Mystery Piece/ Expedition Kick-off

Goals / Objectives
Students will be able to use evidence and collaboration to discover their upcoming expeditionary
learning unit of study.
Essential question: What topic will we uncover?
Standards
LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity
CC.1.2.2.E: Use various text features and search tools to locate key facts or information in a text
efficiently.
CC.1.4.2.W: Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to
answer a question.
CC.1.5.2.A: Participate in collaborative conversations with peers and adults in smaller and larger
groups.
Materials and preparation
-Idea webs
-6 mystery pieces (picture of dinosaur footprints, picture of reptile skin, fossils, paleontologists
tools, word cloud and related books)
-KWL chart with sticky notes
Learning environment and management issues
1. Each of 6 tables will have one artifact.
2. Table leaders will be responsible for obtaining and distributing materials.
3. Two students will model behavior expectations before beginning.
4. Whole group instruction will occur while students are seating in a circle on the
classroom rug.
Plan (45-50 minutes)
1) Hook: (10 min.)
Students will be seated in a circle on the rug:
What/Why: Today we will be starting on a new expedition! You will have a chance
to solve a mystery, using clues, to discover what topic you will study during your
expedition.
How: On each table there is a clue. You are going to travel to each table and collect
clues or pieces of evidence to help you solve the mystery of what we will study.
Teacher will go over behavior expectations:
Move when you hear the sound of the chime
Two students will model how to move safely around the classroom
Students will be reminded that if they solve the mystery they should keep it in
their head until the end of the activity
Teacher will show students that they will write their clues on the exterior of the web and
save the center of the web for the end of the activity. Table leaders will gather worksheets
and distribute them to tables.
2) Body: (25 min)
Students will move around the classroom. They will have 3 minutes at each of 6
stations to observe objects and record their idea. A Timed Timer will be used so
students can see the amount of time remaining. At the sound of the chime students
will point to their next destination then move when they hear the chime again.

When students return to their home table they will have 3 more minutes to whisper to
one another what they think their topic is and what evidence makes them think that.
-Students will write their findings in the center of the web. At the sound of the
chime students will share their ideas regarding the unit. After the unit topic is
revealed students will be given time for a silent celebration.
3) Closure: (10 min)
KWL chart: Teacher will introduce the idea of a KWL chart (a model students are
familiar with). Teacher will explain that today we are filling out what we think we
know and what we wonder about dinosaurs. Teacher will provide sentence starters
during model (i.e. I think I know that dinosaurs lived a long, long time ago. and I
wonder if humans were alive at the same time as dinosaurs.)
Students will be given sticky notes and will add them to the appropriate column of
the KWL chart as an exit ticket. Teacher will circulate around the room prompting
wonderings as needed.
Assessment of the goals/objectives listed above:
Did students:
Complete their idea web thoughtfully and thoroughly?
Contribute to class discussion (both student to teacher and teacher-teacher)?
Demonstrate understanding during their KWL chart contribution?
Anticipating students responses and your possible responses
Some students may call out the answer, therefore disrupting the investigation process.
Expectations for behavior will be set before beginning the lesson.
Accommodations
a) Students will be grouped heterogeneously.
b) I will read passages to the 3 students with literacy disabilities during quiet time before
the lesson begins.
c) Sentence starters will be offered for the writing portion.
d) My student with ADHD will privately be reminded how to stay in his space bubble
before beginning. I will choose him to model behavior expectations as he often responds
well when put in a leadership role.