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Characteristics of Living Things

Science

First Grade

Spring 2012

Laura Baldwin

Baldwin Teacher Work Sample

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Table of Contents

Contextual Factors…………………………………………………pg 3

Learning Goals……………………………………………………….pg 5

Assessment Plan……………………………………………………pg 8

Design for Instruction…………………………………………….pg 14

Instructional Decision-Making………………………………..pg 24

Analysis of Student Learning…………………………………..pg 26

Reflection and Self-Evaluation………………………………..pg 32

Appendices

A. Pre- and Post-Assessment

B. Pre- and Post-Assessment Answer Key/Rubric

C. Student 3 Sample Work

D. Student 13 Sample Work


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Contextual Factors

Community, District, and School Factors

Locust Grove Elementary School is a part of Red Lion Area School District, located in

York County, Pennsylvania. The rural district is comprised of nine schools that serve 5,642

students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. The district’s resident population is approximately

32,661 people, some of whom are employed in a variety of manufacturing, agriculture, and

service industries. Due to York’s close proximity to Maryland, many of the rural district's

residents commute to Baltimore area jobs as well (Education, 2012).

Currently, there are 482 students from Kindergarten through sixth grade enrolled at

Locust Grove and their ethnic breakdown is as follows: 82% White, 11% Black, 2% Hispanic, and

2% Asian/Pacific Islander. Out of all of Locust Grove’s students, 7% are participating in the Free

and Reduced Lunch program. The total revenue of the school district is below state average, at

$9,426 per student (Education, 2012).

The high stability of Red Lion’s community is reflected in the district’s organization and

structure. Parents are highly involved in their students’ education, with opportunities to

participate in the PTO and volunteer. The district made adequate yearly progress this past

school year and the student drop-out rates for the district during 2008 were only 2%, lower

than the national average of 4.4% (Education, 2012). Red Lion supports a variety of learners by

offering specialized classes, such as learning support and remediation; providing Individualized

Education Programs; and serving English Language Learners.

Classroom Factors

Locust Grove employs 100% highly qualified teachers and the student per teacher ratio

is 17.1 (Education, 2012). Locust Grove also encourages parents to volunteer and be involved in

their children’s education through meetings and classroom assistance. These two resources are

positive aspects for student achievement.


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Locust Grove operates on a five day cycle, integrating a variety of special subjects – art,

music, gym, library, and book exchange – each day. Along with a wide array of curriculum,

students have access to many forms of technology, enriching their academic experience. Locust

Grove has computers available for students and teachers to use, along with televisions and

projectors.

The classroom is arranged by students sitting in groups of five to six. Each student has

his or her own cubby for belongings, mailbox, book basket for reading, and designated work

spot. The students move around the room at different points of the day to do word work, work

on writing, listen to stories at either a computer or a tape player, read, and interact with their

math partner. The classroom has several specific learning areas: a calendar math center, guided

reading table, class meeting carpet, classroom library, listening station, and word work center.

The students have many resources available to them in the classroom, are familiar with each,

and able to utilize them on a frequent basis.

Students take on individual and group roles in the classroom and are expected to work

together to create a successful classroom environment with classroom jobs and cooperative

learning. Individual classrooms follow a school-wide behavior program, S.W.E.B.S.: Student

Wide Effective Behavior System. Parents are encouraged to talk to their children about the

expectations, encourage their children to follow the expectations, and celebrate their student’s

academic and behavioral success.

Student Characteristics

The class is comprised of 20 students, 13 males and 7 females. All students are between

the ages of 6 and 7. Sixteen of the students are White, two are African American, and two are

Hispanic. Three of the students receive reading remediation: two of these students are pulled

each day by a reading specialist and the other student who is a lower level reader meets with

the classroom teacher each day for extra guided reading practice. Only one student receives

remediation for math.


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Due to the variety of student interests and learning styles, it is important to use a wide

range of teaching methods – visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. The students also have slightly

different learning levels, so differentiated instruction is vital. Coming from kindergarten, all

students should have learned what living and non living things are. This unit will quickly review

the aspects of living and non living, moving on to the focus of the unit: characteristics of living

things.

Instructional Implications

The activities in this unit require whole group, collaborative, and individual work. In

regards to collaborative work, groups will be arranged to even out reading levels, with stronger

readers able to help struggling readers. To further accommodate the various ability levels,

different texts will be supplied for individual work.

The classroom is arranged for varying activities with each student being able to see/hear

the teacher at their individual desk which is arranged within a group. To accommodate learning

styles, the teacher has several resources, such as technology, and varying teaching strategies to

implement, such as group work.

Learning Goals

Learning Goal #1: Students will be able to describe characteristics of plants that help to identify

and classify them (comprehension)

Academic Standards for Science: [3.1.3.A1] Describe characteristics of living things that help to

identify and classify them.

PDE Academic Standards for Science: [3.1.3.B1] Know that living things are made up of parts

that have specific functions.

Objective 1: The student will be able to discover through doing that living things are

made of characteristic parts (application).

Objective 2: The student will be able to state what plants need to survive (knowledge).

Objective 3: The student will be able to demonstrate through models and discussion

that plants have different external parts that help it to live (application).


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Learning Goal #2: Students will be able to describe characteristics of animals that help to

identify and classify them (comprehension).

Academic Standards for Science: [3.1.3.A1] Describe characteristics of living things that help to

identify and classify them.

PDE Academic Standards for Science: [3.1.3.B1] Know that living things are made up of parts

that have specific functions.

PDE Academic Standards for Science: [3.1.3.c1] Know that characteristics are inherited and,

thus, offspring closely resemble their parents.

Objective 1: The student will be able to categorize different types of animals (mammals,

amphibians, reptiles, birds, and fish) (analysis).

