Fabiola Rodriguez ED 351 October 18, 2012

Integrated Learning Segment Rationale

I am teaching my third graders about a specific habitat: the pond. One of the main reasons I decided to teach my students about ponds is because I want to introduce to the class the concept of habitats. I want the students to know what makes up a habitat (type of animals, plants, food chains etc,) by using a pond as an example. Ponds are very accessible in the area of Milwaukee, so we will be able to explore a pond in real life, not through pictures in a book. I am planning on having four to five lessons, approximately 25 to 60 minutes each, including a reading workshop, a field trip, group work, and a final investigation of a habitat of choice. I have decided to use the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in consideration when planning my lessons and activities. The main reason of using the NGSS in the learning segment is because I will be using them in my future teacher career. The standard that correlates with the learning segment about ponds is (2012): 3. EIO.a,e a. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the types of habitats in which organisms live, and ask questions based on that information. e. Use evidence to argue that some changes in an organisms habitat can be beneficial or harmful to the organism.

The Core Idea of the learning segment is Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity. The Component Idea is Biodiversity and Humans, and the Grade Band Endpoint by the end of grade 5 says as follow: Scientists have identified and classified many plants and animals. Populations of organisms live in a variety of habitats, and change in those habitats affect the organisms living there. Humans, like all other organism, obtain living and nonliving resources from their environments. I will try to incorporate the following Scientific and Engineering Practices in my lessons and activities: 1. Asking questions The students are going to be encouraged to be curious and ask questions during our learning segment activities and lessons. 2. Planning and carrying our investigations The students are going to investigate about a habitat they are interested. I am still debating whether I will have the students work in groups or individually. 4. Analyzing and interpreting data The students are going to record their observations and analyze them. 7. Engaging in argument from evidence The students are going to work in groups to classify the living and non living organisms in their observations. They are going to collaborate to come to a consensus. 8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

The students are going to share their findings with the class and with others outside the classroom. I will also highly consider the crosscutting concepts of cause and effect and systems and system models when planning instruction. These crosscutting concepts are expected to be developed in my lessons and activities by the Next Generation Standard 3. EIO found in page 12 (2012). I am incorporating English Language Arts into the learning segment by introducing ponds thru reading workshop. A reading workshop block takes about one hour. It consists of a book talk, mini lesson, or read aloud for the first 15 minutes. Then, the students rotate between independent reading, guided reading and literature study for most of the hour. At the end of reading workshop, all come together to share as a whole group (Fountas & Pinell, 2001). At the beginning of our reading workshop, I will most likely do a read aloud of or a mini lesson on comprehension strategies using a book about ponds. Then, during independent reading, I will give the students the opportunity to read books about ponds, so they can learn something new or to construct on previous knowledge. At the end of reading workshop, we can shortly talk about our coming fieldtrip, the students experiences with ponds, and the exiting new things they learned during independent reading. The students will also have the opportunity to ask any questions they have about ponds. I will not be lecturing the students about what is going on in a pond. We will be exploring a real pond, which is a great example of an inquiry based activity. Before going to the field trip, I will remind the students that they are scientists and that their observations are very important to our class and possible to the future of the ponds in

the world. Also, I will make sure the students know we are a community of learners and that we are going to help each other throughout our adventure in the pond. We will observe living and non living elements in a pond. The fieldtrip to the pond is going to be safe for the students; I will take the necessary measures to assure the safety of the students. I will probably use the section of safety when planning and conducting field trips and field experiences found in the manual Science and Safety: Its Elementary to ensure my students well being. I think fieldtrips are a great way to help students release some of the energy typical third graders have. I feel a fieldtrip is appropriate for the our class because according to Yardsticks, students in third grade enjoy socializing and love group activities and cooperative work; they also enjoy having some type of responsibilities and are eager to please other students and the teacher (Wood, 2007). Back in class, I will probably have the students work in groups to classify their observations into categories. Then share the groups findings with the entire class. After the sharing, I will explain the importance of ponds and how human activity can affect the life of the pond. Together, we will find solutions to help ponds survive. We might even create posters to hang around school to help spread the word about the importance of ponds to humans. In the posters, we will be incorporating art. Assessing the students work as well as my instruction is vital. By assessing the students I will know how well they are grasping the learning and how well I am doing my teaching. I will be using diagnostic, summative, and formative assessments throughout the learning segment. Pre assessing is important; it will tell what the students know and what the students need to learn. I am planning to do my pre assessment of the

