Lee Cha
Science CAT
Assessment Commentary
Cha, 1
1. Identify the specific science standards/objectives measured by the assessment
chosen for analysis.
Life Sciences: Standard 2B: Students know producers and consumers (herbivores,
carnivores, omnivores, and decomposers) are related in food chains and food webs and
may compete with each other for resources in an ecosystem.
Food Web Unit
Lesson #1: Content Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to diagram
how producers make their own food and identify producers from a list of plants, animals,
and insects.
Language Objective: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to
diagram how producers make their own food by using the language frame “Producers
need _______, _________, _________, and ________.”
Lesson #2: Content Objective: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to classify
the consumers (herbivore, omnivore, and carnivore) on a worksheet.
Language Objective: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to
explain the three types of consumers (herbivore, omnivore, and carnivore) on a
worksheet, using the language frame: “________ are ________ because ________.”
Lesson #3: Content Objective: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to identify
the different parts of a food web by placing producers, consumers, and decomposers
pictures in the right order on the food web.
Language Objective: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to fill
out two test questions on a worksheet.
Although there are three lessons in our unit, for this commentary, the focus will be only
on the lesson one content objective.
2. Create a summary of student learning across the whole class relative to your
evaluative criteria (or rubric). Summarize the results in narrative and/or graphic
form (e.g., table or chart). Attach your rubric or evaluative criteria. (You may
use the optional chart provided following the Assessment Commentary prompts to
provide the evaluative criteria, including descriptions of student performance at
different levels.) (TPEs 3, 5)
For this section, a diagnostic test taken prior to the lesson and the summative
assessment for lesson plan one will be analyzed to gauge the results of the lesson.
Cha, 2
Attached to this commentary is a rubric for scoring these assessments along with a
percentage breakdown of how the class performed.
Based on the diagnostic tests that were administered, only about 10% of the entire
class was completely lacking in knowledge about the subject. These 10% of the class had
missed all of the questions which were asked. The remaining 90% of the class had some
background knowledge of the subject. These students in the 90% have answered at least
one to two questions correctly. There were no students who answered all of the questions
correctly on this diagnostic test.
The summative assessment for lesson one involved students to diagram the content
learned. On this assessment, there were not one student who was underperforming at a
below basic level according to the rubric. Most of the students correctly diagramed the
content learned and labeled the appropriate locations. 7% of the class was at the
developing stage for the content according to our rubric, because these students did not
have prior knowledge of the material. The remaining 93% of the class understood and
mastered the content which was presented to them.
The reason behind the high number of students mastering the material is because
most students were already exposed to the content. The students are bringing in a lot of
prior knowledge to this lesson and this helps them to understand the new content.
3. Discuss what most students appear to understand well, and, if relevant, any
misunderstandings, confusions, or needs (including a need for greater challenge)
that were apparent for some or most students. Cite evidence to support your
analysis from the three student work samples you selected. (TPE 3)
Students understood the concept of producers. By the end of the lesson, students
came to associate the term “producer” with plants and fruits. As a formative assessment,
the students organized a group of organisms into producers and non-producers, and it
seemed that the students understood that anything associated with plants are considered
producers. Most of the students sorted the organisms correctly, and therefore this
assessment showed that the students understood that producers are things that grow and
make their own energy.
However, it is unclear whether the students understood everything about producers.
The Students understood that producers are associated with plants, however, from the
formative assessments mentioned above where the students had to group pictures of
different organisms into producers or non-producers, it was unclear whether they thought
that producers were actual plants or simply the fruits or vegetables of plants. Because the
pictures of the producers were actual fruits and vegetables instead of the plants, it is
unclear whether the students know that producers are actual plants or just fruits and
vegetables.
It was clear from this assessment that the students know the difference between the
animals and the fruits. The students can associate producers to fruits and vegetables, and
differ it from animals, however, I do not think that the students know that producers are
the actual plants which makes the fruits or vegetable.
Cha, 3
4. From the three students whose work samples were selected, choose two students,
at least one of which is an English Learner. For these two students, describe their
prior knowledge of the content and their individual learning strengths and
challenges (e.g., academic development, language proficiency, special needs).
What did you conclude about their learning of the target standards/objectives?
Cite specific evidence from the work samples and from other classroom
assessments relevant to the same evaluative criteria (or rubric). (TPE 3)
Both of the students which I chose are English learners; their names are Abel and
Yaritza. Both students’ native language is Spanish. These two students’ levels of
English proficiency are very different; Yaritza is more proficient and Abel is lower.
Yaritza is very confident in her language skills as shown by her ability to write and
speak. She writes in complete sentences with very nice penmanship along with proper
use of comas and periods. Abel on the other hand is still at an early age of English
writing and he is less comfortable with speaking. Abel writes with proper use of
capitalizations and periods, however, his sentences are often fragments. Although Abel’s
English proficiency is not as high as Yaritza’s, able is still able to convey clear messages
in his writing.
Using a diagnostic assessment, it is clear that Abel has already had some exposure to
this particular content. When he was asked to list two producers from the food web, he
was not able to answer. However, the following three questions about the content
standard he was able to answer correctly. It is clear that Abel already understood the
concept of the food web that this unit is designed to teach him about; however, he was
unfamiliar with the term “producer,” which this lesson specifically targeted.
