LESSON PLAN FORMAT: C&I 414
West Virginia University Teacher Education
Preservice Teacher (WVU Student): Caitlyn
McFerren
School/Center:Ridgedale Elementary
Grade Level/Age: 4th Grade
Time of Day: 2:00
Subject: Science
Signature for Approval (host teacher):
_______________________________________
Date:4/8
Learning Focus: (What will students learn during this lesson?)
Learning the sequence of the rock cycle through song/movement.
Materials/Media/Technology: [List specific references for music, artwork, websites, books,
etc.]
YouTube video: Rock Cycle Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE3jR_RhxO4&safe=active
SMARTboard
Lyrics print-out
Camera
Gymnasium
Prerequisites: [What should students already know or be able to do to be prepared to engage in
this activity? How will you determine that? What will you need to have prepared prior to the
lesson?]
Students: Students should know the basic vocabulary for the rock cycle. As a class, we have
read about the rock cycle on their Science book and they have completed a rock cycle drawing in
which they had to label the process.
Teacher: I will need to have the lyrics of the song broken into parts, as well as the students split
into the groups in which they will work for the lesson. I will also need to have the video ready to
play.
Learner Differences: [Without identifying individuals, what learning differences - including
special needs and diversity - are present in this class?]
*ADHD
*Learning Disabilities (Pull-out services)
*504 plan for reading
*Behaviors
State Standards & Objectives: [List by number.]
(WE.S.5)
Students will: demonstrate motor skills and movement forms that enhance
physical development that apply to daily living experiences.
(WE.S.6)
Students will: apply concepts and principles of human movement to the
development of motor skills and learning of new skills that apply to daily
living experiences.
SC.O.4.2.33
differentiate between types of rock and describe the rock cycle.
SC.O.4.3.3
observe that changes occur gradually, repetitively, or randomly within the
environment and question causes of change.
MU.O.GM35.4.1
collaborate with others in a musical play.
TH.O.LI.2.1
demonstrate the focus, concentration, observation and believable action
necessary to sustain a character, improvisation or scene.
D.O.LI.1.2
recognize and communicate abstract ideas through movement.
D.O.LI.2.3
understand rhythm and timing as it relates to movement.
D.O.LI.6.1
identify, define and practice elements of choreography.
Objectives: [Specifically, what will students
be able to do?]
The students will:
The students will be able to list the three types
of rocks and the processes that lead to these
changes over time.
(SC.O.4.2.33, SC.O.4.3.3, D.O.LI.1.2)
The students will work with others to make up
movements that go along with the vocabulary
in the song. Students will work together
cooperatively, value each other’s ideas, and
compromise when necessary.
(TH.O.LI.2.1, MU.O.GM3-5.4.1)
Students will use movement to portray the
meaning of the words in the song, specifically
the vocabulary words.
Students will
demonstrate that they are moving in time with
the music.
(D.O.LI.6.1, D.O.LI.2.3, D.O.LI.1.2, (WE.S.6),
Assessment: [How will you know that the
students achieved each objective? What kind
of data collection will you use (writing
samples, photos, videos, etc)? How will you
evaluate the data collected (rubrics, checklists,
etc)? Assessments must match objectives. Be
sure to attach student data, summarized from
student work.]
The teacher will:
Students will show this through the movements
they create that relate to the lyrics of the song,
and the process of the rock cycle. I will
observe this through their performance.
Students will also demonstrate this knowledge
through the group discussion at the end of the
lesson.
As students work in groups, I will be assessing
them through observations which include
walking around monitoring their work,
listening to dialogue between students, and
checking to see if they are staying on task.
As students work, I will observe that the
movements they are designing/practicing
matches the meaning of the lyrics/vocabulary,
as well as that it fits with the timing of the
music. These will also be judged on a rubric.
(WE.S.5)
Procedures:
For each procedure that needs to be modified to accommodate diverse learners in your class,
state explicitly that modification.
