COOPERSTEIN, J.

LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

Lesson Day Friday, October 27th
Monday, October 30th
Wednesday, November 1st
How will this lesson support the learning
goal?
(1c: Setting Instructional Outcomes)
(1 point)
How does learning vocabulary help in understanding the content area?
Taking the learning goal into consideration, what is
the objective(s) of this lesson that will support
progress toward the learning goal.

Objectives should be learner focused (not what the

teacher will do or accomplish), observable (use
verbs that can be measured), and target a specific
outcome. Please refer to the SLO User Guide for the
ABCD method or I CAN statements that can be
used as a guide.

Objective(s) Students will be able to define vocabulary words from the unit and use
(1c: Setting Instructional Outcomes) them in their discussion of the types of rocks and the rock cycle.
(2 points)
PA Standards Standard - CC.1.2.4.F
(2 points)
www.Pdesas.org/Standard/view or Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in
https://www.pdesas.org/Page?pageId=11
grade-level text, including figurative language.

Standard - CC.1.2.4.K

Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning

words and phrases based on grade-level reading and content,
choosing flexibly from a range of strategies and tools.

ISTE Standards (if applicable)

Technology Materials/Resources
(1d: Demonstrating Knowledge of
Resources)
(2 points)
What texts, digital resources, & materials will be
used in this lesson? How do the materials align with
the learning objective(s)? If appropriate, what
educational technology will be used to support the
learning outcomes of this lesson? How do the
resources support the learning objectives?
Cite publications and any web resources.
Four-square handouts (Appendix A)- four-squares are a great
tool for vocabulary learning because they allow the students to
think more deeply about a word than just its definition. Often,
just learning or memorizing a definition does not lead to deep
word-learning. If students complete this activity prior to
beginning the unit, when the words appear in our discussions,
they will already have a solid understanding of what the word
means.
Articles- http://www.ducksters.com/science/rocks.php ,
http://www.onegeology.org/extra/kids/earthprocesses/weathe
ring.html- These articles were used as a resource for students to
research their words. These kid-friendly sites provided
background knowledge and an overview of the topics.
Diagrams (Appendix B)- I chose to use diagrams
demonstrating the processes of weathering and erosion because I

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 COOPERSTEIN, J.
Anticipatory Set
(1a: Demonstrating Knowledge of Content
and Pedagogy)
(2 points)
____ minutes
How will you set the purpose and help students learn
why todays lesson is important to them as learners?
How will you pique the interest or curiosity
regarding the lesson topic?
How will you build on students prior knowledge?
How will you introduce and explain the
strategy/concept or skill?
Provide very detailed steps.
Instructional Activities
(1a: Demonstrating Knowledge of Content
and Pedagogy; 1e: Designing Coherent
Instruction)
(15 points)
_____ minutes
Exploration (Model): How will students explore the
new concepts? How will you model or provide
explicit instruction? You MUST include a teacher
think-aloud using student-friendly language here.
Guided Practice: How will you provide support to
students as they apply the new concept? How will
you allow them to practice (with teacher support)?
Independent practice: How will students review and
solidify these concepts to be able to use this new
knowledge? How will you monitor and provide
feedback?
Provide very detailed steps and include teacher talk
where appropriate.
SLO Lesson Plan Template
felt like students may build a deeper understanding of it when
they see the processes visually. I am also using diagrams for the
words magma and sediment because they also may be easier
to understand when shown a visual.
Video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeuYx-AbZdo
I chose this video for the types of rocks groups to view because
while it is funny and engaging, it has kid-friendly language
about the types of rocks and shows examples and visuals.
Introduce four-square and how it is used: Typically, when
learning vocabulary, many people only look up the definition
and it doesnt make much sense to them. This is a tool for
learning vocabulary that allows you to dig deeper into the
meaning of a word and how it fits into what you are learning.
Since we are beginning a new unit in science, it is important to
familiarize ourselves with some of the vocabulary words that we
will be seeing often throughout the unit.
When we complete these four squares for the words, it will
provide us with a better understanding of the word. When we
come across the word in the unit, you will already be familiar
with its meaning.
Modeling/Guided Practice:
Show students what the four square looks like.
I will show you how to complete the four square with a word
that we all know, Geologist.
When you receive your four-squares, the definition will already
be provided for you. Since you may not have seen these words
before, I have given you the definitions to help you get started.
Read the definition of Geologist.
Next, you will put the definition into your own words. This
means that you are not copying down the definition word for
word, but you are writing it in words that make sense to you.
How do we think we can put this definition into our own words?
Take responses. Use responses to write an example in the box:
(i.e. A geologist is a scientist who studys the earth and its
materials).
Now, you will put the word into a sentence. I want this sentence
to have meaning so that I could use context clues to figure out
the word. For example, I dont want the sentence to say, A
geologist wears a white coat. That will not help me understand
the meaning of the word. So I will write a sentence like, One
day, a geologist was digging a hole in his yard and discovered a
material that he had never seen before. From this sentence, I
know that a geologist studies earth materials because he is
digging up the earth and finds a new material. Turn and talk to
the person next to you and come up with a different sentence you
could write.
Finally, I will draw a picture of my word. I will draw a person
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holding a rock. Next to him, I will draw a table with tools a

geologist might use, a hand lens, a meter tape, a pick, etc. What
else could you draw in this picture to illustrate the word
Geologist?