Yaritza has very little prior knowledge of the material being taught, according to the
diagnostic prior to the lesson. Yaritza could not identify two producers, so it is clear that
she does not know what they are. Additionally, she did not answer the two of the
following three questions correctly, which shows that she has not been exposed to the
targeted content standards.
At the end of the lesson, both students somewhat reached the objectives. The
summative assessment used to measure students’ grasp of the objective was a diagram in
which students had to draw and label three things that producers need to make their own
food. Both Yaritza and Abel labeled four different things which plants needed.
However, Yaritza referred to the assessment as things that plants need to grow, instead of
the actual directions that states “things that producers need to make their own food.”
Yaritza had the correct answers; however, she understood this lesson on producers as a
lesson on the requirements for plants to grow. Because she wrote about the things that
plants require to grow, it is unclear whether Yaritza understood the concept that
producers make their own food, which is the objective.
5. What oral and/or written feedback was provided to individual students and/or the
group as a whole (refer the reviewer to any feedback written directly on submitted
student work samples)? How and why do your approaches to feedback support
students’ further learning? In what ways does your feedback address individual
students’ needs and learning goals? Cite specific examples of oral or written
Cha, 4
feedback, and reference the three student work samples to support your
explanation.
Regular feedback that was given on the summative photosynthesis diagram included
praises of artwork, identifying and correct labeling of plants’ needs, and complete
sentences. The praises which were given on the detail to artwork is meant to encourage
students to become engaged in the assignment. Students often rush through worksheets
and see it as a chore rather than something that they should do. The artwork involved in
this summative assessment engages students and makes them take their time while
completing their work. Most of the praises for artwork came orally as the students were
working on their worksheets. In general, most oral feedback was positive. Positive oral
feedback was given so that the students completing the assignment well can model to the
rest of the class the standard that they should strive for.
Feedback on correct labeling and identifying of producers’ necessities was written on
the worksheets after students had already turned them in. This feedback on the labeling
lets students know whether they completed the assignment correctly or not and how well
they did. Some of the feedback included praise for finding all of the necessities
mentioned in the lesson, and others asked if there were any omissions from the answers
that the student may have skipped.
The praise was meant to make the students feel good about the work that they had just
finished. An example of a praise is the comment “Good job listing the necessities” on
Abel’s work. He listed all of what was asked, and this comment reaffirms what he
understands, and makes him feel proud of it. When he feels good about the material, he
is more likely to push himself to understand it more.
6. Based on the student performance on this assessment, describe the next steps for
instruction for the students whose work was analyzed. If different, describe any
individualized next steps for the two students whose individual learning you
analyzed. These next steps may include a specific instructional activity or other
forms of re-teaching to support or extend continued learning of the objectives,
standards, central focus/big idea and/or relevant academic language for the
learning segment. In your description, be sure to explain how these next steps
follow from your analysis of the student performances. (TPEs 2, 3, 4, 13)
The next step for Irene, Abel, and Yaritza is to review how producers make their own
food, because it is not clear in both of their summative assessments that they completely
understand the concept. It is clear that from their summative assessment that they
understand what a producer needs to grow, however, they do not yet seem to understand
that plants make their own food.
To review this concept, the teacher should reteach a lesson which emphasizes the
source that plants receive their energy from, which is the sun. During this lesson, the
teacher can have an activity which explores the dependence of producers on the sun by
having students conduct an experiment which involves two plants: one placed in sunlight
and one which is hidden from sunlight. From there, the Abel, Yaritza, and Irene will
learn that the plant hidden from the sun eventually dies, and the plant in the sun lives
Cha, 5
longer. From there we can have the students talk about why producers depend on the
sun, and why the plant without light died. After the students have understood the plants’
dependency on the sun, the students can then move on to discuss how every living
organism needs energy. After, this discussion, the students can then discuss how plants
harvest their energy from the sun’s rays and turn it into food for themselves using soil,
carbon dioxide, and water. With an emphasis on the transfer of energy from the sun to
producers, the students can then understand that producers absorbs energy from the sun
and turns it into food, rather than the basic understanding that the sun is simply required
for a plant to grow.
After Yaritza, Abel, and Irene become familiar with the idea that producers get their
energy from the sun, they should be introduced to consumers, and then decomposers.
The producers receive their energy from the sun, the consumers get their energy from
producers, and then decomposers recycle the energy/dead matter. Following this
sequence of instruction teaches the food web in a very logical matter.
As for the entire class lesson, the teacher should not re-teach because according to the
rubric on the summative assessment results, there are enough students who do understand
to move on. There are 7% of the students who are still striving to achieve the objective
while there are 93% who already reached it. Therefore, there should be no re-teaching as
a whole class, because there are already enough students who have mastered it.
Cha, 6
Percentages of Student Learning
List of Objectives for
summative
assessments
2B. Students know
producers and
consumers (herbivores,
carnivores, omnivores,
and decomposers) are
related in food chains
and food webs and may
compete with each other
for resources in an
ecosystem.
Beginning
1
Beginning level of
performance.
Developing
2
Developing level of
performance
Accomplished
3
Mastery level of
performance.
About 10% of the
entire class is at the
beginning level of
performance based
on the diagnostic
test because they
lack the knowledge
of identifying and
relating to the
academic terms.
About 90% of the
entire class is at the
developing level of
performance because
most students have
prior knowledge of
academic terms and
can grasp more of the
concepts.
0% of the entire class is
at the mastery level of
performance based on
the diagnostic test
because not a single
person scored perfectly
on the diagnostic test
which is definitely
acceptable.
