REVISED LESSON PLAN

Name: Anne Coustalin

Grade 6 Topic Behavioral Adaptations

Date Allotted Time 3 hrs +

1. Rationale: Why is this lesson relevant at this time with these students?

This lesson will help students build their learning around animal adaptations. They will be able to apply
that learning to new situations and will grow their understanding of the processes and context of
authentic scientific work.

2. Provincial Learning Outcome(s): What IRP outcome(s) does this lesson develop?

 Analyze how different organisms adapt to their environments.

 A3 listen purposefully to understand and analyze ideas and information, by

drawing conclusions

3. Assessment

Lesson Outcome Sources of Evidence Criteria

What will students learn? What product or action will What will you look for in this
show what students have evidence?
learned?

Students will learn to
distinguish behavioral from
structural adaptations.
Students will learn the role of
the environment in determining
adaptations
Students will learn the purpose
of behavioral and structural
adaptations.
Students will learn about human
adaptations.
Students will participate in class
discussions and will fill out an
organizer before and while
watching video clips of various
local animals.
Students will conduct research
and write a report on human
beings. The report will include
findings from their research and
also an outline of the process of
their investigation. These will
be collected for formative
assessment.
- Ability to identify and
distinguish between
structural and behavioral
adaptations.
- Ability to analyze
environments in terms of
what adaptations might be
required to promote the
success of animals living
therein.
- Ability to relate adaptations
to their purpose

4. Resources, Material and Preparation: What resources, materials and preparation are required?
 For this lesson, I will require:
- Video of crows using cars to crack nuts in the intersection out front of the school.
- Three questions prepared on whiteboard
- Videos of beavers, sea otters, bald eagles, raccoons (trimmed and embedded in class website)
- Student organizers (Animals and their Habitats)
- Purpose of adaptations document (from previous lessons) for overhead
- Icart with ipads for student use.

Note: students should be sitting in table groups of four for this lesson.

5. Lesson Development Pacing

 Introduction: How will you introduce this lesson in a manner that
engages students and activates their thinking?

Have students turn to a partner and (taking turns) tell each other three things they 3 minutes
remember from the previous lessons on animal adaptations. Comment [C1]: IP: Sensory Stage –
seeks to activate relevant prior learning.
Also, short term memory stage (use of
Ask students to keep the previous day’s learning around structural adaptations in mind rehearsal). Constructivist: Social
while witnessing an interesting activity. Have them bring their science notebooks.so Interaction influences cognitive
development
that they can note observations.
Comment [C2]: IP Sensory Stage – to
Next, (depending on crow activity visible out the window) either a walk outside to the 10 mins activate attention

intersection beside the school to observe crow activity or (if no crows are present) a
video of the crows at the same intersection, dropping nuts at the 4 way stop and
waiting for cars to drive over them to crack them. I won’t offer an explanation of what
we are looking at or why we are looking at it. Students may note their observations in Comment [C3]: Constructivism:
their notebooks. Students are able to use their prior
knowledge to build new knowledge and
20 mins formulate their own questions.
Upon return to class (or after video), have students return to their science notebooks to Comment [C4]: Situated learning;
review their observations and add to them as necessary. students behave like scientists, making
observations and noting them.
Next, ask them to think about three questions (I’ll have these on the whiteboard)
1. What did you observe? (please be as detailed as possible)
2. How does this fit in with our earlier learning on adaptations?
3. Is what we observed with the crows different from the adaptations we
explored in previous lessons? How? Comment [C5]: IP Theory: LTM stage
by making learning meaningful through use
of personally relevant place and
I will give one minute for individual silent thought, then turn to a partner, then be phenomenon. Constructivism: Students use
prepared to share with the class. I will note student contributions on the whiteboard 5 mins their prior knowledge to build new
knowledge and formulate their own
without judging responses as correct or incorrect. questions. More rigorous testing is possible
with familiar animals and situations
Students should note in their science journals of their own key learning from the crow because the existing knowledge constructs
are already considerable.
activity. They should also at this time make their sheet on animal adaptations
available. Comment [C6]: Constructivism:
because error is common when testing new
information against existing constructs,
promote safety through graduated
participation. Also, format leaves room for
 Teaching/Learning Sequence: What steps and activities are you going multiple answers and perspectives.
to use to help students acquire and practice the knowledge, skills Comment [C7]: IP theory: LTM is
10 mins.
and/or attitudes needed to meet the outcome? promoted through elaboration (synthesizing
understanding). Constructivism:
opportunity for reflection on learning
We will have a refresher of the vocabulary using a quick game of back words. Situated Learning: engaging in authentic
activities from the relevant discipline
(I make up sheets with one vocabulary word on each and tape a sheet to each student’s Comment [C8]: IP Theory: STM is
supported with rehearsal to promote
back. Students can go around the class and ask each other yes and no questions until automacity.
they are able to guess their word.) Constructivism: opportunity for social
negotiation of meaning.
Situated Learning: important to use the
I will put up the document on the overhead saying why animals have adaptations. 12/video= language of the discipline as soon as
Students will have to keep their copy handy while watching the movies. possible (think and talk like a scientist)
46mins
Comment [C9]: IP Theory: Sensory
Next, hand out the first animal adaptations organizer (beaver). For this activity, which Stage – seeks to activate relevant prior
learning. Also, Long term memory stage:
uses video, students will first write down everything they know about the animal’s use of organizers to help classify
habitat (using the table provided). They will have two minutes to do this individually, information and optimize encoding.
and three more minutes to consult with their partner. They should add as much as they
can to their table. Next, while watching the video, students fill in the second part of Comment [C10]: Constructivism:
their organizer, identifying adaptations, their connection to the environment, and their opportunities to socially construct
knowledge through negotiation.
purpose.
Comment [C11]: IP theory: STM:
Maintenance and rehearsal but not rehearsal
This process will be repeated for each of the video clips below and will be modeled as in memorizing information, more like
for the first video. practice looking at new information through
the lens of adaptations. (Constructivism:
opportunities to test new knowledge against
Beavers (trim for actual use) what is already understood).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyNA62FrKCE Comment [C12]: Situated Learning:
teacher should make cognitive acts visible
Mimicry: students model behavior of
Short video of sea otter using rock to pry loose and open abalone instructor who seeks to understand a subject
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhmN6jxtHjc through new knowledge constructs.
Comment [C13]: IP Theory: STM –
increase meaningfulness by using local
Bald Eagles (start at 1:37) animals
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMUD4ZyOhro Constructivism: students already have
knowledge constructs around these animals
thus providing for increased testing
Racoons (start at 40 seconds) opportunities of new information against
existing knowledge.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpoqOnlyVEU Situated Learning: situationally relevant
5 mins animals chosen such as local scientist
would study.

