Seeds

Author:JenniferDoering
Datecreated:10/08/20166:54PMESTDatemodified:10/15/20165:59PMEST

VITALINFORMATION
TotalNumberofStudents

16:6boys,10girls.

Area(s)StudentsLiveIn

Novato,CA.Suburbs.

Free/ReducedLunch

30%ofschool

EthnicityofStudents

5White,1Asian,9Hispanic/Latino,1AfricanAmerican

EnglishLanguageLearners

Ibelieve10studentsareELLs.Idon'tknowtheirproficiencylevels.

StudentswithSpecialNeeds

AdamhasDownSyndrome.Hehasafulltime,oneononeaide.
Niroshanisveryadvancedinacademics,butlowinfinemotorskills.
Myahasverbalcommunicationandprocessingproblems.
10ofthestudentsareTransitionalKindergartenstudentsand6areKindergartenstudents.TheKindergartenstudents
sometimesneedabitmoreofachallengeoradifferentactivitybecausetheyhaveexperiencedmanyofthelessons
before(lastyear).

Subject(s)

LanguageArts(English),Science

TopicorUnitofStudy

PartsofaPlant(roots,stems,leaves,flowers/fruits,seeds)andHowPlantsGrow

Grade/Level

PreK,Kindergarten

Comments

KEYCONCEPTS&STANDARDS
BigIdea&Essential
Questions

Thislessonfitsintothelargerunitofthepartsofaplantbecauseitteachesaboutonepartofaplant:seeds.The
studentshavealreadylearnedaboutroots,stems,leaves,flowers,andfruits.Theyhaveheardstoriesabout
andcreatedposterswithcharacteristicsofalltheotherpartsoftheplantcycleandtheirowndrawings.Thislessonwill
emphasizethatplantsneedwater,soil,andsunlighttogrow.Studentswillbuildontheirknowledgeofplantsin
preparationfortheirfieldtriptoapumpkinpatchtheweekafterthislesson.Thislessonwillhelpstudentsunderstand
wheretheirfoodcomesfromandhowplantsgrow.

LearningOutcome(s)

1.Studentswillidentifywhatplantsneedtogrowandsurvive.
2.Studentswillidentifyaspecificexampleofaseed.

Summary

Standards

Inthislesson,studentswillactivatepriorknowledgebyrememberingtheirotherlessonsonthepartsoftheplantcycle
andlookingattheirpreviouslycreatedposters.Theywilllistentoastoryaboutseedsandtheprocessofplant
growthandthencreateaninteractiveposter.Studentswillindependentlydrawapictureofaseedandidentifyitby
dictatingitsnameorwritingasentenceaboutit.Finally,studentswillsingasongaboutthenecessaryitemsforplant
growthandconnectthesenewideastotheirupcomingfieldtrip.

CACaliforniaCommonCoreStateStandards(2012)
Subject:EnglishLanguageArts&LiteracyinHistory/SocialStudies,Science,andTechnicalSubjects
Grade:Kindergartners:
ContentArea:InformationalText
Strand:Reading
Domain:CraftandStructure
Standard:
4.Withpromptingandsupport,askandanswerquestionsaboutunknownwordsinatext.(SeegradeK
Languagestandards46onpage13foradditionalexpectations.)
Strand:SpeakingandListening
Domain:
ComprehensionandCollaboration
Standard:
1.Participateincollaborativeconversationswithdiversepartnersaboutkindergartentopicsandtextswithpeers
andadultsinsmallandlargergroups.
a.Followagreeduponrulesfordiscussions(e.g.,listeningtoothersandtakingturnsspeakingaboutthetopics
andtextsunderdiscussion).
b.Continueaconversationthroughmultipleexchanges.
Standard:

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2.Confirmunderstandingofatextreadaloudorinformationpresentedorallyorthroughothermediabyasking
andansweringquestionsaboutkeydetailsandrequestingclarifiationifsomethingisnotunderstood.
a.Understandandfollowoneandtwosteporaldirections.

CANextGenerationScienceStandards(2014)
Grade:Kindergarten
Standard:KLS11.Useobservationstodescribepatternsofwhatplantsandanimals(includinghumans)needtosurvive.

Comments

ASSESSMENTS
Assessment/Rubrics

Theseareallformativeassessments:
1.Duringtheclassdiscussionandcreationoftheinteractiveposter,Iwilllistentostudentresponsesforidentificationof
seedcharacteristicsandwhatplantsneedtogrowandsurvive.
2.Iwilllookatstudentdrawingsofseedsandthestudents'identification(dictatedwordorwrittensentence)tocheck
forspecificidentificationandlearning.

Comments

MATERIALSANDRESOURCES
InstructionalMaterials
(Handouts,etc.)

