postcards. Students will then
exchange postcards with their pre-assigned writing partners. Teacher
will ask if students have any questions before they begin. Students will
be told to tip toe quietly back to their seats. Director and friend of
the day will be asked to handout postcard paper and table captians will
be asked to get art supply bins. Students will be reminded that this is
a quiet activity. While students are working, teacher will walk around
and conference with students. Teacher will use examples throughout
worktime for students who may be struggligng to write information.
Students will be given a two minute warning before it is time to
exchange postcards. Students will be asked to find their partner,
exchange postcards and respond by writing a letter. They will be given
7-10 minutes to write their responses.
Differentiation: Each student will be given a mini conference by
teacher, this will allow students who are struggling to help develop
ideas and students who are advanced to think deeply about
information they are using.
Transitions: Students will be given countdowns, reminders to be quiet
and students who are table captains will be utilized to gather
necessary materials.
9. Closure: Teacher will tell students that we used a book as a model
and were able to use their space logs to write their own post card.
Teacher will tell students that she saw some great examples of the five

parts of the letter. Teacher will call on 3-5 student pairs to share their
postcards and responses.

This lesson is the final lesson in a solar system unit. Students have
spent the past few weeks studying the planets, moon cycle and the stars. This
lesson gives students the opportunity to share with their peers, along with
myself, what they have learned about the planets. Children will also respond to
each others postcards, making their responses more genuine examples of
what they. This lesson blends science with writing in a cohesive manner. After
being exposed to parts of a friendly letter, students are sent to write long and
strong. By providing students the opportunity to write about their favorite
planet, they are able to express their reasons in a creative manner. This lesson
requires students to think critically about the solar system and work
cooperatively to interact with each other to each other. It also resulted in them
having to prioritize what information they wanted to share because of the
limited space on the postcard. Their responses allow them to share
information they think is most important and/or discuss a different planet
entirely.

By being cross-curricular, this lesson is in accordance with ACEI 2.8 and

NAEYC 4.4. It incorporates science concepts, while requiring students to put
the information in a format they are unfamiliar with. Students later discussed
other reasons for writing letters and brainstormed a list of individuals they can
write to. One child suggested writing to servicemen and women, which
sparked a larger conversation of how to support those serving in the military. It
also meets active engagement and positive social interactions in accordance
with ACEI 3.4 and NAEYC 1.1. Students work together to brainstorm ideas then
again to respond to each others postcards.
One of my beliefs is that social and academic curricula should be blended.
Writing postcards provides students with the chance to interact in new ways. It
also introduces them to another form of communication. Through this lesson,
science and writing are blended, students are able to develop their
communication skills and children are required to think critically about what
they believe is important information to share with others.
Title and Grade: What makes our city special?, Second grade
Essential Questions: What are characteristics of most communities?
In what ways is Trenton like most communities? In what ways is Trenton
different?
Standards: 6.1.P.B.1- Develop an awareness of the physical features
of the neighborhood/community
Learning Objectives/Assessments:
Learning Objectives

Assessments

SWBAT label, identify and describe

landmarks unique to Trenton

Students will be asked questions

about Trenton landmarks as a
class.
Students will name one landmark

unique to Trenton on an exit ticket.

(see conclusion for exit ticket)
SWBAT use a map to locate
different places in a typical
community

Teachers will circulate the room to

observe students maps as they
locate various locations.
Students will name one common
community location on an exit
ticket.
(see conclusion for exit ticket)

Materials: Word web (created in previous lesson), dry erase markers

and erasers, individual laminated town maps, map scavenger hunt
questions, Power Point with Trenton landmarks, document camera, exit
ticket
Pre-lesson Assignments and/or prior knowledge: Students have a
basic understanding of community. They were asked in the previous
lesson to think about what makes their community unique. Students
will draw upon their personal experiences of living in Trenton to
compare and contrast their community to the community on the map.
Lesson Beginning: Teachers will start by asking, who can tell me
what we talked about yesterday in Social Studies. Teachers will call on
several students to hear their response. Teachers will remind students
of brainstorming assignment: Yesterday, we asked you to start
thinking about some of the places in your community, Trenton. Did
anyone think of a place in Trenton that is special? Teachers will call on
several students who wish to share. Then, students will be shown a
Power Point with pictures of Trenton landmarks. These pictures will
activate prior knowledge and personal connection to their own
community. During the PowerPoint, students will be asked if each
image looks familiar. Students will respond with a show of hands.
Students will be asked to identify the landmark, if they can. Teachers
will ask, do you think this (landmark/place) is unique to Trenton, or is
this a feature found in all communities?
Instructional Plan: After the Power Point, students will be given
individual maps of a community, dry erase markers, and erasers.
Teachers will ask students to find numerous places on their maps
(police station, hospital, etc). Students will respond to each question
individually by circling the location on his/her map. Teachers will
demonstrate an example using the document camera. As the students

