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Author
Laura Tidwell
Subject
Science
Topic
Life Science, Time Allotment: 1 hour
Grade Level
Grade 3
English Proficiency Level
Expanding: As English learners progress through the Expanding Level, they move from
being able to refashion learned phrases and sentences in English to meet their immediate
communication and learning needs toward being able to increasingly engage in using the
English language in more complex,cognitively demanding situations.
English Language Development Standards (ELD)
Part I: Interacting in Meaningful Ways
A. Collaborative
1. Exchanging information and ideas with others through oral collaborative
discussions on a range of social and academic topics
B. Interpretive
5. Listening actively to spoken English in a range of social and academic contexts
C. Productive
12. Selecting and applying varied and precise vocabulary and language structures to
effectively convey ideas
Part II: Learning About How English Works
B. Expanding and Enriching Ideas
3. Using verbs and verb phrases
4. Using nouns and noun phrases
5. Modifying to add details
C. Connecting and Condensing Ideas
6. Connecting ideas
Academic Content Standards (CCSS)
Science
Life Sciences
3.3 Adaptations in physical structure or behavior may improve an organism’s chance for
survival. As a basis for understanding this concept:
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a. Students know plants and animals have structures that serve different functions in
growth, survival, and reproduction.
b. Students know examples of diverse life forms in different environments, such as
oceans, deserts, tundra, forests, grasslands, and wetlands.
c. Students know living things cause changes in the environment in which they live:
some of these changes are detrimental to the organism or other organisms, and
some are beneficial.
d. Students know when the environment changes, some plants and animals survive
and reproduce; others die or move to new locations.
e. Students know that some kinds of organisms that once lived on Earth have
completely disappeared and that some of those resembled others that are alive
today.
English Language Arts
Speaking and Listening
SL 3.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups,
and teacherled) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’
ideas and expressing their own clearly
d. Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.
Language
L 3.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading,
or listening.
a. Choose words and phrases for effect
3.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and
domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal
relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went looking for them).
Writing
W 3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and
information clearly.
a. Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when
useful to aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.
c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas
within categories of information.
d. Provide a concluding statement or section.
Summary
In this lesson students will be learning about habitats and how animals and plants depend
on each other to live. The students will be focusing on the desert habitat since it is the
beginning of a new unit and the desert habitat aligns with the students prior knowledge
and experience of living in a desert. This lesson will expand on what students learned
about animal and plant adaptations and help them going into the next life science topics
of food webs and ecosystems. The students will learn new vocabulary and incorporate it
in how they speak and write about science. Students will end the lesson by completing a
summary and submitting it to the teacher.
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Learning Context
This lesson is at the beginning of a new unit called “Plants and animals living together.”
In Life Science, students have already deepened their understanding of plants and their
adaptations individually, as well as animals and their adaptations individually. The new
unit will focus on how plants and animals support and need each other. In this lesson we
touch on the six different habitats and gain a depth of knowledge on desert habitats. This
lesson helped students see that animals and plants depend on each other as well as their
environment. In the following lessons, we will continue to discuss the other five habitats,
food webs, food chains, ecosystems.
Learning Objectives
a. Language Objective(s)
● Students will be able to recognize, use, and spell vocabulary words.
● Students will be able to exchange information and ideas with others through
discussions of the content.
● Students will listen actively to spoken English to gain further knowledge of the
content and instructions on what is expected of them.
● Students will organize and evaluate new ideas and form their own written
statements to summarize the content.
b. Academic Content Objective(s)
● Students will understand the overall structure of a habitat and what living things
need to survive and student will also exhibit content knowledge through a
summary they will complete and turn into the teacher by the end of this lesson.
● Students will obtain a deeper understanding of predator/prey relationships, and
understand how habitat loss and environmental changes can affect plants and
animals.
● Students will discuss and evaluate habitats and how animals and plants interact in
a desert habitat.
● Students will understand that environments support a diverse group of living
things that all share limited resources.
Advanced Planning/Preparation
Key Concept(s) to develop
Key concepts for student learning are animal interacts with each other and plants in their
environment. The plants and animals receive everything they need to survive from where
they live. Areas that provide animals and plants with food, water, shelter, and living
space are called habitats. Sometimes habitats change and cause plants or animals to die
or even become extinct.
