Inquiry Lesson Plan Template (with Four Ways of Thinking

connection)
Teacher:
Content & Title:
Grade Level:
Andrea Vidal
Food
5th
Sustainabilty
Standards:
Common Core W.5.8 Recall relevant information from experiences or gather
relevant information
from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in
notes and finished work and provide a list of sources
Objectives (Explicit & Measurable):
Students will create their own menus that incorporates healthy and
nutritious foods that are both economically and environmentally
friendly.
Evidence of Mastery (Measurable Assessment: formative and summative):
(formative) Observe students as they gather their information and
make sure they are investigating all components of the assignment.
(summative) Collect menus and identify whether their information is
correct and makes sense.
Sub-objectives, SWBAT (steps that lead to completion of objective; sequence from
simple to more complex):

Students will be able to research information and creatively

incorporate it into their assignment.
Students will be able to build upon their previous knowledge to
construct a well developed menu.
Students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge of topics covered
in class that week.
Lesson Summary and Justification:
Students will be demonstrating their knowledge over the topics that have been covered in
class that week by creating their own menus that incorporate healthy foods that are both
economic and environmentally efficient. The teacher will start the lesson by reviewing
material that the students have learned that week. Students will then be asked to conduct
their own research and find foods that fit the criteria for their menus. Once students have
conducted their research and organized their information, they will create their own menus
that present the information they have found in a fun and creative way. Students will be
asked to present their menus to the class.
This lesson is being taught so that students can summarize the content that they have
learned that week. This activity is being implemented on the last day of the 5 day unit so
that students have a chance to demonstrate their understanding over the various topics
that they have been introduced to.

Background Knowledge:
What is food production?
How is food transported and distributed to different places?
How does food affect a persons body and what are some healthy food options.

Misconception:
Students may have previous misconceptions of what foods are healthy and
unhealthy based on what their parents or guardians serve them at home.
Process Skills:
Exploration
Classifying
Inferring

Four Ways of Thinking connection:

Strategic Thinking is all about coming up with a specific plan to achieve a goal. This lesson

implements Strategic Thinking because the students are basically in control of their finished
product. Students must be able to come up with a specific plan on how they are going to
conduct their research and organize their information. Students must also conceptualize
how they want their finished product to look like and must plan to organize their research in
a unique way. This lesson truly lets students be in control of their finished product and in
order to create a well developed menu, they must first set up a specific plan and outline.
Safety:
Students will be using the internet to conduct research. Students need to stray away from
website that may have inappropriate content.
Inquiry Questions: (testable in the here and now.)
1. (to explore) What are some healthy foods and what benefits do they have on your
body?
2. (to elaborate) Are these foods economically and environmentally efficient?
Key vocabulary:
Materials: (list item and possible
1. Food Production
quantity)
2. Food Distribution
1. Laptops
3. Nutrition
2. Books/Magazines
4. Economy
3. Carboard Paper
5. Environment
4. Crayons/Markers/Colored Pencils

Engage - In this section you should activate prior knowledge, hook student
attention, pose a question (IQ#1) based on your lesson objective that students
will seek to answer in Explore.
Teacher Will: (hook)
Students Will:
-

Review the matiral students gave

learned throughout the week. Allow
students to add to their previous notes
from the week.
Lead a class discussion on what
nutrition is and how food affects a
persons body as a refresher for
students.
Show a couple examples of restaurant
menus and explain to students that they
will be creating their own menus that
include a list of healthy food that are
economically and environmentally
friendly.
Answer ant questions that students may
have.

Actively listen and engage during

the review. Ask questions if further
clarification is needed.
Participate in the class discussion.
Start brainstorming ideas of what
they want their menu to look like.
Students can get inspiration from
the menus shown in class and create
an outline.

Best Teaching Practice Strategy/Differentiation/ELL and Teacher Notes

Allow students to use their notes from the previous days in order to create
their menus. Not all students will need their notes but some may need them
to help them brainstorm.
Explore - In this section students should take the lead and actively use materials
to discover information that will help them answer the question posed in
Engage. Teachers may choose to give steps to follow, especially for younger students,
but the goal is for students to discover some or all of the sub-objectives of the lesson.
Teacher Will:
Students Will:
-

Explain to students that the menus must

include the cost of prodcutions and the
effect each food item has in their menus
as well as the health benefits.
Walk around and assist students if
needed.

List foods that they would like to

incorporate into their menu
Use laptops, books, and magazines
to research each food item and their
health benefits.
Finalize a list of healthy foods that
they would like to use in their menu.
Find out how each food item is
produced and decide whether or not

the foot item is environmenatlly

friendly.
Reseach the cost of production for
each food item and what role it plays
in our economy.
Create their menu and incluse all
three components in the description
of each item.

Best Teaching Practice Strategy/Differentiation/ELL and Teacher Notes

Allow students to work in partners if they are struggling. Discussing will
help students develop their ideas.
Explain In this section students share what they discovered, teacher connects
student discoveries to correct content terms/explanations, students
articulate/demonstrate a clear and correct understanding of the lesson sub-objectives
by answering the question from Engage before moving on.
Teacher Will:
Students Will:
- Ask Students to present their
- Present their menus to the
menus
class
- Ask students engaging questions
- Answer any questions the
to ensure theu understood the
teacher asks them
assignment.
- Share any final thoughts and
- Present to the class a personal
ideas they may have
menu they have create.
Best Teaching Practice Strategy/Differentiation/ELL and Teacher Notes
A classroom presentation allows students to see other students ideas and
research and will provide students with a better understanding of the
content.
Closure: (revisit objective, IQs and make real world connections)
Teacher will collect the menus and compliment students on all of their hard work for the
week. Teacher will also encourage students to use the information they have learned
throughout the week and apply it to their everyday life.