Direct Instruction Lesson Plan Template

Grade Level/Subject: Central Focus:

rd
3 Grade/ Integrated Plants and their importance in our community.
Science & Social Studies
Essential Standard/Common Core Objective:
3.L.2- Understand how plants survive in
their environments.
o 3.L.2.2 Explain how environmental
conditions determine how well plants Date taught: March 23,
survive and grow 2017
3.E.2- Understand entrepreneurship in a
market economy.
3.C&G.2- Understand how citizens
participate in their communities.
Daily Lesson Objective:
The students will be able to explain why it is important for citizens to
participate in their community (specifically in a market place for buying
and selling goods) and analyze the need for plant survival in a variety of
environmental conditions.
st
21 Century Skills: Academic Language Demand (Language Function and
Critical Thinking and Vocabulary):
Problem Solving Compare, Describe, Analyze, Explain
Prior Knowledge:
Students have been introduced to the standard 3.L.2.1 (Remember the
function of the following plant structures as it relates to the survival of
plants in their environments: roots, stems, leaves, flowers). They have
knowledge that in order for a plant to survive, it needs all of the
components to be in working order and doing what they should be doing
(absorb nutrients, provide support, synthesize food, and attract
pollinators). Students should also have a general knowledge of
economics and the need for a healthy market place for buying and selling
of goods. Students have also been introduced to the five types of
ecosystems: tundra, forest, aquatic, desert, grasslands.

Activity Description of Activities and Setting Time

1. Focus and Start by asking questions:
Review Can anyone tell me the 4 components of a plant?
o Roots, stems, leaves, flowers
Why do plants need roots?
o To absorb nutrients
 And what happens if the root system is damaged?
o The plant would probably die
Why do plants need stems?
o To help hold it up.
Has anyone ever tried to drink something with a
broken straw? Was it hard? (anticipated response:
nodding) How does this apply to the stem of a
plant?
o Because the stem is like a straw for a plant.
What happens if the stem is broken?
o The plant will probably die.
Now, this one is tricky. Why do plants need leaves?
o To make food for the plant
And what happens if the leaves cant make food
for the plant?
o It starves and dies.
Lastly, why do plants need flowers?
o To invite pollinators which help the growth of
future plants
The goal of this question and answer session is to
reiterate the importance of the plant components. The
questioning is designed to start slow, but then become
somewhat redundant for students to understand that if
any of the components were not in working order the
plants would most likely die.
The students will be able to explain why it is
important for citizens to participate in their
2. Statement of
community (specifically in a market place for
Objective
buying and selling goods) and analyze the need
for Student
for plant survival in a variety of environmental
conditions.
3. Teacher Input So, I want everyone to close your eyes. Help me imagine
this.
I am a farmer living in North Carolina (on a flood plain). I
have a plot of land (the size of the Carolina Panthers
Stadium). Its huge. Now, imagine this I planted 5 rows
of tomato plants, 10 rows of corn, 3 rows of lettuce, and
2 rows of sunflowers. Okay now open your eyes. Did you
picture all of the plants in the garden? What do they all
have in common? (They come from a seed; they need
water, soil, and sunlight to grow.) Now, close your eyes
 again. I need all of my plants to survive in order for me
to sell them at the Farmers Market on Saturday and
Sunday. Thats my source of revenue. Uh oh! It starts
pouring rain on Tuesday and doesnt stop until Thursday.
It has rained four inches and flooded my garden. On
Friday, I went out to check on my crops. Now, I only have
2 rows of tomato plants, 6 rows of corn, 0 rows of
lettuce, and half of a row of sunflowers. I was fully reliant
on all of my crops surviving in order for me to make
money. What am I going to do?
Now, turn and talk to your neighbor sitting on your left.
Devise a plan to help me plan for a better garden for the
next year. Draw a layout of what your design would be
4. Guided Practice for a garden that could withstand a variety of conditions.
When should I start planting my crops? What crops do
you think I should avoid based off my story? What could I
do differently in regards to how my garden looks?
Students will be given an ecosystem. With their
ecosystem in mind, they will begin to brainstorm what
their market would consist of. They have to explain what
5. Independent would be sold in their ecosystem and how it would be a
Practice good source of revenue. They would justify their market
and the goods that would be sold within it. They can use
their Chromebooks to look up items that are grown or
raised in their ecosystem.
6. Assessment Walk around during their writing time for students to ask questions
Methods of and for me to check on their progress (to make sure theyre on
all task and that they understand what is being asked of them).
objectives/skills:
Students will be placed in groups of 5 (one student of
each ecosystem). They will teach their classmates about
their ecosystem and what they would sell in a market
from the items they were able to grow. Then, we will
7. Closure regroup as a class and I will ask one student from each
ecosystem to explain what they would grow and sell. I
would write down the students sellable goods on the
board and we would discuss what wouldnt be a good
item to sell depending on the ecosystem.
8. Assessment Most of the students remained on task and completed their
Results of independent practice in due time. Some of the students needed to
 all be reminded to complete their required task.
objectives/skills:
Targeted Students Student/Small Group
Modifications/Accommodations: Modifications/Accommodations:
A majority of the students (except one)
are ESL students or ELL students. I will
stop during my story for time to
translate the story to the Spanish
speaking students. I will also allot more
time for questions in order to ensure a
strong understanding of what is being
asked of them.
Materials/Technology:
Paper from notebooks
Chromebooks
Whiteboard and markers
Possible maps

References:
Reflection on lesson: I thought the lesson went pretty well. It was really hard to find an
activity for the students to do that would incorporate the lesson. If I had more time, I
would have made this into a unit plan and at the end of the unit I would have the
students create communities. The class would be divided into 4 groups. The students
would have to brainstorm what they would have in their community and explain the
importance of what is within. Then, the class would have a debate over their
communities and why they are the best community in regards to essentials and needs
(providing the best with what they have). They have to have a market place and other
essential resources in order to be deemed a viable community. It was also really hard to
integrate this lesson with the small amount of time that I had due to the fact that the
class was already done with their Social Studies unit. It was also really hard to have it as
a direct lesson plan instead of an indirect lesson plan.