Autumn-The Changing Seasons

Author(s)
Rachel Humbert and Stephanie Miranda

Grade Level: 3rd

Timeframe: Readers and Writers Workshop/5 stations/one station per day/45 minutes/5 groups/total time 5 days/45 minutes each day.

Lesson Description or Explanation

Readers and Writers Workshop-Using five different stations or islands we want to incorporate technology, reading, writing, math, and science in five days of rotations, using observation, and using students’ work completed in stations as assessments. The base theme for the stations is Autumn.

Indiana Curricular Standards
Science

3.1.3 Keep and report records of investigations and observations* using tools, such as journals, charts, graphs, and computers.

3.2.3 Keep a notebook that describes observations and is understandable weeks or months later.

Reading/Writing

3.2.2 Ask questions and support answers by connecting prior knowledge with literal information from the text.
Example: When reading informational materials about science topics or social science subjects, compare what is read to background knowledge about the subject.

3.4.3 Create single paragraphs with topic sentences and simple supporting facts and details.

3.4.6 Review, evaluate, and revise writing for meaning and clarity.

Mathematics

3.5.4 Tell time to the nearest minute and find how much time has elapsed.

ISTE Standards

1. Technology productivity tools
• Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
• Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.

2. Technology research tools
• Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
• Students use technology tools to process data and report results.
• Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.


Assessments

Formative/Summative

Observing the children during the stations and checking over work completed during the stations.

Also after each student completes each station they will have a boarding pass to fill out which ask the question, what they learned at each station. At the end of the day during the week the teacher will pull out boarding passes and read them to the class.

Prior Knowledge

We will always start the stations on a Monday, so you will have one whole week to complete the stations. On the Friday before you start lessons, call the class to the carpet and do one large KWL chart about fall. This will help the teacher get ideas for the stations the following Monday.

Technology

Internet Resources: http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/leaves.html#autumn_leaves_science_project
http://gonewengland.about.com/cs/fallfoliage/l/blleafidguide.htm(leaf)
http://www.westberks.gov.uk/media/doc/g/q/Identification_Sheet.doc
http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/leaves.html
Hardware: Computer with internet access
Software: Leaf graph that teacher created on the computer using MS word


Procedure

1. Start out the morning reading the book “Autumn Leaves” by Jen Robbins.
2. Review the KWL chart that the students created on Friday
3. Divide the students up into 5 different group
4. Go around the room and model all of the stations for the students

Station 1

-Writing-Students will start with a story starter….. If I was a leaf what would my life be like?
-They will start with a story map to get out their ideas.
-Then they will write a strong 3rd grade story on the leaf paper that the teacher provides.

Station 2

-Technology-Students will be given the word Fall to research on the internet. They will take notes and write a journal entry about what they found on the internet, and also write down any questions they still have. The last 10 minutes of the stations the students will share with their other group members what they have found.

Station 3

-Science-Student will go outside with teacher and collect leaves and but them into the paper bag that is provided by the teacher. The students will then go inside and use the chart made by the teacher to classify their leaves by color, texture, spot, and shape. After they classify their leaves they will go to http://www.westberks.gov.uk/media/doc/g/q/Identification_Sheet.doc and see what kind of leaves they have collected. They will use post-it notes and put the names of the leaves on the post-it note and stick the note to the leave. Then they will put the leaves back in a book to dry them out and flatten them, and they will use them another when they get to station

Station 4

-Writing/Art- The students will get the leaves that they collected and make a leaf collection book. They will put two leaves on each piece of colored construction paper and neatly print the name of the leaf below the leaf. The students will then hole punch the construction paper and the teacher will laminate the pages after school, and the students will bind together on Friday afternoon.

Station 5

-Math-The students will make a schedule of their night of tick or treating using digital clocks. The students will get a large piece of construction paper and they have to cut out ten small clocks, and show their schedule for the night of Halloween. They need to write the times on the clock, and then a description of what they will be doing at that time, they also need to write down the analog time next to the digital.

Notes: After each station the student will take 5 minutes to fill out their boarding pass, answering the question, what they learned from this each station.

On Friday afternoon the students will go the computer lab and use the Paint program on the computer and design a title page for their leaf books.

The last 30 minutes on Friday afternoon, the students will finish their KWL filling out the LEARN part of the KWL.



ESL

For students who use English as a second language, we would use the Google translation tool. This will allow the students to use their native language when exploring the websites we have provided. Before the students start the activity, we will model each station so that the students will have a visual understanding of what to do.

Challenge/Extend

For those students who need more of a challenge, they will be able to create a PowerPoint presentation. After they have researched the word “Fall” on the internet (in Station 2), they can create a PowerPoint using the notes they have taken while searching. They will be able to present their PowerPoint to the class at the end of the day.

Special Needs

We will use software that enhances text, adapt keyboard/mouse settings and Talking Text. Talking Text will help students who have a visual impairment by speaking the words that are on the computer screen. We will also Bobby Approve the websites to make sure they are accessible to everyone.