Jaci Stewart

Indiana Wesleyan University

Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template
CAEP 2018 K-6 Elementary Teacher Preparation Standards

LESSON RATIONALE
This lesson is designed for second grade students to help them understand how to classify materials based on observable
properties. This is important for students to know how to do in order for them stay organized and have items grouped
together in their desks and future lockers. This concept can be transferred to their schoolwork and how they stay
organized to complete their work in class and at home.
(CAEP K-6 1.a)

READINESS
• Goals/Objectives/Standard(s)
A. Goal(s)—Students will investigate a variety of materials and classify them using observable properties.
B. Objective(s)—
1. Given a material such as dirt, clothes pin, or candy, students will be able to make observations and
classify the items into groups.
2. By completing the activities, the students will identify different classifying groups that they create and
will have items in each group.
3. By completing the lesson, the students will be able to classify everyday items that they see and put
them into basic groups at school and at home.
C. Standard(s):
1. 2.PS.1 Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their
observable properties.
2. SEPS.3 Constructing and performing investigations
(CAEP K-6 3.c)
• Management Plan-
• Anticipatory Set: 10 minutes
• Instruction:
o Mini-Lesson: 10 minutes
o Sorting Activity: 20 minutes
o Discussion/ Closure: 10 minutes
• Materials:
o Boxes
o Half Sheet of Paper
o Items to put in boxes: shreds of paper, paperclips, blocks, foam balls, etc.
o Shoe boxes
o Items to sort such as candy, blocks, pencils, pens, paperclips, clothespin, etc.
o Lined pieces of paper
• Space:
o Anticipatory Set: At Desks
o Instruction: Can move around room in groups
o Closure: At desks
• Behavior:
o The students have cards on their desks, they start on green and move to yellow and red if they are
misbehaving after several reminders. The students use this method every day and if they receive
five days in a row staying on green the whole day, they will receive a price at the end of the week.
o For students who are working beyond what is expected of them and are paying close attention to
every detail, they will earn dojo points at the end of the lesson. The class collects dojo points every
day and receive prices once they earn so many.
• Anticipatory Set
• “I need everyone to get out a piece of scrap piece of paper and number it from one to five.”
• “As you can see there are five boxes around the room on the desks with holes cut into the middle. These boxes
are full of items that you will be feeling and trying to guess what is inside.”
• “The boxes are numbered so make sure you write your answer next to the correct number, and there is no
peeking or taking the tape off to open the boxes.”
• “You will have 30 seconds for everyone in your group to feel inside the box and make a guess, so make sure
everyone gets a chance. When the timer goes off I want Kya, Leyna, Mason, Lameck, and Kymaree to take their
box and pass it to the group to their left. We will rotate like this after each 30 seconds.”
 • “Let’s go ahead and get started. You have 30 seconds to feel inside and make a box.”
o Go through process until everyone sees each box
• “Now let’s discuss what we thought was in each box and we can see if anyone was able to guess it.”
o Go through boxes and show students materials to see if they were right
• “Did anyone guess the materials correctly? How did you know what to guess?”
• Purpose:
o “Great answers. Today we are going to be using our skills of observing and feeling to help us sort
different materials into common groupings and see if we can guess what they are along the way. This
is a good skill to have in order to keep your desk and room organized as you are trying to learn.”

PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION

• Adaptation to Individual Differences and Diverse Learners-
• For students who learn best with tangible items, there will be many opportunities for students to explore
and categorize materials by moving them around and touching them.
• For students who may not feel as comfortable with writing, they can write using only a few words to get the
point across or ask a partner how to write out a word.
• For students who need to be directed through a process, there will be a chance to get directions step by step
as a whole group before splitting up.
(CAEP K-6 1.b)

• Lesson Presentation (Input/Output)

