Heather Howell

Mrs. Katie Lockridge

T.C. McSwain Elementary School

Implement: October 8, 2014

Submit: October 1, 2014
LESSON PLAN OUTLINE
JMU Elementary Education Program

A. Butterfly Fly Away

B. CONTEXT OF LESSON AND UNWRAPPING OF THE STANDARD
From the 1st grade SOLs, the students have learned about characteristics of plants and
animals. This lesson will be the third day the students are learning about the life cycle of a
butterfly, so they should be a little familiar with some of content taught in this lesson. The
week before this lesson, the students learned about the life cycle of a frog, so the students
should have an understanding of how life cycles work. This will be an appropriate activity
because it allows the students to show their knowledge in different ways. The activity fits into
the curriculum sequence described below because takes what they know about previous life
cycle and what they are learning about the 4 stages a step further by actually drawing out the
stages of the butterflys life cycle and presenting the information to others. This will prepare
them to analyze other models and diagrams of the cycle in the future. Many of the students
are in the Concrete Operational stage of development, so they are able to understand things
that are concretely in front of them a lot better than abstractly thinking about things. With this
in mind, this activity will be good because the students will be creating the concrete material
to look at the different stages. They also have reversibility, and are able to recognize that there
are different types of butterflies and that a butterfly is an animal that goes through a specific
life cycle.
C. UNWRAPPING THE VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING and the NEXT
GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS (NATIONAL STANDARDS)
Concepts
Changes
Life Cycle(s)
Stages
Models/Diagrams
Animal

Skills
Verb
Describe
Compare
Contrast
Identify
Construct
Interpret

Blooms Taxonomy
Remembering (1)
Analysis (4)
Analysis (4)
Remembering (1)
Creating (6)
Understanding (5)

Heather Howell
Mrs. Katie Lockridge
T.C. McSwain Elementary School

Implement: October 8, 2014

Submit: October 1, 2014

Life Processes

Animal

Changes
Stages
Life cycle(s)

White-tailed Deer

Changes
Stages
Life cycle(s)

Butterfly****

Changes
Stages
Life cycle(s)

Plants

Changes
Stages
Life cycle(s)

Models/ Diagrams

D. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand what are the broad
generalizations the students should
begin to develop? (These are
typically difficult to assess in one
lesson.)
The student will understand that a
butterfly goes through a series of
changes throughout their life.
The student will understand that
cycles are continuous.

Know what are the facts, rules,

specific data the students will gain
through this lesson? (These
knows must be assessed in your
lesson.)
The student will know:
- A butterflys life cycle
consists of 4 stages: Egg,
Caterpillar (larva), Pupa
(chrysalis), and Butterfly
(adulthood).
- Egg the first stage in a
butterflys life cycle; the
egg develops into a tiny
larva, or caterpillar
- Caterpillar (larva) a
wormlike form of a
butterfly in the second
stage of its life cycle

Do what are the specific

thinking behaviors students will be
able to do through this lesson?
(These will also be assessed in
your lesson.)

The student will construct a

diagram of the stages of the life
cycle of a butterfly in order of its
life cycle.

Heather Howell
Mrs. Katie Lockridge
T.C. McSwain Elementary School

Implement: October 8, 2014

Submit: October 1, 2014
-

Pupa the insect inside of

the chrysalis, the third
stage in a butterflys life
cycle
Chrysalis the protective
case in which the pupa
rests before emerging as a
butterfly; the third stage in
a butterflys life cycle
Butterfly a flying,
slender insect that has
antennae and four colorful
wings; the fourth stage in
the butterflys life cycle
(adulthood)

E. ASSESSING LEARNING
What will your students do and say, specifically, that indicate every student has achieved your
objectives? Remember every objective must be assessed for every student!
Objective
The student will understand that a
butterfly goes through a series of
changes throughout their life.

The student will understand that

cycles are continuous.

