Drexel Lesson Plan Template

Lesson Plan Format

Teacher: Mrs. Mahaffey
Grade: 7th
Content Area: Life Science – Human Impacts on the Environment

1. Content and Standards:

PA Standards: S.7.B.3.2 Explain ways different variables may cause and/or influence
changes in natural or human-made systems. S.7.B.3.2.3 Describe how human interactions
with the environment impact an ecosystem.
NGSS Standards: MS-ESS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design a method for
monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.

2. Prerequisites: This is an introductory lesson on human impact on the environment.

3. Essential Questions: How do humans impact the environment and how can we reduce
that impact?

4. Materials and Equipment: The whiteboard will be used to display the images in order
to hook the student’s attention. It will also be used to show the video to build students
background knowledge. Students individual Chromebooks will be used to gather research
on the negative impact’s humans have on the environment and positive ways in which we
can reduce that impact.

5. Instructional Objective*: Students will be able to outline the ways humans impacts the
environment and list the strategies to reduce the environmental impact of humans.

6. Instructional Procedures:

Before: I engage students by showing them a picture of a garbage patch in the ocean and invite
them to think about the cause. Then we move to the next picture of an albatross showing the
stomach contents fed to it by its mother. These pictures help to engage students and get their
attention in order to begin to understand the impact humans can have on the environment.

Students explore this topic by watching a video (Human Impacts on the Environment - Video
& Lesson Transcript | Study.com) on the human impacts on the environment. The video is
paused throughout to ask and engage students in questions and discussions. Commented [AM1]: Domain 3b: Use of questioning and
discussion as an instructional strategy in order to invite
students to formulate hypotheses, make connections, or
• How do our actions change the planet? challenge previously held views.
• What recent events point to climate change?
• What are the dangers of this change in the global climate?

During: Students divide into pre-determined pairs and are instructed to work together to
research negative human impacts on the environment (at least 5) and a detailed plan or
positive way we can combat that impact. Students complete the handout, listing both
negative and positive ways humans impact the environment and describing how each one
Commented [AM2]: Domain 3a: Teachers should
communicate clear directions and procedures specific to the
lesson activities. Students understand what they are expected
to do.
would impact the environment. After each group has finished, we will create a “chalkboard
splash” on the board. One student from each group will choose a negative impact to record
on the board, while the other student will record a positive impact that will help reduce that
negative impact. Each partnership will take turns sharing their groups contribution to the
board and students will be called upon to discuss connections between the lists.
After: Students will be evaluated throughout the lesson by asking questions about the
negative impacts we have on the environment and how difficult it would be to make the life
changes necessary to reduce our impact to the environment?
Students will also be given an exit ticket and answer post-assessment questions to evaluate
their understanding of the lesson. (See attached).
Commented [AM3]: Domain 3c: Students are engaged in
discussion, debate, answering “what if?” questions,
discovering patterns, and the like.
Commented [AM4]: Domain 3d: When monitoring student
learning, teachers look carefully at what students are writing,
or even listen carefully to the questions students ask, in order
to gauge whether they require additional activity or
explanation to grasp the content. During this time, I was
circulating the room in order to assess for learning.

7. Assessment: The exit ticket will help me determine if students are able to understand and
list strategies that they could personally do at home or at school that would limit the
impact on the environment. The assessment questions that students will answer
individually will help me determine if students have an understanding of how seriously
humans can impact the environment.

8. Differentiated Instruction: Student partnerships will be pre-planned, in cooperative

groups, grouping students with someone who they work well with. Using this grouping
method, I can ensure that each member of the group has a role and it will reduce the amount
of time students might get off task and therefore increase the amount of participation.

If a student has difficulty writing or recording information, he or she, may orally answer
the exit ticket and post-assessment questions to help determine if they have met the
objective.

If a group of students is able to compile their list of impacts before others, they may look
to find connections between the negative impacts and something they could do to help
reduce that specific impact in order to help further their understanding.

9. Self-Assessment: This lesson began with an engaging picture of a garbage patch in the
ocean. Then the picture was followed with an albatross that had a stomach full of plastic
garbage and other contents that were littered into the ocean. I watched as students’ eyes
got wide in seeing the devastating effects that humans can have on wildlife. During the
video, I asked students probing questions in order to check for understanding. Before I
asked each question, I stated that I did not want anyone yelling out the answer to
eliminate the same students from answering before others had a chance to think. This
helped me with my wait time after asking questions and also allowed more students a
chance to think, raise their hands, and participate. As I asked what events have led to
climate change, students needed a reminder that these events meant human impacts.
During the investigation portion of this lesson, students were in the driver seat, as they
decided what topics of human impact on the environment were of most interest to them to
investigate. It was exciting to see how different some of their investigations were. Some
students found wildlife bridges, built to ensure the safety of wildlife and motorists,
intriguing. Other students focused on more relatable impacts, such as limiting water and
electricity usage. This lesson asked students to compile a list of 5 negative and 5 positive
impacts humans have on the environment. During the first period of Life Science, I
realized that researching 5 of each was too many to complete during one class period. For
this reason, I was able to adapt and change the lesson before it was presented to the next
Life Science class later in the day. At another point in the lesson, a student presented a
wildlife bridge as a potential positive impact on the environment. Because this was
something most students had not heard of before, I was able to quickly put a picture on Commented [AM5]: Domain 3e: Occasionally during a
the screen in order for all students to visualize what a wildlife bridge may look like. lesson, an unexpected event will occur that presents a true
teachable moment.

I noticed that the confidence students have in sharing their ideas with their partner could
be transferred to the entire group by allowing students a chance to share their ideas in a
“chalkboard splash.” This TPT was shared by my course instructor and the students really
got excited about this. I think the extra movement, allowing students to write their ideas
on the board, allowed them to get the blood flowing and, in turn, gave them the
confidence to share with the entire class.