SETON HILL UNIVERSITY

Lesson Plan Template

TOPIC
Name
Subject
Grade Level
Date/Duration
Big Ideas

Essential
Questions

PA/Common
Core/Standards

Objective
Bloom's
Taxonomy
Webb's Depth of
Knowledge
(DOK)
Formative &
Summative
Assessment
Evidence

DETAILS
Brianna Smith
Science
K-2nd Grade
One week
Something is categorized as living verses nonliving by
the different visible external characteristics it has.
Animals and plants share these traits with their
offspring.
All living things go through some sort of life cycle that
involves change.
What allows us to see that something is living?
What do all animals or plants have in common?
Can you name some things that happen when a plant
or animal is going through its life cycle?
3. 1. 1.A1: Categorize living and nonliving things by external
characteristics (focusing on living for the weeks lesson)
S.K-2.B.1.1.1: describe basic external structures of
animals and plants
S.K.-2.B.1.1.2: Identify a plant or animal based on a
given life cycle stage (e.g., butterfly, frog, seed,
producing plant).
After a class discussion students will be able to properly
identify 4 out of 5 living organisms
While working in small groups, children will be able to
properly piece together a life cycle of a plant or animal
with 0-2 errors using the Life Stages app and applying
their knowledge from the prior discussion.

ISTE Standards
for Students
Framework for
21st Century

Class will work together in small groups to come up

with written lists of what is known coming into the
lesson and get the mind thinking about biological
connections and living science. (Including a guided
questioning from the instructor)
Groups will check in for completion and correctness
regarding the Life Cycle app that they will be using to
properly organize a lifecycle of an animal, for example,
a butterfly.
Students will be asked to independently write down a
list of at least 5 living things for their exit slip that will
be checked for accuracy by the teacher.
Engage students in exploring real world issues
Promote students reflection using collaborative tools to
reveal and clarify students conceptual understanding
and thinking

CK

Learning

Accommodation
s, Modifications

Learning and innovative skills- collaboration, critical

thinking
For students who get off task, have ADHD, or some
other behavioral disabilities, steps will be given very
clearly and concisely while as simply stated as possible.
They will also be visibly listed on the board and
reiterated when necessary.
For students who cannot spell or are not on the same
writing level as the rest of the class, a picture of a living
and nonliving thing may be drawn as his/her exit slip
as a substitute.
Transitions and timing will be very strongly noted
throughout the lesson to keep the students on task and
completing their work properly.
Visuals, videos, simplifying or defining scientific words,
and so on will be utilized for each student to be able to
understand what exactly we are learning about,
regardless of their grade level, or competency level.
Instead of counting of to work in groups, the teacher
may choose groups of students and pair reasonably to
who would work best with one another to avoid any
possible problem behaviors.
Instead of keeping a daily Living Organisms Journal,
students may just discuss living organisms they see
each day as a class.

SUPERVISING
TEACHERS
SIGNATURE

Seton Hill University Lesson Plan Template Step-by-Step

Procedures
RATIONALE for
the Learning
Plan
Introduction

Explicit
Instructions

CK
Activating Prior Knowledge
Students will use the time in the beginning of the class
to think of the facts or characteristics they already know
about living or nonliving things, with prompted questions
from the teacher.
Hook/Lead-In/Anticipatory Set
As a class watch the video, Needs of Living things. A fun
video for Kids.
They will then be asked to think about what makes that
living specimen any different from a rock, table, lamp,
any other nonliving thing, etc.
Big Idea Statement
Something is categorized as living verses nonliving by
the different visible external characteristics it has.
Animals and plants share these traits with their

Lesson
Procedure

Reading
Materials
Technology

offspring.
All living things go through some sort of life cycle that
involves change.
Essential Questions Statement
What allows us to see that something is living?
What do all animals or plants have in common?
Can you name some things that happen when a plant or
animal is going through its life cycle?
Objective Statement
After a class discussion students will be able to properly
identify 4 out of 5 living organisms
While working in small groups, children will be able to
properly piece together a life cycle of a plant or animal
with 0 1 errors using the Life Stages app and applying
their knowledge from the prior discussion.
Transition
Students will all give an example of a living organism
prior to counting off in groups of four to further discuss
living organisms.
Key Vocabulary
Life cycle, living, nonliving, animals, plants, external
structures (body parts)
PreAssessment of Students
The teacher will take not during the pre-discussion to
assess the classes overall view on living and nonliving
things, by seeing what they know, and what they still
need to work on more in depth.
Modeling of the Concept
As a class the students will be guided by the instructor
through a visual aspect of the lesson showing some of
the characteristics that all living things have.
Guiding the Practice
Students will be guided by the instructor during class
discussion, through prompted questions to better ensure
that they are receiving all of the necessary information
regarding living things.
Providing the Independent Practice
The list of living things that each students comes up
with for their exit slip will be done independently
Students will be given free time throughout the week to
work on the Life Stages app and learn to better navigate
their way round it independently
Transition
Students will all give an example of a living organism
prior to counting off in groups of four to further discuss
living organisms.
The Life Stages app
Individual computers or tablets for the students
Use of the internet and Wi-Fi for the YouTube video

Equipment
showing
Supplies
Evaluation of
Formal Evaluation
the
Groups will check in for completion and correctness
Learning/Master
regarding the Life Cycle app that they will be using to
y of the
properly organize a lifecycle of an animal, for example, a
Concept
butterfly.
Students will be asked to independently write down a list
of at least 5 living things for their exit slip that will be
checked for accuracy by the teacher.
Informal Evaluation
Class will work together in small groups to come up with
written lists of what is known coming into the lesson and
get the mind thinking about biological connections and
living science. (Including a guided questioning from the
instructor)
Asking the students to name a living thing
independently before splitting into groups
Closure
Summary & Review of the Learning
After being able to clearly and independently identify
living organisms, students will be able to use this
knowledge to better understand the concept of the life
cycle. Also, the students will be able to apply this lesson
further into their understanding of biological concepts
throughout their school years and higher level science
classes.

Teacher
Self-reflection

Homework/Assignments
Keep a 24-hour journal and write down as many living
things you see on your trip home from school, in your
yard, in your house, etc. Include what you think the
living things life cycle may look like if you can.
The lesson may need to be shortened, or broken down
further into the different concepts of this lesson. More
time may need to be spent throughout the week on
different aspects like learning the characteristics of
living things or going over the idea of a life cycle.