Running head: BACKWARDS DESIGN 1

Backwards Design Stages 1, 2, 3 and 4

Rolanda S. Hardy

July 26, 2017

Trinity Washington University

EDTE 436- Dr. Steen

BACKWARDS DESIGN 2

Backwards Design Stages 1, 2, 3 and 4

Age group: prekindergarten 4

Theme: water

Stage 1

Standards

Math

1. Objective 16. Demonstrates knowledge of volume, height, weight, and length.

2. Objective 15. Demonstrates knowledge of number and counting.

3. Objective 17. Demonstrates understanding of positional words.

4. Objective 14. Matches, groups, and classifies objects.

Science

1. Objective 19. Observes and describes the characteristics of living things

2. Objective 20. Observes and describes the properties of physical objects

3. Objective 21. Observes and describes characteristics of Earth and space

4. Objective 22. Demonstrates scientific thinking

Language

1. Objective 5. Demonstrates understanding of spoken language

2. Objective 6. Uses language to express self

Literacy

1. Objective 12. Writes letters and words

2. Objective 13. Understands the purpose of writing and drawing

3. Objective 10. Demonstrates comprehension of printed materials read aloud

4. Objective 9. Demonstrates understanding of print concepts.

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Social Studies

1. Objective 23. Demonstrates understanding of people and how they live.

Physical Education

1. Objective 32. Demonstrates strength and coordination of large muscles

2. Objective 33. Demonstrates strength and coordination of small muscles

Arts

1. Objective 24. Engages in music, movement, and drama activities

2. Objective 25. Explores the visual arts

Overall Objectives

1. Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of print concepts.

2. Students will be able to understand the importance of water to humans and animals.

3. Students will be able to use tools to complete a water pollution removal task.

Key Terms

Water cycle, pollution, filtration, litter, absorb, dissolve, sink, float

Stage 2: Assessments

Pre-Assessments

1. Interviewing students during play with materials to discern their ability to describe items

2. I will assess positional word use through daily tasks (i.e. can you place this beside my

desk, please?)

3. Engagement in drama and movement activities can be gauged with acting out of a story

or pretending to be the fish in polluted vs. clean water)

Ongoing Assessments

1. Observation of student ability to read labels on their canisters.

BACKWARDS DESIGN 4

2. Assessing students motor skills through their exploration with materials. How are they

using the tongs, filters, and Q-tips? Are they able to pour water from one container to

another?

3. We will assess classification skills through activities such as which belongs in the

water?)

Post Assessments

1. Writing in science journals with students to assess their writing skills

2. Students will be assessed on their ability to express themselves with language through

sharing activities about what they observe.

3. Assess scientific thinking with drawings or representations of learning.

4. Students will be assessed on terms through their representations of the terms. A sample

prompts may read: draw things that sink and things that float.

Stage 3: Materials

Childrens Books (6)

Book Age group Description

Ages 9-12 All the Way to the
Ocean tells the story
of two friends as they
discover how pollution
gets to the storm drains
and makes its way into
our oceans. I will use
this book to
supplement our
discussion on pollution
and keeping our water
resources clean.
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Ages 3 and up Where Do Puddles

Go? is a nonfiction
story that assists
children in
understanding the
water cycle through
something that is
meaningful to them-
puddles. After it rains, I
will take students
outside to find puddles.
We will find one to
measure it over time
and chart evaporation.

Ages 4-8 The Snowflake also

highlights the water
cycle, and helps to
introduces the phases
of matter. Water can be
frozen, a liquid, or a
gas. I will use this book
to complement an
activity during which
students experiment
with methods to melt
ice and turn it into a
liquid.
Ages 3-7 Tap Tap Boom Boom
is a book about a
rainstorm. It uses
alliteration and focuses
on the sounds the water
makes as it falls to the
ground. Sometimes we
can hear the pitter
patter of the rain (tap,
tap) and other times we
hear the thunder go
(boom, boom). I would
use this book to
explore musical
concepts with young
children as they tap
their rhythm sticks
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together and bang them

on the drums.
For emergent readers Fun in the Water is a
level A book that I
would use as part of a
guided reading lesson.
The book shows things
that you can do in the
water. It introduces
new vocabulary and
equipment that may not
be familiar to all
students. The other
books correlate with
the students listening
level, but are above
their reading level. I
chose this book
because it connects
with the theme and
students can read it
independently.

