Amelia Gillman
EDU 690
Lesson Plans
Below are 6 different topics that will extend through 9 weeks. Each topic contains 3-5 lesson plans to implement.
Topic #1- Ocean Animals
Lesson Plan 1
Common Core Standards(for entire unit): Recognizes and describes the effect of his/her own actions on objects
Learning Targets (for entire unit): Students will gain a basic understanding of the importance of our oceans and their role in our world.
Students will gain an understanding of what it is that ocean animals need to survive
Academic Language: gills- what fish use underwater to breathe
Scales- make the fish colorful, protect them from predators and other injuries
Blowhole- ocean animals use this to exhale air
Assessment Strategies: Teacher will have informal class discussions to gain what their students know about ocean life.
Anticipatory Set: Students will be asked to play with water bins. Inside the bins will be various ocean animals. Teacher will walk around and observe students playing with the animals and noticing which ones they are able to identify.
Teacher will then use this as an opportunity to talk about the next unit (ocean animals)
Sequence of Instruction: since today is the opening day of the unit, instruction will be light. Students will be able to discover and explore in the water bins and the teacher will answer questions students have about the animals they discovered during circle time.
Teacher will take a class poll on chart paper about everyone’s favorite ocean animal, then teacher will discuss results
Teacher will end class discussion in circle time by reading the book Who’s In the Ocean By: Dorothea DePrisco
Instructional Materials: Water bins
Plastic ocean animals
Who’s In the Ocean book
Chart paper
markers
Lesson Plan 2
Academic Language: Litter- making a place untidy by leaving garbage lying about
Recycling- convert garbage and waste to reusable material
Anticipatory Set: Students will be introduced to the beach dramatic play center. Teacher will have sunscreen bottles, sunglasses, flip flops, beach hat, beach ball, towels, cooler, pails, shovels, small play pool filled with sand, beach chairs, umbrellas, etc.. students will be asked to name some of the items in the play center and will be encouraged to play however they see fit.
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will allow students to play in the dramatic play center and observe behaviors without interjecting.
Teacher will show class a fun YouTube video about oceans and beaches called “Oceans of the World for Kids” .
Teacher will talk in circle time about what students can do to keep our beaches clean. Like not littering, picking up garbage, recycling, etc..
Instructional Materials: YouTube access to play video
All materials needed for dramatic play center
Lesson Plan 3
Academic Language: Pattern blocks- math manipulative. They allow students to see how shapes can be decomposed into other shapes.
Learning Targets: Students will be able to create a fish using pattern blocks and understand that some shapes can be decomposed into other shapes
Assessment Strategies: Teacher will ask students to join her individually or in small groups at the kidney table to formally assess their understanding of using pattern blocks.
Anticipatory Set: Teacher will talk about ocean animals and their shapes and sizes during circle time on the rug. Students will be invited to again talk about their favorite ocean animals and their sizes and how their favorite animals differ in size from their friends.
Teacher will then introduce ocean pattern block mats.
Students will make their way back to their seats and be asked to complete the pattern block mats with their colored pattern blocks.
Students will notice how different pattern block shapes can make larger shapes and actually look like a fish.
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will allow students to continue to play in dramatic play center while re-introducing water table with ocean animals.
Teacher will have students create ocean animals on ocean pattern block mats.
Lesson Plan 4- Aquarium Visit
Academic Language: Aquarium- a place in which fish and other larger animals live in tanks and are taken care of by specialized personnel.
Learning Targets: Students will be able to identify ocean animals in aquarium that they learned about in the classroom.
Students will be able to verbalize the difference between an aquarium and an ocean.
Anticipatory Set: Teacher will talk about aquariums and ask how many students have been to an aquarium before.
Teacher will ask students what they think the difference might be between an aquarium and an ocean.
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will direct students around the aquarium and informally assess their knowledge of ocean animals that they’ve learned about in the classroom.
Closure- Teacher will stress the importance of our oceans and how we can make a difference in keeping them clean and keeping ocean animals alive.