students knowledge about ponds by listening to them during reading workshop. I have an idea of the possible activities and lessons, but the objectives are still not concrete, so I am not able to describe what type of summative and formative assessments I will be using. I will probably use checklists to assess science attitudes during our fieldtrip, self assessments, and rubrics for the poster and final investigation. While doing the planning of the lessons, I will have in mind my philosophy of education when teaching science. I believe students learn science best when teachers provide access to prior knowledge, provide the transfer of new knowledge to new situations, provide scaffolding support, and build learning communities (Bass, Contant & Carin, pp. 70). I will be providing access to prior knowledge by using books about ponds. The students will be transferring what they learn about ponds when they do their own investigations. I will scaffold my students throughout the learning segment so they can move from dependent to independent work. And most importantly, we will be a community of learners, where I will not be the only source of information and knowledge. In conclusion, I want my students to be scientist who care about mother earth throughout the learning segment about ponds. I will try my best to incorporate inquiry based practices in my lessons in order for the students to be truly engaged in every lesson. The learning segment about the pond habitat is going to be an adventure not only for my students, but for me as well. It is going to be the first time I will be planning and implementing a science related theme to my third graders.

Resources

Bass, J E., Contant, T. L., Caring, A. A. (2009). Methods for teaching science as inquiry. Pearson/Allyn & Bacon. Boston, MA. Council of State Science Supervisors. Science and safety: Its elementary! Retrieved from: http://www.csss-science.org/downloads/scisaf_cal.pdf Fountas, C. I. and Pinell, G. S. (2001). Becoming joyful readers: The reading workshop. Guiding Readers and Writers. Heinemann. Portsmouth, NH. Next Generation Science Standards. (2012). Wood, C. (2007). Eight year-olds. Yardsticks. Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc. Turner Falls, MA. pp 97-105

Lesson 1 Readers Workshop: Ponds

Describe the context: (Students, grade level, geographic location, community and school population, socioeconomic profile, school culture, availability of technology, content, learning styles, ethnic breakdown, special needs, . . .) This lesson will introduce students to the habitat of ponds. One reason I am starting a learning segment about ponds is because there are ponds we can visit in the area, and to help students be more confident with the concept of habitat so they can develop they own research about a different habitat in the country. The lesson is targeted to 3rd grade students, all in different levels of reading, writing and math. This is the first lesson of the Learning Segment about Ponds. The core idea of the Learning Segment is Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity, and the component idea is Biodiversity and Humans. Readers Workshop is 60 minutes ling. There will be a mini lesson of 15 minutes. After the mini lesson, the students will go and read independently for 30 minutes. The last 15 minutes will be for sharing findings, new ideas, connections, and questions about what the students read. The total of students in the school is unknown as well as the economic profile, school culture, ethnic breakdown and special needs. Technology, such as computers and smart board will be available for the teacher and students.

Learning Goals/Objectives Content Standards

CCSS F.S 3.4 a Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding. NGSS 3.EIO a Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the types of habitats in which organisms live, and ask questions based of that information

Affective Objectives: (related to

WST #1

student attitudes and values; think dispositions)

The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) she teacher and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.

Cognitive: (related to the mastery of knowledge: think Bloom) For help please go to Blooms Taxonomy of Learning Domains

1. Students will be able to make questions, connections, and comments about ponds after reading related books. 2. Students will be able to give examples of different pond characteristics after independent reading.

