Understanding by Design

Instructor Feedback:

Haley this is an exemplary unit plan! In fact, I would like your permission to use this as an
exemplar in our next class of course I would remove your name but would say that you are an
Alverno education student!
As you think about student teaching, and the EdTPA you will have to be as or more specific in
your writing then even you demonstrate here! Keep remembering that each step has to relate to
the standard in your case design a solution to a human problem. And structure/function and
information processing. In general bringing your audience the readers of your EdTPA
constantly back to the standard and its relationship to planning of the lesson you will do will
demonstrate your solid understanding of why teaching with standards is so critical to our
learning.
Title of Unit

Animal structures
and their processes

Grade Level

1st grade

Content Area

Science

Time Frame

11 days
Lesson One: 3 days
Lesson Two: 4 days
Lesson Three: 5 days

Developed By
Brief Overview
(Summary of Unit)

Haley Williams
This unit is covering the basic developmentally appropriate content for first
grade students in their understanding of animal structures and their related
processes. This overarching content stems from the first NGSS standard for first
grade in the discipline of Life Sciences. The knowledge learned in this lesson is
building off of what the students have previously learned in Kindergarten, which
is the basic understanding of patterns that show what plants, animals, and
humans need to survive.
This unit will have three lessons total that will span over 11 days. Each of these
lessons is connecting back to the main topic of discovering animals structures
and their related processes. The unit begins with the basic understanding of how
animals breathe. The unit then takes the understanding a step further and does a
lesson on the structures of animals that allow them to move from place to place.
The third lesson complies with what we have learned about animals, how they
breathe, how they move, etc., in order to survive, so we can then look at what
animals have beyond just normal survival skills-like breathing, to seeing the
special adaptations that different animals have to survive in their environment.
This lesson includes a final summative assessment that will have students apply
what they learned about animal breathing, movement, and adaptations. To
1

meet the goal of the overarching NGSS standard, the students will consider how
what humans know and can observe about animals can help them to solve
common problems or fulfil some type of need. The students will think critically
this is a great concept for educators!! Just remember you will to identify how
you will assess thinking critically - to discover what animal breathing structure,
movement, or special adaptation could help a common human problem or need.
The true purpose of this unit is to not only expand on what students have learned
in kindergarten such as.., but also to continue taking knowledge within the
lesson and expand it to new ideas and learning such as Just suggesting a bit
more in-depth here when you think about doing the EdTPA planning segment.
Essentially, the unit provides a scaffold of student learning in which pieces and
skills will be necessary to find the following learning segment meaningful. It is
also a preparation and foundation building for what students will need to know
as they move onto higher grades, which is beginning to understand the diverse
life cycles that plants and animals have that leads to those structures and their
related processes that we are learning about now this is good!.

Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)

Key Content and Literacy Standards: Established Goals
NGSS Standard: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
1-LS1-1: Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how
plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their
needs. My highlighting is for me to remember that this is part to include in the
instructional plan
Disciplinary Core Ideas: these are so useful when writing the essential
questions.
LS1.A: Structure and Function
o All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts
in different ways to see, hear, grasp objects, protect themselves, move
from place to place, and seek, find, and take in food, water and air. Plants
also have different parts (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits) that help
them survive and grow.
LS1.D: Information Processing
o Animals have body parts that capture and convey different kinds of
information needed for growth and survival. Animals respond to these
inputs with behaviors that help them survive. Plants also respond to some
external inputs.

Common Core State Standards

W.1.7: Participate in shared research and writing projects.
W.1.8: With guidance from adults, recall information from experiences or gather
information from provided sources to answer a question.
RI.1.1: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
SL.1.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about
grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
SL.1.2: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or
information presented orally or through other media.
SL.1.4: Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing
ideas and feelings clearly.
SL.1.5: Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to
clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
Understandings: Students will understand
that

Essential Questions

Animals need air, water, and food to survive.

Animals use certain structures to take in air,

water, and food.
Animals use structures to move from place to
place.
Animals have special adaptations that help them
to survive.
Humans can observe nature for ways to help them
develop their own ways to solve problems or
fulfil needs.

How can nature (animal structures and processes)

help humans to solve their own problems or
fulfill their needs? GREAT

Knowledge: Students will know

Skills: Students will be able to do

Animals need air, water, and food to survive.

