William Paterson University

College of Education
Katelyn Sheridan
Understanding By Design (UBD)* LESSON PLANNING TEMPLATE (Revised 2/20/14) For
an Inquiry Based 5E Lesson
Assessment Plan
Subject Area (s): Science
Lesson Topic: Balancing a trick crayfish investigation
Concept: Balance and Motion
Grade: 2
ESSENTIAL QUESTION(S): How can counterweights help balance shapes?
RELEVANT CONTEXTUAL FACTORS: My 2nd grade class is just beginning to learn how to write lab
reports. By giving them this activity to investigate they
Standard:
NGSS K-2 Science and
Engineering Practices- Plan and
conduct an investigation
collaboratively to produce data to
serve as the basis for evidence to
answer a question.
CCSS SL.2.1 Participate in
collaborative conversations with
diverse partners about grade 2
topics and texts with peers and
adults in small and larger groups.
CCSS L.2.4 Vocabulary Acquisition
and Use- Determine or clarify the
meaning of unknown and
multiple-meaning words and
phrases based on grade 2
reading and content.
Standard:

2.11.2 Physical Science Observe how changing the

amount of weight affects a
balanced system.
NGSS K-2 Science and
Engineering Practices- Plan and
conduct an investigation
collaboratively to produce data to
serve as the basis for evidence to
answer a question.

Learning Goal(s) (Low

Level):
1.Students will be able to
communicate effectively
with the teacher and their
classmates about their
findings
2.Students will be able to
use concepts and
academic vocabulary
(counterweights, balance
point) to complete lab
report.
3. Students will be able to
follow multi step
instructions.

Assessment(s):
Students will observe the
teacher create a mock lab report
on the chart paper. Students will
create their own lab report on
the crayfish experiment. The
following parts should be
included in lab report: Problem,
Hypothesis, Procedure and
Results. Students will use new
scientific vocabulary in their
descriptions.

Learning Goal(s) (High

Level):
1.Students will learn to
understand that
counterweights positioned
in certain ways can help
balance an object.
2. Students will be able to
understand the process of
conducting investigations.

Formative assessment:
Student verbal responses and
talk, science notebook check,
and exit ticket.
Students will each be given a
cardstock tricky crayfish to
balance on their finger. They
must experiment and get the
crayfish to balance on their
finger with and without
clothespins (counterweights).
The students will record how
they balanced the crayfish on
their finger and the steps they
1

CCSS W.2.7 Participate in shared

research and writing projects
(e.g., read a number of books on
a single topic to produce a report,
record science observations).
Conduct short as well as more
sustained research on focused
questions, demonstrating
understanding of the subject
under investigation.

took in their science notebook.

Finally the class will receive an
exit ticket. The question on the
ticket will be Where must you
place the counterweights on an
object to make the object
balanced or stable? Student
response for the exit ticket
should be on the bottom.

Resources: Chart paper for anchor chart with definitions and example of lab report, FOSS Balance
and Motion textbook, crayfish cardstock cutouts, clothespins (counterweights), Science Notebook.
Vocab: balance, balancing point, counterweight, stable
Book: Mirette on the Highwire by Emily Arnold McCully
Accommodations/Modifications: English Language Learner student may draw his responses to
questions and draw each step for his lab report.
Talented and Gifted students may add an additional page to their lab report explaining why they
received the results they did.

ENGAGE/
MOTIVATE:
(Connect to prior
knowledge; ask a
question, show a
surprising event,
pose a problem)

Design for Instruction

Teacher
Students
Read the students Mirette on
Students will be seated on the carpet in
the Highwire by Emily Arnold
their assigned seats. They will raise their
McCully.
hands to answer questions.

Ask: What is Mirette walking on?

Possible student response: She is

walking on a rope, tight rope or string

Minutes:____5_____
Ask: Do you think it is hard to
walk on that rope? Why?
Say: Raise your hand if you have
ever heard the word balance
before. Take a moment and think
about a time you saw something
balancing or when you have
balanced before. Turn and talk to
your partner.