Markers
Posterpaper
SeedSoilSunEarth'sRecipeforFoodbyCrisPeterson
Smallpiecesofpaper(atleast16)
Crayonsandpencilsforeachstudent
SproutedLimabeans
Assortedseeds
Popcorn
iPad

Comments

IMPLEMENTATION
SequenceofActivities

Betweenreadingattheirtablesandcomingtothecarpet,Iwillaskstudentstolookatthepreviouslycreatedposters
aboutthepartsoftheplant,sincewewillbeattheothercarpetduringthelesson.
Hook:Goodmorningkindergarten!Todaywe'regoingtolearnaboutseeds,andguesswhat!Ihavesomeseedsthat
wecaneatrighthere(Iwillpulloutpopcornandgiveafewpiecestoeachstudent.Asstudentsareeating,Iwillstart
askingthemaboutpriorknowledge).
1.Iwillactivatepriorknowledgebyreferringtothepreviouslycreatedpostersfromotherlessons(roots,stems,leaves,
andbuds/petals/flowers/fruit).Iwillalsoaskstudentstoperformthemovementsassociatedwitheachsectionofthe
plant.
2.Iwillexplainthatwewillbelearningaboutthefinalpartofaplant,theseed,bylisteningtothethestory,SeedSoil
Sun:Earth'sRecipeforFood,byCrisPeterson.Iwillexplainthattheseedisthebeginningofaplantanditneedscertain
thingstogrowbigandstrong.Iwillaskstudentswhatweneedtogrowandwhattheythinkplantsneedtogrowby
callingonseveralstudents.
3.Iwillreadthestory:
IwillparaphrasemostpagesintoKindergartenfriendlylanguage,exceptthefirstpage.
Iwillstatehowseedscomefromfruitsandpointouttheseedsinallthepictures,andthatseedsarethe
beginningofplants.
Iwillintroducecornasaseed.
Iwillstatethattherearethreethingsthatplantsneedtogrow(water,dirt,andsunlight)andthatwewill
learnmoreaboutthosethingsaswereadmore.
Iwillreadthepageaboutsproutedseeds,showseveralunsproutedandsproutedlimabeans(realia)andplace
thematthefrontoftheclass(studentscancomelookatthemduringindependentwork).Iwillintroducewateras
animportantpartofplantgrowthbyexplainingwhatIdidtogetthelimabeanstosprout.Iwillshowthehand
motionforwater(handscreatingrain).Studentswillrepeat.
Iwillexplainthatseedsaretinybutcangrowintohugeplants,justlikecorn.
Iwillintroducedirt,explainthatsoilandearthmeanthesamething(havestudentsrepeattheword)andexplain
thatitisahomefortheseed.Iwillalsoexplainthatwormsliveinsoiltoo.Iwillshowthehandmotionfor
soil(handscupped).Studentswillrepeat.
Iwillexplainthataftertheseedgrowsandgetsbigger,sendingitsrootsdownandstemupandleavesout,
thoseleavesgetfoodfromthesun.Iwillshowthehandmotionforsun(handsoverheadinacircle).Students
willrepeat.
Iwillsaythatthesungivestheplantenoughfoodtogrowflowersandfruits,likestudentslearnedaboutbefore.
Iwillreiteratethataftertheplantisbigandgrownwithfruitorflowers,ithasseedsthatstartthewholeprocess
overagain(gobacktotheoriginalfruitandseedspage).
4.Iwillcreateaninteractiveposterbycallingonindividualstudentstocomeuptotheboardandsharefactsaboutwhat
seedsare,whatseedsneedtogrowintoplants,andwhereseedscomefrom.Thesethreetargetfactswillbe
prewritteninpencilonthepaper:1.Seedshavebabyplantscurledinsidethem.2.Seedsneedwater,soil,and
sunlighttogrowintoplants.3.Seedscomefromfruitsandflowers.Iwillaskstudentstohelpme"spell"theword
"seed,"drawapictureofaseed,tapeseveralexamplesofseedstothepaper,andwritethefactsasstudentsshare
theirideas.

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5.Iwillaskstudentstodrawapictureofaseedandidentifywhattypeofseeditisbywritingitsnameontheirpaper
themselves,ordictatingittoanadult.Iwillpassoutpaperstostudentsindividuallyandaskthemwhattheywilldrawa
pictureof(tocheckforunderstanding).Oncestudentshavetheirpaper,theywillgototheirtablesanddrawapicture.If
thecrayonbucketsarenotalreadyonthetables,Iwillaskthestarstudenttogetthemandputthemoneachtable.
6.Iwillcirculatewhilestudentsareworkingandsupportstudentsasneeded.Iwillalsoputpiecesoftapeontheposter
inpreparationofthenextstepandgettheiPadandAppleTVreadyfortheclosingactivity.
7.StudentswillbringtheirpaperuptotheposteroncetheyhavefinishedandIoranotheradultwillwritethenameof
theirseedontheirpaper.Studentswillsticktheirpapertotheposterandreadonthecarpetuntilotherstudentsare
finished.
Closure:Iwillcallstudentsbackovertothecarpetandaskstudentswhatpartoftheplantlettuce,celery,broccoli,
apples,carrots,andcornare(pagesinthebook)byacombinationofcallingonindividualstudents,askingthemto
whispertotheirneighbor,andaskingthewholeclasstoanswertogether.Iwillremindstudentsofthesong/poem"A
LittleSeed"andleadtheminsingingitwithhandmotionsbysingingmyselfandshowingavideoontheclassiPad
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qmSVz28PKM).Iwillremindthemthattheyaregoingonafieldtripnextweekto
seeplantsandremindthemtolookforallthepartsoftheplantandthethingstheyneedtogrowwhiletheyarethere.
GroupingStrategies