The structures in various animals that allow them
to take in air. (ex. mouth, gills, skin, etc.)
How an animals habitat effects how it breathes.
The structures that allow animals to move from
place to place to survive. (ex. legs: walking,
hopping, running; wings: flapping, flying, etc.)
How an animals habitat effects how it moves.
Adaptations that various animals take on in their
habitats in order to survive.

Make observations and take notes based on those

observations.
Answer questions based on a text.
Compare using a Venn diagram.
Classify using a graphic organizer.
Construct a model of animal movement structures
through a drawing/painting.
Describe animal structures using evidence
collected through observation, readings, and
presentations.
Design and construct a model human adaptation
3

 How humans can use animal adaptations and

based on an animal adaptation.

GREAT

structures to solve their own problems or fulfil

their needs.

Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)

Key Evidence of learning: What will students be able to do and understand?
Lesson One:
Anecdotal note taking
Graphic organizers
Class discussions
CFUs
Crossword puzzle (recall info to apply learning)
Draw/label

Formative
Assessments

Lesson Two:
Observe/note take on students initial presentations of animal figurines and movements
Student observation notes on animals and movement structures
Graphic organizers
Class discussions
CFUs
Class Venn diagram creation
Art integrated assessment-animal drawn/painted, movement structures labeled, students
write sentence about movement/structure.
Lesson Three:
Zoo observation graphic organizer
Class discussions
CFUs

Summative
Assessments

Lesson Three:
Poster project: demonstrates animal structure/adaptation, why and how the animals uses that
structure/adaptation, drawing of the animal/adaptation, a human problem that could be
solved by that adaptation you might want to give an example of a human problem herethe
poster really depicts this just a bit more elaboration, drawing of how the problem could
be solved for the human, design and create a model for the human adaptation
Example project:

What criteria will you use to determine proficiency/essential understanding?

Learning Plan (Stage 3)

WHERE TO
W: Where are your students
headed? Where have they been?
How will you make sure the students
know where they are going?
Using CFUs
(ENGAGE/EXPLAIN)

The teacher will

The student will

Lesson One:
Day One Inform students that we are
beginning a new learning
journey as scientists in
understanding the different parts
that help animals survive.
Remind them that they learned
about what plants and animals
need to survive when they were
in kindergarten. For example,
food and water.
CFU: What are some things
that we need and that animals
need to survive?
We are now learning about the
structures (parts) of animals that
allow them to breathe to
survive.

Lesson One:
Day One Access background
knowledge on what plants
and animals need to survive.
Join a discussion about what
animals and humans need to
survive.

Day Two Remind students that yesterday

we worked with different
pictures of animals so we could
closely observe the different
ways and parts of their body
that they use to breathe. We are
going to continue looking at that
today.

Day Two Access knowledge about

yesterdays lesson.
Take out yesterdays group
notes on what parts the
specific animals observed
use to breathe.
Day Three Engage in review of
yesterdays lesson.
Students prepare for a short
assessment on their
knowledge of what structures
animals use to breathe.

Day Three Remind students that yesterday

we thought about how animals
breathe to survive in their own
habitats. We also read
Breathe.
Tell students that today we will
be doing a test of our
knowledge to see what we have
learned about what different
structures animals can use to
breathe.

Lesson Two:
Day One Remind students that we are on
our journey as scientists to
discover what external (outside)

Lesson Two:
Day One Recall previous lesson on
animal structures to breathe,
now adding on new

structures (parts) of animals

help them to survive. In our last
lesson we talked about what
body parts animals use to
breathe and how the way they
breathe helps them to survive in
their habitat. Now, we are
moving on to investigate what
parts of their body animals use
to move from place to place.
Day Two Remind students of the class pet
observations that we did
yesterday to see what structures
different animals have to move.
Take out science notebooks.
CFU: What are some of the
different structures animals use
to move from place to place?
Day Three Recognize work that students
completed yesterday with their
graphic organizers. Prepare
them to share that work later.
Day Four Culminate lesson, explain to
students we have observed
animal movements in a variety
of different ways.
Explain assessment to see what
students have learned.

Lesson Three:
Day One Tell students that their journey
as scientists investigating
external animal structures is
coming to an end. Our last
important piece is to look at
animal adaptations-special
structures that animals have that
allow them to survive in their
habitat. Some of the ways that
animals breathe and move are
their special adaptations to their
habitat.
CFU: What are some of the
ways that we have learned
animals breathe? Move around?
What do you think could be an
example of an animal

knowledge of what structures

they use to move from place
to place.
Day Two Recall yesterdays
observations.
Take out science notebooks.
Engage in quick discussion
about structures they have
learned so far that help
animals to move from place
to place.
Day Three Draw attention to graphic
organizer work done
yesterday. Be prepared to
share that work later.