Assessment
Sequencing pictures, partner
discussion, thumbs-up/down,
questioning during read aloud,
posters, oral exit ticket,
observation

Questions during read aloud,

ordering and sequencing,
observation

Data Collected
Listen for the way the students are
ordering the pictures during
partner discussion. Watch how the
student sequences the pictures and
make observations of who agrees
and disagrees using their thumbs
(correlating who agrees/disagrees
with the correct order). Listen to
the answers and reactions to
questions in the read aloud
listening for understanding and
misconceptions. Also, listening to
the presentations for the number
stage in the butterflys life cycle.
Listen to the discussions in groups
for vocabulary and knowledge that
their stage is just one of the 4
stages in this life cycle. Use
recording sheet to record notes
that stand out, concepts students
dont understand, and
misconceptions.
Observe the students reactions,
during the read aloud and
sequencing. Look for nonverbal
communication of understanding
or confusion during sequencing

Heather Howell
Mrs. Katie Lockridge
T.C. McSwain Elementary School

Implement: October 8, 2014

Submit: October 1, 2014
and the interactive read aloud.
Listen for comments of
understanding and confusion
during the sequencing and
interactive read aloud. Use
recording sheet to record notes
that stand out, concepts students
dont understand, and
misconceptions.

The student will know that a

butterflys life cycle consists of 4
stages: Egg, Caterpillar (larva),
Pupa (chrysalis), and Butterfly
(adulthood).

Sequencing pictures, partner

discussion, thumbs-up/down,
questioning during read aloud,
posters, oral exit ticket,
observation

The student will know:

- Egg the first stage in a
butterflys life cycle; the
egg develops into a tiny
larva, or caterpillar
- Caterpillar (larva) a

Sequencing and ordering,

questioning during read aloud,
poster/ presentation, oral exit
ticket, observation

Listen for the way the students are

ordering the pictures during
partner discussion. Watch how the
student sequences the pictures and
make observations of who agrees
and disagrees using their thumbs
(correlating who agrees/disagrees
with the correct order). Look for
nonverbal communication of
understanding or confusion during
sequencing and the interactive
read aloud. Listen to the answers
and reactions to questions in the
read aloud listening for
understanding and
misconceptions. Analyze the
posters in person and through
pictures, and looking for a picture
or words to describe what they
know about the stage they are
assigned. Also, listening to the
presentations, identifying the stage
they had and what number stage it
is in the butterflys life cycle.
Listen to the discussions in groups
for vocabulary and knowledge that
their stage is just one of the 4
stages in this life cycle. Use
recording sheet to record notes
that stand out, concepts students
dont understand, and
misconceptions.
Look and listen for students who
know the names of each stage and
do not need to use the numbers to
identify the pictures. Look for
nonverbal communication of
understanding or confusion during

Heather Howell
Mrs. Katie Lockridge
T.C. McSwain Elementary School
wormlike form of a
butterfly in the second
stage of its life cycle
- Pupa the insect inside of
the chrysalis, the third
stage in a butterflys life
cycle
- Chrysalis the protective
case in which the pupa
rests before emerging as a
butterfly; the third stage in
a butterflys life cycle
- Butterfly a flying,
slender insect that has
antennae and four colorful
wings; the fourth stage in
the butterflys life cycle
(adulthood)

The student will construct a

diagram of the stages of the life
cycle of a butterfly in order of its
life cycle.

Implement: October 8, 2014

Submit: October 1, 2014

Ordering pictures, group

discussion, posters, observations

F. MATERIALS NEEDED

Pencils
White butcher paper (4)
White printer paper (4 at least)

sequencing and the interactive

read aloud. Listen to the answers
and reactions to questions in the
read aloud listening for
understanding and
misconceptions. Analyze the
posters in person and through
pictures, and looking for a picture
or words to describe what they
know about the stage they are
assigned. Also, listening to the
presentations, identifying the stage
they had and what number stage it
is in the butterflys life cycle.
Listen to the discussions in groups
for vocabulary and knowledge that
their stage is just one of the 4
stages in this life cycle.
Listening for things the presenters
say that is not on the poster, but is
what the group talked about or
displays what the presenter knows.
Listen to group discussion in the
oral exit ticket for vocabulary
learned, facts, and numbered
stages.
Observe how the student orders
the pictures and places them in the
diagram. Listen for statements
about the bigger picture of the life
cycle as a whole when discussing
the one stage the group is given
and how they will represent that in
their poster. Analyze the posters
for how the students represented
the stage assigned to them. Use
recording sheet to record notes
that stand out, concepts students
dont understand, and
misconceptions.

