LESSON PLAN OUTLINE

JMU Elementary Education Program

A. Exploring the classroom using compasses

http://www.proteacher.com/redirect.php?goto=3127

B. UNWRAPPING THE VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING and the NEXT GENERATION

SCIENCE STANDARDS (NATIONAL STANDARDS)
SOL 2.2 The student will investigate and understand that different types of forces may cause an
object’s motion to change
b) some forces, including gravity and magnetism, can cause objectives to move from a distance
c) forces have applications in our lives
See unwrapping template

C. LEARNING INTENTIONS and SUCCESS CRITERIA

Learning intentions: Why: Success Criteria:

Today I am learning about magnetic so that I can use a compass for I can describe what a magnetic force
forces orienteering. is

I can describe how magnets

contribute to compasses pointing to
the magnetic north pole

I can investigate real-world

applications of magnetic forces
through the use of a compass

I am learning… So that I can… I can…

D. CONTEXT OF LESSON AND UNWRAPPING OF THE STANDARD

Two Weeks
● Topic 1: Forces
○ movement (explain, demonstrate, predict)
○ contact (push or pull) (demonstrate, investigate)
○ noncontact (demonstrate, investigate)
● Topic 2: Gravity
○ effect of gravity (investigate, identify)
○ gravitational relationships (identify, describe)
● Topic 3: Magnetism
○ attractive force/repulsive force (investigate, predict, demonstrate)
○ attract vs repel (predict, classify, create)
○ magnetic interactions (describe, investigate, identify)
● Topic 4: Classification
○ objects (predict, investigate, classify)
● Topic 5: Life Applications (identify a problem)
○ Orienteering and using a compass
*My activity comes at the end of a two week long lesson on magnets, so this is an extension on that
understanding.

E. MISCONCEPTIONS or ALTERNATIVE CONCEPTIONS

Many students were familiar with magnets and what they can be used for in the classroom and at home, but were
uncertain with how they worked. Two students showed higher understanding about magnets and “poles” even though
they didn’t use that vocabulary. I was surprised that so many students knew that magnets only stick to metallic objects.
See Misconceptions Interview

F. ASSESSING LEARNING
What will your students do and say, specifically, that indicate every student has achieved your
objectives? Remember – every objective must be assessed for every student!

Learning Intention and Success

Opportunities to Respond Evidence
Criteria
Today I am learning about magnetic
forces

I can describe what a magnetic force Whole-class discussion reviewing
is what they have already learned
about magnets and video.
Note taking worksheet on
magnetic force
Class participation (number of
hands that go up when a question
is asked). Look at individual
replies to see where a student
could use support

Filled out note worksheet and

I can describe how magnets
contribute to compasses pointing to
the magnetic north pole
I can investigate real-world
applications of magnetic forces
through the use of a compass
Think, pair, share
Ask students questions about
compasses for comprehension
after the orienteering activity
Orienteering activity with pairs
(groups of three?). Objective is to
end up facing a specific part of the
room.
filled out blank labels
Walk around and observe/take
notes of student conversations
Observe the students during their
activity and see where they face
after all the directions (to see if
they were able to properly use the
compass)

G. PROCEDURE-Total time about 45min

Procedures and management
Students
Activity Step-by step procedures including questions and main
Describe what the students
Element points – visualize what you are going to say to the
will be doing as a result of
& Time (in students. It might be helpful to script out what you are
your instructions
minutes) going to say, although during the lesson you do not need
to use this language verbatim.
Read to students the Magnets: pulling together, pushing
apart book, while asking a few review questions to see
what content they have already covered in previous
Engage -
lessons. The book introduces how magnets are used in
Introduction
compasses, this will help me with my transition to event
(15min)
1. When the book begins talking about compasses, I will
ask the students more questions about their prior
knowledge of compasses.
Event 1 ● Brief skeleton notes for magnetic forces and For the first part, the students
(15min) magnetic poles, pair students to work together and will be watching me
discuss the information demonstrate and for the last
● This will be a small demonstration, from me to the few minutes they will be able
 class, to show them how a compass works along
with magnets. to use their own compasses to
○ Today we will be using our earth to help us explore on their own how
find directions. (Hold up a compass) Who they work. While
can tell me what this is? (a compass) This demonstrating I will give the
compass helps people find directions. Its learners the opportunity to
needle will always point to the north. describe what they are seeing
Today, I am going to show you how to find from the demonstration
directions with a compass.
Students will return their
Pair up students for the orienteering activity, have one of
ipads and clean up their
the students of the pair keep their science notebook with
Transition desks. Get into the assigned
them if they need to refer back to their notes after the
pairs and wait for further
activity.
direction
Orienteering activity using compasses:

1. Set your compass flat onto the palm of your hand.

The needle is pointing north.
2. Turn so that you are facing north. (Wait while
students move.) The needle should be straight in
front of you.
3. South is opposite of north. Turn so that you are
facing south. (Wait while students move.)
4. Turn your compass so the S for south is in front.
5. Where is the needle pointing now? (Down at
North)
6. What does the E stand for? (East)
7. East is to the left of south. Turn so that you are
facing east. (Wait while students move and turn
their compasses.) Which way is the needle
pointing? (North) Students will be actively
Event 3 8. What does the W stand for? (West) listening to the verbal
(15min) 9. West is the opposite of east. Turn so you are directions being given (step
facing west. (Wait while students move.) by step for the activity)
10. Which way is the needle pointing? (North)
11. The needle will always point north. Let’s practice
using our compass. I am going to give you some
directions, and you are going to follow them.
12. Take the students outside or into a large room.
13. Turn so you are facing the north. Take five steps
north. Look at your compass.
14. Stop. Turn west. Look at your compass. Skip two
steps.
15. Stop. Turn south. Look at your compass. Hop on
one foot three times.
16. Stop sit down where you are.
17. Which way did the needle point all the while you
were moving? (North)
18. Even when we were jumping and hopping and
skipping it never stopped pointing north.
 Students will be returning
Collect all compasses, have students gather in front of the
Transition compasses and coming to the
smartboard
carpet
students will be jotting down
their and their partner’s
Closing conversation, this is the part where students will
Conclusion: thoughts on what they
think-pair-share about what they learned from the
(5min) learned in their science
orienteering activity/notes
notebooks (this is their exit
ticket)

H. MATERIALS NEEDED
● Magnets: pulling together, pushing apart book by Natalie Rosinsky (I will be bringing this)
● Skeleton notes/Magnet PowerPoint (I will be making this)
● About 9 compasses (provided by JMU/John Almarode)
● Science binder/notebook (all the student’s have their own)

I. DIFFERENTIATION
Describe how you have planned to meet the needs of all students in your classroom with varied
interests and learning readiness, English language proficiency, health, physical ability, etc. How will
you extend and enrich the learning of students who finish early? How will you support the learning of
children struggling with your objectives?

Learners Content Process Product

students can choose the
story-line they want to do Allow students the The ending discussion
for the orienteering choice to work with a can be in different forms
Interest
activity (to have more partner, think-pair- (journal, verbal, sharing
stake in following the share of thoughts)
compass directions)
● All the students
have been learning
about magnets and
how they work ● Closed
(their magnetic captioning on
field, magnetic the video ● Skeleton notes
objects, and how ● Ability to ● video-explain
Readiness
magnets are used watch video on what the video
in real world their own was about
situations Ipads (use of
● This lesson is an headphones)
extension of their
known concepts
about magnets

J. WHAT COULD GO WRONG WITH THIS LESSON AND WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT?
Think about this! It may help you avoid an embarrassing situation. This CANNOT include fire drills,
interruptions due to announcements, weather, or other emergencies.
 ● The students will be too excited/distracted by the compasses
○ I will try to curb this by letting them play with the compassess for 90 seconds before starting the
orienteering activity
● Shouting out/Over sharing during book reading
○ I will begin the book read aloud by covering appropriate behaviors when someone is speaking/reading
(sitting criss-cross, raising your hand and being called on before you speak, accepting only relevant
comments)
● A student gets hurt during orienteering activity
○ Since this activity requires a lot of moving around, I will tell the students before hand to be
careful/aware of the students around them. If someone does end up getting injured, I will assign their
partner to join another group while that student heads to the nurse’s office.
○
Lesson Implementation Reflection
As soon as possible after teaching your lesson, think about the experience. Use the questions/prompts below to
guide your thinking. Be thorough in your reflection and use specific examples to support your insights.

I. How did your actual teaching of the lesson differ from your plans? Describe the changes and explain why
you made them.
a. In my plans, I had prepared to use a book on magnets to introduce the concept and activate their
prior knowledge on magnets. This did not plan out because I was unable to check the book out
from the library and it was too late to get it from somewhere else. Instead, I had to find a video
that explained the same material that the book would have covered. This ended up working really
well, and the only other thing I had to adjust was the timing for the orienteering activity, since we
had more time due to not reading the book.