Day Four Recall everything completed

in the lessons so far and all
of the data collected.
Prepare for assessment on
animal structures and their
movements from place to
place.

Lesson Three:
Day One Recall journey up to this
point. Ways animals breathe,
ways animals move from
place to place, and now
special structures animals
have to survive in their
habitat.
Engage in a conversation
about things we have learned
and access some possible
background knowledge on
animal adaptations.
Day Two Engage in conversation and
recall of animal adaptation
structures.

adaptation? A special structure

that helps animals survive in
their environment?
Remember in your CFUs to
ask higher level thinking
questions critique- analyzehow might appropriate of
course to grade level predict -

Day Two Remind students that yesterday

we learned about animal
adaptations.
CFU: Talk to your partner and
then share with the group
What are some of the
adaptation structures we
talked about yesterday.
Facilitate field trip to the zoo to
observe animal adaptations up
close.
Day Three-

Remind students that we got to

be scientists in the field (a
location) to observe animals
close up!
Prepare to share observations.

Day Four Remind students about zoo field

trip, great graphic organizers,
and everything that we have
learned about animals and their
adaptations.
Put up pictures of zoo animals
again.
CFU: What are some of the
different animal adaptations that
we learned about and why do
they help that animal?
Inform students that we are now
at our last task as investigators
of animal structures.
Today we are going to be
critically thinking scientists and
figure out how everything we
have learned about animals and
their structures/adaptations
could help us as humans to
solve our own problems.
CFU: What are some ways that
us humans could use the same
adaptations that some animals
have to help us?
Inform students of project.

Go on zoo field trip ready to

explore animal adaptations.

Day Three Recall zoo trip yesterday

Prepare to share graphic
organizer
Day Four Recall zoo trip and
observation data/class
graphic organizer.
Participate in recall of
animals and their
adaptations.
Engage in last process of
investigation-discussion-how
could humans use animal
adaptations to solve a
problem or fulfil a need?
Start project.
Day Five Students have work time.
Students present poster and
model creation.

Day Five Get students into work time.

Prepare for presentations.

H: How will you hook students at

the beginning of the unit? Pre-assess
student knowledge, understanding
and skills
Using CFUs

Lesson One:
Day One Initiate a breathing exercise to
draw attention to how humans
breathe.
CFU: What parts do we use to
help us breathe? How about
take in water?

Lesson One:
Day One Students participate in a
meditation/breathing exercise
in order to focus closely on
what parts we as humans use
to breathe.
Engage in a discussion about
using nose/mouth to take in
air specifically you will look
for?.

Lesson Two:
Day One Present students with short
video clip of a book being read
about animal movements.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/
commclub/animal_moves_
activity/page-2.htm
Place buckets of small animal
figurines at each group table
Engage student in choosing
animal from bucket and
exploring it.
Call students to carpet after
exploration.
CFU: What are some structures
that we just learned that help
animals to move?

Lesson Two:
Day One Stand up and engage in
online video-do moves of
animals presented.
Explore an animal figurineobserving what parts of its
body help it to move from
place to place.
Each student presents animal
that was picked.
Whole class does movement
for each students animal.
Engage in a short class
discussion to recall what
some of the animal structures
were that we just learned.

(ENGAGE)

Lesson Three:
Day One After introducing new learning,
present students with an
observation activity. Give each
table group 12 photos from this
website
http://www.boredpanda.com/animal-camouflage/
Photos should be laminated,
give each a dry erase marker as
well.
Tell students that one adaptation
animals can have is their body
coverings-like fur, scales, skin,
etc. These coverings can act as a
camouflage-a type of covering.
CFU: Why do you think that
some animals have a special

Lesson Three:
Day One Students engage in class
discussion about why
animals have camouflage.
Students work in groups to
find animals in pictures.
Students engage in class
presentation of what animal
they found and where it is in
the pictures.
Engage in short learning
segment about various
adaptations and which ones
they will be learning about
Look at the standards think
deeper on what standard
might be related to engaging
in learning segment this

E: What events will help students

experience and explore the big idea
and questions in the unit? How will
you equip them with needed skills
and knowledge for expected
performances?
(EXPLORE)

adaptation of camouflage?
Present students with pictures
saying that as a group they need
to find the animal that is using
its adaptation of camouflage to
hide in its habitat.
Bring group together after a
certain amount of time to look
at the photos on the smartboardname each animal-and find it.
Present students with short slide
show of the different types of
animal adaptations that we will
be looking at together.
Body coverings (camouflage,
scales, feathers) feet, teeth
(beaks), other structures that we
have already learned about-just
an intro to tomorrows learning