answer the questions, teachers will circulate the room for assessment
purposes and to assist struggling students. After every student has
found and circled the correct location, the teachers will call on one
student to share their answer on the document camera. As map
location questions become more open-ended, students will be
encouraged to think-pair-share with their partners. An example of an
open ended question might be, where is place you could go to have
fun? or where is a place you can go to get help? After each question
of this type, teachers will call on various students to share their
answers, which might be different. Teachers will elaborate on the
varying answers to facilitate a group discussion. This will provide
student an opportunity to think deeply about why some of these places
exist in our communities.

Differentiation:
Step-up: Asking questions that have more than one example, questions
will
get progressively harder and advanced students will
be able to locate
numerous places on the map (e.g.- Where
could you go if you needed help?
vs. Where is the police
station?)
Step-down: Students can work collaboratively with their partners to
locate
places on map. Teachers will circulate the room to
assist struggling students. Questions will be reviewed and discussed as
a group to ensure understanding
Accommodation for ELLs: Students struggling with English language
will be paired
with fluently bilingual students to assist with
translation and will be provided with supplemental materials in
Spanish
Questions:
Lesson Beginning
Who can tell me what we talked about yesterday in Social Studies.
Did anyone think of a place in Trenton that is special?
While looking at photos of Trenton
Does this place look familiar?
Can anyone tell me what this place is?
Has anyone been here?
Is this place only found in Trenton, or do other communites have this
place, too?
During the map activity
Can you find questions (Can you find the police station?
Open-ended search questions (Where is a place you could go to have
fun?)
As students share their circled answers
Do we have a (place name) in Trenton?
Classroom Management:

 Students will be reminded to respect the materials; only use

dry erase mark, only draw on the laminated map
Teachers and team leaders will distribute and clean-up materials to
reduce commotion.
Students will receive their own maps so that all students have an equal
opportunity to view and mark the map.
Teachers will employ their standard attention-getting strategies like
Oh Class! (Students say oh yes!) and Hands and Eyes (Students
put down what they are holding and look at the teachers)
Transitions:
The Power Point will be set-up while students are unpacking for the day
so that the lesson can start right away.
Team leaders will assist with handing out materials.
Teams leaders will assist with cleaning up materials.
To regain students attention teachers will use a rhyme often used in
the class to refocus students (Oh class?)
Closure: Teachers will distribute the following exit ticket that
addresses the essential questions.
Write the name of a place to complete the sentences.
1) Trenton is different from other communities because it has
____________________________________________________.
2) Most communities have a ____________________________.

Students need to have a strong understanding of either their town or citys

history in order to be productive members of the community. This lesson was
created to introduce students to major landmarks in their town. For the group that
this lesson was planned for, it was particularly important for students to gain an
understanding of their surrounding area since many of the students recently
immigrated to the United States. This lesson was created following a pre-

assessment to discover what students knew about their city. Surprisingly, students
knew very little about the history of Trenton, but were eager to learn more. The
lesson needed to be differentiated for English language learners and students with
individualized lesson plans. Students were intentionally placed with higher students
in an effort to encourage them to work collaboratively. The relatively high number
of Spanish speaking students also required both intentional placement and
supplemental materials.
This lesson is differentiated not only for IEPs but also English language
learners, in accordance with ACEI 3.2. Learning about their community is important
for children to become integrated with their city, despite the language they speak.
This lesson was planned based on the knowledge of students and their community,
in accordance with ACEI 3.1 and NAEYC 4.2 and 4.3. Students develop an
understanding of historical landmarks in their community.
I believe that learning is a partnership between children, families and
communities. This lesson begins to expose children to the things their city has to
offer. More importantly, however, it opened the class up to a dialogue about the
needs in the community. Students began to ask questions about visiting locations
and learning more about them. Children were asked if they were able to brainstorm
ways they could get more involved with their town or city. Students began by
suggesting that they first must learn more about the community before they can
think of ways to help. This lesson pushed students to think critically about their
communities, while learning important historical information about it.
Title and Grade: Fresh Food/Fried Food, third grade
Essential Questions: What are the similarities and differences
between fresh food and fried food? How do they change over time?

