DIXIE STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

ELEMENTARY 3rd SEMESTER LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

(1/25/13)
Teacher Candidate _Nicholas White___ Grade Level _3rd_ Title ___Design and Experiment Two Objects
Collide. _____
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS (classroom factors)
Contextual Factors: 26 students
9 boys/17 Girls
5 minority students

ELL: Reshiea WIDA 5 or 6

Elisabeth WIDA 5 or 6
Ryan WIDA 5 or 6
Josh WIDA 1

Struggling Learners:

Classroom environment: The classroom is

set up into six long tables. A majority of the
students in the classroom sit at these tables
except for one student whose desk is set at the
back of the classroom. There are 4 students at
5 of the tables and one table of 5. There is also
an ELMO, a smartboard, five student
computers and the teachers computer in the
room. The room is often decorated with the
students vocabulary words for the week,
posters to remind students what they need to
be working that week. The teacher also posts a
daylily schedule on one side of the white board
for students to refer to throughout the day.

Students above level: John

(GATE) Jasmine (GATE)

Students with an IEP:

Alison: Speech
Jason- Reading
Nathan
Comprehension/Writing
Matt-Fluency/Math/Writing
Ryan-Reading/Writing/Math
Sarah- Reading/ Writing/Math

Alison, Jason, Nathan, Matt,

Ryan, Sarah

Students with Behavior problems:

Ryan: Has to be reminded to stay on task. Sometimes has to be asked
multiple times to get his attention
Sarah: Does not stay on task. Has a tendency to bug the students
around her when they are working. At times will have melt downs
when other students touch her or she gets frustrated with something.
Alison: often is off task, has to be asked to sit down several times a
day, and has been known to be loud and mean.

WALK-AWAY (As a result of this lesson, what do I want the students to know, understand, and be able to do?)
State Standard/Objective: Standard 3

Students will understand the relationship between the force applied to an object and resulting motion
of the object.
Objective 2
Demonstrate that the greater the force applied to an object, the greater the change in speed or direction of the
object.
a. Conduct a simple investigation to show what happens when objects of various weights collide with
one another (e.g., marbles, balls). (3)
Content Walk-Away: I will design a simple investigation that shows others what will happen when objects

of two different weights collide with each other and write down my predictions and discuss my
observations with another group. (1)
Language Walk-Away: I will design a simple experiment that shows others what will happen when objects

of two different weights collide with each other and write down my predictions and discuss my
observations with another group.(2)
Vocabulary: experiment(9)

ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE (What evidence do I need to show the students have

learned the Walk-Away?)
Formative Evidence (checking for understanding throughout the lesson):

Modifications/Accomodations (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)

Josh: Allow him to use

simple sentences and

Students will design an experiment that answers the question what happens when a
smaller object collides with a bigger object.
Students will remember what a prediction and observation are.
Students will understand the importance of making predictions and recording their
observations.(30)
Content Walk-Away Evidence (Summative): Students will design a simple experiment
that answers the question, what happens when objects of two different sizes collide.
(30)
Language Students will record their observations in writing and discuss them with a
random partner.(30)

Approx.
Time
5 min.

pictures to record his

observations, but make sure
that he is clear to the person
that he is working with.
Struggling Writers: Allow
them to use a dictionary
when they a writing down
their observations. Have
them write three things that
they observed or did while
conducting their
experiment.
Sarah: Focus on having her
tell her partner exactly what
happened during the
experiment. Encourage her
to write as much as possible.
Ryan: prompt him with
questions to encourage him
to share with his partner.
(What did his group do?
What happened?)
John: require that he write
all of his observations in
writing. Have him show his
data using charts.
Jasmine: Encourage her to
record all her observations
in writing and integrate a
chart if possible into her
observations.
Alison: Pair her with a
group that will help her
work. Ask her what her
group did?

ACTIVE LEARNING PLAN

Activate/Building Background Knowledge
Remember when we did the investigation with the fan?(8) During that lesson we used the words
prediction and observation. I want you to tell me if this is a prediction or an observation, (hold a marker
in the air.) I think that when I let go of the marker it will fall. Class on the count of three tell me if this is a
prediction or an observation. (16,18) Why would you say that it is a prediction?
Remember that a prediction is a guess about what we think might happen based on what we know.
(29,30) Now, (drop the marker) the marker dropped the marker, is that a prediction or an observation?
(16,18) Why?
Remember an observation is something that we see happen.

