Tori London

ELED 3221
10/18/2016
Indirect Instruction Lesson Plan Template
Ups and Downs of Change in Ecosystems
_____________________________________________________________________________
Central Focus/Big Idea: Change in ecosystems
Subject of this lesson: Students recognize how change in an ecosystem affects all organisms.
Grade Level: 4th Grade
NC Essential Standard(s): Science as Inquiry: As students progress through the
grade levels, their strategies for finding solutions to questions improve as
they gain experience conducting simple investigations and working in small
groups. They are capable of asking questions and make predictions. Students
must be encouraged to make more careful observations. During
investigations, students must have opportunity to use more advanced tools
such as calculators, computers, graduated cylinders, scales and meter sticks
to gather data and extend their senses. They should be encouraged to
employ more sophisticated language, drawings, models, charts and graphs
to communicate results and explanations. Students must always use
appropriate safety procedures, including listening skills, when conducting
simple investigations.
4.L.1.1 Give examples of changes in an organisms environment that are
beneficial to it and some that are harmful.
Next Generation Science Standard(s): http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-sciencestandards.

Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Read and comprehend grade appropriate complex texts and/or other

reliable media to summarize and obtain scientific and technical ideas and
describe how they are supported by evidence.
Compare and/or combine across complex texts and/or other reliable media
to support the engagement in other scientific and/or engineering practices.
Combine information in written text with that contained in corresponding
tables, diagrams, and/or charts to support the engagement in other scientific
and/or engineering practices.

 Obtain and combine information from books and/or other reliable media to
explain phenomena or solutions to a design problem.
Communicate scientific and/or technical information orally and/or in
written formats, including various forms of media as well as tables, diagrams,
and charts.
21st Century Skills: Information literacy 4th grade outcome: Students are able to locate
reliable scientific information in reputable print and electronic resources.
Academic Language Demand
Language Function: Students have to analyze, understand and explain how a change in an
ecosystem could be harmful or beneficial during group discussions and independent
work.
Analyze
Argue
Categorize
Compare/contras Describe
Explain
t
Interpret
Predict
Question
Retell
Summarize

Scientific Vocabulary:
o
o

Ecosystem
Biome

Instructional Objective: Students will be able to define what an ecosystem is in their own
words. Students will be able state and explain why a particular change in an ecosystem could be
harmful or beneficial by completing a 5 question worksheet. Students will be able to earn 8/10
points to show mastery.
Prior Knowledge (student): Students should know what an organism is as well as a habitat.
Content Knowledge (teacher): Teachers should fully understand ecosystems. Go over all
scenarios and examples you will give to prepare for any questions that students may have. You
want know as much as you can. Go over worksheet thoroughly make sure questions are
understood. Read the articles you will assign to assure knowledge.
Accommodations for special needs (individual and/or small group): The students with learning
disabilities should follow along during the bulk of the lesson. Later those students will have their
special needs teacher with them to guide them through reading, understanding and questions
when necessary.
Materials and Technology requirements:
Science Studies Weekly Exploration (life science week 3) newspapers: 1 per student
Worksheets 1 per student
Blank sheet of paper- 1per table
Pencils
Colored pencils/crayons/markers
Total Estimated Time: 30 - 40 minutes

Source of lesson:
Teacher resource Life Science Science Studies Weekly- Exploration
Worksheet- https://s-media-cacheak0.pinimg.com/564x/c6/fd/e6/c6fde6c630180e3fac4fb5c5cd9fc647.jpg
Safety considerations: Students shouldnt use newspaper articles to hit each other or throw
them.

Content and Strategies (Procedure)

In your procedure, be sure to include all of the following 5 Es. Your procedure should be
detailed enough for a colleague to follow. If you will be relying on technology (e.g., a YouTube
video), describe your back up plan thoroughly. Imagine your most novice colleague needing to
teach from your plan. Dont just answer the questions. Additionally, I expect you to include
possible questions you could ask for each section. This needs to include higher-order questions.
Engage: The teacher will start by asking questions such as;

Who can tell me what an organism is?

What do we call the homes of these living things?

After that initial discussion explain that youll be learning about ecosystems today and you want
to start by reading the top part of the newspaper (Neighborhood ecosystem).
Following the reading the teacher will ask more questions to check for understanding such as;

What is an ecosystem?
How do ecosystems work?
In the reading it talked about a kid that couldnt survive all by himself. What are things that
would help him survive?

Explore: Students will next turn to page 3 and read the box labeled Change Affects Everyone.
Ask questions following the reading such as;

What was the ecosystem focused on in the story?

What were the components of the ecosystem?
Why isnt it a good idea to get rid of Fonzie the snake?
What is another example of how changing one thing in this story could affect the entire
ecosystem? (Students should quickly jot down another example.)

Explanation: In order to deepen the understanding of change in ecosystems we will have a

discussion of school as an ecosystem. Have students point out the components of the ecosystem
(students, teacher, custodians, resources, etc.). Ask students what would change if we didnt have
our teachers (Take a few students to answer). Continue to ask about how removing one of these
components could affect the entire ecosystem.
Elaborate: Have students work in groups to choose an ecosystem and explain how everything
works together in that ecosystem, and discuss if they removed one of those components, how it
would change everything. Students should draw a picture diagram and label all components of
their ecosystem.

Evaluate: Students will complete a 5 question worksheet. Each question is worth 2 points.
Students should earn 8/10 points to show mastery.
To be completed after the lesson is taught as appropriate
Assessment Results of all objectives/skills: Unfortunately, I wasnt able to receive the results of
the assessment because this was the last day of clinicals and students werent able to finish the
worksheet because we ran out of time. My cooperating teacher was going to let them finish up at
a later date.
Reflection on lesson: The lesson went well for the most part. One thing I would do different is
have students write down key terms and definitions to refer to later on. Time was an issue so this
lesson could have been more in depth if it were split into two class periods. The results of the
assessment are unknown so Im not able to reflect on the performance of the students.
CT signature/confirmation: _________________________________ Date: ________________