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Learning Support Unit Plan: Seasons

Stefanie Wiegand

Margie Cravotta

ED 208 Characteristics and Strategies I

6 October 2011

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Day One Lesson Plan

Objectives:

Students will be able to identify the four seasons in order.

Students will be able to identify their birthday and correctly identify which season it takes place in.

Students will be able to identify what activities take place during each season.

Anticipatory Set:

1. The teacher will make sure all students are seated and attentive before beginning the unit.2. The teacher will direct the students’ attention to the newly created bulletin board, which

features the 4 seasons in order.3. The teacher will read the four seasons in order, and then ask multiple students, if not all

students, to repeat the sequence of the four seasons. Before moving on, students should be able to identify the four seasons.

4. Before transitioning into the lesson, the teacher will take a moment to engage each student and ask what season is their favorite and why. Teacher may also state which season is her favorite and why.

Lesson Sequence:

1. The teacher will hand out a cut out of a birthday cake to every student. 2. Students will write their names as clearly as possible on the cake, and identify their date

of birth. They will write the month and day of birth on the cake. (Teachers will assist with spelling; however, there will be a visual of all of the months spelled out already present in the classroom for students to refer to)

3. As a class, each birthday will be correctly categorized into its season.4. Teachers will come around and place a piece of tape on the back of each cake and allow

students, one at a time, to place their cake under the correct season on the bulletin board. 5. After each student has correctly placed their cake onto the bulletin board, they will take

seats around a circular table with the teacher at the head of the table.6. The teacher will ask what different activities happen in the Spring, Summer, Fall, and

Winter. The teacher will engage the students by asking questions and allowing as many students to answer as possible.

7. After the students all collaborate and name as many activities as possible (ex sled riding, raking leaves, swimming), the teacher will hold up visuals of different activities. The teacher will call on students to name the activity, and then call on another student to name what season the activity will take place in.

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Closure:

1. The teacher will end the lesson by asking review questions. The teacher will ask multiple students to identify the four seasons in order. Questions will also be asked about different activities and what season they take place in.

2. The teacher will pass out a handout that the students will complete for homework. The hand out is a coloring sheet of the four seasons. Students are to appropriately color the picture and label each season. Students may use this as a review tool upon completion.

The birthday cake will be cut out and given to each student for them to write their birthday on. The teacher will then put a piece of tape on the back and the students will be allowed to place it onto the bulletin board under the correct season.

StefanieApril 1

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These are examples of the visuals the teacher will hold up for the students. After the students name different activities, the teacher will hold up these cards of seasonal activities, and the students will identify the activity and what season this activity would take place in.

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This is the coloring sheet which will be assigned to the students for homework. When completed, students can use this as a study tool or as something to review. If students are unable to color due to a lack in fine motor skills, the teacher will provide them with an already colored sheet and ask them to fill in the name of the season.

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Day Two Lesson Plan

Objectives:

Students will be able to recall information about the seasons and activities from the previous class.

Students will be able to write in complete sentences about their favorite seasonal activities.

Anticipatory Set:

1. The teacher will begin the lesson with the class seated around the circular table.2. The teacher will begin asking students review questions from the previous lesson.

Questions will cover the four seasons and their order, birthdays and what season they fall in, and the different activities that take place in each season. Teacher should be sure to call on each student multiple times, and visuals should be used as well.

3. Before explaining today’s lesson, the teacher should ask each student what their favorite seasonal activity is. By asking this question, the teacher is providing a bridge of what is relevant to the student to the skill that will be worked on.

Lesson Sequence:

1. Students will return to their seats for instruction. Teachers/aides should walk throughout the desks to make sure students understand the assignment.

2. The teacher explains the assignment, which is a basic writing assignment. Students will be given a handout of the directions of the writing assignment so that they have a sense of direction for the activity, instead of simply pulling out a blank sheet of paper and beginning to write. The assignment is for the students to write in complete sentences, what their favorite activity is in each season and why.