Independent Practice:
Now, you will get in a group and you will be assigned one word
to focus on. Each group will have a different word to complete
this four-square for. When everyone is finished their four-
square, you will present your word.
Everyone is responsible for completing a four-square handout in
your group. When you present, you may choose one handout
from your group to project on the document camera so that the
whole class is able to see.
Students will be given resources and diagrams to use that will be
posted on Schoology. Posted on Schoology are resources that
you should look at before you begin filling out your four-square.
I will make sure that they look at the resources first before
giving them the handouts. These are tools that you can use to
help when filling out your four-square.
Remember, your goal in this activity is to become an expert on
your word.
Students will begin looking at the resources and I will ask
questions about what they see. (i.e. how are _____ rocks
formed? Where is magma found? How can you convey this
information in a way that will make sense to you and your
classmates?)

Closure Though each student is responsible for creating a four-square,

(1e: Designing Coherent Instruction)
(2 points)
___ minutes
How will students share or show what they have
learned in this lesson?
How will you restate the teaching point or ask
students to do so and clarify key concepts?
How will you provide opportunities to extend ideas
and check for understanding?
How will this lesson lead to the next lesson?
they will choose one from their group to present.
Students will present their word to the class so that they are
exposed to all of the words, not just the one they worked on.
After presentations have a discussion on how words may be
related. If you think your word is related to another word that
we have heard, go stand with that group. (Magma and Igneous,
Sediment and Sedimentary, Erosion and Weathering,
Metamorphic could be grouped with Igneous and Sedimentary
as types of rocks but does not fit with another word).
In your larger group, discuss how your words are related.
Groups will share how their words are related.
Now that we have heard about all of the words and know how
our words are related, we will be experts when we hear these
words come up throughout the unit.

What are some things we like about this strategy for learning
vocabulary words?

