Name: Christine Fernandez Cohort: B

Lesson Plan
Lesson Title: Plant Poems Grade: Three Date:
Subject/Strand: Science and Language Unit: Plants Location: Times:
Lesson Plan Description (What are you teaching? How does it fit into the context of the unit? What are the big ideas/essential/enduring
understandings?)
This lesson is part of a cross curricular unit on plants. Students will create poems about a plant of their choice using the
appropriate terminology. They will choose a poem that they have previously learned about (haiku, limerick, couplet or free
verse). The big ideas behind this lesson are that plants are important to the planet and that plants have distinct
characteristics. Students will have options on what they want their poem to be about, but they will know that they have to be
about a plant.
STEP 1: CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
Ontario Curricular Overall Expectations (numbers from documents and details)
Language
2. draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literacy, and graphic forms and stylistic elements
appropriate for the purpose and audience

Science
2. investigate similarities and differences in the characteristics of various plants, and ways in which the characteristics of
plants relate to the environment in which they grow
Ontario Curricular Specific Expectations and Achievement Chart Categories
(Numbers from documents and details) selected & listed from the Ont. Curriculum, (refined when necessary): realistic number of expectations (1 or 2),
connect to assessment. Indicate category in brackets beside specific expectation: Knowledge and Understanding (K) Thinking (T); Communication (C);
Application (A)
Language
Writing 2.1: write short texts using a variety of forms

Science
2.6: use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including stem, leaf, root, pistil, stamen, flower, adaptation, and
germination, in oral and written communication
Learning Goals Discuss with students: What will I be learning today? (Clearly identify what students are expected to know and be able to do, in
language that students can readily understand.)

Today I will…
- Write a poem about a plant
- Use appropriate terminology in my poem
- Make drafts of my poem
STEP 2: ASSESSMENT
Purpose of the lesson (indicate purpose for this lesson/assessment) [ ] FOR [ ] AS [ X ] OF

Success Criteria Discuss with students: How will I know I have learned what I need to learn? (Clearly identify the criteria to assess student’s
learning: evidence of learning students will provide to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and thinking, in language that students can readily understand).
Indicate the Achievement Chart criteria.
I can…
- Work independently to create a poem
- Write my own poem about a plant
- Use the right terminology in my poem
Assessment Mode- Written, Assessment Strategy and Task for Assessment Tool - Instrument used
Oral, Performance (Write, Say, Do) Students- to assess; Record Keeping format
Write What are the students doing to show their Checklist (Was the poem written
learning? properly? Was appropriate terminology
Write a poem about a plant used? Was the poem complete?)
STEP 3: CONSIDERATIONS FOR PLANNING
Prior Learning: Prior to this lesson, students will
- Know how to write each type of poem
- Terminology for different parts of the plants
 - Have drawn a plant
I.E.P. program implications: Accommodations, Modifications
Differentiation: Content, Process, Product, Environment, Assessment
Learning Skills/Work Habits: [ ] responsibility, [ ] organization, [ X ] independent work, [ ] collaboration, [ ] initiative, [ ] self-regulation
Vocabulary: (for word wall addition or reference and/or to develop schema for this lesson. To be addressed in lesson)
- Stem
- Stalk
- Leaf
- Root
- Pistil
- Stamen
- Flower
- Adaptation
- Germination
- Poems (limerick, free verse, couplet, haiku)
- Rhyme
- Draft
- Syllable
Resources and Materials /Technology Integration: List ALL items necessary for delivery of the lesson. Include any attachments of student
worksheets used and teacher support material that will support communication of instruction. Include the use of Information Technology (ICT) in your
lesson plan where appropriate.
- Paper
- Pencil/eraser
- “A Light in the Attic’ by Shel Silverstein (a book of poems for examples)
- White board/marker
- Pictures of plants the students previously drew
- Dictionary/thesaurus
Three Part Lesson Identify what the students are expected to think about or do.
What Teachers Do: Write the lesson description with What Students do: Identify what the students are
enough detail that another teacher could replicate the expected to think about or do (in terms of learning
lesson without a personal discussion. Prompts and processes).
guiding questions are required in each section.
Minds on: Motivational Hook/engagement /Introduction (5-15 min)
Establish a positive learning environment, connect to prior learning, set the context for learning, pre-determine key questions to guide lesson.
9:00-9:15
Good morning boys and girls. Today we will be writing our
own poems. Since we have been working on plants so
much lately, you will create poems about plants. What are
the types of poems we have been learning about? Limerick, free verse, haiku, couplet

Let’s go through each poem. How many lines does a

limerick have? 5
What do we know about free verse poems? There are no rules
How many lines does a haiku have? 3
Does a haiku have to rhyme? No!
What is the last poem we learned about again? Couplet
Someone tell me about a couplet poem. They have to be done in lines of 2 and they rhyme
How many lines does it have to be? As many as we want, but they have to be done in 2’s
I am going to read through some poems from a book called
‘A Light in the Attic’ and I want you to tell me which type of
poem you think it is. If you forget what each type of poem Students will be say which of the 4 poems they think the
is, look at the anchor chart posted on the board (attached). poems are
Teacher will read out some poems.

