UMU Lesson Plan Template

Name: Taylor Orlando Date: 2-9-2022

Grade Level: 7th Grade Class Period: 8th period
Subject: Science Lesson # & Title: Lesson 3 – Phases of the Moon
Function of the Lesson (check all that apply):
 Introduce New Skill or Content
 Practice
 Review
 Remediation/Re-teaching

Context for Learning and Planning Rationale:

Leaner Attributes:
This lesson will be taught at St. Paul’s Catholic School, in a whole group classroom setting. St. Paul’s Catholic
School includes 414 students from grades k-8. St. Paul’s Catholic School is located in a large urban city. The
school contains a population of 47% male students and 53% female students. The diversity of the school is 94%
white, 2% Hispanic, 2% Pacific Islander, 0.9% Multiracial, 0.6% African American, and 0.6% Asian. The class
consists of 14 students, 4 males and 10 females. In this class there is one student that is on an IEP plan. This student
is offered extended time, breaks if needed, help with an intervention specialist, guided notes from teachers,
modified instruction, and preferential seating. The student usually does not ask for any of these accommodations
and tends to never want them, but all the material is modified for the student if needed. None of the students in the
class are identified as struggling readers.
Classroom Environment:
This classroom is set up with 6 lab tables that contain four chairs two on each side of the table. The chairs at each of the
tables swivel which allows students to collaborate with those that are around them. The chairs have cubbies between them to
allow students a place to put their belongings while performing lab experiments. Along with the lab tables that are located in
the room there is also a counter that is located in the back of the classroom with three sinks that can be utilized during
experiments. In the classroom there is also a set of lockers that is utilized by the homeroom of the classroom. There is a
second counter space that that is located on the side of the room near the door where extra assignment papers, classroom
materials, and textbooks are located. Along the back of the classroom and the side of the classroom that has the counter there
is also cabinet space to store any science materials that are not being in use. On the side of the classroom opposite of the door
is the teacher’s desk. The desk faces the door but has easy access to the rest of the classroom. Located in the front of the
classroom there is a whiteboard along with a smart board that can be used during lessons. On the back cabinets and the side
of the classroom there are posters and vocabulary words for the students to utilize. On one side of the classroom there is
shelfs that are used to store classroom materials like coloring devices, scissors, rulers, microscopes, and other classroom sets
of materials that students may need while they are in the classroom.

Content Standards:
Standard:
7.ESS.4 – The relative patterns of the motion and positions of Earth, moon and sun cause solar and lunar eclipses, tides, and
phases of the moon.
Rationale:
This is an important standard for students to learn because students do not realize possibly that we only ever see half of the
moon. This standard helps students discover that only half of the moon is visible from Earth. This standard also helps
students discover that the moon orbits Earth and that we do not orbit it. This standard also helps students better understand
connections with the solar system which they learned in 5th grade. Students also in this standard also get to discover more
about the sun, and tides. This standard will help students in the future because in 8th grade students begin to learn about net
forces and patterns if motion within the solar system. This science standard connects to the real-world because the moon is a
part of our everyday lives. This standard can open student’s eyes to the astronomical world and could possibly lead to
students wanting careers in aerospace engineering or wanting to work for NASA.

Revised January 2018

Learning Objectives:
Teacher Learning Objective:
After students have completed several lesson about the moon phases students will be able to successfully complete a lab
where students have to create and label the moon phases with 80% accuracy.
Student Learning Objective:
I can identify, describe, and draw the phases of the moon.

Academic Language:
- Waxing – when more of the moon becomes visible
- Waning – when less of the moon becomes visible
- New moon – the moon is not visible. No sunlight is being reflected.
- Waxing crescent – only a small part of the moon’s round shape is visible. It is beginning to look larger.
- First quarter (waxing quarter) – one-half of the moon’s round shape is visible. It will continue to look
larger until it is a full moon.
- Waxing gibbous – the moon’s round shape is mostly visible. It will be soon a full moon.
- Full moon – the moon’s full round shape is visible
- Waning gibbous – most of the moon’s round shape is visible, but it is beginning to get smaller (less light
reflected).
- Last quarter (wanning quarter) – half of the moon’s round shape is visible (opposite of first quarter). It will
continue to reflect less light and look smaller.
- Waning crescent – only a small part of the moon’s round shape is visible. Soon, no sunlight will be
reflected, and the phases will start over again.

Assessment Plan, Formative Assessment:

The first formative assessment
Assessment Plan, Summative Assessment:
At this time there will not be a summative assessment to the lesson. This is due to the students being at the beginning of a
unit. Once all material in the unite is completed students will complete a summative assessment that will cover all of the
materials in the unit including materials that were covered during this lesson.

