1

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5 grade Science
Unit Plan
Cara Lutes

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Lesson Plan Order

Page 3
Rationale
Page 3
Unit Goals
Page 5
Standards
Page 8
Bulletin Board
Page 10
Assessment
Page 11
References for Students/Teachers/Parents
Page 15

Lesson Plan Order

Biomes

Adaptations

Extinction

Help endangered animals

Persuasive letters

Unit Rationale
In my 5th Grade Science class, students will be learning a lot about the
Worlds environment throughout the year. In this unit, we will focus on the five
major biomes of the world. In these biomes, we will specifically focus on certain
animals and the benefit of adapting to a given environment. Students will deepen
their understanding of the importance of adaptations for an animals survival.
Students will learn how adaptations help an animal survive in a given location,
and how the lack of specific adaptations can lead to endangerment of that
species, or even extinction. The rationale of this unit is that students will
understand their personal effect on the animals in our own biome. Students will
learn ways in which they can improve our ecosystem and work to improve other
ecosystems throughout the world. The goals that we will implement throughout
this unit plan will set a purpose for the content they will be learning in these 5
lessons. Student will see the relevancy of animal endangerment and extinction
and develop ways that they can strive to make a difference not only for the well

being of the animals, but also for themselves and future generations. While
students are learning purposeful information about their environment, they will
also be working towards meeting content standards for the specific unit. Students
will be motivated and excited to partake in these lessons, and they will learn a lot
of new information that will encourage them to live a life that will positively
influence the species in our biomes.


Unit Goal/ Description of Unit

Our goal for this unit is for students to understand the impact a habitat has
on an animal and how they can make a difference in the world they live in. Our
unit begins by exploring the different biomes in our world. The intent to begin with
this is to give a big picture view, to inform on the areas and regions students may
be familiar with. Within these different biomes, different organisms have to
survive and learn to survive. This is foundational knowledge for the rest of the
unit. By researching in groups and presenting their findings, students will learn
characteristics of the biomes.
In order to build off of the different environments that organisms live in, our
next lesson will transition into animal adaptations. This is to emphasize the point
of how animals in environment, and there may be triggers in the environment that
cause change in order to survive. Students are researching a specific assigned

animal in groups to learn about their adaptations and how they occur. Students
will produce flow charts that describe this process. This flow chart includes
different triggers from the biome and environment that they live in to connect.
Now that students have an understanding of various biomes and
adaptations, students will learn about extinction-- the extinction of animals who
were unable to adapt well enough or quickly enough to withstand different
challenges such as habitat loss, introduced species, pollution, population growth,
and/or overconsumption. Students will compose a song/rap/or poem about the
main causes of extinction to see that these causes can look differently in different
biomes. Animals may be affected by one of these causes or by many of them.
Because students can define extinction and understand the causes, now
students will look at endangered species. Students will research the causes of
their endangerment. Students will also take steps further to see how we can
practically get involved by doing a problem-based inquiry. Students will create
various products based on their findings.
The fifth lesson will be based upon combining writing with science. A
direct instruction lessons goal will be to write a formal persuasive letter to
convince a friend, family member, or teacher of why knowledge of endangered
animals is important, challenging them to practically get involved, and thanking
them for their time. This lesson is intentioned for the students to combine their
knowledge that they have acquired through the unit and take ownership of it to
spread to someone that they care about to educate them on the issue of animal
endangerment to avoid the sad reality of extinction across our world.

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At the end of the unit, students will have two options for a final

assessment. They will either create a test based upon the topics we discussed
throughout the unit with multiple choice, true/false, and short answer. Or they can
do a project on a biome of their choice, researching more in depth than the first
lesson and specifically taking a look at the environment of that biome and
possible endangered species.
The order and progression of lessons was very intentional to give a
starting block and context to build knowledge on the topics of biomes, and
animals and their life and survival in those biomes. This unit is not only
intentioned to expand knowledge but also increase awareness and action to
become citizens of this world that care and practically contribute to the well being
of our world and the organisms that reside in it.

Content standards:
IowaCore Science: Life ScienceUnderstand and apply knowledge of organisms and their environments

How individual organisms are influenced by internal and external factors.

Animals depend on plants. Some animals eat plants for food. Other
animals eat animals that eat the plants.

An organisms patterns of behavior are related to the nature of that

organisms environment, including the kinds and numbers of other
organisms present, the availability of food and resources, and the physical
characteristics of the environment. When the environment changes, some

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plants and animals survive and reproduce, others die or move to new
locations.

Iowa Core

Concept 1.6 Use evidence to develop reasonable explanations.

Skill 1.6.3 Students explanations should reflect the evidence they have
obtained in their investigations.

Concept 1.7 Communicate scientific procedures and explanations.

Skill 1.7.1 Students should communicate, critique, and analyze their

work and the work of other students.

Skill 1.7.2 Students should share procedures and explanations

through various means of communication.

K-LS1-1. Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and

animals (including humans) need to survive.

S-ESS3-1 Obtaining, evaluating and communicating information

Obtain and combine information from books and/or other reliable media to
explain phenomena or solutions to design a problem

ELA2010(3) 38. Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard

Englsh Capitilization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. [L.3.2]

W.4.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and
organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.


Bulletin Board:

Summative Assessment:

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Students will have two options as they summative assessment. They will

either create a test and answer key or they will create a product (poster,
PowerPoint, etc) about a specific biome (climate, location, plants, etc) and how
endangered animals affected. The purpose in allowing for choice, is the fact that
when students are given choice, they have more excitement and motivation for
learning and possibly will take more ownership and responsibility in the
assessment process because it is meaningful to them. In addition, this allows for
differentiation for students to pursue ways of assessment that show their learning
style strengths.
1. Students will create a test and the answer key as if they were the teacher
writing a test based on the objectives and learning goals of the unit. This created
test is to include ten multiple choice, five true or false, and three short answer.
For the multiple choice, they are to clearly write the test question and give four
realistic possible solutions based on the unit. Then they are to write the
appropriate letter of the answer on the line given. The rationale is for the student
to write a clear and specific correlating question that addresses main points of
the unit. Not only are to they provide the correct answer, but this is meant to
extend their thinking into non examples. This calls for understanding, not merely
fact recalling.
Students are to write five clear true and false questions. This is intentioned
for students to portray a fact or idea (or incorrect statement) in sentence form.
These statements are to give detail about the topics of the unit. Students will

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need to be able to manipulate or adjusts the facts they know into believable yet
incorrect statements. This help with critical thinking skills about the topic.
Students are to create three short answer questions and provide realistic
and clear responses to these questions. This is meant to dive deeper into student
understanding of the topic, for students to be able to express their ideas in their
own words. This will allow students to express their conclusion of the main ideas
of the unit because this is where they are to give the most detail of knowledge.

Name_____________
Habitats of the World
Unit Test
Answer Key
Multiple Choice
Write the letter of the correct answer on the given line.
1.______
a.
b.
c.
d.
2.______
a.
b.
c.
d.
3.______
a.
b.
c.
d.
4.______
a.
b.
c.
d.
5.______
a.
b.
c.
d.


6.______
a.
b.
c.
d.
7.______
a.
b.
c.
d.
8.______
a.
b.
c.
d.
9.______
a.
b.
c.
d.
10.______
a.
b.
c.
d.
True/False
Write true or false, based on the given statement.
11. _________
12. _________
13. _________
14. _________
15. _________
Short Answer
Completely respond to the prompt in three to five complete sentences.
16.
17.
18.