Instructional Materials: name tags
Lunches
Topic #2- Farming
Lesson Plan 1
Common Core Standards (throughout entire unit): Uses senses to explore different environments (classroom, playground, field trips).
Learning Targets (throughout entire unit): Students will be able to identify the main aspects of farm life and the impact a farm has on student lives
Students will gain an understanding of what it takes to be a farmer and how a farm operates as well as how farms can impact their lives
Academic Language: Silo- tall tower, often seen at farms, used to store grain.
Assessment Strategies (throughout entire unit): Teacher will assess student understanding of a farm informally by asking questions about farm animals, crops, and farm equipment.
Teacher will assess student understanding formally by playing a matching game with the name of different farm equipment and it’s name.
Anticipatory Set: Teacher will read the book Down on the Farm By Merrily Kutner and ask students what they think we will be learning about next.
Students will then be encouraged to play with the farm animal set in the room.
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will guide discussion on the carpet after reading and gauge student understanding of what happens on a farm. Based on conversation, teacher may teach students what farmers do, what the roles of the animals are, etc.
Teacher will ask students to return to their desks and they will complete a pre-assessment matching worksheet about farm equipment and it’s name.
Teacher will collect pre-assessment and determine student understanding of farm equipment and what needs to be taught.
Closure- Teacher will ask students what types of materials they may need for their farm dramatic play area. This allows teacher to assess what children know about farming and also allows children to feel they are taking part in creating a lesson.
Instructional Materials:
Farm animal toys
Farm equipment matching game worksheet (pre-assessment)
Down on the Farm book
Lesson Plan 2
Academic Language: wheelbarrow- a small cart with a single wheel and two supporting legs used to transport typically heavy materials, often seen on a farm.
Learning Targets: Students will utilize gross motor skills doing wheelbarrow with a partner
Anticipatory Set: Students will be encouraged to play in the dramatic play center and tell teacher what they notice.
Teacher will then teach students to do wheelbarrow with a partner.
Sequence of Instruction: Once students have finished with wheelbarrow, teacher will ask why they think she had them learn wheelbarrow?
Teacher will then discuss that wheelbarrows are used at farms and will discuss what types of things farmers might use wheelbarrows to transport.
Teacher will read a story called Reuben and His Red Wheelbarrow By Alice Dalgliesh
Students will then create a wheelbarrow of their own using arts and craft materials and glue.
Teacher will help students recognize the different shapes that are in wheelbarrows.
Instructional Materials: Farmer outfit (plaid shirt, overalls, hat)
Hay bales
Toy animals
Barn
Mats to go under students while they practice wheelbarrow
Construction Paper
Popsicle sticks
Glue
Reuben and His Red Wheelbarrow book
Lesson Plan 3
Anticipatory Set: Teacher will read at circle time: Pete the Cat: Old MacDonald Had a Farm By James Dean
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will ask students what they know about the song Old MacDonald, if they’ve heard it before, if they’ve sang it before, etc..
Students and teacher will sing and dance together on the carpet to Old MacDonald CD
Teacher will teach students the origin of the song and how it dates back further than 1917
Students will then be encouraged to play in the dramatic play center
Instructional Materials:
Pete the Cat book
Old MacDonald CD
Lesson Plan 4
Academic Language: Typewriter- a machine that was used many years ago (like a computer) to type words
Strike- a refusal to work
Electric Blankets- a blanket that can be heated by being plugged into an outlet
Ultimatum- a final demand that the rejection of which will result in retaliation or breakdown of relations
Anticipatory Set: Prior to reading the book, teacher will go over some tricky words that come up in the book
Teacher will read the book Click, Clack, Moo By Doreen Cronin at the carpet
Sequence of Instruction: After reading the book with the students, teacher will ask students why they think it was strange that the cows were typing? What do cows normally do?
Teacher will stress the fact that cows often are known for producing milk to drink, but will challenge the students to think of what else can be made from milk.
