Growing and Changing: Insects

Growing and Changing:
Insects

Author(s):

Angie Battista and Sarah Haag

Grade Level:

Second
Timeframe:
About 1 .5 hours will be focused on this unit every day at least.

Lesson Description or Explanation

Daily read alouds will be focused around a student generated list of insects they are interested in studying. Students will then gather information in multiple ways such as trips to the school library, reading nonfiction during Reading Workshop, classroom discussions, and a visit from an expert in the field. Assessment will be taken in different ways. Students may choose to perform a song that they compose with a group of students, show art work they create, or put on a theatrical performance. All students will participate in a multiple choice quiz using the Classroom Performance System.

Indiana Curricular Standards


Language Arts Standard
2.5.3 Write a friendly letter complete with the dates, salutation (greeting, such as Dear Mr. Smith), body, closing, and signature.
Music Standard
2.3.4 Improvise a short ostinato with a familiar song using body percussion, instruments, or movement.

ISTE Standards

Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.
Students are proficient in the use of technology.
Assessments

Formative/Summative

Formative Assessment:
Students’ theatrical performances, artwork, and songs will be assessed to be sure that each student is grasping the concepts of the insect that they choose to study. Each product will be graded based on whether the following criteria are included; type of food usually eaten, life expectancy of this insect, habitat, and expected behavior for this type of insect.
Summative Assessment:
At the end of this unit students will complete a multiple choice exam using the Classroom Performance System. This system allows students to select an answer from a multiple choice question using a device that looks similar to a remote control. This is similar to how they “Poll the Audience” on the tv series “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?”

Prior Knowledge

Students will need to learn how to use the CPS tool in order to cast their vote for the multiple choice exam. This device can also be used to do such things as take classroom attendance. We would practice using the device before the exam by taking the daily attendance with the CPS device.

Technology

Classroom Performance System Remotes
Computers with internet access
Multiple Children’s Books about Insects
Microphone

Procedure

Before beginning this lesson students will meet in the “Meeting Place”, or the classroom carpet, to generate a list of insects that we are interested in learning more about. We will then conduct a KWL chart to decided what we hope to learn about these insects.

Day One:
Children will read a story about experts in the field regarding insects/animals (based on their interests)
Students will write a letter to an expert (Jungle John or Alligator Aaron)
During the writing, we will discuss headings, greetings, capital letters and end marks.
As a class, we will construct a letter to send to our expert.
Expert will visit (hopefully!) the classroom to discuss particular animals/insects

Day Two:
Students will read a story about music in the “general” classroom
During their unit study time, we will sing a variety of songs with the children
Students will be asked to contribute one or two words to a group song after hearing a particular piece of music, as well as perform it in the classroom
Students will create instruments and continue to perform our group song
Students will then be introduced to “piggyback” songs
In groups, students will create their own piggyback songs regarding our insect/animal of choice and perform it for the class.

Day Three:
Students will read a story about a classroom pet or taking care of a living creature
Students will have a discussion about being responsibility and what that looks like
With post it notes, students will be able to record instances in which they have been were responsible during the school day or at home
Students (via read aloud) will read about the importance of teamwork and cooperation in the classroom, and what can happen to a community when any of these jobs is not performed
The students will be responsible for deciding on a classroom pet to take care of
Students will delegate jobs to take care of our classroom pet

Day Four:
This learning engagement will be introduced with a read aloud (possibly nonfictional) that contains a timeline.
Students will decide what information is important to put on a timeline.
As a job for the week one student will be in charge of gathering data.
Students will take the information from the chart and create a timeline.

Day Five:
Students will now be practice with the CPS devices from daily attendance.
Students will enter their personal password to be able to save their answers.
A multiple choice test will be given via the television.
Students will cast their votes to each question. Once an answer is given it cannot be changed. The correct answer and the number of students that got the answer correct will be displayed after each question but who answered which way will remain unknown to the class as a whole.
How each student answered the questions will be saved for the teacher’s assessment records.
Differentiated Instruction

ESL
Students to whom English is a second language will be able to work with another student throughout this unit. During the final assessment with the CPS an aide may translate for the student or the questions will be translated and offered in both English and in Spanish.


Challenge/Extend

Based on the varied forms of assessment throughout this unit, the songs, art, theatrical performance, written letters, and group timelines, students will be offered multiple ways to express themselves. Effort will be taken into account with each production and students are welcome to go above and beyond the expectations.

Special Needs

Each lesson will have the students paired in some way. At time students are working as a whole class and other times they are in partners. Cooperation will be encouraged in this classroom. All expectations will be visible and communicated audibly for those students with deafness or blindness. CPS remotes have buttons that are raised so that the user can distinguish between the different ones.