6/12/2013

Early Childhood Education

Learning Experience Plan

Name: Maggie Weeda Lesson Title: What’s a Fossil?

nd Circle one: ECE PKSN
Date: 11/2/19 Grade Level:2 grade
Standard(s)/Guideline(s):
2.LS.2: All organisms alive today result from their ancestors, some of which may be extinct. Not all kinds of organisms that lived in the past are
represented by living organisms today.
RI.2.6 Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.
Nature of Science Skill: Science is a Human Endeavor: Discoveries are communicated and discussed with others.

Pre-assessment of current knowledge: The teacher will put the pre-assessment KWL chart on the board and review with the students their
knowledge from several weeks ago. The teacher will ask the students if they agree with everything they put on the chart still and if they want to
add anything. The teacher will then explain the activity that the students will be participating in for the day.

Instructional Objectives (1-2) Assessment of Student Learning Learning Experience

One/Two Assessed Identify Evidence: Academic Language:

Instructional Objective(s):  KWL chart  Paleontologist
 Index card activity  Fossils
o Students will be able to  Science journal reflection #1  Minerals
discuss their  Imprint
observations as a group  Peat
and in their science
Program Monitoring:  Coal
journal by stating at
o The teacher will use a check-list for the index  Mammoth
least 2 specific
observations from the card activity and the journal reflection and  Amber
activity mark if students met the objective  Extinct
o Students will be able to o The teacher will take the students responses
write down the main from the index card activity and display them
idea from the book, on chart paper in the classroom
Procedural steps:
Fossils Tell of Long Student Grouping:
Day 1: Engage:
Ago by Aliki, on an  Students will work in small groups of around
index card  The teacher will put the pre-assessment KWL
4 at each station for the post-it note chart on the board and review with the students
observations their knowledge from several weeks ago. The
 Students will work independently on their teacher will ask the students if they agree with
index card activity and science journal page everything they put on the chart still and if they
Safety Considerations:
o The fossils are to be want to add anything. The students will come to
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Early Childhood Education
Learning Experience Plan

used for observation not the carpet and wait for instructions from the
as weapons (do not teacher. The teacher will count the students off
Differentiation:
throw them at each  Marie:
by fours randomly. The teacher will explain to
other) This student’s responses to the journal prompt, the students that there are four labeled stations
o The fossils are sharp so post-it note activity, and index card activity in the classroom. The teacher will tell the
be careful to not cut will be given verbally and responses will be students that they will be exploring each of
yourself if you choose recorded and assessed by the teacher. The these stations today.
to pick them up student does not need to write out her  The teacher will then explain each of the
responses to these prompts. stations to the students. The first station will
include a set of 11 fossils from a fossil kit. The
 Students with special needs: second station will include a collection of fossil
The journal prompt will be partially filled out. and dinosaur books for the students to explore.
The students will have post-it notes with fill in The third station will include a time line
the blank responses. fishbowl (see fossil kit materials sheet). The
 Gifted Students: fourth station will include posters on plate
These students will use the post-it notes to tectonics, fossils and geologic time, and
make text-to-text connections and text-to- laminated maps.
world connections with the books and maps.  The teacher will explain to the students that at
 ELL Students: each station is a set of post-it notes. The
The teacher will pre-teach vocabulary to these students may write any questions, observations,
students and the directions will be printed in and comments they have on the post-it notes at
their native language if needed each station. The teacher will explain that the
directions are written on the board and at each
station if the students forget what to do with the
post-it notes. The teacher will tell the students
that they need to be careful to not use the fossils
as weapons and to be very gentle with them.
 The students will spend about (5 minutes) at
each station. The teacher will then ask all of the
students to come back to the carpet. The teacher
will ask the students what are some of the
questions and comments they wrote at each
station. The teacher will then read the book,
Fossils Tell of Long Ago by: Aliki.
 After the teacher finishes reading the book,
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Learning Experience Plan

