Context
This lesson plan was created with Morgan Gill as a fulfillment of a requirement for our Science Methods class in the Fall 2005 semester.  We used a lesson from a FOSS Science Kit as the basis for this lesson and added our own ideas and questions throughout.  The lesson was for fourth grade and was on the topic of electricity.

Impact
Having created this lesson plan and taught it to a class, I am able to meet the NCSCOS goals in the fourth grade science curriculum on electricity.  This lesson was also integrated with math and social studies, which shows that I am able to create integrated lessons and meet multiple SCOS goals within the same lesson.  This lesson also helped me to understand the importance of inquiry lessons and questioning techniques in teaching science.  Students will benefit from this lesson because they will discover science concepts on their own through guided discovery, which makes their learning more meaningful.

Alignment

Standard 3
 Indicator 2:  This standard was met in teaching a lesson that explored electricity and using a FOSS kit to create a guided inquiry lesson with appropriate activities.  In planning and delivering this lesson, my understanding of electricity was demonstrated.  I also had to read and find resources, as well as write a section with background information on this topic, which shows my understanding of one aspect of physical science.

• Standard 7
  Indicator 2:  This standard was met in my planning a lesson with math, social studies, and writing components, which were all connected to electricity. 
  Indicator 3:  This lesson meets this indicator because students are encouraged to challenge what they know about a topic in a guided discovery lesson.  This helps connect the information to real life, and it also helps the students remove any misconceptions they may have had about the subject.
  Indicator 5:  This standard was met because I encouraged critical thinking and problem solving in asking higher order questions from Bloom's Taxonomy throughout my lesson.
  Indicator 6:  This lesson was modified to meet the needs of ESL and ADD/ADHD students, which fulfills the standard to modify instruction to meet the needs of individual students and diverse learners.
  

• Standard 8
  Indicator 6: When writing this lesson plan, I modeled Standard English as it was a component of the rubric on which I was being graded. 
  

• Standard 10
   This standard was met because the lesson was designed so that students can create their own meaning of the taught science concept from participating in a guided inquiry lesson.  Also, by using higher order questions from Bloom's taxonomy, I was pushing students to use their analyzing and synthesizing skills.  In doing all of these things, I demonstrated my ability to provide activities that encourage the use of process skills, which, in turn, meets this standard.

• Standard 11
  Indicator 3:  This indicator was met because students were asked to relate their knowledge of electricity and apply it to the studied time period in social studies.  Because electricity was a scientific discovery and a technological innovation, students were connecting its influence on the time period of early North Carolina, thus connecting social studies to scientific discovery.

  Standard 15
  Indicator 1: This indicator was met because I included modifications for ESL students so that they would be able to better understand the lesson and become involved in the science education process. In providing translated activities, the language barrier disappears and universal science concepts can be discovered by ESL students in their exploration of the lesson and concepts. This demonstrates me encouraging underrepresented groups to engage in the schooling process. I also provided modifications for ADHD students so that they could focus their energy on the lesson. By designing a more interactive, hands-on lesson, this will encourage students with hyperactivity and attention deficit problems to be more involved in a lesson that requires their direct input.

  Standard 17
  Indicator 1: This indicator was met because during the students' exploration time, we gave instructions not to go near electrical outlets or water sources when they were looking for conductors and insulators. Also, during the exploration, my partner and I circulated the room to make sure that all students were on task.
  Indicator 2: When designing this lesson, my partner and I investigated all the issues that could occur with safety to ensure that all students would be safe during our exploration and during the lesson. We also tested the materials and processes before performing the lesson with our students. Such issues as the heat of the battery, identifying problem areas to watch for in the class, and trouble-shooting safety issues were taken into consideration, which demonstrates my ability to anaylze the lab activity for safety and research what will be used.
  Indicator 4: By having a discussion at the end of our lesson on electrical safety and ways to protect ourselves from the dangers of electricity, I communicated and modeled appropriate safety behaviors.