Indiana Wesleyan University

Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template

CAEP 2018 K-6 Elementary Teacher Preparation Standards

LESSON RATIONALE
This lesson is being taught to help students develop a passion for protecting the Earth and giving
them information on how they can help.

READINESS
I. Goals/Objectives/Standard(s)
A. Goal(s)—Students will learn about how recycling can protect the environment.
B. Objective(s)—After this lesson, students will be able to develop a basic knowledge of
recycling.
C. Standard(s): E.SS.3 Investigate ways individual communities within the United States
protect the Earth’s resources and environment.
II. Management Plan-
Time Location Materials

Anticipatory Set 5 minutes In table groups Paper, paper clip,

rubber banc,
cardboard, etc

Mini Lesson 15 minutes At desks Science notebook

Activity 30 minutes Around the room Water bottles, sticks,

bird feed, yarn

Closure 2 minutes At desks none

III. Anticipatory Set

I will have “junk” set out at each table group (paper, tin cans, cardboard strips, rubberbands,
paper clips, etc) Alright class, in front of you you see that you have some “junk”, stuff that you
might be wondering why in the world your teacher put that stuff on your desk. Here in a second,
I want each group to take 1 minute to create something using most if not all of the materials that

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you see. Go ahead and start. I will give them about a minute or two to come up with an idea and
create it. Alright, that’s the timer. Let’s share what we came up with. Allow each group to share
what they created. These are great. Now, what would you have done with most of these materials
if you would have seen them alone on the floor? You probably would have thrown them away.
But, if you would have thrown them away, you wouldn’t have been able to make these awesome
things. So, today we’re going to be talking about recycling- making new things out of things that
we might be tempted to just throw away.
IV. Students need to learn to recycle because it protects Earth and cleans up our landfills.

PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION

V. Adaptation to Individual Differences and Diverse Learners-- Demonstrate your
understanding of individual differences and diverse families, culture, and communities
unique to the students in this class as you describe the specific instructional opportunities
provided in this lesson. (CAEP K-6 1.b)

VI. Lesson Presentation (Input/Output)

I want to show you guys a video that I found that really explains the importance of what we’re
going to be doing. I will play the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OasbYWF4_S8. I
want you all to go ahead and take out your science notebooks, I think we should take some notes
so we have this to look back on. So now let’s talk about the video. First, the video talked about
reducing. Reducing means that we cut back on how much of something that we’re using. What
are some things that we can reduce in order to help save the planet? Hear from 4-5 students.
Right. So let’s list those things below the definition we have for reduce. Next, the video talked
about reusing. Reusing means that we can use the object a few times before we throw it away. So
let’s write down that definition. What are some things that we can reuse? 4-5 students. Those are
great, let’s write them down. Lastly, the third R was recycle. Recycling is converting trash into
something that we can use again, kind of like we did with that “junk” I sat at your table earlier.
So let’s write that down. Now that we know what the three “R’s” are, I think we’re ready for our
activity. What we’re going to be doing is making birdfeeders out of plastic water bottles. Before
we start making them, though, I want you all to think about what we know about plastic. Why is
it important that we reduce, reuse, and recycle plastic? And what do you think the harmful
effects are on the environment and animals around us? Think and discuss at your table while I
pass the materials out.

From here, I will instruct them on how to make the feeders. We will do it together as a class.
The guiding question that I will make sure to keep asking is what are the effects of this litter on
the environment and to the animals we share it with?

When you are finished, let’s put the feeders on the side table and let’s get together at the front of
the room. Wait for students to place their feeders in the back and gather at the front of the room.
So before we started building the feeders, I asked you guys some questions about plastic and
litter and the potential harm it has on the environment. I will make sure to let students have this
time for discussion. They will be able to build off of previous knowledge, use what they learned
today, and any other information they know about recycling to include in this discussion. I will
let the discussion go on until a good stopping point comes about.

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VII. Check for understanding.
Students will have a recycle sort worksheet to determine if they know what items are recyclable
or not (learned about in previous lesson).
Students will also be able to demonstrate their knowledge in whole group discussion at end of
activity,

VIII. Review learning outcomes / Closure

I would like you all to discuss with your groups what you learned today about protecting the
environment, and some of the things you can do to turn waste into usable material. I will give
them about 2 minutes and then allow for sharing.

PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT

Formative assessment is discussion
Summative is bottle creation, sorting worksheet

REFLECTION AND POST-LESSON ANALYSIS

(CAEP K-6 3.b)
1. How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not, why not?
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
3. How should I alter this lesson?
4. How would I pace it differently?
5. Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels

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