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Wonders of Nature
First Name

Mia

Last Name

Murray

UH Email

mbrandon@hawaii.edu

Date

1/27/15

Semester

2, Spring 2015

Year

Grade
Level/Subject

30 minutes

Kindergarten

Lesson
Duration

Title

Lets Be A Tree!
Lesson Overview
Briefly summarize your lesson plan in a few sentences.

The students will listen to the story Seed to Tree, a short Science lesson from
Wonders, which is part of the Grand Ole Tree lesson and describes in detail the life
stages of a tree. They will then engage in warm up and focusing activities before
moving on to a pantomiming activity where they will act out the life stages of a tree. We
will wrap up with a think, pair, share and short discussion on what they learned or
enjoyed about being a tree.
Central Focus (Enduring Understandings)
A brief description of the important understanding(s) or key concept(s)
edTPA Rubric 1 - Planning for Subject Specific Understandings: The candidates
plans build on each other to support learning of essential understandings and
concepts to lead students to make connections. There is a clear connection between
concepts and skills.
InTASC Standard 4. Content Knowledge

The children will learn to how to express the life stages of a tree by using their whole
bodies to represent each stage. They will understand that they can use their bodies to
express information and to create connections to things they are learning about.
Essential Question(s)
The big idea of the lesson stated as a question or questions
How can we use our imagination and our bodies to act out a story? How can we show
an object using our bodies instead of words?

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Content Standard(s)/Benchmark
The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) or Hawaii Content & Performance
Standards III (HCPS III) that align with the central focus and address essential
understandings, concepts, and skills
Benchmark FA.K.3.1

Perform imitative movements

Prior Academic Knowledge and Student Assets

The students prior academic learning and personal/cultural/community assets that will
support their learning
edTPA Rubric 3 - Using Knowledge of Students to Inform Teaching and Learning:
The candidate uses knowledge of his/her students to justify instructional plans.
InTASC Standard 1. Learner Development

Students started the Wonders of Nature unit the previous week. They read and
explored a text called My Garden by Kevin Henkes. This week we are exploring the text,
Grand Ole Tree by Mary Newell DePalma. They have also gone on a nature walk and
explored in depth what plants need to grow and what kind of plants they would each like
to grow. They have not previously engaged in a drama lesson. They do enjoy being
active and this lesson will tap in their imaginations and provide an opportunity for them
to practice creating imitative movements to interpret a story.
Academic Language Demands
The language function essential for student learning (verb), additional language
demand(s) (vocabulary or symbols, syntax, discourse), and language supports (helps
the student understand and use language)
edTPA Rubric 4: Identifying and Supporting Language Demands: The candidate
identifies and supports language demands associated with key learning tasks.
The children have prior understanding of the meaning of the words: stretch, reach, big,
small, arms, legs, bodies, tree, roots and seed. We will be further exploring the words
seed, roots, and tree with the addition of the words branches, sapling and seedling.
They will get to see the word written, and hear it spoken and have the opportunity to
repeat it orally. They will also have a visual image of the object. They will apply their
understanding of these terms when they pantomime the life cycle of a tree.

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Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks
A description of what the teacher will be doing and what the students will be doing that
1) uses clear steps that convey the use of multiple strategies, resources, and
technology and 2) offers opportunities offered for inquiry, active learning, individual
work, and pairs/small group interactions
edTPA Rubric 6 - Learning Environment: The candidate demonstrates rapport with
and respect for students. Candidate provides a challenging learning environment that
provides opportunities to express varied perspectives and promotes mutual respect
among students.
edTPA Rubric 7 - Engaging Students in Learning: The candidate actively engages
students in learning tasks that address their understanding of key content. Candidate
prompts students to link prior academic learning and personal, cultural, or community
assets to new learning.
edTPA Rubric 8 - Deepening Student Learning: The candidate elicits student
responses to promote thinking and to apply strategies and skills. Candidate facilitates
interactions among students so they can evaluate their own abilities to apply the
essential strategy in meaningful reading or writing contexts.
edTPA Rubric 9 - Subject-Specific Pedagogy: The candidate supports students to
learn, practice, and apply strategies and skills. Candidate explicitly teaches students
when to apply the strategy in meaningful contexts.
InTASC Standard 3. Learning Environments
InTASC Standard 5. Application of Content
InTASC Standard 7. Planning for Instruction
InTASC Standard 8. Instructional Strategies

Give detailed, step-by-step instructions on how you will implement the

instructional plan.
Describe exactly what students will do during the lesson.

