Lesson Plan Template

Candidate Name: Jenell Tanksley

Strategy (circle one): Task Rotation; NAL; Mystery; Decision Making;

C/C Thinking; Metaphorical; Windows Notes; Other
UNIT NAME
Organisms & Ecosystem Energy Flow
LESSON NAME
What is an Ecosystem?
Grade
4

Subject
Science

Time Needed (Hours/Days)

1 -2 day(s)
Course

STANDARDS/ELEMENTS: CCGPS, GPS/GSE (where applicable) and TAG Standards

TAG Standard: The student identifies and illustrates basic principles and the
foundational concepts that are central to understanding the essence of a field
of study.
Science Standard: S4L1.c. Predict how changes in the environment would
affect a community (ecosystem) of organisms.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDING:
Students should be able to distinguish the different between population and
community. Students should be able to predict how changes in the
environment would affect a community. .of organisms.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION(s)
Clearly stated, Specific, Unambiguous, Detailed
What should students know, understand, and be able to do when lesson is completed?

Essential Question: What is an Ecosystem?

TEACHER LESSON PREPARATION
Create the Ecosystem Task Rotation sheet
Print and copy the Ecosystem Task Rotation sheet
Print and copy the Learning Style inventory sheet
ACTIVATING STRATEGY
Contains one of these in a well-developed, clearly explained format: related pre-assessment,
motivating introductory activity (hook or mini-lesson), opportunity for students to link content
to prior knowledge and interests, an advanced organizer, and/or clearly stated learning
expectations using related focusing and guiding questions

Hook: Students will take a Learning Style Inventory to assess their learning
style. Once a preferable learning style has been established, students will be
more familiar with their learning style and in turn select a task more
appropriate for them.

Instructional Sequence and Activities including use of technology

Includes all essential aspects of strategy, demonstrating clear understanding of how to use the strategy.
The procedures are well-scripted and very clear.
Technology is utilized efficiently, seamlessly, and creatively
Explain to students that they will be working on a very special kind of
assignment called a Task Rotation, and that the idea behind a Task Rotation is
that it allows all students to show what they know in ways that work best for
them.
Introduce students to the four learning styles. Allow students some time to turn
and talk so they could reflect and discuss.
o Mastery ask students to remember and describe
o Understanding ask students reason and explain
o Interpersonal asks students to explore feelings and relate personally
o Self Expressive asks students to imagine and create
Project and discuss the criteria for success on the Tasks Rotations on the white
board:

Know: Students
need to know the
following
vocabulary words:
Envinorment,
Ecosystem,
population and
community

Attitudes:
Apperciate how
knowledge of
ecosystems can
help them make
informed
decisions about
their life style.

Understand: The
needs of each
population may
vary depending
on their
community.

Skills:
Visiual
representation
Imaginative
thinking

Students should work on task(s) independently. *Work Should be documented

in the Science Notebook
The teacher will move around the room while students work and observe them
as the complete their selected task(s).

Assessment Strategies
Assessment is all of these: aligned to the essential question(s), includes either informal or formal assessment
of student learning, and any assessment tools or questions used are included
Informal Assessment: While the students work, the teacher will walk around
the room to observe them, making herself available to students who are
struggling with a particular task and provide coaching as needed. *This will
allow the teacher to learn more about each students preference and personal
approach to learning. *
Differentiation
Lesson is clearly differentiated for gifted learners by use of one or more of the following: acceleration, extensions, enrichment,
tiered activities.
Lesson incorporates concepts, principles, cognitive skills, and methodologies that can be transferred across disciplines.
Activities require students to analyze, synthesize, and/or evaluate.

Low students Select and work on their preferred task.

On students Select and work on their preferred task and choose
another task.
Gifted students Select their preferred task and to challenge them, they
should also select and complete their least preferred task. *These
selections will help students improve their learning by capitalizing on
their strongest styles and growing their underdeveloped capacities.

Materials/Links/Text References/Resources - Thorough

References:
Silver, H. F., Strong, R. W., & Perini, M. J. (2007). The Strategic Teacher (pp.
207-215). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development.
Materials:
Task Rotation (Ecosystem)
Learning Style Inventory
Science Notebook