Science Unit Project

Revised Unit Focus and 3-Day Calendar

Grade Level: K School: Myrtle Beach Early Childhood School CT Name: April Kidd
Kindergarten weather patterns:

Unit Focus

• My core area focus for my unit is Weather patterns. Specifically, Season’s effect on
plant.
• Students will be able to identify key attributes plants during each season.
• The testable investigation question students will seek to answer is:
-What is the season cycle?
-Do seasons effect the appearance of plants?
-Are plants alive in winter?
-Why do plants look different in each season?
• For mathematics integration we will be completing a “Mystery Pattern” each day based
on the focus. Day one will focus on the season cycle repeating pattern, while day two and
three will identify the seasons of three different plant images based on their looks. We
will replace each image with a seasonal icon. For example: Winter, winter, fall will use
the icons snowflake, snowflake, leaf. This is an AAB pattern.
• My assessment approaches will be a combination of observation, self-assessment, and a
whole lesson rubric. I will be looking for growth over the three days by comparing day
one and day threes self-assessment. I will also be observing participation and questions to
help determine understanding.
• I will incorporate Science and Engineering Practices by telling the students what to look
for outside to help them determine what season it is (observation). This is listed under the
science and engineering practices performance indicator K.S.1A.1

DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3

Introduce seasons Introduce what Introduce what
and which plants do in fall plats do in
months the and winter. summer and
seasons are in. spring.

Science Unit Project

Revised Lesson Log

EDEC 420 Unit Plan 1 Spring 2021

Grade Level: ______ School: _________________ CT Name: _____________

Lesson Log

Your Lesson Log should expand upon the lesson titles you wrote for each day on your calendar.
For each day, write a short paragraph about the lesson that will be taught that day. Include
information on what students will be doing as well as the science/mathematical emphasis of the
lesson. Also identify extension/homework assignments as applicable and discuss how you will
assess student learning.

Things That Come in Groups (Unit Title)

Day 1
Initiating Investigation/Lesson Title: “Seasons and Apple Trees”
Science/Mathematics Emphasis: During Day one the focus will be on the season Cycle and the
Apple tree. I will do an overview on seasons and the easiest plant to see seasonal changes: A
tree. The next two days will go into deeper detail on each season. I will be using this as a
baseline for of understanding and prior knowledge of seasons. We will be looking at the seasons
as a pattern cycle. This will integrate both science and math. We will play a Jack Hartman Video
to be introduced to seasons and then we will look at a visual representation of the cycle. This will
be followed by guided discussion. I will then Move on to explaining how the seasons cycle
effects an apple tree by reading the book “The Seasons of Arnolds Apple Tree” by Gail Gibbons.
This book will walk them through each “stage” of a apple tree’s appearance in spring, summer,
fall, and winter. This will prepare them for the following two days. After the read aloud we will
follow with guided discussion. We will finish the lesson with a writing activity sheet about each
season of an apple tree.

EDEC 420 Unit Plan 2 Spring 2021

Extension: Students will observe what the different plants at recess look like and if they can
guess what season we are going to be in soon based off their observations.
Assessment: I will be using a Self-assessment at the end of the lesson. I will be using both these
to receive feedback from the student’s perspective, so I am knowledgeable of where I need to
begin tomorrow. This will help me know if I need to review any material or spend a little more
time a certain topic. In addition to using this for a singular overview of days ones understanding,
I would like to compare day one to day three to monitor progress over a three-day period for
future instruction.
Note: I will be reading the questions on the self-assessment each day to make the
questions clear. I will be allowing them to answer privately with their name son the back.

Did you feel that Did you feel that Are you able to If you answered no
understand the you understand that repeat to me what to any of these do
season cycle? plants appearances you learned about you feel like we
YES/ NO change based on the apple tree need a review?
the season? today? YES/ NO
YES/ NO YES/ NO