Key Vocabulary and Language skills to develop
Key Vocabulary: habitat, predator, prey, shelter
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Content/Skill(s) Obligatory
Prior to beginning the current lesson, students should have life science knowledge about
plants and animals gained from a second grade education as well as taught in the
beginning of third grade. All concepts covered will be linked to previous lessons and
connect to what is to come. Students that have not lived in the desert very long may
experience confusion as to what a Joshua tree is but it was selected as an example
because they are seen all over the school's’ immediate location. To help any student that
does not have the required former knowledge, the teacher will display visuals to explain
what is being talked about. The teacher will be sure to observe and check for
understanding in student progress and activity while the class moves toward achieving
the learning and language objectives.
Visual Strategies
The teacher will use many visual representation to make the content comprehensible.
Vocabulary Chart
For student understanding of key vocabulary the target word will be written on the board
as well as added to a large vocabulary chart that will be displayed in class throughout the
unit. The chart include the target word written out, the definition, a drawing representing
the word, a sentence using the word and antonyms and synonyms. The students can refer
to the vocabulary chart when they think, write, or speak about the content.
What is a Habitat Video
The video gives great visuals as it explains the content we are learning. For English
language learners, the video includes subtitles and closed captioning which can be
translated into many languages.
Photographs
During direct instruction, the teacher will have photographs representing the plants,
Joshua tree, and animals, jackrabbit and coyote, to display on the board for all the
students to see.
Habitat Tag
To differentiate the two animal roles the students will be playing the teacher will provide
bunny ears for the jackrabbits. Students already can distinguish Joshua trees as they can
not move and have their arms in the air, but it may be difficult to know who is a
jackrabbit and who is a coyote. The jackrabbits will have bunny ears making it visually
easier to observe what is happening in the game.
Academic Learning Strategies
The students will predict what they believe will happen if a habitat is changed and all of
the Joshua trees are removed. They will categorize the jackrabbit and coyote as prey or
predator animals. Through the “Habitat Tag” game the students will self-monitor their
actions and think about their role in the habitat. As we close the lesson the students will
organize and evaluate the new ideas we covered and form their own statement to
summarize the content.
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Scaffolding
To guide students through and introduce them to this new unit, the teacher will provide
the right amount of scaffolding to support their understanding. Students are given
prompts and visuals as we discuss a desert habitat to develop knowledge on the topic, but
they are required to participate and come up with their own ideas throughout the lesson.
In order for all students to achieve the learning outcomes of the lesson, the teacher will
mediate and differentiate instruction when needed.
During the "Habitat Tag" game, English language learners may start as trees to be a part
of the fun and yet still be observing. If they feel comfortable enough they may choose to
be a jackrabbit or a coyote over being a Joshua tree.
Advanced learners may extend learning by thinking of other animals to use in the
“Habitat Tag” game. For example: squirrels and foxes, deer and mountain lions, birds
and earthworms.
For the independent practice, struggling learners may be given a writing prompt to help
them form their ideas. English language learners may create a picture narrative with a
short written explanation.
Advanced learners can extend learning by brainstorming ideas to reduce the loss of
habitats. Have them make a poster advertising one of their ideas. Students may also
research and talk about how and why Joshua trees are endangered.
Comprehensible Input
Specific methods used are
● accessing prior knowledge
● total physical response
● vocabulary charts
● visuals
● checking for understanding
● assessments
● technology
● language development
● speaking, listening, and writing
Instructional Materials/Resources
● Playing field or playground for the “Habitat tag” game
● Projector
● 1 Computer for the teacher
● YouTube
● Bunny ears for tag game
● Photographs of a jackrabbit, coyote, Joshua tree
● Large chart paper for vocabulary words
● Whiteboard and markers
● Paper: lined and blank
● Pencils
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Technology Component
The students will watch a video during the Engagement and Anticipatory set.
Direct link for “What is a Habitat?” video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxrlEajA398
The teacher has used and may need the following website to provide students with more
information on the desert and its habitat.
http://www.desertusa.com/
Assessments
The teacher will check for progress towards the learning objectives by using several
assessments. As we begin a new unit it is important that both the diagnostic and
formative assessments will be informal in order to encourage students to share ideas
without feeling like they are wrong.
