CCSU Lesson Plan Template

Student Teacher: Kelly Chagnon

Grade Level: Third Grade
Lesson Date: 9/30/15
Name of Lesson: The Water Cycle
Common Core State Standard(s)
8. Heating and cooling cause materials to change from one state of matter to
another and back again. Adding heat can cause solids to melt into liquids (for
example, chocolate, ice cream, butter or wax); removing heat (cooling) can
cause liquids to harden into solids (for example, hot candle wax hardens as it
cools).
10.Watermayexistasasolid,liquidorgas,dependingonitstemperature.Ifwateristurnedintoice
andthentheiceisallowedtomelt,theamountofwateristhesameasitwasbeforefreezing.

Student Learning Objective(s)

What is the intended learning outcome of this lesson? Be sure it is observable and includes clear
criteria.
Consider if there are students who will require an accommodation or modification to meet this
lessons objective.
-The intended outcome of this lesson is for students to have an understanding of each component of
the water cycle and how it acts together. Students will have to perform in class activities using the
smartboard to show how the water cycle operates and why. By using the smartboard the teacher
and the students can see each others work and learn from one another. Overall the objective of the
lesson is for students to learn the process of the water cycle by doing activities on the smart board.
By doing this students can practice modeling the water cycle on the board and writing out
definitions for each part of the cycle.
-Since this is a group lesson students can help one another throughout the lesson so no
modifications would be needed the teacher and students can help one another throughout the
lesson.

Rationale for Objective: How does this lesson support previous and subsequent learning?
This lesson supports previous and subsequent learning because students are working together to
reach a common goal and they are using technology as a resource to aid them. In the past Im sure
students used a smartboard or a computer but in this lesson they are guiding the activity. They get
to work with their peers and move different pieces on the smartboard to create the water cycle and
they get to write out a definition for each part of the water cycle together. All of the students can
give their input on how the water cycle process works and why.

Assessment
State the specific strategy (ies) and tool(s) used to collect the data for each SLO (i.e., essays,
projects, quizzes, exit slip, worksheet, etc.). Are there students who will require an
accommodation or modification to this lessons assessment?
Students will first receive a worksheet of a diagram of the water cycle and it will be their
responsibility to go online to look up how the water cycle works and then they must fill in the
diagram. Students can visit http://www.kidzone.ws/water/ and look over the definitions for
evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection.

Next students will come to class with their filled in diagrams and then we will go over the water
cycle on the smartboard each student will come to the board and write a different part of the water
cycle and some students can draw a part of the water cycle to accompany the words on the
diagram.
Next students will work in small groups to come up with their own version of definitions
evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection. Then one student from each group will
come to the board and write their groups definition out. At the end of the lesson we will go over
what was done on the smartboard together as a whole class.

Classroom Learning Environment Focus

(i.e., standards of behavior, routines, procedures, group work, transitions, instructional
arrangement, etc.). Explain specific needs.
-Students will first need to go online and visit http://www.kidzone.ws/water/and fill out the
diagram at home with their parents.
-In class students will each get an opportunity to write and draw on the smartboard.
-Next students will break off into small groups to work on creating their own definitions for the
four parts of the water cycle. Then students can come to the board to write out their groups
definition.
-Lastly the students and teacher will come together as a whole class to review what was discussed
and what was written on the smartboard.

Instructional Model/Strategy
(i.e., concept formation, concept development, direct instruction, cooperative learning, inquiry,
discussion model). Explain how you will best facilitate student learning through a specific
model of instruction. Be sure to include a rationale for the chosen model(s). You may use more
than one:
I will follow the discussion model in my lesson. Students can start to learn to work independently
at home and then in class they can discuss the lesson with their peers. My rationale for using this
model of teaching is that I dont want to lecture my students I want them to work together to solve
a problem so they can gain confidence and start to learn how to facilitate their own learning.

Materials/Resources needed for this lesson

-Computer
-Smartboard
-Pencils
-Paper

Daily Formative Assessment

How will you check for understanding and student achievement during the lesson?
I will assess students understanding and achievement by first checking to see if they completed
the assignment that was sent home for homework. Next I will be able to asses their understanding
by how well they organize the different parts of the water cycle on the smartboard and how well
they work together to come up with definitions. If students are able to complete these tasks easily
I will know they understand the lesson and can easily share their thoughts about it with their
peers.

Differentiating Instruction
How will you differentiate to meet the needs of your learners (i.e., what you teach, how you
teach, or how you will assess). Explain:
By having the students mainly work in groups they will be able to help one another throughout
the lesson. First they work in a large group and then small groups. By moving the students into
small groups it will be easier to asses each student more closely on how well they understand the
lesson and how successful they are working with their peers.

Initiation
Cite how you will engage and motivate learners, activate prior learning and present the lessons
objective.
Explain: A) What they will be doing and learning in the lesson; B) How they will demonstrate
learning;
C) Why it is important to their everyday lives.
A.) In this lesson students will be learning about the different parts of the water cycle and how
the different facets work together cohesively.
B.) Students will demonstrate their learning by first completing a worksheet independently. Then
they will work with the whole class and then in small groups. Students will share what they
learned with their peers in both a large and small group setting.
C.) This lesson is important to their everyday lives because they are constantly being surrounded
by elements of nature. From this lesson they will have a better understanding of how a part of
nature works and how water moves on our earth.

Lesson Development
Cite how you will provide opportunities for the students to construct meaning. List the
steps/process you will follow. Be sure to identify how you will check for understanding and
collect formative data. Differentiate for students who will require an accommodation or
modification in order to be active participants in this lesson and state these strategies in the
differentiation section above.
-Students will learn how to work independently at home.
-In class students will work in large and small groups, they can work together to help one another
through the lesson.
-Instead of the teacher lecturing, the students get to work with each other by using technology as
an aid to learn and understand the lesson.
-This activity is simple to check students understanding because they are writing their ideas on
the smartboard so it is easy for the teacher to monitor their progress throughout the lesson.
-When students get into small groups to discuss definitions the teacher can listen in on the
conversations and even help guide the discussion if she believes the students are lost during the
lesson.
-Since this is a group lesson students can help one another throughout the lesson so if anyone is
struggling the teacher and the students can work together as a community to get through the lesson
in a way that everyone is involved and can follow what is happening in class.
Closure
How will you question students in order to evaluate if the objective(s) was met? How will you
question students to connect this lesson to previous and subsequent lessons as well as connect to
their own lives? How will you question students to see the relevancy of the lesson by
understanding the purpose/importance of the learning?
-Students will be writing on the smartboard and communicating with one another throughout the
lesson. It will be easy to evaluate their progress because they are writing their ideas out for
everyone to see and you can listen to your students responses during whole class and small group
discussions. So the teacher can evaluate students progress throughout the lesson. This lesson is
relevant and connects to students lives because they are constantly surrounded by nature and the
water cycle is something that occurs over and over in our environment. Now students are able to
label different parts of the cycle and they can explain what is happening in each part. Students can
walk away from this lesson with a better understanding of nature and how it works.