1

Najiyah Bello
Professor Lara Smetana
TLSC 231-001: Science & Writing in Elementary
23 April 2021

Lesson Plan Rationale Statement

In the NGSS lesson provided named Fossils and Dinosaurs, students worked with the

phenomenon of fossils to deepen their understanding of what information can be learned from a

fossilized organism and their living environment. This unit, there were two lessons; Fossils 1:

Fossils and Dinosaurs and Fossils 2: Uncovering the Facts. However, for my lesson plan, I

choose to focus on the first lesson; Fossils 1: Fossils and Dinosaurs. This lesson was an

introduction for the students to become familiarized with what a fossil is, how things become

fossilized, and what information can be gathered from fossils that help paleontologists (people

who study dinosaur fossils) interpret information like what kinds of food a dinosaur might have

ate from the evidence gathered from their fossilized teeth. To help students establish this

knowledge, they explored many websites about dinosaurs, they explored the importance of Sue,

the T-Rex that located the Chicago’s Field Museum, and they were encouraged to use their

imaginations to build their own animals and fossilization story. Students were able to practice

what was being modeled for themselves in order to actively engage in their learning. In the end,

students stepped into the role of a Paleontologist and were directed to use more websites to help

them build another dinosaur and construct its fossilization story from the given fossil facts.

Overall, through the use of websites, worksheets, and discussion students were able to build their

knowledge about fossils.

Excellently established, I thought this lesson provided many available resources for

students to use and refer to, to help build their knowledge. It was amazing how the students were
 2

provided a diverse range of websites that were both child-friendly, easy to navigate, but

scientifically supported. Additionally, I loved how this lesson constantly allowed for students to

express themselves by illustrating their understanding through their imaginations. For instance,

after modeling to students how to interpret evidence on the fossilized form of a Stegosaurus,

students were then directed to build their own animal and interpret its own fossilized story. The

use of their imaginations were a huge aspect throughout the entire lesson. I loved how they were

able to still project themselves in a fun way of learning the material.

Though this lesson actively allowed constant exploration of fossils to further students'

understanding of the process of fossilization, I felt it lacked in providing students a hands-on

approach to their learning that will allow them to interact with their peers. Yes, providing an

immense amount of resources and support to students when introducing something new is

important, but not all students learn from worksheets and reading information. Being said, one

modification I included in this lesson is involving students into an investigation that called for

them to step into the role of a Paleontologist. In this investigation, students would be

participating in a classroom scavenger hunt for fossils for an unknown animal (these will be

cardboard cutouts that replicate fossils of the animal). The two dinosaurs I chose are the

Protoceratops and the Triceratops because I felt students would be able to use background

knowledge to help them. I felt these were still relatively easy to guess but would still engage in

students learning about fossils. Breaking students into four groups of 4 labeled A through D, they

will be directed to search the classroom for their corresponding group lettering, to collect all their

missing fossil pieces to form their unknown animal. To make this investigation fun, I thought it

would be good to make it a competition between all groups. More so, I thought it would be

interesting to provide two groups the same animal and then the other two groups the same
 3

animal, but place them separately from each other so that all groups believe they have different

animals and wouldn’t be able to cheat. To help the students figure out their unknown organism, I

would be providing clues on the backs of the fossil cutouts about the order sequence of the bones

and an envelope of clues to help them find out the name of their unknown fossil. As for rules,

students will not be allowed to verbally communicate with each other. Instead, they would be

provided a white board to express themselves through writing or illustrations. Students will need

to have their animal checked by me first so I can ensure their pieces are in the correct

organization before they start on determining if their unknown animal is a Protoceratops or

Triceratops. Similar to students engaging their personal identities, I still kept the aspect of

students building a fossilization story to their animal once it is known. Like they were modeled

to do, students will use the facts and data collected about their animal and their imagination to

help each group build their unique stories. In the end, students will be able to share their stories

with one another and the group who was able to figure out their animal first would be

announced. Again, since I felt the original lesson lacked in providing students a way to actively

engage their new learnings with their peers, incorporating an active investigation will allow this

to happen. More so, students will be able to move around the room, instead of being confined to

their desk with constant teacher leadership and worksheets. More so, to improve peer interaction,

to the worksheet questions I added more personal questions that will allow students to input their

background knowledge and time to share with their peers close to them. In this students who

may be shy, will still be able to input their knowledge when in small groups.