13

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2. Second Choice Assessment: Select a biome: give information about the biome
(climate, location, plants, etc). Also include endangered animals and how they
are affected.
Students will be given the option to select a biome of their choice. They
will use any resources that they received thus far in this class to assist them with
this project. Students will be given books, iPads, and other additional resources
to gather the information necessary for this task. Student will work independently
and create his/her own final presentation that will be presented to the class
during the week before their break.
Student will be able to choose a presentation method that they want. I will
provide the class with a few examples (posters, presentations, brochures, etc).
The second part of this assessment will mandate that students include any
endangered animals in their given biome. Students will provide general
information about these animals, and describe how they are being affected and if
there is a way in which humans can help.
Last, students will include a brief argument at the end urging their peers to
help protect the endangered animals in this biome. Student will want to be
persuasive and explain how the extinction of this animal could potentially affect
us and our environment.
Requirement: Unit Reflection
Write a reflection about this unit, please include the following--Favorite part about the unit
-What they are going to do differently/How will they live differently

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-Any questions they may still have

In addition to the summative assessment that students choose to complete out of

the two listed above, all students will complete a unit reflection. The three bullet
points above are ideas of what students can write about. Students will be given a
lot of freedom for this reflection; however, student must demonstrate thoughtful
and genuine reflection. This reflection will also assure that the student
understands the unit as a whole. I will encourage them to also reflect about
concepts that confused them or questions that they have that I can work on
answering in future lessons.

Additional References for students/parents:

Teachers

This is a list of the compiled references that would be beneficial for the teachers
to have in order to accomplish this unit:
Gardner, B. (2013, July). Formal Letter Sample For Kids.
http://www.allaboutwildlife.com/ten-ways-to-help-wildlife

For information regarding gray wolves:

http://www.ehow.com/info_8435381_unique-adaptations-gray-wolf.html

To find standards:

http://www.ottumwaschools.com/about/documents/Science-Intermediate.pdf

Pictures:

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/
newswatch.nationalgeographic.com

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Course Packet given by Sally R. Beisser, Ph.D inspired some of our

handouts/evaluations for the students.
Scholastic nonfiction books on biomes/habitats

LESSON References

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/learning-causes-extinction
http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/animals/extinct/define.htm
For Students
1. On this site, students can search their favorite animals and learn more

information about them, such as: where they live

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/

2. On this site, students can practice matching up certain animals with their
specific adaptations.
http://www.ecokids.ca/PUB/eco_info/topics/climate/adaptations/index.cfm

3. On this site, students can explore different biomes of the world.

http://interactivesites.weebly.com/biomes.html
Scholastic nonfiction books on biomes/habitats
Animal Adaptation books (A-Z)

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Cooperative Learning Lesson Plan

Lesson Background:
Your Name: Cara Lutes
Grade Level: 5
Subject: Science
Lesson Title: Five of the major biomes of our world
Content Standards:
IowaCore Science: Life ScienceUnderstand and apply knowledge of organisms and their environments
How individual organisms are influenced by internal and external factors.
Animals depend on plants. Some animals eat plants for food. Other
animals eat animals that eat the plants.
An organisms patterns of behavior are related to the nature of that
organisms environment, including the kinds and numbers of other
organisms present, the availability of food and resources, and the physical
characteristics of the environment. When the environment changes, some
plants and animals survive and reproduce, others die or move to new
locations.
Materials Needed:
-Elmo
-Markers
-Group Biome and Group task sheets
-Books, magazines, laptops with guide reference sheets
-notebook paper
-Biome Characteristics Sheet (used for assessment, and for other groups jigsaws
observations)
-Peer/Self Evaluation Sheets
Prerequisite Skills:
-Students will have familiarity with the jigsaw format that they will be using.
-Students will have had worked in groups with assigned group tasks before.

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-Students will be familiar with using charts to organize notes.

-Students will have completed a peer/self evaluation for a prior group
assignment.
-Student will be familiar with how to properly execute research with given
materials.

Lesson Objective(s):
a. Fifth grade students will be able to determine their assigned biomes
characteristics through research, create a visual representation of their biome
identifying 4-6 characteristics of their biome in their expert groups, then report
their findings in a jigsaw format with cooperative groups while completing a chart
with each biomes 4-6 characteristics and a visual aid.
b.Fifth grade students will be able to collaborate with their expert group to create
a jigsaw while being respectful, encouraging, and focused.
Cooperative Learning Grouping Structure: Jigsaw
Interaction with Students:
1. Present objectives: (Tell students what they are going to learn?)
Time:
5 minutes
Today we will be learning about five out of the ten main biomes of the world. A
biome is a major ecological community of organisms, or living things. These
organisms have adapted to a particular climatic or environmental condition on a
large geographic area. We will be doing research in groups and collecting
information about a given biome. Each group will be assigned a biome of the
world. Groups will determine 4-6 main characteristics of your given biome and
illustrate their knowledge of its characteristics through clear notes and one a
visual representation. In this activity, we will practice group jigsaw presentations.
2. Present information for the academic goal: (What are procedures for the
academic goal?) Time: 5 minutes
In order to accomplish the task of learning about biomes, we will be following
jigsaw format, as we did before when we learned about various founding fathers
in history class. We will be splitting into five expert groups, and each group will
be assigned a biome, a major ecological community of living things. You will
each have a specific task; however, you are all responsible for yourselves and
should be good teammates to listen, encourage, and stay on task. You will use
articles I have provided, along with your textbooks to identify four to six main

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characteristics of your biome-- the weather, trees, plants, climate, animals, and
geographical location. You will create a small sketch to use as an explanation of
your biome. Each person will record these characteristics and the small sketch to
take as evidence when you enter your cooperative groups. Make sure your notes
are neat, clear, and thorough, so you can serve as an excellent expert to your
collaborative group.
3. Organize students into learning teams: Time: 10 minutes
a. When we work in groups today we are going to be good teammates. You will
be able to collaborate with your expert group to create a jigsaw while being
respectful, encouraging, and focused. Being respectful means listening to others
opinions. If you disagree, you approach the situation in a kind way, maybe
saying, I see where you are coming from. However, I see it in a different way. I
think it would be good if we did . because Being encouraging looks like
using kind, genuine words and body language with others. Being encouraging
may sound like, Wow! I never would have thought about it that way! or I
appreciate how you were focused on your task. It is important with encouraging
that it is real, you are not faking the words or the smile because that is the
expectation. Try to be perceptive to what your group members are doing well and
give them affirming feedback. Our third goal in group work today being focused.
Being focused means taking pride in your work and doing it well. It means
staying on task and talking with your group members only about topics that are
related to your assignment and not being distracted by your surroundings. We
will will be split into groups of approximately 4-5. Within the groups, each student
will be given a role to participate in while doing research and creating their visual
representation. Students will collaboratively work as a team to put together a
jigsaw representation that they will present to their classmates.
b. You will each receive a small sheet of folded paper with a given biome name
on it (Desert, Tropical Rain Forest, Tundra, Marine/Island, Savannah). Once they
receive their sheet of paper and are given direction,, you will find their
corresponding group members. You will find a place in the classroom that you
can work well together and will not be distracted. You will be given books,
internet sources, journals, and science magazines in order to gather all the
information they need to know about your biomes characteristics.
c. On the folded sheet of paper that each of you receives, you will find a letter
(A-E) on it. Each letter will represent a role that they will partake in while
executing research and creating their jigsaw representation.
A. Manager: will be in charge of getting everyone to participate and
making sure each group member gets a chance to speak
B. Recorder: takes notes on research being done (everyone will

