Teacher Candidate: Stan Stewart

Date: 04/08/16

School: Scott High School

Grade / Subject: 10th / Biology

Lesson Topic: Photosynthesis

Instructional Objectives / Student Outcomes - (Presented both written and orally)
1. Students will describe the processes of acquiring energy through photosynthesis.
2. Students will describe the importance of photosynthesis to all living organisms.
3. Students will describe how and why leaves change color as pertaining to photosynthesis
and visible light.
Language Objectives - (Presented both written and orally)
1. Students will draw or construct a picture that shows how energy gets from plants into all

other organisms (food chain).

2. Students will discuss with each other how and why leaves change color.
3. Students will discuss in groups the meaning of key terms from word bank:
photosynthesis, pigment, chlorophyll, chloroplast, Calvin Cycle, ATP, producers,
respiration, mitochondria, sunlight, cellulose, starch, glucose.
WV CSOs
1. SC.O.B.2.7 - Students will quantitatively analyze the flow of energy through cellular
processes.
2. SC.O.CB.2.7 - Students will analyze the flow of energy through cellular processes.
Photosynthesis
Cellular Respiration
Fermentation
3. SC.S.B.2 - Students will:
demonstrate knowledge, understanding and applications of scientific facts,
concepts, principles, theories, and models as delineated in the objectives;
demonstrate an understanding of the interrelationships among physics, chemistry,
biology and the earth and space sciences.
apply knowledge, understanding and skills of science subject matter/concepts to
daily life experiences.

National Standards
HS-LS1-5 - Students will use a model to illustrate how photosynthesis transforms light energy
into stored chemical energy.
Management Framework
Overall Time - 60 minutes
Time Frame: 10 minute teacher introduction.
10 minute PowerPoint presentation.
5 minute question and answer discussion.
30 minute class activity.
5 minutes teacher closure.
Strategies
1. KWL Chart
2. Think Aloud
3. Direct instruction
4. Group discussion
5. Group practice
Differentiated Instruction / Adaptations / Interventions
Although there were no students in this class with special needs, certain accommodations
were made to ensure that different learning needs were provided. Students will have visual and
auditory means, through the images on the PowerPoint as well as my lecture. They will also be
afforded the kinesthetic opportunity to draw a representation of material learned in the class.
The students will also be allowed to work in groups to help teach each other the content, as a
student centered strategy.

Procedures
Introduction / Lesson Set
To begin the class, I will provide a KWL chart as a graphic organizer. In the K section,
I will ask the students to write down what they already know about photosynthesis, as a starter

activity. After a couple minutes, I will ask the students to share some of their thoughts with the
class. I will then ask the students to look out the windows. I will ask them what they see
happening with the trees. If needed, I will direct their attention to the leaves, then ask the
question, Why are leaves important, and why do they change colors in the fall? This will be
the Think Aloud portion of my lesson. By having the students critically think about what leaves
actually are, what they do, and why they change color, I will hopefully spark their interest, thus
leading me into my lesson on photosynthesis.
Body and Transitions
1. PowerPoint Presentation.
I will begin my presentation by drawing the students attention to the content and
language objectives, displayed on the projector screen, where I will discuss them orally with the
class. The KWL chart provided will have a word bank of key terms, relevant to the lesson, for
the students to use while receiving instruction and performing the activities. I will then ask the
questions, What is photosynthesis, and why is it important? In my PowerPoint presentation, I
will have many visual aids (pictures, charts, examples, etc.), to go along with the content of the
lesson. I will stop regularly to ask and address questions, and to make sure everyone is engaged
in the lesson. The students will be expected to fill out the L portion of their graphic organizer
with notes of things they are learning as the lesson moves on.
2. Question and Answer Discussion.
I will end my presentation by asking students questions about what they had just learned.
I will use their responses to provoke more questions. I will make sure everyone in the class is
involved by occasionally choosing less interactive students to answer the questions.
3. Class Activity.
The class activity will begin by asking the students to pair with a partner, then draw an
example of a biochemical pathway (food chain) that shows how energy from the sun makes its
way into all organisms. Next, the students will be asked to write a paragraph explaining this
process. Emphasis will be placed on writing the paragraph grammatically correct, including at
least 3 - 5 complete sentences. Lastly, the students will discuss with each other the reasons that
leaves change color in the fall by using their newly acquired knowledge of photosynthesis.
Closure

