Unit/Lesson Plan Title: Silly Circus
PethelKatherine
Primary Subject
Integrated Subjects
Grade Level(s)
Length of Unit
Research Sources
Force and Motion
Math, Language Arts, Writing
Kindergarten
14 school days
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Unit Summary
Students will learn words to describe positions of an object. Students
will then use a circus theme to explore various types of movement.
Various stations will be set up to help students further explore
movement of circus objects and organisms and how they are effected
by position.
Key Vocabulary
•position
•movement/motion
•in
•out
•in front of
•behind
•between
•on top of
•under
•above
•below
•beside
•straight
•zig zag
•round and round
•back and forth
•fast and slow
Thursday, May 9, 2013 7:49:55 AM ET
NC Essential Standards For K.P.1 Understand the positions and K.P.1.1 Compare the relative
Science
motions of objects and organisms positions of various objects
observed in the environment.
observed in the classroom and
outside using position words such
as: in front of, behind, between, on
top of, under, above, below, and
beside.
K.P.1.2 Give examples of different
ways objects and organisms move
(to include falling to the ground
when dropped):
• straight
• zig zag
• round and round
• back and forth
• fast and slow
Commor Core Standards for (Counting and Cordinality) Standard K.CC.6 Identify whether the
Mathematics
number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to
the number of objects in another group.
(Measurement and Data) Standard K.MD.1 Describe measureable
attributes of objects, such as length or weight. Describe several
measureable attributes of a single object.
(Measurement and Data) Standard K.MD.3 Classify objects into
different categories; count the number of objects in each category and
sort the number of categories by count.
Common Core Standards for K.RL.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about
ELA & Literacy
key details in a text.
K.RL.2 With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key
details.
K.RL.3 With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and
major events.
K.RL.4 Ask and answer questions about unknown words in texts.
K.RL.10 Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and
understanding.
K.RF.4 Read emergent-reader texts with purpose and understanding.
K.W.2 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose
informative/exploratory texts in which they name what they are writing
about and supply some information about a topic.
K.W.7 Participate in shared research and writing projects.
K.W.8 With guidance and support from adults, recall information from
experiences or gather informaton from provided sources to answer a
question.
K.L.5.d Distinguish shades of meaning amoung verbs describing the
same general action by acting out the meanings.
PethelKatherine
Thursday, May 9, 2013 7:49:55 AM ET
PethelKatherine
Essential Questions
• I can describe the difference between positional words.
• I can describe the position of an object by comparing it to another
object.
• I can describe where an object is in relation to another object.
• I can understand different ways that living and non living things move.
• I can observe and describe all kinds of moving things.
• I can ask questions about how different living things move.
Materials & Resources
Day 1
Day 2-3
•pre assessment (checklist, 1/child) •groups of 3-4 kids
•clown activity materials
•three toy cars/group
•two pompoms/child of
•science journal
various colors
•box of blocks or slightly heavy
•construction paper of
objects
various colors (2/child)
•3-4 cylindars (need to be harder
•1 paper plate/child
than cardboard)
•science notebook
•Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy E.
•Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Shaw
Oxenbury
•swim noodles (enough for each
•ActivBoard & “Movement” flipchart group)
•circus characters template
•marbles (enough for each group)
•circus tent template
•Activboard & “Movement” flipchart
•scissors
•glue
•crayons
Day 4
Day 5-6
•post assessment (checklist,
•groups of 3-4 kids
1/child)
•science journal
•Silly Circus Kindergarten Kit
•large circular target taped on floor
(enough circles for each group to
have one in various areas of the
room)
•objects (bean bag, ball, cube,
sock, styrofoam cone)
•5-6 foot line made on floor with
tape (enough lines for each group
to have one, in different areas of
the room)
•Silly Sally by Audrey Wood
•scissors
•glue
Thursday, May 9, 2013 7:49:55 AM ET
Safety Requirements
PethelKatherine
Thursday, May 9, 2013 7:49:55 AM ET
Day 7
•10 groups of students
•science journal
•thread spool
•golf ball
•wooden cone
•pine cone
•slinky
•string with paperclip tied to end
•globe
•spinning top
•balance
•yoyo
•pencil, crayons
Listening skills
Following directions
Day 8
•10 groups of students
•science journal
•various objects (paper clip, small
magnets, string/yarn, swimming
noodles, cylinders, balance, linking
cubes, balls, marbles, hula hoops,
3D shape blocks, tape, pipe
cleaners, etc. )
•post assessment
Activities/Procedures
• Essential Question
• Explore/Engage
• Explain
• Elaborate (Inquiry)
• Evaluate
PethelKatherine
Thursday, May 9, 2013 7:49:55 AM ET
Day 1
Essential Questions:
I can describe the position of an object in relation to another object.
Explore/Engage:
1. Begin by opening the flipchart called “Movement.” As a class discuss
the first picture of the circus and have students describe what they
see using position words.
2. Students will be pre assessed on position words individually using a
checklist and various objects to represent each position word.
3. Students will complete the position activity where they will make
clowns:
* On a paper plate, students will be asked to draw the eyes
and mouth of their clown. Teacher will ask students to glue a
pompom (nose) between the eyes and mouth.
* Students will trace two hands on colored paper and cut them
out. Teacher will give instructions to glue the hands behind
the plate (hair).
* Students will choose a color of construction paper and draw a
large triangle (hat). Teacher will tell students to glue the hat
between the hands on the front of the paper plate.