Objective 2: The student will be able to state what animals need to survive (knowledge).

Objective 3: The student will be able to demonstrate through models and discussion

that animals have different external parts that help it to live (application).

Objective 4: The student will be able to show through examples how offspring resemble

their parents (application).

Learning Goal #3: The students will be able to discuss how living things survive through

adaptations (comprehension).

Academic Standards for Science: [3.1.3.C1] Recognize that plants survive through adaptations,

such as stem growth towards light and root growth downward in response to gravity.

PDE Academic Standards for Writing: [1.8.1.B.] Locate and discuss information on an identified

topic in a small group, with teacher guidance.

Objective 1: The student will be able to list what makes an animal extinct (knowledge).

Objective 2: The student will be able to give examples of how extinct organisms are

similar and different to organisms that are alive today (comprehension).

Objective 3: The student will be able to distinguish between scientific fact and opinion

through examples (analysis).

Objective 4: The student will be able to use data/evidence to construct explanations

and understand that scientists develop explanations based on their evidence and

compare them with their current scientific knowledge (synthesis).


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Types and Levels of Learning Goals (based upon Bloom’s Taxonomy)

Learning Goal #1: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application

Learning Goal #2: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis

Learning Goal #3: Knowledge, Comprehension, Analysis, Synthesis

Appropriateness for Students

The first two learning goals are appropriate to assess students’ ability to understand

aspects of the scientific classification system. It is important for students to be able to

distinguish living and nonliving things from each other – what makes something qualify for a

particular category. Further, it is essential for students to realize what aspects make them

(humans) living and how they are similar and different to other living things. Students’ previous

learning has focused mainly on them as individuals and now the learning is slightly shifting to

their immediate surroundings.

The second learning goal extends from the first learning goal by focusing on one key

characteristic of living things – plants and animals closely resemble their parents. Many

students have already recognized this quality in their own families, but it is important that

students recognize this characteristic exists for all living things. It is important that students

realize aspects of nature that affect all living things the same, extending their knowledge and

view of the word.

Lastly, it is important that students are able to understand the present day is not always

how the world has looked or will look. Students must be aware of what has come before them,

why certain aspects have changed, and how things will continue to change. Students will be

able to ponder and question these ideas, ultimately using and developing scientific analytical

skills which they can apply across other content areas. Beyond school life and into the

workforce, students must have knowledge of their world and surroundings, and will they will

have to use skills from several content areas to be able to perform their jobs and live their lives

successfully.


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Assessment Plan

The assessment plan for this unit includes an identical pre- and post-assessment

(Appendix A), along with formative assessments throughout each lesson. The pre- and post-

assessment focuses on each of the three learning goals. The teacher will read all of the

assessment questions to the students. Students are required to be advanced on Part1A of the

post-test and proficient on the rest.

The first part of the assessment focuses on LG 1 (Learning Goal 1): students will be able

to describe characteristics of plants that help to identify and classify them. Part 1 is divided into

three sections; A, B, and C; each section addressing one of the three learning objects for LG 1.

Section A requires the students to label the parts of a plant using a word bank and plant

picture. Section B requires the students to identify what plants need to survive by circling

pictures. Last, section C has students determine what kinds of adaptations plants make in order

to survive by answering true/false questions.

Part 1 has a total of 16 possible points (Appendix B). To be advanced on the post-

assessment for LG 1, students must receive 15 or more points. To be proficient, students must

receive 13 or more points. To be basic, the students must have a score of 11 or 12, and to be

below basic, the students must have a score of 10 or below.

The second part of the assessment focuses on LG 2: students will be able to describe

characteristics of animals that help to identify and classify them. Part 2 is divided into four

sections; A, B, C, and D; each section addressing one of the four learning objectives for LG 2.

Section A requires students to match animal pictures to animal types. Section B requires the

students to identify what animals need to survive by circling pictures. Section C has students

determine what external characteristics belong to which animals by matching animal pictures

and external characteristics. Last, section D has students determine how offspring resemble

their parents by answering true/false questions.

Part 2 has a total of 20 points (Appendix B). To be advanced on the post-assessment for

LG 2, students must receive 18 points. To be proficient, students must receive 16 or 17 points.


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To be basic, students must score a 14 or 15, and to be below basic, student s must score 13 or

below.

The last part of the assessment focuses on LG 3: students will be able to discuss how

living things survive through adaptations. In this section, students are asked a series of

true/false questions about what extinction is, and similarities and differences between extinct

and living organisms. Part 3 has a total of 4 points (Appendix B). To be advanced on the post-

assessment for LG 3, students must receive 4 points. To be proficient, students must receive 3

points. To be basic, students must score 2 points, and to be below basic, students must score 1

or below.

During each lesson, observations (through checklist/anecdotal notes), class discussions

(through checklist/anecdotal notes), student work (through checklist), and exit slips will be used

as formative assessments. These aspects will be tied into each learning goal, giving students

practice to meet the required objectives and allowing the teacher to assess the learning taking

place. Accommodations will always be made to promote successful learning; for instance,

appropriate reading levels will be supplied to students, extra time for work will be given when

necessary and groups will be arranged with students of varying ability levels.