EDEC 420 Unit Plan 3 Spring 2021

Day 2
Investigation/Lesson Title: “Goodbye Fall, Hello Winter”
Science/Mathematics Emphasis:
During Day two the focus will be narrowed in on the seasons Fall and Winter. I will begin with a
read aloud called “Goodbye Fall, Hello Winter” This book gives an overview of what it is like
for plants to transition from fall to winter. It has a variety of plants in a visual component and
reviews the misconception that all plants are dead in the wintertime. We will talk about grass,
bushes, winter cranberry trees, evergreens and roses. Each of the plants serves a different
purpose to the explanation of change in attribute. For example, Bushes change colors in the fall
and lose their leaves in the winter whereas winter cranberry trees collect snow and Ice and can
survive in winter. Another example would be that both trees, bushes, and roses lose their leaves
when moving into winter from fall due to temperature change and wind. To enhance our
understanding, we will be going on two three-minute virtual expedition on hiking trails: one in
fall and one in winter. We will be exposed too all the plants listed above and will give them a
real life visual. After this we will lead in a guided discussion about person experience.
Following this will be an art activity on the four-season cycle. This will be an extension of
knowledge from yesterday’s activity and will be craftier. We will only craft fall and Winter. I
will conclude the lesson with a “mystery patter’” math integration portion. Our mystery pattern
will be an AAB pattern. Will look at three different plants and determine which seasons these
appear to be in. If they think it is fall it will be a leaf symbol and if it is winter it will be a
snowflake symbol.
Extension: Students will be working on seasons in library during their specials this day. Their
Library books should be on one of the four seasons.
Assessment: As students work individually on their art activity, I will be moving around to each
table asking targeted questions based on observations from the lesson. I will also be doing a self-
assessment. I will be using a Self-assessment at the end of the lesson. I will be using both these
to receive feedback from the student’s perspective, so I am knowledgeable of where I need to
begin tomorrow. This will help me know if I need to review any material or spend a little more
time a certain topic.
Note: I will be reading the questions on the self-assessment each day to make the
questions clear. I will be allowing them to answer privately with their name son the back.

Did you feel that Did you feel that Are you able to If you answered no
understand the you understand that repeat to me what to any of these do
season fall and plants appearances you learned today? you feel like we
winter? change based on YES/ NO need a review?
YES/ NO the season? YES/ NO
YES/ NO

Day 3
Investigation/Lesson Title: “Goodbye Spring, Hello Summer”

EDEC 420 Unit Plan 4 Spring 2021

Science/Mathematics Emphasis: The science Emphasis for day three will be on the seasons
Spring and summer. Will begin this lesson with the book “Goodbye Spring, Hello Summer”.
This is the ‘sister’ book the text read the previous day. It provides the same idea of what it is like
for plants to transition seasons just for Spring to Summer. It contains the same character and the
same variety of plants as before. They are a visual component and touches on plant growth in
spring and blossoming in Summer. We will continue to look at bushes, winter cranberry trees,
evergreens and roses. We will talk about how spring and summer are ‘friends’ and they work
together to grow plants. Spring is the reproduction season for plants like bushes, winter cranberry
trees, evergreens and roses while summer is when they are all grown up. For example, the seed
for a rose begins to grow in the soil and grow roots in the ground during spring. When its
summertime the same rose will be fully grown and bloomed. To enhance our knowledge will
read a nonfiction text from Epic reads title “Plants in summer” and follow up with “Patterns in
Spring”. After we have finished patterns in spring, we will transition into our math integration
for the day. Todays ‘mystery pattern’ will be ABA. We will look at three plants such as bushes,
winter cranberry trees, evergreens and roses and will identify the seasons it is based on their
attributes like seeds and roots, petals, green colored leaves, etc. We will symbolize spring with a
seed icon and summer with a sun icon. We will end todays lesson with finishing the Season
Cycle art Activity at their table spots. (Spring and Summer.)
Extension/Homework: Students answer a prompt question in a writing activity during the
writing workshop center during a different part of the day. The prompt is “Sally is planting a rose
flower in the spring, but she has never seen a rose before. Our friend needs our help! Sally needs
to know what her rose will look like when it is fully grown in summer. You need to describe her
rose using what we learned today about roses in our lesson. Can you help Sally?”
We will have my CT, her aid, and I will be walking around to ensure there is individual time
between each student and an adult.
Assessment: As students work on individually on their art activity, I will be moving around to
each table asking targeted questions based on observations from the lesson. I will also be doing a
self-assessment. I will be using a Self-assessment at the end of the lesson. I will be using both
these to receive feedback from the student’s perspective, so I am knowledgeable of where I need
to begin tomorrow. This will help me know if I need to review any material or spend a little more
time a certain topic.
Note: I will be reading the questions on the self-assessment each day to make the
questions clear. I will be allowing them to answer privately with their name son the back.

Did you feel that Did you feel that Are you able to tell If you answered no
understand the you understand that me in your own to any of these do
season Spring and plants appearances words about a rose you feel like we
Winter? change based on in spring and need a review?
YES/ NO the season? summer? YES/ NO
YES/ NO YES/ NO

EDEC 420 Unit Plan 5 Spring 2021