McKenzie Marshall

ELED 3221
3/5/2015
edTPA Indirect Instruction Lesson Plan Template
Science
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Central Focus/Big Idea: Plant life cycle and survival
Subject of this lesson: Plants and Ecosystems
Grade Level: 3rd
NC Essential Standard(s):
3.L.2 Understand how plants survive in their environments.
3.L.2.2 Explain how environmental conditions determine how well plants survive and grow.
3.L.2.3 Summarize the distinct stages of the life cycle of seed plants.
Next Generation Science Standard(s):
3-LS1-1 Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all
have a common birth, growth, reproduction, and death.
3-LS4-3 Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can
survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
21st Century Skills:
-Critical thinking a problem solving (students will have to look at plants and discuss why they
think the plant looks the way it does, based on its environment)
-Communication (because students will be working in groups, they will need to be
communicating and collaborating effectively with one another)
Academic Language Demand
Language Function: In the table below highlight the one most important language
function for your lesson. Explain why you chose these.
Analyze

Argue

Categorize

Interpret

Predict

Question

Compare/contras
t
Retell

Describe

Explain

Summarize

-Students will need to compare and contrast the plants coming from different backgrounds.
-Students will need to explain why they think the plants from a sunny environment look healthy
and the two from the dark and freezer look unhealthy.
-Students will need to predict whether or not they think their own plants are going to grow and
be healthy.

-Students will need to question why plants in the sun seem to grow healthy and plants in the dark
or cold do not.
Scientific Vocabulary: plant, environment, seed, soil, nutrients, healthy
Instructional Objective: Students will be able to explain in writing on a worksheet what
environments are necessary for each life stage of a plant in order for it to grow healthy. They will
answer with 80% accuracy.
Prior Knowledge (student): Students should at least know what a plant is and know that a seed
grows into a plant
Content Knowledge (teacher): Teacher should know the details of each stage of life of plants
and also know the science behind why plants in the sun grow and plants in the dark or cold do
not.
Accommodations for special needs (individual and/or small group): Students with physical
disabilities will get to go up and get their planting materials first so that they can get started
planting smoothly and easily. Students with learning disabilities may be given more time to plant
their seed and/or do their worksheet.
Materials and Technology requirements: Smartboard, pictures of popular chain restaurants,
pictures of popular menu items, plants that have been growing in the dark, plants that have been
growing in the sun, plants that have been growing in a freezer, cups, clear masking tape, soil, and
seeds
Total Estimated Time: 1 hour
Source of lesson: N.C. Essential Standards for 3rd grade
Seed planting idea comes from _________ (*need to find out her name from Dr. Binns)
Safety considerations: I will make sure students know that it is important not to consume any of
the plants or soil

Content and Strategies (Procedure)

In your procedure, be sure to include all of the following 5 Es. Your procedure should be
detailed enough for a colleague to follow. If you will be relying on technology (e.g., a YouTube
video), describe your back up plan thoroughly. Imagine your most novice colleague needing to
teach from your plan. Dont just answer the questions. Additionally, I expect you to include
possible questions you could ask for each section. This needs to include higher-order questions.
Engage: To capture students attention and activate prior knowledge, I will show pictures on the
Smartboard of popular chain restaurants and ask students questions about what they know about
these places. After capturing their attention by showing them pictures of restaurants, I will show
them pictures of popular menu items (ie. French fries, buns, apple slices, maybe burgers) and ask
them if they know where these foods come from. After a discussion, to clarify, I will then show
pictures of the plants that these items come from and explain how these foods are made from
certain plants.
Explore: I will have students split up into groups of 4 or 5. Each group will receive three plants.
One plant will have been living in the dark prior to the lesson, one will have been in the window
under the sun, and one will have been in a freezer. In this stage, students will be given work
sheets that will prompt their thinking, but give them space to write about why they think some of
the plants are growing and look healthy and some dont. Each plant will also be labeled based on
if they were in the sun, the dark, or the cold.
Explanation: During this stage, I will explain to the students each stage of a plant life. Then I
will piggyback that by explaining why certain environmental conditions affect plants the way
that they do. I will ask questions about how their activity relates to these concepts and have them
explain to me, in their own words, what they learned from the initial activity and from my
explanation.
Elaborate: After the explanation, I will have students plant their own seeds. I will give them
each two clear cups. They will put soil in one cup and plant a seed inside. They will then water
the soil and then tape the other cup on top. They will label it and put their name on it and then
place it somewhere in the room.
Evaluate: As a formal assessment, I will have students complete a worksheet at the end of the
lesson that will ask them about plant life stages and how certain conditions affect their survival.
For an informal assessment, I will pay attention and listen to what students are saying during the
explore and explanation stages.
To be complete after the lesson is taught as appropriate
Assessment Results of all objectives/skills:
Reflection on lesson:
CT signature/confirmation: _________________________________ Date: ________________