Fossils Tell of Long Ago by Aliki, the teacher

will tell the students that they will be focusing
on the main idea of the text today. The teacher
will ask the students, “What is a main idea?”,
“What is an author?”, “Who reads an author’s
work?” The teacher will hand out an index card
to each student. The student needs to write their
name, what they think the main idea of the book
was, and how they know this was the main idea.
The teacher will write an example index card
sample on the white board for the students to
see.
 When the students are finished with the index
card activity, they will be given their science
journal for the week. The teacher will explain to
the students that they will be a paleontologist
this week and their job is to record their
observations at the end of each day. The
students will be instructed to read and fill out
science journal #1 and turn it in at the center of
their table when they finish. The students will
then go back to their seats to work
independently on their science journal page.
 The teacher will explain to the students that the
next day they will be sorting different fossils of
animals alive today and animals from the past
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Learning Experience Plan

Authentic Materials:

 Fossil Kit (see attached information sheet of

materials)
 Fossils Tell of Long Ago by: Aliki
 Collection of books to explore

Adult Roles:
 Teacher will act as the facilitator throughout the
lesson

Resources & References:

Aliki. (2016). Fossils Tell Of Long Ago. New York: Harper, An Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers.

Bell, R. A., & Spence, J. (1992). Fossils. NY, NY: Golden Book.

Fossils Kit from Five Rivers Metropark with attached materials sheet

Howard, J., & Bonforte, L. (2004). I can read about fossils. New York: Scholastic.

Ohio's Learning Standards and Model Curriculum for Science. (2019, September 6). Retrieved from http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Learning-in-
Ohio/Science/Ohios-Learning-Standards-and-MC.

Pope, J. (2003). Fossil detective. Brantford, Ont.: W. Ross MacDonald School, Resource Services Library.

Rhodes, F. H. T., Zim, H. S., Shaffer, P. R., & Perlman, R. (2002). Fossils: a guide to prehistoric life. New York: St. Martins Press.
 6/12/2013
Early Childhood Education
Learning Experience Plan

Name: Maggie Weeda Lesson Title: Match that Creature!

nd Circle one: ECE PKSN
Date: 11/2/19 Grade Level: 2 Grade
Standard(s)/Guideline(s):
2.LS.2:All organisms alive today result from their ancestors, some of which may be extinct. Not all kinds of organisms that lived in the past are
represented by living organisms today.
Nature of Science Skill: Science is a Human Endeavor. People address questions through collaboration with peers and continued exploration.
Pre-assessment of current knowledge: The teacher will display on the white board the chart paper of the student’s responses to the book from the
previous day. The teacher will ask the students, “What did you learn yesterday?” The teacher will also allow some students to share their science
journal 1 observations from the previous day.

Instructional Objectives (1-2) Assessment of Student Learning Learning Experience

One/Two Assessed Identify Evidence: Academic Language:

Instructional Objective(s):  Dodo
 Science Journal Prompt #2  Extinct
 The student will be able  Informal notes and observations as students  Observation
to collaborate and sort their memory cards and match animals  Elephant
explore with peers the together
memory matching game  Mammoth
by making at least 13  Xiphactinus
correct matches  Bat
 The student will be able  Nicobar pigeon
to identify at least one  Piranha
similarity and one  Pterodactyl
difference when  Sarcosuchus
comparing an animal  Crocodile
that is extinct to an Program Monitoring:  Skeleton
animal alive today in  Use a check-list to assess what students met  Teeth
their science journal my objective and which did not  Bones
 Display the dinosaur feet on the carpet in the  Skin
classroom
 Share and display some of their science
journal 2 prompts Procedural steps:
Day 2 Explore:
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Learning Experience Plan

