Cruisin’ The Fossil Coastline

Integrated Lesson Plan

ErinLiz Coluna
TLED 408
5th Grade Science
Earth’s History and Fossil Evidence
Students will focus mainly on:
Science 5.7 The student will investigate and
understand how Earth’s surface
is constantly changing. Key concepts include:
a)Identification of rock types
b)The rock cycle and how transformations between rocks
occur
c)Earth history and fossil evidence
Sequencing
Interdisciplinary Connections
English 5.4 The student will expand vocabulary when
reading English
5.6 The student will demonstrate comprehension of
nonfiction text
Technology

Traditional Non-Traditional
 Electronic Devices  Graphic organizers
 Computers  Rate Your Fossil Knowledge
 Laptops  Fossil Knowledge Four
Square
 Tablets
 Audio Books
 Videos
Differentiation
As a future special education teacher, I was aware that my
future classroom will more than likely have many students that
need differentiated instruction. Reading is always a daunting
task, but even more daunting for someone who may be an
English Language Learner, a struggling reader or someone with
a specific learning disability. I made sure to find a piece
of literature that was heavily encouraged for a wide range of
grades (3rd to 7th grade) that was also available as an audio
book that students can use as the read along with the physical
text.
 In addition to this, many of the activities chosen for this lesson
plan can be done on paper or on an electronic device, such
as a laptop or a tablet.
 Students may also choose to draw answers instead of writing
them if they feel it is necessary and more beneficial to their
learning.
Text
Anchor Text

 The anchor text chosen for this unit is Cruisin’

the Fossil Coastline by Kirk Johnson
(author) and Ray Troll (illustrator), a nonfiction
narrative on the journey of Johnson and Troll
traveling the Pacific Coastline to look for
fossils, while also documenting the journey.
Pre-Reading Activity
 Students will complete an
Anticipation Guide to allow
me to gauge how much
they remember from their
3rd Grade Science SOLs. This
also serves as a chance for
students to refresh their
memories on fossil evidence
and Earth history content.
 Rate Your Fossil Knowledge
I Know I Know It

Vocabulary Activities
I Know
I Don’t and Well
the
Vocabulary Know the
Definition
Understan Enough Definition/Description
Definition d the to Explain
with Hints
Definition to Others

fossil
 Introducing Vocabulary
Activity paleontologist

 Students will complete the Rate curator

Your Fossil Knowledge Chart fossilization

which will allow them to

erosion
preview vocabulary while also
sedimentary
letting me know which rock

vocabulary words they already extinct

know and which ones they

cast fossil
would need extra help with
throughout the unit. mold fossil

trace fossil

petrified wood

sap amber
Vocabulary Activities
 Teaching Vocabulary
Activity
 Students will complete a
Fossil Knowledge Four
Square chart for each of
their vocabulary words as
a way to practice using
and defining the words.
Vocabulary Activities
 Reinforcing Vocabulary
Activity
 Students will complete a
writing prompt that uses at
least 6 vocabulary words.
Can be done in a form of
a comic strip.
Comprehension Activity
 Students will complete a
QAR packet independently
at first, and then discuss
answers with their peers to
gather more knowledge
and insight on given
questions.
Reflection and Writing Activity
 Students will retake the Anticipation Guide and reflect
on their newly gained knowledge or areas they need to
improve on. They will state what skills they used to gain
knowledge or what skills they will use in the future to
retain new information better.
Communication Activity

 Oral communication is used throughout the vocabulary

activities and comprehension activity.
 Students are encouraged to build off of each others
working definitions
 Students are encouraged to build off of each other’s
responses in order to better comprehend the text at a
higher level of understanding
Performance Based Assessment
 The final assignment for the unit will be a performance
based assessment where students act as
a paleontologist that is trying to convince the head
curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural
history to exhibit the fossil of a newly discovered dinosaur
that they found, much like how Kirk Johnson convinced
curator Larry Barnes to look more into researching
extinct marine mammals in the literature