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TCNJ Lesson Plan

Morning Meeting and Science Lesson
Ninjas and Camouflage
9:17 - 10:03
Student Name: Amanda Mrotzek
School Name: Beverly City School
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Host Teacher’s Name: Mrs. Shockley

Guiding and/or Essential Questions:

- What day is it today?
- What sight words can you identify in our message?
- What is camouflage?
- How is camouflaging helpful?

Pre-lesson Assignments and/or Student Prior Knowledge

- Every morning the students complete the calendar by doing all the jobs assigned to them.
The calendar captain of the day is in charge of identifying the month, day of the week and
number day in the calendar as well as circling the sight words in the message. Then the
teacher calls on other students to help with reading the message, identifying the weather
and counting what number day of Kindergarten they are on that day. These are jobs they
are comfortable with doing since we repeat them everyday.
- Share the news is another thing we do every morning where the students share their
answers to a question with partners and then to the whole group.
- The students are comfortable with the Tools of the Mind slideshow PDFs because we
have used them to build background on three other topics/books so far. The class started
the first half of this slideshow yesterday so they learned about other tricks ninjas copied
from animals. They were also introduced to camouflage and watched a science video on
the topic to provide them with further insight.

Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.10
Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1.A
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns
speaking about the topics and texts under discussion).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1.B
Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.6
Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.
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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.5
Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional
detail.
K-LS1-1.
Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans)
need to survive.
K-ESS2-2.
Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals (including
humans) can change the environment to meet their needs.

Learning Objectives and Assessments:

Learning Objectives Assessment

Students will be able to identify what day it is
including the month, day of the week and number day.
The calendar captain will complete the calendar jobs
designated and the rest of the class will complete the
remaining ones. Teacher will aid students and prompt
them as necessary. Teacher will informally assess for
correct answers proving understanding.

Students will be able to design and construct a habitat
to camouflage their assigned animal.
Students will work with their assigned partners to draw
a plan and ultimately create a habitat to camouflage
their animal using different materials available to them.
Teacher will walk around the classroom and observe the
students as they create their habitats. Teacher will
informally assess for correct understanding of
camouflage in the habitat models.

Students will be able to share the news and identify one Students will participate in a closing Share the News
habitat that they really liked and that worked well to activity where they will share with a partner and then
camouflage the animal. the whole class. Teacher will observe and listen to
responses, expanding upon answers as needed.

Materials/Resources:
- Tools of the Mind PDF - Animal Tricks (slides 10-20)
- Class calendar
- Large morning message paper
- Markers
- Math hundreds chart
- Stickers for chart
- Pointers
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- Share the News card

