DIXIE STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

ELED 4300 SCIENCE LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

(8/23/14)
Teacher Candidate _Ellyse Harris___ Grade Level _1st _
Title __Life Cycle of a Pumpkin__________________________
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS (classroom factors)
Contextual Factors:
ESL students:
Angel WIDA level one
Allyson WIDA level one
Maria WIDA level one
Sixto WIDA level one
Reyes WIDA level one
Adien WIDA level one
High Ability Learners:
Jordan- He excels in reading and in math.
Kayden- He excels in reading and in math.
Behavior Problems:
Harmony- She will often talk out and distract others.
Kylee- She will often talk out and distract others.
Struggling students:
Adien- He missed the first month of school and has fallen very far behind. He receives extra help in math and reading.
Natalia- She has a hard time focusing and paying attention. She receives extra help in reading.
Angel, Maria, Sixto, and Reyes all struggle with reading.
There arent any students with an IEP.
Classroom environment:

Children sit at tables of four. There is a rug in the front of the room for whole group discussion. There is
an elmo, smart board, and four chrome books.
WALK-AWAY (As a result of this lesson, what do I want the students to know, understand, and be able to do?)
State Standard/Objective:

Standard 4 Life Science. Students will gain an understanding of Life Science through the study of changes in
organisms over time and the nature of living things.
Objective 2 Living things change and depend upon their environment to satisfy their basic needs.
C. Describe and model life cycles of living things.
Content Walk-Away:
I can create a picture showing the life cycle of a pumpkin.
Language Walk-Away:
I can create a picture showing the life cycle of a pumpkin.
Vocabulary:

life cycle, sprout, vine, 1-Content objectives, 2-Language objectives, 3-Content appropriate

TEACHER BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The life cycle of a plantThe plant starts life as a seed, which germinates and grows into a plant. The mature plant produces
flowers, which are fertilized and produce seeds in a fruit or seedpod. The plant eventually dies, leaving
seeds, which germinate to produce new plants.
-http://theseedsite.co.uk/lifecycle.html
The life cycle of an animalThe life cycle of an animal includes all of the stages from the end of the last generation to the beginning of
the next. Life-cycles vary in time depending on the species of animal, and can be as short as just a few
weeks for insects, to up to 200 years for sea urchins. Despite the time differences, all animal cycles begin
with the growth and development process, which is then followed by reproduction. The reproduction
stage in the cycle of life marks the end of the cycle and many animals often die after they have
reproduced just once.
-http://a-z-animals.com/reference/life-cycles/
I will be teaching the life cycle of a pumpkin-

- image from teachers pay teachers

ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE (What evidence do I need to show the students have

learned the Walk-Away?) 5E-Evaluate
Formative Evidence (checking for understanding throughout the lesson):
I will observe students as they discuss with their partner on the rug. I will listen to
students answers when I call on them.
Content Walk-Away Evidence (Summative):
Students will create a life cycle of a pumpkin sequence chart.

Modifications/Accomodations (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)

Allow students who are
struggling to go look at the
pocket chart we created as a class
showing the life cycle of a
pumpkin.
I will have Kayden and Jordan
draw and illustrate the life cycle
of an animal or plant of their
choice.

Language Walk-Away Evidence (Summative):

Students will create a life cycle of a pumpkin sequence chart.

I will have vocabulary,

labels, and pictures
displayed in English and
Spanish.

5-Adaptation of content, 6-Meaningful activities

Approx.
Time

ACTIVE LEARNING PLAN

Approximate length of entire lesson:___ minutes.

Teaching time: from _____to ______

Activate/Building Background Knowledge

- Introduce and display walk-aways to the class.
- I want you to remember how last week we learned about how apples grew. Turn to your rug buddy and share
how apples started. Thats right they started as a seed. What happened after that? Explain that the apple
started as a seed and then grew into a seedling, then a tree with flowers that turned into apples. Explain that
this is what we call a lifecycle. Now I want to think about yourself. How did you start? Thats right you started
as just a baby and have been growing into a little boy or girl. That is also part of a life cycle.
-

I will introduce and explain the vocabulary words.

7-Linked to background, 8-Linked to past learning, 9-Key vocabulary

Formative assessment:
Learning Goal
Students will understand that the
process from a seed to an apple is
called a life cycle.

Success Criteria
Students discuss with their rug
buddy where they think apples
come from.

Assessment Strategy
I will listen to students
responses.

Modification/accommodations: (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)

Vocabulary words will be displayed in English and Spanish. There will be pictures illustrating the vocabulary
words. I will ask Jordan and Kayden to use the vocabulary words in a sentence.