Assessment Plan

Learning Goals Assessments Format of Assessment Adaptations

Learning Goal 1 Students will be able to describe characteristics of plants that help to identify and classify them Objective The student will be able to

Pre-Assessment Formative Assessment

Pre-Test Includes: pencil and paper assessment of identification of plant parts, plant needs, and plant adaptations through fill-in-the-blank, identification, and true/false. Class discussions, observations (with

Questions will be read/repeated for lower-level readers. Extra time will be allotted to lower-level learners on an as needed basis. Students will mostly be working in mixed


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discover through doing that living things are made of characteristic parts The student will be able to state what plants need to survive The student will be able to demonstrate through models and discussion that plants have different external parts that help it to live

Formative Assessment Formative Assessment Post-Assessment

notes), student work (lab, labeling the parts of a plant, completing the parts of a plant project). Class discussions, observations (with notes), student work (identifying plant needs, adding plant needs to plant project). Class discussions, observations (with notes), student work (complete an exit slip explaining one way a plant adapts to survive). Post-Test Includes: pencil and paper assessment of identification of plant parts, plant needs, and plant adaptations through fill-in-the-blank, identification, and true/false.

ability, collaborative groups. For the individual plant part project, lower-level readers/learners can refer to the parts of a plant visual previously labeled or the class’ plant graphic organizer. Students will mostly be working as a whole class. For the individual plant part project, lower-level readers/learners can refer to the plant needs poem or the class’ plant graphic organizer. Students will mostly be working as a whole class. For the individual exit slip, lower-level readers/learners can refer to the class’ plant graphic organizer. The questions will be read/repeated to the lower-level readers. Extra time will be given to lower-level learners on an as needed basis.


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Learning Goal 2 Students will be able to describe characteristics of animals that help to identify and classify them Objective The student will be able to categorize different types of animals (mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and fish) The student will be able to state what animals need to survive The student will be able to demonstrate through models and discussion that animals have different external parts that help it to live

Pre-Assessment Formative Assessment Formative Assessment Formative Assessment

Pre-Test Includes: pencil and paper assessment of classifying animals, identifying animal needs, external characteristics, and offspring/parent similarities through matching, identification, and true/false. Class discussions, observations (with notes), student work (animal characteristics packet, animal characteristics foldable, animal sorting activity, animal characteristics poem). Class discussions, observations (with notes), student work (students will draw a picture of an animal that includes all of its basic needs). Class discussions, observations (with notes), student work (external animal characteristics matching sheet).

The questions will be read/repeated to the lower-level readers. Extra time will be given to lower-level learners on an as needed basis. Students will mostly be working in mixed ability, collaborative groups. For the individual sorting activity, lower-level readers/learners can refer to their animal characteristics packet or foldable. Students will mostly be working in mixed ability, collaborative groups. Lower-level readers/learners can refer to the “Animal Needs” book. Students will mostly be working in mixed ability, collaborative groups.


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The student will be able to show through examples how offspring resemble their parents Learning Goal 3 The students will be able to discuss how living things survive through adaptations Objective

The student will be able to list what makes an animal extinct The student will be able to give examples of how extinct organisms are similar and

Formative Assessment Post-Assessment Pre-Assessment Formative Assessment Formative Assessment

Class discussions, observations (with notes), student work (Venn Diagram). Post-Test Includes: pencil and paper assessment of classifying animals, identifying animal needs, external characteristics, and offspring/parent similarities through matching, identification, and true/false. Pre-Test Includes: pencil and paper assessment of the definition of extinction and similarities/ differences between extinct and living animals through true/false. Class discussions, observations (with notes), student work (Preventing Extinction worksheet). Class discussions, observations (with notes), student work (Venn Diagram).

Students will mostly be working as a whole class and in mixed ability collaborative pairs. The questions will be read/repeated to the lower-level readers. Extra time will be allotted to lower-level learners. Questions will be read/repeated to lower-level readers. Lower-level learners will be given adequate time for completion. Students will mostly be working as a whole class and in mixed ability collaborative pairs. Students will mostly be working as a whole class and in mixed ability collaborative pairs.


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different to organisms that are alive today The student will be able to distinguish between scientific fact and opinion through examples Objective 4: The student will be able to use data/evidence to construct explanations and understand that scientists develop explanations based on their evidence and compare them with their current scientific knowledge

Formative Assessment Formative Assessment Post-Assessment

Class discussions, observations (with notes), student work (Venn Diagram). Class discussion, observations (with notes), student work (Animal Research Report). Post-Test Includes: pencil and paper assessment of the definition of extinction and similarities/ differences between extinct and living animals through true/false.

Students will mostly be working as a whole class and in mixed ability collaborative pairs. Students will be able to discuss ideas as a class and collaborate with peers. Questions will be read/repeated to lower-level readers. Lower-level learners will be given adequate time for completion.


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Design for Instruction

Results of Pre-Assessment

Eighty-four percent of students either scored advanced or proficient on the first part of

the pencil and paper assessment which included identification of plant parts, plant needs, and

plant adaptations through fill-in-the-blank, identification, and true/false questions. This is not

surprising since some of the material is review; students have previously learned about living

and non-living things. Because students appear to have a strong background with this material,

lessons for LG 1 can really be extended, focusing more on the how and the why of the content.

For instance, instead of merely knowing the parts of the plant, students can be challenged to

understand the role of each plant part. Instead of knowing what plants need to survive,

students can be expected to know what will happen when plants do not receive these needs.

Also, for plant adaptations, students can be expected to be familiar with more plant

adaptations and be able to come up with more adaptations on their own. The goal for the first

part of LG 1 is for all students to be on the advanced level.

For the second part of the assessment, focusing on LG 2, half of the students scored

below the proficiency level; the goal is for all students to be proficient or advanced. This was a

pencil and paper assessment that included classifying animals, identifying animal needs,

external characteristics, and offspring/parent similarities through matching, identification, and

true/false questions. Animal types, needs, external characteristics, and offspring are new to

these students. Because this assessment is merely identification (due to the breadth of the

material), I don’t think it accurately reflects the higher-level learning that will need to take

place. These higher-level thinking skills will be assessed by formative assessments along the

way, and will give a more in-depth look at student learning. During the lessons, students will be

required to understand the “why:” why animals belong in certain categories, why animals have

certain external characteristics, etc.

