Lesson Plan Guide

Teacher Candidate:

Aaron Clifft

Date: 2-8-15

Grade and Topic:

Grade 2, Science

Length of Lesson:

Mentor Teacher:

Weaver

School:

1 hour

University of Memphis IDT 3600

UNIT/CHAPTER OBJECTIVE/GENERALIZATION/BIG IDEA:

This lesson plan is part of a unit plan on how all life is interdependent and interacts with the environment.

LESSON OBJECTIVE:
1. Given a picture book about different living things found in the Americas, select graphic images of five
living things that can be found in the Americas with a score of three out of four on the rubric.
2. Given the selected images and a map of the Americas, place the images on where the living things can
be found with a score of three out of four on the rubric.
3. Given a computer and word processing software, type one to two sentences on where the living things
live and eat with a score of three out of four on the rubric.
Student Participation
The goal of the lesson is for the students to demonstrate a clear understanding of which living things live
in the Americas and how what they eat can shape the environment. Students provide visual representations and
write sentences on what each of the living things eat.
STANDARDS ADDRESSED:
TN State Standards:
GLE 0207.2.2 - Investigate living things found in different places.
ISTE Standards:
3. Research and Information Fluency: Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and
media

MATERIALS:
1. Picture books with creatures native to the Americas
2. Computer
3. Microsoft Word
4. Internet access to MS clipart gallery http://office.microsoft.com/clipart/default.aspx?lc=en-us and map of
Americas http://www.zim.com/countrysites/americas/publishingimages/americas_map.png
5. Paper
6. Crayons
Technology Integration
Students will use the websites stated above as resources for the map of the Americas and access to images. Word
processing software will be used to type, format, and add images to the map of the Americas. Students, upon

completing the activity, will save their work to a shared Dropbox folder for their class. A sample of the product is
below.

BACKGROUND and RATIONALE:

Students will demonstrate a clear understanding of which living things live in the Americas and what they eat by
providing visual representations and typed sentences of where they live and what they eat.

Academic language is not addressed in IDT 3600.

This lesson is a continuation of TN science standard 2.
We will refer to the summary created here as we continue exploring animals and their relation to their environment.

I am aware that the lesson will be differentiated for students who did not master the objectives and for those
ready for enrichment. However, modifications are not covered in this course and are not part of this particular
lesson.
PROCEDURES AND TIMELINE:
Introduction
Begin by gathering the children and showing them a picture book of animals that live in the Americas.
Discuss how some animals are found in certain places of the world and how what they eat can have a
large impact on their home.
Give students a few minutes to ask questions.
Follow this by explaining the activity that they will be doing.
Procedures
Before Computer (10 minutes)
Teacher: After the introduction, distribute the picture books to students and briefly ask them what animals do
NOT live in the Americas.
Students: Students look through the picture book while thinking of what pictures they could put on their map.
At Computer (30 minutes)
Teacher:
1. Have students open both MS Word and an Internet browser
2. Direct students to the map website
3. Direct students to the MS Clipart Gallery website
4. Monitor assist as needed
Students:
1. Open MS Word and an Internet browser
2. Go the map website and copy and paste the map into a new document
3. Add the following title: Animals of the Americas
4. Use key words to search for clip art of an animal
5. Paste each picture of where the animal lives on the map
6. Save work
7. Repeat until all five different animals are on the map
8. Print a copy
Rotation plan: Students not at the computer will use paper and crayons to draw animals that can be found in the
Americas
After Computer (20 minutes)
Teacher:
1. Collect the students printed assignment
2. Briefly talk to the students about their work while pointing out some animals some students used
3. Remind students how animals can affect their environment by what they eat
4. Have students open MS Word and right one to two students on what the animals eat.

Students:
1. Open MS Word
2. Students write one to two sentences on each animal they chose for the map activity on what that
animal eats using the picture book
3. Save their work
4. Print a copy
Rotation plan: Students not at the computer now add on to their drawing by adding what the animal eats
Closure
Students volunteer to share what they wrote. At the end of class, the teacher collects the printed out sentences,
checks for assignment submissions, and polls the class for questions.
ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE:
Criteria
Images of animals
that live in the
Americas
Placement of the
animals on the
map of the
Americas
Sentences
describing what
each animal eats

0
None of the
selected images
are animals
located in the
Americas
None of the
selected images
are placed where
that animal is
located in the
Americas
None of the
sentences
accurately
describe what
each animal eats

1
Very few of the
selected images is
an animal located
in the Americas
Very few of the
selected images
are placed where
that animal is
located in the
Americas
Very few of the
sentences
accurately
describe what
each animal eats

2
Only a few of the
selected images
are animals
located in the
Americas
Only a few of the
selected images
are placed where
that animal is
located in the
Americas
Only a few of the
sentences
accurately
describe what
each animal eats

3
Almost all of the
selected images
are animals
located in the
Americas
Almost all of the
selected images
are placed where
that animal is
located in the
Americas
Almost all of the
sentences
accurately
describe what
each animal eats

4
All of the selected
images are
animals located in
the Americas
All of the selected
images are placed
where that animal
is located in the
Americas
All of the
sentences
accurately
describe what
each animal eats

MODIFICATIONS:
I am aware that modifications will be made for students who did not master the objectives and for those
ready for enrichment. However, modifications are not covered in this course and are not part of this
particular lesson.

Student Sample

Animals of the Americas