Heather Howell
Mrs. Katie Lockridge
T.C. McSwain Elementary School
Markers/crayons/colored pencils
Book
Butterfly life cycle magnets
Extra resources
Data Recording Sheet

Implement: October 8, 2014

Submit: October 1, 2014

All students have a pencil in their desk that they can use, and if they need a different pencil,
there is a cup of pencils they can pick a new one from. The school will provide the butcher paper,
and I will have to go get that on the day of my lesson. The markers/crayons/colored pencils and
the white paper are provided in my cooperative teachers classroom. My cooperating teacher
provided the book, but I will be responsible for bringing the book to class the day of my lesson.
Professor Almarode provided the magnets, but I will be responsible for bringing them to class. I
will be responsible for bring the extra resources and the data recording sheet as well.
G. MISCONCEPTIONS or ALTERNATIVE CONCEPTIONS

All animals follow the same life cycle.

Animals decide when to change from one stage to the next.
There is no difference between a butterfly and a moth.
Butterflies only have 3 stages in their life cycle.
Butterflies only have 2 wings.
Butterflies only go through 3 stages: caterpillar (larva), chrysalis (pupa), and
butterfly (adulthood).
A cocoon and a chrysalis are the same thing.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB4Qf
jAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.scienceaz.com%2Fscienceweb%2Fdownload.do%3FunitId%3D7%26mtId%3D20%26filename
%3D%2Funit%2F7%2Fpdf%2Flifecycles34_unitguide.pdf&ei=2iofVIjwOsGMyASM0YLIBw&usg=AFQjCNEalChzM_Ox_LKz
xgMgNXBRthWB7Q&sig2=b92_HXmP4zDmUX9qSvQQA&bvm=bv.75775273,d.cWc
^ Science a-z Unit Guide
https://bu.digication.com/juliacontentanalysis/Home//
Students could have difficulty realizing that there are 4 stages to the life cycle and not
just three. Although, since this will be the third day working on the stages, they should
know that there are 4 stages.
I think it would be cool to actually see each stage of the butterflys life in
person if the resources for that are available. If not, the students could look at
each stage of the butterflys life cycle through pictures, and determine
themselves what characteristics each stage has.
o In doing this, the students could also see for themselves that butterflies
actually have 4 wings.
I could get the students to compare their lives to a Butterflys life and get the students to
reflect on what stage of the life cycle they would be in if they were a butterfly. This
could also be an enrichment activity to get the students critically thinking about the life

Heather Howell
Implement: October 8, 2014
Mrs. Katie Lockridge
Submit: October 1, 2014
T.C. McSwain Elementary School
cycle of a butterfly in relation to its life span. This also gets the students comparing the
life cycle of a butterfly to the life cycle of a human, and it relates to their own lives.
Questions:
I can ask them at the beginning of the lesson what they know or have learned
about butterflies.
If students have the misconception that butterflies and moths are the same
thing, then I can ask them why they think they have two different names?
When someone reveals the misconception that a cocoon and a chrysalis are the
same, I could go over the characteristics of a chrysalis, and then go over the
characteristics of a cocoon. Then I could ask the students if they could point
out any differences.
H. PROCEDURE (35 Minutes Total)

Preparation of the Learning Environment:

I will have the book that I will read from already placed on the easel that I will
be sitting next to as I read, along with the magnets I will use in the beginning
(the picture on the magnets will not be seen). The butcher paper will be sitting
on the middle table. The extra resources for each stage will be on the middle
table along with the butcher paper. On the whiteboard I will draw a diagram of
the life cycle of a butterfly with only the arrows and no pictures. I will also
write the essential question on the board: Why do we never run out of
butterflies?
<Have students sit on the rug with their specific partner facing the rocking chair>
(1minute)
Introduce the essential question for the lesson. You dont have to answer the question
right now, but I want you to be thinking about it as we talk.
Engage Introduction of the Lesson; How will you prepare students to engage in the
lesson? (8 Minutes Total)
Sequencing (3 minutes)
o ME: Mrs. Lockridge has talk to you a little bit about the life cycle of a
butterfly, right? Everyone, how many stages are in the life cycle of a
butterfly? (I will hold 4 fingers in the air).
o STUDENTS: The students should respond with 4.
o ME: How many? (turn my head and cup my ear with my hand)
o STUDENTS: 4!
o I will have a separate magnet of each step of the life cycle. I will place
them out of order on the easel facing the students.
o ME: These pictures represent each stage of the life cycle of a butterfly.
Talk with your partner to figure out the order that the pictures are
supposed to be in. You have 30 seconds to talk it out. Ready, go.
o ME: Pause right where you are. Say thank you to the person you just
talked to.
o STUDENTS: Thank you.
o ME: Who thinks they can put these pictures in the right order on our
life cycle diagram over here? (Point to the diagram on the board). I
will choose a student raising his/her hand to come up and move the
magnets to the whiteboard, placing them in the correct order.

