KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Teacher Candidate:

Jessica Sheidy & Lindsey Sinton

Cooperating Teacher:

Coop. Initials

Group Size: Whole group

Subject or Topic:

Date: 2.20.15

Allotted Time 45 Minutes Grade Level

Comparing Biomes

3rd__

Section

STANDARD:
4.1.3.A - Differentiate between the living and non-living components in an environment.
I. Performance Objectives (Learning Outcomes):
A. Third grade students will be able to identify their own biome(wetlands) and compare it
to one of the other biomes discussed (tropical rainforest and temperate forest).
II. Instructional Materials
1. Crayons, colored pencils, or markers
2. Construction paper
3. Scissors
4. Guided notes
5. Venn Diagram (http://www.classtools.net/widgets/venn_5/0HiAc.htm)
6. Prezi (http://prezi.com/v3rfgjucy8ys/?
utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy)
III. Subject Matter/Content (prerequisite skills, key vocabulary, big idea, outline of
additional content)
A. Prerequisite skills
1. Basic knowledge of what a biome is.
2. Basic knowledge of wetlands biome.
B. Key Vocabulary
1. Rainforest
2. Temperate forest
C. Big Idea
1. Contrasting different biomes
D. Additional content
1. Biomes to be introduced include rainforest and temperate forest.

IV. Implementation
A. Introduction
1. Ask students if they remember specifics about wetlands biome (ie.
temperature, location).
2. Ask students if they remember any plants or animals from the wetlands
biome.
3. Ask students if they can name any other biomes.
4. Hand out guided notes to the prezi (see attached).
B. Development
1. Introduce first biome, rainforest.
2. Ask students if they know anything about rainforests (animals, plants,
location).
3. Introduce the rainforest in the prezi.
4. Talk about the difference between the weather in the rainforest to the
wetlands.
5. Introduce animals and then plants.
6. Introduce the temperate forest.
7. Compare the differences and similarities between temperate, rainforest and
the wetlands.
8. Introduce animals and then plants in temperate forests.
9. Ask students what they learned about different biomes today.
10. Break students into groups of three or four and give each group an ipad.
11. Prompt each group to fill out the venn diagram.
12. Walk around with checklist while students are doing the venn diagram.
13. When students are finishing up, explain that each group will be making a
shoe box diagram to compare one biome and their own. One side of the
shoe box will be one biome and the other will be the other biome.
14. Prompt students to look on the internet for ideas and use their venn
diagrams.
15. Allow students to begin working on the diagram.
16. After about 15 minutes of allowing students to work on their shoe boxes,
ask them to put things away and explain they will be allowed to work on it
and finish it during their next free time.
C. Closure
1. While students are cleaning up, ask them what they remember about their
own biome.
2. Ask them what they remember about the two biomes they were introduced
to today.
3. Ask students to get out their Wetland's Journal and fill out the biomes page.
D. Accommodations/Differentiation

1. For Danny who is visually impaired, have him hold the ipad in his
group. Having it in his hand will be easier for him to see.
E. Assessment/Evaluation Plan
1. Formative - Students will do a venn diagram in their groups and a checklist
will mark student participation and knowledge.
2. Summative - Book created about wetlands and watersheds by the students,
each page is about something they learned from the different lesson in the
unit.

V. Reflective Response
A. Report of Student Performance in Terms of Stated Objectives (Reflection on
student performance written after lesson is taught, includes remediation for
students who fail to meet acceptable level of achievement)

Remediation Plan

B. Personal Reflection (Questions written before lesson is taught. Reflective

answers to question recorded after lesson is taught)
1. Was is a good idea to have students to the venn diagram on the iPad?

2. Will there be extra time to allow students to finish their shoebox diagram at
another time?

3. Is 3-4 students per group too little or too many for the project?
VI. Resources (in APA format)
Daniel, L., Hackett, J., Moyer, R., Vasquez, J. (2006). Life Science 2. New
York: Macmillan/McGraw-Hill.