Common Core Aligned Lesson Plan Template

Subject(s): NGSS INQUIRY SCIENCE LESSON Grade:

Kindergarten
Teacher(s): Lindsey Parish
Elementary

School: Kennedy

Part I GOALS AND STANDARDS

1. Next Generation Science Standards
Discipline: Life Science

Performance Expectation: K-LS1-1.Use observations to

describe patterns of what plants and animals (including
humans) need to survive. [Clarification Statement: Examples of
patterns could include that animals need to take in food but plants do
not; the different kinds of food needed by different types of animals;
the requirement of plants to have light; and, that all living things
need water.]
Disciplinary Core Ideas: LS1.B: Analyzing and Interpreting
Data

Analyzing data in K2 builds on prior experiences and progresses to collecting,

recording, and sharing observations. Use observations (firsthand or from media)
to describe patterns in the natural world in order to answer scientific questions.
(K-LS1-1)

Disciplinary Core Ideas: LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow
in Organisms. All animals need food in order to live and grow. They obtain their
food from plants or from other animals. Plants need water and light to live and
grow. (K-LS1-1)

Crosscutting Concepts: Patterns

Patterns in the natural and human designed world can be observed
and used as evidence. (K-LS1-1)

2. ELD and State Content Standard Addressed (History/Social

Science, Science, Physical Education, Visual and Performing
Arts):
3. Learning Objective: (What will students
know & be able to do as a result of this
lesson?)

Students will analyze and interpret patterns of

plants survival needs.

STUDENTFRIENDLY
TRANSLATION
I can describe what
a plant needs to
survive.

Blooms Taxonomy- Analyze and Apply

4. Relevance/Rationale: (Why are the

outcomes of this lesson important in the real

world? Why are these outcomes essential for
future learning?)

The outcomes of this lesson are important in

the real world because it is essential that
students understand what living things needs
in order to survive in the world. Making this
connection allows students to understand
what components support plant life, and how
our world works together.

STUDENTFRIENDLY
TRANSLATION
We need to know
what plants need in
life in order to care
for them properly
and understand the
cycle of life.

5. Essential Questions:
What does a plant need to survive?
Part II STUDENTS INFORMATION
6. Class Information:
a. Total number 28 students, 13 of them beginning at 8:15, and
15 coming at 10:15.
b. EL/Special Needs The class is 100% English Language Learners.
3 students in the class have IEPS, however at this time I am

unaware of what they are specifically for. Two girls are additionally
very far behind in the class, and still struggling with basic letter
sound recognition and spelling their names.
c. Academic Background- The students work on weather often in
the class, completing meteorology journals as a class. Here they
have become familiar with words and images of the sun, clouds,
rain, and air.
Linguistic The majority of students are still learning English, and
struggle to communicate clearly. They are using language to
express themselves, in both English and Spanish. They are
capable of maintaining interest in a desire subject, and thinking of
problem solving techniques for basic problems.
d. Cultural/Health Many of the children have multiple dental
complications, such as fillings and missing teeth. The school is
located in Santa Ana, a predominately low SES neighborhood.
Most students are picked up by family members at pick up.
Students often have high sugar snacks, and one child is obese.
Another child has glasses she wears at all times.
e. Physical Students in Kindergarten should be able to stand on
one foot for 10 seconds or longer, hop, somersault, use the
restroom independently, and draw pictures using fine motor skills.
From what I have observed, the majority of students are capable
of completing such tasks.
f. Social The class is very restless throughout lessons, constantly
moving and communicating with one another. They tend to be
positive in their communications with peers, yet oftentimes

uninterested in engaging with the teacher. Students in this age

group are just learning the typical school procedures, and how to
function in a classroom setting. Many of them are still in the basic
procedural skills of sitting still in a chair, and not talking when the
teacher is talking. The students love to sing and dance, and
respond well to kinesthetic movements implemented in lessons.
g. Emotional They appear to be lower on the emotional scale than
other Kindergarten classes I have observed. This is due to many of
them coming to school for the first time this year, and not being
aware of the cultural norms of schooling. They oftentimes react
strongly when another child does something they disapprove of,
such as take their pencil.
h. Interests/Aspirations The students are all interested in the
computer programs they use in the classroom, and will sit and
play with them very focused. They all seem to enjoy physical
activity, and love recess time. Painting and hands on activities are
also captivating and provide for great expression in the classroom.