II. Student Work Sample Analysis: Based on the assessment you created, what can you conclude about your
impact on student learning? Did they learn? Who learned? What did they learn? What evidence can you
offer that your conclusions are valid?
a. Based on my informal observations, I was able to tell that the main takeaway from this lesson
(what they learned) was the four cardinal directions. By the end of the lesson, I could tell that the
students at the very least could tell what the four directions were on a compass (north, south, east,
west). I could tell this due to the amount of students sharing their mnemonic devices for how they
will remember the four directions. For example, one student said that he will remember the
directions by saying “Never Eat Shredded Wheat”. I then asked him what it means and to point to
his compass notes to match up what he was saying to a physical diagram. Students also learned
how to use a compass (hold it flat on the palm of your hand, look at the red part of the narrow,
turn slowly to find the direction). I could tell that the students learned this, because at the end of
the activity, they were all holding the compass properly and would remind their partner of the
steps.

Look at the assessment data and identify 2 students who appear to fall into these 3 categories: (1) Gets it;
(2) Has some good ideas, but there’s still room for learning and (3) Does not get it. Organize your
responses to the following questions in a chart/table form similar to the one below.

Gets it Has some good ideas, but… Does not get it

Student A Student B Student C Student D Student E Student F
a. That magnets Compasses Compasses The purpose What a That people use
Understands… create a work due to a use magnets to of a compass magnet is magnets in real
magnetic magnets find directions life
force magnetic force
b. Confused How How we first how the The cardinal how a magnet How magnets
about… compasses discovered compass directions works (thinks pick up metal
detect earth’s that we can detects (north, east, it’s magic) things
magnetic field use earth’s magnetic south, and
magnetic field fields west are on a
to help us compass)
c. Questions to What are the What were What are the What are some What are some What are some
ask to clarify parts of a some reasons parts of a ways of the objects things that
what I know magnet? that early magnet? (mnemonic that you can magnetic
Compare them humans and Compare them devices) that pick up or objects have in
to the parts of explorers to the parts of you could use “stick” to the common? What
a compass needed a a compass to remember magnet? What are some things
(The compass compass? (The compass the order for do those that non-
has the same has the same the cardinal objects have in magnetic
parts/poles). parts/poles). directions? common? objects have in
common?
d. Ideas to work The magnetic Earth as a The magnetic Map skills Magnetic Magnetic
on next field that magnetic field field that (using a forces forces
surrounds us surrounds us compass to (diagrams on (diagrams on
(Earth) and (Earth) and the find map what a what a
the magnetic magnetic poles locations) magnetic field magnetic field
poles looks looks
like/works) like/works)
e. Student’s Relational Extended Relational Relational Unistructural Multistructural
learning within Abstract
SOLO
taxonomy

III. Describe at least one way you could incorporate developmentally appropriate practice in a better or more
thorough way if you were to teach this lesson again.
a. This lesson could have incorporated developmentally appropriate practices better if I was able to
spread out this lesson over time. I would have liked to teach the prerequisite lessons on magnets
(or at least have been present for them all) too see what content was covered or omitted. This
would have allowed me to better prepare for where the students were in their own knowledge and
where I would need review.

IV. Based on the assessment data you collected, what would you do/teach next if you were the classroom
teacher?
a. Since this lesson was an extension lesson to wrap up the unit, there is not much left that the
students need to know based on the SOL standards. I would however transition this lesson into one
focused on maps and using cardinal directions to explore maps (could either be a social studies or
geography lesson). Students would have the opportunity to use the knowledge gained from this
lesson and apply it to another content area and to practice their new skills.

V. As a result of planning and teaching this lesson, what have you learned or had reinforced about young
children as learners?
a. I have learned that young children as learners love to explore and interact with their learning. I
saw this when I let the students have a few minutes to just purley investigate their compasses
without giving them instructions. I was able to see the pure joy and excitement on their faces
while the compass needle moved whenever they did.

VI. As a result of planning and teaching this lesson, what have you learned or had reinforced about teaching?
 a. From this lesson, I learned the importance of flexibility. I was not able to use all the resources that
I would have liked to for this lesson and had to improvise how I would cover that information
(using the video in place of the book). I also was able to reinforce my idea that students are still
children and need to have the opportunity to move around and actually experience what they are
learning. I saw this from watching the students interact with their compasses.

VII. As a result of planning and teaching this lesson, what have you learned or had reinforced about yourself?
a. I really enjoyed planning this lesson. It allowed me to play around with different class
management techniques that I hadn’t yet experienced (having the students participate in an
experiment). This lesson also helped me learn the importance of structuring a lesson and planning
the order of events to have the greatest impact on the students (having the fun activity come after
the video review and notes). As a teacher I want to continue letting students have accountability
and an active role in their own learning though experimentation and simulations.

Appendix

Magnet/Compass video that replaced the read aloud