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UNLV Student:
Lesson Plan Title:
Date:
Grade Level:

Danielle Cousineau
Trees
3/17/16
K

PSMT Name:
Lesson Plan Topic:
Estimated Time:
School Site:

Kellie Ayers
Science
65-70 minutes
Treem ES

1. State Standard(s):
Nevada State Academic Content Standards for Science
K.LS.1.1 Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals
(including humans) need to survive.
2. Teaching Model(s):
Concept Teaching
Discovery Learning
3. Objectives:

SWBAT make observations about different types of trees in their playground.

SWBAT communicate their observations about different types of trees by drawing,

dictating, or writing.

SWBAT explain the structure of a tree.

4. Materials and Technology Resources

Oak-tree poster with labels

Pine-tree poster with labels

2 tree-trunk rounds

2 magnifying lenses

Pencils

Tape

Crayons

Construction paper (1/2 sheet per student)

Clipboard with paper (for teacher observation outside during investigation)

Home/School Connection for Investigation 1 (1 per student)

5. Instructional Procedures:
a. Motivation/Engagement: (5 minutes)
SW tiptoe to the carpet and TW ask them several questions. TW call on several
students to answer the following questions. They must answer in complete
sentences. (Lemov Technique #14 Format Matters):

Who has seen a tree lately?

Where was it?

What did it look like?

Where else could you go to see trees?

What would you like to find out about trees?

b. Developmental Activities or Learning Experiences: (55 minutes)

In the classroom (15-20 minutes)
TW explain that SW begin the lesson by drawing a tree. SW draw a picture of a
tree. Next to the tree, SW draw a close up picture of a leaf from the tree. SW draw
a circle around the leaf. TW call on rows to grab a piece of construction paper and
return to their seat. SW will begin drawing their pictures. SW write 2-3 sentences

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on the back of their paper describing their tree and their leaf. They may include
parts of the tree if they know any as well as any information about their leaf, such
as its shape, color, etc.
After 20 minutes, the TW call attention getter and then tell students they will be
going outside for their next activity to look at some trees on the playground.
Students may continue working on their drawings later when they are back in the
classroom. TW tell students they may not go near the playground equipment. TW
have students quietly line out at the door. (Lemov Technique #28: Brighten
Lines)
On the playground (30-35 minutes)
TW lead students to the kinder playground to make observations of the trees. As
the class comes to each tree, TW ask the following questions:

How do you know this is a tree?

What can you tell me about this tree?
Do you think this is an old tree or a young tree? How can you tell?
How does the tree feel?
How does it smell?
Can you find anything on the ground that might have come from the tree?
What do the leaves look like?
Is this tree like any others you can see in the schoolyard?

Do you think it is alive? Why do you think so?

At each tree, the TW discuss the various parts of a tree, including the trunk,
branches, leaves, and roots. TW have students look for roots above the ground.

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After visiting the trees, the class will gather and sit down under one of the trees.
TW have students:

Look up through the trees and ask if they can see the sun peaking through

the leaves.
Follow the trunk from the ground up to a branch, and all they way to the

end of a twig.
Pass the tree rounds among the group so they can see what the trunk looks
like inside.

Look for animals such as birds or ants that might be on the trunk,
branches, or leaves of the tree.

TW show students the two tree posters, one of the conifer (pine) and one of the
broadleaf tree (oak). TW ask what tree theyre sitting under is a conifer or
broadleaf tree. TW tell students that they will label the parts of trees on the
posters. TW start with the poster that looks the most like the tree the class is
sitting under. TW call one student at a time to take a label from the pocket on the
poster and stick it to the poster in the appropriate spot. Repeat until both posters
are completely labeled.
TW ask students to discuss how humans use trees. TW include these responses in
the discussion:

Trees can provide shade for a cool place to rest.

They can provide food.
They give beauty to the environment.
They can be cut into lumber to build homes and furniture.

They can be cut into logs to provide fuel for fires, giving us light and heat
for cooking.

TW guide students back to the classroom.

c. Closure: (10 minutes)
TW make a word bank of words students use to describe the trees on the walk.
TW will include the words:

Branch
Broadleaf
Conifer
Leaf
Root
Trunk
Twig

TW have students tiptoe to the carpet. TW make a content chart about what the
students learned from their investigations. TW also ask:

What did you learn about trees when we were on our walk?

How do people and animals use trees?

TW include any unanswered student questions on the chart, using a different

colored marker.
d. Extension:
Once back in the classroom, Students may reexamine the tree-trunk rounds using
the magnifying lenses. SW discuss with their peers what observations they make.
Students may practice labeling the tree posters when they have free time.

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6. Accommodations, Modifications and Differentiations for Diverse Learners:
TW draw a visual of the tree drawing on the white board.
TW will work with a small group of struggling students who will dictate their sentences
to the teacher as she writes them on the white board for students to copy.
Emerging writers may write 1-2 sentences for their tree drawing, while excelling students
may write more than 3 sentences.
7. Assessment and Evaluation of Learning:
a. Formative:

Teacher observation and check for understanding

Student participation in discussions and investigations

b. Summative:

Tree drawing with sentences

8. Homework Assignment:

Home/School Connection for Investigation 1 (to be completed over track break)

9. Reflection:
a. Strengths:
The students absolutely LOVED this lesson. It was very hands-on and they were engaged
the entire time. The students were surprised that we were going outside for the lesson.
Pairing the students up during the nature walk to make their observations was a very
good idea. I was very impressed by their ability to have great discussions with each other.
They also used the word observation in perfect context throughout the lesson.

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b. Concerns:
When we were outside, I did not account for the P.E. class that was concurrently going on
the nearby. Their music was loud and I had to raise my voice for the students to hear me.
Likewise, it was challenging trying to hear the students respond to my questions. Another
concern is the amount of time this lesson took. It went on a lot longer than I had
originally intended because the students didnt want to stop the activities.
c. Insights:
I had the objective surround their ability to communicate their observations, but focused
it too narrow around the science aspect. Therefore, if I were to teach this again, I would
include the kindergarten Common Core ELA standard for speaking and listening: K.SL.1
Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten
topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups. Students made a lot of
observations and found some leaves and small pieces of fallen bark to take back to the
classroom. We ended up having a circle discussion on the carpet where we passed around
6 magnifying glasses (provided by Ms. Ayers) and the 2 magnifying lenses I originally
intended to use, giving everyone a chance to take a closer look at the objects found on our
nature walk as well as the tree trunk rounds. We also discussed some of the observations
they made while on the nature walk. If were to teach this lesson again, I would teach a
lesson on using science notebooks prior to this lesson so students may bring their
notebooks outside and record their observations in their notebooks. Additionally, they
could include leaves, twigs, and bark they find on the walk in their notebooks.