The last part of the assessment focuses on LG 3: The students will be able to discuss

how living things survive through adaptations. This part of the pencil and paper assessment


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included questions on the definition of extinction and similarities/ differences between extinct

and living animals through true/false questions. The scores were pretty evenly spread among

proficient, basic, and below basic; however, only two students scored advanced. The goal is for

at least all students to reach proficiency. This learning goal touches on simple facts, such as the

difference between extinct and living, to complex content, determining why some animals are

extinct and how they are different or similar to living animals. Once students understand the

foundational content of extinct versus living, they will create research reports to acquire

needed information to compare and contrast living and extinct animals. This research will also

tie into previous content learned about animal survival. Therefore, understanding this basic

knowledge is necessary for the higher order thinking questions and activities.

Overall, I do not believe any of the learning goals need to be modified. The pre-

assessment clearly shows the core content of the goals is necessary for students to learn and

have a tight grasp on. The lessons will include focused and extended instruction on each of

these goals, with supportive and engaging activities.

Number of Students in Each Mastery Level for Learning Goals 1 through 3

Mastery Level Learning Goal 1 Learning Goal 2 Learning Goal 3

Advanced (A) 18 Proficient (B) 16 Basic (C) 14 Below Basic (D) 13

8 students 8 students 3 students 0 students



Unit Overview

The Characteristics of Living Things unit will span across twenty-two days. The first six

days will cover LG 1 with the topic of characteristics of plants. Day 1 will involve a lab, guided

discussion, and individual work, all with the focus of reviewing living and non-living things and

previewing plant characteristics via the lab (see “Activities” section below). The lab prediction

and living/non-living things sort will be used as formative assessments.


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Day 2 will involve collaborative groups working to label the parts of a plant using live

models after viewing a video on plant parts. The task of students labeling the parts of a plant

will be used as a formative assessment. Students will be required to transfer their plant parts

knowledge into Day 3 by individually creating a 3-D plant diagram which will be used as a

formative assessment (see “Activities” section below). On Day 4, the whole class will read a

poem about plant needs, and the students will individually add plant needs to their 3-D plant

diagram, once again being used as a formative assessment.

On Day 5, students will begin learning about plant adaptations by watching a video and

individually completing an exit slip. Students will explain on the exit slip one way a plant adapts

to survive and the exit slip will be used as a formative assessment. Day 6 will end the study of

plants and will involve guided discussion and individual work. The class will revisit the Plant Lab

from Day 1 and discuss possible explanations for the lab results. Further, students will

individually draw and label the parts of a plant as a summarizer. Both of these activities will be

used as a formative assessment (see “Activities” section below).

LG 2, characteristics of animals, will begin on Day 7. Guided discussion will be used to

have the students think about how they can sort pictures of selected animals. After watching a

video on classifying animals, students will collaboratively sort selected animals into five

categories: mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and fish. This animal sort will be used as a

formative assessment.

Classifying animals will continue through Day 13. Each day, the teacher will use direct

instruction to read about one type of animal (mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and fish).

The students will individually add the animal information to the Animal Characteristics foldable

and packet each day (see “Activities” section below). The foldable and packet will be used as a

formative assessment. On Day 13, students will individually complete an animal sort and create

an Animal Characteristics poem as a summary for classifying animals (see “Activities” section

below). The sort and poem will be used as formative assessments.


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LG 2 will continue on Day 14, focusing on animal needs. The teacher will use guided

discussion while reading about animal needs, and students will use the information to create a

picture of an animal which includes all of the animal’s basic needs (see “Activities” section

below). This picture will be used as a formative assessment. The focus will be switched on Day

15 with animals’ external characteristics. Animal pictures will be used to promote guided

discussion and students will participate in a “wing workout” activity to discover external

features animals use to survive. For a summary and formative assessment, students will

complete an external characteristics matching sheet (see “Activities” section below).

Day 16 will complete LG 2, discussing how offspring resemble their parents. Students

will bring in baby pictures of themselves and pictures of their parents. Through guided

discussion and literature, students will discover similarities and differences between offspring

and their parents and record these findings on a Venn diagram in collaborative pairs. The Venn

diagram, as well as a quick four-question assessment will be used as formative assessments

(see “Activities” section below).

LG 3 will begin on Day 17, starting with the definition of extinction. As a whole class,

students will examine pictures of extinct animals and uncover ideas about extinction through

guided discussion. After watching a video about extinct species, students will use the

Preventing Extinction worksheet to write and draw about one way to prevent animals from

becoming endangered/extinct (see “Activities” section below).

For the next three days; 18, 19, and 20; students will individually complete and

collaboratively share animal research reports (see “Activities” section below). The point of the

reports is for students to gain a broad range of knowledge about animals (extinct and living) in

order to compare and contrast extinct and living animals on Day 21. The reports will be used as

a formative assessment. Using the information gained from the reports and the unit thus far,

the students will help the teacher fill in a Venn diagram with similarities and differences

between extinct and living organisms. Students will individually complete an exit slip with one

similarity and one difference between extinct and living which will be used as a formative

assessment.


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The last day will be used for the unit assessment (see Appendix A). Identical to the pre-

assessment, the post-assessment will be divided up into three sections, one for each learning

goal. Questions will consist of fill-in-the-blank, matching, identification, and true/false. The unit

assessment is out of 40 points. To be advanced, students must score 36 or higher. To be

proficient, students must score between 33 and 35 points. To be considered basic, students

must receive a score between 28 and 32, and scores of 27 and below are considered below

basic. Students are required to be advanced on Part1A of the post-test and proficient on the

rest.

