Life+Cycles-+Allison+Daniel

=Life Cycles= =Overview of Lessons= Life Cycles is the topic I have chosen for my two lessons. The first lesson will be designed for Kindergarten students. The second lesson will be designed for 3rd grade students. In the Kindergarten lesson, I would start making a KWL chart about caterpillars and butterflies. After reviewing the chart, I will be able to quickly see what students already know and what they want to know. Then I will read several non-fiction books about Butterflies. One of my favorite books is //Monarch Butterfly// by Gail Gibbons. After reading a few non-fiction books, I will show my students the caterpillars I have purchased for our classroom and I will show my students real life images of caterpillars and butterflies. Then we will make a list of words to describe the caterpillars and a list of words to describe butterflies. These word lists will be hung up in the classroom for students to use as they write. I will have a journal for my students to write and draw pictures in every day to record the growth and changes of the caterpillars. As part of my math connection, we will create our own butterflies and discuss symmetry. My Kindergarten lesson will be more teacher directed.

In the 3rd grade lesson, I will also begin by making a KWL chart about life cycles. By using this chart, I will be able to see what students already know about life cycles and what they want to learn. It's also a quick assessment to see if my lesson was effective because we will fill in the "L" side of the chart at the end of the lesson. After the KWL chart, I will take my students to the library to research all life cycles. We will make a list of the life cycles we have found. From the list, students will need to choose a life cycle to research and check out the books from the library they will need. After a life cycle has been chosen, we will go to the computer lab to research the life cycle. Students will be able to print information and write down facts they find. Then students will put thought and ideas into a graphic organizer to help guide them through the writing assignment. After ideas have been organized, they can begin writing a rough draft. The rough draft will be peer edited and a conference will be held with me before the paper is written in its final draft. Students will then be able to go back to the computer lab to type a final draft. Along with the paper, students will need to draw in detail the life cycle they chose.

=Inquiry Skill= The inquiry skill I plan to use with my students is Pre-search. The following strategies are listed on []

"When teaching science, I frequently use a KWL chart. It gives me a chance to quickly see what my students already know and what they are interested in discovering. "The Pre-search stage enables searchers to make a connection between their topic, question, or information needed and their prior knowledge. Searchers may begin by brainstorming a web or questions that focus on what they know about their topic and what they want to know ([])." During the stage, they are to generate a list of questions they have while skimming articles. "Developing quality questions can be difficult for students. Rankin (1999, pg 31) recommends that following criteria for evaluating research questions: This information can be found on [] In both the Kindergarten and 3rd grade lesson, we will begin by making a KWL chart. The Kindergartners will need more teacher guidance. I will guide my students through questioning. I will read the text to them and ask them to write about what they heard and saw in their journal writings. In the 3rd grade lesson, the students will be able to brainstorm, read, categorize, and write.
 * KWL Chart
 * Brainstorm, Read, Categorize
 * Relax, Read, Reflect
 * Newspapers for a Background
 * Journal Writing
 * based on knowledge of the topic
 * focus not too broad or too narrow
 * interesting to researcher
 * potentially interesting to others
 * feasible resources available to answer questions

=Standards= =Kindergarten Lesson= =AASL Standards= 1.1.2 Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning. 1.3.4 Contribute to the exchange of ideas within the learning community. 1.4.2 Use interaction with and feedback from teachers and peers to guide own inquiry process. 2.3.1 Connect understanding to the real world. 2.4.3 Recognize new knowledge and understanding. 3.1.4 Use writing and speaking skills to communicate new understandings effectively.

=Indiana State Standards=

English/Language Arts Standards
K.1.3 Understand that printed materials provide information. K.1.22 Listen to stories read aloud and use the vocabulary in those stories in oral language. K.2.3 Generate and respond to questions K.4.3 Write using pictures, letters, and words. K.4.6 Ask how and why questions about a topic of interest. K.4.7 Identify pictures and charts as sources of information and begin gathering information from a variety of sources. K.5.1 Draw pictures and write words for a specific reason.

Science Standards
K.1.1 Raise questions about the natural world. K.2.2 Draw pictures and write words to describe objects and experiences. K.4.2 Observe plants and animals, describing how they are alike and how they are different in the way they look and in the things they do.

=3rd Grade Lesson= =AASL Standards= 1.1.2 Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning. 1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (for example, textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning. 2.1.1 Continue an inquiry-based research process by applying critical-thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, evaluation, organization) to information and knowledge in order to construct new understandings, draw conclusions, and create new knowledge. 2.1.2 Organize knowledge so that it is useful. 2.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to analyze and organize information. 3.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use, and assess. 4.1.7 Use social networks and information tools to gather and share information. 4.1.8 Use creative and artistic formats to express personal learning.