 The teacher will display on the white board the

chart paper of the student’s responses to the
Student Grouping:
book from the previous day. The teacher will
 The students will work with a partner of their
ask the students, “What did you learn
choice to complete the first game of memory yesterday?” The teacher will also allow some
(matching definitions to pictures) students to share their science journal 1
 The students will work as a group of 4 at their observations from the previous day.
tables to complete the animal matching game  The teacher will explain to the students that
(animals alive versus animals that are extinct) today they will be exploring animals that are
 The students will work independently on their alive and extinct. The teacher will then draw a t
science journal prompt 2 chart on the board and write animals at the top
and on one side extinct and on the other alive
today. The teacher will then ask the students to
name some animals that are extinct and some
Differentiation: animals that are alive today and record their
 Students with Special Needs: responses on the t-chart.
These students will be paired with a specific  The teacher will then explain the first game to
partner. They will also have their journal the students. The teacher will show the students
prompt created with fill in the blank prompts. how to play memory and read the directions
 Gifted Students: sheet to the students. The students will each be
These students will have the opportunity to given a directions sheet if they forget how to
use the computer to find their own extinct and play. The students will be playing the game
real animals to match today and write down with a partner of their choice. When the
key facts to justify the animal’s similarities students are finished playing the game they may
and differences choose to read one of the fossil books displayed
 ELL Students:
on the white board.
The teacher will pre-teach all of the academic
 Once all of the students are finished playing the
vocabulary to the students and make sure all
memory game the teacher will explain the next
of the memory and match game cards are
activity. The students will be given two piles of
labeled in their native language and English.
animal pictures. One contains animals that are
extinct and the other contains animals alive
today. Their job is to match an animal alive
today to an animal that is extinct. The teacher
will show the students an example of a match
on the white board. The students will work at
their table groups on this game. Once the
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Learning Experience Plan

students match the animals they will need to

pull out their science journal #2 entry page.
They will work independently on their page and
draw a picture of the animal extinct and the
animal alive and write a list of the similarities
and differences between the two.
 If the students finish the activity early then they
can take a piece of construction paper and
create their own dinosaur foot to be displayed in
the classroom.

Authentic Materials:
 Matching game with real images

Adult Roles:
 The teacher will act as the facilitator throughout
the lesson

Resources & References:

Michelle, & Ciara. (2019, January 27). Free Printable Paleontology Cards. Retrieved from https://researchparent.com/paleontology-cards/.

Ohio's Learning Standards and Model Curriculum for Science. (2019, September 6). Retrieved from http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Learning-in-
Ohio/Science/Ohios-Learning-Standards-and-MC.

THE RULES FOR PLAYING "MEMORY". Retrieved from https://www.eduplace.com/ss/act/rules.html.

 6/12/2013
Early Childhood Education
Learning Experience Plan

Name: Maggie Weeda Lesson Title: Can you outrun a dinosaur?

Date: 11/3/19 Grade Level: 2nd Grade Circle one: ECE PKSN
Standard(s)/Guideline(s):
2.LS.2: All organisms alive today result from their ancestors, some of which may be extinct. Not all kinds of organisms that lived in the past are
represented by living organisms today.
2.MD.1 Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes.
CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP6 Attend to precision.
Nature of Science: Exploration leads to observation. Observation leads to questions.

Pre-assessment of current knowledge: The teacher will put a powerpoint of pictures of the students matching games from the previous day on the
tv screen. The students will then have the opportunity to explain and justify their matchings from the previous day. The teacher will then explain
that today the students will be discovering if they can outrun a dinosaur.

Instructional Objectives (1-2) Assessment of Student Learning Learning Experience

One/Two Assessed Identify Evidence: Academic Language:

Instructional Objective(s):  Inches
 Students will be able to  Science Journal Prompt 3  Ruler
measure their partners  Run for your life activity sheet  Dinosaur
leg length to the  Measure
approximate inch using  Extinct
Program Monitoring:
a ruler and matching it
 Check list of students that met the objective  Traits of survival
to the correct dinosaur.
 The students will be and students that did not based on their can
you outrun a dinosaur sheet and science
able to write in 1-2 Procedural steps:
journal prompt Day 3: Explain
sentences in their
science journal if they  Display pictures of the students from the  The teacher will put a powerpoint of pictures of
can outrun a dinosaur activity the students matching games from the previous
and explain why or why day on the tv screen. The students will then
not based upon their Student Grouping:
have the opportunity to explain and justify their
observations  Students will work in partners to measure their matchings from the previous day. The teacher
will then explain that today the students will be
stride length
discovering if they can outrun a dinosaur.
 Students will work in groups of 5 to measure
 The teacher will then play the mystery science
out dinosaur’s stride length outside
video to introduce the activity to the students on
 Students will work independently on their
the screen.
science journal prompt 4
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Learning Experience Plan

