Gorillas – by Patricia Brennan Demuth

This is a great first science book about gorillas. At the beginning, it brings up King Kong and the way he was portrayed in the movies, as aggressive and destructive. Many children who watched the movie did not like the ending, which is why this book is a great new introduction. Also, the author builds on the background knowledge of most children’s associations with gorillas/ King Kong. It breaks the misconceptions and tells a beautiful story about gorillas. Their life, the way they raise their babies, their behavior, their abilities, etc. This is just a great read for all children who want to learn more about gorillas.

“ The Grouchy Ladybug” – First Grade – Lesson Plan

Fluency in reading is the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and proper expression. One of the most effective ways to build fluency is through repeated readings of the same text. Some researchers hold that text should be reread at least four times in order to build on fluency. Often, it’s a difficult task to get early readers to get enthusiastic about rereading the same text. This is why stories that repeat the same sentences throughout the text provide both building fluency and reading motivation.

Grade Level : First Grade Lesson Plan

Benchmark Description :

LA.1.1.1.1 – Locate the title, names of author and illustrator.

LA.1.1.5.1 – Apply letter-sound knowledge to decode phonetically regular words quickly and accurately in isolation and in context.

LA.1.1.5.2 – Recognize high frequency and familiar words in isolation and in context.

LA.1.1.5.3 – Adjust reading rate based on purpose, text difficulty, form, and style.

Objectives:

Students will build reading fluency through repeated readings of the text.

Students will apply letter-sound knowledge to decode phonetically regular words quickly and accurately in isolation and in context.

Students will learn new vocabulary (aphids, insist, suggest).

Materials:

“The Grouchy Ladybug Story” by Eric Carle

Journals

Sentence strips.

Procedures:

1. Teacher reads “The Grouchy Ladybug Story” by Eric Carle, aloud.

2. Teacher and students reread the story aloud together.

3. Have the student practice reading a passage with emotion, to emphasize expression and      intonation.

4. Students are grouped together for paired reading.

5. Students are given a sentence strips with text on it. Students then cut apart the words in    sentences and reconstruct the sentences again.

Assessment:

Teacher will informally assess student’s progress on fluency.

Teacher will informally assess student’s ability to reconstruct the story sentence.

Students will write and illustrate a new ending to the story in their journals.

Extension Activities:

Students prepare “The Grouchy Ladybug” performance during which every student takes a part and rehearses his/her lines(s).

“THE LORAX” by Dr. Seuss- Second Grade Lesson Plan

Grade Level : Second and Third Grade Lesson Plan

Benchmark Description :

LA.2.1.7.5 – Identify the text structure an author uses (e.g., comparison/contrast, cause/effect, and sequence of events) and explain how it impacts meaning in text.

LA.2.1.7.3 – Summarize information in text, including but not limited to main idea, supporting details, and connections between texts.

LA.2.1.7.8 – Use strategies to repair comprehension of grade-appropriate text when self-monitoring indicates confusion, including but not limited to rereading, checking context, summarizing, questioning, and clarifying by checking other sources.

Body of Knowledge: Environment, Science and Language Arts

Objectives:

After this lesson:

Students will learn the human impact on the environment.

Students will learn the cause and effect of cutting trees (cause) on wild life and air pollution.

Students will learn the importance of preserving the environment.

Students will describe their understanding of “The Lorax” story in their journals.

Students will make connections between “The Lorax” story and their own life/environment.

Students will write a summary of “The Lorax” story.

Students will write three paragraphs on way that they will help the Lorax and his friends.

Students will acquire knowledge of the lesson related vocabulary, such as, environment, interconnectedness, pollution, and ecosystem.

