DIXIE STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

ELEMENTARY 3rd SEMESTER LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

(1/25/13)
Teacher Candidate Christine Capel Grade Level 3 Title Earth and Moon
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS (classroom factors)

Contextual Factors
24 students, 13 male, 11 female
5- ELL
2-SPED
2- HAL
5- Behavior

Classroom Environment
The desks are set up in six groups of four with one desk off to the side. There is a space at the back of the room for the students to sit
on the floor in a group. The classroom has a white board and smart board at the front of the room. It also has an elmo to project on the
smart board. The class has four iPads. At the back of the classroom there is a small group table. There are two other smaller tables for
small group work. The classroom has books displayed at the front of the room for independent reading. The teachers desk is in the
front right corner of the room.

WALK-AWAY (As a result of this lesson, what do I want the students to know, understand, and be able to do?)
State Standard/Objective:
Standard 1
Students will understand that the shape of Earth and the moon are spherical and that Earth rotates on its axis to produce
the appearance of the sun and moon moving through the sky.
Objective 1
Describe the appearance of Earth and the moon.
c. List the differences in the physical appearance of Earth and the moon as viewed from space.
Content Walk-Away:
I will list the differences in the physical appearance of Earth and the moon as viewed from space.
Language Walk-Away:
I will list the differences in the physical appearance of Earth and the moon as viewed from space.
Vocabulary: appearance, compare, contrast

ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE (What evidence do I need to show the students have

learned the Walk-Away?)
Formative Evidence (checking for understanding throughout the lesson):
Students will participate in discussions, research on iPads, make lists and diagrams.
Content Walk-Away Evidence (Summative): I will compare and contrast the physical
appearances of Earth and the moon.
Language Walk-Away Evidence (Summative): I will compare and contrast the physical
appearances of Earth and the moon.

Modifications/Accomodations (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)

ELL/IEP- Visuals, prompts,

extra support
GATE- exploration using
technology

Approx. ACTIVE LEARNING PLAN

Time
45 mins

Activate/Building Background Knowledge

Yesterday, we learned about how the suns light reflects off the moon to give it light and how our planet Earth
also receives light from the sun. SIOP 7,8 Today, we are going to talk about the physical appearances of the
Earth and the moon from space. Our objective is I will compare and contrast the physical appearances of
Earth and the moon. SIOP 1,2 Say it with me. We are going to write and list and create a venn diagram
comparing and contrasting the Earth and moon. Physical appearances are things you can see. A physical
appearance of Alyssa is her blonde hair. It is something you know about something by looking at it. Everyone
think of one physical appearance of themselves and share it with your partner. SIOP 9
Formative assessment:
Learning Goal: Students will know the objective and understand the goal for the lesson.
Success Criteria: Student say the objective.
Assessment Strategy: Students are engaged and say objective as a class.
Modification/accommodations: (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)
ELL: Visual of the objective. Review of vocabulary.

Focus Lesson (I do it) 5E-Engage

When we compare things we look at what is similar or alike. Visual of the words. I can compare two sports soccer and
basketball by saying that they both use a ball. Contrasting two things is looking at differences or characteristics that are
not the same. I would contrast basketball by saying that in soccer you use your feet while in basketball you use your hands.
SIOP 9 First, I thought of things that I have observed or see about the sports. Then I thought about what I thought about
and what was the same of different. Explain to your shoulder partner what compare/contrast means. SIOP 16,17,19
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal: Students understand what it means to compare/contrast and compare the moon and earth.
Success Criteria: Students can explain to partner what compare and contrast means.
Assessment Strategy: Students can expelling and compare/contrast things.
Modification/accommodations:
ESL/IEP - visuals for what compare/contrast- up for entire lesson
GATE/behavior- a chance to explain and talk about what they know