Teacher will then assure the students arrive at the idea that mild can be made into buter.
Students will make butter by shaking heavy cream in baby food jars
The solid and liquid will separate and there will be a ball of butter left, teacher will help students spread their butter on a piece of bread to eat for a snack
Instructional Materials: Click Clack Moo book
Heavy Cream
Baby food jars
Bread
Plastic silverware
Lesson Plan 5- Farm Visit
Academic Language: anything new that the children learn about at the farm, including equipment, animals, etc, will be addressed as they arise.
Anticipatory set: Teacher will describe the place the students are going to visit by mentioning all of the equipment, animals, etc that they talked about throughout the week
Sequence of Instruction:
Teacher will guide students through the farm with chaperones
Teacher will point out different equipment and animals that they had talked about throughout the week and ask students what they notice
Instructional Materials:
Name tags
Lunches
Topic #3- Grocery Store
Lesson Plan 1
Common Core Standards (throughout the unit): Uses existing objects to represent desired or imagined objects in play or other purposeful way (e.g., plastic banana for a telephone)
Learning Targets (throughout the unit): Students will be able to determine the difference between the grocery store and a farm
Students will be able to determine what they can obtain from a grocery store
Students will be able to count money and give change on the cash register
Assessment Strategies (throughout the unit): Teacher will asses student learning informally by observing student play in the grocery store set up in the dramatic play area in the classroom
Anticipatory Set: Teacher will bring in various items you can purchase in the store, boxes, fruits, vegetables, etc. and ask students where they can get these items.
Students will eventually land on the idea that the items come from the grocery store.
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will encourage students to play in the grocery store dramatic play center.
Teacher will observe students’ understanding of how a grocery store operates based on what they do with the props in the play center.
Instructional Materials: Play grocery store area
Cash register
Fake money
Apron
Plastic food
Lesson Plan 2
Academic Language: Inventory- a complete list of items in stock
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will ask students if they’ve ever heard of the word inventory and if they know what it means.
Teacher will teach students the meaning of inventory and how to take it.
Teacher will pass out inventory worksheets and have students take inventory in the grocery store dramatic play area.
Teacher will collect inventory sheets and check children’s understanding of collecting inventory
Closure- teacher will talk about the difference between taking inventory at a grocery store vs a farm- farmers can take inventory with chicken eggs, etc.
Instructional Materials: inventory worksheets
Clipboards
Markers
Lesson Plan 3
Academic Language- Receipt- proof of payment, typically each item is labeled with its price
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will teach students to write a receipt using simple numbers 1-10 for items in the store
Students will then learn to pay the total on the receipt at the register
Instructional Materials: receipt worksheets
Lesson Plan 4
Academic Language: supermarket- same thing as grocery store- where you can buy household items and food
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher asks students if they’ve ever seen a family member write a grocery list before
Ask the students that have witnessed someone writing a grocery list what items may be on it
Ask the students what they would write on their own grocery lists
Teacher will teach the students that the point of a list is to create it at home and then when you go to the store you find those items and buy them
Teacher will then create a class grocery list on the carpet as a group on chart paper encouraging healthy options
Students will create their own grocery lists and go shopping in the dramatic play center for the items
Teacher will assess their understanding by noticing what items they are finding compared to what is on their list
Closure- teacher will read Lucy Visits the Supermarket By Ashlie Hammond
Instructional Materials: Grocery list worksheets
Chart paper
Marker
Lucy Visits the Supermarket book
Lesson Plan 5- Visit to the grocery store
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will guide students through the grocery store teaching them where to find healthy options and how to weigh produce
Students will get to pick one item to purchase from the grocery store
Instructional Materials: Nametags
Lunches
Topic #4- Outer Space
Lesson Plan 1
Common Core Standards (throughout the unit): Writes and draws spontaneously to communicate meaning with peers or adults during play.