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eventually take notes of four to six main characteristics, but recorder will be the
main note taker during research time)
C. In charge of questions: if the group has questions, this is the ONLY
member will ask the teacher
D. Task Manager: this member will make sure the group is working on the
project at hand. Be sure that everyone understands
E. Graphic Designer: this member will create the visual representation
after the research is found (everyone will eventually sketch the visual, but
the graphic designer designs it)

4. Assist team work and study:

Time: 20 minutes
How will you monitor academic progress?
a. We will informally assess students by observing the work and research being
done in their collaborative groups. Students will need to gather specific
information about their biomes characteristics and contribute to their groups
jigsaw representation. The notes that the expert groups extract from their
research will be a checkpoint for the teacher to see the progress.
b. You will be given a team member evaluation sheet and a self evaluation sheet.
You will assess each one of your group members on their respectfulness,
encouragement and level of focus during the collaborative group work. Also, you
will each evaluate yourself on their perceptions of the respectfulness,
encouragement and level of focus that you contributed to the group. This
evaluation sheet is to be another form of accountibility to yourself and your team.
5. Provide recognition:

Time: 5 minutes

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(How will students know they have met both academic and social goals?)
Students will complete the document below.
Expert Biome Group Reflection Sheet

6. Assessment / Closure: (How do you evaluate student progress or end this

lesson?)
Time: 5 minutes
Include documents for assessing both the academic and social goals.
Academic: Students, you will receive a sheet that they will need to complete
while observing and learning about the other groups biomes. This sheet will have
a section for each of the 5 biomes, and each student will record the specific
biomes characteristics on a chart on their own sheet of paper. You will also
sketch the visual that each biome group created for their biome. This sheet will
be turned in at the end of the period to assess student academic progress. You
will have this chart returned to you and the chart will be kept as a reference for
each biomes characteristics as we progress through the unit.

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**This will be on a 8.5 11 sheet of paper for student notes/assessment

Social: Teacher will observe the students participation in their research groups.
They will also complete a peer evaluation for each of their group members, as
well as one for themselves. This will determine if they met our objective and
completed our given social goal. We will also have a class discussion to reflect
on our collaborative group work.
-Did you enjoy working in a group? Why?
-What challenges did you face while working in a group?
-Did you find tasks easier or more difficult to get finished?
-How did you notice your group members being encouraging?
-What was the benefit of working in a group?
-How could you improve, as individuals, in your groups collaborative
work?
7. DIFFERENTIATION of Content, Process or Product:
a. Adaptation for students who need extra help, time, or attention?
Students who need more prompting and structure, will be given this chart with
more aid in order to be organized with their notes. Students do not need to write
complete sentences but can focus on the big ideas and main characteristic in key
words and drawings. Within the expert groups, students may be assigned the
graphic designer, task manager, or the in charge of questions position so that
they do not feel overwhelmed by a task but can positively contribute to the group.

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**This differentiation chart will be in 8.5x11 format with ample space to write
notes.
b. Extension for students of high ability? (Remember, gifted students need
challenge).
For high ability students, they will research their biome more in-depth and use
their creative skills to create their ideas on different biomes and/or explore their
biome. With the provided material, and with their groups (with intellectual peers),
they will be supported with their social needs and creative needs to perform at
their best level.
They will specifically be looking for how the characteristics in the biome can
affect the organisms living in the environment. This will lead them to our next
lesson on animal adaptation. In assessing their work, we will be looking for
deeper explanations and possibly a graphic organizer comparing and contrasting
different biomes.

TOTAL LESSON TIME 60 min

8. References Consulted (Curriculum books in Drake SOE curriculum lab,
previous teachers as resources, online websites, your past experiences, or your
own initiatives, etc):
Course Packet given by Sally R. Beisser, Ph.D inspired some of our
handouts/evaluations for the students.
Scholastic nonfiction books on biomes/habitats.
Other ideas are compiled from those of Cara Lutes and her educational
experience

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Presentation with Advance Organizer Lesson Plan

Your Name: Cara Lutes
Grade Level: 5
Subject: Science
Lesson Title: Animal Biological Adaptations
Content Standards:
Iowa Core

Concept 1.6 Use evidence to develop reasonable explanations.

Skill 1.6.3 Students explanations should reflect the evidence they have
obtained in their investigations.
Concept 1.7 Communicate scientific procedures and explanations.
Skill 1.7.1 Students should communicate, critique, and analyze their
work and the work of other students.
Skill 1.7.2 Students should share procedures and explanations
through various means of communication.
Materials Needed:
-Animal Adaptation Books (A-Z)
-Elmo
-Pictures of the animals for each group, including gray wolves
-Handout cards for group work
-Adaptation Worksheet
-Poster Boards
-Markers/Crayons
-Paper
-Pencils
-Rubric
Prerequisite Skills:
-Students must know how to find relevant information in a text book.
-Students will have had experience making their own flowchart.
-Students will have had a prior lesson on the animals discussed.
-Students understand what a Bibliography is, and know how to create one.

Lesson Objective:
Students will research animal biological adaptations and create a flowchart that they will
then present to the classroom in jigsaw format for at least 2-4 minutes in conference
style rotation in pre-selected small groups with no more than two errors.

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1. Present objectives: (What are students going to learn?) Time: less than a
minute
Today we are going to learn about different animals biological adaptations.
We will investigate through research, analyze by using decision-making skills to decide
what they are doing their assignment on, and explain at least two animal adaptations, by
informing their peers through the presentation of a jigsaw activity. Following this, you all
will perform your research findings of their assigned animal and present their findings
using a jigsaw format in a conference style presentation.
2. Present advance organizer: (A metaphor or logical connection?) Time: 5
minutes
But first we are going to talk about goosebumps. No, not the books called
Goosebumps, but the thing that happens to your skin!
For example:
What happens when you get cold? (Humans get goose-bumps and shiver.)
Give me an example of what happens when you are cold. (Students should shiver and
teacher will also model the behavior that will happen when a human is cold). You do not
control this, but your body tries to warm you up naturally.
On the other hand, what happens when you get warm or overheated? (You sweat.)
Give me an example of how you act/look when you are warm. (Wiping off sweat, fanning
yourself.) Your body automatically sweats when you are warm in order to cool you off.
Similar to shivering and goose-bumps, you do not control how much you sweat.
These are all biological adaptations.
I will ask them the following prompt question:
-What happens to you when you are out in the sun too long? (sunburn) In the
summertime, why does your skin get darker? Your skins pigment (color) gets darker in
order to protect your skin. For example, in warmer regions such as South America,
Africa, Australia, peoples skin pigment (color) tends to be darker, and this plays a role in
protecting their skin from burning. However, people who live in cooler regions like
Ireland, Canada, and Russia, have paler skin which adapts to their dim environment.
Can anyone give me an example of a human adaptation? (For clarification, we can
simply ask this: What is something your body does naturally in response to your
environment?)
All right, now that we have some human examples of adaptations, that we ourselves can
relate to--we will be moving on to learning about animal adaptations.
3. Demonstrate knowledge or skill: (Input/Modeling by the teacher)
Time: 10 min
Biological adaptations occur in our own bodies, and now we are going to refocus to our
topic for today-- adaptations in animals. Adaptations occur because of the environment;
they are not made up from genetics. Growing taller is not a genetic adaptation- it is a
growth, a natural process that would occur regardless of ones environment. Biological
adaptations occur for animals based on their habitat. Today you will investigate, analyze