Procedures, Lesson Introduction: (10)

(5 minutes)
Students will line up outside of the classroom until the previous class exits the classroom. Once the last class has
left the classroom, the next class will enter the room. The students will go to their assigned seats until directions
have been given to the class. The students will get their science binders out and flip to the current page of the
binder that we are on.
(5 minutes)
Once the teacher has made sure that all the students have the materials that they need for class, the teacher will use
an attention grabber to signal to students that class is beginning. The teacher will start the lesson off by having the
students repeat the student learning target that is written on the white board and displayed on the smart board. This
will allow the students to know what the focus of the lesson is for the day. The learning target that the students will
repeat is:
- I can statement
o I can identify and label the phases of the moon.
Once the students have repeated the learning target after the teacher, then the teacher will read over the agenda to
the students of the activities that they will be completing. The agenda for the class is listed below.
- Agenda
o Oreo phases of the moon lab instructions
o Oreo phases of the moon lab
o Phases of the moon post-assessment
Once the agenda has been read aloud to the students, the teacher will pass out the lab packet and materials to the students to
begin the lab.
Procedures, Lesson Body: (20 minutes)
After the agenda of the class has been read to the students and the lab materials have been passed out the teacher will read
through the procedures to the students on what they will be doing during the lab. Each student will be conducting the lab
separately to see their own results and due to covid, but the students may collaborate with those at their table. As students are
completing their labs the teacher will walk around the room to make sure that students are staying on task and to answer any
questions that the students may have. As the students are conducting the lab they will have questions that they have to answer
Revised January 2018
that goes along with what they are doing with the lab. After all students have completed the lab the teacher will have a whole
group discussion with the class. During this discussion the teacher will ask questions about the moon phases and ask the
students to identify the moon phases as a review to the post-assessment that the students will be completing next.

Procedures, Lesson Closure: (15 minutes)

As a closure to the lesson the students will be completing a post-assessment to see if students have shown growth from the
first lesson to this lesson. This post-assessment will encompass the phases of the moon and be exactly like the pre-assessment
that the students took. As students complete the post-assessment the teacher will collect the data to review. Once the time has
come for the students to switch classes, they will gather their belongings and line up to leave to move to their next class.

Differentiation, Individualized Instruction, and Assessment:

This lesson offers differentiation for students throughout the lesson. All directions, questions, and other materials are read
aloud to the class for all students to have access to the material. This lesson involves a hands-on lab activity which is suited
for hands-on learners. For students that need modifications the teacher will allow students to type instead of writing their
answers or have the students verbally say the answers and the teacher will write down what the student’s answers are to allow
all students to have access to the same lesson.

Instructional Materials and Support:

Smart board
Oreo moon phases lab
Post-assessment on moon phases
Oreos
Pencils

Research and Theory Commentary:

While planning this lesson all types of students were thought of. In this lesson there is examples discussion that is being led
by the teacher and the students are engaging with what the teacher says which help promotes Socratic dialogue. This is
important because it helps the students learn from the teacher, but it also gives the students a chance to ask questions and so
does the teacher. Students in the lesson are also exposed to Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. Students in the lesson
are exposed to different types of learning because students do not all learn in the same way. In the lesson students are taught
by teacher led instruction because some students find it important listening to the teacher speak. There was also a hands-on
portion of the lesson that allowed the students to be creative and take control of their own learning.

Cultural Responsiveness, Equity, and Inclusion Commentary:

While planning this lesson all types of students were thought of. The lesson includes lots of visuals for those students who are
struggling readers. All directions, definitions, and extended response questions will be read aloud to students to allow all
students to have access to learning. All materials will be provided for students for the lesson so socioeconomic status does
not affect student learning. This is done by have a materials bucket that is at each of the tables. In this bucket contains all the
supplies that they will ever need in the classroom. The teacher will call on a variety of students throughout the lesson to not
show bias or favoritism to students and to allow all students the chance to participate in their education. This is done by all
students having an assigned number and the teacher has a bucket of ping pong balls that they can choose from and call on the
students. All students will be given adequate amount of time after a question was asked to allow students time to formulate
answers and to allow more students to participate.

Use of Technology Commentary (if applicable):

Technology will be used very little in this lesson. The only times that technology will be used during this lesson is to display
the agenda of the day to the class and the learning target to the students.
Reflection and Instructional Commentary (if applicable):

Revised January 2018