Context:
This assignment was created under the instruction of Jeff Goodman for GS 4401: Science and Science Technology in Elementary Schools in the Fall of 2007.
The science lesson was implemented at Westwood Elementary School in a third grade classroom as a part of the internship corresponding with the course. The focus of the lesson is to Engage, Explore, Explain, Expand and Evaluate.
Impact:
The lesson was taught within a unit on communities. The students were able to learn about rice and how rice is vital to many communities around the world. The students were able to engage in hands-on activities as well as lecture and discussion to meet the needs of most of the diverse students. The lesson taught the students scientific concepts including the life of rice as a plant.
Alignment:
Standard 3:Indicator 1: Teachers have knowledge of basic life science concepts including:
Standard 7: Indicator 1: Teachers develop and implement the pacing and alignment of curriculum that is consistent with the NC SCOS, LEA standards and pacing guides, and national standards in all subject areas.
This indicator was met by the lesson plan corresponding to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study goals for third grade.
Standard 7:Indicator 2: Teachers understand and use an interdisciplinary approach to teaching by connecting and integrating language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, healthful living, and arts concepts and processes, with appropriate technologies to enhance their teaching.
This lesson integrates science with language arts. The lesson includes the reading of two separate books for comprehension and learning about the cultures that depend on rice. The lesson was also taught as a part of a social studies unit on communities.
Standard 7:Indicator 3: Teachers promote new learning by using students’ prior knowledge, misconceptions, and interests when designing lessons.
This indicator is met through the inclusion of what students need to know prior to the lesson. The students must be familiar with informational text, as well as observing.
Standard 7:Indicator 4: Teachers implement a variety of teaching and communication strategies for instruction.
The lesson includes individual work as well as group discussion. The lesson also incorporates many hands-on learning opportunities.
Standard 7:Indicator 5: Teachers assist students in developing multiple learning strategies to address discipline specific content, critical thinking, and problem solving skills.
This indicator is met through this lesson by allowing the students to not only listen to the instructor to gain meaning, but also by learning through exploration and engagement in hands-on learning.
Standard 7:Indicator 6: Teachers modify instruction and assessments to meet the needs of individual students.
The lesson incorporates strategies that can be used for higher level students as well as lower level students in the classroom.
Standard 7:Indicator 7: Teachers develop and use a variety of formal and alternative assessment strategies as an integral part of instruction and learning appropriate for assessing individual, peer, team, and collaborative skills.
The lesson meets this indicator through the evaluation at the end of the lesson. Throughout the lesson, the students are often filling out journals to be used as an assessment.
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 synthesizing).
In this lesson, the students are analyzing the rice and it's characteristics in three different states.
Standard 15: Indicator 1: Teachers use a variety of strategies to encourage underrepresented groups to engage in the schooling process, especially math and science. They: This lesson meets this indicator by allowing all students to excel in the activities. The lesson also uses the technique of showing the different cultures in which rice is fundamental which incorporates students of different cultures.
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