The diagnostic assessment is used to bring out the students’ prior knowledge with
prompting questions. They will know more about the content to be taught then they
think.
The formative assessment will use the teacher's observations to check for understanding
in the middle of the lesson. The students will discuss what they did in the tag game and
the teacher can quickly assess if the students retained the previously taught vocabulary
words. The teacher will use a performance based assessment to evaluate students in the
middle of the lesson.
The summative assessment brings everything the students learned and did in that lesson
to a close with a statement made by each student individually. The responses must
include the vocabulary we covered but each response will vary. Collecting this
assignment will show the teacher that the students did or did not grasp the content. It will
serve the teacher to see what needs to be expanded on and what they understand and can
move on with.
Instruction
1. Anticipatory Set (10 mins.)
a. Activating Prior Knowledge
Diagnostic Assessment: The teacher will perform an informal diagnostic assessment by
asking the class questions to help the students access their prior knowledge about
habitats. To give the students an opportunity to link their own experience and knowledge
to the new concept.
The teacher will ask several questions:
“What are some things you think you need to survive?”
Students should answer in ways that indicate food, water, and shelter.
“Do you think animals need these things to survive?”
The teacher will agree and say that animals also need those things to survive and they
need to live in areas that will provide food, water, and shelter.
The teacher will introduce the first vocabulary word “Habitat” and write it on the board.
Then the teacher will say:
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“A habitat is an area that provides animals and plants with food, water, shelter, and living
space.”
The vocabulary word will be written on the board and also added to a large vocabulary
chart where the students can see the written word, the definition, a drawing representing
the word, a sentence using the word and antonyms and synonyms.
b. Purpose of the lesson
Students will be building on past concepts from the previous Life Science units on how
plants are grouped and adapted, and how animals are adapted. This unit is about how
plants and animals live together; what do they both need, how they get food, food webs,
food chains, and how plants and animals help each other.
It is important for students to know how plants and animals depend on each other and
that where an animal can live depends on the available food, water, and shelter. Through
a portion of this lesson students will also understand how animals can lose their habitats
and possibly become extinct.
c. Engage
Show the video called “What is a habitat?” (3 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxrlEajA398
2. Direct Instruction (15 mins.)
Now that students know more about the different types of habitats we can further discuss
their local area to connect the content to real life.
Ask the students where do they live? Think about your home and what’s around it? What
would their local habitat or environment be?
The students should be able to answer these questions based on the “What is a habitat”
video they watched.
Students live in a desert habitat. The teacher will write “Desert” next to the vocabulary
word “Habitat” on the board to form “Desert Habitat,” which the students will be
learning about today.
Ask students what does your desert habitat have? What kind of plants are found naturally
in the desert?
Possible responses could be weeds, brush, tumbleweeds, and Joshua trees.
The teacher will have a photo of a Joshua tree in the desert and will post it on the board
under the words “Desert Habitat”
Ask students about animals that might live in the desert and possibly need a Joshua tree
for shelter?
Possible responses could be lizards, mice, and rabbits or jackrabbits.
The teacher will have a photo of a jackrabbit in the desert and will post it on the board
under the words “Desert Habitat” and below the photo of the Joshua tree.
Ask students if they have ever seen a jackrabbit in real life, or in a movie, or read about
one in a book?
Ask what a jackrabbit might be afraid of or run to shelter to hide from? Maybe a
predator?
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Possible responses could be mountain lion, rattlesnake, fox, or coyote.
The teacher will have a photo of a coyote in the desert and will post it on the board under
the words “Desert Habitat” and below the photo of the jackrabbit.
Predator is the next vocabulary word and the teacher will write that on the board next to
the coyote. The word will be added to the large vocabulary chart where the students can
see the written word, the definition, a drawing representing the word, a sentence using
the word and antonyms and synonyms.
Prey is the next vocabulary word and the will write that on the board next to the
jackrabbit. The word will be added to the large vocabulary chart where the students can
see the written word, the definition, a drawing representing the word, a sentence using
the word and antonyms and synonyms.
3. Modeling (10 mins.)
The teacher will model and explain that the coyote is a predator and the jackrabbit is its
prey. Jackrabbits are strict vegetarians and they eat a variety of plants and they can take
shelter in a clump of grass or near a Joshua tree.
The teacher will draw an arrow up from the jackrabbit to the Joshua tree.