3. On the writing assignment handout, students will be given a word bank of possible activities; however, they are not required to use only what is on the list.

Closure:

1. Upon completion of this writing assignment, the teacher will select student volunteers to share what they’ve written to the class. If students do not finish the assignment, I can be completed later during the day during free time, or for homework.

2. To end the lesson, the teacher should again review all information that has been covered in the last two days. Teacher will ask questions, making sure to ask each student at least once, about the four seasons and their order, and the different seasonal activities.

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Name__________________________ Date______________

Writing Activity: What is your favorite activity to do during each season?

Directions: In the space provided, write in paragraph form, or list in complete sentences, an explaination of what your favorite activity to do during each season is, and why you like doing it.

Decorate Easter eggs

Go swimming Go hiking Build a snowman

Go trick-or-treating

Drink hot chocolate

Watch fireworks

Go sled riding Plant flowers in a garden

Sit by a bonfire

Go camping Carve pumpkins

Open presents Play in the rain

Rake leaves

Go on vacation

Have a picnic Bake cookies Make snow angels

Play on a playground

For example, “During the Summer, my favorite thing to do is swim because the weather is hot and the water is cool.”

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Day Three Lesson Plan

Objectives:

Students will be able to begin learning a set of 10 vocabulary words, and 2 bonus words, based

on seasonal weather.

Students will be able to create Verbal and Visual Word Association diagrams for each

vocabulary word, and use them for studying.

Anticipatory Set:

1. The teacher will have all students sit around the circular table, with the teacher at the

head.

2. The teacher will briefly ask review questions about the four seasons, and their unique

activities.

3. The teacher will transition into the new lesson by asking the students what the major

difference between the seasons is. The teacher will use verbal clues to guide the students

to say “weather”.

4. The teacher will ask the students, being sure to engage everyone, what season it is. After

they give the season, the teacher will ask multiple students to describe the current

weather. A blind should be drawn for students to look outside. If students are well

behaved and the weather is favorable, this anticipatory set can take place with the

students sitting in a circle outside.

Lesson Sequence:

1. If the students were outside, they will return to the circle table. The teacher will explain

to the students that they will be responsible for learning ten new vocabulary words. If the

students appear to grasp these words well, the teacher can then explain that there will be

two bonus vocabulary words as well.

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2. The teacher will slowly state, and restate, each vocabulary word multiple times. This

should be accompanied by a clear visual of the vocabulary word, which the teacher will

hold up for the students to see each time she says the vocabulary word.

3. After repeating the vocabulary word multiple times and holding up the visual, the teacher

will ask each student to correctly repeat the word.

4. The teacher will then ask if anyone thinks they know what the vocabulary word means

and allow volunteers to attempt at definitions.

5. The teacher will then give the correct definition of the vocabulary word, which will be

repeated many times.

6. The vocabulary word should also be related to the students by putting it into a sentence

that may relate to them. For example, the teacher may be explaining the vocabulary word

“windy”, and her sentence may be “It is very windy outside today so Ms. Wiegand’s

students should be sure to wear jackets when going outside.”

7. While still seated at the circular table, the teacher will explain how to create Verbal and

Visual Word Association diagrams; however, they will simply be called “Vocabulary

cards.”

8. These cards are made by first sectioning the card into four equal parts. (This will already

be done for the students). In the top left square, the student will write the vocabulary

word. Directly underneath it in the bottom left square the students will write its

definition.

9. In the top right square, the students will paste a visual associated with the vocabulary

word. This visual will already be printed and cut out for the students, so instead of

drawing a picture or finding one on their own and cutting it out, the visuals will be

provided

10. In the bottom right square the students will write the name of an activity that can be done

involving the vocabulary word. Teachers should allow creativity, but the students should

be able to look at the activity and be able to deduce which word it refers to.

11. Students will then leave the circular table and begin working as the teachers and aides

help them.

Closure:

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1. The teacher should stand in front of the class, as well as walk between the desks, and

hold up the visuals used during the class when originally learned about the vocabulary

words.