Activities

Activities will vary for each learning goal. Beginning with LG 1 of recognizing

characteristics of plants, students will begin a plant activator lab. Students will be required to

make observations and predictions of what will happen to a white carnation in blue-colored

water. Students are expected to use their five senses for observing the plant and make a

complete prediction. This formative assessment will help students become aware of plant

parts, plant needs, and how plants function (which is necessary from the pre-assessment

results). This assessment will further assist the teacher in concluding how well students are

familiar with plants.

Continuing LG 1 of recognizing characteristics of plants, the students are required to

create a plant project: a 3-D diagram of a plant and the plant’s needs, including labels for each

plant part and need (Days 3 and 4). During this individual project, students will be able to use

their creativity to gain an understanding of the plant parts and functions, and what plants need

to survive.

Students will use a variety of resources for their diagram: cupcake liners for the flower,

real seeds, pipe cleaners for the stem, green construction paper for the leaves, brown crayon

for the roots and soil, yellow construction paper for the sun, and blue construction paper for

water and air. Students will also have plant parts and needs labels to cut out and place in the

appropriate place on their diagram.


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Students are expected to include all the parts and needs of a plant accurately. This

formative assessment will help students become aware of plant parts and needs (which is

necessary from the pre-assessment results) and further assist the teacher in concluding how

well students are able to recognize these characteristics of plants.

To conclude LG 1, students will complete a plant part foldable. On the foldable, students

are required to write each plant part and draw an accompanying picture. Students are required

to include all parts of the plant and draw accurate pictures. This formative assessment will give

the students reinforced practice and serve the teacher in knowing how well students

conceptualized the parts of a plant. Further, students will be required to complete the plant

activation lab by observing what happened to the flower and writing a complete explanation

for why they think it happened. This formative assessment will allow the teacher to understand

how well students grasp the needs and functions of a plant.

The activities for the first five days of LG 2, characteristics of animals, will include an

animal characteristics packet and foldable. Each day, the students will learn about an animal

type: mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and fish. The students will write the name of the

animal category along with a fact specific to the category, and draw a picture of an animal that

belongs in that group on their foldable each day. Students will also complete the correlating

animal category page in their packet, identifying facts and animals specific to the animal type.

The students will be required to complete each section of their foldable and packet completely

and accurately. These activities will be used as a formative assessment to help gauge whether

or not the students understand what the different animal categories entail.

To complete the first objective for LG 2, classifying animals, students will complete an

animal sort, matching animals to categories. This activity will serve as a summarizer for

students and help the teacher know if students understand the five animal categories. After

completing the sort, students will use their creativity, along with their newly acquired animal

categorizing knowledge to create an animal characteristics poem. Students will choose an

animal category, list four example animals and list three characteristics of animals in the

category. Students will use a draft form before copying their poem onto a final draft. The


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students are expected to have all of their information correct, and this will help the teacher see

if the students’ knowledge can be transferred to different mediums.

Continuing LG 2, students will illustrate a picture of an animal that includes all of the

animal’s basic needs. Students will be required to incorporate all of the needs into a picture and

this formative assessment will help the teacher assess whether or not the students understand

what animals need to survive.

Moving on to external characteristics, students will be required to match external

characteristics to the correct animal. Students will have learned about how external

characteristics are beneficial to animals, and this matching activity will serve as an efficient

summarizer. This formative assessment can be used to see if students are able to put their

previous animal knowledge together with types of external characteristics.

Lastly, for LG 2, students must understand how offspring resemble their parents. After

teacher directed instruction, students will partner up and receive an assigned animal previously

learned about to complete a Venn diagram with similarities and differences between the

offspring and parents. The Venn diagram must be accurately and sufficiently filled out. This

activity will be used as a formative assessment to see if students not only recall similarities

discussed in class, but also use their acquired knowledge to come up with their own similarities,

as well as differences.

LG 3 completes the Characteristics of Living Things unit. Students will learn about extinct

animals and apply their knowledge by writing about ways to prevent animals from becoming

endangered or extinct. Students will be using their artistic and writing skills to create an

informative sign about extinction. Students will be required to come up with a complete, logical

statement. This sign will be used as a formative assessment to see if students understand what

extinction is and how it can be prevented.

Lastly, students are required to understand the similarities and differences between

extinct and living organisms. These ideas will stem from animal research that the students will

complete. Each student is required to choose an animal, extinct or living. Students are required


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to research the animals’ lifespan, type, habitat, external characteristics, diet, and other

interesting information. The reports will be used as a formative assessment to see whether

students are able to tie together all of the information they learned so far about living things.

Once the research is complete, students will share their animal reports with the class. With this

wide range of animal information, the students will work as a class to help the teacher

complete a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting extinct and living animals.

Technology

The use of the computer for the internet and word processing programs will be used to

develop and create the lessons. With regards to instruction, projectors (to display videos and

teacher material) will be used to help the teacher share content with students and for students

to easily see the content being discussed. For student activities, some computer usage will be

necessary in creating the animal research reports.

Block Plan for 1st Grade Science – Characteristics of Living Things

Pre-assessment given the week prior to initial instruction. LG 1, 2, 3

Day 1 LG 1 Topic: Characteristics of Plants Teaching Strategy: Lab/Guided Discussion/ Individual work Activity: Activator: Plant Lab Predictions Review: Living/Non-living sort Formative Assessment: Lab Predictions, Living/Non-living sheet

Day 2 LG 1 Topic: Characteristics of Plants- Parts Teaching Strategy: Collaborative Groups Activity: Plant Parts Video Labeling Plant Parts Formative Assessment: Plant Part Label Discussion

Day 3 LG 1 Topic: Characteristics of Plants - Parts Teaching Strategy: Individual work Activity: Parts of a Plant Project Formative Assessment: Parts of a Plant Project

Day 4 LG 1 Topic: Characteristics of Plants – Needs Teaching Strategy: Guided Discussion/Individual work Activity: Plant Needs Poem Parts of a Plant Project Formative Assessment: Parts of a Plant Project