Today you are going to be working to predict and describe while completing our goal for this lesson
which is.
I will design a simple experiment that shows others what will happen when objects of two
different weights collide with each other and write down my predictions and discuss my
observations with another group. (1,2)
Formative assessment:
Learning Goal
They will remember what the
words predict and observation
are.

10 min

Success Criteria
They can tell me if what I am
doing is predicting or observing.

Assessment Strategy
Choral response
Questioning.

Modification/accommodations: (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.) Josh: Include more examples for him if he needs
it. (19) Ryan: Ask him directly the first question. Sarah: ask her if the second statement is an
observation or a prediction. Use other examples to help her understand if necessary. Alison: have her
pair with her partner from past lessons that will keep her on task. GATE: Ask them to make some
predictions and observations for the class (use them to give extra examples for Josh and Sarah).
Focus Lesson (I do it)
Today we are going to be designing an experiment. An experiment is when we want to know the answer
to a question, but we need to test something to test to answer the question. An example of an experiment
is when we pushed those with different force and charted how far they went after each kind of push, and
when we tried to find out what would happen to different objects that we dropped in front of the fan, and
we wanted to know what would happen if we changed the fans settings.
Class, in your own words tell your partner what an experiment is. (16,17,18)
Now, when we design an experiment there are several essential parts. First we need to have a question
that we need to or want to answer. This can be how long can I stand on one foot, how many books can I
read in a weekend, or even our question, what happens when two objects of different sizes crash into each
other while moving in different directions?
Along with the question we need to understand what we are asking. When scientists design an
experiment, they try and see what others have learned that could help them to understand what is being
asked. This means that they go to the library and read books to try and find answers, they search on the
internet, or they even ask other scientists who know more about their question. So, lets write our question
on the board and see if we understand it.
Class what is the question that we need to answer? (16,18,29,30)
So, our question is, what will happen when two objects that are different sizes collide while moving in
different directions? So, turn to your partner and tell them what we will need to have happen when we
try to answer this question. (16,17,18)
Next, we need to predict what the answer to the question will be. This is important because it helps us to
think about what we already know, and to have something to look for and test when we do the
experiment.
The next part of an experiment that is important is that we need to design how we are going to answer
this question. And we want to try and design it so that if team 1 told team 2 how they did their
experiment, team two could copy that experiment exactly if they wanted to see if team 1 answered the
question.

15 min

Then finally I run my experiment and while I am running the experiment I record my observations.
Now, tell your partner all the steps to designing an experiment that you can remember. (16,17,18) who
can tell me the steps to designing and experiment? (16,18,29,30)
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Success Criteria
Assessment Strategy

Students will be able to

understand the steps of
designing an experiment.

They will be able to tell me how

to design an experiment.

Questioning.

Modification/accommodations: Josh: Create a list of steps on the back of a hand out to help him
remember the steps of designing an experiment Ryan: Ask him what our question will be Sarah: use
proximity to help her to stay on task. Make sure she does not have any items out that will distract her.
Alison: have her give you one thing that she remembers in designing an experiment. Write down the
correct steps to designing an experiment on the board after a student tells you that step. GATE: Ask
them to put into their own words how to design an experiment.
Guided Instruction (We do it)
So lets see. Looking at the board with my steps for designing the experiment I need to first have a
question. Second, I need to understand the question. I think that I have both of those, but next I need a
prediction. Class, what do you predict will happen when the two objects collide? Quickly share with your
buddy what you think (16,17,18) Now, tell me what do you think will happen? Ok so I am going to write
that prediction on the worksheet next to the label prediction and I would like you to do the same on your
worksheets. (6,11,12,20,21,22)
What do we need to do next class? Thats right we need to create a test to answer that question.
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Students will be able to make a
prediction about the question.

10 min.

Success Criteria
They will make a prediction
about the question.

Assessment Strategy
Questioning.
Think pair share

Modification/accommodations: Josh: On his list with the steps of an experiment, include a definition of
the word prediction. GATE: Ask them why they would predict that answer? Sarah: Point to the list of
steps for designing an experiment. Ask her what the next step will be. Alison: go to her during think pair
share and ask what her and her partner said. Struggling writers: write the classs prediction on the
board.(5)
Collaborative/Cooperative (You do it together)
At this step, you are going to be getting in your groups and creating the test to answer our question. At
the front I have baseballs, marbles, golf balls, and tape measures (4). Remember when we design an
experiment we need to make sure that it is safe and that no one gets hurt.
When you are doing your experiment I also want you to record your observations of what you see
happen when you are conducting your test. For this experiment, I want you to write your observations in
words. Remember you may want to do the test several times to see if it always does the same thing.
(6,11,12,16,17,18,20,21,22,23,24,25,29,30)
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Success Criteria
Assessment Strategy
Students can design a test for
They will conduct a test as a
Observation are they working
their prediction and carry it out.
group and record their
together to design the
observations
experiment, do they record their
observations in writing.