Extending from my last idea of wanting to be inclusive and promote peer involvement,

another modification I decided to add was adding in possible adaptations to fit the needs of

diverse learners. In the original lesson, the student population for this lesson is only stated as
 4

being for elementary students in grades third through fifth and who speak English. This is a very

narrow population that does not seem inclusive. In my lesson plan, I added sections for

possibilities of ways the Sue exploration activity and the investigation could be adapted to fit

students needs. I took it into account of students who could have auditory, verbal, behavioral,

and bilingual learner needs and provided slight guidance on how to change the lesson to cater to

them. Of course, depending on the actual specific need of a real student it would be easier to

know exactly how to make modifications, so I kept it general and provided alternative ways that

could work for almost anyone. Along with working to make the lesson more inclusive, I added

writing prompts to guide students' imaginative skills because sometimes having a lot of leeway

can be difficult for students who need direction. In this time students will also be able to ask one

another clarifying questions about fossils or other worksheet questions.

For my last adaptation of this lesson, I wanted to specifically state connections to the

Crosscutting Concepts (CCC) and Science and Engineering Practices (SEP). In the original

lesson, I felt the lesson lacked in having more CCC and SEP connections. In providing CCC and

SEP to a science lesson, it helps the students understand the importance of what they are learning

and about it all connects together. A lot of times science lessons can seem like a bunch of

different concepts being taught to you and forced as one lesson. But, with students knowing how

their lesson connects with their learning, I believe it would help build their motivation to learn.

In this class, we talked about how because of the education system, the way science has been

taught and the resources that have been provided to all schools are unequal. For this, students

“who have been traditionally marginalized in science education and who may not see science as

real or relative to their lives or future careers” become less interactive in their science learning

(Sciene&Children p.57). Interestingly, the original lesson talked about how dinosaurs are of
 5

interest to all students just because of the coolness of their fossil forms, their looks, names, or

what they can do. Being said, this lesson is definitely a good approach to spark the interest of

science to students who do not like it because of past issues. Because they are able to input their

background knowledge to their peers, this lesson would make all students feel smart. As with

SEP, engineering is such a big, new, and fun idea to students. So, allowing them to see how they

are interactive with engineers will help them become more excited to participate. Overall, the

need for more CCC and SEP concepts were highly beneficial for this lesson being that the topic

is of universal interest of all races, ethnicities, diverse needs, and so much more. It also makes it

easier on the educator to teach the students because they are influenced by their peers to be more

engaged and excited. In the end, through all my modifications, I believe the original creators

should have taken more advantage of using peer interaction to help build the understanding of

fossils, than students individually working on worksheets and websites to further their learning.

Other ways to promote students learning is by having a more approachable variety lesson

that caters to the needs of all students so they can also express themselves to become closer to

their peers and teacher. In the investigation, I could pair students with another peer who they

haven’t spoken to much or even pair students in groups with peers that they may have issues

with just, so they can use this activity to get to know and understand each other better from past

miscommunications. In these opportunities, students learning will be made visible through their

individual imaginative process when working with the worksheets and through group

imaginative process when forming all their ideas together to build on idea that is a representation

of students of diverse needs, races, ethnicities, likes (and dislikes), and so much more.

In sum, I thought the lesson was very nice and cute for students of young age. I enjoyed

the motivation behind the lesson by relating it to Sue, the famous T-Rex because now students
 6

would be able to visit the Field Museum, if they haven’t before, and be mini-paleontologist to

teach their parents, siblings, and other members about Sue and fossils. Through my

modifications, I believe they improve the lesson to be more targeted to providing a more

inclusive learning environment for students of diverse learner needs, prior knowledge, and peer

interactions. Thus, by the end, all students should feel confident in themselves and the process of

fossilization, all while developing a new sparking love for science.

 7

References:

Fossils 1: Fossils and Dinosaurs. Science NetLinks. (n.d.).

http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/fossils-1-fossils-and-dinosaurs/.

Goggins, M., Haas, A., Grapin, S., Llosa, L., & Lee, O. (2019, September). Integrating

Crosscutting Concepts into Science Instruction. NSTA.

https://www.nsta.org/science-and-children/science-and-children-september-

2019/integrating-crosscutting-concepts-0.