 The teacher will then model for the students the

activity sheet they will be completing. The
Differentiation: students will need to first calculate their leg
Students with Special Needs: length. The teacher will show the students how
The student’s stride length will be calculated a day to use a rule to measure their leg length. The
prior to the activity teacher will then explain to the students that
they will need to take that length and do
Gifted Students: (12+12+12+12) instead of x12 since the
Safety Considerations:
These students may research other dinosaur’s speeds students don’t know multiplication yet. The
 Do not use the rulers as
and stride lengths and determine if a human could or students will circle the corresponding dinosaurs
weapons and be careful could not out run a dinosaur leg length. After the teacher explains the first
not to run into each
other during the activity two steps, she will allow the students to pick a
ELL Students:
partner of their choice to do the first two steps
The students will be pre-taught vocabulary and the
with.
activity sheet will be printed out in their native
language if needed  Once the students finish the first two steps of
the activity sheet, the teacher will explain to the
students that they will be going outside to see if
they can outrun a dinosaur. The students need to
be careful to give each other enough space to
run and be careful to not run into each other. All
of the students will start at the start line like the
picture on the sheet and run for a total of 8
steps. The student’s partner will take a post-it
note or chalk and mark where the student finish
after 8 steps. Once all of the partners finish
racing the teacher will bring the class back
together as a group.
 The teacher will then split the students into
groups of 4 randomly. The students will be
given a set of dinosaur feet to assemble into a
stride of 8 steps from the start to the finish line.
When the students finish assembling the
dinosaur’s stride on the black top they will
compare the dinosaur’s strides to their strides.
 The students will then go back inside to finish
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Learning Experience Plan

their science journal prompt 3.

Authentic Materials:

 Use of rulers and yardsticks to see if students

can outrun a dinosaur
 Interactive science journal page
 Dinosaur foot print paper

Adult Roles:
 The teacher will act as the facilitator throughout
the lesson

Resources & References:

Materials retrieved from Mystery Science: https://mysteryscience.com/

Ohio's Learning Standards and Model Curriculum for Science. (2019, September 6). Retrieved from http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Learning-in-
Ohio/Science/Ohios-Learning-Standards-and-MC.

Exploring Fossils Directions

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Learning Experience Plan

1. Explore all the items at your station

2. Write on a post-it note
o A question (Why is it that….)
o An observation (I saw…)
o A comment (I noticed….)

Station 2 Book List

Bell, R. A., & Spence, J. (1992). Fossils. NY, NY: Golden Book.

Howard, J., & Bonforte, L. (2004). I can read about fossils. New York: Scholastic.

Pope, J. (2003). Fossil detective. Brantford, Ont.: W. Ross MacDonald School, Resource Services Library

Rhodes, F. H. T., Zim, H. S., Shaffer, P. R., & Perlman, R. (2002). Fossils: a guide to prehistoric life. New York: St. Martins Press.

Name: Maggie Weeda Lesson Title: Digging for Fossils!

Date: 11/3/19 Grade Level: 2nd grade Circle one: ECE PKSN
Standard(s)/Guideline(s):
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Learning Experience Plan

2.LS.2: All organisms alive today result from their ancestors, some of which may be extinct. Not all kinds of organisms that lived in the past are
represented by living organisms today.
Nature of Science Skill: Science Inquiry, Practice and Applications: Communicate with others about investigations and data.
Pre-assessment of current knowledge:
The teacher will remind the students that the previous day they tried to see if they could outrun a dinosaur. The teacher will ask the students,
“Could you outrun a dinosaur?”, “What did you learn yesterday?”, “What do you know about dinosaurs and fossils?”, and will allow some students
to share their science journal prompts from day 3.