7. Anticipated Difficulties (Based on the information above, what

difficulties do you think students may have with the content?):

I anticipate that the students may get restless and need more
physical activity during the lesson.
I anticipate that the students, being EL learners, will need
definitions to explain the terms used in plant survival.
I anticipate students with IEPs will need more image and word
connections, and one on one handling during our assessment.
Part III LESSON ADAPTATIONS

8. Modifications/Accommodations (What specific

modifications/accommodations are you going to make based on the

anticipated difficulties?)

I will utilize an educational and relevant video in the middle of

my instruction, to allow students to physically move and sing,
while cementing concepts discovered.
I will incorporate hand motions or physical movements
associated with each components of plant survival to provide
physical activity and movement in the classroom, assisting EL
learners as well as those with IEPs.
I will provide definitions needed, both orally, written and with
images, for EL learners to properly understand the terms used.
I will make clear communication with struggling students,
consistently checking in on them and providing assistance if
needed.
9. 21st Century Skills Circle all that are applicable
Communication
Critical Thinking

Collaboration

Creativity

Describe how the 21st century skill(s) you have circled will be
observed during the lesson:

10.

The students will use written and verbal communication skills

to discuss and answer the essential question.
The students will collaborate to discover the classification of
the images projected.
The students will think critically about what plants need to
survive, and what each of those objects or actions encompass.
Technology - How will you incorporate technology into your

lesson?

I will play one short video to captivate the students and draw
importance to the significant findings of our lesson. I will additionally
use the document camera to model the application piece.
Part IV ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING
11.

Assessment Criteria for Success: (How will you & your

students know if they have successfully met the outcomes? What
specific criteria will be met in a successful product/process? What
does success on this lessons outcomes look like?)
a. Formative: I will have a rubric with criterion for how students

should construct their applicational piece. Students will be asked

to identify how plants grow by creating an image and relating the
proper terms to each part.

What A Plant Needs Rubric

Components

Soil

Student is missing 2 or
more images or labels, or
has incorrectly labeled or
depicted them.

Student creates 1 error,

incorrectly labeling or
incorrectly drawing
component.

Air

Student is missing 2 or
more images or labels, or
has incorrectly labeled or
depicted them.

Student creates 1 error,

incorrectly labeling or
incorrectly drawing
component.

Water

Student is missing 2 or
more images or labels, or
has incorrectly labeled or
depicted them.

Student creates 1 error,

incorrectly labeling or
incorrectly drawing
component.

Space

Student places 2 or more

objects demonstrating
incorrect space of plant
needs.

Student creates 1 error,

incorrectly spacing 1
object.

Sun

Student is missing 2 or
more images or labels, or
has incorrectly labeled or
depicted them

Student creates 1 error,

incorrectly labeling or
incorrectly drawing
component.

DOK level 1 Analyze: Recall and Reproduction

Part V INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURE
12.
Instructional Method: Circle one Direct Instruction
Inquiry: learning cycle
Cooperative Learning

13.

Resources/Materials: (What texts, digital resources, &

materials will be used in this lesson?)

Plant printables, thriving and dying plants.

Poster board and markers
YouTube video
Scissors
Scissors
Pencil
Glue
Pencils

OPEN:
1. Engage: Provide a brief real world phenomenon, an object, or
an issue that engages students interest in the topic and
fuels one or more questions for investigation.
I will call individual students up to the front of the class, and have them
pick from a bag an image. The images inside will be of plants, some
thriving and some dying. I will have 3 students choose, and hold up their
images in front of the class. I will then pause and tell them we are going to
group these plants into two different categories, but they are going to be
the detectives to figure out the groups. We will work together, as more
students pull out images, to determine the two categories they fall into. As
students are pulling images, they will place them onto the poster board will
a pre drawn T chart. I will scaffold learning for students, assisting them by
beginning the categories if needed. Once all the images are pulled, we will

discuss what is different about the healthy plants and the dying plants. I
will ask the students what they think makes a plant healthy, and we will
orally discuss the survival components needed, or hypothesized
components.
BODY:
2. Explore: Provide materials so that students engage in
firsthand experience with the issue under study.
Next, I will walk the students through constructing an anchor chart, in order
to identify and describe the key words we use to define plant survival. I will
begin drawing soil, for example, and then ask the students if they know
what it is. We will discuss how soil is what we root our plants in, and the
foundation that holds them in and supplies nutrients. I will continue until
we have discussed soil, water, space, air and sun. I will leave this
anchor chart in the front of the classroom.

