KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Teacher Candidate:

Erin Dougherty

Cooperating Teacher: Professor Varano

Group Size:

20

Subject or Topic:

Date: 2/25/15
Coop. Initials

Allotted Time 30 minutes

Recycling

Grade Level 4th

Section

STANDARD:
S4.B.3.3.5: Describe the effects of pollution (e.g., litter) in the community.)
S4.B.3.3.1: Identify everyday human activities (e.g., driving, washing, eating,
manufacturing, farming) within a community that depend on the natural environment.
1.5.4.F: Use grade appropriate conventions of language when writing and editing.
Spell common, frequently used words correctly.
Use capital letters correctly.
Punctuate correctly.
Use correct grammar and sentence formation.
I. Performance Objectives (Learning Outcomes):
A. Fourth grade students will discuss about pollution by reading The Lorax by
Dr. Seuss as a class.
B. Fourth grade students will write about how they can save the Earth by stating
ways they can stop pollution.
C. Fourth grade students will sort trash they have collected by placing them
correctly into which materials can be recycled.
II. Instructional Materials
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
If I were the Lorax, this is how I would help our Earth writing page handout

Trash bags
Recycling graphic organizer
If I were the Lorax, this is how I would help our Earth writing page handout
Recycling quiz (attached)
III. Subject Matter/Content (prerequisite skills, key vocabulary, big idea, outline of
additional content)
A. Prerequisite skills
1. Understanding how to categorize objects
2. Basic understanding of recycling/pollution
B. Key Vocabulary
1. Pollution-the introduction of harmful substances or products into the
environment
2. Recycling- to use again in the original form or with minimal
alteration
C. Big Idea
1. How does pollution effect our environment?
2. What are the different ways to help the Earth?
IV. Implementation
A. Introduction
1. To introduce this lesson, the teacher will read the book The Lorax by
Dr. Seuss
2. Throughout the story the teacher will ask the students several
questions to get the students to understand the content and to be
interested in the lesson
a) What do you think it meant when the Lorax said Unless
someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing will better, it
wont
b) What is the message Dr. Seuss wanted his readers to get from
The Lorax?
c) Describe the land of the Lorax in the beginning, middle, and
end of the book.
d) What is a natural resource from the book? What is a natural
resource you live?
e) If the Once-ler would have listened to the Lorax, what could
have been different?
f) Do you think the Lorax and the animals will return?
g) How does the Once-ler change through the Lorax?
h) What do you think happens after the little boy is given the last
Trufulla seed?
B. Development
1. After reading the story, the students will understand how and why
pollution affects the Earth.

2. The students will write a few sentences stating if they were the
Lorax, how they would save the Earth (see attachment)
3. The teacher will then distribute trash bags to each student and telling
them they must carry/tie the trash bag around their waist for 24 hours
and out all the trash they use into that bag.
4. The next day the students will bring in their trash bags and sort their
different items into categories and record it in their recycling graphic
organizer
a) Recyclables
i. Plastic
ii. Cardboard
iii.
Glass
iv. Paper
b) Non-Recyclables
C. Closure
1. Review what pollution is and how it effects the earth, also discuss
the importance of recycling
2. The students will take the short Recycling quiz (attached)
3. As a class, the students will discuss how much trash they have gone
through in a day.
4. The class will also discuss what simple steps they can take to
minimize the amount of trash they use
5. Also discuss other ways they can stop pollution
6. Show the video Let it Grow! from the Lorax movie
D. Accommodations/Differentiation
1. To accommodate students who have a hearing disability, the book
will be read on the Dot Cam/overhead, so the students may follow
along.
2. Suggestions will be provided on what to write about for the writing
prompt
E. Assessment/Evaluation Plan
a) Formative
i. The teacher will go from student to student to see their
progress and to see if they comprehend the material
ii. The writing prompt will be collected and graded based
on completion, accuracy, grammar, and spelling.
iii.
The graphic organizer will be collected and graded
based on accuracy of sorting the materials.
b) Summative
i. Recycling quiz
ii. There will be a test at the end of the unit

V. Reflective Response
A. Report of Student Performance in Terms of Stated Objectives (Reflection on
student performance written after lesson is taught, includes remediation for
students who fail to meet acceptable level of achievement)
Remediation Plan
B. Personal Reflection (Questions written before lesson is taught. Reflective
answers to question recorded after lesson is taught)
1. Did I grab my students attention with the introduction?

2. Did I over estimate the amount of time needed?

3. Was my material effective?

4. How could this lesson be improved?

VI. Resources (in APA format)

A. The Lorax by dr. Seuss
B. Writing prompt:
1. http://www.seusstastic.blogspot.com/
C. Let it Grow video:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Slpz0D35oRI