Instructional Objectives (1-2) Assessment of Student Learning Learning Experience

One/Two Assessed Identify Evidence: Academic Language:

Instructional Objective(s):  Paleontologist
 Finding Fossils observation sheet  Dinosaur
 The students will be  Science journal prompt 4  Fossil
able to communicate
 Observation
with their group two
observations from the Program Monitoring:  Tools
fossil dig site and  Trilobite
complete their activity  Take pictures of the students at the fossil dig  Ammonite
sheet with 80% sites to display in the classroom and to send  Crinoid
accuracy. home to parents in a newsletter  Fish
 Check list of the students that met the  Crab
 The students will be objective from both the observation notes  Fern
able to identify at least sheet and the science journal prompt  Skeleton
one fossil and describe  Bones
if it looks similar to Student Grouping:
animals today in their  Students will work in groups of 5 (table Procedural steps:
science journal groups) during the fossil dig site activity and Day 4: Elaborate/Extend
on the Finding Fossils activity sheet  The students will enter the room and there will
 Students will work independently on their be adventure music playing in the background
science journal prompt 5 of the classroom. The teacher will remind the
students that the previous day they tried to see if
they could outrun a dinosaur. The teacher will
Differentiation: ask the students, “Could you outrun a
 Students with Special Needs: dinosaur?”, “What did you learn yesterday?”,
The observation sheet and journal prompt will “What do you know about dinosaurs and
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Early Childhood Education
Learning Experience Plan

be partially filled out for these students fossils?”, and will allow some students to share
 Gifted Students: their science journal prompts from day 3. The
These students will have the opportunity to teacher will explain to the students that today
use the computers to find more information they will be paleontologists. The students will
about the fossils online and draw labels on receive name tags and have a chance to create
their pictures their own names (example Dr. Goeller).
 ELL Students:  The teacher will explain to the students that
The teacher will pre-teach vocabulary and today they will be going outside and that they
make sure that the table sheet is written in need to go over some safety precautions before
both English and the student’s native language they go to the dig site. The students need to be
careful to not put their hands up to their eyes or
throw the sand when digging in the site. They
need to not place the sand or any of the fossils
in their mouths. The fossils are also not
weapons so the students need to pretend that
they are scientists that are taking observation
notes on a brand-new discovery.
 The teacher will then explain the Finding
Fossils observation sheet to the students. The
students will be working in teams of 5. There
are 4 fossils dig sites so they will be working
with their table group to dig up fossils. The
students will each be given a tool kit and a
plastic Ziploc bag to collect their fossils. The
students need to fill out the drawing section of
the observation sheet outside. The students will
have about 10-15 minutes to dig up the fossils
in their bin.
 The students will then take their fossil bag
inside when they finish drawing their
observations. At each table in the classroom
will be a diagram sheet (table 1 from NSTA
article cited below) with a drawing of the fossils
and information on the fossils. The students
need to fill out the rest of the activity sheet and
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Learning Experience Plan

answer questions on, “Where did this organism

live?”, “What kind of animal is this?”, “Is it
alive today?” Once the students finish filling out
the activity sheet they can fill out their science
journal day 5 prompt.
 If the students finish the activity sheet and
prompt early the teacher will lead a discussion
at the carpet asking students these questions,
“Why did you think that animal lived there?”,
“How do you know if the animal is alive
today?”, “What does a paleontologist do?”,
“What did you notice as you were digging for
the fossils?”, “Would you like to be a scientist?”
 The teacher will then explain to the students
that the following day they will be creating their
own fossils and reviewing what they have
learned about fossils the past week.

Authentic Materials:
 Fossil dig site
 Paleontologist observation notes
 Fake fossils
 Tools for digging up fossils

Adult Roles:
 The teacher will act as the facilitator throughout
the lesson

Resources & References:

Borgerding, L. (2015). Dig Into Fossils! Science and Children, 052(09). doi: 10.2505/4/sc15_052_09_30

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Learning Experience Plan

Ohio's Learning Standards and Model Curriculum for Science. (2019, September 6). Retrieved from http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Learning-in-
Ohio/Science/Ohios-Learning-Standards-and-MC.

Finding Fossils
Drawing (name of fossil) Where did it live? What kind of animal is this? Is it alive today? (yes or no)
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Learning Experience Plan

Fossil Dig Site List

-4 bins
-sand
-plaster Paris
-play dough
-12 molds from fossil kit (day 1)
-12 paintbrushes
-magnifying glasses fossil kit (day 1)
-12 fossils in each bin