Students raise their hand to answer the

questions.
Students quietly take a moment to think
then turn and share their ideas with their
partner.

EXPLORE/DIRECT
INVOLVEMENT
WITH
MATERIALS/STUDE
NTS WORK
TOGETHER IN
TEAMS. INQUIRY
and PROCESS to
Drive instruction.

Say: Balance is a stable position.

ASK: Can anyone raise their hand
and tell me what stable means.
Say: Everyone stand up. Are you
in a balanced position? Why or
Why not?
Pick a few students to share
responses after they share with
their partner.

Students remain seated on the carpet for

class discussion.
Students raise hands to define stable.
We write all responses on the chart
paper for later use.
Students will stand up on the carpet.
They will discuss their response and
their reasoning with their elbow partner.

Minutes:____10____
Say: I need a volunteer.
Have the student come to the
front of the group and stand in
either a balanced or unbalanced
position.
If student is in a balanced
position ask: Is he/she in a
balanced position? Correct,
he/she is in a balanced position,
which means they are not tipping
over or they are stable.
Ask for one more volunteer. This
volunteer will be in an
unbalanced position. Explain that
this student is not stable and can
fall over easily.
EXPLAIN/TEACH &
ASK
QUESTIONS/SCAFF
OLD INCLUDING
VISUALIZATION
AND TECHNOLOGY:
(Convey expert
knowledge; Ask
low/high
questions; put
abstract
experiences into
communicable
form. Introduce
labels for
phenomena that
children had/will
have direct
experiences with)

Today we are going to be real

scientists and experiment to help
us learn more about balancing.
Ask: Who can tell me what an
experiment is?

Students raise hands to respond to

questions.

Students remain on carpet and are

paying attention to lecture. They should
now have a small understanding of the
vocab: balance and stable.

Students remain on carpet.

Students respond with something like
an experiment is an investigation or a
test

Say: It is important to try many

different possibilities when you
experiment. We need to be like
detectives trying to find the best
solution to a problem.
On the Chart paper write out
each step of the lab report and
discuss with students what each
part entails. Use last weeks
lesson on spinning to create a
mock lab report. Parts of the lab
report should include : Problem,
3

Minutes:____8_____

hypothesis, procedure, and

results.

Students may respond with It is what

you think will happen

Say: Who thinks they can tell me

what a hypothesis is?
Correct, a hypothesis is the
scientists educated guess on
what might happen. Before we
start experimenting with our trick
crayfish write in your science
notebook your hypothesis. How
do you think you will get the
crayfish to balance?

Students will write hypothesis in their

science notebook.

Say: Lets look at the procedure

part of our lab report. On this
page you are going to write all
the steps you took. It is very
similar to how you wrote your
How To in writers workshop.
When you are conducting your
experiment record the materials
you used, and how you used
them. What steps did you take to
get your result?

ELABORATE and
EXPAND/
PERFORMANCE
TASK (Students
expand on the
concept that was
constructed
through the
exploration and
explanation
phases):
Minutes:____20____
_

Say: Finally, we have the results

page. Ask: What do you think we
will record here?
Who can tell me what a crayfish
is?
I will show them pictures of live
crayfish on the Epson board to
see if this provokes any other
responses from students.
Investigation:
Say: I have this crayfish cutout.
This crayfish can do a really great
trick; it can balance on one of
your fingers. There are many
different ways the crayfish does
this trick but there is one way
that is the most balanced and
stable. Today we are going to try
and find the most stable way.
Ask: Do you want to try?
First ask the students to try and
balance the crayfish without
attaching the clothespins to the

Students will offer input on what to

include on the procedure page. As a
class we will fill in the chart on the easel
with ideas from our spinning top
experiment last week.

Students should be able to communicate

examples of results that we had for the
spinning top experiment. We will fill in
their examples on the chart paper.

Students will now be seated at their

desks. They will respond A crayfish
is________?