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and explain at least two animal adaptations by researching your assigned animal and
presenting your findings in jigsaw format and conference style in small groups with no
more than two errors. Research, flow chart, presentation, peer and self critique, and
overall effort will be the five main areas that I will assess you on. I will give you more
information on this activity. First, listen to my findings on the gray wolf and my reasoning
to create a flow chart. This will give you a model of how to approach your responsibilities
today. The gray wolf is an animal that undergoes adaptation.(During this time, I will show
a picture of a gray wolf on the Elmo) As I teach about gray wolves adaptations, I am
going to be filling out a flow chart, just as we have practiced when we learned about
different types of energy. Gray wolves are my main topic, so I am going to place that at
the top left. Wolves live in colder climates, and as we know, in colder climates, snow and
ice are quite common. (During this time, I will draw a habitat box on the flow chart). Gray
wolves need to move swiftly to catch animals they eat-- known as prey. They also may
need to find new location to move to (next I will draw an arrow with another box).
Because of the environment, there is a need to adjust to move more swiftly and
efficiently. That is the need caused by the environment. Therefore, wolves toes have
adapted the ability to spread very wide. Also, wolves toes spread wide when they run,
giving them a large traction area. Their footpads and nails have also changed to move
more effectively on slippery surfaces. (Draw another box and arrow off of flowchart).
These are the adaptations that the body underwent to help the wolf. Now because of
these adaptations, wolves are stronger and healthier because of the nutrition they are
able to get from their prey. That is definitely a positive effect for gray wolves lives. (Draw
another box that says: gray wolves become stronger and healthier.) (Example flowchart
below)
Occasionally there are times when not much food is available. This is called food
scarcity. If wolves are not getting food, they are not getting the nutrition they need. (Draw
a box and write need for nutrition in midst of food scarcity.) Therefore, wolves have
adapted. Wolves teeth adapted to be sharper and more sturdy to have the ability to
pierce into animal flesh and tear meat from the bone (Draw box and arrow with adaption
information). The teeth adapted and changed to be so forceful that their jaws can
implement 500 pounds of pressure per square inch! That is a lot of strength! This
empowers the wolves to crush bones and snap the necks of those they are attacking. As
I said before, those animals are also called prey. Because wolves can devour prey more
easily, they are healthier and stronger (connect box back to the box about wolves
becoming stronger and healthier).
Picture of a gray wolf:

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Example flowchart:

4. Check for understanding and provide student feedback: (How will you know
students understand the skill or concept? How will they know they get it?)
Time:
6 minutes

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Boys and girls, now that we have learned about various animal adaptations, you are
going to complete an Ink, Pair, Share activity.(This will be an informal assessment.)
There are three questions written on the board and you all are going to be given a few
minutes answer these questions in your science notebook. When you are finished, you
will show me by putting your pencil down. When you and your partner are finished, you
will turn to your partner and share your answers. During this time I will circulate the
classroom, listening to what all of you have to say. If you have any questions, feel free to
raise your hand and call me over. Then we will came large group and share our thoughts
and ideas about each question.
Questions on the board:
1. What is an adaptation?
2. Why do animals have adaptations?
3. Give me an example of an animal of your choosing, and discuss what you think one
biological adaptation that animal has undergone.
5. Assessment / Closure: (How do you evaluate student progress or provide closure
to this lesson?)
Time:
40 (20 minutes research and flowchart 20 minutes conference style presentations)
(time may need to be adjusted based on students needs)
Students, you be will be put into groups of three. In this group of three you will be given
an animal to research, which is designated on the card you received when you came
into class. This research will familiarize you with the various animal adaptations of your
animal in a given geographical location. You will use Animal Adaptation books and other
book resources to gather information about its environment and adaptation. You will
demonstrate the knowledge of your research by creating a flow chart similar to the
example I have shown you. The flowchart will be displayed during work time. You can
use it as a guide but feel free to add more details or different details. Be sure to include
factors of their environment, the adaptation the animal underwent, and the positive
effects of the adaptation. (Students may include pictures or additional text to aid in
presenting their animal but content is most important.)
As an assessment, you will give a brief 2-4 min presentation about the basic information
about your animals adaptation to a small group of your peers communicating what you
have learned about their animal. This will take place in the form of a conference
presentation. Two students from each group of 3 will stay at their designated station and
present while other classmates come to observe, listen, and engage. If you look at the
cards you received, you will notice that there are shapes on the card. These are the
groups you are in whether you are presenting or rotating and engaging in others
presentations. For example, I will communicate Circles and triangles are presenting.
Squares are rotating and actively engaging in other peoples presentations. You are to
spend approximately two to four minutes at each presentation and listen to the entirety
of their presentation. I will also be coming around listening to each presentation. It is an
expectation that everyone in your group shares the information you worked hard to
learn. Each of you will complete a worksheet (see Adaptation for students who need

30

extra help, time, or attention) as evidence of the observations of your classmates

presentations. Any questions before we begin? (appropriate wait time). (Teacher will
dismiss one group at a time to grab materials they need and designate an area of the
classroom they are working in.)

These are the cards that each student will receive at the beginning of class, before the
activity. The teacher can predetermine homogenous groups for research and visual aid
creation. The shapes distinguish the groups for who presents when and who listens to
presentations at what moment. This makes the rotation presentations run more smoothly
when the teacher can say, Triangle and square groups are presenting, and the circle
group is rotating listening to and engaging in presentations.

31

32

Last, after the students present their jigsaw diagrams, they will turn the following
in:
-Poster with jigsaw diagram and full descriptions
-Ink, pair, and share activity completed
-A full bibliography of any resources the student used to put together
his/her jigsaw
-A rubric (that they completed) with their expected scores based off of
their opinion of their own work (the jigsaw presentation, bibliography, etc.)
-A Peer critique of their classmates presentations

33

Teacher Name: Miss Lutes

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY

Research

Student has used a

variety of resources
for investigation of
their given animal
and has completed
a thorough and
correctly formatted
bibliography page of
these resources.

Student used at
least one resource
and provided a
bibliography page.

Student has used

one resource but
does not provide a
bibliography of this
resource.

Student did not use

any resources and
lacks a bibliography
page.

Flow Chart

Student has labeled

all parts of the flow
chart correctly and
has a full description
of the animals
habitat, needs and
adaptations.

Student has labeled

all parts of the flow
chart correctly and
has a brief
description of the
animals habitat,
needs and
adaptations.

Student has labeled

all parts of the flow
chart with few errors
and has a short
description of the
animals habitat,
needs, and
adaptations.

Student has not

labeled all parts of
theflow chart.
Description of
animals habitat,
needs, and
adaptations lacks
quality description.

Presentation

Student presents all

parts of their jigsaw
thoroughly and
explanations are
accurate. He/she
answers any
questions that
his/her peers ask
regarding their
presentation. Jigsaw
is presented in a
professional
manner.

Student presents all

parts of their jigsaw
briefly and not very
descriptively. He/she
answers peer
questions in a poor
manner.

Student points (or

shows) to each part
of his/her jigsaw
without explanation
or description.
He/she has trouble
answering questions
about their diagram.