Introduction [How will you, the teacher, get students interested in the lesson?]
Include:
 Questions/input to determine student understanding (prior knowledge of selected
concepts)
 How you will engage students in the lesson


How you will introduce the focus task of the lesson and communicate clear expectations
Any specific activities in which you will engage students or discussion formats you will
use (i.e., whole-group discussion, small group, etc.)
1. I will ask students what we talked about yesterday in Science. (The Rock Cycle)
2. I will tell the students that we are going to listen to a song about the rock cycle.
3. Students will be told that they may recognize the song, but this is a “remix”. Ask: Do you
know what it means if a song is a remix? (Students should say something about the words
are going to be different).
4. I will tell the students that the purpose of listening to this song is to learn the process of the
rock cycle. They will be told that they are expected to only sing the rock cycle version of the
lyrics, not the lyrics of “Everybody Talks”, so that the goal of learning the rock cycle is met.
5. I will then play the “Rock Cycle Song” on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE3jR_RhxO4&safe=active This song is a remix of
“Everybody Talks” by Neon Trees. This song will be played on the SMARTboard, with the
version that shows the lyrics.
Instruction/Activities [What will you do? What will students do? Include your teaching
strategies, management strategies, and transitions.]
Include:
 Questions you will ask as students are working on their task to help them focus on the
objectives (e.g., probe their understanding, help them get through a “struggle point”);
 Any specific activities or discussion formats you will use (i.e., whole-group discussion,
small group, etc.)
1. I will split the students into working groups.
2. Each student will have a list of the lyrics and will be told which portion of the lyrics their
group is responsible for making up motions to.
3. The students will be told that the movements they make up need to demonstrate their
knowledge of what the word means. I will ask for examples such as: for “layers” they
can show something being stacked on top of something.
4. Students will be reminded that when we work together, each member needs to be
contributing ideas and that they are expected to compromise if they have conflicting
ideas.
5. I will put the students in strategic areas of the class so that they have room to move
around with their group without distracting other groups.
6. I will walk around the classroom and monitor that students are working well together and
staying on task. I will ask questions such as: How are you demonstrating your
knowledge of the vocabulary? Are there any words you are struggling with? Are
everyone’s ideas being used? Etc.
7. When groups are done, they will be instructed to practice their portions until all groups
are finished.
8. When all the groups are done, the students will come up and perform their movements for
the class while the song plays. When each group has practiced several times, we will
move to the gym and do the entire song as a class.
Closure (How will you bring closure to the lesson?)
Include:
 What do you want to focus on in the discussion? A concept? A procedure? A strategy?
 Questions you will ask to see if they have gained the knowledge, skills, understandings
listed above (include how students will respond to questions so that every child is
accountable);
 How you will have students summarize the main ideas of the lesson.
1. Questions to ask students:
 What is the rock cycle?
 What are the three types of rocks?
 How are metamorphic rocks formed?
 How are igneous rocks formed?
 How are sedimentary rocks formed?
*For each of these questions, students will be prompted to tell me how this song has
helped them remember this (Ex: A certain motion? A line from the song? Etc.)
Self-reflection questions: [Complete after you teach this lesson.]
Based on your reflection on the attached student assessment data, what do you think the
students learned during your lesson, and how do you know? In order to answer this
question, you need to collect data that illustrates the learning of each of your students. Refer
to attach summaries of student data, compiled from student work samples. Please provide
some specific data examples of what students learned, including misunderstandings,
incomplete understandings, etc.


One main thing I noticed the students learned was the vocabulary/science terms used in
the rock cycle. I was able to determine this because the motions they developed to go
with these terms showed that they know the meaning of the words. For example: the
group that had “friction” showed it by coming together as a group and brushing their
arms together. Another example would be “layers” that the group showed by stacking
their arms one on top of the other. A third example would be the group that showed
“lava” by having students kneel down and the other students popping up as if they were
the lava coming out of the volcano.
