5/23/2013

Early Childhood Education

Learning Experience Template
Name: Liz Gilkey
Date:
3/1/16
Standard(s)/Guideline(s):

Lesson Title: Searching for Seeds

Grade Level: Pre-K
Circle one:

ECE

Science Inquiry and Application: Inquiry: Pose questions about the physical and natural environment.
Science Inquiry and Application: Inquiry: Engage in Simple investigations
Science Inquiry and Application: Inquiry: Record observations using words, pictures, charts, graphs, etc.
Physical and Motor- Large Muscle: Balance and Coordination- Use non-locomotor skills with control, balance and coordination during active play (e.g.,
bending, stretching and twisting). and Demonstrate spatial awareness in physical activity or movement.
Physical and Motor-Small Muscle: Touch, Grasp, Reach, Manipulate- Coordinate the use of hands, fingers and wrists to manipulate objects and perform tasks
requiring precise movements.
Pre-assessment of current knowledge: we asked students where they thought plants and seeds came from, as well as what seeds need to grow into plants. We
recorded various responses, ranging from the ground as to where seeds come from to milk in response to what plants need. Some students knew that plants
need water and soil, but none of them knew all of the needs of a plant or that seeds came from plants.
Instructional Objectives
(1-2)
One/Two Assessed
Instructional Objective(s):
The student will be able to
Explain what seeds need to
grow into plants
Identify one or more stages
of the lifecycle
One Assessed
Developmental Skill:
move their bodies along
with the book to explain the
plant cycle through
movement
Safety Considerations:

Assessment of Student Learning

Learning Experience

Identify Evidence: (What will you collect or record as Academic Language:

data to demonstrate students have met your
-Nutrients
objective(s) and skill?)
-Seed Pod
We will record students abilities to articulate their ideas -Investigation
of what plants need to grow, as well as their actual -Science journal
answers to this question. We will take photos and write -Observe/Observations
down how well students are able to follow the -Cycle
movements of the teacher for the plant cycle dance.
Procedural steps:
Program Monitoring: (How will you aggregate or
1. Ask the students questions about the book The Tiny See by Eric
compile your evidence into a class or group view?)
Carle
We will utilize the provided aggregation sheet to see
2. Have them act out some stages of the lifecycle they remember from
what are areas of weakness for the class as a whole,
the book.
as well as areas of strength. With the help of this
3. Explain what a science journal is, and that it is for our observations
sheet, and the chart we will make off of it, we will be
during our investigation. Hand out science journals, and have
able to inform our future instruction and lesson plans.
students write names on them. Help those that are unable to do so
yet.

5/23/2013

Early Childhood Education

Learning Experience Template
-making sure students have
enough space to safely
move without hitting their
neighbors
-ensuring that children have
weather appropriate clothing
for outdoor observation
-depending on the weather,
watch for ice or other
possible hazards during
outside time
-Ensuring students have
buddies and are safe near
the parking lot

4. Go outside on a science investigation, pointing out seeds,

sprouts/seedlings, dying plants, flowers, and seedpods. Let children
look and touch, but not pick the plants.
5. Come back inside, break into their two small groups, the first group
would be asked to head over to The Plant Center, which is where
we had set up a table full of seeds, flowers, seed pods, and plants.
We would also have the book The Tiny Seed over there for the
students to look at. The students could look at and manipulate them
while they are drawing the stages of the lifecycle.
6. At the center, we would ask the students to draw one lifecycle stage
they saw outside.
7. We encouraged them to discuss it with someone sitting near them or
as a group.
8. After people started finishing, the children from the other group would
start filling in and drawing what they saw outside.
Authentic Materials: (Describe authentic real life, hands-on materials.)
-The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
-Seeds, seed pods, plants, and flowers found inside the building and outside
during our investigation
Adult Roles:
-Answering questions children may have
-Safety outside
-Reading book
-Helping write names

Resources & References:

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Early-Learning/Early-Learning-Content-Standards/Birth-Through-Pre_K-Learning-and-Development-Stand/ELDSLanguage-and-Literacy.pdf.aspx
http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Early-Learning/Early-Learning-Content-Standards/Birth-Through-Pre_K-Learning-and-Development-Stand/ELDSPhysical-Well-being-and-Motor-Development.pdf.aspx
https://jr.brainpop.com/science/plants/plantlifecycle/preview.weml
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.colt.lp_plantcycle/plant-life-cycles/
http://www2.bgfl.org/bgfl2/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/science/plants_pt2/index.htm
http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/children/basicplantlifecycleandthelifecycleofafloweringplant.htm
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/whatareformativeassessmentsandwhyshouldweusethem
http://www.rock.k12.nc.us/cms/lib6/NC01000985/Centricity/Domain/142/What%20is%20a%20Common%20Assessment.pdf
http://bpsscienceretreat.weebly.com/uploads/2/2/1/3/2213712/burke_form_to_summ.pdf(pg7593)
http://www.rdc.udel.edu/wpcontent/uploads/2015/04/Makingthemostofinterimassessmentdata.pdf(pg42563)

5/23/2013

Early Childhood Education

Learning Experience Template
Reflection: (What have you learned about your students? How will this inform future instruction?)
We were unable to take the students outside because of the weather. This was something that we were worried about since the weather is so hit and miss,
so we tried to think of an activity that we could do really quick just to remind them about what we did last week and get them excited for next week. We did not
want them to lose the entire have learned. We were afraid if we waited for a week in between that they would forget what we had read. I read the book to the
students and while reading the book, asked them questions along the way. Instead of drawing in their science journals what they saw outside, we were able to
draw the different stages of the plant cycle in them. This is sort of getting them ready for the center we had planned. We had all of the students sit in a big circle as
I read them the book. This worked really well because Ms. Williams and Ms. Barb were able to help watch the students and interact with them as I asked them
questions while we read the book. In the future, I think this would be the best way to teach my lessons, in large group. I also learned that exercises also worked
extremely well to focus the students, so I will do those in the future as well.
Day 3: It was finally warm enough to bring the students out for observations in their science journals. We took them outside to walk around and find different
stages of the lifecycle. I would say at first everyone was very interested in finding different plants but about half the class started become bored and started to get
distracted. The many of the students though were engaged and actively finding new plants as different stages of the lifecycle. Afterwards we took them inside and
split them up into two small groups and have them draw what they saw outside in their science journals. If I were to do this again I would definitely have them do a
breathing exercise before we all went outside to calm them down. Also, the teacher mainly took them along the parking lot. My original thought was to explore
inside the play set. If i were to do this again I would definitely do it inside an enclosed area and have individual freedom to explore. They were so worried about
sticking with their budding half of the time they were more worried about that then with the plants. I feel like having them in an enclosed area would take much of
the problems that happened out of the equation. It was hard to keep the group at the center on track because the other group playing distracted them. It was
interesting to hear the students discussing among themselves about the lifecycle. There was not much discussion at the first group but when the second group (45yrs) started talking, it was interesting to hear what they remembered from the book and outside. For them to explain their thought process out loud was helpful for
me to see what they were thinking.
This lesson had built on their knowledge that a seed turns into a flower. They had no idea why that happened or what came in between. We connected this to
future lessons by briefly describing that everything living has a lifecycle. During our hook lesson, we asked the children a question if they know anything else that
goes through a lifecycle. When nobody raised their hand, we explained that humans go through a life cycle (baby, kid, adult, elder). So we just made a connection
to other life cycle process that they will be doing in the future.

Data:
The data we collected was actually quite interesting. Luckily, there were 4 teachers that were given these sheets during the lesson so we could get an accurate
read on the students abilities. The data we received was that most of the first was a group of children (3-4yrs) had problems with recalling the different life cycle
stages. I had to ask guiding questions to get them on track. When asked what plants needed to grow about 90% of the group was able to identify one way (water),
but had forgotten the other things needed for the plant to grow. The next group (4-5yrs) did significantly better; they knew all the stages of the lifecycle (with an
exception for 3 children), and were picking them out on the table. When asked what the plants needed to grow, most of the students in the second section knew at
least two things, if not all, that the plant needs to grow.