0 % of the entire
class is at the
beginning level of
performance.
About 7% of the
entire class is at the
developing level of
performance because
some students are
mastering the concept
how producers make
their food by
diagramming and
labeling accurately.
About 93% of the entire
class is at the mastery
level of performance
because the majority of
the students master the
concepts of how
producers make their
own food by
diagramming and
labeling correctly.
Majority of the students
wrote complete sentence
about what three things
producers need to make
their own food.
Diagnostic test
BTEOTL, SWBAT
diagram how producers
make their own food.
BTEOTL, SWBAT
diagram how producers
make their own food
using the language
frame, “Producers need
______, _______,
______ and _____.”
Illustration, labeling
on worksheets and
writing sentences.
Cha, 7
Diagnostic Rubric
2B. Students know producers and consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and
decomposers) are related in food chains and food webs and may compete with each other
for resources in an ecosystem.
Category
Questions
Students must have
Level of
all 4 questions
Accuracy
correct:
for the
1) List two
questions on
living things
the
that are
diagnostic
considered as
test
producers in
a food chain.
2) Herbivore is
the animal
that eats only
plants
3) Omnivore is
animal that
has the
choices of
eating plants
and animals.
4) A food chain
shows how
energy
travels in a
community.
3
2
1
0
Students must
answer three
of any of the
four questions
correct.
Students are
able to answer
at least two
questions
correctly.
Students are
able to answer
one of the four
questions
correct.
Students have
no
understanding
and/or unable
to answer any
of the
questions
correctly.
Cha, 8
PHOTOSYNTHESIS DIAGRAM: Illustration and labeling on worksheets
Rubric
Category
4
3
2
1
Elements of the The diagram
Photosynthesis includes all
diagram/labels. elements of the
photosynthesis
diagram and
accurate
labels.
The diagram includes all of
the elements of the
photosynthesis diagram and
most labels are accurate.
The diagram has 2
elements of the
photosynthesis diagram
and inaccurate labeling.
The diagram
has several
missing
elements and
inaccurate
labels.
diagram how
producers make
their own food
using the
language
frame,
“Producers
need ______,
_______, and
______ .
Did not follow the language
frame accurately however
has separate sentences
which answer what
producers need.
Did not follow the entire
language frame but listed
only 3 phrases ( what
producers need)
List each
three phrases
per line
Follow the
language
frame,
“Producers
need ______,
_______, and
______.”
_______,______,_______.
_______._______._______.
Cha, 9
Candidate’s Name Hamida Niazi, Jerry Sithiphone
Subject Area: Science
Cooperating Teacher: Aimee O’Brien
Date: November 4, 2010
Grade Level & Classroom Profile: 4th
Estimated overall teaching time: 70 minutes
Overview
Lesson Plan Title: Producers
Content Purpose: Transfer of Energy
Multicultural/Social Justice Purpose and/or Social/Affective Purpose, including what model of
Multicultural Education this lesson attempts to meet (Sleeter and Grant; James Banks; etc.):
Student will discus the importance of wheat worldwide and will note its international relevancy.
Key Concepts: Transfer of Energy, Producers
Relevancy to students’ lives, needs and interests:
Upon a recent visit to the Farmer’s Market, student bought locally farmed fruits, flowers, and vegetables
Cohesiveness/Continuity:
After this lesson on producers, students will receive 2 additional lessons that will examine in detail
consumers (herbivore, carnivore, and omnivore) food web, and interdependence.
Vocabulary:
Producers – plants that can make their own food from photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis – process in which plants take energy from the sunlight to make their own food.
Integration with Other Content Areas:
Teacher will show visuals of different types of producers and wheat plant (VAPA)
Supplementary Materials (include a description of how these materials reflect content, input, and or
the values that supports/reinforces your MCE/Social Justice Purpose; also include integration of
technology and resources):
Standards (Content and/or ELA/ELD):
2B. Students know producers and consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and decomposers) are
related in food chains and food webs and may compete with each other for resources in an ecosystem.
6C. Formulate and justify predictions based on cause-and-effect relationships.
List Objectives in this
column:
Describe formative
Assessment and Criteria
Content Objective/s
BTEOTL, SWBAT diagram
how producers make their
own food.
BTEOTL, SWBAT identify
producers from a list of
plants, animals, and insects.
Language Objective/s
(include modalities and
objective:
Describe summative
Assessment and
Criteria
Assessment Tool
(attach a sample)
Photosynthesis Diagram
Go over list, check for
accuracy
T- will go around and
look at student answers
1
BTEOTL, SWBAT diagram
how producers make their
own food using the language
frame, “Producers need ___,
_____, ______ and ______.”
Multicultural/Social Justice
Objective/s:
BTEOTL, SWBAT discuss
the importance of wheat
plant to all cultures in the
world
Critical Thinking
Objective/s:
BTEOTL, SWBAT,
compare the importance of
producers to all other
organisms
Put your heads together
“put your heads together
and think about what
would happen is we did
not have producers”
Rationale for emphasis on certain objective/s:
Lesson
Outline
Intro
Timing
Description [include a specific description
of what the Teacher (T) and Students (Ss)
will do]
3
T: Ask students what they bought at the
Farmers Market last week.
Ss: Share what they bought with their
groups.
T: Ask for responses and writes on board.
