Gwynedd Mercy University

School of Education
Seeking Truth, Mercy, and Justice

Your Name:_Danielle Patton__________________________________

School:_______________________________________

Date:___________

Grade/Topic:3rd ______

STANDARD: PDE 4 Environment and ecology

4.5 Humans and the Environment
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATION(s)/STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVE(s): Students will
apply their knowledge of the scientific method to the three pollution simulation stations by
completing a science journal based on predictions, observations, and conclusions.
I.

PLANNING AND PREPARATION:

1.

Briefly describe the students in your class, including those with special needs, explain
how you will meet the needs of all learners.
There are 28 third graders in the class; 10 girls and 18 boys. There are two students with
IEPs and 1 student with a visual impairment. Many of the students are visual learners.
They work best as a whole group for the instructional period, individually on their class
work, and in groups for hands on activities and critical thinking. The students work well
with cooperative learning and checking over their work as a group. I will try to meet as
many of my students to the best of my ability by giving a review of the previous lesson
and modeling the new lesson to the class in a while group setting.

2.

What are your expectations for this lesson? What do you want students to learn and be
able to do with the knowledge?
Students will apply their knowledge of the scientific method to the three pollution
stations by completing a science journal based on the scientific method for each of the
pollution stations. The students will know the three different areas that are prone to
pollution. They will work with their groups at the different stations to strategize how to
rid the pollutions from their stations. The students will experiment with each station
and its materials to discover how difficult it can be to rid the pollution from our
environment.

3.

Why are these expectations suitable for this group of students?

These expectations are suitable for this group of students because it promotes hands
on cooperative learning with their group members. The students will use their
knowledge of the scientific method and pollution to complete each simulation station
and complete a science journal entry for each station. This lesson allows the students
to work in groups and then recollect for the whole group instruction that is
necessary for this lesson. These activities will allow the students to think critically

and problem solve. There will be desk references for my student with the visual
impairment and I will be modeling and walking around the classroom for additional
support for my class.
4.

Subject Area - 4: Environment and Ecology

Standard Area - 4.1: Ecology
Grade Level - 4.1.2: GRADE 2
Standard
4.1.2.F: Distinguish between scientific fact and opinion. Ask questions about objects,
organisms and events. Understand that all scientific investigations involve asking and
answering questions and comparing the answer with what is already known. Plan and
conduct a simple investigation and understand that different questions require different
kinds of investigations. Use simple equipment (tools and other technologies) to gather
data and understand that this allows scientists to collect more information than relying
only on their senses to gather information. Use data/evidence to construct explanations
and understand that scientists develop explanations based on their evidence and compare
them with their current scientific knowledge. Communicate procedures and
explanations giving priority to evidence and understanding that scientists make their
results public, describe their investigations so they can be reproduced and review and ask
questions about the work of other scientists.
Standard Area - 4.5: Humans and the Environment
Grade Level - 4.5.2: GRADE 2
Standard - 4.5.2.A: Identify the natural resources used to make various products.
Anchor Descriptor - S.K-2.B.3.3: Describe how resources are conserved for human
needs.
S.K-2.B.3.3.1: Identify methods of recycling and reusing resources.
Standard - 4.5.2.C: Identify how people can reduce pollution.
Anchor Descriptor - S.K-2.B.3.3: Describe how resources are conserved for human
needs.
Eligible Content
S.K-2.B.3.3.1: Identify methods of recycling and reusing resources.
Standard - 4.5.2.D: Describe how people can help the environment by reducing, reusing,
recycling and composting.

5.

How do these expectations support the school districts curriculum, state standards, and
content standards?
Students are visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile learners. These needs will be met
through the use of informational videos, an instructional period, centers, science journals,
KWL charts, interacting with the different stations, and having an end of class discussion.
The student will be participating in cooperative learning through being placed in groups
at random and discussing their predictions, observations, and conclusions with their
groups. The students will learn from one another through exploration and discussions at
each station. The students will participate in constructivism by using their prior
knowledge about pollution and the scientific method to create a better understanding of
the impact that pollution has on our environment through interacting with each pollution
simulation station.

6.

Explain the psychological principles/theories you used in constructing this lesson.

In this lesson I used Piagets constructivism by building up the students prior
knowledge and then letting them work hands on to eliminate the waste in each
station. The student will construct an understanding for how difficult it is to rid the
environment of its pollutants. I also used Cooperative learning strategies in this
lesson to get the students to work together and come to an end result together for the
stations. The KWL chart will also be a cooperative learning opportunity for the
students. Some Montessori methods will be used in the land pollution station; where
the students will be given self-correction envelopes for the trash sorting portion of
the lesson. The students will open the envelopes when they have sorted the trash and
see if they sorted correctly; if not, they must go back and correct their mistakes.

II. CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

III.

7.

Describe the effective classroom routines and procedures resulting in little or no loss of
instructional time.
The student will know it is time for science due to the class schedule that is posted on the
will and because of their daily routine. The student will make the transition smooth by
putting their other materials away and clearing their desks for science. The student will
then gather at the rung in front of the smart board for a video on the three different kinds
of pollution to activate prior knowledge. While the students are at the rug they will
receive instructions on expectations and the procedure for each station. The will receive
instruction on how to fill out their journals and strategies for group discussion. The
student will then be put into groups organized at random. Before they go to their stations
the students will be instructed on the order of the station rotation. There will be a timer
set at three minutes for each station.

