Allison Koster

Allison Koster

Diana Botet

Lesson Plans: #1

Description: In the previous lesson, students learned about the animals that lived in the rainforest. They read The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rainforest by Lynne Cherry and wondered what would have happened if the man had chopped down the Kapok tree. Based on students’ interest and inquiry, we prepared a lesson on the issue of deforestation. This lesson will make students aware of the issue of deforestation and how it affects our environment and ourselves. It will enhance student understanding of the importance of trees and create an empathy and respect for our environment.

Grade level: Kindergarten

Topic: Deforestation

Standards:

·  Reading Standards for Informational Text K-12 Key Ideas and Details, #2: Students will retell stories, including key ideas, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.

·  Writing Standards K-12, Text Types and Purposes, #2: Students will write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas clearly.

·  Danielson Competency 3C: Engaging Students in Learning

Time: 45 minutes

Objectives:

·  Students will recall and retell the main idea of the book The Lorax

·  Students will compare and contrast the environment at the beginning and the end of the book

·  Students will be able to define “deforestation” in their own words

·  Students will demonstrate their understanding of deforestation by writing and drawing a literary response on its effects

Procedure/Methods:

·  Teacher will read the book The Lorax by Dr. Suess.

·  Teacher will ask students to compare and contrast the environment when they had trees and when they didn’t

·  Teacher will make a T-chart with student responses (Teacher will guide discuss if needed to have the students notice difference in air quality, pollution, waste, and water)

·  Teacher will say “Cutting down trees is a real problem in our world. This problem is called deforestation”

·  Teacher will write down the term “deforestation” on the white board.

·  Teacher will ask “What word small word do you see in the big word deforestation?”

·  Students will say “forest” and teacher will tell students that “de” means to take away so “deforestation” means to take away the forest

·  Students will watch a short video on deforestation effects (website address: http://www.childrenoftheearth.org/deforestation-information-for-kids.html) on the classroom smartboard

·  Teacher will make a bubble map of the effects of deforestation and write student responses.

·  Students will be handed a sheet of paper with a picture box and lines and told to write down one thing they learned about deforestation and how it makes them feel

·  Students will share work and work will be displayed for others to become aware of the issue of deforestation

Assessment/Rubric:

Students will be assessed orally through class discussion. As well, students will be assessed on their literary response on deforestation through the use of a rubric.

Future Field Trip: See The Lorax in the movie theater

What Can We Do to Stop Deforestation? Poster Rubric

4 / 3 /
2 / 1
We drew and colored a detailed and realistic picture about one idea for our poster. Our picture matches our words. / We drew and colored a picture about one idea for our poster. Our picture matches our words. / I drew a picture of many ideas. Some of our pictures match our words. / We drew a picture. Our picture does not match our words.
We explained our poster using lots of details and newly acquired vocabulary. / We explained our poster using some details. / We explained our poster with a few details. / We could not explain our poster.
We stretched our words to include beginning, middle, and final sounds and spelled sight words correctly. / We stretched our words to include beginning and final sounds and spelled sight words correctly. / We stretched our words to include beginning sounds and spelled some sight words correctly. / We wrote letters.

Lesson Plans: #2

Description: After a lesson on the effect of deforestation, students wanted to research what they could do to help save the trees and stop deforestation. This lesson provides students with a deeper understanding on how they can have an impact on environmental issues and make a meaningful imprint. Students will understand that they have the ability to make a difference in their local and global community. By becoming knowledgeable on the topic of deforestation, students will be able to teach others about the issue at hand and what they can do to save trees.

Grade level: Kindergarten

Topic: Helping to Stop Deforestation: What Can We Do?

Standards:

·  Science Standard #7: Students will apply the knowledge and thinking skills of science to address real life problems and make informed decisions.

·  Writing Standards K-12, Text Types and Purposes, #2: Students will write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas clearly.

·  Danielson Competency 3C: Engaging Students in Learning

Time: 45 minutes

Objectives:

·  Students will discuss what they can do to help stop deforestation

·  Students will formulate an idea for their poster

·  Students will write and draw a poster to make others aware of what they can do to help stop deforestation

·  Students will explain their posters to their classmates

Procedure/Methods:

·  Teacher will begin by asking students to recall what they learned about deforestation

·  Teacher will ask students to think in their heads “What can we do to help stop deforestation?”

·  Students will watch a short video on forest, deforestation, and what they can do to help solve the problem (website address: http://www.brainpopjr.com/science/plants/forests/)

·  Teacher will create a bubble map of student responses as to how they can help solve the problem of deforestation

·  Teacher will then say “These are a lot of great ideas. How do you think we could make other people aware of deforestation? Turn and talk to your partner.”

·  Students will share ideas. If not student comes up with the idea to make posters to hang around that school, teacher will guide them to that idea.

·  Teacher will ask students to turn and talk to their partner deciding on one idea for their poster

·  Teacher will model one of the ideas on a poster

·  Students will go back to their seats to work with their partner on creating their poster

·  Once finished, students will come to the carpet for a share.

·  Students will then hang their work on the walls of the school to increase awareness of what we can do as a society to help solve the problem of deforestation

Assessment/Rubric:

Students will be assessed through their responses in turn and talk and participation in discussions. Students will also be assessed on their posters through the use of a rubric.

Deforestation and Its Effects Rubric

4 / 3 /
2 / 1
I drew and colored a detailed and realistic picture. My picture matches my words. / I drew and colored a picture. My picture matches my words. / I drew a picture. My picture doesn’t really match my words. / I drew a picture that is not related to the topic
I wrote about many effects of deforestation and included my feelings. / I wrote about some effects of deforestation and included my feelings. / I wrote about one effect of deforestation or I wrote about my feelings on the topic. / I did not write about deforestation or my feelings.
I stretched my words to include beginning, middle, and final sounds and spelled sight words correctly. / I stretched my words to include beginning and final sounds and spelled sight words correctly. / I stretched my words to include beginning sounds and spelled some sight words correctly. / I wrote letters.