UMF Secondary Education Lesson Plan/Learning Event Template

Name: Iris Morgan Program: Student Course: CP Biology

Teaching

Unit Topic: Succession

Lesson Topic / Title: Quiz/ Succession in my Backyard

Lesson Date: 10-18-21 Lesson Length: 70 minutes Grade/Grade Range: 10

Learning Objectives & Content Standard Alignment - Selects, creates, and sequences learning
experiences and performance tasks that support learners in reaching rigorous curriculum goals based
on content standards and desired understandings.

Learning Objective(s) Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

-Quiz -Summative assessment of the vocabulary
words and identifying the different type of
succession when presented with a picture and
a description.

-Learn about primary succession and secondary -Showing students succession in the natural
succession in previously identified outdoor locations. setting will help make the abstract ideas of
succession tangible.

Content Standard(s) Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

-Curriculum for the 10th grade science classes

HS-LS2-6 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and
Dynamics Evaluate claims, evidence, and
reasoning that the complex interactions in
ecosystems maintain relatively consistent
numbers and types of organisms in stable
conditions, but changing conditions may result
in a new ecosystem.
-It is important for students to recognize the different
ways that ecosystems change and progress. These
changes often result in new ecosystems. It is
important that students understand what
disturbances like a forest fire, or a hurricane will do
to ecosystems.
Assessment - Uses assessment flexibly to expand and deepen understanding of learner performance
and determines best supports for continued learner growth.

Assessments Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

Quiz -Summative assessment . Students
demonstrate they have the knowledge to match
vocabulary words with their definition, and
identify a picture and description of the picture
as either primary succession, or secondary
succession.
Succession in My Backyard -Informal formative assessment. Students
demonstrate the ability to use the knowledge
they just used on the quiz in a real life, outdoor
situation.

Instructional Materials and Resources - Stays current in content knowledge and expands expertise in
reviewing instructional materials from the perspectives of both the discipline and individual learner
needs.

Materials, Resources, and / or Technology Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

-Quiz -Formative assessment. Students demonstrate

knowledge of vocabulary words for this unit and
the ability to identify an environmental situation
as primary succession or secondary
succession.
-Succession in my Backyard -Students demonstrate knowledge they just
used on the quiz in a real world, outdoor
situation.

Instructional Methods: Selects, creates, and sequences learning experiences and performance tasks
by using a variety of instructional approaches, strategies, and technologies that make learning
accessible to all learners and support learners in reaching rigorous curriculum goals.
(Include any documents associated with the plan: graphic organizers, sets of questions, sample
problems, activity directions, content knowledge reference notes, etc.)

Teaching and Learning Sequence Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

-Welcome students and take attendance.(2mins)
-Quiz(15 mins average, but students will be allowed as much time
as they need to complete the quiz)
-Succession in my Backyard(40 minutes)
-Start class off on a positive note. Talking with students
builds positive relationships.
-Summative assessment. Students demonstrate they have
the knowledge of the vocabulary words in this unit to match
the words to their definition. Students will also identify
pictures and their brief description as either primary
succession, or secondary succession.
-Students love the opportunity to learn in a setting that is
 outside of the traditional classroom. This opportunity to go
outside for the remainder of the class will be greatly
appreciated. This outing provides the opportunity for
students to demonstrate their knowledge acquired in the
classroom in an outdoor, real world setting. Three
locations pre-selected by me are 1) the track 2) the
swampy area on the back side of the soccer field where
primary and secondary succession are both evident from
the area where the track meets the grass to the forest 3)
the large rock that is covered in lichen.
-Return to the classroom (10 mins)
- Return to the classroom. Discuss what the students saw,
and if it was helpful to see the knowledge in a real life
setting. Remind the students to place masks back on, and
use “inside voices” as they reenter the school.

Meeting students’ needs (differentiation, extensions, Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

modifications, accommodations)
-Allow as much time as needed to finish the quiz -The quiz is a demonstration of knowledge, not a timed
activity

-Make sure all students are writing down the location, and
specifics noted that make esch outside location either primary or
secondary succession
-Allow as much time as needed for students to
write down the specifics for each location.
There will be verbal practice of pronunciation of
the vocabulary words.

-As these students are sophomores in college

preparatory classes most do not have the need
for any accommodations, but the above are
good educational practice.