(Okay good list, we’ll revisit it later)
3
Practice/
Application
20
5
T: Do you think plants eat?
Ss: Discuss the idea of a plant ‘eating’ and
discuss what it is they ‘eat’
T: make sure to think like scientist, now
that you’ve talked about this, draw it in a
diagram. What does it look like? Where do
plants ‘eat’ from? How do they provide
oxygen? Where from?
Ss: will draw and label diagram
T: After the diagram, each group will
present their diagram to the class.
Ss: will be selected or called on to present
ideas
Special considerations (include
grouping, adaptations for ELs and
students with special needs, how
vocabulary, concepts and skills will
be introduced, emphasized, and
reviewed, etc.)
Think-Pair-Share
Think-Pair-Share
May need to explain/give example
of diagram.
T: Review the photosynthesis diagram.
Plants DO NOT eat; they make their own
2
food through the process of photosynthesis.
The photo. is when sunlight is taken from
the sun, carbon dioxide from the air and
chemically changed to make food-sugar for
plants to use as energy.
7
T: people in 1600’s used to think that
plants ‘ate’ dirt. Jean Baptist Van Helmont’
a Belgian scientist’s experiment suggested
otherwise.
*energy is transferred from the sunlight to
the plants, plants use the sunlight, water,
and minerals (found in the soil) to grow
and produce seeds, flowers, fruits,
vegetables, etc. Plants make their own
food. Ask for questions/comments.
8
T: Use the CCD chart to introduce
“producers.” Check for understanding by
asking students to give examples of
producers and what they need to grow.
Ss: Give examples of producers.
3
6
5
T: Out of a list of organism (plants,
animals, insects) identify producers
Ss: in groups students will identify
producers.
T: start discussion about how plants are
important to all other animals in our world.
Ss: plants are needed for animals to feed
on.
T: When plants are eaten energy is
Transferred. Toss a ball around to show
what transfer means.
Put your heads together
Put heads together to identify
producers from list of organisms
glue it on the back of diagram
Physical movement at their desk for
kinetics learners
T: what are some producers that we depend
on more than others? (wheat, rice, beans,
Put your heads together, create a list
potatoes, onions, etc)
of food that include wheat as its
main ingredient
T-discuss how wheat is a widely used
producers, what are some foods that use
wheat? What if we did not have the wheat
plant?
T: show examples of wheat. Show pictures
of wheat plant, flour, different kinds of
foods that use wheat (tortilla, pasta,
Afghan bread, rice too b/c it’s a wheat)
Visual picture of wheat plant
T: Give examples of how wheat is used in
3
Afghanistan.
Review
5
T: Recreate photosynthesis diagram
individually. Compare it to your previous
ones.
Ss. Recreate and label the photosynthesis
diagram individually, write at the bottom:
“Producers need _______, _______, and
_______ to make their own food”
Closure: if time permits, 2 min video
4
Candidate’s Name: Doua Lor , Mindy Ly
Subject Area: Science
Cooperating Teacher: O’Brien – Room 10
Date: December 2, 2010
Grade Level: Fourth
Estimated Overall Teaching Time: 70 minutes
Overview
Lesson Plan Title: Consumers
Content Purpose: We get our source of energy through consuming other living organisms.
Multicultural/Social Justice Purpose and/or Social/Affective Purpose, including what model of
Multicultural Education this lesson attempts to meet (Sleeter and Grant; James Banks; etc.):
Human relations: The purpose of this lesson is to promote tolerance and acceptance for cultural foods in our
community.
Key Concepts: Consumers
Relevancy to students’ lives, needs and interests: Everyone is a consumer, an herbivore, omnivore or
carnivore.
Cohesiveness/Continuity: Continues from lesson on producers.
Vocabulary:
Energy- sunlight
Consumer – living things that depend on other living things for energy; they cannot make their own food.
Herbivore – living things that eat only plants.
Carnivore – living things that eat only meat.
Omnivore – living thing that eat both plants and meat.
Integration with Other Content Areas: Language Arts, VAPA- music and visual
Supplementary Materials (include a description of how these materials reflect content, input, and or
the values that supports/reinforces your MCE/Social Justice Purpose; also include integration of
technology and resources): White boards, paper charts, pictures, reala (baby chicks, grass, cornmeal,
worms)
Standards (Content and/or ELA/ELD):
2.b Students know producers and consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and decomposers) are
related in food chains and food webs and may compete with each other for resources in an ecosystem.
VAPA Standards: 2.0 Students apply vocal and instrumental musical skills in performing a varied
repertoire of music. They compose and arrange music and improvise melodies, variations, and
accompaniments, using digital/electronic technology when appropriate.
Investigative Standard: 6.c Formulate and justify prediction based on cause and effect relationships.
5
List Objectives in this
column:
Describe formative
Assessment and Criteria
Content Objective/s
BTEOTL, SWBAT classify
the three types of consumers
(herbivore, omnivore, and
carnivore) on a worksheet.
Observation
Assessment Tool
(attach a sample)
Worksheet
Pictures of
consumers
Language Objective/s
(include modalities and
objective:
BTEOTL, SWBAT explain
the three types of consumers
(herbivore, omnivore,
carnivore) on the worksheet,
using the language frame for
explain: “____________ are
________ because ______.”
Describe summative
Assessment and
Criteria
Give students a
worksheet with the 3
subcategories of
consumers and a list of
animals. Students are to
label the animals into its
correct subcategories.
