LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

Your Name: Grace Gormley

Title of Lesson: What does your childrens school look like?
Grade: 4
STANDARDS

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.7
Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects
of a topic
PO 1. Describe ways various resources (e.g., air, water, plants, animals, soil) are utilized to meet the
needs of a population.

LESSON SUMMARY/OVERVIEW
This topic is going to cover 2 different days. Day 3 will discuss different opportunities that are out there and
why we need to cover alternative sources. This is going to be a short research project that builds knowledge
on the topic of sustainability.). They will discover cause and effect and incorporate that into the research
aspect. The second portion is going to have the students use the research to create a sustainable school
(community). This is going to cover topics related to systematic thinking and futures thinking. The students
will have to be able to explain how the system works and why it will be effective for future generations.
OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to identify alternative sources for renewable energy.
Students will be able to effectively write a research piece using research from different sources using different
points of view.
ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION
Students will be able to effectively present and debate their future school and the ways it will improve society.
They will be assessed on their research paper and the ideas that they can support their alternative source.
Second, they will have the 5th day to cover ways in which they will convey ways in which fossil fuels are
impacting the economy and culture by effectively answering questions in a jeopardy game.
PREREQUISITE KNOWLEDGE
They will need to know what energy is and how it is produced.
MATERIALS
List of required materials.
Computers
White board
Markers
Construction paper
Scissors
Glue
Tape
VOCABULARY/KEY WORDS
List of key vocabulary terms.
Energy- power derived from the utilization of physical or chemical resources, especially to provide light and heat or
to work machines.

Renewable Energy- energy from a source that is not depleted when used, such as wind or solar power.
Nonrenewable- A resource of economic value that cannot be readily replaced by natural means on a level equal to
its consumption. Most fossil fuels, such as oil, natural gas and coal are considered nonrenewable resources in that
their use is not sustainable because their formation takes billions of years.
Fossil fuels- a natural fuel such as coal or gas, formed in the geological past from the remains of living organisms.
TEACHING PROCEDURES
Procedural Steps (Step by step instructions for teaching the lesson):
1. Introduce what an alternative resource is
2. Explain the research project: The students will explore and create a completely sustainable school based
upon the information they have received the last three days. I would begin by grouping students based upon
their essay topic. In each group there would be a student who focused on hydro, geothermal, solar, and
wind.
3. Have the students do preliminary research to grasp the source they are focusing on using a
computer.
Research the following topics:
1. What is the definition of your source (ex: hydro, geothermal, solar)
2. Where is your source most commonly found?
3. How does your source work?
4. What technology is used to create renewable energy from your source)?
5. Find examples of your source and how it is effectively impacting a community.
4. Have them find different sources to use (provide resources for students page).
Give the students time to conduct research of their source in the computer lab. Have the students
answer the first 5 questions. After those questions are answered, students will write one paragraph explaining
how/why this would be an effective source of energy in a school.
5. Have the students re-group to create a future school that is completely run on renewable resources
Have students share ideas and collaborate. There will be different ways students can go about doing this
depending on their learning style. Students can work together to decide if they want to draw out the school,
write a story, or actually create it with materials.
6. Have them draw/create/write about their school.
Provide students with necessary materials.
Drawing: provide students with butcher paper found in teachers lounge. Provide markers
and other writing utensils.
Creating: students can create a 3D representation of their school using different supplies.
Provide students with construction paper, glue, toilet paper rolls, pipe cleaners, and other
Materials found in the classroom.
7. Present to the class
8. Students will argue the reasons in which they think their school is run fully off of renewable energy.
If it is not have the students explain what systems need fossil fuels to run.
RESOURCES
WAYS OF THINKING CONNECTION

This connects to futures thinking because it allows students to understand why we need alternative
sources. In addition they are creating a school that could be used in the future that runs on a
renewable energy. Lastly, it focuses on a strategy because they have to work together to build a
system that produces a functioning school. The students have to take their values into
consideration to figure out what is important to implement into their school.