After we have watched all of the films, students will have five minutes to share their Comment [C14]: Constructivism:
opportunity to negotiate understanding of
findings with their table group and see if there is anything they’d like to add to their new concepts and their application with the
own information. I will use this time for informal formative assessment by sitting in group. Concepts can then better be
on the various groups. I will ask each group to be prepared to share with the class and 10 mins internalized. Situated Learning: Group
collaboration better reflects authentic
to decide which of them will present the group’s learning. scientific inquiry environment
Comment [C15]: In recognition of the
We will then have a short class discussion about what we have been exploring. I will commonality of error at early stages of
ask a representative from each table group to share what their group learned with the learning new concepts, safety is promoted
through graduated participation.
class (two groups per animal). Once the group is done, students from the other groups
may also contribute additional observations and understandings. Comment [C16]: IP Theory: Short
term memory stage: using maintenance to
work with the information through class
discussion). Also LTM (summarizing and
elaborating) Constructivism: Social
 Closure: How will you solidify the learning that has taken place and 5 mins negotiation of meaning.
deepen the learning process? Comment [C17]: IP Theory: Sensory
Stage – seeks to activate relevant prior
learning
Next, we will explore the idea of human adaptations. I will hand out a
Comment [C18]: Constructivism:
Know/Wonder/Learn for students to explore what they know about human students are invited to build their own
5 mins
adaptations. I will give students five minutes to work on this individually and knowledge and student agency is promoted.
Situated Learning: The plan is de-
then we will create a class KWL. emphasized and behaving like a scientist
(determining question, engaging in inquiry)
is promoted.
We will discuss how we could investigate what we want to learn. We will also
discuss how a scientist would study what they want to learn. (There is no video 60 mins
for this section). Once we have come up with some ideas, I will give students
the rest of the period to conduct research using their notes, books and class
iPads. There is no set directive for how they should structure their
investigation, but they may use the tools available to them, including but not
limited to their organizers, handouts, and any ideas generated by our
discussion. Comment [C19]: IP Theory: Short
term memory stage: Using maintenance
and rehearsal to repeat concepts and work
Students will have the rest of this lesson and the next lesson as needed to work with new information via group discussion.
Constructivism: learning is not prescribed
on this task. Reports can be written in paragraph form or consist of one or but supports and scaffolds are available.
more labelled drawings. They should be accompanied by an outline of how Teacher has the role of the “guide on the
side”.
students developed their questions for research, how they conducted their Situated learning: this whole activity has
research (tools, etc.), and an outline of any problems, frustrations or been redesigned to promote thinking and
learning like a scientist. This aspect is made
ambiguities they encountered. explicit/visible to students. The plan is
flexible and responsive to situational
variables