Ages 4-8 The Rain Came

Down is another book
about rain, yet it
incorporates emotions.
On one hand, people
affect water: and on the
other, the water affects
us. I would read this
book prior to doing an
activity with students
that incorporates both
gross motor as well as
prepositions (i.e. Oh
no- the rain is falling!
Find shelter
under/between
something. The rain
made huge puddles get
on something).
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Science Pack Kit

In this science kit will be two copies of the sheet

pictured on the left. One will be for predictions and the

other for data from their observations. Each item on the

list will be in the kit. With a caregiver, students will say

which they think will be magnetic. After testing their

hypothesis, they will chart their results on the sheet.

Math Pack Kit

This math pack kit will help students develop their

fine motor skills as well as practice shape identification.

Students will be provided the shape cards, along with the

playdoh and popsicle sticks to build shapes with their

caregivers or older siblings.

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Field Trip Summary

In conjunction with this unit on water, the field trip will be at Port Discovery. Students

will discover many science concepts, and have the opportunity to get wet as they explore water

in the museums WOW exhibit.

Music

I will use the following songs:

Five Little Fishes

Five little fishes swimming in the sea

Teasing Mr. Shark, You cant catch me, You cant catch me

Along came Mr. Shark as quiet as can be Snap!

Four little fishes

(Repeat all the way to 0)

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Technology

Students will use the iPads and the Flipgrid app to record themselves giving the results

of their magnet experiment included in their math pack kit. They will respond to a prompt which

asks them to tell the class which items they found to be magnetic and which were not. Did they

find any additional items in their home that were magnetic?

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Stage 4: Thematic Web and Lesson Plans

Lesson 1

Lesson Name: Who Polluted the Water Date: July 25, 2017
overview
Grade/Subject/Class: PreK Unit/Theme/Topic: Water
Standards

Objective 22. Demonstrates scientific thinking

Objective 5. Demonstrates understanding of spoken language
Objective 6. Uses language to express self
Objective 10. Demonstrates comprehension of printed materials read aloud
Objective 9. Demonstrates understanding of print concepts.
Objective 23. Demonstrates understanding of people and how they live.
Objectives
Lesson

Students will understand spoken language and follow directions accordingly.

Students will use scientific thinking to formulate suggestions for cleaning up the
water.
Rationale

This lesson will cover the objectives while providing interactions that reinforce
earth science concepts.

Materials

Plastic ramekins
1 large, clear bowl of water
Ramekin labels
Character nametags
Ramekin ingredients: oil, food coloring, baking soda, water, soap, dry
leaves, soil, litter, instant coffee, dental floss)
Optional plastic fish toy
Learning
Planning for

This lesson can accommodate diverse learners by intentionally including the

words that students would use in their home language.
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Assessment
Students will be assessed on their ability to read their labels and on their science
journal entries (What polluted the water?).

Time/Duration Sequence of Steps Materials and

Differentiation
Introduction:

Okay everyone. We are going to talk about Labels in students home

pollution today. Can anyone tell me what languages

pollution is? Pollution is anything in our

environment that is harmful (bad for it). We

are going to read a story about pollution in

our water. But Im going to need your help to

read it. Can you help me? Great! I will pass

you each a container but you cannot open it.

Your container will have a label that you will

read when you get it.

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Core Instruction/Activities:
1. Discuss the importance of water Some students will need

sources (rivers, oceans, lakes, etc.) as assistance writing the

means for drinking, transportation, words at the bottom of

wildlife and more. their representations. These

2. Pass out ramekins with instructions to students can receive help

not open them until they hear their identifying the beginning

label called in the story. sounds in the words they

3. Begin reading the story (helping want to write, while the

students figure out the labels if they teacher fills in the rest of

have not mastered print concepts). the words.

4. Between sections of the story, prompt

scientific thinking by asking questions

like: would you drink this water?

Why/why not?

5. After the last ramekin has been

emptied into the river, students

transition to working in their science

journals. They will draw and write

What polluted the river?

