Garrett Maternick

NGSS Lesson Planning Template

Lesson # 4 & 5 in a series of 12
lessons
Brief Lesson Description: The lesson will start out with the students walking into the room, taking their
seats, and settling in. Once everyone is ready to begin, I will introduce that I am teaching the entire lesson
today. I will tell everyone that this is a fun, but rigorous lesson. Therefore, they all must stay on task and
listen carefully to directions. This will give me every students undivided attention. At this time I will
introduce the video Digging up a Dinosaur Graveyard. This video will be engaging because nearly every
child loves dinosaurs. After the video, the class will work with their group to conduct the hands-on
investigation in the explore activity. In this exploration each group member will use the plastic spoon
located on his/her desk to dig in the clear glass of sand in the center of the desk. Once all six objects in the
glass are found, each group will work collaboratively to sort the items into two categories: once living and
non-living things. At this point, I should remind the class that the item would have to have come directly
from a living thing. (I will be preparing six glasses of sand for the six groups. I will also have 25 spoons
for my 22 students. In case some are misplaced and lost.) Once they have sorted the items in the glass,
they will have to record it in the chart on the first worksheet. After that worksheet is complete, I will pass
out the second worksheet that will make the students read and think more critically about the items they
dug up. This handout will contain two new vocabulary words: fossils and paleontologists. This will end
the explore section of the lesson and begin the explanation. On the final handout, the students will read a
brief explanation about how an animal becomes a fossil. I will handout this activity facing down so the
students will not be able to start reading. I will give instructions to fill out the before section of the
handout before they read the segment above. After the direction, the class can flip over the handout and
individually complete the assignment. Following the explain assignment, I will begin a large class
discussion to review vocabulary and elaborate on the fossil topic. Shortly after the discussion, I will show
the video: I am a Paleontologist. Finally, the class will end with an evaluation of student learning in the
form of an online quiz. The students will each get a computer from the front of the room and log onto
BCPS1. From here, they will follow the directions on the board to go onto the internet and type in the
website: Exittix.com. Once on the website, everyone should click on the 2nd tab: Class Code (There are
only two tabs, so it will be easy to find) and enter in the class code I have pulled up on the projection
screen. This will directly bring the students to create an account. They will follow the quick and easy
directions on the board to create a student account. From here, they will be able to complete the quiz. This
summative assessment will be the final component of the lesson. (If the computer lab is not working, the
summative assessment will be another handout). At this time, class should be over and everyone should
put their computer away before they leave. I will dismiss the class by group once their table is neat and
they are packed up and organized.
Performance Expectation(s): Common Core Standard: 4.E.2 Understand the use of fossils
and changes in the surface of the earth as evidence of the history of Earth and its
changing life forms.
Specific Learning Objectives:
Write a statement that describes what the students should know, be able to do, or value at the completion
of the lesson (not activities students engage in during the lesson).
Objectives must:
SWBAT sort and classify objects as non-living or once living in order to define the terms fossil
and paleontologist.
SWBAT predict the formation of a fossil.
SWBAT communicate further how fossils are formed and harvested based on evidence gathered in
the lesson.
Grade/ Grade Band: 4th Grade

Topic: Fossils

Narrative / Background Information

Prior Student Knowledge:
Students may have heard the word fossil before.
Students should be able to differentiate between living and non-living things.
Students should have some fossil background knowledge. Especially from studying dinosaurs.
Science & Engineering
Disciplinary Core Ideas:
Crosscutting Concepts:
Practices:
Understanding what
English concept is
Obtaining, Evaluating,
fossils are, how they are
crosscut because students
and Communicating
made, and where they
will make predictions
Information.
come from.
before they read.
Analyzing and
Students will analyze a
interpreting data
text.
Possible Preconceptions/Misconceptions:
Students may have a misconception of what time period fossilized animals are from.
While students are measuring the fossils they may mistake inches for centimeters.
Students may presume that all fossilized animals still exist today
Instructional Materials & Set-up
Material & Set-up (including management
of materials
Teacher Materials
Pens/Pencils (Extra for students)
Projector
Internet connection
Handout 1
Handout 2
Mobile lab (Laptops)
Group Materials
25 plastic spoons
6 Clear Glasses
Sand
A collection of Six living/non-living things.

Possible Sources (School, Target, etc..)

Spoons: Target
Clear Glasses: Home
Sand: Home Depot
Everything else will be available at the school or from
outside.

Safety Requirements
Describe applicable chemical, electrical, biological, and general safety precautions, disposal procedures,
and required safety equipment (goggles, aprons, gloves, etc.).

STUDENT SAFETY CONTRACT.