Pre-Assessment: (What will you do/what have you done to know that the student(s) need to be taught this information.)

In a way, this readers workshop is going to be a pre assessment to understand how much students know about ponds and to see the questions they have about this type of habitat.

Assessment (Criteria / Look Fors; How will you assess learning? What will you do to know if the students have met the objectives?) Enduring Understanding/Essential Question(s): (What are the big ideas? What thought provoking question(s) will guide the lesson?) Instructional Procedures Learning Strategies: Time: 60 minutes

I will be taking notes on the questions, connections and comments the students have during sharing time.

Core Idea Question: How can there be so many similarities among organisms yet so many different kinds of plants, animals, and microorganisms? How does biodiversity affect humans? Component Idea Question: What is biodiversity, how do humans affect it, and how does it affect humans?

Introduction Pre (How will you motivate, activate prior knowledge, . . .)

2 minutes I have an announcement to make! We are going to be scientists working hard in a couple of days. We are going to a local pond to observe wild life! As good scientists, we need to prepare for our field work. Good scientists ask great questions before starting a field observation. Today I will be reading books about ponds to help us make questions we will answer during our field work or after.

During Demonstration

13 minutes I will be reading Pond Circle by Betsy Franco and illustrated by Stefano Vitale. As I read the book, I will be thinking aloud my process of asking questions. I will remind students that in order to ask good questions we need to read about the topic we are interested in. I will have students ask questions about the book in pairs half way thru the mini lesson. I will read half of the book for this mini lesson; the rest of the book will be read after the students come back from recess to help them focus back into school work.

Participation

Practice

30 minutes After I finish reading, I will ask the students to write down questions, comments, connections on post it notes to what they read about ponds during independent reading. Some of the books I will have available were suggested in a blog by ED4at: Pond Life by Barbara Taylor Around the Pond: The Wild Wonder Series by Ann Cooper Ponds: Biomes and Ecosystems by Yvonne Franklin

Closure Post Extension

15 minutes The students will have the opportunity to share and respond to their questions, comments, and connections they wrote on their post it notes.

Student Accommodations Differentiation/Planning for Individual Needs(IEP goals if known; RtI; PBIS):

The books I will provide for independent reading will depend on the students reading levels.

Resources and Materials: (Include technology where Post it notes applicable/available/appropriate) Bass, J. E., Contant, T. L., Caring, A. A. (2009). Methods for Teaching Science as Inquiry. Pearson/Allyn & Bacon. Boston, MA. Ed4at. (2010). Pond and marsh ecosystems. Open Wide, Look Inside. Retrieved from: http://blog.richmond.edu/ openwidelookinside/archives/3084 Franco, B. (2009). Pond Circle. McElderry Books.

Reflection (What theory/theorists are you using to guide your practice/planning of this lesson?)

5 E Model of Science Instruction 1. Engage: Students ask questions about objects, organisms, or events in the environment. (Bass, Contant, & Caring, 2009) Scientific and Engineering Practices: 1. Asking Questions: Students are going to be encouraged to be curious and ask questions. Crosscutting Concept: Structure and Function: Students are going to read about the structure and function of ponds.

Lesson 2: Going to the Pond! (Fieldtrip)

Stage 1- Desired Results Standards: 3. EIO.a,e a. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the types of habitats in which organisms live, and ask questions based on that information. e. Use evidence to argue that some changes in an organisms habitat can be beneficial or harmful to the organism.

Essential questions: How can there be so many similarities among organisms yet so many different kinds of plants, animals, and microorganisms? How does biodiversity affect humans?

Topical questions: What is biodiversity, how do humans affect it, and how does it affect humans?

Student objectives (outcomes): Students will be able to: 1. Students will learn from professionals at the Urban Ecology Center about the ponds life and its importance to all living organisms, including human beings. 2. Students will participate on hands on collection and observation in order to discover the components of a pond.

