Tiered Lesson Plan for Grade 1
ELA/Science
Lesson 7A
: “Animals of the Freshwater Habitat”
Unit essential questions :
1.
Why is a habitat so important to plants and animals that occupy it?
2.
How are plants, animals and humans affected if a habitat is not preserved?
Lesson question :
What are the characteristics of a freshwater habitat?
Common Core or other appropriate standard :
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.1
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.3
Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.4
Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.7
Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.10
With prompting and support, read informational texts appropriately complex for grade 1.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.1.1
Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.1.1.a
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.1.1.b
Build on others' talk in conversations by responding to the comments of others through multiple exchanges.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.1.1.c
Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and texts under discussion.

Lesson objective:
The students will be able to describe a freshwater habitat and it’s characteristics
Assessment: a.) - Informal assessment of understanding through trivia questions (comprehension questions) asked by the teacher to the students at the end of the lesson. Progress monitoring can be done through a checklist of the feedback received from the students. b.) c.) - The students will complete a page in their habitat booklet. They need to write 3 facts about the habitat as well as complete an illustration depicting it.
Opening :
I will activate their past experience with habitats by reviewing the ones we have already visited. I will then move on to sharing the globe with them and explain that it is depicting both land and water. I will then challenge them to the following question. What do they think a freshwater habitat is?
Procedure :

After determining their background information on this type of habitat I will share with them a photographic image on the Smartboard representing different types of freshwater habitats
(rivers, streams, lakes and ponds).

I will then explain the characteristics of a freshwater habitat. I will ask if they have any where they live or if they have ever seen any examples of this type of habitat.

We have been following a character named “Rattenborough” through many different habitats. I will let them know we will be visiting this new habitat with him. They should be listening for the different varieties of plants and animals that inhabit the freshwater habitat.

I will share the Rattenborough reading selection with them and help clarify new vocabulary words for them as well. This reading selection includes digital photographs enhancing what is found in a freshwater habitat.

I will then ask them the trivia questions regarding what they learned in the text. This will act as an informal assessment for me to gage the understanding by the students of the text.
Tiered by Process:
Everyone will be completing a page in their Habitat Booklet. This is a comprehensive booklet that they are working on after learning about each habitat. The outcome will be similar but the way in which they get there will vary based on educational needs.
Group 1

In a small group work with these students that require some additional reinforcement on the topic and help brainstorming. Review the photos from the freshwater habitat and help guide

them along by asking additional questions. What kind of freshwater habitat do you want to draw? Which plants and animals do you remember? What do you recall about how it looked? This reinforcement should help them with the identification of the characteristics that pertain to this habitat and therefore engage in the writing and the drawing required.
Group 2

This group will be able to work individually on recalling the information relating to the freshwater habitat. They will focus their efforts on properly writing 3 facts about the habitat as well as a detailed illustration depicting it.
Group 3

These individuals will be engaged in an enrichment activity that culminates in the completion of the freshwater habitat booklet page. They will be able to research further details on the habitat in other sources such as classroom books. Examples of two of these books are as follows: Water Habitats by Molly Aloian and A Freshwater Pond by Adam
Hibbert. They are encouraged to look for other characteristics and details that differ from what we learned in the Smartboard presentation. This will challenge them in not only their writing but their illustration. I would encourage them to think of themselves as “habitat researchers”. They are looking to learn more about what that habitat looks like, feels like, sounds like and even smells like. They can also express themselves through a more detailed illustration possibly including labels of what resides in their water habitat.
Closure :
The class will be brought together to share what they have completed so far on the Habitat
Booklet entry. The conversation should be enlightening as the students may have chosen different interesting characteristics.
Materials :

Globe

Smart board slides complete with story and information for the lesson

Habitat Booklet pages

Crayons, markers and pencil

Books on the habitats for the classroom library