ELED 320 Final Unit

Student Name: Hannah Hohwieler

Student: Hannah Hohwieler Unit Name: Plants and Grade Level: 1

Animals
Similarities/Differences

Performance Expectation (with 1-LS3-1 Make observations to construct an evidence-based account

NGSS code) that young plants and animals are like, but not exactly like, their
parents.

Lesson Objectives The students will make observations about plants and animals and
their offspring and construct an explanation and solution as to why
that is. They will also see the patterns in different species and how
some features stay the same or how some features can change
from generation to generation.

Disciplinary Core Idea Scientific and Engineering Cross Cutting Concept

Practice

LS3.A Inheritance of traits: Young
animals are very much, but not
exactly like, their parents. Plants are
also very much, but not exactly, like
their parents.
Constructing Explanations Patterns: Patterns in the natural
and Designing Solutions: and human designed world can be
Constructing explanations observed, used to describe
and designing solutions in K-2 phenomena, and used as evidence.
builds on prior experiences
and progresses to the use of
evidence and ideas in
constructing evidenced-based
accounts of natural
phenomena and designing
solutions.
*Make observations
(firsthand or from media) to
construct an evidence-based
account for natural
phenomena.

Overview of the Unit: In this unit, students will be observing pictures and researching on their own
about plants and animals. Each day are activities, discussions, or journal prompts about observing
plants and animals and how they differ or are similar to other breeds or species of their kind. Students
will be engaging with one another and comparing and contrasting information during this unit as well.
It’s a mix of everything!

Day 1- 40 minutes

Lesson Component(s) Description and link to materials

Introduction to the Topic I will read the book, Different? Same! By Heather Tekavec and
Engage–read aloud (10 illustrated by Pippa Curnick. It’s a great intro to what the students will
minutes) be learning about the next few days. The overall theme of the book is
that animals have differences and similarities to animals of their own
 breed, but to animals that are different as well. We will then have a
discussion once I am finished reading the story.

Guiding Questions:
● What animals did you notice had the same mannerisms as
another species?
● What differences did you notice between species?
● Do you think if these animals had babies that they would be
exactly like their parents in looks and in mannerisms? Why or
why not?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVDXwPgsdlk

Explore–picture Once the read aloud is over, I will have different stations set up
observations (25 minutes) around the room that have various pictures/videos to observe and to
take notes about. I will place students into groups of 3 or 4, and they
will observe the pictures between different animal and plant species
and write about the similarities and differences between the offspring
and parent. They will be provided with different pieces of paper at
each station that have side by side pictures of the parent and
offspring and they will first work quietly and independently on
providing information on what they see, and then they will get a few
minutes to share with their groups on what they had written down and
observed.

https://youtu.be/luelvrhbTWE

Closure (5 minutes) I will have students sit down at the carpet and have a whole group
discussion about what species they thought was most interesting to
observe.

Guiding Questions: What species was most interesting to observe and

why? What species were you most surprised about? What did you
learn about parents and their offspring?

Materials ● Different? Same! By Heather Tekavec and illustrated by Pippa

Curnick.
● https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ldPEjiBkLjxcGo-
MQrAa1hTDSVPS2rMPJO0O05cRfg4/edit?usp=sharing
● https://docs.google.com/document/d/
1GI8Wlcr6FLm76RXjCaxX1CRbvm8Hlc5s4Mf_r3N6zpo/edit?
usp=sharing

Differentiation Adaptations for those exceeding expectations:

● For students exceeding expectations, I will challenge them to
provide more details in their boxes on their worksheet
Adaptations for students with special needs or not meeting
expectations:
● I will have these students look at the pictures between the
parents and offspring and verbalize what they see rather than
write it down

Different subject standard 1.RL.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
● This standard fits in when reading the story. The reason being

Formative Assessment
Day 2 - 35 minutes
Lesson Component(s)
Engage–animal/plant
matching activity (5
minutes)
Explore–researching
animals or plants and their
offspring (15 minutes)
Explain–drawing a
representation of
animals/plants (10 minutes)
Closure (5 minutes)
Materials
Differentiation
is because the students are answering questions about some
of the details in the story relating to our science lesson.
Observation: I will see the students’ notes on their
similarities/differences worksheets to see what they noticed or if they
need any extra guidance with what the pictures consist of.
Description and link to materials
To start off the lesson, students will do an animal matching worksheet
to see if they can match the correct offspring to the parent. (My
cooperating teacher during practicums told me they’ve done this in
their classroom before and her students have always loved it) This is
another form of observation for them to think critically as to what
animal offspring matches their parents.
After the matching activity, students will research their own different
animals or plants of their choosing. I will be walking around during
this time and asking them if there are any patterns that they notice
between the plant or animal they are researching and the changes in
some of the breeds or species. I want them to notice patterns
regarding qualities or physical features that stay the same, and
qualities that are sometimes different from other animals or plants of
the same breed or species.
Students will draw a representation of their plant or animal of their
choosing along with the offspring. I will also have them include a
description of the patterns they noticed while researching their topic. I
will have them note similarities and differences within their own topic.
Journal Prompt:
● How did the animal or plant of your choice differ from their
parent?
● How were they the same?
● What patterns did you notice within the breed or species of the
topic of your choosing?
● https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xZ0FGuTDNR6F0H-
d19WmndJIBv8fhI3ySuqwPnrLQpE/edit?usp=sharing
● 1 piece of paper
● Writing utensil
● Computers/iPads
● Optional: Coloring utensils for drawing
Adaptations for those exceeding expectations:
● I would ask them questions on their journal prompt such as:
“Why do you think the animal or plant of your choosing
changes a little bit from generation to generation?”
Adaptations for students with special needs or not meeting
expectations:
● Having a teacher with the student when researching and
 instead of drawing, they can verbalize what they are seeing.

Formative Assessment Observation: I would see what they include in their drawings and how
they did on the matching activity. I would also walk around while their
researching to make sure everyone is staying on task and to also
answer any questions.

Day 3 -

Lesson Component(s) Description and link to materials

Elaborate–compare and This day is more of a review day, so I would have them take their
contrast with peers drawings and descriptions from yesterday’s lesson and have them
discuss with classmates about their findings. They will talk to about 3
other classmates with a planned rotation. Students learn a lot from
each other so I think it’s beneficial for them to compare and contrast
and to have one-on-one discussions about their findings.

Evaluate–writing prompt The standard is: 1-LS3-1 Make observations to construct an evidence-
(summative assessment) based account that young plants and animals are like, but not exactly
like, their parents. The summative assessment will be a writing prompt
because students needed to have observed and understood why
animals and plants aren’t always exactly like their parents. In their
science notebooks they will answer questions such as:
● What did you notice about the animal or plant of your choice
and what they look like when they’re young versus when they
become an adult?
● What patterns did you notice?
● Why do you think the animals or plants of your choosing didn’t
all look the same? What evidence do you have of that?

Materials ● Drawing representation

● Science notebooks
● Writing utensil

Differentiation Adaptations for those exceeding expectations:

● I would ask them to use vocabulary in their writing or
discussion such as “offspring” or “genetics”
Adaptations for students with special needs or not meeting
expectations:
● They would have the option to verbalize their thoughts rather
than write it down. During share time with a partner, I might
include them in a group that already has 2 rather than have
them be with someone one-on-one.

Formative Assessment Observation: I would walk around and listen in on everyone’s

conversations, and I would also see their writing prompts.

Loom Overview Link: https://www.loom.com/share/743d30710737429b94e0d088ee0436a0