Lesson Focus

Special Places

Learning Area / Strand

Geography

Year Level
Prep

Implementation Date
26.10.16
Duration
30 minutes

Prior knowledge of learners

Students have knowledge of what makes a place special as well as what they can hear, smell, feel and hear in a
particular special place in this instance, students had discussed with the teacher the beach.
Declarative (knowledge) objectives
Procedural (skill) objectives
The learner will know:
The learner will be able to:
- Recognise why some places are special to
- describe the features of a special place
- record features of a special place
people.
- describe how the special place is looked after
- Observe the familiar features of a special
place
Links to Curriculum (identify relevant Strands and Content Descriptors)
The places people live in and belong to, their familiar features and why they are important to people (ACHGK002)
The reasons why some places are special to people, and how they can be looked after (ACHGK004)
Make observations about familiar places and pose questions about them (ACHGS001)
Record geographical data and information collected by observation (ACHGS002)
Reflect on their learning to suggest ways that they can look after a familiar place (ACHGS006)
Evidence of learning
Y-Chart
Observations throughout discussions of responses by students throughout the lesson
Classroom Management Strategies
Establish expectations before leaving classroom
Stay with our buddy in the line
Walk quietly through the school
Use stop, look and listen to gain students attention
Resources
Whiteboards
Pencils
Y-chart template - A3
Differentiation strategies
Ask students questions to help them articulate observations.
Model descriptive language to extend vocabulary.
Scaffold students ideas about why a place is special and how to look after it.
Allow students to draw what they sense and provide opportunities for oral descriptions
Lesson Introduction
Introducing the topic
Engagement of the
learners

WALT: Use our senses then describe the features of a special place this will be the
Prep vegetable garden
WILF: Observations of the features of the garden
TIB: Students will be creating a map of the garden and describing what is special about
the garden and why it is special.
Last week we spoke about the beach and how it is a special place. We talked about
what we could see, smell and feel.
This afternoon, we are going to be explorers. To do this we will be going on a little
adventure to the veggie garden. When we are there, we will use our senses to observe
the vegetable garden. To do this we will be using our senses to see, smell and feel.
*Transition to garden:
Line students up with their buddy. Students to get their hats.
When in the line, tell students that they need to move through the school quietly as it is
other students learning time.

Lesson Body
Delivering the content

When at the garden, stand students below the shade.

through specific
strategies

Re-introduce the senses they will be using to observe the garden see, smell, and feel.
Ask:
What features can I see? (Provide example and show students where they

would put this)(e.g. I can see a sink, garden beds, pineapples, hose etc)
What features can I hear?
What features can I smell?
What features can I feel?
Why are those features there?(E.g. why would there be a sink in the garden?)
How do people use this place?
How is this place similar or different to other places I know?

Why is the garden special to us?

Tell students that when we return to the classroom we, as a class, will record our
observations.
Before students begin their observation, provide explicit instructions.
- You are to stay with your buddy in the garden
- If you need help, ask a teacher
- You are only to touch something to get a quick feel. No pulling or ripping at anything
- Everything stays in its place, nothing is to be moved from its place
- you are not to leave the garden
Allow 10-15 minutes for students to explore the garden. Remind them to take note
of what they see, feel and smell.
Give 2 minute warning before finishing up.
*Give students cue to listen out for as they are exploring
*Stop, look and listen
Say to students.....
I will be asking different people to share their observations with the rest of the class.
Make sure you are using this time wisely to observe as much as you can.
*Stop, look and listen to gain students attention to finish up.
Explicit instructions:
Everyone is to come and sit on the grass/path in front of me.
We are going to return to class. When we get back we will begin to record what we see,
feel and smell. Before we go, tell you buddy one thing you saw in the garden. You need
to have something different to your buddy.

Return to classroom students to be lined up with their buddy.

Lesson Conclusion
Concluding activities
Summarizing the
lesson

*Concluding activity
On the whiteboard Y-Chart to be displayed
Discuss and record on y-chart what was seen, felt, heard in the garden.
*Summary
Recap why the garden is so special and what we could see, smell and feel in the
garden.
Formative assessment for future lesson:
observation of students input during discussions

Evaluation / Reflection
Before lesson implementation a discussion was had with mentor teacher to lo lesson plan and make minor
changes. Initially, students were going to have their own y-chart to complete when at the site however it was

decided that this may be a little difficult to complete for students and would be best for them to have time to just
explore the garden. The y-chart will now be completed as a group back in the classroom.
Time was rushed and I found that as I was transitioning students from rest time to this lesson, I should have
ensured I allowed more time in the garden. As I had changed my plan and chose to do a group Y-chart back in the
classroom, we had very limited time in the garden. However, I did find that all students were engaged and really
enjoyed that we were able to have a learning experience away from the classroom.
On return to the classroom, during our observation discussion, all students showed a strong interest in the topic
and all wanted to share their findings on the chart.
I believe this lesson went well and was a good introduction to looking at the vegetable garden, which is what they
will be drawing their map of for the geography assessment.