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Day 5 LG 1 Topic: Characteristics of Plants - Adaptations Teaching Strategy: Individual work Activity: Plant Adaptations Video Formative Assessment: Exit Slip: explain one way a plant adapts to survive

Day 6 LG 1 Topic: Characteristics of Plants - Summary Teaching Strategy: Guided Discussion, Individual work Activity: Plant Lab Explanations Plant Parts Foldable Formative Assessment: Plant Lab Explanations Plant Parts Foldable

Day 7 LG 2 Topic: Characteristics of Animals - Classifying Teaching Strategy: Guided discussion Activity: Classifying Animals Video Animal Sort Formative Assessment: Animal Sort Class Discussion

Day 8 LG 2 Topic: Characteristics of Animals - Classifying Teaching Strategy: Direct Instruction/Individual work Activity: Read about Mammals Characteristics Foldable and Packet Formative Assessment:

Characteristics Foldable and Packet

Day 9 LG 2 Topic: Characteristics of Animals - Classifying Teaching Strategy: Direct Instruction/Individual work Activity: Read about Amphibians Characteristics Foldable and Packet Formative Assessment: Characteristics Foldable and Packet

Day 10 LG 2 Topic: Characteristics of Animals - Classifying Teaching Strategy: Direct Instruction/Individual work Activity: Read about Reptiles Characteristics Foldable and Packet Formative Assessment:


Day 11 LG 2 Topic: Characteristics of Animals - Classifying Teaching Strategy: Direct Instruction/Individual work Activity: Read about Birds Characteristics Foldable and Packet Formative Assessment: Characteristics Foldable and Packet

Day 12 LG 2 Topic: Characteristics of Animals - Classifying Teaching Strategy: Direct Instruction/Individual work Activity: Read about Fish Characteristics Foldable and Packet Formative Assessment:



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Day 13 LG 2 Topic: Characteristics of Animals – Classifying Summary Teaching Strategy: Individual work Activity: Animal Sort Characteristics Poem Formative Assessment: Animal Sort Characteristics Poem

Day 14 LG 2 Topic: Characteristics of Animals - Needs Teaching Strategy: Guided Discussion/Individual work Activity: Animal Needs Picture Formative Assessment:

Animal Needs Picture

Day 15 LG 2 Topic: Characteristics of Animals – External Characteristics Teaching Strategy: Guided Discussion/Hands-on/Individual work Activity: External Characteristics Picture Discussion Wing Workout Matching Sheet Formative Assessment: Matching Sheet

Day 16 LG 2 Topic: Characteristics of Animals – Offspring Resemblance Teaching Strategy: Guided Discussion/Direct Instruction/Collaborative Pairs Activity: Baby Picture Discussion Venn Diagram Formative Assessment:

Venn Diagram Quick Assessment

Day 17 LG 3 Topic: Extinct Versus Living Organisms - Extinct Teaching Strategy: Guided Discussion/Individual work Activity: Extinct Picture Discussion Extinct Species Video Preventing Extinction Worksheet Formative Assessment: Preventing Extinction Worksheet

Day 18, 19, 20 LG 3 Topic: Extinct Versus Living Organisms – Similarities and Differences Teaching Strategy: Guided Discussion/Individual work/Group Share Activity: Animal Research Reports Formative Assessment:

Animal Research Reports

Day 21 LG 3 Topic: Extinct Versus Living Organisms – Similarities and Differences Teaching Strategy: Guided Discussion Activity: Venn Diagram Formative Assessment: Exit Slip – one similarity and one difference between extinct and living organisms

Day 22 LG 1,2,3 Topic: Unit Assessment Teaching Strategy: Individual work Activity: Assessment Formative Assessment:

N/A – Summative Assessment


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Instructional Decision-Making

Scenario 1

The lesson on plant adaptations (day 5), relating to LG 1, unfortunately had to be split

up due to a school-wide special schedule. The lesson began on a Friday, and the students were

only able to watch the adaptation video. On Monday, the lesson continued with completing the

adaptation section of the plant characteristics graphic organizer as a class and completing the

exit slip individually, writing about one way a plant adapts to survive. I received many blank

stares and a lack of participation! I was able to guide most students to help me complete the

graphic organizer; however, many students were at a loss when it came to completing the exit

slip individually, especially Student 3. This student was not able to start the assignment at all.

From assessing an unsatisfactory amount of confusion even after guiding students

through completing the graphic organizer and assisting Student 3 individually, it was necessary

to re-group and review plant adaptations more in-depth. Because my first attempt of helping

students recall information from the adaption video did not work, I instead prompted students

to think on their own, creating their own knowledge instead of knowledge from the video

(which was clearly forgotten)!

In order to understand how and why plants adapt, one must know what plants need to

survive. So, I took the review even further back to the previous lesson on plant survival needs. I

had students use their memories and refer to the graphic organizer to remember what plants

need to survive. Once those four ideas were fresh in students’ minds, I asked them higher-level

questions to help them relate plant survival needs to plant adaptations. I asked, “If a plant grew

behind a tree that blocked most of its sun and the plant needed more sunlight to live, what do

you think it could do,” and, “If a plant stores water in its stems, what do you think the stems of

a plant that grows in a very dry area might look like?”

By helping students refer to classroom resources, such as the plant characteristics

graphic organizer, and connect the information learned, I was able to re-start students off on

the right track – even Student 3 who had struggled so much at the beginning! In order to


25

thoroughly learn information, students must have opportunities for multiple exposures to it.

The material that many of the students were struggling with was very new, so an extra review

and prompting to make connections among the content were very necessary.

