KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Teacher Candidate: Hillary Dankel and Natalie Schafer

Cooperating Teacher:
Group Size:

25

Subject or Topic:

Date: 10/8/15

Coop. Initials
Allotted Time 1 hour Grade Level 3
Reptiles

Section

10

STANDARD:
Standard 3.1.3.A1 Describe characteristics of living things that help to identify and
classify them.
I. Performance Objectives (Learning Outcomes):
The third grade students will explain why reptiles dont dry out away from water by
writing conclusions about the previous lessons inquiry on reptile skin.
The third grade students will categorize reptiles by the habitat they live in by
completing an observation sheet based on stations set up for an inquiry.
II. Instructional Materials
- 4 habitat trays (see attached)
- Chart paper or word wall from previous lesson
- PowerPoint on habitats (see attached)
- Information sheet for each habitat (see attached)
- Observation sheet for students to complete (see attached)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DefLKnKyQfA- review video on reptiles
- Bags of apple slices from previous lessons inquiry
- Students hypotheses from previous lessons inquiry
III. Subject Matter/Content (prerequisite skills, key vocabulary, big idea, outline of
additional content)
A. Prerequisite skills
1. Understanding of vocabulary terms from previous lesson
- reptile
- vertebrate

-ectothermic
-scales
B. Key Vocabulary
1. Aquatic Habitat: of or relating to water
2. Rainforest Habitat: a dense forest found in tropical areas with heavy rainfall
and diverse plant and animal populations
3. Desert Habitat: an extremely dry area where there are few plants and
animals, very little rainfall, and extreme temperatures
4. Grassland Habitat: an area where there is not enough rain to support a forest
or trees, but enough to support short plants, grasses, and flowers. Grasslands
can be warmer or cooler but most have seasons.
C. Big Idea
1. What habitats can different types of reptiles be found in?
D. Content
1. Basic names of different reptiles
- lizard
-snake
-turtle
-alligator/ crocodile
2. Reptiles have different and unique characteristics.
IV. Implementation
A. Introduction
1. To introduce this lesson the teacher will play the video Reptiles|
Educational Video for Kids https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DefLKnKyQfA to review
characteristics of reptiles from the previous lesson.
2. The teacher will ask students to name characteristics of reptiles. The
students will raise their hands to answer the questions.
3. The teacher will ask the students if they recall the inquiry from the day
before and will ask students what they think happened to their apple slices
overnight.
4. The teacher will pass out the bags with apple slices in them and the
hypotheses that the students wrote.
B. Development
1. The teacher will tell the students to remove the apple slices from the
bags.
a. The teacher will ask the students what the apple slice in the
paper bag feels like. (expected answers: brown and dry)
b. The teacher will ask the students what the apple slice in the
plastic bag feels like. (expected answers: not as brown and wet)
2. The teacher will explain that amphibians have skin similar to the brown
paper bag; that is why amphibians have to live near water in order to survive.

3. The teacher will explain that reptiles have skin similar to the sandwich bag;
that is why reptiles can be found almost anywhere in the world.
4. The students will write conclusions to describe whether or not their
hypotheses were correct.
5. The students will throw out the bags and apple slices and the teacher will
collect the hypotheses papers.
6. The teacher will present a PowerPoint with riddles and pictures of the four
habitats from key vocabulary. (see attached)
7. After the presentation, the teacher will introduce key vocabulary words and
write them on the word wall from the previous lesson.
8. The teacher will introduce the habitat inquiry to the class.
a. The teacher will pass out the observation sheet for the inquiry.
(see attached)
b. The teacher will split the students into four groups.
c. Each group of students will sit at one of the habitat trays set up
in the classroom.
d. The students will list two reptiles they find in the habitat tray
and write a brief description of their favorite reptile from that tray
and what makes it unique.
e. After five minutes of making observations the groups will rotate
to the next tray and make observations on the new habitat.
9. The teacher will monitor the students focus and behavior as they rotate to
all four habitat trays.
10. The students will return to their seats after they have rotated to each tray.
11. The teacher will ask students what they observed in each of the habitats.
12. After the discussion the teacher will collect the observation sheets.
13. The teacher will tell the students that they have a special visitor and bring
out a bearded dragon.
* This portion of the implementation is not required but if the
teacher has access to a reptile they can be brought in for a short question and
answer session on the reptile. (With schools permission)
14. The teacher will introduce the reptile and ask what habitat it might be
found in. (expected answer: desert)
15. The teacher will ask the students what characteristics they notice about the
reptile.
16. The teacher will answer a handful of questions students might have about
the reptile.
17. (Optional) Depending on time and teachers personal preference they will
allow students to come up by table to touch the reptile. IF STUDENTS
TOUCH REPTILE IT IS IMPERATIVE TO WASH HANDS. REPTILES
MAY CARRY SALMONELLA WHICH MAY CAUSE ILLNESS.