Student tells peers

to simply look at
their jigsaw without
providing any
information. Student
is unable to answer
questions asked by
peers.

Peer/Self
Critique

Student completes
the peer/self critique
with all the provided
information and it is
clear that they
carefully listened to
their peers
presentation.

Student completes
the peer/self critique
with little description
and very basic
answers. It is clear
that student simply
copied their peers
jigsaw.

Student completes
only parts of a
peer/self critique. It
is clear that they did
not participate or
listen to their peer\'s
presentation.

Student fails to hand

in a peer /se,f
critique.

Effort

Student work
demonstrates effort

Student work
demonstrates

Student work
demonstrates little

Student work
demonstrates

34
and creativity. It is
evident that they put
a lot of time into
their work.
Student provides
nots of their
analyzation which
aided them in
deciding what
animal to research.

moderate effort and

creativity.

effort and creativity.

minimal effort and

no creativity or
originality.

Additional Teacher Comments:

/20

Students will each receive a sheet to review their peers and their own contributions,
ideas, and attitude and give one meaningful comment.
Peer Reflection Sheet
Groups Animal: ____________________
Rating of one means poor and 5 means outstanding. Circle what you feel to be accurate of
you and your group members. Give at least one meaningful comment for each person.
Your Name: _______________________
Rate contribution to the team effort: 1 2

Rate contribution of quality and creative ideas: 1

Rate attitude: 1

5
2

Additional Comments:
Group Member Name: _______________________
Rate contribution to the team effort: 1 2 3 4
Rate contribution of quality and creative ideas: 1
Rate attitude: 1

Additional Comments:

5
3

35
Group Member Name: _______________________
Rate contribution to the team effort: 1 2 3 4
Rate contribution of quality and creative ideas: 1
Rate attitude: 1

5
3

Additional Comments:

6. Adaptation for students who need extra help, time, or attention?

For the jigsaw puzzle, students who need extra assistance will be given a worksheet
with the parts of the jigsaw labeled so they will know exactly what to put in each box. If
they are having a hard time doing research with the books and cannot find relevant
information, I will have extra books with post-it notes labeling the specific information
and what is corresponds with. (Example: I will have a post-it note on a page with
information about the animals adaptation or environment, etc.)
For students who may be struggling with the peer evaluating worksheet will be provided
with the sheet below. They will have pictures of all the animals that their peers will
present on, and a blank box for the animals adaptation, habitat, and the outcome or
effects of this adaptation. This will allow the students to have their thoughts and notes
more structured. The students will be allowed to draw visual cues or sketches for the
main ideas of each box that they hear from the various presentations. Also, Post-Its will
be distributed to each group to fill out very basic information to use as an aid to students


who may need more time, prompting, or scaffolded.

36

37

Extension for students of high ability?

For the students of high ability, the focus of their presentation will go beyond what the
biological adaptations are, but why they occurred or possible reasons as to why they
have appeared. The flowchart product may have more branches or more connections to
one another aspect affecting biological adaptations. Also, their research should be more
in-depth as part of their animal analysis. Additional teacher guidance will be given for
specific individual progress.
TOTAL LESSON TIME: About 1 hour +/- 10 min

7. References Consulted: (Curriculum books in Drake SOE curriculum lab, teacher

resources, websites, etc):

For information regarding gray wolves:

http://www.ehow.com/info_8435381_unique-adaptations-gray-wolf.html
To find standards:
http://www.ottumwaschools.com/about/documents/Science-Intermediate.pdf
Pictures:
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/
newswatch.nationalgeographic.com
Other ideas regarding this lesson plan were a compilation of ideas of Cara Lutes as
influenced by previous experiences in elementary classes and/or at Drake.
Beisser, 2000

38

39

Concept Attainment Lesson Plan

Lesson Background:
Your Name: Cara Lutes
Grade Level: 5
Subject: Science
Lesson Title: Extinction
Content Standards:K-LS1-1. Use observations to describe patterns of what
plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.
Materials Needed:
-Paper
-Pencil
-Journals
-White board
-Markers
-Yes/No signs
-Pictures of animals next to text
-Scenario Cards
-HIPPO Cards
***Extension***
-Threatened, Endangered & Extinct flier (from Environment & Ecology Series)
-Animals on the Verge of Extinction by Karen OConner
-What Happened to the Dinosaurs: A Book About Extinction by Rebecca Olien
*computers for research (optional)
Prerequisite Skills:
-Students will have been exposed to some of the extinct animals discussed
-Students will be able to work in a cooperative group with 3-4 other members
-Students will have familiarity with the construction of a poem/song/rap
-Students will have orally familiarity with performing in front of their peer
Lesson Objective: Fifth grade students will be able to identify the 5 main causes
of extinction (HIPPO), construct 1 additional supported reason of why animals
become extinct, and create a song, rap or poem identifying appropriate content
(HIPPO: 5 main causes of extinction), using proper voice projection, and creating

40

a written copy of their poem/song/rap.

Concept Label: Extinct Animals
Critical Attributes: [yes]
Giant Vampire Bat
Golden Toad
Japanese Seas Lion
Baiji Dolphin
West African Black Rhino
Dinosaurs

Non-critical Attributes [no]

Gray wolf
Robust Chimpanzee
African elephant
White Indian Tiger
Polar Bears
Platypus

Definition of Concept: Animals that no longer exist on the planet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Interaction with Students:
1. Provide examples and non-examples to the class: (Distinguish yes/no
attributes)
Time: 3-4 minutes
Class, today you are going to use clues that I give you to infer what our topic is
for this unit. There are two columns: yes and no. If I give a clue that fits into the
category, it will go under the yes column. If the clue does not fit into the
category, it will go in the no column. If you have an idea of what the topic is, I
want you to keep quiet and give me a thumbs up. We want everyone to use the
clues to detect what the topic is, and that will not happen if you blurt out.
The teacher will place each animal into a category. Each time she does so, she
states (for example), The Giant Vampire Bat goes into the yes category. The
teacher will reveal the animals in order that they are written below.
YES

Giant Vampire Bat

NO

Gray wolf

Golden Toad

Japanese Sea Lion

Baiji Dolphin

41

Robust Chimpanzee

African Elephant

White Indian Tiger

West African Black Rhino

Polar Bear

Dinosaurs

Platypus

2. Test for attainment: (Do the students understand the concept?) Time: 2-3
minutes
When the teacher feels it is necessary, she will ask for a thumbs up if students
think they know the category. As the teacher gets deeper down the list, she will
ask the students which side they think that the new animals go on (intentioned to
engage student thinking but not reveal the topic yet). The teacher will ask the
students if they can think of any more animals that fit into the yes category.
3. Analyze student thinking processes and integration of learning: Time: 8
minutes
(Are they able to provide additional examples and nonexamples?)
Now that we have a list here of animals that have gone extinct, and animals that