Scenario 2

The lesson on Day 18, focusing on LG 3, started off very well as I modeled how to find

facts in a selected animal book to complete the research report notes sheet. I further modeled

how to turn my notes into sentences to write a report before sending students off on their

own. The students were able to help me complete the notes page and turn the facts into

sentences; however, when I sent them off on their own, it didn’t prove to be so easy! Since first

graders are beginning readers and writers, putting the two together is a challenging task,

especially with new and difficult non-fiction information.

Most of the animal research books were on a reading level the majority of first graders

could handle. However, depending on the animal, some books were more difficult, especially

for the lower-level readers. Student 13, a lower-level reader, chose one of the more difficult

dinosaur books. Even the on-level readers had difficulty with the dinosaur books.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t a great selection of extinct animal books in the library, so we had

to work with what was available.

Because there was such a vast difference in the level of the text and reading level for

Student 13, I re-wrote the key information of from text to match the student’s reading level. As

I saw fit, I did this for other students who were struggling reading through their text to find

necessary information. Further, for the students that could read the text but had trouble

locating important information, I starred specific pages to direct their attention to key details.

Both of these modifications helped struggling students, especially Student 13.

Because first graders are beginning readers and non-fiction is a new genre for them,

they still need help on navigating through non-fiction text features. Through modeling and

prompting, I helped students locate essential information for their reports. Also, non-fiction

text is not usually written for lower-level readers, so I was able to take the key information


26

from the text and re-write it to match individual student reading levels. These modifications not

only significantly helped Student 13 complete the task successfully, but they benefited other

students as well, even if they did not need to rely on the modifications as much.

Analysis of Student Learning

Whole Class

For the pre-assessment, half of the students scored below the required proficiency level

of proficient or advanced. However, after instruction, 82% of students scored either proficient

(3) or advanced (4) for each learning goal on the post-assessment. Therefore, the class as a

whole made progress throughout the instructional unit.

Pre vs. Post Assessment Scores for All Students in Regards to Learning Goals 1, 2, &3

Student LG 1 Pre- Assessment

Score

LG 1 Post- Assessment

Score

LG 2 Pre- Assessment

Score


Score

LG 3 Pre- Assessment

Score


Score

1 4 4 3 4 1 4

2 3 4 2 4 3 4

3 2 2 1 4 1 2

4 3 4 2 3 3 3

5 3 4 2 3 2 2

6 4 4 3 4 2 4

7 4 4 3 3 2 4

8 4 4 4 4 2 4

9 4 4 4 4 3 4

10 4 4 4 4 4 4

11 2 4 3 4 1 4

12 3 4 3 4 2 2

13 3 4 2 4 1 2

14 4 3 2 3 1 4

15 4 4 3 4 3 2

16 3 3 1 4 2 3

17 N/A 4 N/A 4 3 4

18 3 4 2 4 4 4

19 3 3 4 4 3 3

20 2 3 2 4 1 2


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0

1

2

3

4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Pre-Assessment

Post-Assessment

Figure 1 displays pre- and post-assessment scores of every student for LG 1. The graph

visually represents the progress each student made during the instructional unit. Fifteen

students met the expected advanced proficiency level, while five students fell below that level.

Post-Assessment Rubric for Learning Goal 1

Advanced (4) Proficient (3) Basic (2) Below Basic (1)

15 to 16 points 13 to 14 points 11 to 12 points 0 to 10 points

Number of Students in Each Mastery Level for Leaning Goal 1

Mastery Levels Number of Students


15 students 4 students 1 student 0 students

Sco

re (

po

ssib

le 1

to

4)

Student (by number)

Figure 1: Learning Goal 1 Scores Expected level of achievement


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Student (by number)


visually represents the progress each student made during the instructional unit. Each student

met the expected proficiency level. Sixteen students exceeded required expectations and

achieved the advanced level.





0

1

2

3

4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Pre-Assessment

Post-Assessment



18 to 20 points 16 to 17 points 14 to 15 points 0 to 13 points

Figure 2: Learning Goal 2 Scores

Sco

re (

po

ssib

le 1

to

4)

Expected level of

achievement


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Student (by number)

0

1

2

3

4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Pre-Assessment

Post-Assessment


visually represents the growth each student made during the instructional unit. Fourteen

students met the expected proficiency level. Six students were just below the required level of

proficient, three students met the required proficient level, and eleven students exceeded

expectations and achieved the advanced level



4 points 3 points 2 points 0 to 1 point





Figure 3: Learning Goal 3 Scores

Sco

re (

po

ssib

le 1

to

4)

Expected level of

achievement


30

Subgroups

The graph below represents pre- and post-assessment score averages for low-level

readers (3 students) vs. average/high-level readers (17 students) in the class. I decided to

compare different levels of readers to determine if reading levels may have been a potential

factor in learning the material for this unit since there was a good amount of reading and

writing involved, especially relating to LG 3, which is where I gathered data from. The data

shows that low-level readers did score slightly below their higher-level reading peers on the

pre-assessment, 1 to 2.41, and on the post-assessment, 2 to 3.5. So, reading levels may have

been a factor for achievement, and, therefore, must be taken into consideration when planning

instruction.

Assessment Score Averages for Low- vs. Higher-level Readers

Reading Level Pre-Assessment Post - Assessment

Low-Level 1 2

Average/High-level 2.41 3.50

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

1 2

Low-level Readers

Average/High-level Readers

Figure 4: Assessment Score Averages for Low- vs. Higher-level Readers

Pre-Assessment Post-Assessment

Ave

rage

Sco

re


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Individuals

Student 3

Student 3 showed improvement on all of the learning goals during the instructional unit

except LG 1, where the level remained the same; therefore, it is important to assess the factors

that influenced the most improvement so they can be applied to future success. The student

scored an average of below basic on the pre-assessment but scored an average of proficient on

the post-assessment (see Appendix C). It can be inferred from these results that the teaching

strategies used throughout the unit met Student 3’s learning needs.