Next the teacher will explain that the coyote hunts mice, rabbit, squirrels, insects, reptiles
and the fruit of wild plants.
The teacher will draw an arrow up from the coyote to the jackrabbit.
The coyote depends on the jackrabbit for food and the jackrabbit depends on the Joshua
tree for food and shelter.
The result will be visual representation that will set the students up for the guided
practice activity.
Shelter is the next vocabulary word and the teacher will write that on the board next to
the Joshua tree. The word will be added to the large vocabulary chart where the students
can see the written word, the definition, a drawing representing the word, a sentence
using the word and antonyms and synonyms.
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4. Guided Practice (5 mins.)
As a warm up to the following “Habitat Tag” game, the teacher will ask the students to
explain what might happen if part of a habitat is removed. For example, what will happen
if we cut down all the Joshua trees in the desert?
The students will discuss and think about the question but the teacher will not give any
input until after the following game.
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5. Activities and Grouping (30 mins.)
Together the class will play a game called "Habitat Tag." This is a total physical response
learning activity in which the students and the teacher will take on roles that occur in a
desert habitat.
Students will be randomly selected by the teacher pulling name sticks out of a cup to
determine each student's role. Each student will be given a part to play and everyone will
participate until they are out of the game.
Explain to the students that we will be playing parts in a desert habitat.
Students will be divided up into three different groups and assigned to pretend to be
either jackrabbits, coyotes, or Joshua trees. The group of jackrabbits will be the largest,
then Joshua trees, and then coyotes with the least number of students. Two students will
equal one Joshua tree.
In this class of 25 students, 14 students will become 7 Joshua trees, 9 students will be
jackrabbits, and 2 students will be coyotes.
There need to be more jackrabbits than Joshua trees to make the game work.
We will go out to the playground and find a wide-open space to use.
First, the Joshua trees will be set on the playing field. Two students make one Joshua
tree. They will be divided into pairs and stand face to face holding their arms over their
heads and toward the other student. 14 students will make 7 Joshua trees. Remind the
students that Joshua trees do not move and once they are planted, they must stay in that
spot.
Second, we will give the jackrabbits some bunny ears to wear, provided by the teacher.
The jackrabbits must find shelter under the Joshua trees. One jackrabbit can find shelter
under one Joshua tree and there are more jackrabbits than there are Joshua trees. Of the 9
jackrabbits, 7 will find a home under the seven Joshua trees. The remaining 2 jackrabbits
can go up to a jackrabbit in a Joshua tree and tap them on the shoulder to swap. There
will be a new jackrabbit without shelter and now they must find a different Joshua tree
for shelter. Jackrabbit students can practice swapping positions under the Joshua trees. If
a jackrabbit is in a Joshua tree, it is safe from a coyote.
Now we will let the 2 coyotes onto the playing field. The students that have been
designated as coyotes will "eat" the jackrabbits and tag them out of the game. Jackrabbits
that have been eaten will sit out the rest of the game.
Lastly, when a few jackrabbits are out the teacher will start taking away Joshua trees by
"cutting them down." The teacher will be a chain saw and explain to the students that the
Joshua trees must be cut down to build houses and stores. When a Joshua tree is "cut
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down" the two students will sit out of the game and the jackrabbit must find shelter
somewhere else.
As the game progresses, there will be less and less Joshua trees and jackrabbits. We will
end with the two coyotes "eating" all the jackrabbits, and all the Joshua trees being "cut
down."
If there is time, the students may play “Habitat Tag” again and rotate roles so everyone
has a chance to be something different.
Differentiated Instruction
During the "Habitat Tag" game, English language learners may start as trees to be a part
of the fun and yet still be observing. If they feel comfortable enough they may choose to
be a jackrabbit or a coyote over being a Joshua tree.
Advanced learners may extend learning by thinking of other animals to use in the
“Habitat Tag” game. For example: squirrels and foxes, deer and mountain lions, birds
and earthworms.
Formative Assessment:
The teacher will use a performance based assessment to evaluate students in the middle
of the lesson. During the game the teacher will observe the students’ interactions and
afterwards the class will discuss what they did. This is a quick way to check for
understanding and see if they remember the vocabulary. Have the students consider the
question again: What might happen if part of a habitat is removed? For example, what
will happen if we cut down all the Joshua trees in the desert?
