ELM 420

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Re-Envisioning Project
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Kaitlyn Oakley
 Conn Elementary 5th Grade
“Business as Usual”
Typical instruction in the classroom:
Science - Science instruction is isolated into a 1.5
hour-long period specifically for science. Typically
instruction is hands-off learning with most of the
information coming from lecture and the textbook.
Math - Math instruction is isolated into a 1.5 hour-long
period. The teacher uses the whiteboard often and
models for the students how to solve problems.
Social Studies - Social Studies instruction is supposed
to alternate with Science instruction, however the
teacher said it is often pushed to the side because of
the science EOG. Social Studies instruction was mostly
integrated into EL through the literature selected.

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 Design Considerations
Background Knowledge
● Science - Up until the point of this lesson, the students did not have specific instruction on the different types of
ecosystems, so I needed to provide the foundations of that while pulling on any background knowledge they
had from previous classes
● Math - The students have experience working with fractions, however they have not yet begun working with
adding and subtracting fractions
● Social Studies - The students have researched, communicated, and presented historical information before, so
this lesson should not be extremely new to them
Cultural/Language Backgrounds
● The classroom is very diverse in terms of races, genders, socioeconomic status, etc.
What I want the students to learn
● How to communicate information across subjects using written words, oral language, and visuals
● Science - Ecosystems
● Math - Adding and Subtracting Fractions
● Social Studies - The 3 branches of government

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 Central Focus
Collecting information and communicating it to others.

Students explore literature, videos, and other resources to collect

information about a topic, and combine the new information with
what they have already learned to use various forms of
communication (oral, written, and visual) to present information to
their classmates, teacher, and/or the public.

Science
Obtaining, evaluating, and
communicating information.
Students select literature, read
and analyze the text while
taking notes, and communicate
what they learned orally, in
written words, and through the
use of a graphic organizer.
Target Practices
Math
Construct viable arguments
and critique the reasoning of
others.
Students use what they have
learned from instruction to
argue why a certain solution is
correct, communicate their
reasoning orally, in written
words, and with visuals, and
compare their answers and
processes to their classmates.
Social Studies
Communicating conclusions
and taking informed action.
Students explore literature,
videos, etc. and use what they
have learned from instruction
to create a visual that
communicates an action that
needs to be taken.

Rationale: Communication is an important skill to develop across all subject areas because it allows
students to share their thoughts, findings, and solutions.
5 Also, there are multiple ways to communicate
information, and this can help students better understand and retain content.
How the Overarching Theme weaves the Content Together
Collecting information and communicating it to others.

Science Math Social Studies

Students are collecting
information from the texts they
are reading about ecosystems
and the exploration exercise using
a website that lets them explore
different ecosystems around the
world. Students are
communicating their findings
orally to partners, in writing in
their science journals, and visually
through the use of a comparison
graphic organizer.
Students are collecting
information based on what they
have learned about fractions so far
in order to solve new problems.
Students are communicating their
solutions orally to partners, in
writing on their worksheet, and
visually through their
representations with equations or
arrays.
Students are collecting
information from the texts they
are reading and the activities that
they complete. Students are
communicating the information
orally to partners, in writing in their
notes, and visually on their
presentation poster.

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Science Lesson Overview
Topic: Ecosystems’ Similarities and Differences
Standard: 5.L.2 - Understand the interdependence of plants and animals with their ecosystem.
● 5.L.2.1 - Compare the characteristics of several common ecosystems, including estuaries and
salt marshes, oceans, lakes and ponds, forests, and grasslands.
Content Development:
Students will...
● Read texts about ecosystems and explore a website with information about ecosystems to collect
information
● Write down the important information from the texts in their science journal
● Discuss the texts they read and the website they explored with a partner using the sentence starters
provided
● Use a graphic organizer to compile the information they wrote in their science journal and from the
discussion with partners
● Present the graphic organizer to their partners and a couple will present to the whole-class

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Launch
● Whole-class discussion
○ Ask the students what communication means and if they can give examples of different ways to communicate
■ Make sure to emphasize that writing and drawing are also forms of communication, not just talking
○ “As scientists, it’s important to have good communication skills so that we can share our findings with one
another. Since we agreed that writing and drawing can be good forms of communication, let's grab our science
journals and get ready to record some observations.”
○ Ask the students to describe the characteristics of the environment outside of the school building. You can either
do this from the classroom windows or take a quick trip outside.
■ Before observing, ask the students to discuss with their table what kinds of things they can be on the look
for when they go outside and have a couple students share with the class what they’re going to look for
● Emphasize the different senses that can be used to observe: sight, smell, sound, etc.
○ Have the students write and draw what they see when they either look out the window or are outside.
○ Have the students do a Think-Pair-Share and share what they recorded in their science journal with one of their
classmates. Have a couple pairs volunteer to share with the whole class.
■ Keep a list of all the things the students observed on the whiteboard or on a large piece of poster paper.

