Lesson Plan

Candidate Name: Kendra Morales

Grade level: 4th
Subject: Science
Number of students: 23
Lesson time: 90 minutes (two days: 45 min per day)
Lesson Goals
Central Focus: The students will learn about the phases of the moon and its pattern.

Standards Addressed:
4.8C Collect and analyze data to identify sequences and predict patterns of change in shadows, seasons, and
the observable appearance of the Moon over time.

Learning Objectives
We Will: We will analyze the pattern of the moon learning about its sequence and process.

I Will: I will differentiate the phases of the moon and connect to its name and sequence order.

Using Knowledge of Students to Plan Effective Instruction

Grouping Strategies:
The students will be divided into three groups: two groups of 6 students and one group of 11 students. The
reason why there will be one group of 11 students is because it will be composed of ELP and SPED students.
Some SPED students will leave the classroom at 2pm for daily intervention with the SPED teacher, this
would leave us with two groups of 6 and one group of 8. The students who will leave the classroom are Kiara
Salado, Jacob Pena, Alrick Pena and Jose Medina. The other two groups will be composed randomly, this
way the students who have better understanding will be a support for those who may struggle. Given that we
have many ELP and SPED students, it is very important to have a lot of visuals throughout the lesson.

Lesson Considerations
Materials:
 Computers
 Google Meets
 Google classroom
 Nearpod “My phases of the moon book”
 Headphones

Prior Academic Learning and Prerequisite Skills:

For this lesson, the students will have limited prior knowledge of the main four moon phases being the new
moon, first quarter, full moon, and third quarter.

Lesson Outline: Procedures

This plan will take two 45-minute class periods, Wednesday February 17, and Thursday February 18.
DAY 1 Foundation building:
Time 1. To get the students curiosity started, we will watch an introductory video about the
8 Minutes moon phases by BrainPOP. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3_OIn3QxBE&t=8s
 2. The video will be in interactive mode, meaning that as the students watch the video
there will be a few pauses where the student will have to answer questions that will
highlight some important details.
 Waxes means _________.
 Wanes means _________.
 What has nothing to do with the Moon's phases?
 How much is the Moon's orbit tilted?
 How long is a lunar month?

Time I DO
8-10 1. Now that the students have seen the introductory video and some key points (which
minutes were the questions in the interactive mode), the teacher and students cooperatively
will take general notes of the moon phases. These notes will consist of details such as
how long is a lunar month, what is the difference between waxing and waning, etc.

15-20 2. The teacher will then model the process of investigating a specific moon phase. The
minutes teacher will model using the new moon and full moon phase.

DAY 2 WE DO
Time 1. The next day the students will be divided into groups which were previously arranged
10 minutes by the teacher. In their groups the students will put into practice what the teacher
modeled the day before, they will now work on investigating their assigned moon
phase(s). In this step the students will be provided with two resources to look at for
their investigation: a video and a short reading. During this time the teacher will be
going from group to group to ensure that they are participating, staying on task and
have the correct understanding of the phase.
 Given that I am not the main host of the meeting, I cannot jump on my own
from group to group. During this process I depend on my CT to move me
around the groups; we communicate through text messages, this way I let her
 know when I am ready to see the next small group.

2. Once the students investigate their moon phase(s) in their small groups, they will be
15 minutes considered experts. Now we will go back to the main call where the students will be
(5 min per responsible to explain and teach the rest of their peers about their moon phase(s).
group)
3. While the groups are presenting their findings, is important that the teacher highlights
the idea that both phases (first and third quarter, waxing and waning crescent, and
waxing and waning gibbous) are the same shining moon just on the opposite side; one
is in the growing side (waxing) while the other one is in the shrinking side (waning).

Evidence and Formative Assessment of Student Learning (informal and formal)

Informal Assessment
Strategy #1: While the Student feedback:
students are watching the These questions are to ensure their comprehension and highlight important
introduction video, there will facts about the phases of the moon. Since we will be watching and answering
be some pauses where they the questions as a whole group, the feedback will be immediate. If the
will have to answer some students answer something incorrectly, we can re-watch the specific clip of
questions as a whole class. the video where they give the answer and that way clarify any
misunderstandings.

Strategy #2: As the students Student feedback:

work in small groups doing
their investigation, the
teacher will go around the
groups to ensure that they are
participating, staying on task
and have the correct
understanding of the phase.
In case that the teacher notices any misunderstandings or behavioral
problems, the teacher will have the opportunity to immediately take action.
For behavioral problems, the teacher will send that student to the main call
where he will remain with the teacher and will lose the privilege to work with
a group without the supervision of the teacher. In case that the students are
losing their track or are misunderstanding, the teacher will lead them back to
the resources that were provided to them.

YOU DO
Formal Assessment
Strategy #1: (5 min)
The students will complete a matching
game individually on Nearpod, in which
they will have to match the picture of a
moon phase to the name of the moon phase.
Alignment with objective(s): When the students take this
assessment, they will demonstrate their understanding about
the pattern shadows of the observable appearance of the Moon.
Evidence of student understanding: For the students to
perform an approaching level understanding of the content
they must answer 6 out of 8 correctly. Otherwise, that will
 advise the teacher about the students who need further
explanation about the phases of the moon, specifically about
the patterns of the moon shadows.

Answer Key:

Strategy #2: (8-10min) Alignment with objective(s): When the students take this
The students will complete a multiple- assessment, they will demonstrate their understanding about
choice quiz where they will have to show the sequence of the eight phases of the moon.
their understanding of the moon phases
sequence. Evidence of student understanding: For the students to
perform an approaching level understanding of the content
they must answer 6 out of 8 correctly. Otherwise, that will
Assessment format:
advise the teacher which students need further explanation
1. New Moon about the sequence of the phases of the moon.
a. 1
b. 2 Answer Key:
c. 3 1. New moon
2. Waxing Crescent
d. 4
3. First quarter
e. 5
4. Waxing Gibbous
f. 6 5. Full moon
g. 7 6. Waning Gibbous
h. 8 7. Third Quarter
8. Waning Crescent

Identifying and Supporting Academic Language

Academic Vocabulary:
 Waxing
 Waning
 New Moon
 Full Moon
 Crescent Moon
 Quarter Moon
 Gibbous Moon
 Lunar month
 Orbit

References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3_OIn3QxBE&t=8s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4ZHdzl6ZWg
https://www.k12reader.com/worksheet/phases-of-the-moon/