Teacher Education Lesson Plan Template

Teacher: Joanne Van Zyl Date: 2/27/19-3/1/19 (3 day lesson)

Title of Lesson: ​Who Would Win?: Killer Cooperating Teacher: Pamela Crichton
Whales vs. Great White Sharks ​Guided
Reading Lesson

Core Components
Subject, Content Area, or Topic
Science, Language Arts, Guided Reading
Student Population
3rd Grade

Students will understand different physical and behavioral adaptations that help animals survive.
Students will be able to summarize facts in their own words.
Students will be able to compare and contrast information.
Students will be able to make their own predictions based on what they read.

Virginia Essential Knowledge and Skills (SOL)

Science SOL Life Processes 3.4: The student will investigate and understand that adaptations
allow animals to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment. Key concepts include
behavioral adaptations; and physical adaptations.
2.5c: The student will be able to make, confirm, and revise predictions.

Materials/Resources
Who Would Win?: Killer Whales vs. Great White Sharks
Process Logs
High Yield Instructional Strategies Used (Marzano, 2001)

Check if Used Strategy Return

Identifying Similarities & Differences 45%
Summarizing & Note Taking 34%
Reinforcing Efforts & Providing Recognition 29%
Homework & Practice 28%
Nonlinguistic Representations 27%
Cooperative Learning 23%
Setting Goals & Providing Feedback 23%
Generating & Testing Hypothesis 23%
Questions, Cues, & Advanced Organizers 22%
DOES YOUR INSTRUCTIONAL INPUT & MODELING YIELD THE POSITIVE
RETURNS YOU WANT FOR YOUR STUDENTS?
Check if Used Strategy Return
Teach Others/Immediate Use of Learning 95%
Practice by Doing 75%
Discussion 50%
Demonstration 30%
Audio Visual 20%
Reading 10%
Lecture 05%

Safety ​(if applicable)

Time
(min.)
Process Components
*Anticipatory Set

TTW ask students to look at the title of ​Who Would Win?: Killer Whales vs. Great White
Sharks a ​ nd ask them to make their own assumptions as to which creature would win in a
fight based on their prior knowledge.
TTW ask students what the skills of each animal is called in scientific terms (adaptations).
TTW review the difference between physical and behavioral adaptations.
TTW explain that students will act as research biologists and determine which animal they
believe would be the champion based on the evidence of their adaptations written in the
book.
*State the Objectives (grade-level terms)
I will understand different physical and behavioral adaptations that help animals survive.
I will be able to summarize facts in my own words.
I will be able to compare and contrast information I read.
I will be able to make my own predictions based on what I read.

*Instructional Input or Procedure

TSW make a T-Chart in their process logs that has Great White Sharks on one side and
Killer Whales on the other.
TTW instruct students read until page 27 of the book and record adaptations about both
killer whales and great white sharks and make an opinion on which animal they believe
will win in a fight.
TTW again show students and instruct them to stop the book on page 27 (the page before
the answer is revealed.)
TTW divide students into the Killer Whales team and the Great White Sharks team based
on their answers.
TTW instruct students to brainstorm with their team an argument using their top three
adaptations of their animal to the other team.
TSW pick a spokesperson for their team and present their arguments,
TTW see if any students choose the other team before proceeding.
TTW read the rest of the book to the students revealing the killer whale to be the winner.
TTW have students reflect in their process log before reading the book, after conducting
their research, and the end result of the book and discuss how their opinions may have
changed and how certain adaptations helped their animal survive.
*Modeling
TTW review different types of adaptations with the students.
TTW make a T-Chart for the students to copy.
TTW record one adaptation for each animal from the book.
*Check for Understanding
TTW have students reflect in their process log before reading the book, after conducting
their research, and the end result of the book and discuss how their opinions may have
changed and how certain adaptations helped their animal survive.
*Guided Practice
TTW review the difference between physical and behavioral adaptations.
TTW explain that students will act as research biologists and determine which animal they
believe would be the champion based on the evidence of their adaptations written in the
book.
TTW instruct students read until page 27 of the book and record adaptations about both
killer whales and great white sharks and make an opinion on which animal they believe
will win in a fight.
TTW again show students and instruct them to stop the book on page 27 (the page before
the answer is revealed.)
TTW divide students into the Killer Whales team and the Great White Sharks team based
on their answers.
TTW instruct students to brainstorm with their team an argument using their top three
adaptations of their animal to the other team.

*Independent Practice
TSW make a T-Chart in their process logs that has Great White Sharks on one side and
Killer Whales on the other.
TSW record research of different adaptations of Great White Sharks and Killer Whales
(should be at least four one each side of the T Chart)
TSW reflect in their process log their opinion before reading the book, after conducting
their research, and the end result of the book and discuss how their opinions may have
changed and how certain adaptations helps their animal survive.

Assessment
none

*Closure
TSW share why they believed the author wrote this book in this format and how their
opinions changed throughout the book. TSW explain how different adaptations help
animals survive their environment.
*​Denotes Madeline Hunter lesson plan elements.