6. Independent practice (10 mins,)
Summative Assessment
Students will write a paragraph summary of the day’s lesson on habitats using the new
vocabulary words they have learned.
The students’ responses will vary but should be closely related to the following example:
“The desert is an interesting habitat for many reasons. There are many living things in
the desert. Some are predators that search for prey to eat. Coyotes like to eat jackrabbits.
Jackrabbits like to eat plants and find shelter under a Joshua tree. The desert is an
incredible place to live.”
Differentiated Instruction
Struggling learners may be given a writing prompt to help them form their ideas.
English language learners may create a picture narrative with a short, written
explanation.
Advanced learners can extend learning by brainstorming ideas to reduce the loss of
habitats. Have them make a poster advertising one of their ideas. Students may also
research and talk about how and why Joshua trees are endangered.
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7. Closure (10 mins.)
Students can read their writing and discuss the lesson using the vocabulary to the class.
They are encouraged to share with the class and discuss similarities and differences in
what they chose to write about. We will review the vocabulary and the teacher will
collect the summaries that the students have completed.
8. Homework
The teacher will not assign Science homework but will encourage students to observe
their surroundings and the desert habitat if they are able to.
Checking for Understanding
a. Diagnostic
Diagnostic Assessment: The teacher will perform an informal diagnostic assessment by
asking the class questions to help the students access their prior knowledge about
habitats. To give the students an opportunity to link their own experience and knowledge
to the new concept.
The teacher will ask several questions:
“What are some things you think you need to survive?”
Students should answer in ways that indicate food, water, and shelter.
“Do you think animals need these things to survive?”
The teacher will agree and say that animals also need those things to survive and they
need to live in areas that will provide food, water, and shelter.
b. Formative
Formative Assessment:
The teacher will use a performance based assessment to evaluate students in the middle
of the lesson. During the game the teacher will observe the students’ interactions and
afterwards the class will discuss what they did. This is a quick way to check for
understanding and see if they remember the vocabulary. Have the students consider the
question again: What might happen if part of a habitat is removed? For example, what
will happen if we cut down all the Joshua trees in the desert?
Differentiated Instruction
During the "Habitat Tag" game, English language learners may start as trees to be a part
of the fun and yet still be observing. If they feel comfortable enough they may choose to
be a jackrabbit or a coyote over being a Joshua tree.
Advanced learners may extend learning by thinking of other animals to use in the
“Habitat Tag” game. For example: squirrels and foxes, deer and mountain lions, birds
and earthworms.
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c. Summative
Summative Assessment
Students will write a paragraph summary of the day’s lesson on habitats using the new
vocabulary words they have learned.
The students’ responses will vary but should be closely related to the following example:
“The desert is an interesting habitat for many reasons. There are many living things in
the desert. Some are predators that search for prey to eat. Coyotes like to eat jackrabbits.
Jackrabbits like to eat plants and find shelter under a Joshua tree. The desert is an
incredible place to live.”
Differentiated Instruction
Struggling learners may be given a writing prompt to help them form their ideas.
English language learners may create a picture narrative with a short, written
explanation.
Advanced learners can extend learning by brainstorming ideas to reduce the loss of
habitats. Have them make a poster advertising one of their ideas. Students may also
research and talk about how and why Joshua trees are endangered.
Assessment Scoring guides, keys, rubrics
The diagnostic and formative assessments are informal to promote learning and
exploration of the content since it is a new concept at the beginning of the unit. The
teacher is constantly observing and making notes to see what needs to determine what
students need more help with and what they seem to already understand. Students will be
graded on “Complete” or “Incomplete” basis. Those that participate fully and turn in
their summary of what they learned will score a “Complete.” Students that do not
participate or do not finish or turn in their summary will be counseled by the teacher to
find out the reasoning and will be given an “Incomplete” grade.
Sample minimum response for the summary students should write: (Unless otherwise
determined by teacher to have scaffolded instruction for struggling or English language
learners)
“The desert is an interesting habitat for many reasons. There are many living things in
the desert. Some are predators that search for prey to eat. Coyotes like to eat jackrabbits.
Jackrabbits like to eat plants and find shelter under a Joshua tree. The desert is an
incredible place to live.”
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