Story time-8 min

Ok, please take a seat on the rug and were going to read a story.
Read Seed to Tree.
Put strong focus on life stage sections and ask interactive questions throughout.
Have the students repeat what is shown in each picture-seed, seedling, sapling, tree,
roots, and branches.
Warm up/Energizer- 6 min
Okay boys and girls, lets stand in a circle. Im going to do a motion with my body and I
want you to repeat what Im doing. Lets make sure we stay in our own personal space
and keep our hands and feet to ourselves. Lets practice.
Teacher pats head with one hand, children imitate, if they dont instruct them to start
patting their heads.

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Great job! Now lets practice changing to a different movement.
Teacher starts patting head again and waits for them to imitate.
After a few seconds switch to patting knees with both hands, if they dont follow new
movement say change.
Good job boys and girls. Im going to go through lots of movements and I want you to
copy me. Youll have to pay attention so you know when its time to change to a new
movement. Im not going to say change, so you have to watch. Ready?
Go through several motions for 3 minutes or so, ie: pat head, pat knees, rub belly, hop
in place, reach to the sky and then touch your toes, turn around in circles.
At end, sit down.
You guys are really good at this! Give yourself a hand!
Focusing Event - 5 min
Now we are going to use our bodies to act out some different things. But were not
going to use our voices, only our bodies. So what level should our voices be? Children
respond with zero. When I say Freeze we will freeze our bodies and then switch to the
next thing, okay?
Show me a penguin. Freeze.
Do some side coaching by describing some noticings such as I see a lot of students
with their arms by their side, some with their heads turned to one side and tucked in
close to their bodies to stay warm.
Show me a big scary bear. Freeze.
Do some side coaching by describing some noticings such as I see some big claws
reaching out, some growls and some high arms reaching upward. It is a room full of
scary bears!
Show me a tiny little mouse. Freeze.
Encourage them to make their bodies as small as they can. Freeze.
Show me a great big tall tree. And freeze.
I see some fingers spread out wide, I see some arms reaching high into the air to reach
out for the sun, etc.
Great job.
Now lets have a seat.
Story Review - 6 min
Ok lets talk about our story we read this morning. What was our story about?
Wait for answer.
Yes, it was about a tree. A big enormous tree, and how a tree grows. Did the tree start
off big? How did the tree begin?
Children will respond that it started off as a tiny, little seed.
What else starts off as a seed?
Allow for a few answers.
Open book back up and place on board. Point to each picture and ask students what is
in each picture. ex. seed, roots, seedling, sapling, tree.
Pantomime Activity - 6 min
Lets circle up and were going to turn our bodies into trees. We have to go through

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each stage of the trees life, just like in the book. Remember, were going to keep our
hands and feet to ourselves. What level are our voices going to be?
Ok, what is stage 1? Or what does the tree start off as?
Can everyone make their bodies into a tiny little seed? How can you be an even smaller
seed? Many of you are curling up as small as you can. And freeze.
When you were making seeds many of you were down low to the ground on a very low
level.
Next, we need to grow some roots. How can you make your legs look like roots growing
deep into the dirt? I see some students are stretching your roots as far as you can! And
freeze.
Next, little trees, you need to grow up just a little bit into a seedling. Now a little more
into a sapling. Remember, Youre not a great big tree yet, youre still pretty small. And
Freeze.
Now, imagine that youre growing into that big, tall tree and your arms are branches
reaching into the sky to soak up the sunlight. I notice some people are reaching their
branches as far as they can, and making themselves as tall as they can. And freeze.
Great job guys! Give yourselves a hand.
Now, have half of the room perform for the other half of the room and students practice
saying what they see. Call on two or three students to describe something they are
noticing. Then switch to let the other half perform. Provide a reminder about being a
good audience and analyzing what you are seeing and providing positive feedback to
only describe what you are seeing rather than interpret what you are seeing. Maybe the
first group can describe (ex. Fingers are spread open wide) what they are seeing, and
the second group could interpret (ex. Looks like a tree reaching up to get some more
sunlight) what they are seeing.
And have a seat, please.
Reflection - 4 min
Lets take a moment to think about something you learned about being a tree.
Think quietly inside your head for a moment.
What was your favorite part of this experience?
What did you learn?
Turn to a buddy and share. Allow a couple minutes for sharing.
And lets finish up in 5,4,3,2,1.
Call on 2-3 people to share something they discussed.
Thank you for sharing.
Assessment
The tools/procedures to monitor students learning of lesson objective(s) to include
formative assessments applied throughout the lesson and a summative assessment of
what students learned by the end of the lesson (include checklist or rubric)
edTPA Rubric 5: Planning Assessments to Monitor and Support Student Learning:
The candidate selects and designs informal and formal assessments to monitor