- Lips and ears laminated cards
- Computer
- Projector
- Smartboard
- Video: Camouflage Song
- Animals powerpoint (with pictures)
- Tan construction paper
- Construction paper
- Toilet paper rolls
- Q-tips
- Masking tape
- Miscellaneous paper scraps
- Scissors
- Glue
- Animal cards
Plan for set-up/ distribution/ cleanup of materials:
- The calendar, math hundreds chart, pointer, markers, message paper and pointers
are already at the front of the classroom.
- The Share the News card as well as the lips and ears are located near the square
rug on the easel.
- The slides will be pulled up and the computer, projector and smartboard will be
set up prior to the lesson starting.
- All of the habitat creation materials will be available on the green kidney table
for the students to choose from.
Step by Step plan:
1. Lesson Beginning:
a. Morning Meeting/ Calendar: To begin the social studies period, the calendar
captain will walk over to the calendar and charts and will complete the
corresponding jobs including circling sight words, adding the next snowman,
writing in the number on the chart and changing the day of the week card. After
they are finished, the class will help the teacher to complete the rest of the jobs
from the cloud rug including reading the message, choosing the weather and
finding what number day of kindergarten it is.
2. Activity:
a. Powerpoint slides: The teacher will pull up the Tools of the Mind Animal Tricks
slides on the smartboard (slides 10-20). The students will sit in their cloud spots
to watch the slides and learn about tricks that animals used including why they
were helpful and important to the safety of the animals. Students will share their
thoughts, opinions, connections and questions with the group as the slides are
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shown. Then, they will watch a short video song that tells them about animals and
camouflage and will watch a powerpoint that has pictures of the three animals for
their project.
b. Habitat creation: Students will be assigned a partner to work with on the project.
They will receive a picture of an animal and plan out a habitat for camouflaging
their animal by drawing a plan on tan construction paper. Then, using various
materials, the students will create their own habitats to properly camouflage their
assigned animal just like the ninjas do.
i. Partners:
1. Hannah and Will
2. Chris and Mylah
3. Torie and Kylieann
4. Olivia, TaMya and James
5. Sawyer and Armando
ii. Animals:
1. Polar Bear
2. Deer (2 groups)
3. Owl (2 groups)
c. Share: Once they are done creating their habitats, they will present it to the class
and tell them how their habitat allows their animal to camouflage. Each pair will
take their habitat to the square rug with them and will sit behind their habitat in
their chairs. They will show their habitats to the class and explain how it
camouflages their animals.
3. Closure: After sharing their habitats, the students will participate in Share the News. The
teacher will ask the students “what is one habitat that you saw today that you really liked
and how did it camouflage the animal?” The teacher will hand out the lips and ears cards
to each pair and will have them share their answers with their partner. The teacher will
then refocus them and allow each student to share their answers. Then all of the lips and
ears cards will be collected and returned to their pockets on the easel. The students will
place their habitats on the kidney table and will return their chairs to their tables.

Key Questions
- What day is it today?
- What number day of Kindergarten is it today?
- Can you think of a reason why an animal would want to keep quiet or hidden?
- What do you do when you’re trying to hide, like during hide and seek or other
games?
- What animal do you think is camouflaged in this picture?
- Based on what you’ve learned so far, which one of these animals is using
camouflage, the polar bear or the butterfly?
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- When would be a good time of day for ninjas to wear dark colors?
- If this child wants to use camouflage to blend in with the tree, what clothing
colors or patterns would help?
- Think like a ninja - what animal tricks could you use to hide quietly in a place like
this?
- What kind of habitat would this animal need to camouflage itself?
- “What is one habitat that you saw today that you really liked and how did it
camouflage the animal?”

Key Vocabulary
- Predator
- Camouflage
- Ninja
- Disguise
- Habitat

Logistics:
Timing:
- Lesson Beginning: 10 minutes
- Activity:
- Slides: 5-7 minutes
- Habitats: 15 minutes
- Presenting: 5 minutes
- Closure: 5 minutes
.Transitions:
- Students will be sitting in their cloud spots while reviewing the calendar
and hundreds chart. Students will walk over to the construction paper shelf
to take a tan piece of paper and will place it on their tables. They will
return to their cloud spots to review the slides. Students will go to their
table spots to complete their habitat models. Then, they will go to their
carpet squares for Share the News.

Classroom Management:
- Teacher will use the clip chart to reward students with proper behavior
during the lesson.
- If students are losing focus, teacher will use call and response including
“Macaroni and cheese...everybody freeze” , “Hocus pocus...everybody
focus” or “Holy moly...guacamole.”
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- Students who are not sitting correctly on the rug will be reminded to do a
“body check” and make sure they are sitting criss cross on their cloud
spot.
- Mr Vespe, the paraprofessional will be stationed near students who need
extra teacher direction during the lesson.
- Desk seats were previously assigned to students based on their specific
needs. Cloud spots were also previously assigned.

Differentiation Notes
- Students that need extra guidance will be given directions multiple times or
individually as needed.
- Scaffolding and assistance during the calendar will be given to the captain as
needed.
- Student seating arrangements were previously assigned according to their specific
needs.
- If students are excelling they may be used as helpers to their peers.
- J.C. may be asked to sit in chairs for his best learning experience. J.C. may be
holding a fidget to help him stay focused on the lesson.
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