Students will respond with yes. Before

beginning they should write down their
hypothesis on the lab report sheets.
Each student will receive one crayfish
cutout and 2 clothespins. Students will
try to balance the cutout on one of their
fingers without using the clothespins
first.
4

cutout.
I will circulate the room,
assessing students ability to
balance the crayfish and what
they have written in their science
notebook.
Ask students to come and sit
around the edge of the carpet to
share their findings. They should
bring their crayfish cutout and
clothespins with them. One at a
time each student can share how
they were able to balance their
crayfish.
Explain to students that the part
their finger is touching is the
balance point. Ask the students
to now try balancing the crayfish
after applying the two
clothespins to different spots. Ask
them to focus on the position of
the clothespins in relation to the
balance point.
Say: Now we are going to try to
balance the crayfish with the two
clothespins attached to 2
different parts. The clothespins
are going to act as out
counterweights. Counterweights
are weights used to help balance.
Experiment with your partner and
pay attention to what works and
what doesnt work so you can
record it when you write your lab
report.

Students will come one at a time to the

middle of the carpet to share how they
balanced the crayfish.

Students will remain seated on the

carpet. They may work with one partner
next to them to try and balance the
crayfish using counterweights.

Students raise their hand to respond to

questions.

I will move around the circle

collecting formative assessment
data.
Discussion:
Ask: What did you do to get the
crayfish to balance on its nose?
Ask: Does it matter where you
placed the clothespins?

EVALUATE
(Attach Rubric for
Performance Task.
Evaluation occurs
throughout stages
but is emphasized
during final
performance
task phase)
Minutes:___30_____
_

Say:
Students please take out your lab
report form. Remember what we
discussed needs to be included
on each page.
I will list the resources and
materials we used so the
students can write this in their
procedure section.

CLOSURE:

Hand out exit ticket Where do

you place the counterweights on
an object to make it balance?

Students will be seated in their assigned

seats. They will work independently on
their lab report. Each student will have
the same problem How can we balance
the crayfish but each student may have
different hypothesis, procedure and
results pages.

Lab reports will be collected and

graded based on the rubric.
Students will complete exit ticket and
hand it in. If time allows they may write
any questions they have in their science
notebook for me to review.

Encourage students to write any

questions they may have in their
science notebook for me to
review and respond to.
Instructional Decision Making: How will I use ongoing analysis of student learning to
make instructional decisions?
I will use the formative assessments such as walking around the room and collecting
data on student responses and participation to adapt my lesson as I go along. If
students are not understanding key concepts or the idea of experimenting I can begin
to see this during the Elaborate/Expand portion and adjust my lesson or review based
on my findings.
Analysis of St. Learning: How will I use assessment data to communicate information
regarding student progress?
I have a checklist with each students name and a place for observation notes. As
students work with partners I will circulate the room collecting data. I am looking to
see if students are engaged, which students may not be understanding key concepts
and vocabulary and which students may need extra assistance. After reviewing the
students lab reports with the attached rubric I will be able to see if the students have
met the learning goals: Students will be able to use concepts and academic vocabulary
(counterweights, balance point) to complete lab report. and Students will be able to understand
the process of conducting investigations.
Rubric for lab report:
Score:

Element:

Emerging

Acceptable

Target

Vocab Use

Student did not use

any scientific
vocabulary in their
lab report. (Vocab:

Student used 1-2

scientific
vocabulary words.
(Vocab: balance,

Student used 3-5

scientific
vocabulary words
in the correct
6

balance, stable,
balance point,
counterweight,
crayfish)

stable, balance
point,
counterweight,
crayfish)

context. (Vocab:
balance, stable,
balance point,
counterweight,
crayfish)

Process/steps

Student did not

include all parts to
their lab report
(Problem,
Hypothesis,
Procedure, and
Results.

Students
completed all parts
to their lab report
(Problem,
Hypothesis,
Procedure, and
results) but they
did not use
complete
sentences.

Student completed
all parts to their lab
report (Problem,
Hypothesis,
Procedure, and
Results). They used
complete
sentences,
scientific
vocabulary and
described multiple
steps in the
procedure section.

