Georgia Southwestern State University Lesson Plan

Classroom/Lesson Context
__x__ Whole Group _____ Small Group _____ One-on-One
_____ Students with IEPs/504s _____ ELL Students
____ Other (Please specify:
_______________________________________________________________________)
Please specify the number of students:
_____ Girls _____Boys
Each of my 4 classes varied.
Learning Central Focus
Lesson Plan Title: Ecosystem Mix
Grade Level: 4th
Central Focus:
What is the central focus for the content in the learning segment?
The central focus for this lesson is for the students to gain a true understanding of all living
things and their need for energy and matter to live/grow.
Content Standard:
What standard(s) are most relevant to the learning goals?
S4L1. Students will describe the roles of organisms and the flow of energy within an ecosystem.
a. Identify the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers in a community
b. Demonstrate the flow of energy through a food web/chain beginning with sunlight and
including producers, consumers, and decomposers.
ELACC4RL1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says
explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Student Learning Goal(s)/ Objective(s):

Skills/procedures:
What are the specific learning goal(s) for student in this lesson?

The students will understand the meaning of the vocabulary which correlates with the text given,
as well as the ecosystem mix activity.
Concepts and reasoning/problem solving/thinking/strategies:
What are the specific learning goal(s) for students in this lesson?
I can explain how living things are either producers (can make food) or consumers (cant make
food) or decomposer (feeds on waste) in the community in which it lives.

Prior Academic Knowledge and Conceptions:

What knowledge, skills, and concepts must students already know to be successful with this
lesson?
The students will need to know the difference between living and nonliving things. They will
need to understand what an ecosystem is, what it is made up of and why the world needs all
parts of an ecosystem to maintain balance in the world we live in.
This knowledge will help them learn/remember the terms biotic and abiotic. Also students must
know that it takes food and water to produce energy for a living thing to continue to live.
Everything in this world needs something from another source to live just as we (humans) must
eat to survive.
What prior knowledge and/or gaps in knowledge do these students have that are necessary to
support the learning of the skills and concepts for this lesson?
These students were introduced to these concepts in previous grades. The foundation of this
content knowledge should be present in all of my students.
Common Errors, Developmental Approximations, Misconceptions, Partial
Understandings, or Misunderstandings:
What are common errors or misunderstandings of students related to the central focus of this
lesson?
Students have trouble understanding that they dont make food. Students will claim that they
do make food, but we do not mean in the kitchen where they prepare food. The students must
think about this topic from a scientific standpoint. This is where knowing the food chains and
food webs will help the students understanding.

How will you address them for this group of students?

As a class we will discuss any confusion or controversy over who makes what in the world
simply by breaking down what he/she had for breakfast and where those items came from. For
example the milk they drank came from a cow, which ate grass etc.
Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks
Launch: __________ Minutes
How will you start the lesson to engage and motivate students in learning?
Instruction: 8 Minutes
What will you do to engage students in developing understanding of the lesson objective(s)?
We will launch the lesson with getting my classes attention and letting them know that I am
ready to start the lesson. I will say ohh class they will say oh yesss. Now instruction will
begin. I will explain to them to take notes of 5 key points from the story that correlate to our
lesson on ecosystems. Each group will have a book to read and this is where they will pull key
points from to share with the class.
How will you link the new content (skills and concepts) to students prior academic learning and
their personal/cultural and community assets?
The link between prior knowledge and new content will be a possible first look at new
ecosystems. The entire class will be covering a total of 5 ecosystems, and then sharing what
they found with their classmates.
What will you say and do? What questions will you ask?
I will direct the students to read and take notes on their ecosystem. I will ask the students, what
animals live there? What plants grow there? Also, I will ask if they have ever seen this
ecosystem in person?
How will you engage students to help them understand the concepts?
Explain to the students that this is the world around them. This is why we can function in
everyday life because of the many different organisms and ecosystems around us.
What will students do?
Students will read their assigned ecosystem book and share their opinions, experiences, and
likes/dislikes of the ecosystem. They will also have key points to share with the rest of the class
at a later time.
How will you determine if students are meeting the intended learning objectives?

When the groups share their information with the class, it will be clear whether or not they truly
covered their ecosystem thoroughly or not.
Structured Practice and Application: 20 Minutes
How will you give students the opportunity to practice so you can provide feedback?
The assignment Ecosystem Mix will give the students the opportunity to show what they have
learned by creating a similar ecosystem with their group.
How will students apply what they have learned?
They will take the knowledge they gathered from other groups as well as their own and create a
new ecosystem mix.
How will you determine if students are meeting the intended learning objectives?
If the students are able to share appropriate examples, information, and reasoning from their
text/group, it will be obvious whether or not they have met the learning objectives.
Closure: 10 Minutes
How will you end the lesson?
The students will now create their own ecosystem using the items from ecosystem mix. They
will choose different animals and plants to be represented by the items and they will have to
share their creation with the class along with their key notes from their book on ecosystems.

Differentiation/ Planned Support

How will you provide students access to learning based on individual and group needs?
The students will be provided with the text book, key notes from the lesson and have myself
plus their peers to help them. The PowerPoint will still be on the Smart board so that if
necessary we can flip to the needed slide for further explanation.
How will you support students with gaps in the prior knowledge that is necessary to be
successful in this lesson?
If any gaps in prior knowledge have been identified, I will be sure to take proper measures to fill
those gaps. If this means taking one-on-one time with this student to clarify what is not clear, or
to answer any questions in which that student may have.