=Indiana State Standards=

English/Language Arts Standards
3.2.2 Analysis of Grade Level Appropriate Non-fiction and Informational Text: Ask questions and support answers by connecting prior knowledge with literal information from the text. 3.2.7 Follow simple multiple step written directions. 3.2.8 Distinguish between cause and effect and between fact and opinion in informational text. 3.4.1 Organization and Focus: Find ideas for writing stories and descriptions in conversations with others, in books, magazines, school textbooks, or on the Internet. 3.4.2 Discuss ideas for writing, use diagrams and charts to develop ideas, and make a list or notebook of ideas. 3.4.3 Create single paragraphs with topic sentences and simple supporting facts and details. 3.4.4 Research Process and Technology: Use various reference materials (such as a dictionary, thesaurus, atlas, encyclopedia, and online resources.) 3.4.5 Use a computer to draft, revise, and publish writing. 3.4.6 Evaluation and Revision: Review, evaluate, and revise writing for meaning and clarity. 3.4.7 Proofread one's own writing, as well as that of others, using an editing checklist or list of rules. 3.4.8 Revise writing for others to read, improving the focus and progression of ideas. 3.5.8 Research Application: Write or deliver a research report that has been developed using a systematic research process (defines the topic, gathers information, determines credibility, reports findings) and that: • uses a variety of sources (books, technology, pictures, charts, tables of contents, diagrams) and documents sources (titles and authors). • organizes information by categorizing it into more than one category (such as living and nonliving, hot and cold) or includes information gained through observation.

Science Standards
3.1.3 Keep and report records of investigations and observations using tools, such as journals, charts, graphs, and computers. 3.4.1 Demonstrate that a great variety of living things can be sorted into groups in many ways using various features, such as how they look, where they live, and how they act, to decide which things belong to which group. 3.6.5 Observe that and describe how some changes are very slow and some are very fast and that some of these changes may be hard to see and/or record.

=Student Audience= The school where I teach is Sand Creek Elementary. It's in Fishers, Indiana. Fishers is a suburb of Indianapolis. Most people think of Fishers as a middle class community with very little poverty. This was true many years ago, but Fishers has slowly been changing and becoming more and more diverse. We have a growing ENL population as well. With recent budget cuts, classes sizes have been focused to increase. Classes are becoming bigger and more and more diverse in ethnicity and socio-economic status. The Hamilton Southeastern Schools is one of the fastest growing districts in the nation. We have 12 elementary schools with plans to open another elementary school in 2013. We have 3 intermediate schools (5th and 6th grades) and 3 junior high schools (7th and 8th grades). We also have 2 high schools. My Kindergarten lesson takes place in a classroom of 24 students. There is one teacher and no assistant. The classroom includes one student with down syndrome who is assisted by an Instructional Assistant for half of the school day. In this class, there are two students who receive ENL services, one Asian student, one Hispanic student, one multi-racial student, and all the rest are white. Hamilton Southeastern only offers half day Kindergarten; therefore these students are in school a total of two and half hours a day. Most Kindergarten students love school. They are happy and energetic and generally willing to learning. Students have very basic inquiry skills. They know how to ask questions, but generally need help to find an answer. My 3rd grade lesson takes place in a classroom of 27 students. There is one teacher. The classroom includes one student who is hearing impaired, and two students who receive special education services. In this class, there is one Hispanic student, one African American student, one multi-racial student, and all the rest are white. 3rd grade students have had more exposure to inquiry based learning. They are able to research a topic and have some knowledge about where to go to find the information they need. By 3rd grade, some of the enthusiasm about school has worn off. Some students need constant reinforcement from the teacher to keep motivated. When students have a say in the topics they research, they will stay more motivated to continue learning.

=Collaboration=

In my school, each grade level devotes a period of time to collaboration each week. Some grade levels meet before school and others meet on their prep time. This collaboration time gives us a chance to share ideas and work together to make lessons better. I often times talk to my teacher friends who work at other schools and ask what they are teaching and if they have found any new great ideas. In my grade level, we all bring ideas to share each week. Sometimes we choose to use an idea and sometimes we don't. Many times we work together as a team to make the lesson idea more effective. By collaborating as a team, we are ensuring that we are using the best lessons and best teaching strategies we know. Since most grade levels meet in the mornings, it would be very easy to invite the media specialist to sit in on the meeting.