42

still exist today and have not gone extinct, as a class we are going to come up
with any additional extinct animals we can think of. I will give you two minutes to
talk with your table groups and write down as many extinct animals your group
can think of. After two minutes is up, we will come together as a class and add to
our list any animals your groups thought of.
Following this, as a class, we will come up with at least 4 animals that are not yet
extinct.
Students, before we begin our lesson, I want you to talk with your partner and
brainstorm reasons why animals become extinct. Jot a few reasons down to get
your brains working and ready for our science lesson! I will give you two minutes
and then I will present our science objective.
4. Clarify lesson objectives: (What are students going to DO with these?)
Time: 20 minutes
Fifth grade students will be able to identify the 5 main causes of extinction
(HIPPO), construct 3 additional supported reasons of why animals become
extinct, and create a song, rap or poem identifying appropriate content (HIPPO: 5
main causes of extinction), using proper voice projection, and illustrating
readiness and prior preparation in presenting their poem/song/rap.
5. Procedures for Using the Concept in a meaningful way?
Before we begin our lesson, I want you to write down in your journals how you
define extinction. After students have been given a minute to write this down,
they will share with their partners, then we will come together as a class and
students will volunteer to share their definition.
Extinction is when something has died out completely and no longer exists. Do
dinosaurs still exist? (No) Why not? Because they all died out--they all have
become extinct.
Today we are going to learn about 5 main causes of extinction. We will also learn
an acronym in order to remember these 5 causes. I have 5 cards that each
partner group will receive. Each card has a scenario on it. You and your partner
will try and identify the cause of this extinction. After students have come up with
a prediction, or an explanation to this scenario, I will give each partner group 5
more cards labeled (H:habitat loss, I=Introduced species, P=Pollution,
P=Population growth, O=Overconsumption). Students will match their scenario
with a given cause of extinction.

43

We will sort various scenarios into categories to discover the main reasons
animals become extinct.
H= Habitat Loss
I=Introduced species
P=Pollution
P=Population growth
O= Overconsumption
Scenario 1: A land covered in forest trees has been clear-cutted and all of the
tree homes that once existed have been removed. An animal loses the place it
sleeps, the food it once ate, and has become extinct.
Scenario 2: An animal group (A) in a given forest can only eat one type of food.
This type of food is a limited resource; however. Thankfully, not many other
animals eat this food, so the animal group is safe. As time goes on, a new
species evolves and begins to feed off of the same limited resource. This new
species is stronger, fitter, and more quick to access this food, so the animal
group A becomes extinct.
Scenario 3: An animal groups population begins to sprout. Due to the postive
feedback loop, more of this animal leads to more offspring, and an increase in
population. Unfortunately there is a point when population growth can happen so
suddenly that it reaches an overshoot. The population is too large to survive in a
given environment. This animal group then becomes extinct.
Scenario 4: An animal group has lived in a local stream for multiple years now.
This stream was once very healthy, provided all the necessary nutrients for this
animal group to survive. These streams began to fill up with toxic chemicals from
industrial processes and overloaded with nutrients from near-by farms. This
animal group then began extinct.
Scenario 5: People are exploiting resources such as water, forests and fisheries
and putting greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere at a much higher rate
than they can be replenished and pollution absorbed. The demand for land and
water has led to water and land shortages and elimination of animals homes and
other needed resources. Due to this, animals become extinct.
Students will be given 7-10 minutes to match these given scenarios with each of

44

the 5 causes of extinction. After 10 minutes is up, a student will volunteer to read
a scenario and share the matched cause them and their partner chose. If
students agree they will stand up, if they do not agree with this match, students
will put their head down. Any students that do not agree will be given the
opportunity to defend their opinion. We will do this for each of the five scenarios.
Following this, students will come up with their own scenario with their desk
partner demonstrating one (of the five) causes of extinction. Students will then
present this scenario following their presentation of their song/rap/poem and the
class will match it with the corresponding cause of extinction.
6. Assessment / Closure (How do you evaluate student progress or provide
closure for this lesson (checklist, assessment documents.)
Time: 25 minutes
Students will be placed in flexible grouping of 4-5 to create a song, rap or poem
about the basics of extinction. Students are expected to work respectfully and
cooperatively with the assigned flexible groups. They will have time to create
such a presentation including: the definition of extinction, the 5 main causes of
extinction (HIPPO), and a scenario illustrating one of the five causes of
extinction. This scenario can be one discussed in class or brainstormed by group
members. For the entire performance, students are to audibly project their
song/rap/poem, so the entire class can clearly hear. The performance should
very audibly appealing. Students are to turn in to the teacher a very neatly written
copy of their lyrics/poem with all of the words included in their performance.

7. DIFFERENTIATION of Content, Process or Product:

a. Adaptation for students who need extra help, time, or attention?
For students that need extra help, time, or attention, we will be using visuals
along with the words in the concept attainment introduction that will aid those

45

46

students, especially ELLs who may not understand exactly what those particular
words mean. Also, we will provide a worksheet (see below) for those who need
more focused work during the presentation portion of class. This will help aid
their comprehension, and it will not decrease the content, but will simplify the
assignment/project so that it is more comprehensible. The worksheet will be part
of their project/presentation, and it will line up with the objective by having them
identify the 5 main causes of extinction.

b. Extension for students of high ability? (Remember, assigning gifted

students to be the tutor for others is not sufficient academic challenging
for students who have mastered the lesson).
In the lesson, we have provided choices and challenges in the presentation of
the material that are used to help differentiate for these students. They are
challenged to provide deeper, higher-level thinking skills in figuring out how
extinction has impacted the environment or ecosystems. They may brainstorm a
scenario that was not provided in the class and share it with their group to use in
their groups song/rap/poem. These students will have the opportunity to
perform/present this material with the class using a poem, rap, or song, and this

47

will extend their creative abilities. Listed below are references they will have
available to work with:
Threatened, Endangered & Extinct flier (from Environment & Ecology
Series)
Animals on the Verge of Extinction by Karen OConner
What Happened to the Dinosaurs: A Book About Extinction by Rebecca
Olien
Online available site(s):
http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/animals/extinct/define.htm

TOTAL LESSON TIME:58-60 minutes

8. References Consulted (Curriculum books in Drake SOE curriculum lab,
previous teachers as resources, online websites, your past experiences, or your
own initiatives, etc):
PICTURES:
Gray wolf
http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_wolf/
Golden Toad
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/photos/10-animals-presumed-extinctin-the-last-decade/golden-toad
Robust Chimpanzee
National Geographic
Japanese Sea Lionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Sea_Lion
African Elephant
http://www.deshow.net/animal/African_Elephant_Pictures_hant_photos_529.html
Baiji Dolphin
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/photos/10-animals-presumed-extinctin-the-last-decade/golden-toad
White Indian Tiger

48

http://www.indiantiger.org/white-tigers/
West African Black Rhino
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/photos/10-animals-presumed-extinctin-the-last-decade/golden-toad
Polar Bear
http://www.livescience.com/27436-polar-bear-facts.html
Dinosaurs
http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/browse/dinosaurs/age_of_dinosaurs_in_iowa.htm
Platypus
http://gifts.worldwildlife.org/gift-center/gifts/Species-Adoptions/Duck-billedPlatypus.aspx
LESSON HELPS:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/learning-causes-extinction
http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/animals/extinct/define.htm
and Dr. Sally Beisers Curr/Ped Course Packet

49

Direct Instruction Lesson Plan

Lesson Background:
Your Name: Cara Lutes
Grade Level: 5
Subject: Language Arts and Science
Lesson Title: Writing Formal Persuasive Letters to Protect Endangered Animals
Content Standards:
ELA2010(3) 38. Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard Englsh
Capitilization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. [L.3.2]
W.4.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and
organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults,
develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
(Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13 up to and including grade 4 here.)
Materials Needed:
Paper
Pencils
Markers
Sample letter
Pieces of paper that have writers address, receivers address, date, proper,
greeting, spacing, and closure cut out for each student group in envelope (example
letter attached)
Blank sheets of paper for the pieces of paper to go on
Elmo
Envelopes (for differentiation)
Scaffolding guide (attached)
Resoureces from earlier in unit about endangered animals
Prerequisite Skills:
Students must know how to read.
Students have had experience with persuasive letters and the language used.