Student Interactions

How will you structure opportunities for students to work with partners or in groups? What
criteria will you use when forming groups?
My students will be in groups of 4-5. They will be paired at random. When entering the
classroom, they will draw a number and sit at the table number in which they drew. This will
allow for fair and diverse grouping.
What Ifs
What might not go as planned and how can you be ready to make adjustment?
The first thing that could go wrong with my lesson would be for the smart board to not work. In
such an incident I will have a copy of the PowerPoint for each student. This will be passed out
for them to keep or to study by, but would be used in class if necessary. Also, with eating in the
classroom, it is crucial to take allergies into consideration. Even though there are no reports of
allergies in my classes, an unknown allergy could always occur. I will notify the nurse of our
assignment and be sure she is ready for anything which may occur health wise.
Theoretical Principles and/or Research Based Best Practices
Why are the learning tasks for this lesson appropriate for your students?
According to Vygotsky, for learning to take place, students must have interaction with all people
around them, this includes: peers, teachers and others in the classroom. Also according to
Vygotsky, students work best when they are in a collaborative setting, involved in discussions,
and receiving feedback. This could include the groups I will have my students in.
Materials
What materials does the teacher need for this lesson?
I will need a computer, Smart Board, copies of my PowerPoints, and handouts for Ecosystem
Mix. For the Ecosystem mix activity, I will need the chexmix, tiny mouthwash cups, Ziploc bags,
pen/pencil. I will also need the ecosystem books.
What materials do the students need for this lesson?
-pencil/paper
-a mind that is ready to learn

Academic Language Demand(s)

Language Demand

Identify one of the following: reading, writing, listening/speaking, or demonstrating/performing.

The demand will require more or less scaffolding (support) depending on the needs of the
students.
Language Function
What language function do you want students to develop in this lesson? What must students
understand in order to be intellectually engaged in the lesson?
I want my students to be able to use the language of the lesson appropriately and confidently, I
want them to be able to apply the words such as ecosystem, community, or producer correctly.
In order for them to be able to use these words appropriately, they must know what they mean,
where they apply, and how to use their words appropriately.
Identify the purpose for which the language is being used, with attention to goal and audiencethe one verb from the standard; ex. demonstrate.
Describe: The students will describe their ecosystem by placing the appropriate plants and
animals in the ecosystem. They will share their findings/creation with the class.
Vocabulary
What content specific terms (vocabulary) do students need to support learning of the learning
objective for this lesson? Identify key words specific to the content area derived from the
standard- ex. drama, prose, structural elements, verse, rhythm, meter, characters, settings,
descriptions, dialogue, stage directions.
I want them to be able to apply the words such as: environment, ecosystem, population,
community, producer, consumer, decomposer, food chain, food web, biotic and a biotic.

Language Syntax
What are the organizing symbols, words, and/or phrases in the written and oral language
structures?
With the lesson that I will provide with the Ecosystem mix, I will provide them visual/hands on
memory of what represents what. The food will be symbols for the terms. For example the
whole bag mixed together represents the ecosystem, the items (organisms) sorted into cups will
be all the organisms in their community, and each organism individually will be a producer,
consumer, or decomposer.
Students' Use of Language
What specific way(s) will students need to use language (reading, writing, listening and/or
speaking) to participate in learning tasks and demonstrate their learning for this lesson?

The students will need to be able to use the language when communicating with me through
questions and answering my questions, writing, and when they are reading and listening to the
story and powerpoint.

Students' Abilities
What are your students abilities with regard to the oral and written language associated with
this lesson?
The students will be able to apply the understanding of the lesson orally with their groups and
through writing of the notes and key points they took.
Support
How will you support students so they can understand and use the language associated with
the language function and other demands in meeting the learning objectives of the lesson?
I will use the correct form of language in my speaking, and when they ask questions and use
words incorrectly, I will correct them. If the students are reading and cannot pronounce the
word, I will have them spell it or sound it out and I will tell them what the word is when they are
finished.
Assessments
Describe the tools/procedures that will be used in this lesson to monitor students learning of the
lesson objective(s). Attach a copy of the assessment and the evaluation criteria/rubric in the
resources section at the end of the lesson plan.
Evaluation Criteria
Type of
assessment
(Informal or
Formal)

Description of
assessment

Modifications to the
What evidence of student
assessment so that all
learning (related to the
students could
learning objectives and
demonstrate their learning. central focus) does the
assessment provide?

Informal

Formal

I will keep a
checklist to help
determine whether
my students
understand.

I will only ask questions

This simple check list of yes
after I have presented
or no sections will provide
them with the information me with evidence of whether
needed to correctly answer the students understand the
the question.
specific questions.

I will take up the

Ecosystem mix
sheet where the
students wrote out

Some students may need This will show me if they

extra time to finish writing correctly understand the
the information before
content, vocab, and function

their own creation of turning it in.

their ecosystem.

of an ecosystem.

Analyzing Teaching
Worked/Didn't Worked
What worked?
What didnt?
For whom?
Adjustments
What instructional changes do you need to make as you prepare for the lesson tomorrow?
Proposed Changes
If you could teach this lesson again to this group of students what changes would you make to
your instruction?
Whole group:
Group of Students:
Individual Students:
Justification
Why will these changes improve student learning?
What research/ theory supports these changes?
Resources
Teachers Pay teachers
Scholastic Books (www.scholastic.cpom/librarypublishing)
Evernote.com
Smart Notebook
VoiceThread