Seasonal Changes Lessons

Spring Changes: Day 1

Student Outcomes : Students will be able to identify specific changes that occur in plants during the season of spring.   

Standards :  9.) Identify seasons of the year.

•  Describing seasonal changes in the weather

1.      Materials/Media/Technology:  It’s Spring by Linda Glasser, real flowers, chart paper, construction paper, markers, pencils

2.     Teaching/Learning Procedure:  

        a).   Launch of Lesson – I will call students to make a circle on the rug. I will read to students It’s Spring by Linda Glasser. Before I read, I will ask the students if they know about anything that happens outside as the seasons change from winter to spring. If the students do not say something about plants, I will offer the idea and then ask if they notice how the plants change. Then, I will ask the students to pay close attention to the flowers that bloom/appear in the book.

        b).   Investigation/Presentation – After reading It’s Spring by Linda Glasser,  I will have a researched list of flowers that bloom in spring to extend the students knowledge of spring flowers. Also, I will have one of each of the listed flowers for the students to touch and personally examine. Flowers will include: lilac, daffodil, tulip, and peonies. We will compare the flowers and look at what they all have in common. I will ask the students:

“Do you notice any thing that the flowers all have in common?”

“Why do you think that?”

“Why do you think these flowers only bloom in the spring?”

“What would happen if you tried to grow these flowers in the winter?”

“Does the Spring weather affect these flowers?”

I will then tell the students about the project that they will do. They will select a their favorite spring time plant. I will give them a round paper to fill in their favorite flower, they will then use construction paper cut into strips to surround the round piece and create “petals”. The students will write sentences/words to describe their favorite spring time flower. These can be words that we discussed as a group or what they noticed on their own as they observed the flower. The students will then turn and tell their partner what their flower is and what they will say to describe it.

        c).    Accommodations/Modifications – Students can choose to either write sentences or just a word to describe the flower. Also,  I will leave the list of Spring time flowers on the board.

        d).    Extensions/Challenges – Students can use what we learned about Spring and Spring time flowers to create their own flowers.

        e).    Closure– I will have students turn to their neighbor and share their flower and what they wrote about them. I will then ask about key vocabulary discussed and have a few students share their flowers with the class.

3.     Assessment –Students will be assessed using a rubric.

4.     Personal Reflections – To be done after lesson. 

d

Example:

Spring Changes: Day 2

Student Outcomes : Students will be able to identify specific changes that occur in animals during the season of spring.   

Standards :  9.) Identify seasons of the year.

•  Describing seasonal changes in the weather

1.      Materials/Media/Technology:  It’s Spring by Linda Glasser, paper, markers, deer hids

2.     Teaching/Learning Procedure:  

        a).   Launch of Lesson – I will call students to make a circle on the rug. I will use It’s Spring by Linda Glasser to reinforce what we learned about spring the previous day. Discuss how we talked about how flowers change and how they look. I will then ask the students if anything else changes in the Spring. I will ask if they knew of any animals that changed from Winter to Spring. The class will then discuss how some animal’s fur changes from Winter to Spring and now this is called “adapting”.

        b).   Investigation/Presentation –I will then show the students a slide show of all the different animals that change color in the Spring. These animals will include: caribou, arctic hare, collard lemming, ermine, and arctic fox. I will show the students what the animal looks like in the winter and then how it looks in the spring. I will ask the class:

“Why do you think that animals change color?”

“Does it have anything to do with the weather?”

“Why do you think this?”

“Does it change anything else about the animal?”

The students will then choose one of the animals that were discussed to write about. They will show how the animal changes and tell me why it changes. I will have the students turn and talk about which animal they will write about with their partner. The students will then return to their seats to complete their writing. As they return to their seats, I will have real deer fur for them to touch so that they can experience what the fur feels like.

        c).    Accommodations/Modifications – Students can choose to write  their own beginning sentence or use my sentence. I will be circling the room to help as needed.

        d).    Extensions/Challenges – We learned about animals today that really do change their color, students can then show me what other, non-color changing animals, would look like if they also changed the color of their fur. They can tell why this would benefit the animal or why not.

        e).    Closure – Students will share their writing with the class. I will reemphasize the word “adapt” and also any other key points in the lesson.

3.     Assessment –I will use a rubric to assess the student’s work.

4.     Personal Reflections – To be done after lesson.

Student writing page:

Example:

Spring Changes: Day 3

Student Outcomes : Students will be able to identify specific changes that occur in the weather during the season of spring.   