The class will read and sign the students safety contract to ensure that everyone remains safe during the
lesson. (Student safety contract is provided below)

Instructional Sequence 5-E Model

ENGAGE: Opening Activity Access Prior Learning / Stimulate Interest / Generate Questions: An
activity (questions, demonstration, video clip, etc.) that captures the students interest and elicits students
prior knowledge related to the concepts in the lesson.
At this time I will introduce the video: Digging up a Dinosaur Graveyard. This video will be
engaging because nearly every child loves dinosaurs. Following the video, I will assess student
background knowledge to see if any student knows what the name of this type of scientist is and
what we call the bones today. I will also answer some student questions as long as they are on
topic.
Video Clip: Digging up a Dinosaur Graveyard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzcMnb0yhxA
National Geographic.
EXPLORE: Lesson Description Materials Needed / Probing or Clarifying Questions:
Student-centered activities designed such that students collect evidence to answer scientific questions
including how the teacher will facilitate the explorations.
The class will work with their group to conduct the hands-on investigation in the explore activity.
In this exploration each group member will use the plastic spoon located on his/her desk to dig in
the clear glass of sand in the center of the desk. Once all six objects in the glass are found, each
group will work collaboratively to sort the items into two categories: once living and non-living
things. At this point, I should remind the class that the item would have to have come directly from
a living thing. (I will be preparing six glasses of sand for the six groups. I will also have 25 spoons
for my 22 students. In case some are misplaced and lost.) Once they have sorted the items in the
glass, they will have to record it in the chart on the first worksheet. After that worksheet is
complete, I will pass out the second worksheet that will make the students read and think more
critically about the items they dug up. This handout will contain two new vocabulary words:
fossils and paleontologists. (Handouts 1 & 2 are included below)
EXPLAIN: Concepts Explained and Vocabulary Defined:
Activities to help students articulate findings based on their evidence and connect their findings to
scientific explanations. This may include, but is not limited to, sharing and justifying hypotheses,
formalizing definitions, whole-class sharing, consulting resources to help explain observations,
questioning other students, etc.
On the final handouts, the students will read an explanation about how an animal becomes a fossil.
I will handout this activity facing down so the students will not be able to start reading. I will give
instructions to fill out the before section of the handout before they read the segment above.
After the direction, the class can flip over the handout and individually complete the assignment.
(Handout 3 is included below)

ELABORATE: Applications and Extensions:

Activities that allow students to apply scientific concepts, skills, and vocabulary to new situations.
Examples are additional questions, considering alternative hypotheses or contexts, or related explorations.
Everyone in the class will participate in the discussion about fossils.
Guided questions can include:
Who in here felt like a paleontologist while digging for the items in the glass? Why?
What types of animals do you think paleontologists dig up?
How old does and artifact have to be for it to be considered a fossil?
How can scientists use fossils to reconstruct the past?
How can scientists use dinosaur fossils to figure out why the species went extinct?
After the short discussion, the class will watch the video: I am a Paleontologist.
EVALUATE:
Formative and summative assessment to determine if students have met the learning objectives of this
lesson. This process occurs potentially at every stage of 5 Es and not just at the end. Identify evaluation
activities within your procedure. Provide a detailed description of varied methods used to collect data
about students understanding of the concepts and skills the students should gain (or change) through the
lesson.
Formative Monitoring (Questioning / Discussion):
The students will first be graded on the completion of the chart on handout 1.
The class will be assessed on the completion of handout 2. They must complete both the before
and after sections of the worksheet.
Everyone will participate in the class discussion about fossils.
Summative Assessment (Quiz / Project / Report):
The class will be assessed for student learning with the exitix.com quiz. This will allow me to analyze
real-time student data about the effectiveness of the lesson. In addition, students will be able to monitor
their own progress upon completion of the quiz.
Backup plan will be a printout quiz in case technology fails.
Elaborate Further / Reflect: Enrichment:
Students who exhibit great interest in the lesson could conduct their own independent study on the
mobile lab following the exit ticket.

Scientific Background for the Teacher

Write a scientifically accurate explanation of the concepts addressed in the lesson, including diagrams
(appropriately referenced) to support your explanation as needed.
Must:
Fossil- The remains or traces of something that was once living in a prehistoric period. Common
examples of this are bones, teeth, skulls, eggs, nests, footprints, and other imprints.
Paleontologist- A scientist who studies fossils and other prehistoric remains in order to learn about
the past. These scientists may use current living organisms as a comparison to help them discover
the identity of fossils.
Classification: Teachers must be able to differentiate fossils that came from living or non-living
things.
Teachers should be able to classify fossils into specific geologic time periods.
Ex: From the Cambrian Period (505-570 million years ago) Quaternary Period (Recent- 1 million years
ago)

Optional Lesson Components

Integration Between Science Disciplines
This lesson integrates both biological and paleontological studies.
Interdisciplinary Components
Language arts and reading strategies are used throughout this lesson.
o Students will compile their findings in a concept map.
o Students will make predictions before they read.
o Students will use information from the reading to answer questions.
o Students will write formal responses on the worksheets.
Differentiation
Provide a statement or description of strategies embedded in the lesson which accommodate diverse learning
needs, (i.e. learning styles, ability levels, multiple intelligences, cultural diversity).

