Lesson Plan Analysis

Kimberly Peterson
EDUC 324
Lesson Plan:
Farm Animals (Cows)
 This is a lesson Plan that I wrote and
implemented back in June for the
summer camp program at the preschool
where I am employed. The lesson was a
part of our two week long, animal
theme, mini-camp. On this day we
focused on farm animals, with an
emphasis on cows. I chose this lesson to
complete my analysis on because I felt
that it was a successful learning
experience for my students due to the
feedback that I received from parents
and my observations of my students
during the lesson.
 https://files.acrobat.com/a/previe
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 The format of the lesson is due to the
electronic daily system, Tadpoles, that
my school utilizes. The four sections
each contain two learning activities, the
Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards
that apply to the activities, a list of the
materials and where to find them, and the
context that the activity will be
completed in (time of day, group setting,
who will be directing the activity, and if
the activity is theme related).
Innovation: Integrated Curriculum

 Because this lesson was implemented in a

Early Childhood setting, an integrated
curriculum was used, as opposed to, a silo
approach. “Integrated curriculum is
thematic curriculum in which students study
broad themes.. .” (Ellis & Bond, 2016, p.
127). This method of curriculum design
allows children to not only develop
developmentally appropriate skills, but also
allows them to observe the connections
between the developmental domains. Each
activity on the lesson plan is related to the  (ASCD, n.d.)
unit theme of animals, as well as the daily
theme of farm animals, with cows being the
focus.
Innovation: Supporting Learning with the
use of Technology
 Field trips allow students to make real world connections to
subject matter and are an effective method of
supplementing classroom instruction. Unfortunately the
logistics of organizing these educational trips can be
difficult. Due to age restrictions, my students are not
permitted to attended field trips unless they are within
walking distance of the school. On the day of this lesson,
our older classes attended a field trip to Merry Mead Farm
to explore how a dairy farm operates. My student were also
able to witness how a dairy farm operates by participating
in a virtual field trip with the assistance of our school’s
Promethean Board. According to the text, How People
Learn, “...technologies also provide access to a vast array of
information, including digital libraries, data for analysis,
and other people who provide information, feedback, and
inspiration.” (Bransford & National Research Council,
2000). By utilizing this technology, my students were able
to hear from experts in their field, and observe real world
situations that applied to what they were learning about in
the classroom.
Innovation: Alternative Assessments

 Assessments are a critical aspect of any lesson plan

because they provide the teacher with information about
the effectiveness of their lesson, as well as the
development of each student. The lesson plan format at my
school does not specify how the students will be assessed.
This is partially due to our belief that authentic
assessments, such as portfolios, observations, and
interviews, provide the most accurate information
regarding the development of our students. “In this process
teachers continually monitor the progress of learning and
coverage of the curriculum.” (Ellis & Bond, 2016, 70).
During each activity I was collecting anecdotal notes,
taking pictures, and setting aside examples of children’s
work to asses their understanding of what had been taught
that day. I use this data to track the progress of my students (University of California, 2008)
to ensure that they are developing at an appropriate rate. If
this information shows that a child may be eligible for
special education services, the authentic assessments will
be used as a form of documentation.
Enhancement: Critical Thinking Skills

 After reviewing this lesson, I realized, that only one of

my learning activities referenced the higher levels of
Bloom’s Taxonomy. In the section titled Building Our
Skills, the Funny Farm File Game had the children
analyzing and comparing shapes to match pictures of
animals to their shadows. By designing lessons that
allow my students to practice these critical thinking
skills, I can help them to become adaptive experts.
“An important question for educators is whether some
ways of organizing knowledge are better at helping
people remain flexible and adaptive to new situations
than others.” (Bransford & National Research
Council, 2000). One way to incorporate these skills
into my lesson would be to have my students
construct the cardboard box cow that we would use to
simulate the milking of a cow. They would be able to
(Rockingham County Schools, n.d.)
apply their knowledge of the anatomy of mammals to
help in completing this task.
Enhancement: Cooperative Learning

 “Cooperative learning takes on many different

forms in classrooms, but all involve students
working in groups or teams to achieve certain
educational goals.” (Ellis & Bond, 2016, p.
106). This lesson does lack this educational
model that has been proven as an effective
method of instruction. One way to accomplish
this goal would be by having my students pair
up to participate in a farm animal theme
dominoes game. Each group would work
together to complete the game by matching the
animals using one to one correspondence. This
activity would not only improve their
classification and matching skills, but it would
also help my students to be able to work with a (Cooperative Learning, n.d.)
peer to complete a common task.
Work Cited

 ASCD. (n.d.). Figure 1.1. The Multidisciplinary Approach. Retrieved from http://
www.ascd.org/publications/books/103011/chapters/What-Is-Integrated-Curriculum¢.aspx
 Bransford, J. D., & National Research Council. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind,
experience, and school [Kindle ].
 Cooperative Learning. (n.d.). Five Basic Elements key to cooperative learning. Retrieved
from https://mobile.twitter.com/coop_learn/status/744835909439332352
 Ellis, A. K., & Bond, J. B. (2016). Research on educational innovations [Kindle ] (5th ed.).
 Rockingham County Schools. (n.d.). Bloom's Revised Taxonomy. Retrieved from https://
www.rock.k12.nc.us/domain/2451
 University of California. (2008). Retrieved from
https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/333119/pages/formative-assessment-purpose-and-
function