Standards :  9.) Identify seasons of the year.

•  Describing seasonal changes in the weather

1.      Materials/Media/Technology:  Who Likes Rain? by Linda Glasser, real flowers, chart paper

2.     Teaching/Learning Procedure:  

        a).   Launch of Lesson – I will read Who Likes Rain? by Wong Herbert. I will have the students listen to why it is raining.

        b).   Investigation/Presentation – After the reading, the class will make a web of why if would rain so much in spring. I will remind them of past lessons on spring involving animals and flowers. I will ask:

“Why does it rain so much in Spring?”

“Does it have anything to do with the flowers?”

“What about the weather?”

“Is the heat  factor?”

After we complete our chart, the students will then write about April Showers. They will have a prompt that reads “During an April Shower….” and they will then describe what they would do during an April shower or what they would see.

        c).    Accommodations/Modifications – Students will have the option of how much they write. The teacher will be available to assist as needed.

        d).    Extensions/Challenges – Students can get in groups and use a large paper to illustrate what would happen if they were caught in an April Shower.  

        e).    Closure – I will have students share their writing with the class. We will then create a class book with our pages.

3.     Assessment –I will use a rubric to assess the students work.

4.     Personal Reflections – To be done after lesson. 

The 5 E's of a Science Lesson

Engage: Activity which will focus student's attention, stimulte their thinking, and access prior knowledge.

Students...
•Demonstration

•Reading

•Free Write

•Analyze a Graphic Organizer

•KWL

•Brainstorming

Teachers...
•Creates Interest.

•Generates curiosity.

•Raises questions.

•Elicits responses that uncover what the students know or think about the concept/topic.

Explore: Activity which gives students time to think and investigate/test/make/decisions/problem solve, and collect information.

Students...
•Perform an Investigation

•Search Authentic Resources to Collect Information

•Solve a Problem

•Construct a Model

Teachers...

•Encourage the students to work together without direct instruction from the teacher.

•Observe and listen to the students as they interact.

•Ask probing questions to redirect the students’ investigations when necessary.

•Provide time for students to puzzle through problems.

Explain: Activity which allows students to analyze or draw upon their exploration. Student's understanding is clarified and modified through a reflective activity. 

Students...
•Student Analysis & Explanation

•Supporting Ideas with Evidence

•Structured Questioning

•Reading and Discussion

•Teacher Explanation

•Thinking Skill Activities:  compare, classify, error analysis

Teachers...

•Encourage the students to explain concepts and definitions in their own words.

•Ask for justification (evidence) and clarification from students.

•Formally provide definitions, explanations, and new labels.

•Use students’ previous experiences as basis for explaining concepts.

Elaborate: Activity which expands and solidifies student thinking while applying it to a real-world situation.

Students...

•Problem Solving

•Decision Making

•Experimental Inquiry

•Thinking Skill Activities:  compare, classify, apply

Teachers...

•Encourage the students to explain concepts and definitions in their own words.

•Ask for justification (evidence) and clarification from students.

•Formally provide definitions, explanations, and new labels.

•Use students’ previous experiences as basis for explaining concepts.

Evaluate/Assess: Activity which allows the teacher to assess studnet performence and/or understandings of concepts, skills, processes, and applications.

Students...
•May Be Any Previous Activity

•Develop a Scoring Tool or Rubric

•Tests

•Performance Assessment

•Produce a Product

•Journal Entry

•Portfolio

Teachers...

•Observe the students as they apply new concepts and skills.

•Assess students’ knowledge and/or skills.

•Look for evidence that the students have changed their thinking or behaviors.

•Allow students to assess their own learning and group-process skills.

•Ask open-ended questions, such as:  Why do you think. . .?  What evidence do you have?  What do you know about z?  How would you explain y?

Light

When teaching about light, it is a great idea to begin with the structure of the eye and how it allows us to see light. Discuss specifically how the lens bends light. This is called "refracting" light. Other vocabulary to use when teaching about light should include: reflection, refraction, transparent, translucent, opaque, polarization, speed of light, and primary colors.

Primary colors are red, blue, and green. White is a collection of all three colors. Meaning that if you were to shine all three colors in the same spot you would see white, not the individual colors.

Concave lens cause light beams to spread. Convex causes light to concerge or to narrow.

*Fun Fact: If the sun exploded, it would take 8 minutes and 20 seconds for the light to reach us on Earth. 