3. Develop: Systematically develop the concepts that arise

during the exploration phase
Once our anchor chart is complete, I will have the students recount what
components comprise healthy plant life and they say, Lets see if we are
right. I am going to play a video and see if we have talked about all the
needs of a healthy plant. Or whichever sentence frame you choose Then, I
will play a short video titled The Needs of a Plant
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUBIQ1fTRzI) . This video is a short 1
minute and 2 second video that again reinforces the concepts learned with
images and song association.

CLOSE:
4. Apply: Present a new problem or situation that can be
addressed given students newly formed understandings.
Students will now take the information used, and apply it personally. They
will work independently to create a picture of a plant using the cut outs

provided, and then cut out and label each need of their plant. Students will
be given the words air, sun, soil, water. As well as provided with cut
pieces of construction paper for air, sun, soil, and water. They will be
instructed to create their picture, then cut out the words. I will show a
model on the document camera in the beginning, and then allow them to
only reference the anchor chart if needed. As we are cutting and creating, I
will discuss with the students any plants they may have at home, or any
they need around them often. We will talk about how we can have our own
plants, but need to make sure we give them the important tools needed for
survival.

Part VI - REFLECTION
1.
What instructional strategies did you use to help students
achieve the lesson objective?
For this lesson, I used backwards mapping, call and response, the SIOP
model, and the learning cycle. My first step involved determining the
standard, creating an objective, and then creating an assessment to
appropriately evaluate mastery of the content standard and objective.
The goal of this lesson was for students to evaluate and analyze the
needs of a plant.
I used call and response as a technique for assisting students in
content knowledge, as well as methods borrowed from the SIOP model
to connect ideas with pictures and events. We used call and response
with hand motions and movements to remember essential needs of a
plant, as well as large graphics, and a big anchor chart to root our
learning.
Lastly, the learning cycle model was used to best compartmentalize
my lesson, and give the students an opening, engaging beginning that
challenged them to think outside of their daily role as students. They
were able to put on detective personas, and really challenge
themselves.
2. Were the students successful at achieving the lesson
objective?
a) If so, provide student evidence.
As seen in the rubric scores, the students were largely successful in the
assessment portion of our lesson. They were predominately capable of
constructing and labeling all elements needed for plant survival. The largest

area of difficulty stemmed from the labeling, correctly placing the word next
to the element it represented. This lesson was cohesively successful, based
on the fact that all students were capable of at least constructing each
proper element and placing it on the paper, somewhere. The level of success
is depicted below in more detail.
b)
Components
1
2
Soil

0/14

3/14

Air

0/14

2/14

Water

0/14

4/14

Space

0/14

0/14

Sun

0/14

2/14

c) If not, why do you think they were not able to achieve the
lesson objective? What are your next steps?
d)
The students were largely successful in this assessment, and proved their
understanding of plant survival needs well. To assist all learners who
struggled at some point, I would go over this lesson again the following day,
this time focusing on the words. This would include having them write the
words and expand their knowledge beyond word recognition to word
construction.

3. What would you change about the lesson and why?

I would make my instructions more clear when presenting to them the
assessment component of the lesson. The teacher typically guides the
students through activities such as this one, step by step. I desired to allow
the students to take control of their own work and construct independent
models, but then the Master Teacher suggested I guide them through it. It
got messy because some children were so far ahead of others, when I tried
to reign them back in they were not interested in stopping. I should have
been more confident in my decision to allow them to work independently and
communicated it more clearly. However, I was overall very pleased with the

Classroom Lessons ONLY: After presenting your lesson in your BST

classroom, please review and reflect on student work related to this
lesson. Make copies of student work for levels of high, middle, and
low, and write your comments on the copies.

What A Plant Needs Rubric Scores

Components

Soil

0/14

3/14

Air

0/14

2/14

Water

0/14

4/14

Space

0/14

0/14

Sun

0/14

2/14