SETON HILL UNIVERSITY

Lesson Plan Template

TOPIC
Name
Subject
Grade Level
Date/Duration
Big Ideas
Essential
Questions
PA/Common
Core/Standards
Objective
Bloom's
Taxonomy
Webb's Depth of
Knowledge
(DOK)
Formative &
Summative
Assessment
Evidence

DETAILS
Miss Miller
Science
3
Two 40 minute class periods
Animals go through life cycles.
What are the components of a life cycle?
How are life cycles unique among different animals?
Standard 3.1.3.A3: Illustrate how plants and animals go
through predictable life cycles that include birth,
growth, development, reproduction, and death.
During a group activity (C), all third grade students (A)
will correctly organize (B) all (D) parts of an animals
life cycle by rearranging the life cycle cards and
completing the Life Cycle Chart.

ISTE Standards
for Students
Framework for
21st Century
Learning

Accommodation
s, Modifications

Formative Assessment:
Formal Evaluation:
Teacher grades the groups ability to place the steps of
the life cycle in the correct order. Teacher uses the
picture the students took on their iPads to do this.
Teacher also grades each students Life Cycle Chart.
Informal Evaluation:
Teacher asks students questions as they rearrange the
steps of the life cycle. Teacher takes notes on their
responses.
During this lesson, students use a website to research
the life cycle of an animal. They also use their iPads to
take a picture and email it to the teacher. These
activities align with ISTE Standard 1: Students leverage
technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving
and demonstrating competency in their learning goals,
informed by the learning sciences. They also fit into
ISTE Standard 3: Students critically curate a variety of
resources using digital tools to construct knowledge,
produce creative artifacts and make meaningful
learning experiences for themselves and others.
Additionally, these activities fit into the Learning and
Innovation Skills and Information, Media, and
Technology Skills of the Framework for 21st Century
Learning.
Student Profile:
Name of Student: Thomas

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Age: 9
Grade Level: 3
Type of Disability: Cerebral Palsy with Cognitive
Disability
Summary of disability characteristics: Hypotonia
(floppiness) in one arm, lack of coordination and
balance, speech difficulty (dysarthria), scooter bound,
able to use cane to stand for short periods of time,
sways when standing, leg braces (orthotic devices) on
both legs, gait disturbance (walks with a propulsive
gait), unsteadiness when walking, and learning
disability
Academic Profile: Below grade level (in special
education)
Capabilities: Able to operate scooter with hand that is
not impaired, able to support self with cane for a few
minutes, able to walk with cane for a few steps, able to
type on the computer with hand that is not impaired,
and able to write with hand that is not impaired
Limitations: Unable to stand with cane for long periods
of time, trouble talking clearly, difficulty writing legibly,
difficulty participating in some physical activity
(running, catching a ball, and throwing a ball), difficulty
with precise motions and fine motor skills (picking up a
pencil or other small object), and unable to sit down
without using both hands for support

Accommodations:
Student will sit at scooter compatible desk and lab
table.
The classroom has enough room for the student to
maneuver his scooter during the activity.
Student will use a slant board and pencil grip to
complete the Life Cycle Chart.
If the student is chosen to take the picture of the
completed life cycle, teacher will hold the iPad while
the student presses the button to take the picture.

SUPERVISING
TEACHERS
SIGNATURE

Seton Hill University Lesson Plan Template Step-by-Step

Procedures
RATIONALE for

This lesson comes after a lesson about animal adaptations. In

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the Learning
Plan

the previous lesson, students learned that adaptations are

very crucial for animals. They help animals survive in their
habitats. This lesson teaches students that life cycles are an
important part of an animals life. It is centered around
Standard 3.1.3.A3: Illustrate how plants and animals go
through predictable life cycles that include birth, growth,
development, reproduction, and death.