Good job class! Everyone knows their poems so well. Next,

we are going to look at the pictures you all drew last week.
Can everyone take out their pictures? I want you to tell me
which plant you drew. Students will take turns telling the class which plants they
You do not have to create your poem about the plant that drew
you drew. If you want your poem to be about a different
plant then that is okay.

Does anyone have any questions before we begin creating

our poems?
Action: During /Working on it (time given for each component, suggested 15-40 min)
Focus is on student interactions with task/peers/teacher. Identify students/groups receiving teacher direction.
9:15-9:45
Let’s create a poem together. Which plant should we make
our poem about? A rose!
Awesome, let’s make it on a rose. I am going to choose a
haiku. On the board, I will write my poem (modelling it).
Such precious beauty
Upon a stalk so fearsome
How wise is nature
Let’s look at our learning goals. Is our poem about a plant? Yes
Did I use terminology from a plant? Yes!
This is our first draft, I am happy with it so I would make
another copy for my final copy.

Does everyone remember what a draft is? Yes

Okay good, you are going to begin making your poems with
your first draft. Begin thinking of ideas and remember that
you will have the option to change your poem later if you
want to.
Your first step should be choosing which poem you want to
create. Thumb up if you know which poem you want to
create. __ which poem do you chose? I pick a free verse
__ what about you? I’m going to make a couplet
Sounds good! Everyone you can begin to create your
poems. The success criteria are on the board (attached),
make sure you look at it to make sure you have everything I Students will begin working on their poems
am looking for. There are also dictionaries and thesauruses
on the shelf if you need.
Teacher will walk around the classroom to help any
students who may need assistance or support.

If you need to change anything about your poem, now is

the time. You are going to share our poems with our elbow
partners soon. You should be working on your final copy of
your poem now. When you finish your final copy, you can
draw a picture on your page of the plant.
Consolidation & Connection (Reflect and Connect) (5-15 min.)
Help students demonstrate what they have learned, provide opportunities for consolidation and reflection. Close the assessment loop.
9:45-10:00
Pencils down! I want you to turn to the person beside you
and read your poem to them. Everyone needs to say
something positive about their peer’s poem. You need to
give them a star. What are some examples of stars? - I like how you made your poem about a rose
- You did a good job rhyming words
- I like how long your poem is
Those are all good stars! Please share your poem with your
elbow partner. Don’t forget to say a star. Students will share poems and stars.

Thumb up if you liked your elbow partner’s poem. I’m glad

you liked each other’s poems! I can’t wait to read them all.
Please pass your poems to the right and I will collect them.
Extension Activities/Next Steps (where will this lesson lead to next)
Students will find a song that they think relates to their poem and create a dance for it (Art, A. Dance: A1.1: imitate
movements found in their natural environment in a variety of ways and incorporate them into a dance phrase). This will help
the students make connections between science, language and art.
Personal Reflection - Choose at least one question from each area that best allows you reflect on this lesson.
Questions should vary over the week and specific plans.
Learner Empowerment
1. How did students show understanding of expectations?
2. How did my lesson transform students from “passive listeners”
to “active participants”?
3. Was my behavior management technique effective? Why?
4. Were students able to transition to the next activity
successfully?
5. How does the lesson provide a meta-cognitive opportunity for
students to address their own learning?
Instructional Strategy
1. Was my motivational technique (hook) effective? Why?
2. What will I do to improve questions? Was a balance between
teacher and student talk evident?
3. How did the task provide a Rich Performance opportunity or
other way of actively demonstrating knowledge?
4. How did I provide modeling, guided &/or independent practice?
5. Was my behavior management technique effective? Why?
6. Were students able to transition to the next activity
successfully?
Professional Educator
1. What factors may have influenced the success of this lesson?
Did I note and respond to these elements appropriately?
1. 2 How might I improve the effectiveness of my teaching for my
next lesson?
2. 3 What additional proactive management step(s) should be
considered for subsequent lessons? Why?
3. 4 What did I learn from this lesson about my own effectiveness
as a teacher (strengths and areas for future improvement of
communication, planning, differentiation, implementation and
classroom organization, management, assessment)?
4. 5 How is my growth as a professional being demonstrated?
 Plant Poems
Learning Goals:
Today I will…
- Write a poem about a plant
- Use appropriate terminology in my poem
- Make drafts of my poem

Success Criteria:
I can…
- Work independently to create a poem
- Write my own poem about a plant
- Use the right terminology in my poem
 Poem Anchor Chart

Limerick
Haiku
- 5 lines
- 3 lines
- AABBA (all A’s lines rhyme and B lines
- has 17 syllables (5/7/5)
rhyme)
- funny

Free Verse

- no rules or rhythm

Couplet

- two lines together that rhyme

- can be as short as 2 lines and as
long as wanted