Lesson One:
Day One Create smartboard slides
showcasing various animals
from different habitats (frogs,
grasshopper, whale, dog, fish
Pass out large pictures of those
animals and have them rotate
among the small groups of
students.
CFU: As you look at these
pictures with your group
members, I want you to thinkWhat parts do you think these
animals use to breathe?
Day Two Bring up smart board
compilation of animal pictures.
Have a class discussion on the
students findings. There are 5
groups in the classroom. Have
each of the five groups give
their guesses for one animal.
Allow them to come up to the
smartboard to circle which
structure of the animal they
believe allows it to breathe.
As a class-go through the
students guesses. Ask other
students if they had any
different guesses.
Make a chart with the students
that list the animal on one side

10

would make this section a bit

more rigorous

Lesson One:
Day One Observe and analyze various
animals
Make guesses as to how
those specific animals
breathe in their
environment/take in water.
Work collaboratively with
group and take notes on what
the group thinks. A bit more
specifics here is seen which
is great! i.e. make guesses as
to how
Day Two Students recall the
information they took in their
notes using the smartboard?.
As a group they have one
animal in which they need to
present their guesses and
observations to the class.
One student from each group
comes up to the board and
circles the structure of the
animal that it uses to breathe.
Students engage in a class
discussion on what types of
structures animals use to
breathe.
Students draw a chart in their
notebook. In a class
discussion-they label which

and the structure it uses to

breathe on the other side.

Lesson Two:
Day One Arrange a day to visit various
classrooms in the school so
students can observe their
classroom pet/animal.
Model how you would want
students to take observations of
animals in the classroom. (quick
sketch, label movement
structure, write movement)
Facilitate students walking
through each classroom and
observing the animals. (fish,
gerbil, hermit crab, frogs, rabbit,
spider)
Engage students is discussing
with table group when back in
classroom-this discussion
allows for students to finish up
notes: CFU: Do animals that
live in the same habitat move in
similar ways? How do animals
that live in different habitats
move in different ways?

animals go with which type

of breathing structure.

Lesson Two:
Day One:
Students make and record
observations in their science
notebooks about various
class pets.
Students engage in group
discussion with table about
what they notice about how
animals that live in different
habitats move.
Day Two Completing a graphic
organizer to showcase how a
land animal moves and how
a water animal moves.
Students use various types of
animals from smartboard.
Students have work time to
complete graphic organizers.

Day Two Facilitate thinking on

information in notebooks. Now
going to explore water and land
animals and differences in
movement.
Explain/model how to do a
graphic organizer that displays
both a land animal and a water
animal-showing difference in
habitat and movement structure.
Provide smart board projection
of the various land and water
animals students can choose for
the organizer.

Lesson Three:
Day Two Plan to do this lesson around a
trip to the zoo.
Before leaving school: each
student has a small clipboard
with a list of animals on it to
observe at the zoo. (Tiger,

11

Lesson Three:
Day Two Go to the zoo.
Use clipboard and animal
sheet to observe each animal
on tour-draw a picture of the
animal and the special
adaptation the guide informs

peacock, alligator, duck,

penguin, bear, elephant, lion,
toucan) List is in a graphic
organizer format. One column
for animal, one for picture of
animal/adaptation, one for
adaptation name
Inform students of guided tour
at zoo specifically on animal
adaptations.
Students will be divided into
two group with two tour guides
who will lead them to the
animals listed, specifically
talking about animal
adaptations.
There will be a large group intro
first.
Take pictures of all animals
observed.
Back at school-inform students
that we will look at notes
tomorrow.

the group of.

Day Three Share out observation work

from yesterday-findings
about what certain
adaptations some animals
have and why.
Participate in filling in class
graphic organizer. Which
supports what standard(s)?

Day Three Excited about zoo trip yesterday

and all of the great observing
we got to do!
Facilitate sharing of observation
graphic organizer.
Fill in a large graphic organizer
at the front of the class on the
smart board. Call on various
students to see what they
observed.
CFU: What did the zoo guide
say that animals adaptation is
used for? (Ex. Hooved feet for
walking on rocky ground, sharp
teeth for easier chewing, flat
teeth for eating plants, spotted
fur for blending in to jungle,
feathers to mate/blend in, scales
to stay cool in warm weather,
fur to stay warm in cold
weather, claws to grab food
easier, etc.)