Describe the feedback you received from your host teacher or any follow-up you had to this
lesson. How will this feedback help you next time you teach?
I discussed this lesson several times with my host teacher, as it took two days. Further,
since it was recorded, we were able to look back at the lesson and reflect. After teaching
the lesson, we decided that recording the entire song in the gym would be beneficial so
that the students could move easily, as our classroom is very tight. We also discussed
how well the students worked together and completed their task, which was a more
“open-ended” activity.

Reflect on your lesson. Your reflection should include some evidence of what was
successful and what you might need to improve in future lessons. What did you
learn…about teaching, about meeting students’ learning needs…about assessing student
learning….about yourself as a teacher? What connections are you making between what
you’ve learned in your coursework (theory) and how practice is currently enacted (how you
are enacting practice) in the real world? How would you like to change the ways we do
school and why? How would you work toward accomplishing some of those changes in your
own future classroom? What went well and how do you know? What would you do
differently the next time you teach this lesson and why?
The main thing I learned during this lesson was how beneficial this type of assessment
can be. When given the task and being specific with the goal, the students showed me
that they knew what the vocabulary words meant. Further, by memorizing the lyrics, I
was able to see that they knew the process of the rock cycle.
Another thing I learned was how beneficial it is to have the students complete engaging
activities. The class I am placed in is known as having the severe behavior issues
through the school. Therefore, behavior is an issue we deal with constantly. However, I
was surprised to see how little I had to talk to the class about their behavior throughout
this lesson. In my opinion, it was because the students were engaged in the lesson and
were able to give up and move (as hyperactivity is a major problem in more traditional
types of activities with many of the students). This was interesting to me because
initially I was nervous to try this type of lesson in the classroom I am currently in.
Therefore, I learned that it is important to try things, as you never know what will or will
not work in each particular class.
One thing I would change in this lesson would be to do more discussion afterwards. For
example, ask each group: how did you show me that you know the vocabulary in your
portion of the dance?

Summarize what you learned about teaching as a result of this experience. What
questions do you now have or what are your wondering about?
I believe the main thing I learned about teaching throughout this experience was the
importance of having an open mind. If I had not given the class a chance to show me that
this type of activity could be beneficial, I would have been missing out on a very positive
thing for them. I will now know that movement and engaging activities may actually go
better than the more traditional methods for this particular class.
“Rock Cycle Song” to the tune of “Everybody Talks”
Created by Mr. Parr
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE3jR_RhxO4&safe=active
Hey weathering, erosion of rocks
Will fall down deposition
Hey many bits and pieces stay
All together they are pushing
Sedimentary rocks will happen all the time
They're squashed in layers, sedimentary rocks
Sedimentary rocks, sedimentary rocks
It started with erosion
Sedimentary layers
And then the heat and pressure
Becoming metamorphic
Rocks from melted magma
Igneous are born in fire
These are the types of Earth rocks
Hot magma rising to surface
Then lava when the air hits
Cools much becoming harder rock
All these rocks are called igneous
Hard rocks, igneous
Igneous rocks, Igneous rocks
Igneous rocks, Earth rocks
It started with erosion
Sedimentary layers
And then the heat and pressure
Becoming metamorphic
Rocks from melted magma
Igneous are born in fire
These are the types of Earth rocks
Whenever rocks get heat and pressure
Then any type of rock is changed away
Hey strata pushed down in the crust
Metamorphic is from friction
Hey changed each and every way
It started with erosion
Sedimentary layers
And then the heat and pressure
Becoming metamorphic
Rocks from melted magma
Igneous are born in fire
These are the types of Earth rocks
Sedimentary rocks
Igneous rocks
Metamorphic rocks
Sedimentary rocks
Igneous rocks
Metamorphic rocks, change
It starts with any rock type
And then travels the cycle
These are types of rocks
These are types of Earth rocks