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Closure/Wrap-up:
Now that your journals are complete, what

polluted the river? After the last student has

shared (that wants to), let students know that

they are all correct. All these things work

together to pollute the water. So what can we

do about it?

Lesson 2

Lesson Name: Water filtration experiment Date: July 25, 2017

overview

Grade/Subject/Class: Pre-K Unit/Theme/Topic: Water

Standards

Objective 16b. knows and correctly uses a few ordinal numbers

Objective 16c. knows the usual sequence of events

Objective 21d. distinguishes various types of surface materials (i.e. soil, sand,

and rocks)

Objective 21e. explores the relationships between people and their environments

Objective 22b. makes predictions and tests ideas

Objectives

Lesson

Students will be able to use the scientific method to determine how to pollution

can be removed from water.

Rationale

This lesson introduces students to the scientific method and the process of

making predictions and testing ideas.

BACKWARDS DESIGN 15

Materials
2 red plastic cups (per group of students)

2 clear plastic cups (per group of students)

1 large clear bowl of polluted water (soil and water mixture)

sand

rocks

coffee filters
Learning

Planning for

This lesson can accommodate diverse learners by offering peer or teacher

assistance for students who lack muscle strength to lift and pour the water

independently.
Assessment

Students will be assessed with interviews and narrations of the experiment.

What did we do first? Second? Was your hypothesis correct? They will also be

assessed on their representations of observations of the water. What did they

conclude?

Time/Duration Sequence of Steps Materials and

Differentiation
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Introduction:
Do you guys remember the Who polluted the

river? activity we did on water pollution?

Would you drink that water? NO it was

pretty dirty, right? What could we do to clean

it up? Today we are going to use the scientific

method to test some ideas about how to filter

(remove pollutants from) the water.

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Core Instruction/Activities:
1. Tell me how you think we can remove Small group work allows

pollution from the water. students to observe a

2. Allow students to test their ideas. model of scientific

3. Were we successful? Our water is thinking from peers and

polluted, but we have water plants to teachers. It also allows

filter the water for us. I have two authentic assessment to

methods for us to test today. We will occur.

try filtering this polluted water with a

strainer and with coffee filters, sand,

and rocks.

4. First, we need to make a hypothesis

(or prediction). Which method do you

think will get the water the cleanest?

Lets chart your predictions.

5. Take a look at this procedure. We are

going to work in small groups to go

through the experiment process.

6. Poke holes in the bottoms of the red

cups. In one cup, line the bottom with

coffee filters. Then add rocks and

sand. Pour polluted water over these

filtering devices and let the water

drain into a clear cup. Pour polluted

BACKWARDS DESIGN 18

water in the second red cup and allow

the water to run through the colander

and into the red cup.

7. Students will draw what the water

looks like in both clear cups and form

a conclusion of which appears to be

the better filter.

Closure/Wrap-up:

Has everyone finished their drawings? Great.

I want everyone to chart tally which filtered

the water better on our chart. Then we will

write the numbers at the bottom. According to

our experiment, which filtered water the best?

Yes. The coffee filter system. You have just

done the scientific process or making

predictions, testing your hypothesis, and

analyzing the results. You are super scientists!

Lesson 3

Lesson Name: Precipitation gross motor activity Date: July 26, 2017

overview

Grade/Subject/Class: Pre-K Unit/Theme/Topic: Water

BACKWARDS DESIGN 19

Standards
Objective 32. Demonstrates strength and coordination of large muscles
Objective 28. Manages own behavior
Objective 24a. participates in music, movement, and drama activities,
responding to different forms of music, movement, and imaginary characters
and scenarios
Objective 21b. describes basic weather phenomena
Objective 18. Demonstrates understanding of positional words
Objectives

Lesson

Students will be able to listen for auditory cues and use their bodies to respond

appropriately.
Rationale

This lesson introduces the term precipitation while reviewing positional words

and encouraging gross motor development.

Materials

Speaker

2 song tracks- rain falling (or storm sounds) and sunny day (birds

chirping)

Prompt cards

Balance beam
Planning for Learning

This lesson can accommodate diverse learners by offering this game in small

group sessions so that students who demonstrate deficits in gross motor

development can receive prompts appropriate to their skill level. Additionally,

some students will need reminders of what the prompts require them to do

(memory) or help with positional words.