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 COOPERSTEIN, J.
Differentiation
(1e: Designing Coherent Instruction)
(2 points)
What differentiated support will you provide for
students whose academic development is below or
above the current grade level?
What specific differentiation of content, process,
products, and/or learning environment do you plan
to employ to meet the needs of all of your students?
How will your lesson be supportive for all students,
including English Language Learners, and build
upon the linguistic, cultural, and
experiential resources that they bring to their
learning?
How will your lesson promote creative and critical
thinking and inventiveness?
Accommodations**
(1e: Designing Coherent Instruction)
(1 points)
What classroom accommodations do you plan to
employ to increase curriculum access for students
identified with special education needs or 504?
Describe how these accommodations align with the
current Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for
each student as applicable (avoid using actual
names of students).
Modifications**
(1e: Designing Coherent Instruction)
(1 point)
What curricular modifications and/or changes in
performance standards, if any, do you plan to
employ to facilitate the participation of students
identified with special education needs?
Assessment (Formal or Informal)
(1f: Assessing Student Learning)
(3 points)
How will you and the students assess where the
learning objectives, listed above, were met?
Each formal or informal assessment should describe
SLO Lesson Plan Template
What parts of the four-square were helpful in learning the
word? Why? How did it make you think about the word?
Turn and talk to a partner and discuss if there are any other
things we could have added to our four-square to help us learn
the vocabulary word. (Other ways to think about the word)
Groups can assign parts to present and students will have time
practice their part.
Words and definitions will already be provided for the students.
I will touch base with each group to give a verbal explanation of
the definition. This will benefit different learning styles since
they are seeing the definition and also hearing it verbally.
Though students were working in groups on this activity, each
students product will look different. Group discussions from the
resources will prompt students to come up with different ideas
for the sentences, definitions and pictures. Not every group
members final products will look the same.
The definition in my own words square allows students to put
a definition that may not otherwise make sense into words that
do make sense to them. This box will be different for everyone
since.
Students who struggle with attention will be put in a group with
students who can serve as models of behavior and focus.
In my class there is a student who struggles with writing- he has
difficulty elaborating on his ideas and likes to write the bare
minimum. We often chunk his assignments so that he is not
overwhelmed by large amounts of writing. The nature of this
activity is already chunked. The student (and the rest of the
class) can focus on one aspect of the four-square at a time.
Provide time limits for each aspect of the activity for students
with 504s for attention. Designate a certain amount of time for
viewing resources, time to discuss and time to fill out the four-
square. This will keep my students who struggle with attention
on task with more frequent reminders of the time limits.
Not applicable in this lesson.
Informal Assessment: I will walk around while the groups are working
on the four-square and clarify and misconceptions I may be hearing or
seeing in their work. I will answer questions about their words to the
best of my ability or look up answers online, if needed.
Formal Assessment: Four-Square handouts will be collected and
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how it is aligned to the above objective(s).
Reflection on Instruction
(7 points)
At the conclusion of the lesson you should reflect on
the lesson. The reflection should go beyond simply
answering the question Was this a good lesson?
Below are some questions to assist you in your
reflective process (Danielson, 2008):
o What evidence did you collect to
demonstrate that your students have met or
are progressing towards the learning
outcomes/objectives?
o View student work samples. What do they
reveal about the students level of
engagement and comprehension?
o What changes, if any, would you make to
the lesson if you teach this lesson in the
future? What misconceptions, if any, do
you need to clarify before teaching the
next lesson?
o Did you stray from your lesson plan? If so,
how and why?
o Comment on your classroom procedures,
student conduct, and your use of physical
space. To what extent did these contribute
to student learning?
o Comment on different aspects of your
instructional delivery (e.g., activities,
grouping of students, materials/resources
utilized). To what extent were they
effective?
SLO Lesson Plan Template
reviewed. I will review them using our Quality of Work rubric that is
used for many other assignments like this one. Students will also
demonstrate their understanding in the closure activity of relating their
word to another word.
To ensure that my students met the objective I had them all complete the
four-square and participate in the research of their word. I also made
sure that each member of the group spoke at least one time during their
presentation. This ensured that they were being an equal participant in
the work and that they were all responsible for learning the content. The
student work samples revealed that they all participated in the activity.
While some of them had different sentences or rephrased their
definitions differently, they all demonstrated understanding. The purpose
of this activity was to give an introduction to the vocabulary before
going in depth with it. I believe that from the student work samples they
have a basic understanding of the words so that when they come up
throughout the unit, they will already have some background knowledge.
If I were to teach this lesson in the future, I would prepare better
resources for each group. Some groups had an article and a video while
others only had one diagram to base their work off of. If I were to do this
again I would spend more time researching resources for each of the
groups that would make the content clearer. I would also make sure that
I knew the content better because students were asking me questions that
I did not know the answers to.
I strayed away from my lesson plan in my modeling section. I modeled
the word geology instead of geologist. I followed the same steps and
asked the same questions to guide them through it. I also strayed from
my lesson plan during their independent practice. Before I allowed them
to take their four-square pages, I required the groups to conference with
me quickly. After looking at their resources, I asked them to tell me
something they learned about their word. This showed me who had
participated in the research and if they were on the right track. Some
groups I had to send back to watch the video again or look back at the
diagram. This was another form of formative assessment.
I believe that I monitored the process well. I made sure that I sat with
each group and talked to them about their word as they completed their
four-square. On the first two days of the lesson, there were no issues
with the students behaviors. On the final day, the presentations and the
closure, the students behavior became an issue (it was the day after
Halloween). They were very inattentive during the presentations, I
frequently had to stop the group presenting because as I stood in the
back I could see that many students were not paying attention.
My closure activity became a management issue as well. I had the
students stand with their related words groups. The students behavior
became an issue at this point. We were running out of time so I had to
move it along quickly. I had to yell over them to get them to be quiet and
listen to the other groups. If I had had more time, I would have told them
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to find their groups and then listen for the next direction. Then I would
have told them to discuss as a group how their words are related and be
prepared to share. I might have even had each student write this on an
exit slip to turn in. That way I would have ensured that they all
participated and that they all understood the relationship. This activity
did not go as well as I had hoped because of the time issue and student
behavior. But, they understood what was being asked of them and they
found the correct pairs and explained the relationship well.

**Accommodations and Modifications

Students with disabilities may need accommodations or modifications to their educational program to participate in the
general curriculum. Both are essential to consider when planning an equitable educational experience for students with
disabilities. Accommodations refer to changes in how a student learns the material but they do not change knowledge
content. With accommodations, a student receives the SAME education as other children, but the student can access
content or express knowledge in different ways. Modifications refer to changes of what is taught or what students with
disabilities are expected to learn. This may include adaptations made to instruction and assessment that change or
reduce learning expectations. (Please refer to the SLO User Guide and SLO template for additional explanation.)

When completing these two sections, you need to describe, if appropriate, how you will ensure that students will access
the material based on the accommodations or modifications listed within the IEP or 504 plan. There should be a direct
connection within the Anticipatory Set, Instructional Activity, and Closure section of the lesson plan template.

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COOPERSTEIN, J.

APPENDIX A

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COOPERSTEIN, J.

APPENDIX B

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COOPERSTEIN, J.

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