Developmental Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Lauren Mosser Date: 3/25/21

Group Size: 15 students Allotted Time: 50 minutes Grade Level: 3

Subject or Topic: Life cycle of an oak tree

Common Core/PA Standard(s):

Standard - 3.1.3.A2 Describe the basic needs of living things and their dependence on light,
food, air, water, and shelter.

Standard - 3.1.3.A3 Illustrate how plants and animals go through predictable life cycles that
include birth, growth, development, reproduction, and death.

Learning Targets/Objectives:
● After learning about the life cycle of an oak tree, the third grade students will complete
a life cycle activity.
● The third grade students will be able to explain, in detail, the life cycle of an oak tree.

Assessment Approaches: Evidence:

1) Thumbs up, Thumbs down 1) If the students are understanding the
2) Life Cycle Model content thumbs up, if they are not
3) Guided note sheet understanding the content, thumbs
down.
2) The students will complete a life cycle
activity on the life cycle of an oak
tree.
3) The students will follow along through
a website and fill out a note sheet.
Assessment Scale:
1 ) Thumbs up
● Thumbs up- the students understand the content and can move on
● Thumbs down- the students are confused and need more review/practice
2) Life Cycle Model
● 5-6 boxes labeled correctly - proficient
● <5 boxes labeled correctly- below proficient
3) Guided Note sheet
● All blanks filled in on the note sheet - proficient
● <2 blanks left - below proficient
Subject Matter/Content: Life cycle of an oak tree
Prerequisites:
● The basic needs all living things need for survival : water, sunlight, air, shelter
● An understanding of the deciduous forest
● An understanding that trees go through a life cycle to become mature trees
● An understanding of where oak trees are located

Key Vocabulary:
● Life cycle- The process that plants go through to become what they are
● Acorn (Seed)- The seed of an oak tree is the acorn and that is where the oak tree life
cycle begins.
● Germination- The root that gives the young tree an anchor the young tree in place and
to obtain water and nutrients from the soil.
● Sprout- After germination, an oak tree sprout emerges from the acorn and shoots
above the soil. The sprout uses more of the nutrients from the acorn to grow until its
leaves grow and the tree can start producing its own food through photosynthesis.
● Sapling- Young oak trees that are growing larger, but not yet producing acorns.
● Mature Tree- When an oak tree starts producing acorns
● Tree Stump- The bottom part of the oak tree that is lifeless, however, is home to
bacteria, fungi, and insects. Decomposition breaks down the tree so that it’s nutrients
can be added back to the soil so that other trees can grow.

Content/Facts:
● What is a seed?
○ Just like other plants, trees get their starts as seeds. The seed of the oak tree is
the acorn and that’s where the oak tree life cycle begins. Like all seeds, the
acorn is grown by a mature plant and contains all the material necessary for a
new plant to form. Inside the acorn, you will find a tiny embryonic tree along
with tissue loaded with protein, carbohydrates and fat. It is the nutrient dense
tissue that makes a great meal for other animals. This is why you see squirrels
burying acorns in the fall. They are storing up food for the winter. Sometimes
these buried acorns don’t get found again and will grow into trees!
● What is germination?
○ When the acorn falls from a tree, it gets covered in fallen leaves. Next, the tree
embryo inside the acorn uses the energy from the nutrients within the acorn,
water from the environment, and warmth from the sun to break through the
acorn and send a taproot down into the soil. This is called germination. This
root gives the young tree an anchor to the young tree in place and to obtain
water and nutrients from the soil.
● What is a sprout?
○ After germination, an oak tree sprout emerges from the acorn and shoots above
the soil. The sprout uses more of the nutrients from the acorn to grow until its
leaves grow and the tree can start producing its own food through
photosynthesis.
● What is a sapling?
 ○ As the sprout grows, it develops stems and more leaves. The leaves use energy
from the sun and the water and nutrients collected by the roots to make food for
the tree. Young oak trees that are growing larger, but not yet producing acorns,
are called saplings. The length of time a tree is a sapling varies depending upon
the species, but the average oak tree species is 20-30 years old before it begins
producing acorns.

● What is a mature tree?