Stage 2- Assessment Evidence Formative assessment Each student has to fill out a Science Experience Chart I will make observations on what the students are doing. Stage 3- Learning Plan Learning Activity:

Summative assessment

As a community of learners, we will participate in the activity prepared by professional at the Urban Ecology Center. Before going to the fieldtrip, I will make all the necessary arrangements, such as registration, letter to parents, etc. The following website has information about the registration process: http://county.milwaukee.gov/Registration12294.htm The name of the fieldtrip is: Water Explorers Materials: Each student has to have a Science Experience Chart. Days before, I will send a letter to parents explaining our fieldtrip. They will have to sing the permission form in order for their child to attend the fieldtrip. I will instruct their parents to have their children dress comfortably and with ok to get a little dirty clothes. Motivation/hook: Hands on fieldtrip where students will learn from professionals about the life in a pond. The activity is 1 hours. Differentiation: If there is a student that for some reason could not go to the fieldtrip, I will have him/her visit different pond websites, or leave him/her books about ponds, or any other activity that includes learning about ponds. Examples of different activities are listed below. 1. A Virtual Pond Dip: Students can look at the microorganisms that live in the pond. http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/index.html?http://www.microscopyuk.org.uk/ponddip/index.html 2. In this website students can create their own pond!: http://www.msnucleus.org/membership/activities/pond2.html 3. Different activities about ponds. http://www.wartgames.com/themes/science/pondlife.html

Lesson 3: Lets Create a Community Poster!

Stage 1- Desired Results Standards: 3. EIO.a,e a. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the types of habitats in which organisms live, and ask questions based on that information. e. Use evidence to argue that some changes in an organisms habitat can be beneficial or harmful to the organism.

Essential questions: How can there be so many similarities among organisms yet so many different kinds of plants, animals, and microorganisms? How does biodiversity affect humans?

Topical questions: What is biodiversity, how do humans affect it, and how does it affect humans?

Student objectives (outcomes): Students will be able to: Students will create an artistic interpretation of a pond organism inspired by the book Pond Circle by Betsy Franco. Students will discuss about the importance of ponds to organisms living there and to the students life. Students will share ideas about the actions humans need to take to save ponds. Students will create a community poster with their art and ideas discussed.

Stage 2- Assessment Evidence Formative assessment I will take notes on the students participation in the discussion. Their interpretation of an element of the food chain inspired by the

Summative assessment

book Pond Circle. Stage 3- Learning Plan Learning Activity: I will explain the activity: We are going to create a poster together to tell the school why ponds are important to people and to the organisms living there. Also, we will tell the entire school what they can do to save the ponds around us. After the introduction and brief explanation, we will start discussion of the following questions: 1. Why are ponds important for the organisms living there? 2. Why are ponds important for humans? 3. What can we do to save them? As students are participating on the discussion, I will take notes of the important points students make. I will put at least one answer of each student in the poster. After the discussion, I will have the students do their interpretation of an animal from the ponds food chain. They will have the option to draw their own animal or use a print out. I will assign the animals randomly to the students. After they are done, they will put their animal in the proper place in the food chain circle inspired by the book Pond Circle. I will have the background already painted and with the discussion questions in the middle. I will put the students answers around the poster. We will put our poster outside the classroom and invite students from school to see it. Below is a picture of the possible layout of our community poster. Materials: Pond Circle by Betsy Franco Art materials: paper, crayons, pastels, water colors, etc Paper for bigger poster Motivation/hook: Students will display their community poster outside the classroom, so everybody at school can see it. Differentiation:

Since every student has different artsy abilities, they will be able to choose the medium they want to use for their interpretation. I will provide printouts of the different animals if students do not feel comfortable drawing them.

Possible layout for our community poster.

Why are ponds important for the organisms living there? Why are ponds important for humans? What can we do to save them?

Lesson 4: Investigate a Habitat of your Choice

Stage 1- Desired Results Standards: 3. EIO.a,e a. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the types of habitats in which organisms live, and ask questions based on that information. e. Use evidence to argue that some changes in an organisms habitat can be beneficial or harmful to the organism.