* Students will glue a pompom to the top of the hat.
Explain:
1. Teacher will read Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury.
Students will list position words.
2. The teacher will record these position words on the ActivBoard
flipchart (“Movement”).
Evaluate:
1. Students will be given the circus tent and circus characters
templates. Cut out each character. Teacher will give oral directions for
placing characters on circus tent using position words.
2. Science journals will be checked for understanding.
Day 2- 3
Essential Questions:
•I can describe objects in relation to another object.
•I can understand how the placement of objects can impact their
movement.
Explore/Engage:
1. Students will explore the placement and movement of various
objects:
a. in front/behind/between- using three cars lined up how does
pushing one car influence the movement of the other cars. Label
which car was in front, between and behind by coloring the cars
in their science notebooks.
b. moving a box of blocks with pinky vs. moving with wooden
cylinders underneath. Discuss how each moved.
Explain:
1. Discuss with students how the position and movements of each of
the objects influenced the movement of other objects.
2. Explain to students how position can influence movement. Read
Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy E. Shaw. Discuss how the position of
objects and characters allowed for movement of other objects in the
book.
3. On the “Movement” flipchart use the pictures of various objects in
motion and as a class discuss how the positions of these objects
influenced their motions.
(Second Day)
Elaborate/Inquiry
How does location effect the movement of an object?
Students will place a ramp (swimming noodle) in a location that allows
for a marble to move the longest distance. (desk vs. ground, tile vs.
carpet, etc.)
Evaluate:
Sudents will draw their ramps in their science notebook. Students will
discuss the placement of each object and how it impacted the
movement of the marble. Science journals will be checked at the end of
the lab.
Day 4
•Post assessment: checklist
•Students will work independently on “Silly Circus Kindergarten Kit”
while being assessed individually.
PethelKatherine
Thursday, May 9, 2013 7:49:55 AM ET
Day 5-6
pre assessment
Walk the Tight Rope
Essential Questions:
I can enderstand how objects move.
Explore/Engage:
1. Make a hypothesis by circling the objects they think will land and
stay inside of the target.
2. Standing, hold each object above the circle target and drop.
3. Using the pictures of each object in your science journals, place
each picture in the proper classification based on whether the object
landed in the target or did not.
Explain:
1. Discuss similarities of objects that stayed and did not stay. Make
conclusions as a class for why these objects stayed or did not stay.
2. Explain how object shape can effect the movement of an object. In
relation to the circus theme, students will have to use this idea in
relationship to their bodies as they become “tight rope walkers” on
the second day of this activity.
(Second Day)
Elaborate:
1. Read Silly Sally by Audrey Wood.
2. A straight line of tape five feet long will be made on the floor.
3. Students will be given a list of ways that a person can move.
4. Students will hypothesize what movements will allow them to stay on
the line the best in their science notebooks.
5. Students will record their findings in their science notebooks and
discuss what similiarities there were in movements that allowed
them to stay on the line and the movements that caused them to fall
off the line.
Evaluate:
Science notebooks will be checked for understanding.
PethelKatherine
Thursday, May 9, 2013 7:49:55 AM ET
Day 7
Essential Questions: I can compare how objects move.
Explore/Engage:
1. Students will be divided into ten groups.
2. Various stations will be set up around the room with a different object
at each station. Students will travel to each station for 2 minutes at
each station.
3. Students will make these objects move.
4. Students will group the objects with other objects that move similarly.
5. Record these classifications in the science notebook by drawing
each object in the correct box.
Explain
1. Discuss how the objects were grouped.
2. Discuss similiarities about these objects.
3. Explain how shape effects the movement of an object.
(Elaboration/Evaluation on Days 8-10)
Day 8-10
Elaborate:
Day 8:
1. Students will choose various objects to make a circus stunt using the
movement of their objects.
2. Students will record the objects they chose in their science journal.
3. Students will move the objects and record how they move in their
journal.
4. Students will begin planning their circus stunt using thier objects.
Day 9:
Students will continue to create their circus stunt.
Day 10:
Students will come together and share their circus stunts as a class.
The attached circus ticket can be given at the beginning for fun.
Accommodations for
Differentiated Instruction
PethelKatherine
Thursday, May 9, 2013 7:49:55 AM ET
Evaluate:
Post assessment
Students will work in mixed ability groups of 2-4 students during the
entire unit. Extension acitivities will be available to students who finish
early. Modified assignments can be made for students of lower ability
groups.
Cross Curricular
Integration
Created by
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Supporting Documents
PethelKatherine
Thursday, May 9, 2013 7:49:55 AM ET
•This is a great writing activity where each student will describe how
they would look as a clown: Clown Extension.
•Here is a cute song idea: Clown Songs Lyrics.
• Lab Aids Forces and Motion Kit (this kit includes an activity where
students create a circus train using what they know about position and
weight)
•Make a class graph of how each object moved in the activity from
Day 7.
• These are extension activities that can be used if children finish early
during any of the activities: Extension Activities.
Tina Lash (lashtl@rss.k12.nc.us)
Katherine Pethel (pethelkj@rss.k12.nc.us)
Position Words Science
Circus
“Silly Circus”
pre/post
Notebook
Characters (to Packet
assessment
accompany
Science
Movement pre/
Notebook)
Clown Craft
post assessment Circus Tickets Extension
Activities
example