• Mini-Lesson
o “Thinking about making hypotheses like we did on Tuesday. Let’s make one now about why we think it is
important to learn how to categorize, or sort items. Brainstorm to yourself and then we will put all our
ideas into one hypothesis on the board.”
▪ Example hypothesis: It is important to learn how to sort items to help us stay organized and
prepared for what is coming next.
o “Before we can figure out how to sort the items, we need to discuss some areas that you may see or feel
that could make the items fit together or make them stand apart from one another. This is called
categorizing the items.”
o “Does anyone see some similarities or differences between this block in my hand and this pencil?’
▪ Students answer with colors, shape, size, etc.
o “That is right. We can see that the color is similar but the size and shape are different. So if we wanted to
categorize these items together we would most likely do this based on their color because it I the same.”
o “Through this discussion does someone want to share what they think you need to look for when
categorizing items and what the word ‘categorize’ mean?”
▪ Students share a few ideas
o “Yes categorize means to sort items in a way where they have at least one trait in common. So when
looking to categorize an item look for ways that it may be similar to another item such as the color or
shape or even what it is used for.”
▪ Write this information on board for students to look back at
• Instruction
o “Now you are going to be working in groups that have been assigned to you. In these small groups of
three, you will be given items that I want you to sort.”
o “Before writing anything on the paper you have to sort all the items based on one characteristic, or trait
as we talked about earlier. So take for instance you are going to sort the items by color, first sort the items
and then on your piece of paper write Colors: Green Blue Purple and then write the items that are sorted.”
▪ Put example of board for students to see
o “Then after you come up with the first one, I am challenging you to sort the items in at least three ways
total. And the goal of this activity is to not be the first ones done, but instead to come up with some really
creative ways to sort the items.”
o “At the end I am going to be looking for groups that have creative ways of sorting and I may ask them to
share with the whole class.”
▪ Pass out shoeboxes of items and lined pieces of paper
o “Remember sort first, write down how you sorted and what went together, and then mix items back
together and find a new way to sort. I will be walking around and helping anyone who needs it. You will
have about 20 minutes to do this activity.
▪ Walk around and help students as needed as they explore
(CAEP K-6 3.f)
(CAEP K-6 3.d)
• Check for understanding.
• During the lesson I will walk around the room and assist students if they are having trouble getting started and
answer any questions as the activity goes along.
• I will call on a variety of students to share their thoughts and answers to check their understanding.
• I will check students work and sorting methods to make sure they are on the right track.
• Students who volunteer to answer and are eager to lead their group show their understanding of characteristics
and categorizing.
• If a student is by chance not grasping the concept, I will ask them questions that will scaffold them to being able
to sort items and write them down.
VIII. Review learning outcomes / Closure
• “Great work everyone sorting the items in many ways. I have gone around and talked with each group about a different way that
they sorted their items that I thought everyone should hear. Will each group pick one person to send to the front now to share
their sorting ideas.”
• “When you share, you are going to say the category, how the items were sorted, and what items went into each group. We will
start with Kya and then just go down the line.”
• “Everyone should have their listening ears on and be paying attention to their ideas.”
o Have each representative share
• “These were some great ideas and some creative ways to sort the items. Now lastly I want you to discuss in your groups what
category was your favorite and why?”
o Give a minute to talk
• “Now in your group talk about the hypothesis we made at the beginning and if you think it applies to you life right now in school.”
o Give a minute to talk
• “Great work today everyone. I will take your boxes of items and your lined sheet of paper.”
PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT
• Formative:
Walk around room while students work
Take notes of students who seem to be struggling
At the end ask students to share something they learned
• Summative:
Collect papers at the end of the lesson to see what students understood about the topic and what they did
not fully understand or what they might have confused.
(CAEP K-6 3.a)

REFLECTION AND POST-LESSON ANALYSIS (CAEP K-6 3.b)

1. How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not, why not?
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
3. How should I alter this lesson?
4. How would I pace it differently?
5. Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?
7. Did students seem to take interest in what was being taught and stay engaged through lesson?
8. Did I move the students toward independence throughout my lesson?
9. Did students connect the activities to real life situations such as keeping their desks organized?