Focus Lesson (I do it) 5E-Engage

Did you know that every living thing has a life cycle? I will explain what a life cycle is and display a picture
illustrating a life cycle. Today we are going to learn about the life cycle of a pumpkin. I will display a pumpkin
that I have brought. I want you to pass this pumpkin around and touch and feel it. I will show them a
pumpkin that is cut in half with the seeds showing. I want you to be thinking about how this pumpkin grew to
be big round and orange.
I will have students get with their rug buddy and ask them these questions:
How do you think it started?
How do you know that it started as a seed?
What do you think happened after the seed was planted?
Lets read a story about the life cycle of a pumpkin to see if we are correct.
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Students create a hypothesis
about how pumpkins grow.

Success Criteria
Students work with their rug
buddy to share how they think
pumpkins start to grow.

Assessment Strategy
I will listen to students answers.

Modification/accommodations:
Provide visuals
Ask Kaden and Jordan to explain their thinking to me.
Guided Instruction (We do it) 5E-Explore
I will bring pumpkin seeds, a sprout, vines, flower, a green pumpkin, and an orange pumpkin. Together we
will put the first three phases of the life cycle of a pumpkin in order. I will ask students questions about what
they think comes next in the life cycle. I will have them explain their reasoning to me.
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Students can understand the
order for the life cycle of a
pumpkin.

Success Criteria
I will ask students questions
about what comes next in the life
cycle.

Assessment Strategy
Listen to students answers.

20-Hands-on materials, 21-Activities to apply content/language knowledge, 22-Language skills

Modification/accommodations:
I will also have a pocket chart where I will place pictures with labels illustrating the life cycle of a pumpkin in
the correct order. I will have labels with the picture that are in English and in Spanish. 19-Opportunity for L1
students
I will have Kylie help me put the labels and pictures in the pocket chart.
Collaborative/Cooperative (You do it together) 5E-Explain
Have students work with their rug buddy and tell me where the last three objects in the life cycle of the

pumpkin go.
16-Opportunity for interaction
After we have placed the objects in the correct order I will play a short video clip on the smart board that
explains the life cycle of a pumpkin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU-GwFHQZI8

Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Students can understand the
order for the life cycle of a
pumpkin.

Success Criteria
While working with their rug
buddy students can explain the
correct sequence for the life cycle
of the pumpkin.

Assessment Strategy
Listen to students while they
work with their rug buddy and
share their answers.

Modification/accommodations:
I will also have a pocket chart where I will place pictures with labels illustrating the life cycle of a pumpkin in
the correct order. I will have labels with the picture that are in English and in Spanish.
I will have Adien help me put the labels and pictures in the pocket chart.
I will ask Jordan and Kayden to share about the life cycle of an animal or plant of their choice.

Independent (You do it alone) 5E-Elaborate

Students will create the life cycle of a pumpkin sequence chart on their own.
30-Assessment 6-Meaningful activities
Summative Assessment:
Students will turn in their completed sequence chart.
Modification/accommodations:
Allow students who are struggling to go look at the pocket chart.
On the pre assessment none of the students were able to complete the sequence chart correctly. All of the
students will be doing the same assessments.
I will be walking around the room to provide scaffolding for struggling students. 14-Scaffolding
Closure/Review of walk-aways, vocabulary, and essential questions
(Note: Closure includes student interactions, reflection, and/or demonstrations.)

Have students come back to the rug. We will go over the vocabulary and walk-aways. I will ask
students to tell me what a life cycle is.
27-Review vocabulary, 28-Review concepts, 29-Feedback

SIOP Indicators
Preparation: 1-Content objectives, 2-Language objectives, 3-Content appropriate, 4-Supplementary materials, 5-Adaptation
of content, 6-Meaningful activities
Building Background: 7-Linked to background, 8-Linked to past learning, 9-Key vocabulary

Comprehensive Input: 10-Appropriate speech, 11-Clear explanation, 12-Variety of techniques

Strategies: 13-Students use learning strategies, 14-Scaffolding, 15-Higher-order thinking,
Interaction: 16-Opportunity for interaction, 17-Grouping supports objectives, 18-Wait time, 19-Opportunity for L1 students
Practice/Application: 20-Hands-on materials, 21-Activities to apply content/language knowledge, 22-Language skills
(reading, writing, listening, speaking)
Lesson Delivery: 23-Content objective supported, 24-Language objective supported, 25-Students engaged, 26-Pacing
Review/Assessment: 27-Review vocabulary, 28-Review concepts, 29-Feedback, 30-Assessment

TEACHING NOTES
What do I need to remember to do? What materials do I need to have ready? What is the approximate time needed for
this lesson?
I need to have all the objects illustrating the life cycle of a pumpkin. Create pictures for the vocabulary words, and pocket
chart. This lesson should take about 45 minutes.

REFLECTION AFTER LESSON

How can I use the assessment data to reflect on & evaluate the outcomes of teaching and learning? How can I transfer
what I learned from teaching this lesson to future teaching? What was effective and not effective? What goals can I set
to improve my practice and student learning?