10 min

Modification/accommodations: Josh: Allow him to use simple sentences and picture drawings to make
his observations. Struggling Writers: Help them spell words if they need help, allow them to get a
dictionary to help them spell words. Sarah: Ask her what her group is doing to test a prediction. Ryan:
Ask him what he observed with his group Alison: Have her show me what she observed and tell me in
detail what they did.
Gate: Have them measure and chart their data. (how far did the two balls move apart after each time
the test was done?)
Independent (You do it alone)

Now, that we have made our observations, we are going to share what we learned. I am going to choose
different partners for each of you than what you usually have to mix things up. I want you to tell your
partner how your group did their test, and what you found out.
I want you to tell you partner at least these two things
1. What your group did and why?
2. What were the results of your test? (29,30)
Summative assessment: have students share with a partner of my choosing what they learned. (30)
Modification/accommodations: Josh: pair him with a student that will encourage him to share and
work. Tell him he has to work as a team. Sarah: Follow up with her, ask her what she observed and
learned from the experiment. Alison: Ask her what her group did and what her partner said they did.
Ryan: Use proximity and tell him to look at the questions and answer those with his partner. Gate:
Allow them to share with the whole class what they did.
Closure/Review of walk-aways, vocabulary, and essential questions
(Note: Closure includes student interactions, reflection, and/or demonstrations.)
Lets look at the objective again.
I will design a simple experiment that shows others what will happen when objects of two
different weights collide with each other and write down my predictions and discuss my
observations with another group. (1,2)
Who would like to share what their group did? (Pick Jasmine, John, and one other student.) (28)
Class, what did we do to accomplish our goal?
What is an experiment? How do we design them? (27)

SIOP Indicators (Add SIOP number and description within the lesson plan)
Preparation: 1-Content objectives, 2-Language objectives, 3-Content appropriate, 4-Supplementary materials, 5Adaptation of content, 6-Meaningful activities
Building Background: 7-Linked to background, 8-Linked to past learning, 9-Key vocabulary
Comprehensive Input: 10-Appropriate speech, 11-Clear explanation, 12-Variety of techniques
Interaction: 16-Opportunity for interaction, 17-Grouping supports objectives, 18-Wait time, 19-Opportunity for L1
students
Practice/Application: 20-Hands-on materials, 21-Activities to apply content/language knowledge, 22-Language skills:
reading, writing, listening, speaking
Lesson Delivery: 23-Content objective supported, 24-Language objective supported, 25-Students engaged, 26-Pacing
Review/Assessment: 27-Review vocabulary, 28-Review concepts, 29-Feedback, 30-Assessment

TEACHING NOTES
What do I need to remember to do? What materials do I need to have ready? What is the approximate time needed for
this lesson?
This lesson should take about 45 minutes to an hour to complete. I will need two pieces of paper, a soccer ball, and a
fan. I will also need to make sure that I have lined paper, and slides ready.

REFLECTION AFTER LESSON

For this lesson I will need about 45 minutes to teach. I will also need to bring different kinds of balls for them to use,
and make sure that I have tape measures and worksheets ready.
I had to teach the lesson in two parts because the students did not understand the concept when we started the
activity and because I rushed though the lesson so that they could get more time to design the experiment. This led
students to think that they were designing any experiment. As a result, I chose to pick the lesson back up on the
following school day.
When I picked it back up, I decided that they did not understand the walk away, so I spent the first few minutes
decoding that walk away with them and reviewing the steps of designing an experiment. I also modeled the first part
of the worksheet with them so that they all had the same question that they were trying to test. This helped them a lot,
I had more students on task doing what they were supposed to do than the first time.

From the assessment data, I think that my students understood the concept of making a prediction before they design
a test, but I think only a few of them knew what I was asking them to do when I asked them to design a way to test,
and very few took the time to write down their observations. In the future, I think that I will stress that every student
have something written in each section, and that they all take notes so that when they discuss their findings they will
be able to share what they learned easier.
In future lessons, I will also take the time to decode the lesson walk away so that my students will be able to
understand what they are to do. I also need to take the time to go over the worksheets that I am having them do. This
will help them know that I expect them to fill in every part of the worksheet.

Name:________________________________________

Date:_____________________________

Question:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Prediction: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Test:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Observations: