Lesson Planning Form for Accessible Instruction Calvin College Education Program

Teacher: Rachel Haverkamp

Date: 11/19/15

Subject/ Topic/ Theme Observation

Grade: 1

I. Objectives
How does this lesson connect to the unit plan?
This is the fourth lesson in the unit plan. Students first learned and practiced how scientists ask questions, how they make predictions based on their question, how to
make an investigation plan. In this lesson, they will implement their investigation plan.
cognitiveR U Ap An E C*

Learners will be able to:

physical
development

socioemotional

Recognize the 5 senses.

Participate in class discussions and activities
Follows instructions to record data on a pre-made chart.
Collect data and understand its meaning/infer an overarching theme.
Express what they learned by drawing an illustration and labeling it.

X
X
U
U

Common Core standards (or GLCEs if not available in Common Core) addressed:
S.IP.01.11 Make purposeful observation of the natural world using the appropriate senses.
S.IA.01.13 Communicate and present findings of observations.

(Note: Write as many as needed. Indicate taxonomy levels and connections to applicable national or state standards. If an objective applies to particular learners
write the name(s) of the learner(s) to whom it applies.)
*remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, create

II. Before you start

Identify prerequisite
knowledge and skills.

Students are familiar with the first two steps in the QPOE2 model: Question and Prediction. They
know how to follow a sequential set of directions, and able to maneuver and record data on a pre-made
chart. All students are able to walk from one spot to another and simultaneously carry materials.
Pre-assessment (for learning):

Ask students to raise their hand if they know what the word observation means. Call on students to
give their definition, but let more than one student answer in case there are variations in answers.
Formative (for learning):

Outline assessment
activities
(applicable to this lesson)

What barriers might this

lesson present?
What will it take
neurodevelopmentally,
experientially,
emotionally, etc., for your
students to do this lesson?

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As a class, ask students to fill out their sink or float charts so they can keep track of their
observations.
Formative (as learning):

Have students practice their observational skills by conducting their investigation plan and recording
what they see.
Summative (of learning):
Have students fill out their observation sheet and state what they learned from their observations.
Provide Multiple Means of
Representation
Provide options for perceptionmaking information perceptible
Provide directions orally and
visuallyhave directions written
out and displayed on the projector.
Model instructions at times.

Provide Multiple Means of Action

and Expression
Provide options for physical actionincrease options for interaction
Students work individually and as a
class.

Provide options for language,

mathematical expressions, and
symbols- clarify & connect
language
Include pictures on written
instructions to avoid any language
confusion or hold-ups.

Provide options for expression and

communication- increase medium
of expression
Students express their
understanding of the data both by
writing and drawing pictures.

Provide Multiple Means of

Engagement
Provide options for recruiting
interest- choice, relevance, value,
authenticity, minimize threats
Students are asked to draw their
own findings in any way they like.
The items we test are items that
they are familiar with or use on a
daily basis.
Provide options for sustaining effort
and persistence- optimize
challenge, collaboration, masteryoriented feedback
Students are challenged to figure
out what the data means on their
own, not given the answer.

Provide options for comprehensionactivate, apply & highlight

Talk about the 5 senses to

prepare students for using visual
observation skills during the
sink or float experiment.

Materials-what materials
(books, handouts, etc) do
you need for this lesson
and are they ready to
use?

How will your classroom

be set up for this lesson?

Provide options for executive

functions- coordinate short & long
term goals, monitor progress, and
modify strategies
Students are given a pre-made chart
to help keep track of their data. The
packet helps them keep track of all
of the steps of the QPOE2 model.

Provide options for self-regulationexpectations, personal skills and

strategies, self-assessment &
reflection
Students are able to keep track of
their progress throughout the lesson
by referring to the list of directions
on the projector.

Pre-written instructions, pencils, science investigation packet with sink or float? chart, pre-sorted
materials each with two cups, a pencil eraser, starburst candy, crayon, dice, and marshmallow. Prepare
pitchers of saltwater and freshwater ahead of time.

The students desks will be in their usual clusters of 4 spread throughout the center of the room, and
the rug on the side of the room will be open for students to sit. The materials will be kept in the corner
of the room until it is time to use them. The projector will be set up so that the directions can be
displayed on the smartboard via the ELMO.

III. The Plan

Time

Components

9:30
Motivation
(opening/
introduction/
engagement)

9:35

9:36

9:41

Development
(the largest
component or
main body of
the lesson)

9:43

Display the investigation plan on the smartboard

and tell students to begin their observation with
their partner. Give students time to observe and
record what they see on their chart.

9:43

9:50
Closure
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Describe teacher activities

AND
student activities
for each component of the lesson. Include important higher order thinking questions and/or
prompts.
Gather students attention at their desks and ask if
Quiet voices, empty hands, and look at the person
anyone knows what the word observation means. talking (either teacher or other student). Think of
Define the word if students are unable to (to
what the word observation means, or what you
observe something; to notice something; pay close
think it means. Raise your hand if they know the
attention to something). Tell students that when
answer. Think of all of the 5 senses that humans use
scientists make observations, they use their five
to make observations. Raise your hand if you know
senses. Ask students if they can name all 5 of the
the answer.
senses together, giving hints if needed.
Tell students that today is the day theyve all been
Listen to the instructions given by the teacher.
waiting forthe day they get to do their
When she is finished explaining and modeling the
experiments. Tell them to get out their learning
instructions, one student in each pair goes to the
packets and go to the sink or float? page. Point
materials table and gets a cup full of materials.
out to students that you have brought all the
materials they said were important for their
investigation in the corner. Recap the how-to
plan that they decided on in the previous class, and
instruct/model to students to write an S for sink and
an F for float to record their observations on their
chart. Tell students that they will be working with
their table partner, and that when they are done
with their experiment they have to answer the
question at the bottom of the page, What did you
learn from this experiment? Instruct one of the
partners to go get the prepared materials from the
corner of the room. Dismiss students by tables so
the materials station doesnt get crowded.

After students have all finished conducting their

experiment, recollect their attention to talk about

Conduct the experiment and record observations on

the chart by writing an S for sink and an F for float
in each of the boxes.

their observations. Ask students to raise their hand

if they put an S or an F for each of the categories.
Have the chart pulled up on the smartboard and ask
one student from each table to come up and write
an S or an F (whatever the class majority said.)
9:52

(conclusion,
culmination,
wrap-up)

After the whole chart is filled, teach students the

importance of doing investigations more than once.
It was good for us all to do it, because the more
times we do an experiment, the surer of our
observations we can be. Because we all had the
same results, we can be surer that our observations
were correct.

Raise their hands according to their observation. If

they are called on, come up to the smartboard and
fill in the answer that the majority observed.

Listen to instruction and participate in discussion

about the importance of conducting investigations
more than once.

Your reflection about the lesson, including evidence(s) of student learning and engagement, as well as ideas for improvement
for next time. (Write this after teaching the lesson, if you had a chance to teach it. If you did not teach this lesson, focus on the
process of preparing the lesson.)
This lesson, once again, was completely different than I had planned. It strayed so far from my original vision that I ended up writing
a new lesson plan for Professor Sjoerdsma while he observed me. On my unit plan website, Ive provided a link for the new lesson
plan.
First of all, I had some housekeeping things that I needed the students to finish in their packets. Because so many students get pulled
out in the morning for reading, writing, and Spanish help, many students hadnt completed parts of their packets. I explained the list
of things they had to do while showing them in their packet, and then put the list of things up on the projector so they could keep
track. There were a lot of things on the to-do list, and I was worried from the beginning that it would be a little overwhelming for
first graders, but so many students were at different points in their packet that I needed to have them all up there. I checked their
packets before I left, and overall, they did well in completing them. Mrs. Sayre has provided lists similar to this one, so the students
were somewhat familiar with it.
Overall, my lesson went well. The students had a lot more energy than usual because they had a substitute teacher and we were doing
things in a different order than usual, but they really enjoyed the observation activity. They showed a lot of enthusiasm toward the
experiment, especially being able to participate in it. Rather than conducting the experiment as a whole class, I took groups of 6-8 out
in the hallway so everyone could get a closer look. Their excitement for learning combined with their unusual rowdiness, however,
made things difficult at times. I needed to stop to re-gather their attention or quiet their voices more often than usual.
If I were to do things differently, I would have used smaller tubs of water than what Mrs. Sayre provided. I understand her reasoning
for using big tubsso students can see the effects of the saltwater betterbut in reality it wouldve been better to have smaller
containers. We needed to add a seemingly ridiculous amount of salt, which took some time. And, for one group, the food coloring
didnt float well in the saltwater because the water wasnt salty enough. So, for that group, it was difficult to tell the difference. To
make sure they understood, I quickly went in the classroom and filled up two small, clear cups with water. I added surely enough salt
to one, and then showed them the experiment again. They could clearly see this time that the food coloring did in fact float in the
saltwater. Re-presenting the experiment in the cups only took a matter of minutes, and Im glad I did for these students.
In my lessons, I try to involve the students as much as I can and hear students contributions and ideas. However, I should reconsider
when I ask students to vote. I asked them to vote which tub they wanted to use for the saltwater, and I also asked them to vote on
which color food coloring. Ive asked students to vote before and it worked well, but not this day. Their engine speeds were too
high, and some disappointment couldve been avoided if I wouldve just determined these things.

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