Guided Instruction (We do it) 5E-Explore

Think of some physical appearances of the moon. Think in your head about what the moon looks like. Think of the shape,
color, and size. wait time. Now share in your groups your ideas. Good. Im looking for the first group to have their science
journals and a pencil out to share their ideas! Go! Write on board Moon. As students share their ideas write them down.
Write this list in your science journal. SIOP 6,21,22,23,24,25. Good, all of those answers were great. Later on we will have a
chance to come up with even more. Now think in your head some physical characteristics or appearances of the Earth.
Think of a time you have seen a picture of Earth from space. What did it look like? wait time. Now share in your groups
what you thought of. SIOP 12,16,17,22, 23 Walk around and listen to the students ideas. What are some of the
characteristics you thought of? Write Earth and record student ideas. Good! Record this list of ideas in your science
journals.
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal: Students will create a list of physical appearances of the moon and Earth.
Success Criteria: Students will have a list written in their science journals of the physical appearances on the moon and
Earth.
Assessment Strategy: Students will have started a list of the physical appearances of the moon and Earth.
Modification/accommodations:
ESL/IEP- list written on board to help with ideas and spelling to create lists.
GATE- opportunity to be as creative with the list as they want.
Collaborative/Cooperative (You do it together) 5E-Explain
We are going to be using iPads today to conduct some research to help us compare and contrast the
physical appearances of the moon and Earth. SIOP 6, 12, ,16,21, 20, 25. When using the Ipad you should be
respectful. You need to share the iPad with each group member and let each person have an opportunity.
Stay on the designated apps and use them as instructed. If we cannot follow these rules I will have to take
the iPads away. SIOP 10,11 How are we going to use the iPads? Ask a couple of students to repeat what you
said to ensure understanding of the rules. We are going to be looking at the apps: Solar System 1, and
Solar System 4 Kids. Write direction for each app. Solar System 1: 1. Select Earth and moon 2. Read
information and look at Earth images and Moon images. Solar System 4 Kids: 1. Open 2. Choose Earth or
Moon and look at physical appearances. Use these two apps and follow the directions to help you gain
more information about the Earth and Moon. You should be making observations from the pictures and
reading the information. As you make observations write them in your journal. I want to see some great
additions to the list that we have already made. SIOP 16,12, 22,23,24,25,26
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal: Students will use the iPads to make observations about the appearances of the moon and Earth.
Success Criteria: Students will make observations and add them to their lists.
Assessment Strategy: Students lists and observing students use of iPads.
Modification/accommodations:
GATE- exploration of iPads
Behavior- directions and review of rules for iPads.
Independent (You do it alone) 5E-Elaborate
Give students time to explore on the iPads. You should be finishing up your lists in the next few minutes. SIOP 26 When
you have finished your lists make a diagram comparing and contrasting what you have found. Label one side of the
diagram moon and the other Earth. Remember Earth needs to be capitalized because it is a proper noun, the name of our
planet. Where the two circles intersect will be the section where you write the similarities between the two. Model how to
draw and label the venn diagram. We wrote that the moon was a sphere and the Earth is a sphere. This is a similarity. I
will write it in the middle sections. I noticed that the earth had oceans and the moon did not. This is something that I
would write in the Earth section. I would like to see at least three observations in each section of the venn diagram. If you
have more add them until you are all finished. SIOP 30 Walk around and assist struggling students.
Summative Assessment: Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the physical appearances of the moon and Earth.

Modification/accommodations:
IEP- model how to make a venn diagram
Gate- add as much as possible on diagram
Closure/Review of walk-aways, vocabulary, and essential questions
(Note: Closure includes student interactions, reflection, and/or demonstrations.)
Today we make observations about the physical appearances of the moon and Earth. We organize our thoughts into a list
then into a venn diagram. Our objective was I will compare and contrast the physical appearances of Earth and the
moon. SIOP 27, 28 What are some of the observations you made during your search on the iPad? What were some
similarities and differences between the moon and Earth that you found?

SIOP Indicators (Add SIOP number and description within the lesson plan)
Preparation: 1-Content objectives, 2-Language objectives, 3-Content appropriate, 4-Supplementary
materials, 5-Adaptation of content, 6-Meaningful activities
Building Background: 7-Linked to background, 8-Linked to past learning, 9-Key vocabulary
Comprehensive Input: 10-Appropriate speech, 11-Clear explanation, 12-Variety of techniques
Interaction: 16-Opportunity for interaction, 17-Grouping supports objectives, 18-Wait time, 19Opportunity for L1 students
Practice/Application: 20-Hands-on materials, 21-Activities to apply content/language knowledge, 22Language skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking
Lesson Delivery: 23-Content objective supported, 24-Language objective supported, 25-Students
engaged, 26-Pacing
Review/Assessment: 27-Review vocabulary, 28-Review concepts, 29-Feedback, 30-Assessment

TEACHING NOTES
What do I need to remember to do? What materials do I need to have ready? What is the approximate time needed for
this lesson?
- be prepared with visuals and iPads with the apps on them.

groups organized

REFLECTION AFTER LESSON

How can I use the assessment data to reflect on & evaluate the outcomes of teaching and learning? How can I transfer
what I learned from teaching this lesson to future teaching? What was effective and not effective? What goals can I set to
improve my practice and student learning?
This lesson went very well. The students were very engaged and excited to explore on the iPads. There was a lot of self
discovery during the time the students were working on the iPads.
The summative assessment for this lesson was for the students to make a venn diagram. Most of the students were able to
come up with more than what I asked of them. The students have had a lot of experience and background knowledge about
this kind of graphic organizer.
For the lesson I had eight iPads (four borrowed from other classes). Each group had three students. This was the perfect
number because each student was allowed time on the iPad. Next time I teach this lesson I will make sure that the students
are in groups of two or three. For this class I organized the groups before the lesson because of the high number of
behavior issues and students that have trouble working together.
To help improve this lesson I will write out a couple of questions for the students to answer during their time on the iPads.
This would give the student that tend to get off task something to focus on. Many of the students did write their
observations in their journals but having more structure would even help these students.