LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
Your Name: Amanda Housel
Title of Lesson: Ecosystem Services- Trees
Grade: 3rd-5th
STANDARDS
K-ESS3-33. Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the
local environment.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
LESSON SUMMARY/OVERVIEW
This lesson is based on Futures Thinking in sustainability. Students know about recycling, but do they recycle every possible item?
And are they doing so correctly? In this lesson, students will learn about how impacts that humans have on land effects trees. Students
will learn that humans must cut down trees to make into paper products. In the beginning of this lesson, we will have a pile of trash
and we will separate it all into bins labeled paper, plastic, aluminum, glass, compost, and trash. This is the engager and will get
students hooked right away. We will have a class discussion of solutions to human’s dependency on trees. At the end of the lesson,
students will reflect on what they learned by writing an informative piece that has details and ideas.
OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to come up with solutions on how to reduce the impact of humans on trees.
Students will be able to write an informative text based on a solution to our current problem with dependency on trees.
ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION
Students will be able to help place the trash the teacher brings in to class in the appropriate labeled bin while having a class discussion
on WHY it goes there. They will then construct a 5 paragraph informative text on solutions to human’s dependency on trees.
Paragraph 1: introduction
Paragraph 2: what is the solution?
Paragraph 3: how does this solution help save trees?
Paragraph 4: why is it important to save trees now?
Paragraph 5: conclusion
PREREQUISITE KNOWLEDGE
Prior to this lesson, students need to know information about the ecosystem services that trees provide for us and how they are
beneficial. After the recycling activity, students will be able to discuss in small groups solutions that could save trees that is based on
recycling (reduce, reuse, recycle, buying products that are from recyclable materials). Students will be given an outline and rubric
about what is expected from this 5 paragraph informative text. They will know how many sentences are required in each paragraph;
they will be reminded about spelling and punctuation, and also about indenting a new paragraph.
MATERIALS
“Trash”
Six bins labeled appropriately
Paper
Pencil
Whiteboard with markers for discussion
Outline of 5 paragraph essay
Grading rubric
VOCABULARY/KEY WORDS
Reduce: to bring down to a smaller extent, size, amount, number, etc.
Reuse: to use again
Recycle: to treat or process (used or waste materials) so as to make suitable for reuse
Impact: influence; effect
Dependency: relying on someone or something else for aid, support, etc.
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TEACHING PROCEDURES
Start out by bring a pile on garbage into the room with six bins labeled glass, trash, aluminum, paper, plastic, and compost.
As a class, sift through the trash and place each item into the appropriate bin, ask students WHY it belongs there.
Once finished, place importance on the paper bin. Tell students that paper come from chopping down trees.
Have a class discussion on why we need paper products, and what items we use every day that involves paper (the paper we
write on, books we read, etc.)
Ask students if there is a way to REDUCE the use of paper. (by not using many paper products)
Ask students if there is a way to REUSE the paper we use. (by making an art project, or a gift for your friend)
Ask students why we should RECYCLE paper. (so it can be used again in a different way, so it doesn’t end up in the landfill)
Tell students it is important to follow the order of reduce, reuse, recycle. First we must try to reduce the amount of paper we
use. Next if we have to use the paper, find a new way to use it once down. And if there is absolutely no use for it then it must
be recycled!
Ask students why the 3 R’s are important to trees. (it reduces the amount of trees we cut down each year)
Next have students discuss among themselves ways to find a solution to human’s dependency on trees.
On the overhead, place the outline for the 5 paragraph essay and hand out a copy to everyone. (use an outline your students
are familiar with)
Read over it and make sure everyone knows what is expected of them.
Next show them your grading rubric. And hand out a copy to them. Discuss how they will be grade.
Give everyone a piece of paper and tell them to use a pencil, make sure they write their name at the top.
Students should be working independently for the most part, but you may allow them to ask their shoulder partner a question.
Walk around and monitor.
Collect their papers.
End the class by have a short discussion on what they learned today.
RESOURCES
No resources.
WAYS OF THINKING CONNECTION
Students are using Futures Thinking because they are trying to find a solution to the current problem we have right now with cutting
down trees and relying on them for paper goods too much. They are trying to solve this issue for the future.