Wholegroup:Thebulkofinstructionwillbewholegroup,asstudentswillbesittingonthecarpetformostofthe
instruction.
Independent:Studentswillproduceapictureandsentenceindependently.

DifferentiatedInstruction

Adam:Hopefullyhewillbefocusedandreadytolearneventhoughtheschedulemaybedifferentwithnewpeopleinthe
roomanddifferentactivitiesthannormal.Hedoesbestwithstructureandslightlyassistedactivities.Iwillwarnhisaide
thatwewillbegoingbacktothecarpetaftertheactivity,whichisdifferentthanthenormalschedule,andthatwillaid
histransitions.Iorhisaidewillwritehissentenceforhim.Ihaveincludedthesongintheclosureactivitybecausehe
reallylikessongs.
Lowachievers(TKs):Iwillmakesuretheyknowwhattodrawapictureofwithverbalconfirmationbeforesendingthem
offtotheirtablesandwritetheirsentenceforthem.
Kindergarten/highachievers:Iwillaskthemtowritetheirowncompletesentenceabouttheirpicturebyaskingthemto
write,"Itisa____."Iftheyneedthescaffoldofmewriting"Itis"onthewhiteboard,Iwilldothat.Iwillalsohelpthem
spellthenameoftheseediftheyneedhelp.
ELs:ThebookIhavechosenhasrealphotographsofthepartsofplantsandIwillidentifyandpointoutthepictures
whenintroducingnewvocabulary(soil)andthroughoutthestory.Ihavepulledouthandmotionsfromtheclosingsong
togoalongwiththenecessaryitemsforthegrowthofplants(soil,water,sunlight)tomakethemmoreconcrete.Ihave
alsochosentobringinsproutedlimabeans(realia)toillustratewhatarecentlysproutedseedlookslike.Iftheyneed
helpspellingwordsfortheirsentence,Iwillassistthemverballyorbywritingonthewhiteboardforthemtocopy.

Comments

REFLECTIONS
PriortoLesson

Iwillknowthatthestudentlearningoutcomesweremetbyobservingstudentsworking.Iftheycandothehand
motionsforthecorrecttermsandverballyidentifythethingsthatplantsneedtogrow,theywillhavemetthe
firstlearningoutcome.Iftheydrawapictureofaseedandcorrectlyidentifyitverballyand/orinwriting,theywillhave
metthesecondlearningoutcome.IanticipatethatIwillfindkeepingtheirattentionchallengingbecausetheyare
kindergartenersandIama"new"persontryingtokeepthemquietandengaged.Ialsoanticipatethattheclosing
activitymaybechallengingbecausetheyhavenotheardthissongbefore,theydon'tusetheclassiPadallthatoften(it
willbeanewthing),andtheydon'tusuallydoformalclosingactivitiesasagroup.Finally,Ianticipatethatworkingwith
Adamwillbeachallenge,becauseitisalwayshitormisswithhim.Sometimesheishappytoparticipate,sometimes
somethingsetshimoffandherefusestodoanythingduringthemorning.Iwilllethisaidedomostofthebehavior
managementforhim,butIhopethatheatleastparticipatesinpartofmylesson.

PostLesson

Mykindergartenstudents,forthemostpart,metthelearningoutcomeofidentifyingaseed.Someofthemeven
extendedtheirthinkinganddrewaseedIhadn'tintroduced,suchasstrawberryandlemonseeds.OnlyafewoftheTK
studentsunderstoodthis,asmostofthemdrewa"rainbowseed,"whichdoesn'texist.Mostoftheclasswasableto
identifythethreethingsplantsneedtogrow,basedontheirhandmotionsduringthelesson.Theyhadahardtimewith
whereaseedcomesfrom(theflower/fruit),butthatwasn'tahugefocusofthelesson.IfIweretocontinuewiththis
unit,Iwouldusetheassessmenttoidentifywhichstudentsneededmoreinstructiononindividualseeds.Inowrealize
thatIneedmorecleartransitions.Mylessonhadtoomuchsittingatthebeginning,soIneededtogetstudentsmoving.
Ialsodidn'tcalloneverystudentandneglectedthestudentsthatIeitherknewwouldn'tknowtheanswerorwere
sittingoutofmylineofsight.Inthefuture,IwilldobetterwithdirectingstudentmovementandkeepingtrackofwhoI
callon.

Comments

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