50

Students have learned about endangered animals and learned what can be done to
protect them (very much based on the problem based lesson)
Students must know how to write, spell, and properly use grammar.
A B C D Lesson Objective: After reading sample letters and the writing lesson and
learning about endangered animals the prior lesson, fifth grade students will be able to
compose a correctly structured persuasion letter to a friend, family, member or teacher
as to why they should to care about an endangered animal of their choice, what they can
do to help, and thanking them for their time and challenging them to get involved.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Interaction with Students:

1. Provide objectives: (What are students going to learn?) Time: 3 minutes
Today, we are going to learn about writing formal letters to a community
organization using persuasive points on why they should be aware and care about
endangered animals and explaining practical ways that they can help. We have
discussed many of these ideas over the course of the unit. You have done a wonderful
job conveying your thoughts on why these issues matter and how we can take action.
Today we are focusing on challenging a community, including friends and families to join
in the awareness and the fight. We will use much of the information that we gathered
during out problem based/ inquiry lesson. Today we are focused on writing a persuasive
letter with correct format. We have done a persuasive letter before, so remember that in
a persuasive letter you are trying to convince them to believe something and take action.
Remember to focus on the words that you choose- try to make them convincing. What
are some examples of this? (Wait time) Today, we will focus on the proper structure of
letter writing including the writers address, receivers address, date, proper, greeting,
spacing, and closure. It is important to be able to write formally to display that you can
be professional and have confidence and meaning in your persuasive writing. In the
content of the letter, you are especially going to focus on explaining why they should
care about endangered animals and why it is an issue. The second paragraph is you
challenging them to take action to protect endangered animals and take action. The last
paragraph will be you thanking them for their time and one last charge to take action.
2. Demonstrate knowledge or skill: (Input/Modeling by the teacher)
Time: 9
minutes
This is a sample of a formal letter written to Miss Haglund, one of my favorite teacher
who I want to inform about the importance of taking care of the environment. (Picture of
letter)
On the top right hand corner of a formal letter, we put the return address. A return
address usually is one of the writers. On the top line you will have your first and last
name. On the second line you will have your address (house number, street). On the
third line you will have the town name of your house, along with an area code.
After you have completed writing out the return address information, we will move down
to the left side of the letter, with a line space, and write in the address of whom we are

51

writing to. Similar to the format we just learned, you will put the name of the person
receiving the letter first. On the following line you will put their house number, and then
on the next line the town they live in, state and area code.
After we have completed writing out both addresses, we can move on to writing the
content in the letter.
On the top of every letter, following the addresses, you will find the date it was written.
Since we will be writing this letter today, we will all put todays date--1 December 2013.
There should be a space/line after the recipient address and after the date.
Following the address and the date, we will write a greeting. As you can see, I started
out my letter with Dear Ms. Haglund,. Remember that in the beginning of every formal
letter, we greet the person whom we are writing to. In everyday, casual life, we may use
hey, whats up, or hi. However, dear is used in formal letters.
After this step we leave a line open and begin writing the actual content of the letter
itself.
In this particular assignment, we are going to focus on the format of the letter. Unlike
other formal writing and informal letters, we do not have indentations. After one
paragraph is written, we will leave an empty line and move on to the next paragraph. We
will do this each time we start a new paragraph. You can see this in my example.
We will have three main content paragraphs with the following information:
In the...
1 Paragraph: (you will) Explain why they should care and take care of endangered
animals-- why it matters
What do you notice about my language/information I gave in the first paragraph? (Wait
time)
In the
2 Paragraph: (you will) Explain how they practically can make a difference
In the

What do you notice about my language/information I gave in the second paragraph?

(Wait time)
3 Paragraph: (you will) Thank them for their time and encourage them to take action

What do you notice about my language/information I gave in the third paragraph? (Wait
time)

Once we have written the address, the date, the greeting, and our three paragraphs, we
will sign the letter. I ended my letter with Sincerely, Cara Lutes (writers name). As you

52

can see, there are two lines between the last paragraph and the word sincerely. Last,
you will skip four lines and write your first and last name.
So lets go over the parts of our letter and stop me if you have questions.
First, we put the returners address on the top right-hand side.
Then we put the receivers address on the left side below the return address.
Leave a line open and next we put the date the letter was written.
After that we have our greeting (point to greeting), followed by a line, and then we will
begin the content of our letter.
First paragraph without indentation, a space, second paragraph, a space, and the third
paragraph.
Last, we will provide a signature with Sincerely, four spaces, and your first and last
name.
What are your questions? (Give them ample wait time before moving on).
3. Provide guided practice: (Guided practice with the teacher) Time: 12
Now that we learned the basic format, I need your help to format this jumbled letter. I
have all these pieces that are cut up from the letter and we need to reorder and adjust
spacing of this letter and change it to a more formal and professional written letter. You
will work with your pod groups (groups of four based on desk formation).
We will review the correct order of the different aspects of a letter, such as the return
address, the recipients address, the date, the greeting, the body, and the closing. (Pass
out the envelopes that have the cut up pieces of paper and the paper it goes on.) As we
go along, I will give you time to discuss with your neighbors. Section by section, format
each part of the letter using the information rectangles.
(Teacher projects the return address which is a small rectangle that fits on the letter).
This is my address. What is this called? (Students response will be return address)
Where should this be placed on the letter? (Teacher will call on student to place the
return address on the right side of the letter). I think that the return address goes first so
that the recipient can immediately notice and know who the letter is from.
What should come after? (Students will respond the recipients address.) I want you to
discuss with your neighbor where the address goes. (After giving the students one
minute and the volume becomes lower, the teacher will ask a student to come up and
place the address where it belongs.)
After both of the addresses are placed correctly, what should be written next? (Date). (A
student will be called on to place it where it is to go). What follows the address?
(Greeting) Yes! We want to acknowledge who we are writing to- just when we see
someone in person we say hello. Now we are done with the informative portion of the
letter. In a formal letter, what do we say? Hey? Yo? Whats up? (Dear).
Do these paragraphs need to be indented? (No). You are right; it is not like a book or a
paper like we discussed before.
Remember, your first paragraph is about why it is important to care about endangered
animals and specific information about your endangered animal and the second

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paragraph is about how they can make a difference. The last sentence/paragraph that is
written is one last thank you for their time and a word of challenge to get involved. How
do we separate paragraphs? Turn to a partner and discuss (Teacher will give students
approximately thirty seconds to discuss) What did you and your partner conclude?
(double spacing) Now that the content is complete, we need to say goodbye. What is the
correct amount of lines to have between the paragraphs and the closure? (Three)
Remember, this is a formal letter, so give me an example of a formal closure.
(Sincerely). We will all be using sincerely for the practice of adding this vocabulary word
to our word bank.
Do you remember what the spacing is between the closure and the signature of your
name? (Three spaces). Great job. Thanks for your input and involvement. We are on our
way to write our letters with correct structure!
4. Check for understanding and provide student feedback: (How will you know
students understand the skill or concept? How will they know they get it?)
Time:
4 min
Students will receive a sheet of paper with a series of yes or no questions regarding the
various concepts involved in writing a formal letter.
Students, I will be giving you a sheet of paper with 5 questions on it about the structure
of a formal letter .All of the questions will be yes or no questions, and you will be
expected to complete them on your own. While you are completing this mini
assessment, I will be walking around and checking your answers. If a student is
struggling with a question, feel free to ask me for clarification.
After explaining this assessment to the class, each students will receive a sheet with a 5
assessment questions. I will read aloud the questions and give approximately 10
seconds before moving on to the following question (except for the last two questions).

