Pathwise lesson plan adapted from ETS, Educational Testing Service Instruction and Reflection Profile .
FOR EDA/EDE/EDM 300; EDE 379, 380; EDM 350/352/354/356; EDA 301, 302, 303, 304; EDS 303; ALL
STUDENT TEACHERS
Student Teacher:
Subject:
Science
Hedy Laverdiere
Topic:
Date:
Skippy Jon
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Grade Level:
4/5
# students:
10-15
Jones, Mexico
Instructional plan:
Goal: (Broad, long-term student learning outcome) (Ask your cooperating teacher why s/he has asked you to address this
objective.)
The objectives of this lesson are for the students to recognize a desert biome, understand a food web, and understand the
concept of biodiversity and what occurs when a food web is altered.
To which Ohio Academic Content Standard/s is this objective linked? National Standards? Indicate source, e.g.,
NCTM/NSTA/NCSS/IRA/NCTE, and write out the standard/s.
OH
Fourth Grade. Life Sciences.
5. Describe how organisms interact with one another in various ways (e.g., many plants depend on animals for
carrying pollen or dispersing seeds).
Fifth Grade. Life Sciences.
2. Explain how almost all kinds of animals' food can be traced back to plants.
3. Trace the organization of simple food chains and food webs (e.g., producers, herbivores, carnivores,
omnivores and decomposers).
National Science Education Standards, Grades 5-8 (http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/teachersite/stand.htm)
Populations and Ecosystems - A population consists of all individuals of a species that occur together at a given place and time. All
populations living together and the physical factors with which they interact compose an ecosystem.
Populations and Ecosystems - Populations of organisms can be categorized by the function they serve in an ecosystem. Plants and some
micro-organisms are producers -- they make their own food. All animals, including humans, are consumers, which obtain food by eating
other organisms. Decomposers, primarily bacteria and fungi, are consumers that use waste materials and dead organisms for food. Food
webs identify the relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in an ecosystem.
Populations, Resources, and Environments - When an area becomes overpopulated, the environment will become degraded due to the
increased use of resources.
Populations, Resources, and Environments - Causes of environmental degradation and resource depletion vary from region to region
from country to country.
Behavioral objective/s (observable and measurable) for: (For EDL 210, include behavior, conditions, and
level of performance):

Students not yet meeting grade-level expectations will: achieve 70-79% mastery in order to have achieved mastery.
Students achieving 69% or less will require a revised worksheet providing a sample of data results. Students will be
provided with more opportunities in working with maps through consecutive lessons in order to achieve a minimum of
80% mastery.

Students meeting grade-level expectations will: achieve 80% or better on the assessment in order to have achieved
mastery.