Student 3 exhibited the most success with LG 2, jumping from a below basic score to an

advanced score. LG 2 was not only delved upon for the majority of them time, but it was also

integrated into other content areas (such as read-alouds) and extended in LG 3. Having multiple

exposes to the content of LG 3 could have been a major factor in Student 3’s success from the

pre-assessment to the post-assessment.

There were several factors going against Student 3’s success, however, along with the

other students in the class. This unit was a very long unit – almost a month and a half long! A

review of all the material was done before the final test, but the review did not make up for the

fact that there was still a lot of information to remember, especially for a first grader. Because

of all of the content, the test was long as well, and a long test at the end of a long day is not a

prime testing situation! For the future, I think it will be beneficial to students to split the final

test into sections and take as each LG is completed. Despite these odds, I think Student 3 and

the rest of the class did well, based on the levels of overall improvement.

Student 13

Like Student 3, Student 13 made improvements during the unit from the pre-test to the

post-test (see Appendix D). However, Student 13 did not reach proficiency for LG 3. Student 13

also needed much more assistance to reach these expectations. It is important to delve into

possible reasons for the lack of achievement for the last learning goals to improve teaching

strategies and student success.


32

Student 13 is one of the lower-level readers in the class with an overwhelming amount

of absences. Accommodations were made for this student, such as appropriate levels of text

and extra work time. Student 13 was also grouped with higher-level readers for collaborative

group work.

I think Student 13 was able to excel on the first section of the unit from background

knowledge, being exposed to plant characteristics before. I also believe the mix of teaching

strategies – direct instruction, guided discussion, collaborative group work, etc. – also helped

Student 13 to reach the advanced level on the other two unit sections, being exposed to the

new content in several different forms.

Like Student 3, this student took advantage of opportunities to ask questions and

participate in class. In order to reach advanced levels on all learning goals, though, I think

Student 13, along with Student 3, just needs extra time overall to really let the material sink in

for understanding. As shown in the previous section of subgroup data, reading levels may

hinder academic achievement. Student 13 has the foundations needed in order to succeed;

however, I believe more time is needed to apply the new material further and to make

important connections.

Reflection and Self-Evaluation

The learning goal in which students were most successful was LG 2; on the post-

assessment, all students reached the advanced level except for four, who met the expected

level of proficiency. I believe a major factor for student success in regards to this learning goal

was students’ interest in the subject matter and the amount of time spent on the learning

objectives. Students have been exposed to living and non-living traits and aspects of animals in

prior grade levels; so, based off of the learning theory of constructivism (influenced by John

Dewey), I believe that with their prior knowledge, students were easily able to build new

concepts on a strong foundation.


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A second reason for success could be the fact that LG 2 expanded upon concepts from

LG 1; such as living needs, characteristics, and adaptations; so the students were exposed to the

general learning goal throughout the entire unit, giving them ample exposure and practice with

the required objectives that were built and varied upon in each lesson. Because of the condition

of learning (Robert Gagne) and multiple intelligences theories (Howard Gardner), it was

important that students were exposed to multiple teaching strategies and involved in various

activities to ensure success by meeting each student’s learning styles and needs. Further,

students were given several formative assessments to focus the teaching learning direction.

Students were least successful in regards to LG 3 where they had to use high-level

thinking skills while integrating multiple content areas; I believe both of these factors could

have easily been a barrier to success for many students based upon the theory of information

processing (Robert Gange). From the results of the post-assessment, it was clear that many

students were not able to sufficiently apply the higher-order thinking skills necessary to be

successful; only eleven students achieved the advanced level, three students reached the

required proficiency level, and six students fell below basic. Even though proficiency wasn’t met

by every student, all students improved from the pre-assessment to the post-assessment.

To further improve students’ achievement, I believe an influential instructional strategy

would be to increase students’ exposure to extinct animals before making comparisons to living

animals; this way, students will have more background knowledge, potentially making it easier

for building ideas onto a foundation of knowledge instead of tackling two new concepts at once

(David Ausubel’s Subsumption theory). Further, I think more class discussion could be used

after the animal research reports to improve students’ synthesis and evaluative thinking skills;

focused questions and sufficient time is needed for students to delve deeply into the ideas

discussed to develop the essential thinking skills needed to meet the required objectives.

Overall, this unit was a success, with each student making improvements from the pre-

assessment and 82% of students reaching levels of proficiency, many even exceeding into the

advanced level. However, one professional learning goal I have to help my students succeed in

the future is to develop a deeper understanding of content area writing strategies. Even though


34

the students completed the animal research reports, I think the reports could have served as a

more valuable learning aid if the students had better guidance when researching and writing

the reports. In order to achieve this goal, I am interested in reading Real Reading, Real Writing:

Content-Area Strategies, by Donna Hooker Topping.

A second professional goal I would like to achieve is to discover more ways to create a

successful differentiated classroom and instructional program. I want to make sure the needs of

all my students are consistently met and provide them with resources they need in order to

achieve academically. To do this, I will continue to take education classes at Millersville where

differentiated instruction is frequently discussed, attend educational seminars the campus or

surrounding area may offer on this topic, and read Integrating Differentiated Instruction and

Understanding by Design, by Carol A. Tomlinson and Jay McTighe.

References

S c h o o l M a t t e r s . ( 2 0 1 2 ) . L o c u s t G r o v e e l e m e n t a r y s c h o o l . R e t r i e v e d f r o m

h t t p : / / w w w . s c h o o l m a t t e r s . c o m /

tws

Documents

classifying

graph visually

pde academic

level thinking

preventing

differences

individual

exit slip