Observation
Multicultural/Social Justice
Objective/s:
BTEOTL, SWBAT make an Observation
connection between different
culture and what type of food
they eat by orally discuss in
class.
Critical Thinking
Objective/s:
Observation
BTEOTL, SWBAT predict
what will happen if there is a
shortage/ overage in certain
producer/ consumer by
discussing in groups and then
share with the class.
Rationale for emphasis on certain objective/s: We will focus more on the content objective because
students need to understand that all organisms need energy to live and grow therefore energy are always
transferring from one organism to another.
6
Lesson
Outline
Timing
Intro
10
Description [include a specific description
of what the Teacher (T) and Students (Ss)
will do]
WHAT WE HAD FOR DINNER:
T: Go over objectives and rules.
T: “In your group, share with each other
what you had for dinner this week.”
S: Share with group what they had for
dinner
S: Have each group share out loud 1 meal
from their group.
T: Record the meals from each group onto
the white board and select 1 of the meal.
T: “Now let’s make a list of all the things
we need in order to make this dish.”
T: As students share out loud the required
ingredients, record all the Producer
ingredients on the left side and Consumer
ingredients on the right side of a T-Chart.
T: “I want you to compare these two lists
with your group.”
EX: Spaghetti w/ meatballs
Producers
Consumers
Tomatoes
Meatballs
Herbs
Cheese
Pasta (wheat)
S: share with the class their comparisons
between the 2 lists
T: “What will happen if there are no (pick
1 ingredient from list) to make our meal?”
Ss: Discuss and share with the class
T: Validate student’s responses. Say “If
we don’t have _________________ then
we won’t be able to make this meal
because _________ is the most important
ingredient in this meal. We would
probably have to replace something with
our missing ingredient.”
T: Demonstrate transfer energy by tossing
a popcorn ball to several students.
T: Say “When we eat the meal we are
transferring all the energy from these
plants and animals to us so that we can be
strong and have energy to work, exercise,
Special considerations (include
grouping, adaptations for ELs and
students with special needs, how
vocabulary, concepts and skills will
be introduced, emphasized, and
reviewed, etc.)
TPS
TPS
Teacher model using sentence frame
7
come to school and study, etc.”
T: Say “There are 3 type of consumers.”
(herbivore, carnivore, omnivore)
T: Say “Consumers are living thing that
get their energy by eating other living
things.” “For example: Lady bugs eat
leaves/ grass to grow”
Practice/
Application 20min
10min
COGNITIVE CONTENT
DICTIONARY ACTIVITY:
(Have the basic layout <consumer,
predict, what they are, examples> of the
CCD chart ready on a poster paper: See
attachment)
T: Take out the Cognitive Content
GLAD CCD chart/ visual
Dictionary Chart (CCD). Go over with
class the three types of consumers.
S: Share out loud what their predictions are
about each of the consumers
T: Record students predictions under the
column that says “Predict”
T: Reveal the column “What they are” and
go over with the class to see if their
predictions are correct.
T: “Now, we will do an experiment to
classify whether this baby chick is a
herbivore, carnivore or omnivore.”
Go over instruction for experiment and say
“your science teachers will help you if your
group need help”
Tally mark using T-chart
T: Tally mark the result of students’
experiment
T: Go over and summarize results
-Explain: Our animals will eventually
die and the energy of the dead animal will
transfer to somewhere which Mr. Cha &
Ms. Hoang will teach you next week.
CLASSIFY ACTIVITY:
T: Say “now we are going to classify
different types of consumers.” “Science
teachers, please take out the classifying
activity kit.”
T: Say “in your group classify the pictures
into the correct consumer category and
explain why.” “You have 3 minutes to
complete this exercise.”
T: Select 3 groups to share their
classification activity
Ss: Share their classification activity
Group work, hands on activity
8
(have class agree/ disagree by showing
thumbs up/ down after presentation of
the 3 groups)
5min
10min
Review
10
MAKING CONNECTIONS:
T: “I want you to think to yourself about
some of the food that you eat at home that
comes from your culture.”
Ss: Think to themselves until teacher gives
further instructions.
T: “Now I want you to talk quietly in your
group about some of the things you eat at
home or in your culture.”
Ss: share with group members
T: Have groups share out loud some of
their cultural food and record on the
board.
T: “How many of you like to eat (the dish
from the hook activity)?”
T:This dish is a special dish from (name of
the origin)”
T: “Now some of us might not like to eat
this dish, and that is okay because
sometimes it is hard for us to try eating
new food that is not from our culture.”
T: Say “let’s look at these meals that you
shared with the class. How many of you
have tried ______ dish?”
Tell students where the dish originates.
Say “we eat food from different culture all
the time but we just don’t know it.”
T: Reiterate the 3 type of consumers and
what kind of organism they eat. – Sing a
song about consumers as a wrap-up (see
attachment for song & tune). (Teacher
model: call & response strategy and
vice-versa)
TPS
Review using tally chart
Students will sing Consumer song
(see attachment)
Assess:
Ss: Have student complete worksheet
(“Who’s Who chart”- see attachment)
9
Candidate’s Name: Jolaine Hoang & Lee Cha
Subject Area: Science
Cooperating Teacher: Aimee O’Bien
Date: December 9th 2010
Grade Level: 4th
Estimated overall teaching time: 60 minutes
Overview
Lesson Plan Title: Introduction of decomposers and the food web
Content Purpose: The purpose of this content is to teach students energy transfers and the interdependency
between the organisms on the food web.