C. Closure
1. The teacher will explain that the reptiles unique characteristics are
called adaptations.
2. The teacher will tell the students that in the next lesson they will talk
about how these adaptations help reptiles survive in their habitats.
D. Accommodations/Differentiation
1. To accommodate for Justin, a 3rd grade boy with Down Syndrome, the
teacher will have him draw pictures of each habitat tray and label the parts of
the drawing that he is able to.
2. To differentiate for Jake, a 3rd grade boy with a visual impairment, the
teacher will have him work with a partner to complete the observation sheet.
E. Assessment/Evaluation Plan
1. Formative:
a. The teacher will collect the hypotheses sheets from the inquiry and
use a checklist to make sure the students understand the main idea of the
inquiry. (see attached)
b. The teacher will use a checklist to make sure the students are on
task and are completing their observation sheets during the habitat inquiry.
(see attached)
2. Summative:
a. The teacher will collect the observation sheets and use a rubric to
grade students on their completion and accuracy. (see attached)
V. Reflective Response
A. Report of Student Performance in Terms of Stated Objectives (Reflection on
student performance written after lesson is taught, includes remediation for
students who fail to meet acceptable level of achievement)
Remediation Plan

B. Personal Reflection (Questions written before lesson is taught. Reflective

answers to question recorded after lesson is taught)
1. How could this lesson be improved?

2. Was there enough time to complete everything I had planned for this
lesson?

VI. Resources (in APA format)

Reptiles educational video for kids. (2015, March 26). Retrieved October 13, 2015, from
YouTube website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DefLKnKyQfA
Ranson, A. (2014, May 3). Mini sensory tubs animal habitats. Retrieved October
13, 2015, from The imagination tree website:
http://theimaginationtree.com/2014/05/animal-habitat-mini-sensory-tubs.html

Student Name

Completed
Hypothesi
s

Completed
Conclusion

Needs to
review
characteristics
of reptiles

On Task
During
Habitat
Inquiry

Not on
Task
During
Habitat
Inquiry

Rubric for Habitat Inquiry Observation Sheet

Completion

List

Notes

3 Excellent
Student
completes all
four sections
of observation
sheet to the
best of their
ability
Student lists 2
reptiles found
in each habitat
tray based on
their
observations
Student writes
at least 3
observations
based on each
habitat tray
and
information
sheet provided
with the trays.

2 Getting There
Student
completes most
of the
observation
sheet, but needs
a little bit more
focus to finish.
Student lists at
least 1 reptile
found in each
habitat tray
based on their
observations
Student writes
at least 1
observation
based on each
habitat tray and
information
sheet

1 Needs Work
Student
completed half
or less of their
observation
sheets.
Student does
not list reptiles
on their
observation
sheet
Student does
not write any
observations or
writes
irrelevant
information
based on the
inquiry

Name: ____________________________Date: __________

Directions: List 2 reptiles that you found in

stations 1,2,3, and 4. Then, write 3 things
about your favorite reptile from that habitat
and what makes it unique.
Aquatic
1.
2.

__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
Desert
1.
2.

__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________

Grassland
1.
2.

__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
Rainforest
1.
2.

__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________

Deserts
Definition: arid land with usually sparse vegetation
-has a very warm climate and little rainfall
-rattlesnakes, coyotes, desert tortoises, and etc.

Grasslands
Definition: large open area of country covered with grass, especially one
used for grazing
-temperatures vary greatly between summer and winter
-summers are hot and winters are cold
-zebras, lions, snakes, lizards, and etc.

Tropical Rainforests
Definition: forests with tall trees, warms climates and lots of rain
-a lot of sunlight, there is a lot of energy in the rainforest
-insects, lizards, birds, frogs, snakes, and etc.

Aquatics
Definition: a plant or animal that lives on or in water
-climate varies from -40 degrees Fahrenheit to over 100 degrees
-the coldest is in the north and south poles
-fish, turtles, crocodiles, snakes, and etc.

How to Create Sensory Habitat Trays

For use with unit on reptiles
These habitat trays or tubs are simple to make and can be used not only
with this lesson, but for free play or other sensory play for students. To get
started, you will need a few things:
-

foil lasagna trays (or plastic tubs if you would like to reuse them)
Water
Sand
Fake grass or real grass
Twigs/sticks
Rocks
Dirt or soil
Small toy animals that can be found in each habitat

Once you have collected your materials, you can build as many habitats
as you would like! For the purpose of this inquiry, the teacher will create four
habitats including water, desert, jungle (rainforest), and grassland.
For the water habitat, fill the tray with water. Add rocks, sand, and
aquatic reptile toys like turtles and alligators or crocodiles.
For the grassland habitat, add a layer of fake grass (or sod) and a few
rocks or twigs. Add lizard, snake, or turtle toys.
For the desert habitat, fill the bottom of the tray with sand. Add rocks
and twigs, and add lizard, snake, and tortoise toys.
For the rainforest habitat, add soil and some water so the soil is damp.
Add leaves, fake trees or twigs, and lizard and snake toys.
Use your creativity to add anything else you would like to these habitat
trays, and have fun exploring!