Materials:

“The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss

Pencils

Color Pencils

Journals

Internet

Procedures:

Teacher will start a lesson by activating students knowledge on importance of trees. Teacher will initiated discussion by asking questions, such as, “Why do you think that trees are important? Why do you think that it is important for us to keep our water clean (lakes, rivers, ponds, oceans)? What do you think happens to animals once their trees are cut down? What is pollution? What happens to humans and animals when our air is polluted? Can you think of the ways that one action, such as, cutting trees, causes a chain reaction and impacts an entire ecosystem of life? How is the ecosystem interconnected?

Teacher is going to read a story. Teacher stops and discusses a Thneed. Did people need a Thneed? How did Once-ler’s greed impact the animals, the air, the Lorax? At the end of the story, what did the word “UNLESS” mean? What can we do to protect the environment?

Students and Teacher will discuss the ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Students and Teacher will visit http://www.seussville.com/loraxproject/ and read out loud the steps on what we can do to help the Lorax and his friends.

Assessment:

Students will write and illustrate the summary of “The Lorax” in their journals.

Students will write three paragraphs on the steps they will take to help the Lorax and his friends.

Extension Activities:

Visit http://www.seussville.com/loraxproject/

The Rainbow Fish – Lesson Plan- Second Grade

Grade Level : Second Grade

Subject : Language Arts

Duration: 40 minutes

Benchmark Description : Florida Sunshine State Standards

LA.A.2.1.1: The student uses the reading process effectively – determines the main idea or essential message from text and identifies supporting information.

LA.2.1.7.3 – summarize information in text, including but not limited to main idea, supporting details, and connections between texts.

LA.2.1.7.4 – identify cause-and-effect relationships in text.

LA.2.1.7.5 – identify the text structure an author uses (e.g., comparison/contrast, cause/effect, and sequence of events) and explain how it impacts meaning in text.

LA.2.1.7.8 – use strategies to repair comprehension of grade-appropriate text when self-monitoring indicates confusion, including but not limited to rereading, checking context clues, predicting, summarizing, questioning, and clarifying by checking other sources.

LA.2.2.1.2 – identify and describe the elements of story structure, including setting, plot, character, problem, and resolution in a variety of fiction.

Objectives:

After this lesson:

Students will be able to identify the main idea in the story.

Students will be able to summarize the text and make text connections to their own lives.

Students will be able to identify cause and effect relationship in the text.

Students will use reading comprehension strategies to monitor their own understanding of the text.

Students will use higher order cognitive skills to create their own story on topics of friendship, sharing, and/or happiness in their journals.

Materials:

The Rainbow Fish, by Marcus Pfister

Poster size Rainbow fish

journals

pencils

markers

paper scales

Procedures:

1. Teacher will start the lesson by discussing the role of sharing in friendship. Teacher will ask students how sharing makes them feel. How do they go about sharing things that they really like? Does it hurt their feelings when someone does not want to share with them? How do they feel when a friend shares with them?
2. Teacher will proceed to introduce the story and then read the story. During the story, teacher will pause on a couple of spots and check on students’ comprehension and thought and prediction on the story. (It is important not to make too many comprehension pauses/stops in order to prevent loss of interest in the story.
3. At the end, ask students to summarize the story. What was the story about? Students will identify the cause and effects relationship in the story. How did the Rainbow Fish behavior change the way other fish treat her? Discuss the importance of sharing and what really made the Rainbow Fish happy? Was it the shimmering scales or friends?
4. Take a step further and encourage students to think about their own friendships and instances when someone’s selfishness made them feel bad or vice versa. Then give out a pice of paper in the shape of a scale to each student. Tell them to think of one word that comes to mind when they think of sharing and friendship. Have them write the word on the scale. Let them decorate their individual scales, and once they are done, glue the scales on the big poster fish.

Assessment:

Students will either retell the story in written form in their journals or create a new story on on the topic of sharing and friendship.

Star Light, Star Bright – Word Sorts, Spelling Patterns, Reading Fluency

Star light, star bright,

The first star I see tonight;

I wish I may, I wish I might,

Have the wish I wish tonight.

