Lesson Plan : Animal Group Review

Teacher Name:
 Erin Vaughn
Grade:
 Grade 2
Subject:
 Science

Topic:
 Characteristics of animal groups that the children have been studying including reptiles, amphibians, and insects.
Content:
 The cooperative structure that I chose is Numbered Head Together from chapter 10 which is mastery structures. I chose this structure because the children needed a way to review over their science material before a test is given and they enjoy games such as jeopardy where the teacher asks a question and they tell her the answer. With this strategy, all of the children will be involved and pay closer attention because they are all responsible for knowing the answer and making sure that their team members know the answer instead of just paying attention when it is their turn to answer a question. Vocabulary - amphibian, reptile, insect, venom, fangs, cold-blooded, backbone, scales, lungs, gills, abdomen, thorax, head, and slither.
Goals:
 The goal is for the students to review the information that they have already learned in a fun way that keeps them engaged. TEKS -2.9 Science concepts. The student knows that living organisms have basic needs. The student is expected to: a. identify the external characteristics of different kinds of plants and animals that allow their needs to be met; and b. compare and give examples of the ways living organisms depend on each other and on their environments. 2.8 Science concepts. The student distinguishes between living organisms and nonliving objects. The student is expected to: a. identify characteristics of living organisms; and 2.6 Science concepts. The student knows that systems have parts and are composed of organisms and objects. The student is expected to: d. observe and record the functions of animal parts. 2.5 Science concepts. The student knows that organisms, objects, and events have properties and patterns. The student is expected to: a. classify and sequence organisms, objects, and events based on properties and patterns; and
Objectives:
 When verbally asked twenty-five science questions by the teacher about the animals previously covered in the reptile, amphibian, and insect groups, the students will be able to work together in their groups of five to correctly answer twenty of the questions.
Materials:
 25 science questions based on trade books, text books, and videos seen by the class 15 apples cut out of paper with magnets glued on the back and numbers and zonk written on the back of the apples Marker board marker
Introduction:
 The teacher will tell the children that they are going to play zonk and ask them to review animal characteristics of the groups at their tables to be prepared.
Development:
 The teacher will use a pretend question and then sit at a table with the children and show them how to put their heads together and think about the answer. Then she will show them how to be sure that everyone in the group knows the answer and understands it and show them how she will have a number and when it is called she will raise her hand and if called on will give the group's answer. She will also remind them how to pick apples off of the board that have a number on the back for the number of points they get and that they can keep picking numbers and increasing their points unless they get the wild card.
Practice:
 She will then call on one child from each table to practice these steps as they verbally guides them through the questions and order of steps, stopping them if they do not collaborate with their team or make sure that every member has an understanding of the answer.
Accommodations:
 The teacher will want all of the students to learn the answers to the questions that are asked. She will want some to know most of the answers and be able to add information to the discussions within their group. She will want a few to be able to explain the answer to any members who do not understand it in a way that makes since to that student and allows them to understand the answer.
Checking For Understanding:
 As I go through the questions I will walk around the room and listen to the answers and conversations that are taking place within the groups and make sure that the children are understanding the questions and the answers. I will also listen to their answers when I call on them to see how many of the questions they are able to correctly answer. If they answer questions correctly I will give them positive verbal reinforcement and if they struggle or give an incorrect answer I will ask them how they got their answer so that I can determine where the confusion occurred.
Closure:
 At the end of the lesson the teacher will go over any of the questions that were missed to make sure that the children have learned the answers and understand them. She will also give every child who participated and had good sportsmanship during the game a sticker for their sticker charts. She will also give the winning team a prize out of the prize box in the classroom.
Evaluation:
 The teacher will record the number of questions that are answered correctly by putting a check next to them on the question sheet. At the end of the lesson she will count up the number correct and determine if any more instruction needs to take place before the test or if the students have mastered the material.
Teacher Reflections:
 In this class there are students who speak Spanish and who are in special education. For these students the teacher has made sure that they are in different groups so that fluent English speakers can help the children who do not speak fluently. For the child who is in special education the teacher will make sure to put him in a group with students who are very helpful and make sure to include him and make sure that he is understanding the information. I thought that this lesson went very well! The children were very excited to play a game and were able to work together to get the answers. They even cheered their team mates on as they answered questions! The only trouble that I had was that they got a little too excited a few times but when I asked them to quiet down they were able to pretty quickly. I was very impressed by their ability to answer the questions and their answers to some of the harder questions that required a few sentences to explain. I think that this was a great way for them to review their information and still have fun with their classmates. I would like to try this in other subjects to see how well it would work to help them review math rules or even questions about stories that they are reading.

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