2. The teacher should state and repeat the word, as the students repeat with her, and then she

will give the definition. This review will help reinforce the definitions of the vocabulary

words.

3. If there is time left, the teacher should go through the visuals once more and call on

students to try to identify the vocabulary word. Students should be encouraged and

receive positive feedback for correct answers, or for even attempting in order to

encourage participation.

The following are the ten vocabulary words, along with the two bonus words that are marked

with a *:

Cloudy when the sky appears as a white or grey mass.

Rain water that falls to the Earth

Flood overflow of rain water

Snow frozen water that falls to the Earth in flakes

Slush snow on the ground that has been rained on

Frost ice on a frozen surface

Sunshine the gassy star that warms the Earth

Windy blowing air outside

Thunderstorm crashing of clouds that creates a loud sound

Lightening an electric flash that comes during a thunderstorm when two clouds crash

*Blizzard a storm with great amounts of snow and wind

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*Drought a long period with no rainfall

These are examples of the visuals that will be used at

multiple times during the class to aid the students

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in learning their vocabulary words. These are not actual size, they should big larger so students

in all areas of the room can see.

Example of Verbal and Visual Association Diagram:

Lightning

An electric flash that comes during a thunderstorm when two clouds crash

Stay inside and play a board game!

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Day Four Lesson Plan

Objectives:

Students will be able to identify and define at least 6 out of 10 vocabulary words.

Students will be able to collaborate as a class and create a graphic organizer with the weather vocabulary.

Students will be able to associate different types of weather with what season it occurs in.

Anticipatory Set:

1. The teacher will have the students break into two groups at two different circular tables. The teacher and a teacher’s aide will be the head of each group.

2. Here, the teacher and aide will hold up the visuals for their own group as a review activity. First the teacher/aide should state the vocabulary word, repeat it with the group, and give the definition.

3. The second time through the words, the students should be able to give the vocabulary word and at least a working definition.

Lesson Plan:

1. After this review, students will return to their seats. The teacher will stand in front of the chalk board, or preferable a projector if that is available.

2. The teacher will explain that that class is to collaboratively create a graphic organizer using the ten vocabulary words. The teacher will begin by placing the word “weather” at the center. She will ask guided questions and give verbal clues of how the students can create branches or subcategories in the graphic organizer. Each student should be called on at least once.

3. If the students are struggling, the teacher should slowly create the organizer, explaining each step, until the students catch on and can contribute.

4. After the organizer is created, the teacher should pass out individual hand outs of the organizer for students to refer to and study.

5. After the organizer is created, it should be left on the board or screen for the rest of the lesson so students can continually view it and become comfortable with it. It will also be reviewed at the end of class for closure.

6. Next, the students will break back into the groups at the circular tables that they were in at the beginning of class. Here the teacher/aide will help the students associated the

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different types of weather vocabulary words to its associated season. The seasons bulletin board should be used and referred to throughout this activity.

7. In order to help them associate the weather vocabulary words with their appropriate seasons, the teacher/aide will give a vocabulary word such as “sunshine”. They will ask a question such as “In what season is there a lot of sunshine?” this clue should lead the students to say summer. If the students cannot answer the question, clues such as “When there is sunshine, it’s usually hot out so I would grab my bathing suit and go to the swimming pool. In what season do we go to the swimming pool?” These groups should go through each vocabulary word multiple times.

Closure:

1. Students will return to their desks and the teacher will direct attention back to the graphic organizer. The teacher will go over each category of the graphic organizer and explain, slowly, why each category is as it is.

2. If time allows, the teacher should erase the words in the graphic organizer and challenge the students to fill the words back in correctly. Even if the students struggle with this task and need teacher guidance, they should all be rewarded with a snack for attempting a difficult task. The snack should be seasonal. For example:

Fall= apple juice and Halloween/fall themed cookies

Weather

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Rain

Cloudy Flood

Windy

Slush

Snow

Frost

Lightening

Thunderstorm Sunshine

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This is an example of what the graphic organizer could look like. There are multiple ways to make an organizer out of these words, but this way appears to be the simplest. This should also be turned into a handout and given to the students. Color and shapes are important to incorporate into a graphic organizer because it helps with clarity, organization, and also attractiveness.

