MODEL LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Topic, class, and level: Recycling: Why do we recycle? What do we recycle?, Lesson
#3, First Grade DIFFERENTIATED LESSON
Date for implementation: Monday, April 13, 2015
Conceptual Framework: To what important concept, essential question, enduring
understanding, or big idea in the discipline does this lesson connect?
Essential Question(s):
o Why do we recycle?
o What are some ways that we can help our environment?
Guiding Question(s):
o Why is it important to recycle?
Checks for Understanding:
o What is recycling?
o What do we recycle?
Standards: MA, Common Core, WIDA or other Standards for this lesson or unit:
Common Core Standards
o CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.5 Add drawings or other visual displays to
descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
o CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.5.A Sort words into categories (e.g., colors,
clothing) to gain a sense of the concepts the categories represent.
o CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.5.B Define words by category and by one or more
key attributes (e.g., a duck is a bird that swims; a tiger is a large cat with
stripes).
o CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.5.C Identify real-life connections between words
and their use (e.g., note places at home that are cozy)
Knowledge/Understandings: What should the students know and understand at
the end of this lesson?
Knowledge:
o Students should know that it is important to save our environment.
o Students should know that recycling is one way that we can help our
environment each and every day.
Understandings:
o Students should understand the importance of recycling. (Why do we
recycle?)
o Students should understand that recycling requires a sorting process.
o Students should understand that there are different categories of
recycled goods and they can help our environment even more by
sorting these items.
o Students should understand that something cannot be recycled.
Skills: What will the students be able to do when this lesson is over?

Students will be able to explain why we recycle.

Students will be able to list out the different types, or categories, of
recycled goods.
Students will be able to identify which recycled good belongs in each
category.
Students will be able to identify which items can and cannot be recycled.
Students will be able to cut out different pictures of recycled goods.
Students will be able to paste pictures of different recycled goods into a
Do Recycle or Do Not Recycle column.

Assessment. How will you check for student achievement and understanding?
The teacher will create a list of recycling categories with students.
The teacher will look over and grade the students worksheets during a free
period.
Instructional Approach: (Describe activities, allotted time, and closure)
Materials, preparation, and/or on-line resources to be used:
Why Should I Recycle? By: Jen Green
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/why-should-i-
recycle#cart/cleanup
Categories of Recycling Chart
Markers
Cut and Paste: Recycling Rules Worksheet
Recycling Word Search (Sponge Activity/HW)
Hook: What question or activity might spark student curiosity and motivation?
The teacher will read Why Should I Recycle? By: Jen Green out loud to
the entire class on the rug.
The teacher will then re-iterate a bit of what was taught in Lesson 1:
o Teacher: Yesterday, we learned that it is very important that
we help save our environment. We decided that one way we
can help our environment is by recycling.
Next, the teacher will go on to talk about how we recycle in our
classroom.
o Point out recycling bin.
o Teacher: In this class, we recycle by putting this in our
recycling bin. What do we put in our recycling bin?
o Student: Old papers, plastic wrappers from snack, plastic
water bottles, and cardboard.
o Teacher: Yes, thats right! We put all kinds of things in our
recycling bin!

Activities: What question/s might encourage the student to explore and discover
the content? What will happen during the body of the lesson?
Activity 1:
o Read-a-loud about Recycling (Why Should I Recycle? By: Jen
Green) http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/why-should-i-
recycle#cart/cleanup
Activity 2:
o Re-iterate a bit of lesson 1 and ask the students why its important
to recycle.
Students should say things like:
Recycling saves our environment.
Recycling allows use to reuse old goods.
o Talk about what we put in our recycling bin in the classroom
Students should say things like:
Old Papers
Plastic Wrappers from Snack
Plastic Water Bottles
Cardboard
o Ask them if they have recycling bins at home and if so, what do
they put in the bins?
Students should say things like:
Old Papers
Plastic Wrappers
Plastic Water Bottles
Cardboard
Paper Bags
Plastic Bags
Glass Jars
Metal Cans
o Go over items that CANNOT be recycled.
Students should say things like:
Food
Plants
Clothes
Books
Siblings J
Activity 3:
o On butcher paper, list the different categories of recycling. Have
the students come up with an example of each.
Recycling Categories:
Plastic
Paper
Glass
Metal

Examples:
Plastic Plastic Bags, Soda Can Rings
Paper Old Homework, Newspapers
Glass Glass Bottles, Broken Glass
Metal Metal Cans, Paper Clips

Activity 4:
o Students should then return to their desks and complete the Cut
and Paste recycling worksheet (Recycling Rules).
http://www.learningpage.com/member/pdfs/monthly_sets/sprin
g_fun/earthday_everyday/LPsf48_eded_00.pdf
Students will need scissors and glue.
They will sort the pictures of recycled goods into two
columns, Do Recycle and Do Not Recycle.

Differentiation including SEI Considerations (key vocabulary,

language/content objectives, etc.):
o WHAT ARE YOU DIFFERENTIATING?
Process
o Students will be provided with pre-cut images.
o Students will be provided with examples in each
column.
Affect/Learning Environment
o Students will complete the worksheet in a small group
setting.
o HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENTIATING?
Student Readiness
o Students who are not able to grasp the concepts in a
whole group setting will complete the worksheet in a
small group setting.
o Students who are unable to cut and paste in a neat and
timely fashion will receive pre-cut images.
o Students who are struggling to grasp the concepts will
be provided with examples.
o WHY ARE YOU DIFFERENTIATING?
Access to Learning
o Small group will allow some students to grasp the
material more easily. The teacher will have the
opportunity to explain main idea again in a more
intimate setting.
Opportunity to Express Learning
o Students who are unable to cut, paste, and complete
the worksheet will be able to show what they know
using the pre-cut pieces.

Grouping: If you are grouping at some point during the lesson, why are you
grouping? How are you grouping?
Students can work alone, or in pairs to complete the worksheet.
o They can turn and work with the person next to them at
their tables. This should put students in high/low pairs
because desks are arranged in HH, MH, ML, LL groups.
The rest of the lesson incorporates whole class instruction.
Sponge activity: (to soak up extra time)
Recycling Word Search
o http://www.buschsystems.com/wpcontent/uploads/2014/03/Recycling-Word-Search.pdf
Homework when appropriate:
Recycling Word Search (If not finished in class)
o http://www.buschsystems.com/wpcontent/uploads/2014/03/Recycling-Word-Search.pdf
Wrap-up: How will you help students make meaning from the lessons
activities?
The teacher will ask a few students in the class to each name an item that
we do recycle, and then again with items that we do not recycle.
Potential Pitfalls and Reflection: What difficulties can you predict (or did you discover
as you taught) that your students may find challenging or have misconceptions about?
How will you address those confusions?
Students may not understand that all items cannot be recycled.
o The worksheet will help create images of what can and cannot be
recycle. This will make the distinction clearer for students.
Students make not understand the idea of sorting and organizing items.
o The chart will begin to organize the terms for students.

Brandeis University
August 2014