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Assessment
Students will be assessed by their performance on the activitys tasks. Teachers

will observe whether the student understood the positional words and if they

were able to move their bodies accordingly (can they gallop, jump using two

feet, balance on a beam, etc).

Time/Duration Sequence of Steps Materials and

Differentiation
Introduction:

Teacher: Hello puppets! (in British accent)

Students: Hello governor! (in British accent)

Now that I have your attention, Im going to

tell you about an exciting game we are going

to play. This game requires that we move our

bodies so we need to go over the rules for

how to move around safely in the classroom.

Can anyone tell me what the rules are?

(students may say: no pushing, watch out for

the furniture, no more than two friends in a

hiding place, etc). Okay now that we know

how to be safe, lets begin!

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Core Instruction/Activities:
1. You guys are going to hear some

sounds of precipitation. Do we know

what precipitation is? Yes, it is rain. It

is the part of the water cycle that

allows the clouds to release the rain.

2. You will hear sounds that sound like a

sunny day (birds chirping, kids

playing, etc.). When you hear these

sounds you can walk around, talking

to your friends.

3. But then youll hear the precipitation

falling. Then youll have to find

shelter. But to get to shelter you have

to follow the prompts. I will tell you

to creep under the table, or step over

the chair, or around the carpet, or

across/between the balance beam(s).

4. Allow students to go react to these

prompts multiple times, intentionally

using the term precipitation. Maybe

include condensation since the sun is

out.
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5. After several all the prompt cards have

been used, transition students to the

Closure/Wrap-up: carpet.

Ask students, What was your favorite way to

get out of the rain and find shelter? Listen

for students use of positional words. Use a

checklist of the words to assess and promote

conversations using these words to assess

understanding (i.e. What are some things you

go under?).

Lesson 4

Lesson Name: Water Xylophone Activity Date: July 26, 2017

overview

Grade/Subject/Class: PreK Unit/Theme/Topic: Water

Standards

Objective 16. Understands knowledge of volume, height, weight, and length

Objective 22. Demonstrates scientific thinking

BACKWARDS DESIGN 23

Objectives

Lesson
Students will be able to use measuring tools and water to create music. Color

mixing is another component of this lesson, making for a truly integrated

experience.
Rationale

This lesson will cover measurement while incorporating the arts.

Materials

6 glasses or mason jars

water

measuring cups

blue, red, and yellow food coloring

xylophone striker
Learning

Planning for

This lesson can accommodate diverse learners by providing means for the

musically inclined (especially my autistic students) to be engaged in

mathematics and science concepts in a way that is meaningful to them.

Assessment

Students will be assessed on their ability to

Time/Duration Sequence of Steps Materials and

Differentiation
BACKWARDS DESIGN 24

Introduction:
We are going to music today!! But we are not

going to use our classroom instruments! We

are going to use math! How are we going to

do that? Ill show you.

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Core Instruction/Activities:
1. Here we have six glass jars. First, we

need to measure the proper amount of

water for each jar. Students will

measure (1/4, , , 1, 1 1/4, 1 , and

1 ) cups of water and pour them into

the jars in ascending order.

2. Technically, we could stop here, but

our xylophone doesnt have any colors

like a real xylophone. We need 6

colors: red, orange, yellow, green,

blue, and purple. Heres the thing,

though. I only have three colors. We

will have to make the rest. Lets read

Mouse Paint to see what we need

to do next.

3. Lets first use the colors we have

(place the colored jars between the

colorless jars). How can we make

orange like the mice? Purple? Green?

4. Mix the red and yellow to make

orange; the blue and yellow to make

green, and the red and blue to make

purple.
BACKWARDS DESIGN 26

5. Now we are ready to play our

instrument. Lets sing Five Little Fish

Closure/Wrap-up: while we play.

After students have taken turns to play our

xylophone, they will transition to writing

about this experience in their journals.

Students will be prompted to reflect on

measuring and mixing.

Lesson 5

Lesson Name: sink and float Date: July 26, 2017

overview

Grade/Subject/Class: PreK Unit/Theme/Topic: Water

Standards

Objective 22b. make predictions and test ideas

Objective 15f. Counts to answer how many?