Standards: NJ State Standards: 2.1.4.B.2 Differentiate between

healthy and unhealthy eating practices
Learning Objectives/Assessments:
Learning Objectives

Assessments

SWBAT create a hypothesis about

what will happen to the bananas
and to the French fries over the
course of a week

Students will record their

hypotheses and observations in an
observation packet specific for this
experiment. Packets will be
collected when the experiment is
completed

SWBAT brainstorm reasons fresh

food is healthier than fried food
based on their observations

Students will complete a quiz

asking them to explain the
differences between fresh food and
fried food. They will need to
explain why fresh food is healthier
based on what they have observed

Materials: Observation packets, bananas, French fries, covers for

food, plates
Pre-lesson Assignments and/or prior knowledge: Students have
briefly discussed fast food vs. fresh food in health class. Most students
have created healthy food plates in first and second grade.
Lesson Beginning: Day 1: Teacher will ask students what differences
they know fried food and fresh food. Director and friend will distribute
student observation packets. Day 6: Teacher will ask students what
differences they see between the bananas on day 1 and the French
fries on day 1.
Instructional Plan: Day 1: Students will be shown a banana and a
thing of French fries. They will be asked to briefly write their
observations. Students will be told that over the next 6 days they will
be observing the food and how they change. Teacher will ask students
to answer the very broad question, which will win? and record their
prediction in their packets. Banana and French fries will be placed on
the windowsill as an ongoing experiment. Both items will be covered
overnight and when students are not making observations.
(Throughout the week, students will be given the chance to observe
the food and record their observations in their packets.) Day 6:

Students will observe the foods as a group. They will make their final
observations. Students will be called to the rug. Teacher will ask
students again which won, the bananas or the French fries? Students
will engage in a conversation, which they think won. Students will
be given the chance to explain why they think a specific food one.
Teacher will explain that because the French fries did not change at all,
they lost. Teacher will ask students to brainstorm reasons the French
fries did not change. These ideas will be recorded. Teacher will explain
that natural, healthy food decays over time and highly processed food
remains the same. Children will discuss which they would rather eat
and why.
Differentiation: Higher students are provided with packets that require
them to provide more written responses. Lower students are given
packets with places to draw their observations.
Transitions: Students will be given countdowns, reminders to be quiet
and students who are table captains will be utilized to gather
necessary materials.
Closure: Students will receive a quiz asking them to compare and
contrast fresh food and fast food, remembering to include the
observations they made. Students will also be asked which type of
food they would prefer and why, again making sure to reference their
observations.

This lesson was planned following a discussion that the students

had in health class. They had begun discussing fast food, including the
calorie content and the amount of fat these items contain. The
students were appalled by what they had briefly discovered. To
reinforce the concepts they were discussing in health, we set up a
banana and a set of French fries and asked students a very broad,
which would win? Students made predictions, many saying the
bananas would win. The food was left out for six days, allowing the
children to examine the changes each day. By the time health came
the following week, the class decided that the French fries had won
because they had remained the same. This lead to a discussion about
how natural food changes and fast food remains the same. The class
completed a Venn diagram to examine the differences between fast
food and fresh food. This lesson allowed children to make a
hypothesis, provided them with an ongoing experiment and gave them
the chance to observe first hand the differences between fresh food
and fast food.
This lesson was created following the students interest in fast
food, in accordance with ACEI 4 and NAETC 3.1 and 3.2. Students were
judged informally through their daily observations, their class
discussions and their hypotheses. They were formally assessed through
a quiz regarding what they learned. This lesson was planned around
their interests to strengthen their knowledge base.

I believe that learning is a partnership. Students interests were

sparked in health class, which is not generally brought back to the regular
classroom. However, I worked with the health teachers to solidify learning.
Between health and their regular classroom, students were exposed to the
same concept in numerous different ways. They were assessed in a way
that allowed their knowledge and interests guide the lesson.

Title and Grade: Exploring Shapes- Kindergarten

Lesson Essential Questions: How are basic shapes used everyday?
How can geometry be used for problem solving and logical reasoning?
Standards:
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.A.2
Correctly name shapes regardless of their orientations or overall size.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.B.5 Model shapes in the world by building
shapes from components (e.g., sticks and clay balls) and drawing
shapes.
Learning Objectives/Assessments:
Learning Objectives

Assessments

SWBAT create and describe basic

shapes (triangle, rectangle,
square, circle)

Marshmallow and pretzel stick

activity
Create a Castle activity

SWBAT locate and identify shapes

in their environment

Shape exploration in classroom

Materials: Mini marshmallows, pretzel sticks, creating shapes

worksheet (original, step up and step down), construction paper
(different colors), pre-cut shapes (step down), Castle shape cutter
paper, scissors, glue, math notebooks (plain paper), document camera,
shape poster