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Launch
○ Show the students a brief video of the arctic (first 20 seconds):
https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/animals-source/wild-life-with-bertie-gregory/0000016b-c3d4-df21-a
37b-ffd627cb0000
■ Before showing the video, tell the students: “I’m going to show you a video, and I want you to think about
and write down in your science journal the similarities and differences you notice, comparing the video to
what we observed outside.”
○ Repeat with this video of the rainforest (first 20 seconds):
https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/environment/101-videos/00000169-a75c-dfeb-abe9-ff5d62f80000
■ Have students record observations in their science journal
○ “Raise your hand if you had more similarities than differences. Raise your hand if you had more differences.”
(Should be more differences)
○ “What you observed outside our school and in the first and second video is so different because each was a
different ecosystem, which is a combination of all the living and nonliving elements of an environment.”
○ “Today we are going to be reading about and exploring different ecosystems online.”

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Explore
● Half of the students will be exploring literature about ecosystems while the
other half will be exploring a website about ecosystems. While students are
exploring, have them record notes in their science journal. Remind them that
these recordings can be words and drawings.
○ Texts: Utilize school library resources on each of the ecosystems:
Deciduous Forest, Rainforest, Grasslands, Lakes & Ponds, Oceans, Arctic,
Desert and Taiga
○ Website: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/nature/habitats/
● Show students brief videos of the rest of the ecosystems from National
Geographic

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Discuss
● Have students discuss their notes from their science journal with their table partners
and with other students in the class if time-permitting.
○ Sentence starters to provide:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ULwu_S45h7mGHodiluxWl8z0u7cD_k4
S9SHy31zhTqI/edit#slide=id.p
■ “From the website, I observed ____ in the ____ ecosystem.”
■ “From the text ____, I learned _____ about the ____ ecosystem.”
■ “I really like that you included ____ about the ____ ecosystem, I didn’t have
that in my science notebook.”
■ I drew ____ which represents ____ in the ____ ecosystem.”
● “You all did a great job communicating what you learned from the texts and the
website with written words, spoken words, and pictures. Fantastic job scientists!”

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Create
● Present the students with a graphic organizer that has a spot for each
ecosystem: Deciduous Forest, Rainforest, Grasslands, Lakes & Ponds, Oceans,
Arctic, Desert and Taiga
○ Explain to the students how graphic organizers can be used to
summarize information and easily communicate information to the
viewer
● Have the students use their notes in their science notebook to fill out the
graphic organizer
● Have the students share their graphic organizer with their table partners and
have a couple students present theirs to the class

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Graphic Organizer

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Assessment Plan
● Formative
○ Science journal observation notes (written words and drawings)
■ During the lesson, glance at each student’s science journal to see if they are
communicating information with written words and drawings
○ Student responses during whole-class and small-group discussions
■ Use student responses to guide instruction in terms of including extra details
and explanation when extra assistance is needed
● Summative
○ Graphic organizer that the students complete summarizing each of the different
ecosystems

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Math Lesson Overview
Topic: Adding and Subtracting Fractions with Unlike Denominators
Standard: NC.5.NF.1 - Add and subtract fractions, including mixed numbers, with unlike denominators using related
fractions: halves, fourths and eighths; thirds, sixths, and twelfths; fifths, tenths, and hundredths.
Content Development:
Students will...
● Use their current knowledge of fractions to begin thinking about how they could go about adding and
subtracting them
● Solve the problem the way they see fit based on the information they have evaluated
● Use different types of representations to show why their solution is correct (written, oral explanation, visual)
● Discuss their solution with a partner and explain how they got it
● Share their solutions with the class
● Discuss which solution they agree with

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Launch
● Whole-class discussion
○ Ask the students if they remember what communication means from the science lesson.
■ Make sure to emphasize that communicating information is a strategy that is used in all
subjects, not just science! Also emphasize that communicating information can take the
form of talking, writing and drawing.
○ “As mathematicians, it’s important to have good communication skills so that we can share our
solutions with one another and learn new ways and strategies to solve.”
○ Ask the students to recall what they have learned so far about fractions and what they represent.
■ Write “½”, “¼”, and “⅛” on the board and ask students to represent, or communicate, the
fractions in as many ways as they can (visuals, descriptions, etc.)
■ Have a couple students come up and write on the board what they did to represent the
fractions. Have the students to discuss what the correct solutions to each are and discuss
how they can be represented, or communicated, in multiple ways.
○ “Today we’re going to be using our knowledge of fractions and extending it to adding and
subtracting fractions.”
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Explore
● Present the students with the problem: ⅝ + ⅛ = ?
○ Ask the students to solve the problem themselves using whatever
manipulatives they may need
○ After the students have solved, have them discuss their solution with a
table partner
■ “Specifically look for similarities and differences in how you and your
partner solved the problem (strategies). Do you agree with your
partner’s solution? Why or why not?”