R: How will you cause students to

reflect and rethink? How will you
guide them in rehearsing, revising,

Lesson One:
Day Two Make connections with students
about why certain animals
breathe the way that they do.

12

Lesson One:
Day Two Students rethink the work
that they have discovered to
analyze how the animals

and refining their work? How will

you rethink or revise the plan?

(ELABORATE/EXPLAIN)

Make a connection to the

animals habitat.
Ex: Lets think about where a
fish lives. Would it make sense
for a fish to breathe through its
mouth? No-it would not take in
air, it would take in water. The
gills help it to change the water
into air for the fish to breathe.
CFU: How does this animals
structure help it to survive in the
habitat that it lives in?
Read: Breathe by Scott
Magoon
Essential Reading Question:
o How does a whale
breathe in its habitat
of the ocean, in order
to survive?

Lesson Two:
Day Three Read book Move, by Steve
Jenkins
Think about/CFU: Do animals
that live in the water and on
land move in the same ways?
Different ways?
After reading, prompt students
to share graphic organizers.
Bring up a Venn diagram on the
board.
Explain use of Venn diagram.
Venn diagram portrays animals
movements in water, land, and
both.
Facilitate
discussion/participation in
review of graphic organizers to
fill in Venn diagram with
movements that students found
in correlation to land and water
animals.
Engage students in rethinking
about their discoveries
compared to how humans move
on land. What are those
movements? Look at Venn
diagram and see if we move
similar to some animals.
Lesson Three:
Day Four Present students with a new way

13

environment might affect

how it breathes.
Students engage with their
groups to determine the
habitat that the animals live
in and how their breathing
structure helps them survive
where they live.
Students use their science
notebooks to write down the
place that the animals livehave a class discussion about
the animals and their
habitats reflecting on?.
Students engage in read
aloud and reflect upon what
specifically?.

Lesson Two:
Day Three Engage in read aloud
Present graphic organizers to
classmates
Participate in filling in Venn
diagram to categorize
movements of land and water
animals
Think about how humans use
external parts to move from
place to place.
Students engage in a class
discussion to compare how
humans move on land and
other land animals.

Lesson Three:
Day Four-

to rethink everything they have

learned about animals.
We have learned about all
different animal structures and
their functions as well as their
extra special adaptations.
Present students with idea that
sometimes scientists look and
observe animals to see how they
solve problems or adapt, so we
can figure out ways to solve our
own problems and adapt.
Present students with final
project and criteria.
Give example to students of
project.
Allow students to choose groups
and give them their supplies.
Allow students to begin
brainstorming and working.
Provide copies of all class
diagrams and organizers used
throughout the lesson to serve
as a reference.
Generate a list of animals that
the groups can choose from-let
groups choose.
No doubling up of animals.

Day Five Students continue work on

projects-poster should be
finished on day four, creation
starts on day five
Facilitate group presentations

E: How will you help students to

exhibit and self-evaluate their
growing skills, knowledge, and
understanding throughout the unit?
(EVALUATE)

Lesson One:
Day One Analyze student notes to see if
they are making education
guesses as to what structures
animals use to breathe based on
where they live.
Facilitate and take notes on
class discussions to double
check for student understanding
of structures animals use to
breathe.

14

Engage in culmination of
lesson.
Project: Students will work
in groups of three. They will
create a poster. The poster
will feature an animal and
one of its special structures
and its function. The student
will then think of a way to
transform that structure to
help humans with something.
Students will write the
problem a human has, and
how the adaptation could
solve that problem. Students
will draw how the adaptation
could be used to help a
human. Students will then
actually create the structure
using paper, glue, sticky tape,
clay, etc. Students will
present their posters and
creations to the class.

Day Five Students are preparing model

creation and presenting to the
class. Students peer assess
verbally and self-assess on a
rating basis with some
criteria listed. Great

Lesson One:
Day One Students take notes on their
observations/guesses of how
animals breathe.
Engage in a class discussion
about how humans and
animals breathe.
Day Two Students do an oral
presentation of their groups
decision on how a certain

Day Two Help students to start creating

their chart.
See if students can recall what
they have learned to fill in their
chart of animal breathing
structures, correctly.
Day Three Give students a cross word
puzzle. Clues are names of
animals/fun rhymes to help
students remember how that
animal breaths.
Provide a space for student to
draw small picture of one
animal in its habitat, labeling its
breathing structure.