○ When an oak tree starts producing acorns, we say it is a mature tree.
Depending upon the species, oak trees can live from 80 to over 1000 years.
When an oak tree does die, it starts to decompose and becomes a tree stump.
● What is a tree stump?
○ Tree stumps themselves are lifeless, but are actually teeming with life within.
Bacteria, fungi, and insects are hard at work inside the tree stump in the process
of decomposition. Decomposition breaks down the tree so that it’s nutrients can
be added back to the soil so that other trees can grow.

Introduction/Activating/Launch Strategies:
● Remind the students of yesterday, when they saw how the forest changes with the
different seasons. Tell the students that now that we know what the deciduous forest is
about, it is important to know how trees actually grow. Tell the students that one of the
most commonly found trees is an oak tree.
● After giving the students some background information, explain to the students that
today they will be learning about the life cycle of an oak tree.
● Play the video Little Acorn Animated Book| Caper Corner Story Time for the students
to watch. (5:45) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gxB9-tcjos
● As the video is playing, set up the materials for planting the acorn. After the video is
done, explain to the students that they are going to plant an acorn, and watch it grow
into a tree.
● Tell the students that if they raise their hand, and share 1 fact from the book, they can
come up to the front and help plant the acorn.
○ One student will put soil into the pot
○ One student will put an acorn into the soil
○ One student will cover the soil
○ One student will drop a few drops of water in to the pot
○ One student will place the pot onto the windowsill.
● After the acorn is planted, have the student take out their science notebooks and record
what the pot looks like now, and how long they think it will take the tree to grow.
● After the students put their notebook away, tell them that it is time to find out how an
oak tree really grows.
Development/Teaching Approaches
● Tell the students that they will be getting a guided note sheet and we will be looking at
a really cool website to get more information on the life cycle of an oak tree. Tell the
students that they are to fill in the blanks that are on the note sheet when going through
each section of it.
 ● Pass out all of the note sheets and pencils to the students while pulling up the website
and projecting it on the whiteboard.
https://thehomeschoolscientist.com/oak-tree-life-cycle-lesson/
● Read each section of the life cycle in full as the students record down the missing
information on their note sheets.
● Start with the overview: “Just like all living things, oak trees have a life cycle, and
today we are going to explore how they start, and how they end.”
● Ask the students what 3 things they think an oak tree will need to grow.
○ Sunlight
○ Water
○ Air
● Emphasize that oak trees need sunlight, water, and air to survive. Ask the students if all
3 of these things are present in the classroom so that our class plant can grow.
● Call on some students
● Explain to the students all of the sections on the website, and if the students are having
trouble, underline on the white board the notes that are missing. Make sure to answer
questions that the students may have and emphasize the new growth in the acorn as the
steps of the life cycle progress.
● After each section (seed, germination, sprout, sampling, mature tree, tree stump) have a
student come up to the white board and draw what each step looks like.
● When the student is done drawing, ask the students to give a thumbs up or thumbs
down if the picture is accurate.
● If the picture is not accurate, give constructive criticism and fix the picture.
● Continue these steps until all of the sections are complete, and tell the students that
they are going to complete their own life cycle diagram.
● Pass out the diagram with the empty boxes and the other sheet that has the steps of the
life cycle for the students to cut out.
● Tell the students that they can color the pictures first, then cut out the boxes, and glue
them to the boxes.
● Tell the students that they should use their guided note sheets to help them glue the
boxes into the correct spots.
● After the students are done, pair them up at their tables and have one student be the
“teacher” and one student be the “student”.
● Explain to the students that the “teacher” will explain the life cycle of an acorn as the
“student” listens. Once the “teacher” is done, have the students reverse the roles and
explain the life cycle again.
● As the students are discussing their new learnings, walk around the class and listen to
the conversations they are having.
● After the students are done discussing, tell the students that you heard excellent
conversations, and that they are being true investigators.

Closure/Summarizing Strategies:
● As a fun closing activity, pass out individual jars of play dough and a variety of
different oak leaves from outside, along with acorns. Tell the students that they can
stamp the play dough to get a final understanding of oak trees and acorns.
 ● Have students share to their peers at their tables about what they liked most about the
lesson, as they become familiar about what oak leaves really look like.
● Have the students discuss what is similar, and what is different between the different
leaves and the varying shapes of the acorns.
● As the students are beginning to pack up their belongings, ask the question, “Do you
think acorns can be food to any animals that live in the deciduous forest?”
● The students will most likely respond with “squirrels” and tell them that tomorrow they
are going to be learning about the critters that live in the deciduous, and rely on the oak
tree for survival!
● Ask the students, and what do living things need to survive?
○ Sunlight
○ Water
○ Air
○ Shelter
● Tell the students they did an awesome job being investigators, and that they are going
to be deciduous forest experts soon!

