Science

Lesson Plan Franklin Institute: Changing Earth (5)

Teacher: Audrey Allen
Lesson Date: Friday, May 6, 2016
Subject: Science
Themes: Human Impact on the Environment, Conservation and Protection of the environment as a
social responsibility
Age: 3rd Grade

SAS:
Agenda:

Supporting and reinforcing previously taught standards
1. Hook: Introduce scholars to the Franklin
3.4.3.B2 Explain how materials are re-used or recycled
institute and set the stage for todays scientific
4.5.4.C Describe how human activities affect the
mission.
2. I do: Whole Group Instruction Introduce
environment.
exhibit scavenger hunt.

3. We do: Guided Practice Model participating in
Essential Questions:
the scavenger hunt activity. Complete 1 of the 5
scavenger hunt items as a group.
Overarching Question:
4. You do: Independent Practice Complete the
How do human activities affect the environment?
scavenger hunt in pairs or groups of three
Lesson Specific Essential Question:
(attendance depending)
5.
Closing Groups will share out one item they
What re-used or recycled materials are used in the Changing
identified as recycled or sustainable in the
Earth exhibit at the Franklin Institute?
exhibit, describe what it is made of and how it

helps the environment.
6. Assessment After finding 5 examples of
Resources/Instructional Materials Needed:
recycled or sustainably sourced items in the
1. Scavenger hunt (26)
exhibit think about something you use every
2. Museum Exit Ticket printed on the back of the
day that can be replaced with a recycled or
sustainable item.
Scavenger Hunt (26)
3. Clipboards (26)
4. Pencils (30)
5. Handheld pencil sharpener
Lesson Learning Target:
I can identify items that were either recycled or sustainably sourced and describe how their use helps our
environment.

Goals:
Scholars will use the understanding they have gained regarding pollution, conservation, and the impact
human activities have on our environment to engage with the Changing Earth exhibit at the Franklin
Institute and complete the recycled and sustainable materials scavenger hunt.

TIME

4 min

INSTRUCTIONAL SEQUENCE

ASSESSMENT

Have scholars form a circle outside of the Changing Earth exhibit

Inform scholars of appropriate museum behavior and expectations
1. Keeping our voices at a level 1 whisper, or a level 2 partner
2. Walking not running
3. Staying inside of the exhibit at all times
4. Keeping an adult chaperone in sight

Engage:
This week, we have dedicated our time and energy as scientists learning
ways that human activities affect the environment through pollution and
conservation.

Informal Assessment:
Are scholars paying
attention during
instructions?
Do scholars understand
the museum expectations
provided?














5 min

The exhibit we are going to explore today (Changing Earth) is meant to
teach us about the different ways our earth is changing as a result of
human activities and highlight the role we play in these changes!

The scientists at the Franklin Institute learned about the pollution and
conservation activities and experiments we have been doing in class and
want to see what we have learned through a special mission we will
complete during our visit!

Explain - I do: Introduce Scavenger Hunt
In addition to teaching us all about our awesome earth, the exhibit
designers and scientists have done something incredible! They
constructed the Changing Earth exhibit out of recycled materials, just
like we did with the bird feeders and planters we created yesterday!

Just like the recycled materials we used and discussed in class, the
scientists here found ways to recycle and reuse materials to reduce their
impact on the environment.

While we explore Changing Earth, our mission is to find different
recycled materials inside of the exhibit!

As you explore the exhibit displays you will also see the word
sustainable used to describe the materials in the exhibit.

Sustainable is similar to re-usable in that sustainable materials can be
used again and again because they grow back or replenish easily.

With your partner/small group (decided on the bus) you will look for
the different recycled and sustainable materials that make up the
exhibit. When you find one, you will record on you scavenger hunt sheet:
Where in the exhibit the recycled or sustainable material is, what it is made
of, and how using this material in the exhibit is helping the environment.
You will also include one awesome fact that you were able to learn about the
earth from the display.

From our learning this week, can anyone share:
What recycled/sustainable means?
What examples can you share of a recycled/sustainable material? (Listen
for examples from class experiments and real-world connections)

Awesome job! As we discussed in class, recycling is using waste (paper,
plastic, etc.) again to make something new (example: making a planter
out of plastic bottles and bird feeders out of milk cartons). As we just
learned, sustainable materials are materials that can be used over and
over again (using trees that scientists know will grow back quickly).

These definitions are provided for you at the bottom of your scavenger
hunt in case you need to reference them while you explore the exhibit.

Scholars are engaged with

the lesson
understanding their
mission and preparing to
complete it.
Additionally, scholars are
demonstrating an
understanding of
important terms
previously discussed in
our unit: re-usable and
recycled

8 - 9
min

Elaborate - We do: Model completing Scavenger Hunt Complete 1

of the 5 items as a whole group.
Before we can take on the mission that the Franklin Institute scientists
gave us, I will model what finding recycled and sustainable materials in
this exhibit looks like.

Distribute Scavenger Hunt activity to scholars.

At almost every display in the exhibit there is a small green leaf that will
help you complete your scavenger hunt. After looking at the display, find
and read the green leaf and fill in the information on your scavenger
hunt sheet.

(Demonstrate exploring exhibit and examining the materials that the
exhibit is made of: Reading the information provided, looking for clues
regarding the materials used to build the exhibit and how they help the
environment, and finding the small green leaf in the exhibit).

During the teacher model, we will complete one of the five scavenger
hunt items together.

Example:
Where: The sustainable/recycled material we found is located in the
carbon footprint display.
What: This display is made out of sustainable LED lights.
How: Using this material helps the environment by reducing the need
for light bulbs since the LED light bulbs last longer and use less energy.
Interesting fact: One interesting fact I learned from this display is that I
can reduce my carbon footprint by buying things like LED light bulbs
which reduce waste and use less energy.
Credit: Franklin Institute

Questioning during model:
What can you observe in this exhibit?
What do you notice in this display?
What materials do you see?
What do you think they are made of?

