6/12/2013

Early Childhood Education

Learning Experience Plan
Name: M.E. Labrie
Lesson Title: Fish Inside and Out
Date: 4/1/2015
Grade Level: preK Ages 4-5
Circle one:
ECE
PKSN
Standard(s)/Guideline(s): Domain: Cognition and General Knowledge Sub-Domain: Science Strand: Science Inquiry and Application Topic: Inquiry, Observe the
physical and natural world around them. Make careful observations. Pose questions about the physical and natural environment. Engage in simple investigations.
Describe, compare, sort, classify, and order.
Pre-assessment of current knowledge: Children prior to completing this lesson have been exposed to a live fish and have had experience making observations
about the fish and its movement, appearance, eating, and swimming. They have previously sat in a small group and discussed their observations verbally and also
with small physical movement to represent attributes of the fish. Children have also been exposed to the x-ray of a fish and thus how the bones of a fish are
configured inside the body.
Instructional Objectives (1-2)

Assessment of Student Learning

One/Two Assessed Instructional

Objective(s): The student will be
able to...

Identify Evidence: (What will you collect or record as data

to demonstrate students have met your objective(s) and
skill?)

Students will be able distinguish

between the inside and outside of
the fish through verbal
communication.

Skills will be recorded individually for each child. Children

will be assessed based on the ability to make observations
using specific language demonstrated in the objectives. A
check list will be used for each child in order to record
ability. Each child will have their name stated on a separate
check list with the same assessment points for each child.
An x will be used for completion, a slash will be used for
evidence of reaction or almost at ability level, and if not
completed or no strides made to completion the section will
be left blank.

Students will be able to make

verbal or gestures for observations
using words, fins, mouth, gills,
heart, and bones.
One Assessed Developmental
Skill:
Children will be able to think
critically about what each body part
of the fish is and what it is used for.
Children can question about what
they see and feel.
Children can connect previous
observations to current
observations.

Photographic evidence will also be taken during the

experiment. Children will be photographed while they are
looking and touching the fish. Each child should have one
picture taken while investigating the fish to add to their
portfolio.
Program Monitoring: (How will you aggregate or compile
your evidence into a class or group view?)
The group view will be created from a chart by the evidence
collected on each childs check list sheet. When each child
has completed the lesson the check lists will be graphed
into a bar graph expressing how many students completed,
were on the way to completion, and did not complete the

Learning Experience
Academic Language:
Bones, Gills, Fins, Dorsal Fins, Paired Fins, Spine, Eye,
Mouth, Teeth, Dissection, Veins, Blood, Scales
Procedural steps:
First students will be broken up into even groups of two or
four. If two instructors are present students can be broken up
into two large groups with two small subgroups within the two
larger groups. Students will be instructed to sit at a round
table. Children may either stand by their chairs or be seated.
Once children are arrange around the table the fish will be
placed in the center. The fish is a red snapper that has been
gutted all but the heart, bones, head, fins, and outer layers.
The fish may be placed on ice if wanted.
The children will first be told to put their gloves on; these have
been placed at each childs seat, two gloves per child.
Each child will be given an opportunity to make an
observation about the outer body of the fish. Next one by one
the children will be instructed to pull as scale from the fish to
examine closer up. After children have made ample
observations, at least two, about the outside of the fish,
including the eyes, mouth, fins, scales, and gills, the inside of
the fish can be opened for examination.
The fish should be cut from the head to lower belly along the
bottom. Each child should have the opportunity to look inside
the fish in order to see the heart and veins. The instructor

6/12/2013

Early Childhood Education

Learning Experience Plan
Safety Considerations:
-Gloves and goggles must be used
-Paper laid on the table to cove
hard surfaces
-Children must wash hands after
experiment
-Surfaces must be sanitized after
experiment
-All fish remains and items used
should be disposed in an outdoor
trash receptacle
-Non-latex gloves
-Gloves removed properly with
adult supervision
-Children should not touch each
other, faces, or arms till hands
have been washed after
experiment
-Should be performed in a wellventilated area

activity. The chart will be completed in order to see what

percentage of the class is at each point in their
observations skills; being able to make the observations
states, being on their way to, and not able to.

Resources & References:

Ohio Early Learning and Development Standards
http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Early-Learning/Early-Learning-Content-Standards/The-Standards
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
http://myfwc.com/fishing/freshwater/fishing-tips/anatomy/
Ohio River Foundation
http://www.ohioriverfdn.org/education/ohio_river_facts/
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/faq/fishfaq1b.html

should explain the heart to children and how it pumps the

blood through the fishes system. Children should then be
given the opportunity to feel the heart and inside of the fish.
After observations are compete, physical and visual, each
child should remove the gloves with adult supervision and
then wash their hands twice. All materials should be disposed
of immediately after use.
Authentic Materials: (Describe authentic real life, hands-on
materials.)
Two Red Snappers
Gloves
Ice
Goggles
Adult Roles:
An adult should be present through the full experiment for
implementation of physical observations. The adult should
make sure that each child has on the proper protective gear.
The adult will facilitate touching and investigating the inside
and outside of the fish.
The adult should be aware of all children at the activity.
The adult will facilitate questioning and explanation of the
body parts and organs of the fish.
Adults should demonstrate respect of the animal.

6/12/2013

Early Childhood Education

Learning Experience Plan
Reflection: (What have you learned about your students? How will this inform future instruction?)
I learned a lot about my students through this lesson. From speaking with them I found that none of them had ever seen the inside of a fish before and most had
not seen a fish in general before. Many of them were very excited to touch and look at the inside and outside of the fish. Some students were apprehensive at first
but then found that they really enjoyed it. I also found that the gills were the most interesting part of the fish for the children. They were all very excited to touch and
feel them. I even explained to the children how the gills take the oxygen out of the water, so fish really breath air not water. I had a full conversation about atoms
and what water was made out of with the children. It was a very upper level discussion that the children really seemed to enjoy and soaked up the information. I
even heard some telling other students that, water was made out of air and other things, not just wet stuff. This type of investigation sparked great interest in the
children and really lead to deeper science knowledge. In the future if there was any way possible I would have each child look and take apart their own fish for a
more authentic and personal experience. I would also give each child more time with the fish.