Heather Howell
Implement: October 8, 2014
Mrs. Katie Lockridge
Submit: October 1, 2014
T.C. McSwain Elementary School
o ME: Thumbs up if you agree with (name of student) or thumbs down
if you disagree. The students will put their thumbs up or down.
o ME: Lets find out if we are right.
Read Aloud (5 min)
o Start on page. 20 of It Could Still Be A Butterfly by Alan Fowler.
o Pg. 21 The butterfly begins as an (egg). (Leave the last word for the
students to answer.)
ME: What do butterflies lay their eggs on? What is this in the
picture? (Point to the surface the egg is sitting on.)
STUDENTS: A leaf.
ME: Yes, it is a leaf. The picture has zoomed in to see the
features of the egg, which makes the leaf look like this. So the
egg is super small. Show me with your fingers how small the
egg is. (I will model this by pinching my fingers close
together.)
o Pg. 23
ME: A tiny caterpillar comes out of the egg and it eats and
grows to become a big caterpillar. Look at the size difference.
o Pg. 25
ME: The insect inside is called a Pupa, and the casing around
the pupa is called the chrysalis. Turn to your partner and say
Pupa on the inside, chrysalis on the outside.
STUDENTS: Pupa on the inside, chrysalis on the outside.
ME: What do you notice about the two chrysalises in this
picture? (Let them answer). The chrysalis becomes
transparent when the butterfly is about ready to come out.
o Pg. 27
ME: The butterfly flies away and will eventually lay and
(egg) somewhere on a (leaf) and then the cycle will continue.
o Go back to sequence and confirm that it is right or look at what needs
to change.
o Directions before go back to their seats.
ME: As you go back to your seats I am going to pass out a
large piece of paper to each group. Each group will get one
stage of the life cycle. I will give you more directions when
everyone is sitting at their desks showing me that they are
ready.
Implementation of the Lesson (specific procedures and directions for teacher and
students) (23 Minutes Total)
< Have the students go back to their desks & Give one piece of butcher paper
to each group> (1 minute)
Activity (22 minutes)
o Assign a stage of the life cycle to each group.
Egg: group of 4 by the windows
Caterpillar: group of 6 by the backpacks
Pupa: group of 6 by the sink
Butterfly: group of 6 by the door
o Directions (1 minute)

Heather Howell
Mrs. Katie Lockridge
T.C. McSwain Elementary School

Implement: October 8, 2014

Submit: October 1, 2014

You have all just become teachers and you are going to create
a poster as a group using the markers/crayons/colored pencils,
that will help you teach about the stage you were given. What
do you want your students to know about that stage of the
butterflys life cycle?
o Discussion: (3 minutes)
ME: Before you start drawing I would like you to talk with
your group about your poster. Decide what you will be drawing,
what information you will put on the poster, and decide who is
going to do what. I would like everyone to participate in
creating the poster, so keep that in mind when you are deciding
roles. You have 3 minutes to talk it out. Go.
o Posters (10 minutes)
ME: Lets bring it back together. Say thank you to those you
just talked to.
STUDENTS: Thank you.
ME: Now it is time to put your ideas on the poster. You will
have 10 minutes to draw, label, and/or write out whatever you
have decided is important for your students to know about the
stage of the life cycle you have. 10 minutes is not a lot of time
so you have to work quickly and efficiently. I will let you know
when we get to the halfway point. Lets get started.
ME: As they are working, walk around and observe their
process. If the students say they are finished, have the extra
resources ready to give to the students. Tell them Here are
extra resources about your stage, compare it to what you have
done and see if there is anything you would like to add to it.
I will also walk around to the group leaders of each group and
inform them that they will be responsible for presenting the
information to the rest of the class. If they really do not want to
be the one to present, I will let them talk to their teammates and
negotiate who will be the presenter.
o Presentations (8 minutes)
ME: Starting with the egg, I would like us to go through the
life cycle and have your group leaders teach the rest of the class,
your students, about your stage using the poster you created.
Egg group presents.
Caterpillar group presents.
Pupa group presents.
Butterfly group presents.
Closure (3 Minutes)
Oral Exit Ticket
o ME: Pause right where you are. We have about 3 minutes left. Take
this time to take turns and share with your group one thing you learned
about the life cycle of a butterfly that you thought was cool or
interesting. (I will be walking around the room collecting data by
listening to the students responses.)
Clean-Up (1 Minute)