Accommodations/Differentiation:
Student X has an IEP that states the student needs extra time on activities, and has trouble
retaining information during lessons. To accommodate this, the student will be able to take
home the guided note sheet to review more information, as well as other website suggestions
that further explain the content that was given. The student will also be able to take home the
Play Dough, leaves, and acorns to have more exploration about the oak tree. The student will
also be able to work with another classmate to complete the life cycle activity, if needed.

Materials/Resources:
● White Board
● White board markers
● Projector
● YouTube video: Little Acorn Animated Book| Caper Corner Story Time. (5:45)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gxB9-tcjos
● Small pot
● Planting soil
● Acorn
● Small glass of water
● Students’ science notebooks
● Guided note sheets (20 of each paper)
● Pencils
● Crayons
● Markers
● Website: https://thehomeschoolscientist.com/oak-tree-life-cycle-lesson/
● Life Cycle paper (20) https://www.lookwerelearning.com/oak-tree-life-cycle-activity/
● Cuttable sheet for the life cycle model (20)
https://www.lookwerelearning.com/oak-tree-life-cycle-activity/
● Scissors
● Oak tree leaves
 ● Acorns
● Play Dough jars (20)

Reflective Response:
Report of Student Learning Target/Objectives Proficiency Levels

Remediation Plan (if applicable)

Personal Reflection Questions

Additional reflection/thoughts
 Oak Tree Life Cycle Lesson
Information from: https://thehomeschoolscientist.com/oak-tree-life-cycle-lesson/

Seed
Sometimes it’s hard for kids (and adults) to imagine that the mighty
oak that towers over head started out as a tiny acorn. But, it did. Just
like other plants, trees get their starts as ________. The seed of the
oak tree is the _________ and that’s where the _______ tree life cycle
begins. Like all seeds, the acorn is grown by a mature plant and
contains all the material necessary for a new plant to form. Inside the
acorn, you will find a tiny embryonic tree along with tissue loaded with
protein, carbohydrates and fat. It is the _________ dense tissue that
makes a great meal for other animals. This is why you see squirrels
burying __________ in the fall. They are storing up food for the winter.
Sometimes these buried acorns don’t get found again and will
_____________!

Germination
When the ________ falls from a tree, it gets covered in fallen leaves.
Next, the tree embryo inside the acorn uses the energy from the
__________ within the acorn, ________ from the environment, and
warmth from the _________ to break through the acorn and send a
taproot down into the soil. This is called ______________. This root
gives the young tree an anchor to the young tree in place and to
obtain ______________ from the soil.

Sprout
After___________, an oak tree _______ emerges from the ________
and shoots above the soil. The sprout uses more of the __________
from the acorn to grow until its leaves grow and the tree can start
producing its own food through ____________.
Sapling
As the sprout grows, it develops _________ and more leaves. The
leaves use ________ from the sun and the ___________ collected by
the _______ to make food for the tree. Young oak trees that are
growing larger, but not yet producing __________, are called
saplings. The length of time a tree is sapling varies depending upon
the species, but the average oak tree species is ________ years old
before it begins __________ acorns.
Mature Oak Tree
When an __________ starts producing acorns, we say it is a
__________ tree. Depending upon the species, oak trees can live
from 80 to over ________ years. When an oak tree does ________, it
starts to decompose and becomes a tree stump.

Tree Stump
Tree stumps themselves are ______________, but are actually
teeming with life within. Bacteria, fungi, and ___________ are hard at
work inside the tree stump in the process of decomposition.
______________ breaks down the tree so that it’s __________ can
be added back to the __________ so that other trees can grow.
This is the model of what the life cycle activity would look like, along with the boxes that would
need to be cut out by the students. From:
https://www.lookwerelearning.com/oak-tree-life-cycle-activity/