Multicultural/Social Justice Purpose and/or Social/Affective Purpose, including what model or
approach of Multicultural Education this lesson attempts to meet (Sleeter and Grant; James Banks;
etc.):
This lesson attempts to meet the Human Relations Approach because students will respect one and others by
listening and responding to their peers during think paired share moments. Teacher will promote the studentstudent relationships by creating a cooperative learning environment where the entire groups of students are
able to communicate and express their ideas and thoughts about food chain/web.
Key Concepts: Every living organism needs energy to live. Plants get their energy from the Sun, some
animals get their energy from eating plants, and other animals get energy from eating other animals. A food
web is a way of organizing living things by what they eat. It shows who's eating who. A food web always
starts with plant life and ends with a decomposer. The arrows in a food chain show the flow of energy from
one living thing to another. In addition, a food web shows the relationship between producers, consumers and
decomposers. For example, a simple food web links the trees & shrubs, the giraffes (that eat trees & shrubs),
and the lions (that eat the giraffes). Each link in this web is food for the next link. It connects to
multicultural/Social Justice Purpose because humans like us are similar to other living organisms since we
depend on one another to live and get the energy from and can’t be isolate from another other groups of
people.
Relevancy to students’ lives, needs and interests: In students’ daily lives, they eat and formulate energy
without knowing the food relationships between the producers, consumers and decomposers. Students are
new to the big idea regard to the importance of food web and an interdependence of the populations within it.
This lesson will help students understand that it is essential to maintain the balance of consumers and
producers. Students are to comprehend and discuss where do they fall under the food web and which living
organisms do they depend on.
Cohesiveness/Continuity: This lesson will be the third lesson in the three lesson unit series. In the first
lesson, the students learned about producers, in the second, they learned about consumers and this lesson will
introduce the decomposers and the food web, which will end the lesson.
Vocabulary:
Energy Transfer- The flow of energy from one organism to the next through consumption
Producers: Living thing that produce the primary source of energy for the food chain. Plants use light energy
from the Sun to produce food (sugar) from carbon dioxide and water.
Consumers: living organisms which cannot make their own food end up consuming plants and/or other
animals. There are three kinds of consumers:
Herbivores - animals that eat & get their energy from only PLANTS.
10
Carnivores that eat herbivores.
Carnivores-animals that eat OTHER ANIMALS.
Carnivores that eat other carnivores
Omnivores-Living organisms such as animals and people who eat BOTH animals and plants; therefore, get
their energy from both.
Decomposers- such as bacteria, scavengers, fungi eat dead organisms.
Integration with Other Content Areas: Language Arts and Visual Arts.
During the beginning, Teacher will review the vocabulary from previous lesson based on the CCD chart, add
new vocabulary such as decomposer and food web on the new CCD chart. Then till the midway of the lesson,
teacher will discuss and show visuals of food web and the living organisms fall within the food web’s
pyramid. Students will take advantage of the visuals and also being creating own visuals by sorting the
organisms orderly on a food web worksheet. Students also are actively listening and speaking throughout the
entire lesson.
The students will be asked to do role play and demonstrate the process of the food web.
Supplementary Materials: Food web sample on whiteboard by teacher, CCD chart of vocabularies, 3
pictures of birds, yarns, food web template, glues, zip lock bags of different organisms, worksheets of two
questions for students to answer by the end of the lesson as summative assessment
Standard(s): Life Sciences
2b Std(s): Students know producers and consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and decomposers)
are related in food chains and food webs and may compete with each other for resources in an ecosystem.
Investigation and Experimentation
6s std: Formulate and justify predictions based on cause-and-effect relationships.
VAPA Visual Arts/Theatre’s standards
5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS
Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in Theatre, Film/Video, and Electronic Media to Other Art
Forms and Subject Areas and to Careers
Visual Literacy
5.3 Construct diagrams, maps, graphs, timelines, and illustrations to communicate ideas or tell a story about a
historical event.
5.2 Use improvisation and dramatization to explore concepts in other content areas.
ELA/ELD Std(s) #:
LISTENING and SPEAKING
ELD 3-5 EA4: Participate in and initiate more extended social conversations with peers and adults on
unfamiliar topics by asking and answering questions and restating and soliciting information.
11
READING
ELD 3-5 Intermediate ELD level: Apply knowledge of content-related vocabulary to discussions and reading.
Use content-related vocabulary in discussions and reading.
List Measurable Objectives in
this column. Make sure to use
action verbs from Bloom’s
Taxonomy domains in each
objective (e.g, BTEOTL,
SWBAT analyze two …. by …).
Describe Formative
Assessment & Criteria
(e.g., what indicators –
student behavior, student
work, etc. – demonstrate
Ss are making progress
toward objectives?)
Describe Summative
Assessment & Criteria
(e.g., what products will
you collect and assess to
determine whether all
students achieved
objectives?)
Assessment
Tool (attach a
tool, e.g., a
rubric, T-chart,
Venn diagram,
organizer,
observation
checklist, etc.)
T will circulate classroom
and observe students
working in groups.
Food web worksheet
Rubric
Content Objective/s:
BTEOTL, SWBAT identify the
different parts of a food web by
placing producers, consumer and
decomposers pictures in the right
order on a food web worksheet.
