This template is used for student-developed lesson plans in upper-level teacher preparation (UED) classes.

Your lesson
plan should be typed directly into this MS Word document. Boxes will expand to fit the amount of text in your plan.

Level II - Teacher Ed Lesson Plan Template (UED Courses)

Teacher (Candidate): Elizabeth Flannagan Grade-Level: 3 Lesson Date: 02/17/23

Title of Lesson: Food Chain Cooperating Teacher:

Core Components
Subject, Content Area, or Topic
Science
Student Population
24 Students
10 Girls
14 Boys
Learning Objectives
The student will be able to identify which way energy flows in a food chain, as well as the
difference between composer, producer, and a decomposer.

The student will work on researching and creating their own food chain with their group

Virginia Standard(s) of Learning (SOL)

SCI.3.5.3 Differentiate among producers, consumers and decomposers and identify examples of each within
aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

(SOL 3.5 b)

SCI.3.5.4 Construct and analyze a food chain model to explain the relationships and the source and flow of
energy within an ecosystem. (SOL 3.5 b)

VDOE Technology Standards

English Language Proficiency Standards (WIDA Standards)

Materials/Resources
Chromebooks
Science Jeopardy (https://jeopardylabs.com/play/6283dc7175)

High Yield Instructional Strategies Used (Marzano, 2001)

Check if Used Strategy Return
X Identifying Similarities & Differences 45%
X Summarizing & Note Taking 34%
X Reinforcing Efforts & Providing Recognition 29%
Homework & Practice 28%
Nonlinguistic Representations 27%
X Cooperative Learning 23%
Setting Goals & Providing Feedback 23%
McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers. Revised February 2021
This template is used for student-developed lesson plans in upper-level teacher preparation (UED) classes. Your lesson
plan should be typed directly into this MS Word document. Boxes will expand to fit the amount of text in your plan.

Generating & Testing Hypothesis 23%

X Questions, Cues, & Advanced Organizers 22%
Does your instructional input & modeling yield the positive returns you want for your students?
Check if Used Strategy Return
Teach Others/Immediate Use of Learning 95%
X Practice by Doing 75%
X Discussion 50%
Demonstration 30%
Audio Visual 20%
X Reading 10%
Lecture 05%
Safety Considerations
Students should go on student safe websites

Time
(min.) Process Components
5 min *Anticipatory Set
TTW transition the lesson from small group to science by saying things such as “Wrap up
what it is you are working on”

TTW then explain that the students will be constructing their own food chain during
science

TSW continue to work on their food chain from the day before
1 min *State the Objectives (grade-level terms)
I can explain how a food chain works.
I can create my own food chain.

20 *Instructional Input, Modeling, or Procedures

min TUESDAY (02/14/23)

3 min *Check for Understanding

TTW ask the students if they have any questions so far:

Questions for discussion:

- What have we been learning about so far during science?
- What is a non-living thing? Give one example.
- What is a living thing? Give one example.
- What does aquatic mean?
- What does terrestrial mean?
- What is a producer?
- What is a consumer?
- What is a decomposer?
- What is a food chain?
What is a population?
20 *Guided Practice
min WEDNESDAY (02/15/23) (TTW show the students different animals they can choose from
(Puffin, Otter, Elk, stingray, Toucan, salamander, poison dart frog)
McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers. Revised February 2021
This template is used for student-developed lesson plans in upper-level teacher preparation (UED) classes. Your lesson
plan should be typed directly into this MS Word document. Boxes will expand to fit the amount of text in your plan.

TTW explain to the students that they are going to get an animal (they will choose).
Once they have their animal, TTW then show the students and explain where their animal
is on the food chain.

TTW “Your Animal is not a producer or a decomposer. I want you to figure out where on
the food chain your animal is.”

As the TTW explains this, TTW pull up the animal of their choosing for the students to
demonstrate on (For example, a puffin)

TTW then will go on https://factanimal.com/ and show students where they would look for
their animal diet.

TTW explain that TSW needs to create their own food chain from the producer to their
animal to what eats their animal at the very top.

TTW pass out paper to the students to write down what their animal eats to then what
producers they eat as well as what eats their animal.)
20 *Independent Practice
min THURSDAY (02/16/23)
(TTW instruct the students to continue to work on their research of their animal with their
group from the day before.

TSW work on their Chromebooks as well as write down their first food web. If they
finished their first food web, then work on their second food web and so forth).

