NYS Learning
Standards
Writing, Reading, Science
Reading
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ELA1.09.RE1 – Students will read, write,
listen, and speak for information and
understanding
Performance Indicator ELA1.09.RE1.01 –
Students locate and use school and public
library sources for information and
research
Define a purpose for reading by asking
questions about what they need to know
for their research
Writing
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Standard ELA1.09.WR2: Language for Information
and Understanding Students will read, write, listen,
and speak for information and understanding.
Performance Indicator ELA1.09.WR2.04: Students
take notes from written and oral texts, such as
lectures and interviews.
Performance Indicator ELA1.09.WR2.11: Students
use charts, graphs, or diagrams to illustrate
informational text.
Science
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Standard MST4 - Students will understand
and apply scientific concepts, principles,
and theories pertaining to the physical
setting and living environment and
recognize the historical development of
ideas in science.
Performance Indicator MST4.alt.PS1A Students recognize patterns of daily,
monthly and seasonal changes in their
environment
The Students
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Chi Chi
Faiz
Mike
Chi Chi
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Chi Chi is a student who relates well to her peers and is very
outgoing. She enjoys interacting with her friends and likes when
she is put into groups to do work. She is currently diagnosed
with Cerebral Palsy and has the following limitations: limited to
her wheel chair which is battery powered, she has minimal use of
her hands and cannot use any other parts of her body, her
speech is slow and sometimes she finds it hard to get her words
out, even if she knows what she wants to say, there are some
cognitive delays and does not do well when the lesson is solely
taught by lecture.
Mike
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Mike is a 17 year old child with a diagnosis of autism. He
functions below grade level. He has difficulty with fine motor
movement, which greatly limits his writing. He is also relatively
non-verbal and requires the use of a text to speech device to
communicate, although he does use basic sign language for
simple requests. His strengths include gross motor functions, as
well as staying focused. Weaknesses include communication.
He is limited to his text to speech device and simple sign
language. He also functions far below grade level in reading.
Faiz
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Faiz is a 13 year old boy who is diagnosed with
Cerebral Palsy. Weaknesses include, limited
mobility and fine and gross motor skills as well as
communication. He uses a battery operated wheel
chair and a computer device to communicate. He
has limited use of his hands, he uses his knees to
manipulate his keyboard. He is an intelligent boy but
it takes him awhile to get his ideas across.
Accommodations
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A scribe for Mike and Chi Chi
Faiz uses his computer for
completing the vocabulary
Students will be working with
partners
Wheelchairs for Chi Chi and
Faiz
The Water Cycle - Objectives
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Students will read given information
on the water cycle
Students will define vocabulary
words
Students will label water cycle chart
Students will complete terrarium
project with a partner and complete
journal entries on wikispaces
Complete quiz in computer lab
Materials
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Water cycle chart
Vocabulary words
Items to build terrarium
Water cycle song and video
Computer lab
Wikispaces
Lesson Plan Outline
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Access wikispace
Show water cycle video
Show chart and play song
Define vocabulary words
Fill out chart with a partner
Build and label terrarium with group
Record observations in the
discussion section of the wikispace
Take online quiz
Prior Knowledge
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Complete a water cycle web on
the board as a class.
Ask students what they know
about the water cycle
Put their ideas on the board
Anticipatory Set
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Students will watch video on the
water cycle
Questions:
How many parts are there of the water cycle?
Name some forms of precipitation.
How is precipitation formed?
Where does precipitation flow into?
What is evaporation?
Vocabulary Words
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Water Cycle
Condensation
evaporation
precipitation
Runoff
transpiration
surface water
groundwater
Water Cycle Chart
Water Cycle Chart (blank)
How to build a terrarium
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Terrarium
Click on link and follow directions
on making the terrarium
Make sure to label parts
Answer questions about terrarium
Record observations in discussion
section on the wikispace page
Terrarium Assessment
Questions
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
You only watered the terrarium once, so how did
water get on the lid and sides?
Take off the lid and feel the soil. Why is the soil
still wet?
Did it ever rain in your terrarium?
Water collects on the lid of the terrarium, water
also collects in the sky as clouds. Where does
water in the clouds come from?
How is this an example of the water cycle?
If we were to remove the lid what would happen?
If the terrarium is a model of the real world, what
do you see outside that reminds you of the plant in
your terrarium? What reminds you of the soil?
What reminds you of the small droplets of water
on the lid?
Assessment
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Vocabulary Quiz
Interactive water cycle quiz
Completion of terrarium