Now that we have completed one together, you will work with your
partner/small groups to identify four other examples of recycled or
sustainable materials in the exhibit and complete the scavenger hunt.

Each of you is responsible for completing your own scavenger hunt. You
can work with your partner/small group to explore the exhibit and
identify the recycled and sustainable materials used, but you each have
to turn in your own scavenger hunt.

Scholars will follow

directions, completing
whole group one of the
items on the scavenger
hunt. Although this is
whole group all scholars
should be actively
engaged in completing the
first scavenger hunt item
together as teacher
models.


30 - 45
min.

5 min

Explore - You do: Completing Scavenger Hunt

Scholars will work in their pairs/small groups to complete the
scavenger hunt provided.

Although scholars are working in pairs/small groups each scholar is
expected to complete their own scavenger hunt.

Evaluate - Closing and Assessment:
After scholars have gone through the exhibit and found 4 additional
examples of recycled or sustainable materials in Changing Earth they
will come to the center of the exhibit (bench in front of the oceans
display) with their partner for our closing circle.

Today we explored the Changing Earth exhibit, learning more about how
humans affect the earth and identified items inside of the exhibit that
were recycled or sustainably sourced. We uncovered how using these
materials can help our environment by exploring each display in the
exhibit!

Closing Questions (think-pair-share):
What types of recycled and sustainable materials did you observe on your
scavenger hunt?
How does using that material help the environment?
From the experiments we completed this week and what you have learned
today, why do you think it is important to recycle and use sustainable
materials?

Assessment:
On the back of the scavenger hunt paper scholars will complete their
Museum exit ticket:

After finding 5 examples of recycled or sustainably sourced items in the
exhibit what is something you use every day that can be replaced with a
recycled or sustainable item?

How would replacing this item improve your impact on the earth?

Enrichment/Extension/Re-teaching/Accommodations:
Instructional Modifications:
Provide sentence starters and guided notes for scholars during
the scavenger hunt.
Pair below grade level readers and ELLs with strong readers
during the scavenger hunt.
Repeat scavenger hunt directions and expectations for those that
require clarification or need to hear them more than once.
Allow scholars to respond to the scavenger hunt with drawings.
Scholars will be permitted to dictate their responses for the exit
ticket.
Provide photographic representations of key terms.

Scholars will work to

complete the scavenger
hunt provided.

Assessment After finding

5 examples of recycled or
sustainably sourced items
in the exhibit think about
something you use every
day that can be replaced
with a recycled or
sustainable item.

Ideas adapted from the Franklin Institute and Science Stories (Koch)
Scavenger Hunt for Sustainable and Recycled Materials used in Changing Earth
The Changing Earth exhibit is made entirely out of recycled and sustainable materials. Explore the exhibit with
a partner, find FIVE examples of a recycled or sustainable material used to make the exhibit.
Once you find one, record where in the exhibit the recycled or sustainable material is, what it is made of, how
using this material in the exhibit is helping the environment, and provide one interesting fact you learned from
this part of the exhibit.
1. Where:
What:
How:
Interesting fact:
2. Where:
What:
How:
Interesting fact:
3. Where:
What:
How:
Interesting fact:
4. Where:
What:
How:
Interesting fact:
5. Where:
What:
How:
Interesting fact:
Hint: There are small green leafs placed throughout the exhibit that describe the materials used to construct the
exhibit and how they help protect the environment.

Recycling is using waste (paper, plastic, etc.) again to make something new (example: making a planter out of a
plastic bottle or a bird feeder out of a milk carton)
Sustainable materials are materials that can be used over and over again (using trees that scientists know will
grow back quickly).

Modified Scavenger Hunt for Sustainable and Recycled Materials used in Changing Earth
The Changing Earth exhibit is made entirely out of recycled and sustainable materials. Explore the exhibit with
a partner, find FIVE examples of a recycled or sustainable material used to make the exhibit.
Once you find one, record where in the exhibit the recycled or sustainable material is, what it is made of, how
using this material in the exhibit is helping the environment, and provide one interesting fact you learned from
this display in the exhibit.
1. Where: The sustainable/recycled material we found is located in the ____________ display.
What: This material is made out of ____________________________________________.
How: Using this material helps the environment by ________________________________.
Interesting fact: One interesting fact I learned from this display is _____________________.
2. Where: The sustainable/recycled material we found is located in the ____________ display.
What: This material is made out of ____________________________________________.
How: Using this material helps the environment by ________________________________.
Interesting fact: One interesting fact I learned from this display is _____________________.
3. Where: The sustainable/recycled material we found is located in the ____________ display.
What: This material is made out of ____________________________________________.
How: Using this material helps the environment by ________________________________.
Interesting fact: One interesting fact I learned from this display is _____________________.
4. Where: The sustainable/recycled material we found is located in the ____________ display.
What: This material is made out of ____________________________________________.
How: Using this material helps the environment by ________________________________.
Interesting fact: One interesting fact I learned from this display is _____________________.
5. Where: The sustainable/recycled material we found is located in the ____________ display.
What: This material is made out of ____________________________________________.
How: Using this material helps the environment by ________________________________.
Interesting fact: One interesting fact I learned from this display is _____________________.
Hint: There are small green leafs placed throughout the exhibit that describe the materials used to construct the
exhibit and how they help protect the environment.

Recycling is using waste (paper, plastic, etc.) again to make something new (example: making a planter out of a
plastic bottle or a bird feeder out of a milk carton)
Sustainable materials are materials that can be used over and over again (using trees that scientists know will
grow back quickly).