Describes and compares the effects of common forces (pushes and pulls) on objects such as those caused by gravity, magnetism, and mechanical forces
Learning Targets (throughout the unit): Students will utilize fine motor skills when searching for small stars and planets in sand. They will use large tweezers to grab the stars and planets and identify each object found
Students will gain knowledge of planets and what is in space
Assessment Strategies (throughout the unit): Teacher will formally assess student understanding of planets. Teacher will administer a “test” of planets. Students will match the planet name to the picture.
Anticipatory Set: Teacher will pre-assess students by asking them how much they know about outer space and also if they know any names of the planets
Teacher will read 8 Little Planets By Chris Ferrie
Teacher will inform students that there are 8 planets and they all have a name
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will direct students to the sand table where they will discover planets in the sand. Students will grab the planets with the tweezers and attempt to call them all by name
Instructional Materials: 8 Little Planets book
Sand table
Plastic planet figures
Fine motor tweezers
Lesson Plan 2
Learning Targets: Students will utilize gross motor skills by learning to “walk” on the moon by balancing on one foot and hopping around
Academic Language: Gravity- the force that attracts your body toward the center of the earth
Anticipatory Set: Teacher will ask the students what they know about astronauts, and what they want to know about astronauts
Teacher will create a KWL chart on chart paper on the rug
Teacher will read the book If I Were an Astronaut By Eric Braun
Sequence of Instruction: After they’ve read the book, teacher will write down on the KWL chart what they learned about astronauts
Teacher will then guide the students to play room and teach them how astronauts walk when they are on the moon
Teacher will ask students to go around in a circle and use a complete sentence saying “If I were an astronaut….” And fill in the blank.
Students will practice hopping on one foot and walking in slow motion
Closure- teacher will wrap up with asking the students what they know now about astronauts that they didn’t know before
Instructional Materials: Space uniform
If I were an Astronaut book
Lesson Plan 3
Academic Language: crater- a large bowl shaped cavity on the surface of a planet or the moon, typically caused by the impact of a meteor
Asteroid-
Anticipatory Set: Teacher will show YouTube video titled “The Moon for Kids” talking all about the moons phases and surface
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will talk to students about what they learned in the video
Teacher will talk about the moons surface; color, craters, mountains, etc.
Students will head back to their seats and complete a craft using model magic to model the moons surface
Students will spread the white model magic onto a paper plate and use their fingers to make craters and toothpicks for carving small rocks “asteroids” to crash into the dough to make craters
Students will then pain the model magic grey and stick a mini American flag into the surface
Instructional Materials: Model Magic
Grey paint
Paintbrushes
Smocks
Table coverings
Mini cupcake flag
Paper plates
Toothpicks
YouTube to show video
Topic #5- Hospital
Lesson Plan 1
Common Core Standards (throughout the unit): Describes the role of doctors, dentists and other health care workers in keeping him/herself healthy
Recognizes the importance of good nutrition, water, rest and sleep in order to be healthy
Learning Targets (throughout the unit): Students will gain understanding of the role that doctors play in a hospital
Students will learn when people need to go to the hospital
Students will have an understanding of what role a hospital plays in their community as well as which hospital is closest to them
Students will gain an understanding of the different types of doctors that exist
Academic Language: Emergency Room doctor- doctor who works in the emergency room of a hospital
Radiologist- a doctor who reads X-rays
Orthopedist- a doctor who helps to fix bones
Neonatologist- Baby doctor
Physical Therapist- doctor who helps patients to exercises so they can heal and move better after an injury
Pathologist- a doctor who does tests in a laboratory to figure out what is making someone sick
Dentist- tooth doctor
Ophthalmologist- eye doctor
Assessment Strategies (throughout the unit):Teacher will informally asses student understanding of emergency personnel through class discussion and conversation
Anticipatory Set: Ask students if they’ve ever been to the doctor, do they like the doctor? Do they have any doctors in the family etc.
Read the story I Want to Be a Doctor By Laura Driscoll
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will talk about all the types of doctors described in the story
Teacher will take a class poll on which doctor each student would like to be
Class will discuss which type of doctor is the most popular in the room, and which is the least popular.
