5 E Lesson Plan Rationale

Context: I developed this 5E lesson plan during my Block II classes in the Spring of 2008, under the advisement of Dr. Jeff Goodman. I taught this lesson to 2nd graders at Blue Ridge Elementary in Ashe County, North Carolina.

Impact: This lesson will provide students with different hands-on acitivities to help them better comprehend why geologists classify rocks and minerals and the diverse components that make them up. Students will learn what things geologists look for when classifying rocks and minerals. Students will also be able to connect rocks/minerals with things around their home and life.

Alignment: This 5E lesson plan satisfies the requirements for North Carolina Elementary School Teachers by the following:

Standard 3: Elementary teachers have a broad knowledge and understanding of the major concepts in science.

Indicator 2: I met this indicator by introducing new terms to students about rocks and minerals, such as classification, mineral, rock, luster, etc.

Indicator 3 : I met this indicator by investigating the properties of earth and minerals. I developed a lesson that investigates the classification of minerals. The lesson also helps students understand the differences between rocks and minerals.

Standard 7: Elementary teachers use developmentally appropriate strategies to design and deliver in all areas of the elementary curriculum.

Indicator 5: I met this indicator by having students answer higher order thinking skills such as Why are rocks different, What differences do geologists look for when classifying, and Why are rocks different?

Indicator 7: I met this indicator by giving a formative assessment to the students. In this assessment, I asked students to draw a detailed picture of their rock or mineral. The picture had to include details in color, luster, dullness, roughness, etc. For their summative assessment, I had the students draw a Venn Diagram where they labeled the rocks/minerals.

Standard 10: Teachers provide active inquiry experiences in the teaching of science by using various questioning skills and developing science processing skills (predicting, classifying, measuring, inferring, interpreting, analyzing, and sythesizing).

I met this standard by conducting a hands-on activity with students. I pretended to have a phone call from a Dr. Samuel Spitzer. He asked for the help of the students to classify some rocks and minerals for him. Students were ask to look for certain characteristics of their rock or mineral. I also met this standard by having students use certain process skills. Students were to make observations of their rock or mineral. They were to also inferr the differences between rocks and minerals. Students were to classify their rock or mineral. The class was also asked to make predictions of whether their rock was sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic. I also had students use observation, inferring, communicating and predicting process skills while expanding on the lesson.

Standard 15: Elementary teachers encourage underrepresented groups to engage in the schooling process, especially math and science.

Indicator 1: I met this indicator by introducing the subject of rocks and minerals through a book called Rocks in his Head by Carol Otis Hurst. The book is about a man and his rock collection students will be able to connect the subject with a collection they may have. I also met this indicator by having students connect the subject with their own lives. I had students link rocks and minerals with things in the room, school, community, etc. The book also connected rocks and minerals to collections/hobbies. Another way in which I met this indicator was by developing a lesson plan that will engage students in learning. This lesson helps underrepresented students understand the importance of classification, earth minerals, and solids. Students will see how minerals and rocks make up the earth in a fun and interesting way.