Students may collaborate throughout this assignment but should each produce Comment [C20]: Situated learning:
focus on how to conduct an authentic
their own report. These will be collected for formative assessment. scientific investigation and reflect on and
evaluate that process. Also, making student
learning visible to the teacher (cognitive
apprenticeship).
Because this lesson is quite long (3 hrs +), it may have to take place over two Comment [C21]: IP Theory: LTM stage
days. by making learning meaningful and
promoting elaboration by asking students to
relate new learning to what they already
This lesson will be followed by an assignment which we will work on for know about their own bodies and
behaviours.
several days. It is outlined below.
Comment [C22]: IP Theory: Sensory
Stage: provides stimulus by offering
opportunities for social interaction.
Constructivism: socially negotiate meaning
A summary of the assignment: and understanding
For the assignment, students are asked to work like a scientist to solve a Situated learning: collaboration is more
reflective of authentic professional
problem. A crate of animals from the BC west coast (students may choose any scientific context.
local animal they are interested in provided they are able to observe it fairly
regularly in its natural environment) has accidentally been shipped to a Comment [C23]: IP Theory: LTM stage
by making learning meaningful and
completely different ecosystem (students will choose ecosystem from a range promoting elaboration by asking students to
of extreme examples). Students have been contracted by the local wildlife relate new learning to what they already
know about their own bodies and
protection agency to investigate the animal’s likelihood of survival based on its behaviours.
existing behavioral and physical adaptations and the realities of the new Situated Learning: allows students to
conduct research like a scientist (primary
environment. Their report will assist local wildlife protection agency in research), also using an animal that students
determining a course of action. already have experiences with increases
situational relevance to student.

Students will bring in (or upload to their student file) a photograph of the Comment [C24]: IP Theory: LTM –
Elaboration
animal. They will explore that animal in terms of its adaptations and how it Constructivism: creation of complex task to
uses them in this environment. They will then explore the new environment allow students to build learning. Focus on
operative knowledge
and outline how it will present a challenge to the animal of study, being careful Situated Learning: creation of an authentic
to explore all of the purposes for adaptations outlined in the adaptations task that will allow students to think and act
as scientists.
handout (protection from predators, extreme temperatures, food and water,
reproduction). Based on their study, they will estimate the animal’s Comment [C25]: Situated Learning:
chances of survival in the new environment. when conceptual knowledge is addressed, it
is used to solve problems and carry out
tasks.
Before beginning, the class will co-create a rubric to determine what the
expectations for the assignment will be. Comment [C26]: Constructivism and
Situated Learning: promoting self-
regulation and student agency.
They will present their findings as a ThingLink presentation. This technology Comment [C27]: IP Theory: STM use
will allow students flexibility in presentation format. (Thinglink starts from a of variety and novelty
visual but can incorporate video, audio, text and other images.) Comment [C28]: Situated Learning:
Allows students to work to their areas of
strength and make effective use of
There will be an organizer provided so that students can research, gather and resources (better mimics real world).
organize their material before preparing the presentation. The organizer will be Comment [C29]: Constructivism:
developed once the rubric has been co-created. accommodates a variety of learning styles.
Comment [C30]: IP Theory: LTM – use
of organizers to classify information
Students will be given some time to work with a partner to help each other Situated Learning: make cognitive
develop ideas. Before moving on to the presentation stage, students will also processes visible
be asked to engage in self-assessment and to propose their plan to their small Comment [C31]: Constructivism: social
group. Groups will engage in peer review of proposals using the guidelines for negotiation of understanding
Situated Learning: co
peer review already established in the class.
Comment [C32]: Constructivism:
opportunity for self-monitering of learning
Completed projects will be shared on the class website and students will be activities and personal capabilities.
Situated Learning: Promoting student self-
given the opportunity to explore and comment on each other’s projects. efficacy and agency.
Students will also upload their projects and reflections to their own individual Comment [C33]: IP Theory: STM –
learning journey website. working with material. Also, Sensory
Stage: novelty – group work
Constructivism: internal development
A final self-assessment and reflection will be required upon completion of the processes are awakened through interacting
with peers. Also, self and group assessment
project.The assignment and reflection will be assessed. allows for increased opportunity to address
errors and reduces anxiety around
presenting final product.
Situated Learning: Increased focus on
process of learning and social opportunity
to confront ineffective strategies and
misconceptions.
Comment [C34]: Constructivism: social
negotiation of meaning
Situated Learning: social experience of
others’ work creates a more authentic
environment.
Comment [C35]: Constructivism: focus
on metacognition and self-reflection
Situated Learning: focus on student’s own
process of learning and making learning
visible, also promoting student agency and
self-efficacy.