Students may share stories about times they went to the doctor and how brave they may have felt
Instructional Materials: Chart Paper
Markers
I want to Be a Doctor book
Lesson Plan 2
Anticipatory Set: Teacher will touch on what we talked about as a class yesterday and will administer a pre-assessment for the rest of the unit
Students will complete a matching worksheet that the teacher administers based on what a doctor uses (tools, medicine, etc..) what a doctor wears, and what types of transportation is used to get to and from hospitals (ambulance, police car, etc..)
Teacher will collect worksheet and review
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will encourage students to play in the dramatic play center
Teacher will observe student play in the hospital dramatic play area to gain an idea of student understanding of what goes on in a hospital
Instructional Materials: Matching worksheet
Doctor coat
Stethoscope
Bands aids
Fake shots
Pen lights
Arm sling
Blank scripts
Eye chart
Bones chart
Baby dolls to take care of
Lesson Plan 3
Anticipatory Set: Teacher will ask students if they know how to get ahold of a doctor in an emergency
Students will eventually land on the fact or be taught that you dial 911 in an emergency
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will invite a dispatcher into the classroom to inform students on when they get phone calls when people call 911
Dispatcher will share with the class the severity of when and why people call 911
Students will learn to dial 911 but will be told that they may not use that number for anything, they need to know when it is appropriate to use it.
Once the dispatcher leaves, students will be encouraged to play in the dramatic play area
Instructional Materials: fake phones
Topic #6- Olympics
Lesson Plan 1
Common Core Standards (throughout the unit): Engages in pretend and imaginative play testing theories, acting out imagination
Shares materials and toys with other children
Learning Targets (throughout the unit): Students will utilize gross motor skills by pretending to snowboard and ski
Students will be able to talk about the main concepts of when the Olympics occur and what sports are played.
Students will also learn about the Olympic rings and their meaning.
Academic Language: Torch- a portable fire sometimes carried ceremonially.
Assessment Strategies (throughout the unit): Teacher will informally assess student knowledge of the Olympics by having conversations about the rings, the countries and the sports played.
Anticipatory Set: Teacher will ask students what they know about the Olympics.
Teacher and students will have a discussion about what sports are played in the Olympics
Teacher will read Olympig By Victoria Jamieson
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will talk about all the sports that Boomer the pig played in the Olympics
Teacher will then ask students to go around in the circle and share if they either play a sport that is in the Olympics or if they have a favorite sport in the Olympics
Teacher will talk about the difference between the summer and winter Olmypics and the different sports played in each.
Instructional Materials: Olympig book
Lesson Plan 2
Anticipatory Set: Teacher will ask students if they have ever snowboarded or skid before?
Teacher will show a YouTube video of Olympic skiing and snowboarding
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will take students into playroom and have them imagine that they are on top of a mountain
Depending on weather, teacher may even have students put on coats and boots to get the full effect
Students will be shown how to pretend ski and snowboard and will be asked to do the same
Instructional Materials: Coats
Snow pants
Boots
YouTube to show video
Lesson Plan 3
Anticipatory Set: Teacher will ask students what they know about the Olympic rings
Class discussion will take place on the carpet about the rings, their colors and what they represent
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will teach the students the Olympic ring colors and what they stand for
Students will then construct Olympic rings of their own on construction paper by dipping the rims of solo cups in colored paint and stamping them in the correct form on the paper.
Instructional Materials:
Blue, yellow, black, green and red paint
Solo cups
Construction paper
Smocks
Table covers
Lesson Plan 4
Anticipatory Set: Students will be prepped for having a classroom Olympic games
Sequence of Instruction: Teacher will bring students outside to perform different Olympic activities
Teacher will divide students into even groups depending on the class size
Each group will take a turn playing with the Olympic games
Instructional Materials:
Olympic rings
Gymnastics mats
Hula-hoops
Amelia Gillman 