Introduction

Activating Prior Knowledge

Teacher asks students if they remember when they
learned that adaptations are important for an animal to
survive.
Hook/Lead-In/Anticipatory Set
Teacher informs students that today, they are going to
be learning about another important thing for animals:
life cycles.
Big Idea Statement
Teacher states the Big Idea in kid-friendly terms: Animals
go through life cycles.
Essential Questions Statement
Teacher states the Essential Questions in kid-friendly
terms:
What are the parts of a life cycle?
How are life cycles different among animals?
Objective Statement
Teacher states the Objective in kid-friendly terms: We
are going to do a group activity. Your goal is to put all
the parts of an animals life cycle in the correct order by
rearranging the life cycle cards and filling out the Life
Cycle Chart.
Transition
The class sings the Butterfly Life Cycle song before
reviewing the Key Vocabulary.
Key Vocabulary
Life cycle: the stages a living thing goes through during
its life
PreAssessment of Students
Teacher asks students to come over to the interactive
bulletin board.
Teacher asks students to try to put the parts of the frog
life cycle in order. Students take turns coming up to the
bulletin board to rearrange the pieces.
Modeling of the Concept
Teacher uses large pictures of the parts of the frog life
cycle to model the concept.
Teacher asks for student volunteers.
Teacher gives each student a large picture card. Some
get a component of the life cycle and some get an arrow.
Teacher explains each part of the life cycle.

Explicit
Instructions

Lesson
Procedure

Reading
Materials
Technology
Equipment
Supplies

Teacher rearranges the students into the order of the

frog life cycle.
Teacher tells students that they are going to be doing
this activity with a different life cycle.
Teacher divides the students into groups of six. Teacher
assigns each group a different animal. Teacher gives
each group cards with the parts of the life cycle and
cards with arrows.
In their groups, students are instructed to research the
animals life cycle.
Teacher gives students a website that will help them
with their research
(http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/lifecycle.htm).
Students will place the components of the life cycle in
the correct order. Each student in the group will hold
either a life cycle card or an arrow card.
After the cards are in the correct order, one student will
use their iPad take a picture of the group representing
the life cycle.
The group will email the picture to the teacher.
Guiding the Practice
Teacher walks around the room as the students place
the parts of the life cycle in the correct order.
Teacher answers any questions the students have.
Teacher asks students questions as they arrange the
parts of the life cycle. (ex: Why do you think that part of
the life cycle comes next? or How did you determine the
order of the life cycle?)
Providing the Independent Practice
Students will work in groups to put the parts of an
animals life cycle in the correct order.
Once students have the parts in the proper order, one
student will take a picture of the completed life cycle.
Then, each student will complete a Life Cycle Chart for
their animal. They will draw the steps of the life cycle
and write a description for each step.
Transition
After teacher divides students into groups, students
move to a lab table to work on the activity.
Teacher calls each group back to the lab tables
individually. (Ex: Group 1, Group 2, etc.)
Interactive Life Cycle Bulletin Board
Butterfly Life Cycle Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4PgljcarTA
Life Cycle Cards and Arrows (for several different
animals such as spider, penguin, shark, and bat)
Life Cycle Chart:
http://kelceymillerscienceandhealth.weebly.com/lesson-

plan-4.html
Homework sheet: https://s-media-cacheak0.pinimg.com/736x/71/0b/c3/710bc30fd6827f58e4261
b4d2cff0c3a.jpg
Evaluation of
Formal Evaluation
the
Teacher grades the groups ability to place the steps of
Learning/Master
the life cycle in the correct order. Teacher uses the
y of the
picture the students took on their iPads to do this.
Concept
Teacher also grades each students Life Cycle Chart.
Informal Evaluation
Teacher asks students questions as they rearrange the
steps of the life cycle. Teacher takes notes on their
responses.
Closure
Summary & Review of the Learning
Each group shares their completed life cycle with the
class.
Teacher asks students to restate the Objective.
Teacher asks students how they met the Objective. This
results in a discussion.
Teacher asks students what difficulties they encountered
during the activity.
Teacher asks other students to give suggestions on how
they solved these learning problems.
Teacher asks for students comments on the lesson and
how it could be improved.
Homework/Assignments
For homework, students will complete a homework sheet
about the life cycle of a butterfly.
Students are required to cut out the parts of the life
cycle and glue them in the correct place.
Then, they will write a sentence that describes each
step.
Teacher informs students of the due date. The due date
is also noted on the homework sheet.
Teacher
I will know that students can correctly organize all parts
Self-reflection
of an animals life cycle when they rearrange the life
cycle cards and complete the Life Cycle Chart.
If students do not master the concept, I will re-teach it.
I will use a video to explain the concept of life cycles to
the students (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pHav3QZkI).
Then, we will organize the steps of several life cycles as
a class before the students work in groups.