Pre-lesson Assignments and/or prior knowledge: The students

most likely will have experience playing with shape sorting toys.
Majority of them should be able to identify select shapes by name.
Lesson Beginning: Students will first be asked can you tell me the
name of some shapes? Teacher will wait for square, circle, rectangle,
and triangle to be called. To engage the children in the lesson a short
one minute video will be played. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=FWzBqflGlY4) Through song, the video will introduce the children to
the four shapes we will be focusing on in the lesson (triangle, circle,
square, & rectangle). The cartoon shapes describe their characteristics
and where they can be found. After the video we will review each of
the four shapes one by one with a colorful large poster that will be
displayed on the board.
Instructional Plan:
Prior to beginning the next activity, students will be asked if they
remember the rules of using food in math. Teachers will review that
when using food in math, students need to wait until the activity is
checked by teachers before they eat. A worksheet, some pretzel sticks
and some mini marshmallows will be passed out by the assistant
teacher. Since we are working with food the students will be have just
washed their hands prior to sitting down.
The students will be asked to create a rectangle, square and
triangle using pretzel sticks and marshmallows to form each shape.
The teacher will demonstrate how to connect the pretzel to the
marshmallow, as well as display the finished example on the document
camera. The worksheet will have each shape drawn out and a place to
write in how many sides and how many corners each of the shapes
have.
To differentiate the lesson, step up students will not have the
shapes drawn on their paper and step down students will not only have
the shapes drawn but will also have the marshmallows marked so that
they know how to assemble each shape. Once each student has
constructed the shapes they will then fill in the blanks about how many
sides and corners each shape has. Once a teacher approved each
individual students shapes they will be allowed to eat their shapes.
The class will review the fill in the blank answers together before
moving on to the next activity.
To transition to the next activity we will discuss how those shapes
are seen all around us. Students will be asked if they can think of a
building they have seen shapes on before. One place we can see those
shapes are in fairy tale castles. We will pass out construction paper,

scissors, and glue on previously prepared trays. Each student will

select a large sheet of construction paper. Students will use the shapes
they created in the previous activity to create their own castle. We
will show the kids two examples of what the teachers castles look like,
putting emphasis on how each castle should look different and not to
model the examples. Students will cut shapes out and glue them in the
form of a castle. They will use numbers to explain how many of each
shape they used to create their castle. To differentiate this portion of
the lesson step down students will be provided with pre-cut shapes.
When students are finished they will raise their hand and be given a
strip of paper that says to make my fairy tale castle I used _____
circles, _____ squares, _____ rectangles, _____ triangles. Step down
students will have each shape drawn under the respective word.
Students will count how many of each shape was used and write the
number in the space provides. This strip of paper will also be glued on
to the castle. When all finished some volunteer students will be asked
to explain to the class what makes their castle special and how many
shapes they used. Castles will be later be displayed on a bulletin board
in the classroom.
Closure: As all materials are collected, students will be asked to get
out their math notebooks (lined paper). They will complete a shape
exploration of the classroom. Students will be required to draw
pictures of three shapes they find around the classroom. To
differentiate this activity students will be able to work with a partner if
they close. After about five minutes, students return to their seats and
share with the class what shapes they found. This will point out
additional shapes to the students that they may not have found
initially. Finally, students will self evaluate their knowledge by placing a
smiley face at the bottom of their sheet for complete understanding, a
straight face if they understand a little but still have some questions,
and a sad face if they are still confused. If time allows, Students will be
shown the cover of a story they will be reading during math the
following day.

This lesson allows kindergarten students to explore shapes in a

variety different ways. Many of them are probably familiar with shapesorting toys and are able to identify various shapes by name. This
lesson is meant to reinforce these concepts in a concrete way. By
having a video, two activities and a shape walk, students are exposed
to shapes in many different ways. Students are able to manipulate
shapes and arrange them in various ways to create new or different
shapes. Providing a video reinforces concepts and can aid students in
remembering the shapes by name. This lesson requires that students
not only create shapes but also be able to identify and label them.