Sound

·      You need vibrations and something for the sound to travel through. Vibrations create sound. The perception of sound in any organism is limited to a certain range of frequencies. Hunams hear these frequencies differnetly than dogs or other animals hear them. The ear is the organ used to detect sound. Sound waves are transmitted through the outer ear to a nerve where they are registered as sound.

Sound travels in waves. What the waves have to travel through is what determands the sound. The density, temperature, and distance are all factors that effect sound waves. 

Moon

The moon is a constant and interesting thing. Students all know what the moon is and where to find it. What is great about the moon is that it can cover many subject areas. Not only can you discuss astronomy, but also different cultures. For example, here is an exert from a Native American tribes tale of how the moon was created:

Coyote and the Sky: How the Sun, Moon, and Stars Began

“According to Santa Ana Pueblo legend, the animals' spirit Leader created the sun, moon, and stars by using woven yucca mats and hot coals. He selected certain animals to climb from their homes in the Third World up to the Fourth World. The Squirrel, the Rabbit, and the Badger were all allowed to go. The Coyote, however, was forbidden to accompany them because he was always causing trouble and stealing food from the others.

Regardless of what he was told, Coyote refused to stay in the Third World. He found a hiding place and waited for a chance to follow the animals to the Fourth World. When the other animals discovered Coyote, they summoned the Leader to the Fourth World to deal with him. Coyote's punishment is a lesson in what happens to animals, or people, when they refuse to obey instructions.”

            This legend is adapted from the Santa Ana tribe and tells of how the sun, the moon, and the stars all began. 

Cultures are not the only way to incorporate social studies into the science of the moon. You can also discuss Neil Armstrong and the Apollo 11 landing. This event was actually caught on camera so students can watch the moon landing as it was televised many years ago. Here is the video of the launch and landing:

Apollo 11 Launch and Landing on the Moon

The moon was a huge milstone in U.S. history. Students can learn and take pride in Americas contribution to space travel and exploration.

Along with teaching cultures, you can just simply study the moon. A great way to do this is to have students keep a "moon blog". This can be kept online or on paper.  It should be done over a span of 20 days as this is the how long it takes the moon to complete a phase. Here is an example of my moon blog:

By having students do this project, students can see for themselves the moon go through a complete phase. There will be some nights when the moon is not visible. This is a great way to teach about how the moon is always there even if we cannot see it. You can discuss what it looked like the past few nights and from that decide what the moon should have looked like. The class can then research the phases and see if their predictions are correct. 

Moon Phases

The moon goes through phases. It takes 20 days for the moon to complete one phase. The main phases are full moon, new moon, third quarter, and first quarter. You then have the phases in between the main phase which use the words waning, crescent, waxing, and gibbous to define these phases.

Children's Books

As many school's do not have any sort of official science curriculum, it is our duty as teachers to find a way to incorporate this important subject matter into other content areas. Children's literature is a great way to do this. Many children's books are already focused on science and others are just waiting to have it pulled out of them. Here is a list and children's books and ways to connect them to science:

• I Saw a Bullfrog by Ellen Stern: This book is great play on words and shows what animals would look like if they actually were two animals mixed together. At the end of the book, there is real information about all the animals discussed throughout the book. A great follow up activity would be to have students create their own animal mixture. However, the features and facts about their animals would have to be accurate. 
• What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page: This is a guessing book. It shows different parts of animals on each page and students would guess what animal the part belonged to. The answers follow each guessing page. This book could be used in discussing the five senses, animals biology, or environment (i.e. fish do not have ears because they live under water). 
• Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw: This book is great for teaching force and motion.
• Coyote and the Sky: How the Sun, Moon, and Stars Began by Emmett Garcia: A great book to accompany a moon lesson. It is written by a member of the Santa Ana tribe and tells the story of how their culture believes the sun, the moon, and the stars came to be. 

Forces and Motion

·         Anytime there is a change in motion, force is responsible. Force is a push and/or pull. If you were a ball sitting on a field and someone kicked you, a force would have acted on you. As a result, you would go bouncing down the field. Here is a formal lesson plan for forces and motion:

Force and Motion Experiment- Use a beanie baby and/or any stuffed animal to be the “sheep in the jeep”. Test different locations (carpet v. tile) and take into account the weight of the animals. List the different findings on the board and compare. This is a great experiment to discuss variables along with forces and motion.
 

Potential variables are friction, some cars go faster, the mass of the animals, position of the animals.

Students will measure the the distance that the "jeep and sheep" go. Then the students will reocrd their measurements on a chart. This can also help bring math into the lesson.