Detailed Lesson Plan Penguin Vocalization Cups

1) Description: 5-8 Sentences Describing the Overall Lesson

In this lesson, we will be in groups of 4: 2 Butler teachers, and 2 Sycamore students.
During this lesson we will be making our own penguin vocalization cups. We will then
explore different sounds that penguins make and what they look like while they make
those sounds. With the students, we will explore new vocabulary, act out what the
penguins look like, and try to mimic their sounds on our own penguin vocalization cups.
The goal is for the students to come away with new knowledge on how penguins
communicate.

2) Indiana State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, or SS Standards used (or
a combination) 3-4 standards
1.LS.2 Develop a model mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help
them survive, grow, and meet their needs.
SEPS.2 Developing and using models and tools Models are used to develop questions,
predictions and explanations; analyze and identify flaws in systems; build and revise scientific
explanations and proposed engineered systems; and communicate ideas.
1.RV.3.2 Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and
phrases in a nonfiction text.
K-2.E.2 Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate and investigate how the
shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve an identified problem.

3) Materials (list how much of each thing you need for a group of 2 students – be
specific)
- 2 plastic cups
- 2 paper clips
- 2 pieces of yarn
- 2 paper towels
- 2 hand outs
- 1 vocabulary sheet
- laptop with access to wifi
- access to water

4) Background Knowledge of Your Scientist

We did this lesson at Sycamore School. This is a school for the gifted. Gifted students
often think differently. They are often strong in some areas, but not strong in all areas.
They need differentiation. It is good that we had two Butler teachers so that we could
provide that differentiation if needed. Gifted students also like to go deep into content.
We were just coming into their penguin unit, so the lab they did with us, helped them
delve deeper into that content area. They also can be perfectionists. With our
experiences there, you could see that. Both students really wanted to replicate the
 sounds correctly and got frustrated if they could not. Gifted students are also curious.
The School’s mission says, “Sycamore School exists so that academically gifted students
can experience the enriched, accelerated education they need to reach their potential
and to lead responsible, constructive, fulfilling lives.”

5) Procedure: This is where you highlight the 5 E’s within your lesson. This is very
detailed and includes questions you might ask the students. Be sure to include photos
of the experience that might be helpful for teachers
Intro- building relationships: (Engage)
*call them penguin experts or zoologists
 Introduce yourself- get to know students’ names
 What is one thing you want to teach me about
penguins?
 *If you had a pet penguin what would you name it?

Set the Stage: What are we going to do today?

 We are going to make a penguin vocalization cup and
learn about penguin calls/displays
 Is there anything you already know about penguin calls?

Middle (15ish minutes)

 Make Cup First (Explore)
o To make the cup: Take a plastic cup and at the bottom of the cup, poke a hole in
it. This can be done using a pen, paper clip, scissors or whatever words. The hole
needs to be large enough to fit a piece of yarn in it.
o String the piece of yarn through the hole, so one end of the yarn is sticking out
on each side of the cup.
o While the cup is upside down, the yarn that is coming out of the top, needs to be
tied in a knot around the paper clip. This will help the yarn not fall through
during the demonstration.
o Then, wet a piece of paper towel, it doesn’t need to be dripping water. Hold the
cup with one hand, pinch the paper towel around the yarn with the other hand,
and pull the towel down the yarn. It should make a sound similar to that of a
penguin.
 Go through handout piece by piece- one to one, have them stand up and do body
movement (Explain)
 Connect penguin behaviors to our own behaviors
o When the penguins come back to their nest they said “I’m home!” similar to how
you might call to your mom as you get home.
 Practice the different sounds and what the penguins look like while making them
(Elaborated)
 o Demonstrate what the penguins look like, how they might have their neck or be
flapping their wings.
 Talk about sound echoing and how sound waves echo throughout the cup

Close
 Review the sounds we practiced (Evaluated)
 What kind of calls do we make on a daily basis ie) sounds when we’re angry

6) Reflection – what went well, what would you change next time that might be helpful
for the teachers to know?
One of the things that worked really well for us was that the two cups we
brought us already had a tiny hole in the top of it. That helped because then the
students could just stick a pencil or scissors in the top to widen the hole a bit. Even
when we were making the cups in class we struggled a bit getting that first part down,
so having a small hole poked in the top made it easier but also still made the kids feel
like they were doing it.
One of the other things that went well was the actions. Our students struggled a
bit making the sound with the cups, so we slightly turned our focus to the body
language of the penguins. This is a great part of the lesson that you could also
differentiate. If there were some especially energetic students this can get them up on
their feet and moving around. Another thing we did successfully was allow the students
a few minutes to play around with the sound cups before getting into the lesson. If we
had just jumped straight to the lesson they would’ve been antsy and would want to play
around with the cups.
One of the things that we struggled with was with making noise with the cups.
Our students had a hard time pinching the paper towel around the yarn and being able
to make a sound with that. One of our students got a bit frustrated with it. He tried a
few times and when his partner was able to make sound and he wasn’t, he gave up on
making the sounds. One of the things that worked here was us holding the cup for him.
If we held the cup and he pulled the paper towel down the string we often had more
success getting sound out of it. Towards the end of the lesson, the students found if the
yarn was wet enough they could replicate the sound using their fingers, instead of the
paper towel. This is something helpful to know for the next time someone does this
lesson, is that the students just need time to play around with it as well.