The numerous pieces of this lesson support students learning

and development in accordance with ACEI 1 and NAEYC 1.1. Every
student learns differently, either visually or through auditory methods.
All students are given an equal chance of being successful with shapes
because this lesson requires them to create, label and view shapes.
This lesson is also developmentally appropriate for kindergarteners. It
allows children to familiarize themselves with shapes in various ways,
each of which may benefit each student differently.
I believe that education is a continuous journey. Children have
a natural background with shapes, and this lesson builds on that
experience. Creating a strong educational foundation ensures that
students are prepared to be successful later in school. Providing
students numerous ways to learn helps to guarantee that students
have a strong understanding of the concepts. Also, by providing
students ways to interact with the information, they are more likely to
remember, utilize it later and continue to explore concepts on their
own.

Title and Grade: Animal Adaptations, third grade

Essential Questions: How do animals adapt to their environments?
What are some benefits of these adaptations?
Standards: NGSS: MS-LS4-4: Construct an explanation based of
evidence that describes how genetic variations increase probability of
surviving
Learning Objectives/Assessments:

Learning Objectives

Assessments

SWBAT create hypothesis about

how adaptations help animals

Students will formulate and record

hypotheses based on how they
think Crisco will effect their hand in
ice water

SWBAT brainstorm and record

reasons how this experiment
relates to polar bears and their
adaptations

Students will work with their

partners to brainstorm ideas about
how the Crisco that keeps their
hands warm in ice water pertains
to a polar bear. These predictions
will be recorded and collected

Materials: Science journals, small cooler/bucket, ice water, Crisco, zip

lock bags, rubber bands, Polar Bears by Gail Gibbons
Pre-lesson Assignments and/or prior knowledge: Students have a
basic understanding of adaptations and the Artic conditions where
polar bears live. Students have also learned characteristics about
polar bears (fur, warm blooded, hibernation).
Lesson Beginning: Teacher will ask students how they think polar
bears survive in the Artic? The class will develop a list of hypotheses
and record them. Teacher will record the list on the board. Students
will take about two minutes to record their prediction in their science
notebooks.
Instructional Plan: Students will be asked to get with their partner
and go to their assigned spots in the room. Teacher will distribute
materials to create the gloves students will be wearing in water.
Teacher will then walk the class through setting up their gloves. First
students take the bags that are half filled with Crisco and place their
second zip lock inside out bag inside the bag with Crisco (make sure
students turn bags inside out so the two bags can zip together).
Students will then equally distribute the Crisco between the bags.
Students will be called up to the water cooler one partnership at a time
to place their hands in the water. First, students will place their hand
in the water without the glove. They will then wear their glove in the
water. Both partners will complete this process before returning to
spots to record what they experienced and why they think their hands
didnt get cold in the glove. Students who are waiting to dunk their
hands will continue to work on their on-going animal research project

(the needed materials are in their science folders including: their draft
sheets, research books and pages for notes). After each group has
gone, the group will come back together to discuss what could have
happened. Explanations will be recorded next to hypotheses. Teacher
will read Polar Bear to help answer the big question, how do polar
bears survive in the Artic?
Differentiation: Students are intentionally partnered. Higher students
are paired with lower students. This allows higher students to explain
what they are thinking to lower students and helps to make sure lower
students dont fall behind
Transitions: Students will be given countdowns, reminders to be quiet
and students who are table captains will be utilized to gather
necessary materials.
Closure: Students will return to their desks and record how polar
bears survive in the Artic? in their science journals. Three to four
students will share their responses.

Students learn through exploration, particularly in science. This lesson was

completed to reinforce concepts of animal adaptations. Students were familiar

with the word adaptation and various aspects of the animal kingdom. This
lesson allows students to briefly experience what polar bears go through and
how they adapt to their environments. By setting up the experiment together,
the class is able to make predictions. Predictions were recorded so students
could revisit them later. Students will be able to explain why their predictions
were correct or incorrect. By revisiting their predictions, students are
reminded that it is acceptable to make mistakes. Students were reminded
that there are different ways to answer questions and that completing
experiments helps them more easily understand specific concepts. This
lesson also expands students vocabulary by introducing the word hypothesis.
Students also need to work together to develop an explanation for what
happened during the experiment.
This lesson is in accordance with ACEI 3.3 and NAEYC 1.1, planning lessons
that promote critical thinking and problem solving. While children are familiar
with the word adaptation, this lesson requires them to think deeply about why
animals need to adapt. It also provides them the opportunity to briefly
experience what polar bears experience. Students will work together to
problem solve an explanation for why their hands remained warm in the ice
bucket.
I believe that social curriculum should be blended with academic
curriculum. Students need to be able to work together to solve problems.
Problem solving is a skill students develop at a young age and that are carried
through the rest of their lives. Children need to be able to work cooperatively
to reach consensus. This lesson requires students to brainstorm and develop

a rational explanation together. This teamwork helps them develop problem

solving skills.