TSW present their findings on Friday)

20 Assessment
min TTW have the students present their findings on their animals that they were given to
work on to the whole class.

As an exit ticket, TTW have the students play Science Jeopardy that helps to review
everything that they have learned in science over the past three to four weeks.
1 min *Closure
TTW close the lesson by asking the students what they worked on and by collecting their
papers that they have been working on.

TTW then transition to dismissal.

Differentiation Strategies (e.g. enrichment, accommodations, remediation, learning style, multi-cultural).

If there is enough time, TTW have the students working on their academic remediation work that
they need to do, or students can read.

Classroom Management Strategies (To ensure a positive learning environment).

TTW say things such as “Flat tire go Shhhhhh” to get students attention.
TTW use the point system to reward students and take away points for those who misbehave.
If a student complains, then they get a boring animal to work on by themselves. (Not just a one-
time complaint)

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers. Revised February 2021
This template is used for student-developed lesson plans in upper-level teacher preparation (UED) classes. Your lesson
plan should be typed directly into this MS Word document. Boxes will expand to fit the amount of text in your plan.

Lesson Reflection. To be completed following the lesson. Did your students meet the objective(s)? What
parts of the lesson would you change? Why? (Professor will determine if reflection goes here or in written report).

*Denotes Madeline Hunter lesson plan elements.

Candidate Signature Cooperating Teacher Signature Date

Signatures indicate the candidate presented the lesson for cooperating teacher review and input.

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers. Revised February 2021
This template is used for student-developed lesson plans in upper-level teacher preparation (UED) classes. Your lesson
plan should be typed directly into this MS Word document. Boxes will expand to fit the amount of text in your plan.

I created this lesson plan based on the food chain information the students needed to know

for the SOLs. My teaching philosophy is based on engaging students to be excited about learning.

I created this science lesson plan around that mindset. For students to learn about food chains,

there must be some hands-on activities for them to experiment with. According to David Haury,

“The benefit of hands-on learning is that students remember the material taught.” (Perspectives of

Hands-On Science Teaching). This is the mindset that I developed my lesson around. As the same

article mentions, “Students are empowered in their learning process.” (Perspectives of Hands-On

Science Teaching).

When developing this lesson, I differentiated based on the different animals the students

would choose. There were eight groups of three, each with their animal. The students worked

together to figure out what the animal ate and worked their way down to the producer. Then, they

would work their way up to the apex predator. The students would then draw a food chain to

showcase their work. Different aspects of learning were used during this lesson. The first was

reading and writing used. Students would get on their Chromebooks, research their animal

(reading), and then report their information (writing) on a giant posted note their information

(writing). The next learning style was visual. The students would create a food chain with their

animal, the living things the animal ate, and the living thing that ate their animal on a giant posted

note. The students would present their findings to the class. The last learning style is kinaesthetic.

For kinaesthetic learners, I had everyone move around the classroom instead of having students

sit at their seats and work on their research. Students were lying on the ground, standing up, and

moving around the classroom.

I also developed mentally appropriate instruction by following the Standards of Learning

Curriculum. I also worked on lesson plans with my CT on where the students would be. I also used

the data I collected from the previous lesson and followed along with it. The last lesson before this

had the students digitally put together a food chain as a group. It allowed the students to see the

producer and the different levels of the consumers. This lesson followed the previous lesson;

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers. Revised February 2021
This template is used for student-developed lesson plans in upper-level teacher preparation (UED) classes. Your lesson
plan should be typed directly into this MS Word document. Boxes will expand to fit the amount of text in your plan.

however, it was more student-centered, where the students discovered more about the other food

chains. The hands-on activity had them up and moving around and working together to create their

food chain with their group.

Their “exit ticket” was a jeopardy game that reviewed everything taught to food chains. The

game is how I collected data for their understanding of food chains and other information from

science lessons that I prepared.

My faith grew while teaching this lesson. During the lesson, I was tested in my patience.

However, God showed up during the lesson through the students. One of the things in the lesson I

was worried about was the jeopardy game. However, while it didn’t go as smoothly as I wanted it

to, God showed up through the student’s excitement and how the students acted.

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers. Revised February 2021
This template is used for student-developed lesson plans in upper-level teacher preparation (UED) classes. Your lesson
plan should be typed directly into this MS Word document. Boxes will expand to fit the amount of text in your plan.

Resources:

Haury, D. L. & Rillero, P. (1994). Perspectives of Hands-On Science Teaching. Columbus, OH:

ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers. Revised February 2021