The students will receive this assessment sheet:

Name:
Date:
Please select either yes or no for each question. If you get stuck, move on to the next
question and I will repeat aloud all questions after we have gone through them once.
1. Does the address of the receiver come prior to the address of the sender?
Yes
or
No
2. In formal letter writing is every paragraph indented?
Yes
or
No
3. Does the date the letter was written go directly below the greeting?
Yes
or
No
4. There is spacing between each paragraph. (Approximately 1 line).
Yes
or
No

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5. Do you feel comfortable writing a formal letter on your own?
Yes
or
No
6. Give one reason why someone should care about _________________, an endangered
animal.

7. What is one way to take action to protect this endangered animal?

When we finish the assessment, we will go over the answers as a class. This will be a
time where students will ask any questions they may still have. If many students do not
understand a concept, we will revisit, and remodel that particular topic. I will informally
assess students again prior to progressing toward independent practice.
5: Provide extended practice and transfer: (Independent practice of the skill) Time:
20 minutes (20 minutes is time allotted in class; however more time will be given at a
different time/day if needed)
Now we are going to individually write your letter to the person of your choice,
encouraging and challenging them to take action to help endangered animals. Based on
what we learned about formatting and spacing, you will write the letters independently
with all the necessary parts: address, the recipients address, a greeting, correct
spacing, and closure. Make sure to pay attention to detail of the specifics we reviewed. I
will keep the example up on the Elmo so you can double check that you are correctly
following the pattern. Write in your very best handwriting. By being neat and caring about
this, this shows respect and thankfulness to your recipient. I will be walking around the
room, checking in on how you all are doing. I am now going to hand out the paper that
you will use to write your letter on. Please write neatly in pencil and your best cursive.
What are your questions before start working on our letters?
6. Assessment / Closure: Time: 4 minutes
Students will have a checklist to keep themselves on task for including all of the required
aspects of a formal letter. Students have prior experience using this kind of checklist.
Using the same checklist, the teacher will assess based upon these requirements of the
return address, recipient address, greeting, paragraph about their mentor, paragraph
about this person has impacted their life, a short third paragraph sentence, sincerely,
their written name, and their signed name. Their goal, according to the designed
objective is to have no more than two structural errors. This is a formal assessment. As
a more informal assessment, students will answer the Yes or No questionnaire.
Student Checklist:
I

I placed my address on the right of the

Yes/No

Students
Comments

Teachers
Comments

55
page near the top.
I placed the recipients address at the top
left section of the paper.
I have a date underneath the recipients
address.
I have a greeting under the date
Dear______,
I have three paragraphs that contain:
why it is important to care about
endangered animals (and a specific
animal), how they can practically take
action, and thanking them for their
time/challenge to get involved (11 pts)
I have not indented but have one line
under each paragraph and address.
I have the proper closure
of sincerely.
I have spaced correctly, and my name is
four lines under sincerely.

I have written in my best cursive

-/20
7. DIFFERENTIATION of Content, Process or Product:
a. Adaptation for students who need extra help, time, or attention?
As an aid while writing, a different piece of paper will be distributed to the students who
need more of a scaffold. This is a sample letter outline that students can easily refer to
while writing their letter each item is to be written (attached). During work time on the
polishing of the letter, the teacher can pull a small group or give students extra attention
and time if there is some confusion or need for more guidance. Students can connect to
the unit content that they already feel comfortable in to reinforce that knowledge.

b. Extension for students of high ability? (Remember, assigning gifted

students to be the tutor for others is not sufficient academic challenging
for students who have mastered the lesson).
Students who are of higher ability will be focusing upon implementing the margin length
to their handwritten note. In addition, they will move ahead to correct envelope
addressing. Students are not required to add length, but they are welcome to expand

56

their letter in length and detail. Students may also extend their thinking to endangered
animals beyond what we had discussed in class the prior class time. They can research
the best organizations to partner with to protect wildlife. They can use multiple
resources. They may dig deeper into persuasion.

**The lesson teaches the format differently than this letter portrays such as: return
address on right side, no use of Re: and CC:, and spacing by sincerely and signature.
This example letter will mainly be used for differentiating with high level students to focus
upon the margins.

TOTAL LESSON TIME:_40 minutes_____

8. References Consulted (Curriculum books in Drake SOE curriculum lab, previous
teachers as resources, online websites, your past experiences, or your own initiatives,
etc):

Works Cited
Gardner, B. (2013, July). Formal Letter Sample For Kids.
http://www.allaboutwildlife.com/ten-ways-to-help-wildlife
http://www.fws.gov/redwolf/involved.html

57

Lutes, Cara; my own ideas and initiatives have brought to pass the work above as
well.

** This format will mainly be

followed in the teaching of the lesson except for the spacing in between sincerely and
the signature. Here there is only one line. In the lesson instruction, there will be four
lines.

58
Miss Cara Lutes
2334 Maida Court E
Maplewood, MN 55119

Miss Gina Haglund

1422 E. 3rd St.
Raleigh, NC 27601
1 December, 2013
Dear Miss Haglund,
I hope that you are enjoying your new life in North Carolina! In my fifth grade science
class right now we are studying various biomes in our world and how to help prevent
extinction by taking care of endangered species. I have been doing research and found
out that there are some endangered animals in your area. These animals include the red
wolf, the fin whale, the wood stork, the green turtle and many others. I have been
learning that it is so important to take care of endangered animals, so that they do not
become extinct. All of life is interconnected, so though we may not see it on a daily
basis, the well being of wildlife in your area affects nature, other animals, and our own
life. We need a diversity of wildlife and plants to provide for a balanced environment. For
example, the red wolf helps nature and other animals by keeping their preys population
balanced. The population severly reduced in the 1960s, and we are still battling that
population decline. Red wolves benefit the environment in a unique way, and if they
become extinct, North Carolina and the world will lose that benefit forever.
Even though red wolves are endangered, there is still hope! You can make a difference.
First of all, you can learn more about red wolves and other endangered animals. Then
you can spread the knowledge with your friends and family. Do not only tell those you
are close to, but also share your concern with lawmakers, and leaders of civic and
business organizations. Also by reducing, reusing, and recycling, you can reduce your
carbon footprint. This slow the process of climate change that affects red wolves, along
with all of us. If you ever are to find a dead or injured red wolf, make sure you contact
252-473-1131.
Thank you for your time. This has become a passion of mine, and I wanted to share my
concern. Remember, you can make a difference!

Sincerely,

Cara Lutes

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Your name
Your house address and street
Your city, state, and zip code
Your heros name
Your heros house address and street
Your heros city, state, and zip code
Dear (insert name),
Paragraph 1 (Do not indent).... (why they should be concerned)
Paragraph 2 (Do not indent)... (What they can do)
Paragraph 3 (Do not indent)... (thanking them and challenging them)
Sincerely,

Your Name