Day Five Lesson Plan

Objectives:

Students will be able to use their fine motor skills to cut out and tape clothing to a “weather bear.”

Students will be able to associate types of clothing that are appropriate for specific weather.

Anticipatory Set:

1. Students will once again review their weather vocabulary words as a class.2. The teacher will stand in front of the class holding the visual cards, and once having the

students repeat the words, and then a second time, calling on students to name vocabulary words.

3. The teacher will give a brief introductory explanation about different articles of clothing and which weather type they are appropriate for. The teacher will also briefly explain why dressing appropriately for types of weather is important.

Lesson Plan:

1. After this brief review and introduction, the teacher will explain the “Weather Bear” activity. For this activity, the students will be given a hand out of a bear, along with different weather appropriate clothing. The students will cut out the bear and the clothing articles, select one outfit and tape it onto the bear.

2. When the bear is complete, the students will identify which season their clothed bear is dressed for.

3. These clothed bears will be put on display in the classroom upon completion.

Closure:

1. The teacher will review all of the content taught in the unit plan.2. The teacher will cover, by asking students multiple questions multiple times, being sure

to engage every student, the four seasons and their order, as well as seasonal activities. The teacher will also cover the ten vocabulary words and their definition with visuals, along with the graphic organizer. After this review, the teacher will ask if anyone can define the two bonus words individually to the teacher. Whoever is capable, will receive a gold star/ticket/prize.

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This is the Weather Bear activity. Students will cut out the bear and it’s clothing, select and outfit, and determine which season the bear is dressed for.

Sequence Explaination:

I created this sequence for this unit plan because I felt that it flowed well and each aspect

of the unit tied together well. I also feel that the way the work and new content is divided will

keep the students from becoming overwhelmed by too much information. I think there are a

variety of activities present so the student’s won’t lose focus or feel they are constantly doing the

same type of work. Even though there are a variety of activities, I also kept each lesson structure

similar so that students who need structure and a stable routine in their day will be comfortable.

I also feel that each activity is able to be adapted for students who do not have the skills needed

for the activity.

Furthermore, I chose to begin the unit with learning the actual seasons and their order. I

did this because everything else that will be covered in this unit can be directly related to

seasons, so I felt that it was important to get the basics across first. I also felt it important to

relate the students to the seasons by having them place their birthday within a seasonal category.

The different activities of each season are also important to cover because it is something the

students can relate to easily. I began and ended each lesson with a review in order to reinforce

the information. I observed that this was done very frequently in the learning support classroom

at Hutchison Elementary, so I wanted to incorporate it into my unit. I also found it crucial to

have students, on day two, use what they learned the day before to write complete sentences.

Writing and speaking in complete sentences is a crucial skill to learn, so this should be done

frequently in classrooms.

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Moreover, I introduced the vocabulary words on day three, but I did not progress much

further than that during the lesson. I felt it would be an information overload to teach them

vocabulary words, expect them to know them, and then do an activity with them. Instead, I

introduced the words and had them create a tool that will help them learn the words. This tool is

somewhat like flash cards, but there are visuals and word associations incorporated in as well.

On day four, I went a little further with the vocabulary after reviewing them at the beginning of

the lesson. I had the class, teacher included, collaborate and come up with a graphic organizer

for the vocabulary words. I think that this activity could be considered difficult, so the teacher

should provide many clues and help move the activity along if the students are struggling. The

students will also be given their own hand out of the graphic organizer to refer to. To end the

unit, I decided to incorporate a fun activity involving fine motor skills and less intellectual

stimulation. The Weather Bear project is a great hands on activity to tie the entire unit together.

To end the entire unit, the teacher gives a final review on all of the material. Even though the

class will be moving onto something new in the coming days, the teacher should still from time

to time revisit this unit so the students retain the knowledge.