Heather Howell
Implement: October 8, 2014
Mrs. Katie Lockridge
Submit: October 1, 2014
T.C. McSwain Elementary School
ME: Bring your posters to the middle table. If your table received extra
resources, bring that to the middle table as well.

Data Recording Sheet

BACKPACKS

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W
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S

Heather Howell
Mrs. Katie Lockridge
T.C. McSwain Elementary School

Implement: October 8, 2014

Submit: October 1, 2014

I. DIFFERENTIATION
Describe how you have planned to meet the needs of all students in your classroom with
varied interest and learning readiness, English language proficiency, health, physical ability,
etc. How will you extend and enrich the learning of students who finish early? How will you
support the learning of children struggling with your objectives?

Interest

Readiness

Content

Process

The students were able to

talk through what they
were thinking about. The
students also were able to
talk about what they found
most interesting about
what they learned.

The posters can be

created any way they
want to. They can
draw a picture, label
parts of their stage, or
write facts about it.

The content is shown in

multiple forms. There are
many visuals used to
connect pictures to
vocabulary and concepts.

Allowing the students

to express their
thinking in partners
and groups.
The fact sheets and
the book that was read
aloud are available if
the students need an
extra resource as a
guide.

Product
Multiple ways to show
knowledge through
answering questions
during read aloud,
sequencing (agreeing or
disagreeing with thumbs),
and through the poster
presentations.
The student who is the
table leader for that week
presents to the class (or
someone that was voted
to present), and not
forcing everyone to
present.--> One
representation for the
whole groups thinking.
Providing fact sheets also
can enrich the students
learning about the stage
in the cycle assigned to
them if they are ready for
more.

J. WHAT COULD GO WRONG WITH THIS LESSON AND WHAT WILL YOU DO
ABOUT IT?
Think about this! It may help you avoid an embarrassing situation. This CANNOT include
fire drills, interruptions due to announcements, weather, or other emergencies.

Someones partner could not be in the room, or could not be at school on that day. If this
happens, I will ask the student without the partner to join another group. If two people are
without their partners, then I will just have those two people become partners.
Two students could not be getting a long on that day and causing disruptions. If this
happens, I could separate them and assign them different partners close by, or I could tell
them that they need to work out their problems.
Some of the groups could be creating their models at a very slow pace. If this happens, I
may encourage them to pick one thing about their stage and really focus on that one.

Heather Howell
Implement: October 8, 2014
Mrs. Katie Lockridge
Submit: October 1, 2014
T.C. McSwain Elementary School
Another option would be to continue creating the posters presenting them the following
day.
When talking about the life cycle of the butterfly, the topic of reproduction and/or death
could come up. If this happens, I will try to answer their direct question delicately and
with caution. I will also try to redirect their focus back to the life cycles.
The students could ask a question that I do not know the answer to. If this happens, I will
need to tell them that I am not 100% sure of the answer about that and that I will have to
look it up. Or I could ask the students to look it up on the Internet when they get home (or
ask their parents to look it up) and teach the class about it the next day.