Field Courses Only – Post lesson

Reflection
Taking the classes outside was a great idea. Showing them the succession that was
spoken of in the classroom in the outdoors cemented those abstract ideas into concrete
ideas for them. They will remember going outside, and the lessons that they learned
while they were out of the traditional classroom. It was nice as the teacher to see the
students with the freedom to interact in the groupings they choose to be in, not the
seating chart I have forced them into in the classroom. I was able to see who was
friends with whom, and who avoided being near each other. As much as the students
learned, I learned an equal amount from watching their interactions.
The first class I took outside fell into confusion when I told them the location, and
thought they could fill in the rest of the paper on their own. I was wrong, and had to
quickly refocus the class when they all began asking questions and I had to start again
with my modified expectations. My modifications significantly lowered my expectations
for the second beginning of this activity, I then began again. I told them the number we
would be using to reference each location, what to call it, and where to write those
answers on the paper. I asked for the type of succession we were looking at, and told
them where to write it on the paper. I then asked for what examples they were seeing
that let them know what type of succession they were seeing, and after they had given
me more examples than I needed for an answer to that question I told them to pick 4
from the list they had just given me, and the location on the sheet of where to write those
answers. The second approach to this activity went a lot smoother than the original did.

Teaching Standards and Rationale

Standard # 1 Learner Development Essential Knowledge: The teacher understands
how students learn and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development
vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and
physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and
challenging learning experiences. Essential Knowledge: 1(d) Understands how
learning occurs – how learners construct knowledge, acquire skills, and develop
disciplined thinking processes – and knows how to use instructional strategies that
promote student learning.
Rationale- The scaffolding that occurred in the previous lessons to introduce the
students to first the vocabulary words in this unit, then the basic descriptions of what
construes both primary succession and secondary succession, then pictures of primary
and secondary succession, and finally the real life examples of primary and secondary
succession illustrates how scaffolding should work. Use of scaffolding in this way shows
I understand and utilize that knowledge to plan class lessons using instructional
strategies that promote student learning.
Standard #2 Learning Differences The teacher uses understanding of individual
differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning
environments that allow each learner to reach his/her full potential. Performance: 2(a)
Designs, adapts, and delivers instruction to address each student’s diverse learning
strengths and needs and creates opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning
in different ways.
Rationale- Some students do not learn at their optimum potential in the traditional
classroom. Changing the learning setting to the outdoors the students are exposed to
the real world, hands on examples of what has been taught in the inside classroom
setting. Changing the location of the lesson helped different students demonstrate that
they have learned the information they needed to learn.
Standard #9 Reflection and Continuous Growth The teacher is a reflective
practitioner who uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the
effects of his/her choices and actions on others (students, families, and other
professionals in the learning community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each
learner.
In discussion with the students on the way back to the classroom, after the outside
lesson, most students expressed that the activity helped to reaffirm the information they
had been presented in the classroom setting. Critical Dispositions: 9 (l) Takes
responsibility for student learning and uses ongoing analysis and reflection to improve
planning and practice.
Rationale- In recognizing that the way I had originally rolled out the lesson resulted in
pandemonium, I needed to think quickly to get the class back under control. I took
responsibility, and immediately set about improving this lesson. By explicitly telling the
students where to write the items on the note taking sheet, the observation location
number, what it was to be called, and verbally generating a list of the observations
noted, and telling the students to select 4 to write on the sheet, the second roll out went
much smoother. The students were more attentive, engaged, and enjoyed the
opportunity to be outside.
Standard #7 Planning for Instruction The teacher draws upon knowledge of content
areas, cross-disciplinary skills, learners, the community, and pedagogy to plan
instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals. Essential
Knowledge:7 (l) Knows when and how to adjust plans based on assessment
information and learner responses.
Rationale- In recognizing that the way I had originally rolled out the lesson resulted in
pandemonium, I needed to think quickly to get the class back under control. I took
responsibility, and immediately set about improving this lesson. By explicitly telling the
students where to write the items on the note taking sheet, the observation location
number, what it was to be called, and verbally generating a list of the observations
noted, and telling the students to select 4 to write on the sheet, the second roll out went
much smoother. The students were more attentive, engaged, and enjoyed the
opportunity to be outside.