Chris Antal
Western Connecticut State University
Scotts Ridge Middle School
Lesson Plan
Student Teacher Christopher Antal
Grade Level_7
Date of lesson January 26, 2010
Institution Scotts Ridge Middle School Length of lesson 45 minute lessons
Content Standards: Identify one or two primary local, state or national curricular standards this lesson is designed to help students
attain. How will the learning tasks lead students to attain the identified standards?
CSCF 7.3 - C 20.
C INQ.5,7,10
NBTS Standards
NSTA standard A
NSTA standard B
Learner Background: Describe the students’ prior knowledge or skill related to the learning objective(s) and the content of this
lesson, using data from pre-assessment as appropriate. How did the students’ previous performance in this content area or skill impact your
planning for this lesson?
Students have previously learned about the Rock Cycle, Magma, Lithosphere and Asthenosphere. They
also are aware that the earth’s surface is actually in a constant state of motion and has dramatically
changed over 100’s of millions of years. Students have recently become aware that the Lithosphere is
composed of Tectonic Plates which are constantly in motion. Students are becoming familiar with the 3
types of plate boundaries.
Student Learning Objective(s): Identify specific and measurable learning objectives for this lesson.
1. Students will gain in depth knowledge on Divergent Plate Boundaries.
2. Students will be able to locate Divergent Plate Boundaries on geological map.
3. Students will be able to identify specific volcanoes located on divergent plate boundaries.
4. Students will be able to visualize a convergent plate at work through a video on Iceland’s
diverging plates.
Assessment: How will you ask students to demonstrate mastery of the student learning objective(s)?
Attach a copy of any assessment
materials you will use, along with assessment criteria.
1. Students will participate in a demonstration on Divergent plates.
2. Students will be asked questions throughout the class period.
Materials/Resources:
List the materials you will use in each learning activity including any technological resources.
SMART Board, Igneous Rock, Metamorphic Rock, Sedimentary Rock, Sponge Rock, Lined Paper,
Textbooks, DVD: How the Earth Was Made – History Channel
Learning Activities:
Chris Antal
Western Connecticut State University
Identify the instructional grouping (whole class, small groups, pairs, individuals) you will use in each lesson segment and approximate time
frames for each.
Initiation: Briefly describe how you will initiate the lesson. (Set expectations for learning; articulate to learners what they will
be doing and learning in this lesson, how they will demonstrate learning, and why this is important)
As the students come into class, they will drop off their homework assignments up front. I will
then ask for the students to once again come to the front of the class, cause today we are going to
demonstrate Divergent Plate Boundaries, particularly the North American Plate and the Eurasian
Plate over Iceland. I will need the boys (girls may be wearing dresses) to line up 3 wide, facing
one another. The other row will lie down on the floor facing upwards, followed by another row.
The standing row will take one step back (representing the receding plates) over the first row lying
down. At this point a volcanic eruption takes place and new plate (Lithosphere) is produced. The
standing row will pull up the first lying down row, to make new crust! We will then continue the
demonstration to really drive the point home. The second row on the floor will then crawl through
both students legs and pop up in the middle to represent even more new Lithosphere. As the
students do this, I will give them a mnemonic devise to remember Divergent. I will tell them, the
crusts(Tall Boys) are moving in “DIVerent” directions.
Lesson Development: Describe how you will develop the lesson, what you will do to model or guide practice,
and the learning activities students will be engaged in order to gain the key knowledge and skills identified in the
student learning objective(s).
A. I will ask the class to come back up to the front of the classroom. I will tell them , today we are
going to portray a Divergent Plate Boundary, in particular, we are going to represent the North
American Plate diverging from the Eurasian Plate over Iceland. I will need the boys (girls may
be wearing dresses) to line up 3 wide, facing one another. The other row will lie down on the
floor facing upwards, followed by another row. The standing row will take one step back
(representing the receding plates) over the first row lying down. At this point a volcanic
eruption takes place and new plate (Lithosphere) is produced. The standing row will pull up
the first lying down row, to make new crust! We will then continue the demonstration to really
drive the point home. The second row on the floor will then crawl through both students legs
and pop up in the middle to represent even more new Lithosphere. As the students do this, I
will give them a mnemonic devise to remember Divergent. I will tell them, the crusts(Tall
Boys) are moving in “DIVerent” directions.
B. From there I will show the students a 10 minute video on the convergent plates in Iceland. I
will explain to them that this is one of the few places on earth that a Divergent Boundary
actually occurs above Sea Level.
C. After the video, I will ask the class if they have any questions. I will make sure to tell them
that at this type of plate boundary, volcanoes are most frequently occurring. I will also inform
them though, that because the plates are shifting apart, earthquakes are not all that uncommon
either.
D. I will then ask the class if anyone remembers the type of plate boundary from which
Earthquakes usually generate. I’m sure at least Dwight will remember “Transform.” At this
point, I will inform the class, that this is going to be the subject for tomorrow’s lesson and that
they will need to read up on the subject tonight.
Chris Antal
Western Connecticut State University
E. I will then bring up a Geological Map and point out areas where Divergent Plate Boundaries
occur.
F. Should there be any time remaining in the class, I will break out the Sponge Rock and have
students participate in a read aloud from their homework section on Transform Plate
Boundaries.
Closure: Briefly describe how you will close the lesson and help students understand the purpose of the lesson. (Interact with
learners to elicit evidence of student understanding of purpose(s) for learning and mastery of objectives)
I will end the red along with a couple minutes left in class. I will ask the class where Volcanoes
occur. They should answer Convergent and Divergent Plate Boundaries. I hope Dwight or another
student will even mention Hotspots. Then I will ask them where mountain ranges occur? They will
hopefully answer Convergent Plate Boundaries. Lastly, I will ask them where Earthquakes occur.
Hopefully they will say Transform Plate Boundaries, but truth is they occur at all plate boundaries,
just mainly Transform.
Individuals Needing Differentiated Instruction: Describe 1 to 3 students with learning differences. These students may be
special or general education students and need not be the same students for each lesson. Students may represent a range of ability and/or
achievement levels, including students with IEPs, gifted and talented students, struggling learners, and English language learners.
Note: Differentiated instruction may not be necessary in every lesson. However, over the course of the student teaching
placement, it is expected that each student teacher will demonstrate the ability to differentiate instruction in order to meet the
needs of students with learning differences.
Which students do you anticipate may struggle with the content/learning objectives of this lesson?
Student name
Evidence that the student needs
How will you differentiate instruction in this lesson to support student
differentiated instruction
learning?
Oscar Robertson Currently reading at 4th grade
The lesson is designed to be demonstrational as well as highly interactive.
level. Acts out frequently.
Oscar will also be asked to read along with students as they read aloud. This
should help Oscar recognize new words as he reads along with the student
reading aloud.
Which students will need opportunities for enrichment/higher level of challenge?
Student name
Evidence that the student needs
How will you differentiate instruction in this lesson to support student
differentiated instruction
learning?
Dwight Howard
Dwight has not received a grade
Some of the questions asked during class may prove to be difficult for the rest
lower than a 97% all year. He
of the students, however Dwight should be able to answer them. I will also
always has the answers in class
ask Dwight to read aloud at one point to work on other skills such as public
discussions.
speaking.
Notes from the pre-conference