Shelby Brubaker

4/20/14
Final Lesson Plan
The Life Cycle of a Chicken
Objective: Students will be able to describe the life cycle of a chicken including the following stages: egg,
young, adult. Students will be able to manipulate the position of their bodies (standing, sitting, crouched,
laying, etc) with dance while exploring their personal space.
Grade Level: First grade
Time: 65 minutes
Grade Level Content Expectations:
L.OL.01.21 Describe the life cycle of animals including the following stages: egg, young, adult.
Art.D.I.1.4: Explore personal space while standing, sitting.
Source Materials:
Youtube video: The Story of Penny http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pozsn2f6M3Y
The book: The Life Cycle Of A Chicken by Ruth Thomson
Dictionary: Egg, Young, Adult
Teaching
Materials:

Youtube video: The Story of Penny http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pozsn2f6M3Y

Computer/projector/ internet access
The book: The Life Cycle Of A Chicken by Ruth Thomson
Colored scarves
Blankets
Paper
Tape
String
Stapler
Large bedsheets
1. Engagement: 10 minutes, whole class discussion, computer/projector/internet.
To engage the students, I will show the children a video about the life cycle of a chicken: http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pozsn2f6M3Y
Pay attention to the children that are focused on the video. Take note of the children who are not
interested in this medium for learning for future reference.
Internal Assessment
After the video is over, ask the students some questions. I will write down their answers to the
questions on the board that way the students can reflect on their answers after they have been
informed. I will ask:
Have you ever seen a chicken?
What do they look like? Do they all look the same?
Where have you seen chickens?
Have you ever seen a baby chicken?
Do you know what a baby chicken is called?

 How do you think chicks grow up?

How do you think chicks are born?
How do you think a chick being born is different than a human?
Based on how well the students are able to answer these questions, move onto the story. If they cant
accurately answer 75% of these questions, they are not ready to continue the lesson. If this is the case,
spend some time with the children discussing other animals that lay eggs. Allow them group time as
well to talk to one another about life cycles of living organisms.
2. Introduction of Information: 15 minutes, whole class, text.
Read the story The Life Cycle of a Chicken by Ruth Thomson. Gather the children in the reading
area.
Once the story is over, I will ask the students to get into groups of five at their table and discuss a few
things:
What is a life cycle?
Are chickens the only animals that have life cycles? If not, who/what else has life cycles?
Discuss the major differences between how chicks are born and how humans are born.
Have
the children share their ideas as a large group. Write down these answers on the chalkboard

next to their previous answers.

Internal Assessment: Small groups of five
Compare the answers the children gave before and after learning the information. If the answers
seem to have deeper meaning and explanation after the reading of The Life Cycle of a Chicken,
move on.
Introduce the idea of dance to explain the life cycle of a chicken. Change the children into new
groups of five and have them come up with a short dance to show the life cycle of a chicken.
Introduce them to all the props and let them know they can use whatever items they chose. Also let
them know that they are free to use other items around the classroom.
3. Processing of Information: 15 minutes, dance creation
Allow the children to create with their group members.
Set out the props in no particular order in the front of the room. Anoint one group member to come
pick four items from the table.
Roam the classroom to answer any questions and to help the children sort through any issues with
their dance.
Remind the children that often dancers move their bodies in many ways through space: high, low,
quick or slow tempo, using all limbs, etc.
Internal Assessment:
Watch to see if the children are using their bodies in many positions and ways. Take note of the
groups that are using their bodies to convey meaning.
Listen for vocabulary being used: life cycle, egg, young, and adult.
4. Sharing: 15 minutes, performing
Each group should take about 1-2 minutes to perform.
Five groups of five students each.

Internal Assessment:
Allow the other groups time to reflect on the performances of their classmates. Once a group has
finished, allow the other groups to raise their hand to comment on their dance.
What did you like?
What was interesting about their dance?
What did they do that you didnt think to do?
To assess how well they understood dance, watch their body positions in each section of the dance.
Look for use of high to low positioning along with use of props.
5. Evaluation and Closure: 10 minutes, peer to peer,
Have the children reflect on their own performance in their group:
Their favorite part
What they would do differently
Parts of the dance that made them feel uncomfortable
Overall experience with the lesson
6. After the Lesson: (Individual, Worksheet.) To assess how much the children have learned, have them
draw the life cycle of a chick on a piece of paper that will be turned in. To extend this lesson, I could
open up the idea of the students using art to create a life cycle for another animal, insect, etc. Allow the
children room for error, but reflect on their work and let them know similarities/differences between life
cycles of animals, insects, humans, etc. Another way to extend this lesson is to allow parents to come
into the classroom and watch the dance performances!
7. Notes:
Keep the children engaged
Do not them get off topic
Allow them time to be creative and to really think about the ways in which to use dance to show their
understanding of the life cycle.
8. Vocabulary:
Life Cycle: the series of changes in the life of an organism.
Egg: a round object laid by a female bird, reptile, fish, or invertebrate, usually containing a developing
baby.
Young: the being of an animal, human, fish, etc shortly after birth.
Adult: fully grown or developed.