Teacher
Observation
BTEOTL, SWBAT fill out a two T circulates classroom and worksheet
questions test on a worksheet.
observe students.
Rubric
Language Objective/s:
BTEOTL, SWBAT discuss the
four different parts of the food
web and how energy is
transferred in groups.
Multicultural/Social Justice
Objective/s:
BTEOTL, SWBAT identify
where does humans fall on the
food chain by discussing during
TPS.
Critical Thinking Objective/s:
BTEOTL, SWBAT predict the
causes and effects of reducing
populations of producers,
consumers, and decomposers by
orally discussing one cause and
one effect during TPS.
Circulating and observing
students doing think pair
shared.
Teacher
Observation
Mental checklist
Circulating and observing
students doing think pair
shared from their group.
Then teacher select a
student from one or two
group to answer.
Circulating and observing
students doing worksheet.
worksheet
Checklist
T will listen for ONE
cause and ONE effect
from each pair.
Rationale for emphasis on certain objective/s:
12
It is useful for students to build on background knowledge before they are introduced to the bigger idea like
food chain. Students then are able to learn and express orally using their academic language. They will be
able to do think pair shared by using the brick vocab words. Throughout the lesson, students are able to
absorb and express themselves orally which help them develop a better understanding of how important
living organisms are to the community. They will then answer questions and solve the problem which met the
critical thinking objective.
Lesson Outline
Timing Description [include description
(Break
of what Teacher (T) and Students
down by (Ss) will do].
minutes)
Introduction:
1 min
T: Tell students that today they
will be learning about
decomposers and the food web.
T: Go over behavioral
expectations.
 Eyes on me
 Hands folded
 Sitting up straight
TPS?
Or what type of
consumers and why
they think so.
5 min
Special considerations (include
differentiation, grouping,
adaptations for EL and special
needs students, how skills will be
introduced, emphasized, and
reviewed, etc.)
Poster with text & pictures:
Definitions of producersherbivore & consumers- carnivore,
omnivore & decomposers.
T: Go over previous lessons by
referring back to the Producers
and Consumer CCD charts.
T: Ask students to classify
Humans as either producers or
consumers, and have them explain
Visuals will be provided for
their answers.
students who do not know the
animals talked about.
S: Use prior knowledge and
vocabulary from previous lessons
to answer.
5 min
T: show students 3 pictures of a
dead bird: one with a freshly dead
bird, one with a partially decayed
bird, and a bird with bones. Ask
the students what happens to the
bird’s body when it dies.
3 visuals of a dead bird will be
provided.
S: Will respond with what they
think happen to dead a carcasses.
T: At the end of this lesson, you
will know what happens to this
dead body.
13
5 min
T: Hint to students that something
called a “decomposers” have
something to do with the dead
body.
T: Start CCD Chart. Ask students
to predict what decomposers are.
TPS
S: TPS
T: Have 3 students share and write
down predictions on CCD chart.
4 min
T: Define “Decomposer” on CCD
chart.
S: Find examples of decomposers.
TPS.
TPS
T: Have 3 Students share
examples and write down on CCD
chart.
2 min
T: Explains importance of
decomposers: they play important
role because dead animals would
be piled up on our grounds
from the past years. Decomposers
break down the dead animal and
take nutrients into the ground to
help producers grow.
T: Refer back to the decomposing
bird, and tell students that the
decomposes are breaking down
the bird’s body and bringing the
nutrients to the ground.
2 min
T: Recap on producers and
consumers, and decomposers.
Have students identify the
relationship between them. Draw
an arrow and make a simple, one
lined food web.
T: tell students that producers get
energy from the sun, and transfers
it to consumers, which transfers it
to producers, consumers, then
decomposers, and then recycles.
14
Draw this on the white board.
4 min
T: Example : Show a picture of a
Food web.
T: Explain the transfer of energy
on the food web. Every living
organism needs energy to live.
Plants get their energy from the
Sun, some animals get their
energy from eating plants, and
other animals get energy from
eating other animals. A food web
shows the flow of energy from
one living thing to another. It
shows who's eating who. A food
web always starts with plant life
and recycled with a
decomposer. The arrows in a food
web show the flow of energy from
one living thing to another. In
addition, a food web shows the
relationship between producers,
consumers and decomposers.
Practice/Application:
7 min
T: Tell students that there will be
a demonstration of energy transfer
through the food web, and we
expect students to be
participating.
Activities are hands on so students
who do not know how to read or
are kinesthetic can be engaged.
Demonstrate energy transfer
through yarn. Get one volunteer to
represent the sun, 1 volunteer to
represent the producer, 1
volunteer to represent the
herbivores, 1 volunteer to
represent the carnivores, 1
volunteer to represent omnivore,
and 2 volunteers to represent the
decomposers. Have the students
make up an organism for the
producer, and ask students to
Teacher will model so that
make up an organism for what
eats the producer, and so on. Pass children know what to do.
the yarn from the sun, to the
producer, then to the consumers,
then to the decomposers, then
back to the producers.
15
Once students have an
understanding of this energy
transfer model,
6 min
T: Tell students that they will be
making their own food web in
groups using pictures of animals
already pre-cut. Students will
arrange the pictures on a page
with arrows which shows the flow
of energy transfer.
T: Tell students to start with
finding pictures from a ziplock
bag for the producers first.
T: Tell students to start with
finding pictures from a ziplock
bag for the consumers.