For the closure, I will bring the students attention back to the objectives on the screen. I
will invite discussion about what was learned in the lesson, if they feel the objectives were met,
and if they can now answer the questions asked in the introduction and beginning of the
presentation. They will be encouraged to share some of the things that they felt were interesting
about the topic, and/or things they are still curious about. I will encourage them to think more
critically about things in their life, such as how and why leaves change color. I will explain how
critically thinking about things leads to a far deeper, more interesting, and much more fulfilling
learning experience. I will then have the students complete and turn in an exit slip with ideas on
how the lesson can be improved, and what they would still like to know.
Assessment
Diagnostic:
I will diagnostically assess my students by having them fill out their KWL charts. I will
also assess their prior knowledge by asking the question about how leaves change color while at
the window with the students. I will also assess the students knowledge when I ask the first
questions that begin my presentation. (objectives 1,2,3)
Formative
My formative assessment will be the activity given to the students following my
instruction. This activity is designed to make students understand why they need to know about
photosynthesis. If they understand its importance, they will be more likely to retain the
information that was presented to them during the lesson. I will provide support when necessary
during the activity, but will gain more knowledge about their level of retention when I view the
completed assignment. (objective 5)
I will also have the students fill out an exit slip at the end of the lesson. I will ask the
students to reflect upon the lesson and provide ideas for how I can improve the lesson to better
cover the content. This formative assessment will not only provide me with valuable insight into
how I can improve the lesson, but also how effectively I taught the lesson.
I will also continuously be performing formative assessments throughout the lesson.
These assessments will be informal, meaning that I will use student expressions, questions, body
language, etc., to help direct my instruction. For example, if I notice that there are confused
expressions, I will pause my instruction to make sure the students are grasping the content. Also,

I will periodically ask the students if they understand what Im telling them, and use their
responses to make data-based decisions.
Summative
My summative assessment will be the discussion I will have with the students during the
closure of my lesson. I will ask specific questions about what they learned, as well as what they
are still curious about. I will ask the students to elaborate on what they thought was interesting.
Materials
1) Notebook paper and writing utensil
2) Computer
3) Overhead projector (with screen)
4) KWL Chart with Word Bank

Extended Activities
If a student finishes early, they will have the choice between assisting fellow classmates
or using one of the laptops in the room available for student usage. If they choose the laptops,
they must use them to find interesting articles regarding a science oriented subject, for potential
future classroom discussion. If there are more early finishers than available laptops, then the
students will be asked to share while looking up the articles.
If the lesson finishes early, I will have the students use the classroom laptops to look up
information about different organisms that photosynthesize. I will split the students into groups
of not more than three, then give them different items to research. Their results will be presented
to the class.
If technology fails during my lesson, I will guide the students through the main
instruction using their textbooks. If my visual aids arent available, I will ask the students to
provide examples when needed. The activity and discussions should remain unchanged, even
with a technological failure.

Stan Stewart

Lesson Plan Reflection #2

School: Scott High School

Principal: Allen E. Halley

Teacher: Mrs. Madhavi

Grade: 10th

Content: Biology

Date: 04-08-16

Planning
When planning this lesson, I first determined the objectives, content and language, for the
students. Next, I made a list of the key vocabulary terms. I found the relevant state and national
standards to go along with the lesson, then constructed a KWL chart, with word bank of key
terms included, for the students to complete throughout the lesson. I was to implement the Think
Aloud strategy for this lesson, so I jotted down ideas of what I wanted to ask to spark the
discussion. I decided upon, Why are leaves important to the trees? Why and how do they
change color in the fall? I decided to hold the think aloud discussion during the introduction of
my lesson to hopefully spark interest in the topic of photosynthesis. Finally I decided upon the
framework of the lesson, prepared a brief PowerPoint, and created the idea for the class activity.
Implementation
I prepared this lesson for sixty minutes, as per the advice from Mrs. M from the previous
lesson, even though the class is ninety minutes long. Her advice was well received, as she had
explained how you cant reasonably plan a lesson to include the full time for a class period, due
to inevitable delays and changes in plans. Therefore, I felt confident that this time I would have
plenty of time to include all of the content that I wanted to deliver. This was not to be however.
Upon entering the room, Mrs. M informed me that there were some things the students had to
complete first, and that I should get thirty to forty minutes of the class for my lesson. I told her it
was fine, as long as I got to teach the lesson (my time is short there).
As the class completed their assignments for Mrs. M, I decided what to exclude, and how
to approach my now fragmented lesson plan. When I was able to begin my lesson, there was
roughly 30 minutes remaining in the class period. I began my lesson as I had planned, with the
Think Aloud questions. I was fairly pleased with the results. Several of the students were able
to fabricate some pretty accurate answers. This showed me that they were critically thinking