Received
reasonable
results.

Student did not

have any results.

Student recorded a
result but when
tested it does not
always work.

Student recorded a
result and it can be
tested using our
knowledge of
counterweights.

Katelyn Sheridan
Self assessment form
1. What went well in this lesson? Why?
I really feel that this lesson went exceptionally well. My students very rarely
have a science lesson so they were engaged and excited to experiment with
balancing. I believe this played a large role in why the students were so engaged
and motivated to learn. The balancing experiment was very hands on and they
enjoyed coming up with their own solutions.
2. What problems did I experience? Why?
One problem I experienced was the noise level in the classroom. During the
Elaborate portion of the lesson where the students were experimenting with a
partner the noise level increased quite a bit and it took several tries to regain the
control of the class. I am glad the students were having fun and enjoying the
activity but they needed to be a little more serious while experimenting.

3. Was it student centered? Should it have been?

Yes, it was very student centered. I taught the students briefly about the
vocabulary and how to write up a lab report but the students did all the
experimenting. There were also several opportunities for the students to present
what they discovered and share their ideas with the rest of the class.
4. What could I have done differently?
One thing that I could have done differently was watched the time more
closely. Toward the end I had to cut the students lab report writing short and
continue the next day. Luckily I had the time the next day to continue but I would
have liked the students to complete the full lab report in one sitting so they knew
what they were going to write and the ideas were still fresh in their minds.
5. What did I learn from this experience that will help me in the future?
One thing that I learned through this experience is that my class truly enjoys
hands on activities and the topic of science in general. It was so nice to see them
so excited and engaged. They loved being able to test out their own ideas.
Another thing I learned and will use in the future is that I need to give clearer
instructions before passing out any materials. In this lesson I gave the students
their crayfish and clothespins but had not get instructed them what I was going to
have them do with it. The students began to play with the materials and may
have not focused on my instructions as well as they would have if I had given
instructions first.
6. Preparation and research - Was I well prepared? - What could I have
done differently?
I was extremely prepared. The chart paper was set up, the objectives were on
the board ad I had reviewed the material far in advance. While planning the
lesson I also came up with possible student responses to my questions so that I
would be prepared for questions the students may have had. The only thing that
bothered me was that I had to extend my lesson to the next day so some
students could finish writing their lab report. I was happy my cooperating teacher
allowed me to have this time but I felt bad for not foreseeing this as an issue.
7. Written plan Was I organized? Did the written format work? Is there a
better form?
I believe I was organized. I had all the materials need for the lesson laid out on
the back table for easy access when needed. The seating arrangements of the
students worked out well and I believe saved me from possible chaos. I spent a
good amount of time planning my lesson so I felt comfortable teaching it and had
a good idea of how I wanted it to flow. I typically carry my lesson plan around
with me reviewing it as I go along to make sure I dont forget anything. One thing
I may have done differently would be to make a short outline of the topics or
activities I wanted to do in the order I wanted to do them so I am not sitting there
reading parts of my lesson plan.
8. Presentation Were the students involved? Was I clear in my
presentation? How was the pacing?
The students were very involved. A majority of my lesson was them creating
different ways to balance their crayfish. I was genuinely interested to hear/see the
different ways the students would find. The only portion of my lesson I felt
dragged on a bit was my Explain/teach portion. The students seemed to be
picking up on the material and I should have been a little more brief and moved
on. Like I mentioned earlier I would have liked to watch my time a little closer
during my lesson.

9. Assessment Does my method of assessment measure what I want?

How did the class do? What should I change for next time?
I believe my formative assessments were beneficial to me. I made sure to
record and collect data from my observations. It can be hard to remember which
students did/said what but with my checklist and observation notes reviewing
student achievement was not hard. Overall the class did well, the only students
that need a little more assistance are my ELL student and the students that were
pulled out of class for speech. Next time I would definitely try to include a written
instruction sheet for my students to refer back to. I would also like to create a
science word wall, where I would post the vocab words the students will be
learning and using during the lesson.