T: Tell students to start with
finding pictures from a ziplock
bag for the decomposers.
S: Paste the pictures onto a chart.
Language Obj:
2 min
T: ask students to TPS in group:
discuss the four different parts of
the food web and how energy is
transferred in groups.
T: Refer to students’ food webs
and ask students to predict what
happens when a herbivores
population decreases. What will
happen to the flow of energy?
Critical Thinking Obj.
2 min
S: TPS. Respond by saying there
will be less, carnivores. Flow of
energy does not transfer.
T: Refer to students’ food webs
and ask students to predict what
happens when a decomposer
population decreases.
2 min
S: TPS. Respond by saying there
will be less, producers, and there
will be a lot of dead carcasses.
Flow of energy does not transfer.
16
T: Ask students why we as
humans should be careful to not
eat too much of one group.
3 min
S: TPS. Because we will disrupt
the food web.
When students are finished with
this exercise, students will fill out
a very short worksheet about the
food web.
Work on Worksheets: 2
Questions.
Give examples 2
decomposer.
Explain how energy is
transferred in the food
web from the sun to
producers, consumers
then to decomposers.
Review:
10
T: Asked what they learned about
decomposers.
T: Ask students what happened to
the dead bird’s body?
S: Decomposers recycled the body
into the ground.
Language Obj.
T: Asked to recall the different
parts of the food web.
S: Producers, consumers,
decomposers.
T: Ask where all energy comes
from and how it gets transferred
throughout the web.
Extensions:
This lesson can be extended by having students go home and look at what they eat,
and identify whether it is a producer or an consumer, along with what where it falls
on the food chain. The students can from there identify the transfer of energy from
what they eat going back to the sun.
17
The Unit Plan
Big Idea: Transfer of Energy
Making Curriculum Accessible
Lesson
Topics
1
“Producers”
Standards:
1.Content
2.Investigation &
Experiment
Measurable Learning
Objectives (Content,
Language & MC)
2B. Students know
producers and consumers
(herbivores, carnivores,
omnivores, and
decomposers) are related
in food chains and food
webs and may compete
with each other for
resources in an ecosystem.
BTEOTL, SWBAT diagram how
producers make their own food
6C. Formulate and justify
predictions based on
cause-and-effect
relationships.
BTEOTL, SWBAT identify producers
from a list of plants, animals, and
insects
BTEOTL, SWBAT diagram how
producers make their own food using
the language frame, “Producers need
______, _______, ______ and _____.”
English Language
Learners/Special
Needs
TPS
Visuals
Background/Prior
Knowledge
Considerations
Students know
examples of fruits,
vegetables and plants.
Instructional
Strategies
Assessments
that match
objectives
(THINKING
TOOLS)
TPS
Thumbs up/down
Recall/Relate
Photosynthesis
Diagram
Signals
Visuals
Group
Group Discussion
CCD
BTEOTL, SWBAT discuss the
importance of wheat plant to all
cultures in the world
BTEOTL, SWBAT, compare the
importance of producers to all other
organisms
2
“Consumers”
2B. Students know
producers and consumers
(herbivores, carnivores,
omnivores, and
decomposers) are related
in food chains and food
webs and may compete
with each other for
resources in an ecosystem.
6C. Formulate and justify
predictions based on
cause-and-effect
relationships.
BTEOTL, SWBAT classify the three
types of consumers (herbivore,
omnivore, carnivore) on the worksheet.
BTEOTL, SWBAT explain the three
types of consumers (herbivore,
omnivore, carnivore) on a worksheet,
using the language frame to explain:
“__________ are __________ because
_____________.”
TPS
Visuals
Students know that
meat come from
animals
TPS
Worksheet
Recall/Relate
Diagram
Signals
Visuals
Group
Group Discussion
Chants
BTEOTL, SWBAT make a connection
between different culture and what
type of food they eat by orally discuss
in class.
BTEOTL, SWBAT predict what will
happen if there is a shortage/overage in
certain producer/consumer by
discussing in groups and then share
with the class.
CCD
3
“Food Web”
2B. Students know
producers and consumers
(herbivores, carnivores,
omnivores, and
decomposers) are related
in food chains and food
webs and may compete
with each other for
resources in an ecosystem.
6C. Formulate and justify
predictions based on
cause-and-effect
relationships.
BTEOTL, SWBAT identify the
different parts of a food web by
placing producers, consumer and
decomposers pictures in the right
order on a food web worksheet.
BTEOTL, SWBAT fill out a two
questions test on a worksheet.
----------------------------------------BTEOTL, SWBAT discuss the
four different parts of the food
web and how energy is transferred
in groups.
BTEOTL, SWBAT identify
where does humans fall on the
food chain by discussing during
TPS.
BTEOTL, SWBAT predict the
causes and effects of reducing
populations of producers,
consumers and decomposers by
orally discussing one cause and
effect during TPS.
TPS
Food Web
Recall/Relate
Worksheet
Signals
Visuals
& Final worksheet
for summative
Group
Group Discussion
TPS
Visuals
Students know that
there are producers
and consumers
Chants
Movement
Food Web/Energy Transfer Unit, Lesson 1
Name:
Photosynthesis Diagram
Date:
3ceoe
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Direction: Illustrate and label the photosynthesis diagram in the box below:
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Direction: Write three (3) things producers need to make their own food in
the lines below.
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