BACKWARDS DESIGN 27

Objectives

Lesson
Students will be able to predict, test whether objects sink or float, and

communicate the results through charts and verbal communication.

Rationale

This lesson will allow students to explore sink and float concepts in an authentic

and meaningful way.

Materials

Sensory table

water

materials that sink

materials that float

chart to record results

Learning

Planning for

This lesson can accommodate diverse learners by incorporating individualized

support for students who cannot independently make marks on paper.

Assessment

Students will be assessed using observations of their experimentation and

representation of data.

Time/Duration Sequence of Steps Materials and

Differentiation
BACKWARDS DESIGN 28

Introduction:
Good morning everyone! Today we will be

talking about things that sink, and things that

float. Who can tell me what sink means?

What about float? If an object sinks, it goes to

the bottom of the water. If an object floats, it

stays at the surface (on the top). I have a bin

of objects here today and we are going to

make a chart together of all the things that

sink and float.

Core Instruction/Activities:

1. Have students predict which items will

sink or float, remove the objects from

the bin, and place them in the water.

2. Watch as students as they make

verbalize and mark their observations.

3. After each group of students has been

able to conduct their experiment and

mark their results, transition students

to the carpet.
BACKWARDS DESIGN 29

Closure/Wrap-up:
I had so much fun finding out which things

sink and float with you today. There are

probably many things in your home that sink

or float. Tonight, when you take a bath, with

Mommy or Daddys help, take some things

with you and test them out!

Lesson 6

Lesson Name: Water Cycle activity: Where do puddles Date: July 26, 2017

overview go?

Unit/Theme/Topic: Water

Grade/Subject/Class: PreK
Standards

Objective 6e. uses words and phrases acquired during conversations, by

listening to stories and informational texts read aloud, playing with other

children, and other activities

Objective 10h. After hearing an informational text read aloud, looks at

illustrations and explains important ideas in the picture

objective 15. Demonstrates knowledge of numbers and counting

Objective 22c. communicate with others about discoveries

BACKWARDS DESIGN 30

Objectives

Lesson

Students will be able to observe, measure, and chart evaporation over time.

Students will understand evaporation.

Rationale

This lesson will allow students to explore sink and float concepts in an authentic

and meaningful way.

Materials

puddle

book: Where Do Puddles Go?

writing utensils

science journals
Learning

Planning for

This lesson can accommodate diverse learners by incorporating individualized

support for students who cannot independently make marks on paper.

Intentional pairing and grouping of students will also be used to help students

who may need additional support.

Assessment

Students will be assessed using observations of their experimentation and

representation of data in their science journals.

Time/Duration Sequence of Steps Materials and

Differentiation
BACKWARDS DESIGN 31

Introduction:
Great news everyone! It rained this morning.

Do you know what this means? Yes, puddles!

Do we always see puddles? Well, where do

they go? Lets read this story to find out!

BACKWARDS DESIGN 32

Core Instruction/Activities:
1. Read Where Do Puddles Go?

2. So, we know that puddles evaporate!

We are going to chart evaporation by

observing our favorite puddle. Are you

ready super scientists? Lets go.

3. We will need measuring tape.

4. Go to the big puddle and measure how

big it is. This puddle is not for

jumping in. We will find other puddles

to jump in. Take pictures of the

measurement.

5. After about an hour, return to the

puddle and measure it again. Again,

taking pictures of the measurement for

students to chart in the classroom.

6. Keep returning until the puddle is

gone (or nearly gone depending on the

day).

7. Students will write about this

experience in their science journals.

They will draw and write what the

measurements are (practice writing

BACKWARDS DESIGN 33

and identifying numbers) and how

long it took to evaporate.

Closure/Wrap-up:

So, now we know what happens to our

puddles. Wait, where do they go again. Oh

thats right- they evaporate!

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References

Anderson, K., Jones, M., Lord, M., Mara, P. D., Slover, L., Warren-Jones, M., . . . Jones, H. M.

(2012). District of Columbia Common Core Early Learning Standards[PDF]. DC Office

of the State Superintendent.