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AWESOME ADAPTATIONS:
USING 4TH GRADE SCIENCE
VOCABULARY
JENNIFER MOLFESE
March 18, 2010
TAP Meeting
Learning Experience Focus Question
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The focus questions of this learning experience are:
How can I improve my rubric?
How could I extend this learning experience (grade level, subject)?
Buffalo Public School #3
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Located on the West Side of Buffalo
PK-8 Building
Over 750 students
7 Spanish Bilingual Classes (K-6)
Servicing over 200 ESL Students
Grade Level/Ability of Students
4
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The work was completed by students in a fourth
grade classroom in an urban school district.
24 students total
12 girls
12 boys
6 students receive consultant teacher services
4 students receive speech
7 students receive ESL services
Time Frame
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Three 30 – 45 minute sessions
This learning experience takes more time to
prepare before teaching than during or after.
The pre-planning includes gathering all student
materials, and creating student work packets.
Daily planning includes time to gather materials and
grade student work.
After the learning experience time will be needed to
look at student results and grade animal
adaptation posters
Objectives
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Overview of what students need to know and be
able to do to succeed:
Prior to Learning Experience
 Demonstrate an understanding of graphic organizers
 Demonstrate an ability to work with peers
 Demonstrate an ability to follow directions
During and After the Learning Experience
 Share personal ideas about living things with the whole group
 Classify data as a small group
 Make and record observations of organisms
Essential Question
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Essential Question: How do living things stay alive?
Guiding Questions:
 What do animals need to live?
 What are nonliving things?
 What are living things?
 How do animals respond to change in their environment?
 What are some animal characteristics influenced by the environment?
Diagnostic Questions:
 What do animals need to live?
 How do animals respond to change in their environment?
Enduring Understanding
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Animals, plants and humans need certain
conditions in order to survive.
Student’s Tasks
Day 1
 Participate in the worm anticipatory set
 Read What animals need to live
 List what animals and plants need to survive on
“Animal and Plants” graphic organizer
 Complete the cloze activity
 Play vocabulary scatter (whole group).
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Student’s Tasks (continued)
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Day 2
 Students choose a mystery adaptation out of a box
 Complete the responding to change cloze activity
 Complete t-chart with sticky notes
 Watch animal adaptation video
 Observe organisms and collect data
 Play vocabulary scatter
 Students complete graphic organizer
Day 3
 Living and non-living animal adaptation project
 Present poster to the class
Developing Student Work
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Developing 0-13 (65%).
Proficient Student Work
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Proficient 14-16 (70%)
Distinguished Student Work
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Distinguished scored
17-20 (85%)
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Additional Student Work
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Students watched the
animal adaptations
video.
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NYS Learning Standard:
Math, Science and Technology (p.1)
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MST Standard 4: The Living Environment: Students will understand and apply
scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical and living
environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.
 Key Idea 1: Living things are both similar and different from each other and from
nonliving things.
 Key Idea 3: Individual organisms and species change over time.
Performance Indicators:
 4. LE 1.1: Describe the characteristics of and variations between living and nonliving
things.
 1.1a Animals need air, water, and food in order to live and thrive.
 4.LE 3.1 Describe how the structures of plants and animals complement the
environment of the plant or animal.
 1.1c In order to survive in their environment, plants and animals must be adapted to
that environment. Animal adaptations include coloration for warning or attraction,
camouflage, defense mechanisms, movement, and migration.
Assessments
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Diagnostic Assessments:
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Vocabulary Pre Test
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Pre-assessment tools (4th grade Living Environment Science Test Questions, 2009)
Formative Assessments:
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“Animal and Plants” graphic organizer
Class size “Animal and Plants” graphic organizer
“Living and Nonliving” Venn Diagram
Ticket out the Door Questions
Summative Assessments:
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Scoring Rubric for poster assessment
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Vocabulary post assessment
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Pre-assessment tools (4th grade Living Environment Science Test Questions, 2009)
Modification Table
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Modification
Environmental and
Management
Preferred
seating
(p. 8)
Rationale
Benefit
Close to teacher
Proximity
or front board
control:
provides student
provides
with immediate
immediate
reinforcement. It
feedback for
allows supportive
student
feedback.
Reflections
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Thanks to this peer review group for all of your
assistance in developing my LE during the peer review
process.
Thank
You!