Lesson Implementation Reflection

As soon as possible after teaching your lesson, think about the experience. Use the questions/prompts
below to guide your thinking. Be thorough in your reflection and use specific examples to support your
insights.
I. How did your actual teaching of the lesson differ from your plans? Describe the changes and
explain why you made them.
a. First of all, I could not use the easel to place the magnets on first because we had to fold it
down to see the board, so I just help them up so the students could see them. Also,
someone did not have a partner (because he was a new student), so my cooperating
teacher suggested I be his partner (which affected my ability to collect a lot of data for that
activity).
b. I did not say some of the things I was planning on saying during the sequencing and the
read aloud. To be honest, I think this was mainly because I forgot, but I was also trying to
get through the sequencing activity and the read aloud quickly, knowing that I was on a
time limit, and we started a little late. I did not ask the students to think about why the
chrysalises were two different colors on one of the pages in the book. I also forgot to ask
the students to say thank you to those you just talked to throughout my entire lesson
plan.
c. I began running out of time, so even though the students were not finished with their
posters, I had to stop them to do my exit ticket. That being said, I also did not have time
for the students to present their posters to the rest of the class. Thankfully, my cooperating
teacher discussed this before and agreed that if I could not complete everything then she
would continue it the next day. So the following day, the class was able to finish their
posters and present. This also affected my ability to collect data from their presentations
because I did not see them.
d. Because we were kind of rushing through the posters (and didnt have enough time to
even finish them) I did not get an opportunity to utilize the fact sheets as an extra
resource.
II. Student Work Sample Analysis:
Gets it
Student A

Student N

Has some good

ideas, but

Does not get it

Student S

Student M

Heather Howell
Mrs. Katie Lockridge
T.C. McSwain Elementary School
August

Implement: October 8, 2014

Submit: October 1, 2014
Aniyah

Sarah

Madisyn

a. Understands

That an egg is laid

on a leaf. Some
caterpillars eat their
egg when they
come out.

The stages of the

life cycle and that
the life cycle is
continuous: but
the butterflies die
and the eggs
continue on the
cycle.

The sequence of the That leaves play an

4 stages of the life
important role in
cycle.
the life cycle

b. Confused about

I did not see signs

of confusion in his
performance.

The pupa and the

chrysalis.

The difference
between the
chrysalis and the
pupa.

Realistic colors of a
caterpillar.

c. Questions to ask to
clarify what I know

I would just ask

what information
he knows of the
rest of the stages.

I would ask about

her drawing on the
Pupa poster and I
would ask if she
could describe what
happens in this
stage to see what
details she
understands.

In the third stage

of the life cycle of a
butterfly, what is
the outer
shell/casing called?
What is the insect
inside called?

Talk about her

drawings on the
Caterpillar poster.
Ask what the leaves
represent on the
poster. Ask her
specifically to draw
a realistic
caterpillar.

d. Ideas to work on
next

New facts about the

stages of the
butterfly; labeling
different parts of
the caterpillar and
the butterfly;
adaptations of the
butterfly to survive
(to prepare for 3rd
grade).

More exposure to
what actually
happens in each
stage the details.

Pupa on the inside,

chrysalis on the
outside. (Repetition
with this idea).

More exposure to
each stage of the
cycle. Give a lot of
visual support of
each stage so she
can be exposed to
many realistic
images.

Leaves?

a. What does each student appear to understand?

i. Many of the students (specifically, A, N, and S appear to understand the sequence of
the four stages of the butterflys life cycle. They know that the egg comes first, then
the caterpillar, then the pupa/chrysalis, and the butterfly comes last.
ii. Student A seems to also know specific details about the stages. For example, he knows
that some caterpillars eat their egg when they come out.
iii. Student N has a conceptual understanding of the life cycle as a whole. She understands
that the life cycle is continuous in that after the butterfly lays the eggs the butterfly
dies and the eggs continue on the cycle. She understands the big picture and can
answer the essential question, Why do we never run out of butterflies?
iv. It is unclear that student M has a full understanding of the stages of the life cycle and
their sequence. I would have to go back and talk to her individually to assure that she

