SINGLE SUBJECT CREDENTIAL PROGRAM

SCIENCE LESSON PLAN

TEMPLATE Revised 4.15
For directions on how to complete this form, see EDSC Lesson Plan Directions and
Scoring Guide in the SSCP Handbook at www.sscphandbook.org.

Name
Nothing Cooler than Absolute
Zero

CWID

Subject Area
Biology

Class Title

Lesson Title

Unit Title

Grade
Levels

Total
Minutes

Biology

Photosynthesis

Energy in our
Ecosystems

9th

90

STANDARDS AND LESSON OBJECTIVES

Next Generation Science Standards
HS-LS1-5. Use a model to illustrate how
photosynthesis transforms light energy into stored
chemical energy.

Common Core State Standard Connections

SL.11-12.5 Make strategic use of digital media
(e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and
interactive elements) in presentations to enhance
understanding of findings, reasoning, and
evidence and to add interest.
Evidence
Students will develop an appropriate model using
their previous knowledge and what is learned in
class.

Lesson Objective(s)
Students will be able to illustrate the process of
photosynthesis by creating a model using
previous, and learned, knowledge.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT
Purpose/Focus of
Type
Implementation
Assessment
Pre-assess student
knowledge regarding
EL
plant growth,
K-W-L
structure, and
photosynthesis.

PM

Students will learn

about plant structure
prior to creating
model

PM

To effectively teach
students what is
needed for
photosynthesis as far
as resources & plant
structures

3D model of leaf

PM

To scaffold students
into the lab we will be
working on next week

Leaf Disk Investigation

page 1 will be started in
class and be homework if
not finished within the
allotted class time.

FOCUS OF INSTRUCTION
Instructional Strategies

Internal Structure of a
Leaf handout

Feedback
Strategy

How Informs
Teaching

Will review as a
class

Where teacher
should begin,
and focus lesson

Peer to peer
feedback through
discussion & class
review of student
claims
Immediate feedback
as I walk around the
room and ask
questions for their
reasoning of arrow
placement.

Will discuss next

period before
starting the lab.

Provides some
important
knowledge
required for the
next activity
We will, can
assess that
students
understand the
basics of
photosynthesis
and plant
structures.
It lets us know if
students are
prepared to start
the lab or if we
should spend
more time
reviewing.

review/Check for prior knowledge, link new information and/or skills to prior knowledge, use graphic
organizers, small group instruction, model desired skills and outcomes, provide "wait time", student selfassess
DRIVING QUESTION: How do energy and matter flow through our ecosystem?
There are no safety concerns during this lesson.
Lesson Introduction/Anticipatory Set
Time
Teacher Does
Student Does
1. State objective of the day, link back to the units
1. Students will watch the video and
driving question, and then transition into playing
afterwards work on the K and W parts of
video Plant Growth. Afterwards, pass out K-W-L
the handout individually at their desk. (L
handouts. Video:
will be filled out in a future class period)
https://safeshare.tv/x/ss5822347699666#v
15
min
2. Set timer for 6 minutes, after 6 minutes of
2. Will participate in sharing of ideas, as
students working, discuss, and write student ideas
a class, after working for 6 minutes, if a
on the board to be able to assess student
popsicle stick is called they are
knowledge. I will use popsicle sticks to randomize
expected to share their ideas.
student participation.
Lesson Body
Time
Teacher Does
Student Does
10
1. Handout the Internal Structure of a Leaf and go
1. Will work on the handout at their
min
over the expectations when students have the
desk individually and may converse with
handout in hand. Will monitor student progress by
an elbow buddy if needed.
walking around the room and checking in with
students.
2. Students will participate in sharing
their claims using the sentence frames
2. Review claims with students to make sure that
2 min
sentence frames are being utilized. I will use popsicle provided when called on.
sticks to randomize student participation.
3. Students will be at their desk paying
attention to instructions and ask
3. Explain the 3D model, show example, and inform
clarifying questions if needed.
students that all materials are available at the front
3 min for them to use, except for glue sticks. Will hand out
the assignment as I am wrapping up the explanation.
4. Students will work on individual leaf
4. Set up timer for 25 min. Monitor student progress
models but may sit with groups of up to
while models are being created by walking around
4 students. They should discuss where
25
the room and answering, or clarifying, any concerns.
they think the arrows should be placed.
min
At the 15-min mark, or sooner if students are done
They will cut out everything but not glue
with cutting and discussing, show the picture of the
anything until after they look at the final
correct diagram where everything should go. Tell
diagram. If unfinished, will be
students to revise their models and then inform them homework.
that glue sticks will now be available for them to
finalize their models.