Lesson Two:
Day One Observe student presentations
on animal figurines and their
movements.
Analyze student observation
notes of classroom pets to see
what structures students note as
ones animals use to move from
place to place.
Day Two Analyze graphic organizers to
see what animals the students
chose to represent and if those
are accurate.
Day Three Facilitate and take notes on
class discussion with Venn
diagram that depicts land and
water animal movements
Day Four Art integrated drawing/paintingpiece of paper split in half, land
animal on top, water animal on
bottom.
Student must choose a land
animal to draw and a water
animal to draw from a list of
generated animals
Animals are drawn/painted,

15

animal breathes. They mark

the structure used on the
smart board.
Students create a chart to
label animal and their
breathing structure.
Students write what habitats
the animals live in. Engage
in a class discussion about
habitats.

Day Three Students complete a

crossword puzzle in which
they need to recall what
breathing structure a specific
animals uses.
Draw a simple picture of one
of the animals, its habitat,
and label its breathing
structure.
Lesson Two:
Day One Oral presentation on animal
figurine and movement
structure
Notes from classroom pet
observations

Day Two Complete a graphic organizer

that shows land and water
animal and movement
structures.
Day Three Participate in class
discussion and filling in Venn
diagram.
Engage in class discussioncritical thinking on how
human movements are
related to animal movements
Day Four
Student completes an art
integrated assessment to
show knowledge of land and
water animals movements
and their related structures.

Accommodations:
Pre-teaching vocabulary at beginning of lesson

Activate structures
prior knowledge
movement
are

Pre-teaching/modeling
labeled, and students write ause of other tools (Venn diagram,
graphiconorganizer)
sentence
the bottom about

Allowing
students
animal,
movement,
andto draw pictures when they do not know
a word
structure.
Encourage questions/group discussion
Use visuals as references
Lesson
Three:
Allow
students to use notes/work as a reference
Day
OneLesson Three:

Create a safe presenting environment

Class observation on adaptation

recognition
Day Two Evaluate graphic organizer used
at the zoo, similar to other
students? Accurate?
Note taking on response to
animal adaptationunderstanding that other animal
structures we learned about are
also adaptations.

Day One Class/group discussion on

animal adaptations
Day Two Graphic organizer for zoo
observation

Day Three Class discussion on observed

adaptations and their
importance

Day Four Poster project/model creation

Day Four Poster project/model creation

Day Five Poster project/model
creation/presentation

T: How will you tailor and otherwise

personalize the learning plan to
optimize the engagement and
effectiveness of ALL students,
without compromising the goals of
the unit?

16

Day Three Class discussion on observed

adaptations and their
importance

Day Five Poster project/model

creation/presentation
Students peer assess each
other projects-give feedback
after presentation, students
rate their own work after
presentation to see if they
feel they met the criteria

O: How will you organize and

sequence the learning activities to
optimize the engagement and
achievement of ALL students?

As noted above in the unit plan, each of the three lessons have been broken down
into specific days. The learning that is done on each day is what builds the
foundation for the learning to be done the next day. For example, in the first
lesson on day one the students explore animal breathing structures on their own.
This allows them to come up with their own guesses great! Can you introduce
them to the term prediction? as to how animals breathe and it also allows them
to access their background knowledge on what they know about how some
animals breathe. The exploration portion of day two builds on that learning by
specifically looking at why students made the guesses and observations that they
did about animal breathing, and then correcting any misconceptions, so
important! so students can have correct understanding of what structures animals
use to breathe. All learning done in this unit is based on a scaffolding type
method so that the students are getting the support they need at first, to then apply
this learning independently when it is necessary. All lessons are organized in the
5E model easily identifiable in this plan!. Therefore, each lesson goes through
steps of engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, and evaluation. Each
lesson is organized to have visuals, hands-on manipulation, group work, writing
components, presentation pieces, class discussions, etc., so that each student will
have the opportunity at some point in each lesson and the unit as a whole, to
share their thinking and understanding. The specific lessons are organized to
include vivid demonstrations of tools that may need to be used, visuals to be
referenced, checks for understanding throughout the lesson, formative
assessments throughout to periodically check student success, and also an overall
summative assessment to culminate the learning and bring it together to one
piece. The inclusion of art integrated assessments also helps to meet the needs of
the students at this age level as visual displays and drawings are more
developmentally appropriate tasks.

17