about my questions, even though they had never received a formal lesson in photosynthesis at the
high school level.
I went through my PowerPoint, omitting some of the gory details that could be explained
within the next week of class, opting to make my presentation more entertaining, interesting, and
thought provoking, rather than word saturated. I had told Mrs. M when I was about to begin that
I was going to try and spark their interest level in the topic more than anything, because with the
amount of time that I had, I knew the students would struggle to remember a bunch of fancy
words shoved down their throats in a half hour. I feel that it was successful.
The students were receptive to the lesson, and interactive. On several occasions, some of
the students surprised me by being able to answer questions that I asked during the lesson. It
showed me that they were paying attention, and using real thought. I try to ask questions not
only about the content, but to also spark higher order thinking, and they really seemed to be on
point for me. There were a few times that I had to bring their attention back to me, as the relaxed
and occasionally comical dialog seemed to give a few of the students a green light for
disruption. All in all, they were still respectful when I called them back to me, and the lesson
went well.
Following my presentation, I had the students each draw an example of a biochemical
pathway on paper, to be turned in to me for assessment. I also asked them to complete their
KWL charts and turn them in to me the next week, as there wasnt time enough at the end of the
class for anything beyond the biochemical pathway activity. The students complied with my
wishes without issue.
Mrs. M seemed pleased with what I had done with the time that I was given. We had a
good conversation following the lesson about students, what to expect, how to prepare, etc. I am
pleased with the outcome, even with the fragmented lesson that I had to teach. In a way, I
wonder if approaching a topic in such a manner as I did today, for the introductory portion of it,
could be the best way to do it. Perhaps by paying more attention to the interesting side of a
topic, before going into the difficult terminology, concepts, etc., the students will be more
receptive when they enter the harder side of the topic.
Clarity of Presentation

My voice was well projected, and no students had trouble hearing or understanding me. I
tried using expressions, comedy, real world examples, and gestures to get my point across. My
pace was comfortable, because I wasnt stressing about how in depth I had to go into the details.
I was met with more interaction from the students, which leads me to believe that I may have
touched on an important lesson for me. I always try to be entertaining when teaching, but I need
to try and make my lessons as relaxed as possible, as long as the students dont disrupt the flow
of the lesson. They really responded well to todays lesson.
Attention to Individual Differences
I feel that the strategies I chose and the choice of activities accommodated the different
learning styles of the students. There were visual aids on the projector screen for the students to
follow, many questions, short discussions among classmates, and instruction from me. I didnt
have much time to incorporate a large variety of materials, but did the best that I could do.
Being that there were no students with IEPs in the class, Im comfortable that all student learning
needs were met.
Student Response
As previously stated, the overall student response was very good. I am pleased with the
interaction, laughter, and cooperation among the students. The answers to my questions, and the
quality of their completed assignment, give me hope that even though my time was short for the
lesson, each student walked away with something that they didnt know when they came in. Its
a good feeling.
Planning and Implementing Higher Order Thinking Skills
I provided an opportunity to exercise higher order thinking with the questions during the
Think Aloud and the lesson. The students first responded to my questions in the easiest way, but
when provoked, ended up surprising me with excellent answers. For instance, when asked why
leaves are important, some responded, Trees need them, and They provide shade. When I
said, Well, thats right, but who has an idea about what their main purpose is?, there was a
little discussion, then they ended up giving me an incredibly accurate answer, down to what their
main function is. Obviously, they had heard that somewhere before, but just needed to dig a
little to bring it out. I asked why and how leaves change color, and was gifted with yet another

very accurate response after some more class discussion. I was very impressed that sparking
their higher thinking really worked so well. They may not have known all the terms to
accompany their answers, but they figured out the bulk of the explanation on their own with
what little knowledge they had, even before I went into the details.
Assessment

I diagnostically assessed the students through their answers to my Think Aloud questions.

I formally assessed the students through questions asked during the lesson and with the
biochemical pathway activity.

My summative assessment will be the results of the W and L portion of the graphic
organizer that I assigned as homework. The students hadnt filled that out when they left,
so Ill know what they retained by what they write down, assuming that the bulk of them
will not utilize their textbooks to fill it out (most of the students leave their textbooks in
the classroom).

Areas of Improvement
Considering the lack of time that I had, and the good response and interaction of the
students, theres not much that I would change about this particular lesson. I didnt get to go into
the lesson the way that I had intended, except for the Think Aloud, so I cannot really comment
on any changes to the lesson plan itself. As for the changes I made for my approach, I made
them while thinking on my feet, and am proud of the results.