SUBJECT: Science- Utah’s Forest Characteristics LENGTH OF LESSON: 1-2 days

GRADE LEVEL: 4th

Content, Scope, and Sequence, Core Standards:This lesson plan is part of a larger CORI Unit which focuses on the Utah forest environments and how they interact with living organisms.  This lesson will focus on students learning and understanding forest specific vocabulary.  Prior to the lesson, students will already have knowledge of and be able to describe the characteristics of forests as well as identify living organisms in forest environment.  

Lesson Ties:

4th Grade Science Core Curriculum: Standard 5: Students will understand the physical characteristics of Utah’s

wetlands, forests, and deserts and identify common organisms for each environment.

Objective 2: Describe the common plants and animals found in Utah environments and how these organisms have adapted to the environment in which they live.

o a. Identify common plants and animals that inhabit Utah’s forests, wetlands, and deserts.

o b. Cite examples of physical features that allow particular plants and animals to live in specific environments (e.g., duck has webbed feet, cactus has waxy coating).

o c. Describe some of the interactions between animals and plants of a given environment (e.g., woodpecker eats insects that live on trees of a forest, brine shrimp of the Great Salt Lake eat algae and birds feed on brine shrimp).

o d. Identify the effect elevation has on types of plants and animals that live in a specific wetland, forest, or desert.

o e. Find examples of endangered Utah plants and animals and describe steps being taken to protect them.

4th Grade Language Arts Common Core:o Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

Language Standard 4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

a. use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

b. use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., telegraph, photograph, autograph).

c. consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.

Student Background, Rationale, Purpose:Utah has different biomes including wetlands, forests and deserts. These environments are inhabited by living things, such as plants and animals.  Plants and animals interact with each other and the environment to create a forest environment.  This interaction helps the preservation of forests and it is necessary for students to understand how living organisms interact with each other and the forest environment.

Objective:

Students will be able to locate each forest vocabulary word and its definition when using the forest books provided by the teacher.  

Students will be able to create their own vocabulary definition cards through a whole-class discussion and their use of reference materials (e.g., glossary).

Students will be able to identify forest vocabulary words by defining each word they choose in the Forest Vocabulary Game.

Preparation:

You will need:o the four texts cited belowo 3x5 cardso definition checklisto vocabulary words written on board

Vocabulary List:

Previously Learned:o Coniferouso Deciduouso Environmento Foresto Habitato Hibernationo Interactiono Migrationo Rainfall

New Vocabulary:o Adaptationo Carnivoreo Decomposero Herbivoreo Insectivoreo Nutrientso Omnivoreo Photosynthesis

o Producero Scavengerso Vegetarians

Additional Resources:

Texts:o Food Chains in a Forest Habitat by Isaac Nadeauo Counting on the Woods by George Ella Lyono Forests by Cally Hallo Forest by Yvonne Franklin

Lesson Outline:

Introduction: Teacher will begin by showing students the list of previously learned vocabulary words and then read the book Forests by Yvonne Franklin.  When coming across a vocabulary word written on the board, teacher will model how to look for the definition of that word using definitions within the texts, context clues, and by going to the glossary.  The teacher will continue with more words until the process seems clear. Teacher will then write the definition next to the corresponding word on the board for students’ future reference.  Then the teacher will give the specific definitions for each of the previously learned vocabulary words and allow students time to write them on a 3x5 card.  The teacher will direct the students to follow the example she just gave in order to complete the new vocabulary word definitions.

Content/Activities:

In this activity students will be provided with a new vocabulary list. They will use this list to locate the definitions of each word in the text Food Chains by using the definition given within the text or glossary.  (The teacher will be observing and assisting students with finding and writing appropriate definitions.)

Students will then write the vocabulary words on one 3x5 card and its definition on a different 3x5 card, this will be an individual activity.

Students will have a total of 40 vocabulary 3x5 cards with the words on one card and the definition on the other.  

After each student has completed their vocabulary cards, students will gather into small groups of four or five students to study the vocabulary words.  

The teacher will assign student into groups of 3.  She will group students together based on their reading and academic level.  The groups will contain of a high level student, a medium level student, and a low level student.  This will allow students to learn from each other and help scaffold those who struggle to a higher level of learning.

Students in each group will then play the Forest Vocabulary Game and define each word they choose.

o The Vocabulary Game: In each group there will be a key holder and two students who will define

vocabulary words.

The two students defining words will place one deck of vocabulary cards face down (take out cards with definitions, these cards will only have the vocabulary words).  

Each student will take turns drawing a card from the pile and proceed to define the vocabulary word.

The key holder will determine if the definition given is correct.  He or she contains the master copy of vocabulary words and definitions and will use this to assess the definition.  *Definitions do not have to be exact but do have to contain the main points given on the master copy.

(Teacher will model a definition that does contain the main points and is correct and also a definition that is not correct.)

If the students definition is correct they get to keep the card.  If their definition is incorrect, the card is placed at the bottom of the pile to be practiced again.

After all of the cards have been defined, the students rotate roles.  They will continue with this activity until each student has had a chance to play each role.  

Closure:The teacher will bring the class together and have the students help her define the new vocabulary words. She will write the new vocabulary words on the board and ask students to give the definitions. Then the teacher will write the student given definitions on the board next to the corresponding vocabulary word.

Evaluation:The teacher can observe student definitions while they are playing the game.  The teacher can also evaluate at the end of class by checking the student definitions when she is writing them on the board.   

Lesson Differentiation- Advancing, Adapting:

To adapt for Early Finishers, they will be asked to find a second definition by looking for it in a dictionary (this way they can have two definitions). They will also write a sentence using that vocabulary word.

To adapt for ELL students, they will find or draw a picture of the vocabulary word and definition, on their 3x5 cards. (Pictures can be found online or provided by the teacher in the form of magazines.)  The teacher can also provide pictures next to the vocabulary words written on the board.

Technology:Early Finishers and ELL students can use computers to help find definitions or pictures.  ELL students may also use the computer to find a correct pronunciation of each word in English.   

Other Family/Community Interactions: Students can use their 3x5 cards to play at home and teach family about forest and animals.

Resources:  

Vocabulary game adapted from a UEN Lesson Plan found here:http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview?LPid=13650