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students use of essential concepts and skills. The assessments are strategically
designed to allow individuals or groups with specific needs to demonstrate their learning.
edTPA Rubric 12 - Providing Feedback to Guide Further Learning: The candidate
gives specific feedback to address students strengths and needs related to the learning
objectives.
edTPA Rubric 13 - Student Use of Feedback: The candidate provides opportunities
for students to use the feedback to guide their further learning.
InTASC Standard 6. Assessment

Students will learn to and practice using their bodies to imitate a tree at different life
stages.
They will first warm up by imitating the teacher as she goes through a series of physical
motions.

Emerging

Needs
encouragement to
participate.
Is unsure of how to
use body to imitate
some objects.

Proficient

Participates in every
step.
Follows directions
and tries their best to
imitate the given
object.

Advanced

Uses every part of

body to portray the
given object.
Encourages peers.
Transitions as
directed.

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Differentiation and Accommodations
Instructional strategies and planned supports for individuals, and/or groups of students
with specific learning needs that provide adaptations connected to instructional
strategies, the learning environment, content, and/or assessment/performance task for
individuals and/or small groups (e.g., ELL/MLL, struggling, accelerated, 504/IEP, etc.)
edTPA Rubric 2 - Planning to Support Varied Student Learning Needs: The
candidate uses knowledge of his/her students to target support for students learning.
Supports include specific strategies to identify and respond to common developmental
approximations or misconceptions.
InTASC Standard 1. Learner Development
InTASC Standard 2. Learner Differences

I will be using pictures (visual) as well as speaking (oral) and the words will also be
available to see (written). We will also be acting out some of the words with our bodies
(kinesthetic).

TYPE OF LEARNER
ELL/MLL

List the type of accommodation or differentiation (learning

environment, content, process, or performance task) and
describe how you will differentiate.
I will be using pictures (visual) as well as speaking (oral) and
the words will also be available to see (written). We will also be
acting out some of the words with our bodies (kinesthetic).

Struggling

Accelerated

504/IEP

Others (describe)

Materials (Optional)
Please note and/or paste any supporting materials (i.e., teaching materials, custom
lesson plans, etc.) into the space below. You may use as many pages as needed

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beyond the space below to paste your materials.
The Wonders version of Grand Ole Tree by Mary Newell DePalma includes in the back
a short Science lesson called Seed to Tree. This lesson shows images and descriptions
of the life stages of a tree.
http://www.childdrama.com/appletree.html this is a great resource

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Lesson Plan Reflection
An analysis of what worked, what could be changed, and the next steps for teaching.
edTPA Rubric 10 Analyzing Teaching Effectiveness: The candidate uses
evidence to evaluate and change teaching practice to meet students varied learning
needs.
edTPA Rubric 15 Using Assessment to Inform Instruction: The candidate uses
the analysis of what students know and are able to do to plan next steps in
instruction.
InTASC Standard 9. Professional Learning and Ethical Practice

What changes would you make to your instructionfor the whole class and/or
for students who need greater support or challengeto better support student
learning of the central focus (e.g., missed opportunities)?
Based on your reflection and your assessment of student learning, describe the
next steps to support students learning related to the central focus and student
learning objectives.

After completing the lesson, I see many things I could have done differently. I was a
little worried about time and I think this made me go a little too quickly. I could have
stretched each section out a little longer or added on the last section. I also feel like I
may have modeled a little too much and therefore limited their creativity. My main
regret though, is not doing enough coaching, I have to work on taking the time to really
communicate with them what Im seeing. I should have communicated from the
beginning that they were to try to stay on their spot.
Overall, they did really have fun, and I think they learned the life stages of a tree in a
memorable learning experience.
I also did not have time to write down any assessments as I went, like I had hoped.
Something I need to work on is really sharpening my observation skills so that after a
lesson I can remember each individuals strengths and challenges.