Essential questions: How can there be so many similarities among organisms yet so many different kinds of plants, animals, and microorganisms? How does biodiversity affect humans?

Topical questions: What is biodiversity, how do humans affect it, and how does it affect humans?

Student objectives (outcomes): Students will be able to:

Stage 2- Assessment Evidence Formative assessment Students will have mini conferences with me to check where they are in their research. Stage 3- Learning Plan Learning Activitiy

Summative assessment There is a rubric below.

The page where I got the activity was written by Mary Jane Roth and Pauline Chan. The template was adapted by mcollings@lhric.org, and the original template was made by Tom March. http://www2.lhric.org/course/irvingtn/rothchan/habitat1.htm#Tasks

 I will introduce the activity by telling the students they are about to embark in an investigation of their own. They will have to go the page above to complete all the tasks. I will overview the tasks with the students. Below is a copy of the page: Habitat Adventure Introduction | The Tasks | The Internet Resources | Teacher Notes

Introduction We are going on an adventure to a special habitat. We will learn as much as possible about this habitat and the life within it. We will be hunting through the WorldWideWeb. Here are the different habitats:

Desert

Rainforest

Wetlands

Grasslands Task 1: Your Habitat 1. Define your habitat. Be Specific.

Tundra

2. List Five Characteristics of your habitat. Click Here for Habitat Factsheet. 3. Find a picture of your habitat. Include it in your report. Now click onto the picture of your habitat above. Task 2: Animals In Your Habitat 1. Pick an animal that lives in your habitat. Click on the habitat above and the resources below for information on your animal. 2. Go to the animal fact sheet to answer questions about your animal. Click here for the animal fact sheet. 3. Find a picture of your animal and include it with your report. Task 3: Plants In Your Habitat 1. What plants live in your habitat? 2. How have the plants adapted to life in your habitat? Click here for the plant fact sheet. 3. Find a picture of a plant in your habitat. Include it in your report.

Task 4 : Create Your Habitat Your habitat has many unique and interesting features. Pick one of the following to create a representation of your habitat: 1. Diorama of your habitat. or 2. Mobile showing animals and/or plants of your habitat. or 3. Collage of pictures of your habitat. or 4. Scene or drawing on oaktag illustrating life on your habitat. Task 5: Oral Presentation Click here for directions. Click here for Habitat Comparison Chart Task 6: Venn Diagram: Comparing Two Animals Click here Task 7: You Decide Now! Click here. Task 8: Evaluation. Click here.

Materials: Computers Supplies for habitat representations Motivation/hook: Students will work independently in their own investigation. They will have options and tasks to complete. Differentiation:

Rubric for Research on a Habitat

Name _______________________________ Date ______________________________

Evaluation Rubric on Habitat Presentation

Habitat: _________________________________________________________________

AExcellent

Excellent understanding of habitat and well communicated.

Characteristics and Adaptations of animals are well written, and clear.

Characteristics and Adaptations of plants are well written, and clear.

Excellent teamwork and cooperation demonstrated.

Excellent art projects. Represents characteristics of habitat. A lot of time put into project. Above Average art projects. Shows good understanding of habitat. Art project represents habitat.

B- Above Average

Very good understanding of habitat and very well communicated. Good understanding of habitat.

Characteristics and Adaptations of animals are clear.

Characteristics and Adaptations of plants are clear.

Very good teamwork and cooperation demonstrated.

CAverage/ On Grade Level D-Below Average

Characteristics and adaptations of animals are listed.

Characteristics and adaptations of plants are listed. Characteristics and adaptations of plants are not complete. Not presented.

Average teamwork and cooperation demonstrated. Teamwork and cooperation need improvement. No teamwork.

Partial understanding of habitat.

Characteristics and adaptations of animals are not complete. Not presented.

Art project completed but required more effort. No art project.

F-Failure

No understanding of habitat.

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