-ight              -ay       -ish         -ar

bright          may       fish       star

light              day       dish       car

might           stay      wish         far

Free Science Lesson Plan – Second Grade

Grade Level : 2nd Grade

Benchmark Description : Identify objects and materials as solid, liquid, or gas.

Benchmark Number: SC.2.P.8.2

Body of Knowledge: Physical Science

Objectives:

After this lesson:

Students will be able to define matter.

Students will be able to describe states of matter.

Students will have knowledge of lesson related vocabulary, solids, liquids, gas, matter.

Students will be able to identify states of matter in their every day life.

Materials:

“What Is The World Made Of” by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

States of Matter – Scholastic Power Point Presentation www.scholastic.com/scienceworld

Pencils

Journals

Procedures:

Activate students knowledge of matter, solids, liquids, and gases. Ask if any of them have ever drank a glass of blocks or put on milk for socks? State that everything on earth is made of matter and introduce three states of matter, liquids, solids, and gas. Discuss how water and clay can change their matter states. Through class discussion, come up with examples for each. Read “What Is The World Made Of” by Weidner Zoehfeld.  Review Scholastic Power Point Presentation on States of Matter.

Assessment:

Students write an illustrated story about states of matter and their differences, as well as, explain the way water changes states of matter through writings and illustrations.

Extension Activities:

While on Earth, we have three states of matter, there is a fourth state of matter, plasma. The Sun is in the plasma state. To learn more, students search for additional information on plasma in the school library and/or internet.

Click to download   States of Matter- Lesson Plan -2nd Grade Sciencestt

Pictograph – Math Lesson Plan

Pictograph Lesson Plan

Grade Level: Second & Third Grade

Benchmark: MA.3.S.7.1 - Construct and analyze pictographs and tally charts from data, including data collected through observations, surveys, and experiments.

Instructional Goal: Students will be able to create pictographs by using data from the

tally chart.

Result of Analysis

Instructional Need: Students need to be able to use their prior knowledge of

tallies and tally charts in order to be able to learn how to create pictographs.

Instructional Analysis:

Cognitive: Reading tallies, tally charts, using the key, creating pictograph,

identifying difference between tally chart and pictograph, making

comparisons between tally chart and pictograph, recognizing patterns,

verbalizing their findings and graph creation.

Psychomotor: Students will use computer mouse during their internet

session.

Affective: none

Entry skills/knowledge: Students will have knowledge of tallies and tally charts.

Conditions and Constraints: Students will need peaceful and engaging environment

with plenty of time to transfer data from tally chart into a pictograph. Students will need

to have individual computers for the second session of the lesson plan.

Learner Analysis: The learners are second or third grade students. They should have a

solid knowledge of tallies and tally chart. At the same time, students need to be able to

listen and participate through two forty-five minute lectures.

Learning Objectives

Objective 1 – cognitive

A . Second/Third graders will identify, create, and read tallies.

B Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of the tally chart by individually filling out the data in the tally

chart.

C   Students will fill out the tally charts individually during class.

D. Students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge of tallies withat least 60% accuracy.

Objective 2 -cognitive

A. Second/Third grade students will be able to create a pictograph.

B.  Students will be able to demonstrate their ability to complete the pictograph by using the key and data from the tally chart.

C. Second/Third grade students will create their pictographs in their notebooks during math class.

D Students will demonstrate ability to complete the pictograph with at least 60% accuracy.

Objective 3 -cognitive

A. Second/Third grade students will identify relationships between tally chart and pictograph.

B. Students will be able to describe the presentation of information in the tally chart and the pictograph.

C. Students will describe relationships between tally and pictograph chart in the written form in their

note books.

D. Second grade students will identify relationships between tally chart and pictograph with 80% accuracy.

Objective 4 -cognitive

A  Second/Third grade students will be able to check accuracy of their work.

B Second/Third grade students will double check accuracy of their work by working backwards from pictograph to tally chart.

C   Second/Third grade students will double check accuracy of their work in their notebooks during math class.