Heather Howell
Implement: October 8, 2014
Mrs. Katie Lockridge
Submit: October 1, 2014
T.C. McSwain Elementary School
understands the process. She does understand that leaves play an important role in the
life cycle of a butterfly.
b. What does each student appear to be confused about?
i. Student A does not seem to show confusion with any of the basic knowledge of the
life cycle of the butterfly. He seems to need differentiated activities and enrichment to
extend his learning about butterflies further.
ii. Student N and Student S seem to have some confusion with the difference between the
pupa and the chrysalis.
iii. Student M shows confusion about the realistic characteristics of a caterpillar. It could
have also been that she just wanted to make it pretty on her poster, but it is not clear
that she is aware of the realistic colors.
c. What questions might you want to ask each student to clarify what you know about the
students understanding?
i. I would ask Student A to do a brain dump (either written or orally) about everything
he knows about each stage of the life cycle of a butterfly. I want to know what his
knowledge is so I will know how to continue his learning about this topic.
ii. I would ask Student N about her drawing on the Pupa poster, and I would ask if she
could describe what happens in this stage to see what details she understands.
iii. I would ask Student S, In the third stage of the life cycle of a butterfly, what is the
outer shell/casing called? What is the insect inside called?
iv. In regards to Student Ms drawings on the caterpillar poster, I would ask what the
leaves represent, to grasp exactly what she knows about their importance. Also, I
would ask her specifically to draw a realistic caterpillar to give her a second chance
with more specific directions to show what she knows.
III. Describe at least one way you could incorporate developmentally appropriate practice in a better
or more thorough way if you were to teach this lesson again.
a. I could have made the posters a little more structured and guided the students in a way that
would allow for better differentiation. I liked how open ended the posters were because
they allowed the students to individually show their interpretation of the stage they were
assigned. I guess one way I could have structured the posters more would be to list the
things I wanted to see for each poster, and the students could choose which one they
wanted to draw. This would have made sure that there was not the same thing drawn four
times on the poster. It would also allow a little differentiation in interest because the
students could pick something they wanted to draw. Also, it would kind of still show what
they know individually, because they would not pick something to draw if they did not
know what it was.
b. I could have also done role cards and assigned certain roles to specific students for the
students that I know needed a little extra help/support.
c. I dont think I wrote this down in my lesson, but what I told the students was that they
could draw something, label something, or write a sentence on the poster. This gives them
options to fulfill the same requirement, so it is differentiating to what their preferences
are. I know there is one girl in the class that likes to write so much better than she likes to
draw. If I do this lesson again, I will definitely make sure to make this type of
differentiation clearer in my lesson plan.
IV. Based on the assessment data you collected, what would you do/teach next if you were the
classroom teacher?

Heather Howell
Implement: October 8, 2014
Mrs. Katie Lockridge
Submit: October 1, 2014
T.C. McSwain Elementary School
a. I would still spend some time on this topic because not everyone has a full understanding.
First of all, I would make sure that we got a chance to finish and present all of the posters.
This could provide a great lead in to a discussion about each of the stage, which would be
a great time to talk about what the students know. Also other students could help fill in
anything that way missed or add anything extra on each poster using post-it notes. I also
would make sure I focus on the idea that in the third stage of the life cycle, the pupa is on
the inside, the chrysalis is on the outside.
V. As a result of planning and teaching this lesson, what have you learned or had reinforced about
young children as learners?
a. I have learned that many children love telling you all about what they know! Also, they
love when they do different activities to show their understanding. After the lesson,
Student N came up to me and as she gave me a hug she said, thank you for letting us do
this. It is important to find different ways to teach material and assess their knowledge.
b. Students need opportunities to show what they know using different forms of output
according to what their preferences are.
c. Every student is different and has a different set of knowledge.
VI. As a result of planning and teaching this lesson, what have you learned or had reinforced about
teaching?
a. Tell the students when you want them to raise their hands or answer together.
b. Give the students your clear expectations of what they should do and how they should
behave.
c. Remove things on their desk that they could still work on (by ignoring you) before asking
them to do something else (exit ticket)
d. Sometimes you need to create a lesson with short notice.
e. Not everything you plan will always happen, or go according to plan.
f. The verbs in the curriculum framework should be apparent in every lesson that is taught!!!
g. The students need time to release throughout the lesson.
VII. As a result of planning and teaching this lesson, what have you learned or had reinforced about
yourself?
a. I can be engaging with read-alouds.
b. I need some word with behavior management strategies and relaying my expectations to
the students of how they should behave.
c. I will be a lot less stressed out if I can get a lot of planning done during the summer, and if
I can have a clear idea of the scope and sequence of each unit taught.
d. I love getting students excited about science and about learning new things.