GT Differentiated Model Lesson
Grade Level:
Subject Area(s):
TEKS/Student Expectations:
2nd
__ Reading, Writing
_X Science
2.9 Organisms and Environments
__ Mathematics
__ Social Studies
4th 9 Weeks
The student knows that living organisms have basic needs that must be met for
Essential Question(s):
them to survive within their environment.
How do living things depend on their environments and their structures to stay
 2.9(A) identity the basic needs of plants and animals
alive?*
 2.9(B) identify factors in the environment, including temperature and
What changes do organisms go through in their life cycles?*
precipitation, that affect growth and behavior such as migration,
Why do organisms resemble their parents?*
hibernation, and dormancy of living things
 2.9(C) compare and give examples of the ways living organisms depend
* Taken directly from CRM.
on each other and on their environments such as food chains within a
Assessment(s):
garden, park, beach, lake, and wooded area
_X Pre-Assessment
_X Formative
_X Summative
1.10 Organisms and Environments
The student knows that organisms resemble their parents and have structures
and processes that help them survive within their environments.
 2.10(A) observe, record, and compare how the physical characteristics
and behaviors of animals help them meet their basic needs such as fins
help fish move and balance in the water
 2.10(B) observe, record, and compare how the physical characteristics
of plants help them meet their basic needs such as stems carry water
throughout the plant
 2.10(C) investigate and record some of the unique stages that insects
undergo during their life cycle
GT Scope and Sequence Skills:
Student Learning Styles:
Elements of Depth and Complexity:
_X Creative Thinking
_X Auditory
_X Language of the Discipline
__Ethical Considerations
_X Critical Thinking
_X Visual/Spatial
_X Details
_X Unanswered Questions
_X Communication
_X Kinesthetic
_X Patterns
_X Over Time
__ Research
_X Other: Written
_X Trends
__ Different Perspectives
__ Rules
_X Big Ideas
Lessons and Activities
_X Whole Class
_X Small Group
__ Independent Activity
Whole Class: Begin a KWL chart with the students about plants and what they need to grow and survive.
Discuss with students that plants need four different things to grow, showing them a picture of these things. Have
KWL Chart/Board
Color cards (blue "water"; yellow
"sun"; one white "air"; and brown
"soil")
Advanced Academic Services
Austin Independent School District
students discuss each of these four things and create a hand motion or gesture to go with each one.
Watering can
Find an area to create a play space. The area should be large enough for everyone to have space, but also small enough
so that some students need to be close together. The area should have boundaries.
Have students “freeze” where they are, rooted in place like plants. Explain that since they are plants, they cannot
move. Throw the colored cards out randomly inside the boundaries. When you say “go”, students will pick up four
different colored cards: 1-yellow (sun); 1-blue (water); 1- brown (soil); 1 white (air)- without moving their feet. Ask
students if they know what each color represents and have them share with the group. Record what each card
represents on a board or chart.
Flats for planting seeds
Radish seeds
Soil
Have students hold up the cards they were able to acquire. If they were not able to pick up all four colors, they did not
survive to the next round. They step out of the play area, and they can help collect cards.
Continue playing until there is only 1 winner. The game can be repeated.
Discuss with the students how important each of the four needs are to the survival of the plants.
Have students help plant radish seed in two flats. Help students space out the seeds evenly. Place one flat in a sunny
place. Place the other in a dark area indoors, like a closet or cabinet. Have students help water both flats. Make sure
they get equal amounts of water.
Watch each flat grow and make comparisons along the way. Students can record these observations in a journal or
record. Discuss with the students the differences between the flats that they have observed/recorded.
GT Level: Students will work in small groups to create a list of “What if…” questions about the plants in the flats.
Encourage students to think about changes beyond the survival of the plants when missing any of the four main
elements (air, water, soil, sun.) Explore with students the concepts of drought, flooding, cold weather and other
climate changes. How do these affect the survival of the plants over time? What real-life situations have the students
observed or experienced with plants? How could the students manipulate the environment they created with the
radish flats. Allow students to create short media presentations about their “What If” questions to share with other
groups.
Whole Class: Review with students the four things plants need to grow and why the plants in the closet didn’t grow.
Have students add to their Plant K-W-L chart what they learned.
*Adapted from “What Plants Needs,” The Hidden Villa Classroom
Advanced Academic Services
Austin Independent School District
Collaborative Work Skills : Process Assessment
CATEGORY
Consistently
Occasionally
Often
Struggles with Expectations
Problem-solving
Actively looks for and
suggests solutions to
problems.
Refines solutions
suggested by others.
Does not suggest or
refine solutions, but is
willing to try out
solutions suggested by
others.
Does not try to solve problems
or help others solve problems.
Allows others do the work.
Focus on the task
Contributions
Consistently stays
Focuses on the task and Focuses on the task and Rarely focuses on the task and
focused on the task and what needs to be done what needs to be done what needs to be done. Allows
what needs to be done. most of the time. Other some of the time. Other
others do the work.
Very self-directed.
group members can
group members may
count on this person.
sometimes remind to
keep this person on-task.
Routinely provides
Usually provides useful
Sometimes provides
useful ideas when
ideas when participating
useful ideas when
participating in the
in the group and in
participating in the
group and in classroom classroom discussion. A group and in classroom
discussion. A definite
strong group member discussion. A satisfactory
leader who contributes
who tries hard.
group member who does
a lot of effort.
what is required.
Rarely provides useful ideas
when participating in the
group and in classroom
discussion. May refuse to
participate.
Product Assessment
During the 1st nine weeks rubrics for “Product Assessment” were provided as models. However, these generic rubrics do not take into account the specific
expectations you have established with regard to student products. For this reason, you are encouraged to design your own rubric. Below are useful links to
support your use of rubrics in the classroom: RubiStar: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/; Teachnology: http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/rubrics/; Rubrics
for Teachers: http://www.rubrics4teachers.com/
Advanced Academic Services
Austin Independent School District