Indiana Wesleyan University

Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template

CAEP 2018 K-6 Elementary Teacher Preparation Standards

LESSON RATIONALE
Understanding how to use a model to learn about the real thing and how to make those
connections is important. Models help make more of a lasting impact of the material. Learning
about how dinosaurs and fossils, two seemingly different objects, are closely related can help
them gain critical thinking to make connections.

READINESS
I. Goals/Objectives/Standard(s)
A. Goals:
1. Students will use the fossil dough to learn about dinosaurs and how to use
a model to learn.
B. Objectives:
1. Students will recognize that dinosaurs leave behind fossils.
2. Students will be able to articulate how dinosaur fossils are made by
impact.
C. Standards:
1. SEPS.2 Developing and using models and tools. A practice of both
science and engineering is to use and construct conceptual models that
illustrate ideas and explanations. 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. Measurements and observations are used to revise and
improve models and designs.
Models include, but are not limited to: diagrams, drawings, physical
replicas, mathematical representations, analogies, and other technological
models. Another practice of both science and engineering is to identify
and correctly use tools to construct, obtain, and evaluate questions and
problems. Utilize appropriate tools while identifying their limitations.
Tools include, but are not limited to: pencil and paper, models, ruler, a
protractor, a calculator, laboratory equipment, safety gear, a spreadsheet,
experiment data collection software, and other technological tools.
Management Plan-
A. Time per element:
1. Anticipatory Set: 5-7 minutes
2. Lesson Presentation: 10-15minutes
3. Guided Practice: 20 minutes
4. Check for Understanding: 5-10 minutes
B. Use of space:
1. Anticipatory Set: Students will remain seated at their seats while
completing the picture sort
 2. Lesson Presentation: Students will come to the carpet
3. Guided Practice: Students will return to their seats to work in groups.
4. Check for Understanding: Students will remain at their seats.
C. Materials
1. salt dough for fossils
2. play doh
3. dinosaur toys to make the impression on fossils
4. paper
5. pencil
6. dinosaur slides
7. brown paper bags
8. dino picture sort
II. Anticipatory Set
A. The students will complete a picture sort with pictures of fossils and dinosaurs. So
at your tables, each group has a brown paper bag, when I say go I want you to
pull the pictures out of the bag and sort them the way your group thinks best.
B. When students are done sorting I will ask a couple of groups to share how they
sorted their pictures. Then we will move to the carpet for the lesson.

III. Purpose
a. Today, we are going to learn about dinosaurs and fossils using a model. By using
the model you can learn about something when the real thing is not available.

PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION

IV. Adaptation to Individual Differences and Diverse Learners
A. I think having students work in small groups and the option to work creatively
and problem solve will create a different experience for each group which will
help the different styles.
B. During the Anticipatory Set, the students will be in groups to discuss how they
think the pictures are related, By being in groups the students will be able to
collaborate and explain their beginning thoughts.
C. During the check for understanding students will be able to work together again to
sort their pictures and go over their roles like we discussed as a class. This will
also provide more time to clarify for individuals and give students time to help
teach each other.

V. Lesson Presentation (Input/Output)

A. We will move to the carpet to go over the presentation before we move back to
our seats to look at the fossils models during the guided practice.
B. Where did dinosaurs live? Dinosaurs lived everywhere but fossils are found
mostly in these 3 places. North America, Argentina or South America and in
China.
C. There are 3 major time periods for when dinosaurs lived, the triassic, jurassic,
and cretaceous time period.
D. Dinosaur comes from the Greek words “dienos” and “sauros” meaning terrible
 reptile
E. What did dinosaurs eat? Some dinosaurs ate meat while some dinosaurs are
plants. Dinosaurs who are meat eaters are called carnivores. Dinosaurs who ate
plants are called herbivores.
F. A fossil is an impression from something hard, like dinosaur bones
G. When a dinosaur dies its bones were left behind and dried up and sank to the
bottom of the water
H. Over a long period of time, layers of dirt, rock, mud and other living things built
up on top.
I. Those layers pushed the bones and hard things into the ground leaving behind
indents.
J. Because of how the bone decays when dinosaurs die, fossils are very rare
K. Fossils are made from more things than bones, there have been fossils found from
plants, footprints, and even dinosaur poop
L. As I go through each slide I will introduce the topic for the slide and then allow
for students to share any information they may already know. I will give time to
share then go over the information on each slide and allow for questions
throughout.

VI. Guided Practice/Check for understanding

A. Now go back to your seats and I have a surprise for you now that we know more
about dinosaurs and fossils.
B. I will then hand out the play-doh and dinosaur toys so they can make fossils.
C. Spread out your play-doh flat like a pancake. Then take your dinosaur and push it
into the playdoh to make an impression. Try pushing down hard or softly and for
different amounts of time to see which way makes the best fossil. When you’re
ready to make a new just roll your play-doh back up and start over.

VIII. Review learning outcomes / Closure

a. I will then hand out the fossils I made from the salt dough and dinosaur toys.
b. This will lead us into how fossils are considered rocks and how they harden over
time and in the summative assessment of drawing the pictures of the layers of dirt
packing down the bones to create impressions.
c. Talk with your table groups about how fossils are made in the ground.
d. I will walk around and listen to students as they discuss with each other to see if
anything needs to be gone over again

PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT

1. Formative Assessment:
a. I will walk around and assess during the anticipatory set to determine how much
the students know prior to the instruction.
b. I will ask students during the check for understanding to see how much they
understand about the models provided
2. Summative Assessment:
 a. Drawing a picture of how fossils are packed down by layers of earth to make the
impression.

REFLECTION AND POST-LESSON ANALYSIS

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. Were the students able to identify how fossils and dinosaurs relate?
8. Did they show understanding of how fossils are created?
9. Was this age appropriate for kindergarten?