Students working beyond grade-level expectations will: achieve 90% or better on the assessment and achieve 80% or
better in the extension activity.
Why have you chosen to teach these objectives now? (Ask your cooperating teacher why s/he has asked you to address this
objective.)
The Ohio Content Standards address how organisms interact with one another, how animals food can be traced back to
plants, and investigating food chains and food webs as a goal for 4th and 5th grade students.
Student grouping:
How will you group the students for instruction?
Whole group for direct instruction on collaborative in-class activity and modeling a sample of activity to get students
started.
Small groups 3-4 for collaborative work.
Why is this method of grouping more effective for student learning than another type of grouping for this lesson?
Whole group instruction is ideal for direct instruction as it provides all students with necessary information for the lesson in
a timely manner.
Small cooperative groups provide students to develop the skill of team work and learn from their peers, as well as providing
more support through group work versus independent practice.
Methods: What teaching method(s) will you use for this lesson? (Direct Instruction OR Guided Discovery,
Experimentation, etc: Indirect Instruction)
Direct instruction for lesson objectives and what students are expected to do. Guided discovery showing students how to
start their activity in locating states, using Cardinal directions, and using longitude and latitude, providing several examples.
Why is this method most effective for student learning?
Direct instruction to introduce the lesson is necessary to provide students with background knowledge for the
activity.
Guided discovery provides guided instruction on how to implement the activity, with students more active in
their learning.
Materials: What materials will you use and how will you use them?
Material
Book – Skippyjon Jones
Purpose
Reading of the story. Provide information of the story
to the students.
Tape or sticker dots, string, scissors
Students create a food web.
Habitat card set and data sheet
Students use cards to create a food web, record results
(Source:
on data sheet, and answer assessment questions.
http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/teachersite/BD1.htm )
A. Identify the learning steps of this lesson.
B. Code each step using one or more of the following codes: (II)Instructional Input (M)Modeling
(GP)Guided Practice (CU)Checking for Understanding (IP)Independent Practice
C. Identify and name at the end of the Description of Step the intelligence and/or critical thinking level
for a minimum of three steps.
D. Provide time needed for each step.
Step
Code
Number
1
Gain Attention
Description of Step
(II) Show the students the front cover of the book SkippyJon Jones. Re-read an
excerpt from the story where SkippyJon reaches the Mexican border. Ask
students to give their definition of "habitat." Bring them to this definition of a
habitat.
Time Needed
1 minute
A habitat is a place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives and
grows.
2
Review Previous
(II) Refresh the students’ memories of that SkippyJon Jones travels to the border
5 minutes
of Mexico.
Learning
3
Motivation
4
Statement of
Objective to
Students
5
Ask students to name some of the habitats they visited during the reading of the
story Skippy Jon Jones. Responses may include forests, Grand Canyon, Mexico,
desert area, etc. Ask them to predict the types of animals that live in Mexico’s
desert habitat. Tell them that today’s activity will look at some of the plants and
animals that live in Mexico’s deserts.
The objective of our lesson today is to illustrate how some plants and animals
from Mexico’s desert habitat are related to each other. Divide the students into
small groups, depending on the availability of materials. Give each group a set of
identification cards, string, tape or sticker dots, and a pair of scissors. Tell them
to read the "clues" on the cards, and then use the string to link the plants and
animals together. Demonstrate for the students. When groups finish, have them
present their web and describe how the plants and animals relate to each other.
(Source:
http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/teachersite/BD1.htm )
The student will . . . identify plants and animals in a desert habitat in Mexico.
Part of 2
2 minutes
5 minutes
6
The student will. . . define and illustrate a food web.
30 minutes
Closure: How will you bring closure to your lesson? Refer to the statement of your objective when bringing closure to your
lesson.
Review the Mexican border element in Skippy Jon Jones. Today while reading Skippy Jon Jones, we learned about the desert biome of the
setting for SkippyJon Jones . Ask students if they know what this web is called. Have students brainstorm names. Guide them to conclude
that they created a food web. Ask them to give a definition of a food web. Explain that a food web is composed of many food chains.
Give an example of a food chain from the food web, such as a prickly pear, an arid land honey ant, and a horned lizard.
Transition to discussing biodiversity by asking students what would happen if one part of the food web "disappeared." For example, what
would happen if there were no more mesquite plants? Take a card out of the food web to illustrate this. Have students predict the
outcome. Write their responses on the board. For example:
What if the ants disappeared? Would there be less food for larger animals like lizards? Because lizards eat ants both as a source of food
and a source of water, the disappearance of ants could possibly endanger the survival of lizards. The lizards are a source of food for
Hawks, Road Runners and other predators. So the survival of lizards effects the survival of their predators.
Extension Activity: What if the Harris' Hawk disappeared? Since Hawks eat squirrels, would the population of squirrels and snakes
increase? Would those animals then consume more of the resources in that habitat (plants and smaller animals)? Would other animals
become endangered because the squirrels and snakes are eating all the food?
Provision for exceptionality: What accommodations will you make for students with special needs (learning
disabilities, autism, physical needs, academic talent, behavior needs)? (Look at each step of your plan, and ask
yourself what students might need to accomplish the step.) How do these accommodations allow you to
differentiate instruction?
Low – Students work in groups of 3 to 4, with students with exceptionalities paired with a stronger student. Consumers and producer
sheet can be color-coded with green and pink to assist student.
High – provide a “If you finish early” extension activity (last question of data worksheet).
Assessment:
What was your objective (address for each differentiation)? (This is what you are assessing.)
The mid level objective is for students to create a food web. The assessment is the completed food web.
The low level objective is for students to achieve 70-79% mastery of the mid level objective.
The high level objective is for students to complete the mid level objective plus the extension activity on the data sheet.
How will you determine the extent to which each student met the objective? Include a blank copy of the
assessment tool and completed work samples of one student who is not yet meeting grade-level expectations, one
who is meeting grade-level expectations, and one who is working beyond grade-level expectations. (During field
experience, discuss with cooperating teacher options beyond worksheets whenever possible.)
If the student met the objective, they will have scored an 80% or better to have achieved mastery of creating a food web.
Self-evaluation: Analyze your lesson in light of Pathwise© (please use specific examples)
Domain A: Organizing Content Knowledge for Student Learning
1. Becoming familiar with relevant . . . Ohio content standards for 4th and 5th grade.
2. Articulating clear learning goals . . . stating objective at onset of lesson.
3. Demonstrating an understanding of the connection . . . connecting state standards of science and language
arts and making it relevant to students
4. Creating or selecting teaching methods . . . multimodal learning to address all learners – visual,
kinesthetic, auditory, tactile.
5. Creating or selecting evaluation strategies . . . evaluate student product for accuracy and completion.
Domain B: Creating an Environment for Student Learning
1. Creating a climate . . . lesson is organized and well thought out. Poster and book: Skippy Jon Jones.
2. Establishing and maintaining rapport . . . friendly, explanatory, guided teaching.
3. Communicating challenging learning expectations . . . state objective.
4. Establishing and maintaining consistent standards. . . objectives and expectations are clear and consistent.
5. Making the physical environment . . . use visuals and manipulatives to engage students.
Domain C: Teaching for Student Learning
1. Making learning goals and instructional procedures clear. . . objective and learning expectations are
stated.
2. Making content comprehensible . . . explain what students are expected to do, offer alternatives for
students with exceptionalities, re-teach if needed.
3. Encouraging students to extend . . . offer extended learning opportunity.
4. Monitoring students’ understanding of content. . . continually check for understanding during instruction,
while students work.
5. Using instructional time . . . time and materials are organized, learning steps planned.
Domain D: Teacher Professionalism
1. Reflecting on the extent . . . lesson reviewed for standards, thoroughness.
2. Demonstrating a sense of efficacy . . . showing fairness to all students.
3. Building professional relationships . . . communication with professors and cooperating teacher.
4. Communicating with parents . . . through weekly newsletter and activity results sent home.