Elementary Teacher Candidate Name: Olivia Craig Date: 9/26/19

Lesson Title/#: The Tiny Seed: What kind of environments help a seed grow?
Lesson Plan Grade Level: 1st
Template
Introduction/Lesson Foundations
Learning Objectives - no more than 1 per content area

1. Students will be able to illustrate (2) what environmental elements (4) are necessary for seeds to grow
(3).

Central Focus: This lesson will focus on environments that What do you know about your students/assets?
support the growth of seeds.
Personal: Very talkative, very friendly and affectionate. Many
Standard(s) - students like to be “helpers” and enjoy attention from teacher. 2
students who are learning English for the first time
1.LS.2: Living things survive only in environments that meet
their needs. Cultural/community: Many Spanish-speaking families. Several parks
nearby the school (not sure much about the community at this
point)

Developmental: Very good listeners, very focused when given

breaks (break or transition every 30-45 minutes)
Academic Language (Key vocabulary) - no more than 2-3 words (2 content & 1 metacognitive/thinking word)
- Needs (things a seed has to have to survive)
- Botanist (someone who studies and grows plants)
Evidence Learning Objective(s) Addressed Assessment
Students will be able to answer Students will raise their hands
questions about what would be Learning Objective 1: Students will be able to illustrate (2) what and answer questions that the
beneficial for a seed to grow and environmental elements (4) are necessary for seeds to grow (3). teacher poses during a read
what would be harmful for a aloud. Teacher will create a chart
growing seed during a read and add student answers to it.
aloud of The Tiny Seed by Eric
Carle.
Students will add a Learning Objective 1: Students will be able to illustrate (2) what Summative assessment: Students
representation of water, soil, environmental elements (4) are necessary for seeds to grow (3). will create an illustration of an
and sunlight to their illustration. environment where a seed could
grow.
Materials/Resources:
- The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
- 22 paper seeds
- 22 papers for students to create their drawings
- Crayons at each table
- Chart paper with t-chart – “Good things for a seed” on one side and “bad things for a seed” on the other
- Marker to write on chart paper

Instructional Procedures/Steps
Lesson Stage Teacher Behavior Student Behavior
Opening Transition in:
- Ask students to find a seat on the carpet and get - Students will gather at the carpet and wait for
ready to listen to a story. lesson to begin.

- Ask students to raise a hand if they remember - Students will raise hands when prompted and
learning about the life cycle of an apple. selected student will answer the question about
- “Who can tell me the first step of that life the life cycle of an apple.
cycle?” (Call on a student to answer)
 Invitation:
“Today we are going to be botanists, which is a fancy
word for someone who studies plants. We are going to
be studying seeds and their needs: what they have to
have in order to survive.”
Body of Lesson 1. Explain to students that during the story, they 1. Students will put their thumb up or their thumb
should put their thumb up if they hear down when teacher asks them to demonstrate.
something that is good for a seed, and put a
thumb down if they hear something that is bad
for a seed. Ask students to demonstrate putting
their thumb up and down. Tell them that the
teacher will be stopping after a few pages to
hear their ideas and write them down on our
chart so we can remember.
2. Students will listen to the story, and put thumbs up
2. Teacher begins to read. Read through page or down as teacher reads. Then will share ideas
about the ocean and then stop. Call on 3-4 when called on. Students will name things that are
students to share about things they thought either bad or good for a seed (ex. ice is bad for a
were good/bad for a seed. Write answers on seed, it’s bad for a seed when it’s dry, sunlight is
chart paper in the appropriate column. good for a seed)

3. Continue reading. Read through page about the 3. Students will listen to the story, and put thumbs up
mouse and then stop. Call on another 3-4 or down as teacher reads. Then will share ideas
students to add ideas to the chart. when called on.

4. Read page about Spring and then stop. Say to 4. Students will listen to the story, and put thumbs up
students: “Wow, I learned a LOT about the or down as teacher reads. Then will share ideas
needs of a seed from that page.” And then call when called on.
on 3-4 students to share. If those students don’t
catch everything, point out additional good/bad
things for a seed from the page. Add ideas to
chart paper.
5. Continue reading and stop after the page where
the boy gives his flower to a friend. Ask “Do you 5. Students will answer question about whether
think humans are good or bad for seeds?” and humans are good or bad for a seed.
have a short discussion, calling on 2-3 students
to share ideas. Add to chart paper in the column
students decide.

6. Read page about Summer and then stop. Say

“there were a lot of good things for seeds on 6. Students will listen to the story, and put thumbs up
this page. Who wants to share some?” And add or down as teacher reads. Then will share ideas
ideas to chart paper. when called on.

7. Finish reading. Say to students “Wow Botanists.

We really studied a lot about seeds today.” 7. Students will listen to answers that they provided
Then go over what they wrote on the chart when teacher reads chart.
paper as a review.

8. “Since we are all expert botanists now, each of

you are going to get your own seed.” (show bag 8. Students will listen to instructions.
of seeds) “With this seed, you’re going to show
some things that this seed would need to grow
into a big flower like in the story. You will glue it
onto this flower pot (show flower pot paper)
and then around it, I want you to show what a
seed needs. You can write or you can draw or
both, whichever will help you think about it
better.”

9. Call students up by table to get a seed and a

flower pot paper. When all students have gone 9. Students will come up and gather materials for the
back to their seats, stand up and walk around seed craft. Then, they will glue their seed down to
the classroom to check if students have the paper and represent the needs of a seed
understood the instructions, and provide through writing or drawing.
support to those who are having trouble.
 Remind students of concepts from the chart if
they don’t remember the needs of a seed.
Closure - Catch attention with: “When my voice goes on, - Students will say “OFF” after teacher attention-
yours goes…” (students will respond and then getter, then put their hands up in the air.
be silent)
- “Are there any botanists who would like to - Students who are called on will share drawings.
share their drawings?” (Call up 2-3 students)

Transition out:
- Ask students to hand me their drawings when - Students will put their drawings in their mailboxes
their table is called. Then sit back down. when called, then sit back down at their table.
- When all students have put their drawing away, - When whole class is called, students will line up for
ask class to line up in number order to walk lunch.
down to lunch.
Modifications/ - I ordered a copy of The Tiny Seed in Spanish and plan to read it to ESL students so that these students can
Accommodations/ have a chance to hear the story in their first language, which will foster greater comprehension during the
Enrichment
whole-class activity.

jh 7/31/18; modified dms 3/12/19