10
min

5. Instruct students to turn in their model and then

grab their poster, that was started at the beginning
of the unit, and add the photosynthesis cycle in at
least one plant featured on their poster. They must
include: Carbon dioxide, water, sunlight, oxygen,
glucose. After they label the cycle, they are to put
the poster back in the designated spot, clean up
their area, and return to their desk.

6. Hand out annotations worksheet and then model

an annotation for students using the ELMO projector.
20
Inform students that if not finished, it will be
min
homework.
Lesson Closure
Time
Teacher Does

5. Students will turn in their model in

the designated area and then retrieve
their posters from the cabinet. They will
label 1 photosynthesis cycle on their
poster and then students will clean up
their area, return poster, and return to
their desk.

6. Students will follow along while

teacher models the annotations. Then
students will work independently at
their desks.
Student Does

1. Ask students to give me a thumb up or thumb

down if they think we met the objective today or not.
Make sure to tie back photosynthesis to the driving
question of the unit.
5
mins

2. Instruct students to complete an exit ticket writing

down 1 question they have and 1 thing that they
learned today. Have students share 1 piece of paper
by ripping it in half.
3. Collect exit tickets at the door.

1. Give the teacher a thumb up if they

feel we met the objective of the day or a
thumb down if they feel like we didnt
meet the objective.
2. Students will write 1 question about
the content addressed, and 1 thing
learned on a half sheet of paper.
3. After they clean their area and push
in their chairs, they will give their exit
ticket to the teacher as they exit the
class.

Instructional Materials, Equipment, and Multimedia

Handouts, scissors, glue sticks, markers/colored pencils, student posters, ELMO projector
Co-Teaching Strategies
parallel teaching
DIFFERENTIATION
English Learners

Striving Readers

Students with Special

Needs

- Use of graphic
- Many visual and verbal
organizers for better
- Heavy use of graphic
cues provided for all
understanding,
organizers helps simplify
activities.
sentence frames
reading and content.
- Use of graphic organizers
provided, visual
- Structured outline with
aids understanding.
learning
main ideas clearly
- Special seating
- Sentence frames
identified.
accommodations
provided
REFLECTION: SUMMARY, RATIONALE, AND IMPLEMENTATION

Advanced
Students
Reading materials
on a wide variety of
subjects available
for students to read
if done early in
class library.

By using a video that has a familiar concept to students, the lesson introduction will allow students
to build on prior knowledge and connect what they already know to what the focus of the day will be. The
use of graphic organizers is important because it helps students organize their data, know what they are
expected to learn, and serves as a future study tool. Adding sentence frames is important especially when
introducing students to new concepts such as providing evidence or when teaching them how to properly
format a hypothesis. This also works as an additional scaffold for EL and students with special needs.
Modeling expectations for students is crucial for student comprehension of, not only the assignment, but of
the content being addressed. Using a unit model (poster) allows students to self-monitor their progress and
overall learning of the content. Overall, allowing students to interact with each other, modeling
expectations, organizing information for students by use of graphic organizers, and tying back to the
overall unit model (ecosystem poster) will make for a meaningful and positive learning experience.

Do not lose
this page!
KWL - Plant Growth
As you watch the video, write down at least four things you KNOW about how plants grow and at least two things you
WONDER about how plants grow. DO NOT fill in the section on what you LEARNED about how plants grow until the
end of the unit.
What I think I know about how plants grow:

What I wonder about how plants grow:

What I learned about how plants grow:

Internal Structure of a Leaf

Look at the following diagram of the internal structure of a leaf, and then fill in the table below.

List three different

structures found in the
leaf.

Write one claim as to whether or not this leaf will

float in water and explain why you think so.
(Use the sentence frames below to help you write your
claim)

List the two types of

mesophyll.

Sentence frames (pick one and fill in the information in the underlined sections for your claim box above):

Based on ________ (explain your reasons here) __________ I can infer ___ (the leaf will
float/sink in water) ___.

I predict ______ (the leaf will float/sink in water) _______ because ______ (explain your
reasons here) _______.