Thematic Unit - Lesson Plan 4

Content Area: English/Science 

Grade Level: 5th

Nebraska State Standards Addressed:

LA.5.RI.2

LA.5.RI.7

LA.4.W.1.a.

ELP.4-5.5.L2

Rationale (Why is this important?): Students learn to compare and contrast similar animal forms in metamorphosis 

Materials Needed: 

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric 

• Venn diagram 

• Metamorphosis animal photos 

• Short video 

Objectives(s)(What will your students be able to do by the end of the lesson?)

SWBAT compare different animal photos and identify 3 differences and 1-2 similarites in the Venn diagram with 90% accuracy.

Language Objective:

SWBAT think-aloud and write their observations by sounding out new words, asking for help, or using a translation tool to help with spelling.

Vocabulary (What terms need to be introduced to help the students develop understanding of the topic discussed?)

• Metamorphosis 

• Compare & contrast 

• Darkling beetle – larva, pupa

• Butterfly & caterpillar 

• Tadpoles 

Anticipatory Set (How will you focus students’ attention on the material?)

Students will play a short "spot the difference" game, circling five differences between the two images displayed. I will give them 3 minutes to do on their own before reviewing together. 

I will explain what they just did with the two images was comparing them and finding differences/similarities. 

I have a short sentence frame and a cloze example of how we would state the difference we found in our image. The student will have the opportunity to choose a difference they found and recite the sentence out loud with the example. 

Ex: The left/right photo has/doesn’t have _______. 

Beginning of Lesson: I Do/We Do (How will you introduce and model the content? How will you check for understanding prior to guided practice?)

1. Metamorphosis: an animal goes through a series of physical changes, different stages, to become an adult.

2. Show a short video that explains the cycle of a butterfly and the different stages they goes through to explain better. Since there is no audio, I will read the captions out loud and point out the different details shown

3. Show an image of the darkling beetle life cycle, and how each stage is different and makes changes. I point out the differences and similarities in the cycle, similar to my butterfly one, and write them down in my Venn diagram. Prior, I explained my Venn diagram and how each section compares differences and similarities. One side is “Before the beetle”, the other is my “adult beetle.” 

4. I will provide examples first, and then we will come up with the difference and similarities together 

5. Show how my Venn diagram looks when complete, and show side by side the things we wrote with the image

Middle of Lesson: You Do It Together (How will students apply the new skill/strategy in small groups or in a partner setting while receiving immediate feedback?)

1. The student will have the choice between the metamorphosis of a butterfly or a frog

2. Title their Venn diagram of before and after their animal

3. We will find the differences first; they need to at least point one out independently (2-3)

4. The student will then find 1-2 similarities seen in our image cycle about their animal

I will monitor them and ask open-ended questions to get them to explain their answer or reasoning for comparing and contrasting. 

End of the Lesson: You Do It Alone (How will the students apply new skill/strategy independently?) 

The student will write one sentence using their vocabulary in the Venn diagram to describe something they notice in the photo, either different or similar. 

My sentence frame example will be available to see and use. They will read it out to me once it is done as their reflection. 

Assessment Statement: (How will you know that your students have met the learning objective?)

• Completion of the Venn diagram 

• Can compare images of animals in metamorphosis and point out the differences & similarities

• Sound out words when spelling 

• Punctuation and grammar 

Closure: (How will you end this lesson and prepare students for the next lesson?)

After their sentence is completed and collected, they will state one thing they learned about metamorphosis (compare & contrasting). 

I let them know that next week will be my final week with them and that we will play a review game as our finale for a prize!