Objective Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of weathering or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation. Materials Needed Erosion: Changing Earth’s Surface by Robin Koontz or Cracking Up: A Story About Erosion by Jacqui Bailey Observation sheet Rocks, gravel and sand Plastic or metal trays (one for each group) One-liter bottles of water (one for each group) Rulers or tape measures (one for each group) Introduction Read aloud Erosion: Changing Earth’s Surface by Robin Koontz or Cracking Up: A Story About Erosion by Jacqui Bailey to introduce students to the process of erosion and how it affects Earth and its landforms.
Objective CCSS Math/Number and Operations-Fractions: 4.NF.2 Extend understanding of fraction equivalence and ordering. 2. Compare two fractions with different numerators and different denominators (e.g., by creating common denominators or numerators, or by comparing to a benchmark fraction such as 1/2). Recognize that comparisons are valid only when the two fractions refer to the same whole. Record the results of comparisons with symbols >, = or <, and justify the conclusions (e.g., by using a visual fraction model). Materials Needed Pizza Fractions by Jerry Pallotta Chalkboard, whiteboard or document camera Fraction Pizza templates Comparing Fractions practice page and answer sheet Comparing Fractions activity card and recording sheet Comparing Fractions spinners and answer key Paper clips Pencils Pennies or other small objects (to use as game markers) Preparation Before teaching this lesson, you may want to introduce students to the concept of equivalent fractions. (Please visit Equivalent Fraction Activities for a sample lesson.) Introduction Read aloud Pizza Fractions by Jerry Pallotta to give students a visual representation of fractions.
Objective Generating a number or shape pattern that follows a given rule Identifying arithmetic patterns and explaining them using properties of operations Materials Needed Anno’s Magic Seeds by Mitsumasa Anno Chart paper or document camera Paper and pencils Perplexing Patterns reproducible and answer key 3-In-A-Row! multiplication cards Two different-colored highlighters for each pair of students in your class Paper clips Introduction Begin reading aloud Anno’s Magic Seeds by Mitsumasa Anno. (You may want to preread the story and place a sticky note on the specific pages the lesson highlights.) When you reach the part in the story where Jack decides to bury two seeds in the ground instead of only one, pause and ask students to predict what might happen the following fall. How many seeds do they think the buried seeds will produce? Ask them to explain why. Then continue reading to find out the answer. Continue reading the story, asking for predictions for the next year and then comparing the students’ predictions to the results in the story.
Objectives CCSS Writing W.3.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. W.3.2a: Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension. W.3.2b: Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic. W.3.2d: Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented. Materials Needed Jackie Robinson reading passage Jackie Robinson Fact Sheet graphic organizer Whiteboard, overhead projector, document camera or interactive whiteboard Informative passages and graphic organizers (“Chocolate Town,” “Praying Mantis” and “Why Can’t You Tickle Yourself?”) Fact cards and writing assignment prompts (“Scientists at Work,” “Natural U.S. Landmarks,” “The Olympic® Games” and “Going West”) Introduction Note: This lesson plan can be completed in more than one day. Explain to students that authors of informative/explanatory texts write to convey specific facts or ideas about a person, topic or event. State that you will read aloud an example of this type of writing using the Jackie Robinson passage. Have students read along with you. As a class, list the key pieces of information to determine the facts that the author wants the reader to know about the topic. Explain that deconstructing a passage in this way helps them become better writers. This process will assist them in thinking about how to use a list of facts to create an interesting paragraph or passage about a given topic.
Objectives Reading: Literature Reading and comprehending grade-appropriate literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry Writing Writing an acrostic poem Materials Needed Animal Acrostics by David Hummon or Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic by Steven Schnur My Winter Acrostic template Winter Acrostic Organizer template Dark-blue construction paper - 9" x 12" Crayons or colored pencils Pencil Chalk or write & wipe marker Chalkboard or write & wipe board Introduction Hold up the book Animal Acrostics by David Hummon or Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic by Steven Schnur. Then explain that the first letter of each line in an acrostic poem spells out a “topic” word that ties all the lines of the poem together. (It’s helpful to demonstrate the concept on a chalkboard or write & wipe board.) Read a few examples from the book and show students how acrostic poems are arranged on a page. (You may want to reproduce one on the board or a large poster so students can refer to it throughout the lesson.)
Objectives Students will listen and respond to literature read aloud by the teacher. Students will share interpretations of lessons in a story and learn to apply these lessons to their own lives. Materials Needed A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon Chalkboard, sentence strips or interactive whiteboard Notebook paper Introduction Ask students if they have a favorite food that might surprise others, like broccoli, spinach or beets! Invite volunteers to tell the class what this surprising food is. Tell students that you are going to read a story in which the main character has an odd choice for a favorite food. Ask students to pay special attention to what happens to this character, how her classmates react to her, and what she does to solve her problem. Read aloud A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon.