D   Second/Third grade students will double check their work with 80% accuracy.

Objective 5 -cognitive

A   Students will practice beginning multiplication concepts.

B  Second/Third grade students will practice multiplication while using the key to convert tally data into a pictograph.

C   Second/Third grade students will practice multiplication while completing their assignment during math class.

D. Second/Third graders will practice multiplication while creating pictographs with at least 60% accuracy.

Total

Graphing Assessment

Selected response items:

1. Circle the correct answer. What does the scale on the graph go up by?

1. 5

2. 1

3. 2

4. 4

2. Circle the correct answer. Which color is the least popular?

1.green

2.pink

3.blue

4.red

3.How many people like green?

1.4

2.6

3.1

4.2

4.Tally marks are written as groups of how many lines?

1.2

2.4

3.5

4.6

5.How many people is the key worth?

1.4

2.3

3.2

4.1

Constructed response:

1.Using the key and the data from the tally chart, how many people liked blue?

_________

2. Six people like red. Please fix the graph.

3. Explain how you use the tally data to construct the pictograph.

4.If the key is worth two people, how much is half of person worth?

______

5.Explain how you can check your work by working back from pictograph to the

tally chart.

© 2009 Mrs. Helena & www.ReadingIsFun.me

Pictograph Lesson Plan

10 Best First Science Books for Kids

1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar- by Eric Carle

2. Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me – by Eric Carle

3. The Moon Seems to Change – by Franklyn M. Branley

4. There Is No Place Like Space – by Tish Rabe

5. Wish for a Fish: All About Sea Creatures – by Bonnie Worth

6. Oh Say Can You Seed? All About Flowering Plants – by Bonnie Worth

7. What Is the World Made Of? All About Solids, Liquids, and Gases – by Kathleen Zoehfel

8. Why Do Leaves Change Color? – by Betsy Maestro

9. My Five Senses -  by Aliki

10. What Makes a Magnet – by Branley Mansfield

Butterfly Life Cycle – Free Lesson Plan – Elementary Science

Butterfly Life Cycle – Metamorphosis

Grade Level – 2nd Grade

Subject Area – Elementary Science

Benchmark Description:

Observe and describe major stages in the life cycle of a butterfly.

Objectives:

Students will understand life cycle of a butterfly.

Students will be able to describe life cycle/stages of a butterfly verbally and in written form.

Students will have knowledge of lesson related vocabulary, metamorphosis, pupa, larva, chrysalis, etc.

Materials:

“A Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle

Activity work sheets- Butterfly Life Cycle

Markers and pencils

Procedures:

1. Activate students’ knowledge on butterflies. Ask about observed caterpillars, chrysalis, butterflies, butterfly habitat, butterfly season, butterfly color, butterfly size, etc.
2. Introduce terms metamorphosis, larva, pupa, and chrysalis.
3. Read “A Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle.
4. Hand out Butterfly Life Cycle worksheets and have students connect, label, and color butterfly life stages.
5. Discuss further questions that students thought of. Students who pose additional questions on the topic get a sticker.

Assessment:

Students will write and illustrate a story about butterfly life cycle (metamorphosis) in their journals.

Extension Activities:

1. Rereading of “A Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle not only teaches butterfly life states but it builds reading fluency.

2. Visit the school library to obtain additional informational books on butterflies for further research.

Butterfly Life Cycle Lesson Plan-ReadingIsFun.me

Butterfly Life Cycle – worksheet I

Butterfly Life Cycle -worksheet II

Leap Frog – Leapster – Best Learning Math Games -

After seeing kids play many learning game systems, I must say that Leap Frog’s Leapster2 is the best, most entertaining, learning game system out there. Your child will play fun games and learn math without even knowing. And isn’t that the goal of educational tech? Leap Frog offers a great variety of learning games, from Disney Princesses, Star Wars, Wall-E, Up,… The selection is great. This is a great buy for any occasion or just for fun.