This lesson could be differentiated for ESOL students by providing them with vocabulary cards for nonliving and living as they complete the first handout. This should not be necessary for my class.
Special needs students could be given six blank spaces in their word box for activity 1 so that they
understand that there are only six items in the glass jar.
Special needs students could have the text from handouts 2 and 3 read aloud to them

Student
Safety
contract
Handout 1

Handout 2

Handout 3

References
Video Clip: Digging up a Dinosaur Graveyard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzcMnb0yhxA
National Geographic.
Handouts and lesson idea: Mrs. Cravers Fossil Detectives kit. (She only gave me a portion of the kit to use. I
do not have the author name or any information on who wrote it)

After the Lesson:

Reflection (How did you adjust instruction based on student responses to your formative
assessments? What are the implications for future instruction?)
What part(s) of your lesson were successful in terms of student learning? On what evidence are you
basing this opinion? Why do you think your students met with success?
o In terms of student learning, the majority of my lesson was successful. The first video was
very engaging and provided a smooth introduction into the fossil unit. In addition, all of the
students were very excited to participate in the hands on activity where they pretended to be
paleontologists for the day. Since the hands on activity included a worksheet, the students
were able to reinforce their knowledge of once living and non-living things. This made it easy
for them to make a connection to how fossils are formed and classified. The following
readings and worksheets reinforced learning and provided the class with plentiful background
knowledge to begin the unit. Lastly, the summative assessment (the exit ticket quiz) provided
me with the evidence I needed to evaluate student learning. Most of the students (around 90%
of the class) successfully completed the quiz with a 100%. This means that they met the
learning objectives and retained the basic vocabulary from the lesson. In a future lesson, I
would have to pace myself more efficiently to allow time to go over and model The
Anticipation Guide. Some students were confused with the directions while others finished
the work relatively quickly. If I allow some time to model the first question, then I believe
that most of the students will be on the same page.
What parts of your lesson did not quite go as you expected? (This can be positive or negative. For
example, you may not have expected the high quality of the response you received from lower-ability
students.) What is your evidence? Why do you think your students responded the way they did?
o As I stated above, The Anticipation Guide did not go as well as I expected. In order to
mitigate this issue, I will have to better pace myself in a future lesson to allow more time to
model the first question and go over the answers. In addition, I expected the students to be
more excited about the I am a paleontologist song and video. My mentor teacher, Mrs.
Craver, said that she expected many of the students to be out of their seats and dancing.
Although a few students go up to dance, much of the class stayed seated and tried to act as if
they were too cool for the video. I believe that the students acted this way because they
wanted to seem cool and mature in front of me. Also, since I am not a full time teacher and I
am only at my placement twice a week, maybe the students were not comfortable enough to
let loose and dance in front of me.
What feedback did you receive from your mentor teacher or any other observer of this lesson?
o I received primarily positive feedback from the lesson. My mentor teacher said that I
maintained the students focus throughout the lesson and that I moved well around the room to
help every student. Her only criticism was that I should have provided the class with some
model answers for the worksheets.
What, if anything, would you change if teaching this lesson again? What results would you
anticipate from this change?
o Refer to question response #2.

Which InTASC Standards were demonstrated in this teaching segment? Explain how your lesson
incorporates each of these Standards.
o Standard 1: Learner Development
This standard was incorporated into my lesson through the seating arrangement and
collaborative learning activities. Students with lower cognitive abilities were partnered
with students on a higher level.
o Standard 3: Learning Environments
Students completed a section of the classwork individually and the rest through active
engagement and collaboration activities. The Anticipation guide was completed
individually. Students were actively learning while they were pretending to be
paleontologists and digging for living/non-living things in their sand jar.
o Standard 5: Application of Content
This lesson represents the 5th standard, Application of Content because students will
learn through multiple perspectives and collaborative learning. As the students are
digging and drawing fossils/artifacts, they will user their critical thinking skills to
determine whether or not the item is a fossil. In addition, Students will be creative in
their drawings of the artifact/fossil.
o Standard 6: Assessment
I used discussion questions and an exit ticket quiz for multiple assessments in my
lesson.
o Standard 8: Instructional Strategies
In order to vary my instruction I used videos, songs, hands on activities, discussions,
and readings in my lesson.