8.

Identify what you will do to set clear standards of conduct and behavior management of
student behavior. I will explain my expectations of how I want the students to interact
with peers and the class materials during this time and the quality of work I am expecting
of them in their journals and KWL charts based on a rubric. I will also model how I
would like the students to work with one another. I will give the groups discussion
starters and journal entry starters to ensure that the objective is met

9.

Identify what you will do to establish expectations for student achievement.

To make sure my expectations are clear to my students for each station, I will go
over the instructions with the class in the introduction of the lesson and before the
class begins each station as a whole group. If the students miss the instructions there
will also be desk reference instructions for each group.

INSTRUCTION:
10.

What will you do to motivate students?

I will motivate my students by telling them that they are going to be environmentalists in
science class today. I will then explain that environmentalists are experts on

environmental problems. I will then show a video on the three pollution areas to get the
students in the correct mindset.
11.

What will you do to activate prior knowledge?

Prior knowledge will be activated through the use of the video with the three pollution
areas to review what we had already gone over in previous classes.
Some questions I will ask prior to video are:
1. Can you recall 1 or all of the pollution areas we have been talking about in class?
a. Level: Rememberb. Response: water, land, air
2. What would happen to our environment if we didnt reduce, reuse, and recycle?
a. Level: apply
b. Response: there would be too much trash produced, plant, animal, and human
life would suffer from this
3. How would you feel if you lived in an area that didnt reduce, reuse, and recycle?
a. Level: Evaluate
b. Response: Sad, like I wanted to clean it up, angry
4. Can you find an example of something recyclable within our classroom?
a. Level: understand
b. Response: paper, water bottle

12.

How do you plan to engage students in the content? What will you do? What will
students do?
Materials will include:
Seven groups of three
Stations will be already prepared in a small box
Science journals for each group with written out sections and prompts for the
students
Table reference instructions for each station
KWL Post its for air pollution
Water basins for each group
Land pollution box for each group
3 sorting bins for each group

Introduction
In the beginning on the lesson there will be a video
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=071lUxclTBw) to activate prior knowledge
on the three different kinds of pollution. Science journals will be prepared for
each student prior to class. (start video at 1:30 mark, end at 3:15 mark)
The stations
The water station box will have
a turkey baster, paper towels, a water basin will be already filled
with the oil spill

The land pollution station will

Have several paper cut outs of different kinds of waste people use
in everyday life(aluminum cans, water bottle, glass jar, cardboard
box, egg shells, branches, an apple core, seafood, light bulbs, a
6pack can holder, a sponge, and Styrofoam packing peanuts) which
will be placed in a box with the grass
Separately from that, there will be three bins that will be labeled
as recyclable, compost, and trash.
The air pollution station will have
A preloaded video on air pollution.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9YDMsehsMQ
The group will get three post its labeled K,W, and L

13.

Student will clear desks and gather at smart board

I will inform them that they will be environmentalists and explain what that
means
I will then show a video to activate prior knowledge on the 3 pollution areas
The student will the receive expectations: I will explain my expectations of how I
want the students to interact with peers and the class materials during this time
and the quality of work I am expecting of them in their journals and KWL charts
based on a rubric. I will also model how I would like the students to work with
one another
I will explain how to fill out the journals and the KWLs
I will show that there are discussion starters and scientific method suggestions
I will model what to do at each station and how to interact with the materials
I will then spilt the students into groups by handing the journals to each student
which will be labeled group 1-7
I will then explain the rotation of each station
Students will be informed that there is only 3 minutes for each station
The students will get settled into their groups and their time will begin starting
with the water station and moving to land, and then air with an instructional
period between each station
All students will be working at their stations while I walk around
The timer will go off and they will more to the next station for the next 3 minutes
then the student will go to their last station
Once all students have visited all stations and they have completed their journals
we will hold a class discussion on the different things that worked, didnt work,
and what we learned about leaning pollution.
The students will then be assigned to go home and list 3 things they do at their
house to reduce, reuse, or recycle.
Describe the use of questioning and discussion strategies that will encourage students to
participate in class.
1. Identify something that I recycled in this lesson
5

2. Identify what method you found to be most useful in cleaning up the oil spil
3. Review some things you learned about air pollution
4. Explain to me how you can make a difference in reducing pollution
14.

What difficulties do students typically experience in this area, and how do you plan to
adapt/modify to meet their needs?
Some challenges I expect are difficulties with staying on task within groups. in order to
reduce distractions, I will be walking around the class and monitoring their behavior, I
will also set a timer to show the students that they have a time limit. I will keep
instructions at each station to help keep student on task and it can double as a desk
reference for my visually impaired student. If student get done early, I will ask them to
draw something that they will do when they get home to help their family reduce, reuse,
and recycle in their extra pages of their science journal.

15.

Identify what informal and/or formal assessments you will use to monitor student
learning.
Informal assessment will be taken from walking around the class during the group work
and assessing the class answers on the series of questions asked. The formal assessment
piece will be the student science journals that will be collected at the end of class and
read through to ensure that the students understand the scientific method, the different
pollution areas, and how difficult it can be to clean up these messes.

16.

What will you do to bring closure to the lesson?

The lesson will be brought to a close when the student hand in their science journals and I
will assign them an assignment to go home and find three ways their family reduces,
reuses, and recycles for a class discussion the next day.