Lesson Plan II for Unit on Trees and Seasons

Sarah Kincaid
Ivy Elementary School, Portland, OR

SIOP Features Background

Students will use identification guides, make crayon rubbings of
their tree leaf/needle samples, and make their own simple ID
book of their findings. Students will describe in writing the
difference between evergreen and deciduous trees.

English Proficiency Level: Speech Emergent

Grade: 2
Subject: Language Arts
Standards (from ODE):
Research to Build and Present Knowledge (2.W.7, 2.W.8).
Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a
number of books on a single topic to produce a report; record
science observations).

Recall information from experiences or gather information from

provided sources to answer a question.

Preparation
Content and Language Content Objectives: Students will participate in shared research
Objectives using books and observations. They will recall information and
read provided sources in order to each produce an independent
report.
Language Objectives: Students will read in non-fiction
identification books, they will discuss their research with their
group, they will write their findings in their tree id book.
Supplementary Materials Materials: National Audubon Society Field Guide to Trees (North
America), blank booklets of white paper, crayons, sample
completed personal tree ID book, tree samples for practice.
Key Vocabulary Key Vocabulary: identification, evergreen, deciduous, Fall,
Winter, Spring, Summer

Motivation
Interaction: class, pairs
Look at their favorite tree drawings from the previous lesson and
Link to past learning discuss and guess the type of tree. Show a finished sample of a
personal tree id book. Class discussion of the previous lesson’s
Scaffolding: Modeling
walking field trip, pairs break away to answer questions (“If a
deciduous tree has no leaves in Winter, what do you think the
 tree is doing? Does it remind you of anything else?”)
Learning Strategies:
higher order thinking
Presentation
Interaction: class and Use the Squeepers method to introduce the students to how an
group discussion
ID book works and theorize how it might help. Preview the ID
Scaffolding: Modeling book as a class and discuss its function. Model use of book with
a tree sample, then break students into groups with a sample to
Application of content and
language knowledge try and look up. Finish with additional discussion as a class, and
share results, with groups helping one another. Using a tree
Practice/Application: sample, describe and then model how to do the tree rubbings
Hands on activity
with crayon.

Scaffolding: grouping Practice and Application

patterns with diverse
proficiency In groups, have students work together to sort and identify their
samples using the National Audubon Society Field Guide to
Language Skills: Trees (North America). Students will use crayons to make leaf
speaking, reading,
listening, writing and needle rubbings. Students will then combine their work into
their own personal tree ID book, matching each rubbing with
Feedback and each tree’s identification. The instructor will circulate and assess
Assessment
progress and provide feedback.

Comprehensible Input: Review/Assessment

word cloud
Create a word cloud to hang in the classroom for future
Emphasizing content- reference. Meet as a group to present and share completed
related vocab. books. Revisit the drawings of favorite trees from Lesson I and
Strategies: ID them using new skills, then add their tree to their personal ID
social/affective books.
Knowledge application