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Discuss
● Ask for volunteers and have students discuss their solution and their partner’s solution
with the class. The teacher should recreate each student’s method on the whiteboard
so that the other students can see what they did. Encourage other students to share
their thoughts on the students’ solutions and strategies.
○ Sentence starters to provide:
■ “I agree with ____’s strategy because...”
■ “I disagree with ____’s strategy because...”
■ “I would like to change my work and/or solution because…”
● Using the students’ thoughts and ideas as the lead, demonstrate how to solve the
problem
● “You all did a great job communicating your solutions with written words, spoken
words, and pictures. Fantastic job!!”

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Explore
● Present the students with the problem: ⅚ -2/6 = ?
○ Ask the students to solve the problem themselves using whatever
manipulatives they may need
○ After the students have solved, have them discuss their solution with a
table partner
■ “Specifically look for similarities and differences in how you and your
partner solved the problem (strategies). Do you agree with your
partner’s solution? Why or why not?”

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Discuss
● Ask for volunteers and have students discuss their solution and their partner’s solution
with the class. The teacher should recreate each student’s method on the whiteboard
so that the other students can see what they did. Encourage other students to share
their thoughts on the students’ solutions and strategies.
○ Sentence starters to provide:
■ “I agree with ____’s strategy because...”
■ “I disagree with ____’s strategy because...”
■ “I would like to change my work and/or solution because…”
● Using the students’ thoughts and ideas as the lead, demonstrate how to solve the
problem
● “You all did a great job communicating your solutions with written words, spoken
words, and pictures. Fantastic job!!”

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Create
● Present the students with a worksheet for them to complete that has
practice problems.
○ Encourage the students to represent their answers in multiple
ways to communicate how they solved each.

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Worksheet
Assessment Plan
● Formative
○ Math notes for representing the fractions during the launch
■ During the lesson, glance at each student’s math notes to check their
understanding
○ Student responses during whole-class and small-group discussions
■ Use student responses to guide instruction in terms of including extra details
and explanation when extra assistance is needed
● Summative
○ Worksheet with fraction addition and subtraction problems

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Social Studies Lesson Overview
Topic: Legislative, Judicial and Executive Branches of Government
Standard: 5.C&G.1 - Understand the development, structure and function of government in the United States.
● 5.C&G.1.2 Summarize the organizational structures and powers of the United States
government (legislative, judicial and executive branches of government).
Content Development:
Students will...
● Read texts about the 3 different branches of government: legislative, executive and judicial
● Watch a video that explains the 3 branches of government in more depth
● Participate in an activity where they sort cards based on which branch of government they belong in
● Communicate the differences between the legislative, judicial and executive branches of government by
writing down notes from the readings and video
● Communicate the differences between the legislative, judicial and executive branches of government by
creating a graphic organizer visual

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Launch
● Whole-class discussion
○ Ask the students if they remember what communication means from the science lesson and
math lesson.
■ Make sure to emphasize that communicating information is a strategy that is used in all
subjects, not just science and math! Also emphasize that communicating information can
take the form of talking, writing and drawing.
○ “In Social Studies, it’s important to have good communication skills so that we can share
information with one another effectively.”
○ Brainstorm all of the different people that make a school function (administration, teachers, other
staff members, students, PTA members, etc.)
■ Describe how each of the different jobs work together to make the school function
successfully. Explain that this is also how the government works.
○ “Today we’re going to be learning about the different branches of government and how they
work together to help the country function.”

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Explore
● Read the following book to the students: “What Are the Three Branches of the
Government? And Other Questions About...The U.S. Constitution” which describes the
different functions of each branch of government.
● Have the students watch the following video and take notes on the different branches of
government: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bf3CwYCxXw
● After reading the book and watching the video, have the students complete the following
activity:
○ Each table group (3-4 students) will receive cards that have the following words on
them: Legislative Branch, Executive Branch, Judicial Branch, Congress, Legislator,
House of Representatives, Senate, President, Vice President, Cabinet, Supreme Court,
Justice, Enforces Laws, Makes Laws, Interprets Laws
○ The students will sort the cards by which branch of government they are associated
with

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Activity Cards To Cut Out

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Discuss
● Have students discuss with other tables if they agree or disagree with the
arrangement of words in the legislative, executive, and judicial branches
● Have the students discuss the following discussion questions:
○ Why it is beneficial to have each branch of government have a different
job?
○ Why is the legislative branch important?
○ Why is the executive branch important?
○ Why is the judicial branch important?

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 Create
● Have the students create a visual to represent the 3 branches of
government, their individual characteristics, and why they are
important.
○ Encourage the students to discuss with their classmates, include
written information, and include images to represent each branch.

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Assessment Plan
● Formative
○ Students notes on the readings and video
■ During the video, glance at each student’s notes to check their
understanding
○ Students’ completion of the activity
■ During the activity, glance at each group’s words under each branch of
government to check their understanding
○ Student responses during whole-class and small-group discussions
■ Use student responses to guide instruction in terms of including extra details
and explanation when extra assistance is needed
● Summative
○ Visual representation of the 3 branches of government

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