1 Sample Cooperative Learning Lesson Plan OVERVIEW Subject Grade Level Topic Brief Overview and Explanation PLANNING Objectives Assessment Pre / Diagnostic Formative (informal and/or formal) Summative / Post Curriculum Standards Teacher Materials Student Materials Teacher Earth and Space Science / Weather Second Types of Clouds Students in the second grade learn to identify various forms of weather and clouds. Cloud types can be a predictor of weather; hence students will learn the four most common types of clouds. This is a follow up to our lesson on different types of weather and charting the daily weather and precedes our lessons on the water cycle. In cooperative learning groups, students will create murals that include one of the four types of clouds learned in yesterday s science lesson. Individual Grading Rubric: 3 Points: Cloud is accurately drawn, including shape, color and precipitation as appropriate. 2 Points: Cloud is mostly accurately drawn. May be incorrect in one area: shape, color or precipitation. 1 Point: Cloud is somewhat accurately drawn. May be incorrect in two areas, either shape, color or precipitation. 0 Points: Cloud is not accurately drawn in respect to shape, color or precipitation. Kansas, K-2, Earth and Space Science Standard 4. The student will observe closely the objects and materials in their environment. Benchmark 2: The student will observe and compare objects in the sky. Indicator 1: The student observes and recognizes the sun, moon, stars, clouds, birds, airplanes, and other objects in the sky. Pictures of Cumulous, Cirrus, Stratus and Cumulonimbus cloudslocated on the science bulletin board. Group Assignment sheets with heterogeneous groups listed on them. Also in folder labeled science. Poster with cloud characteristics from yesterday located on the science bulletin board. Assignment sheets located at the group work areas. Their science book (for cloud pictures). Located at their desks. Art supplies: Crayons, markers, watercolors, scratch paper and 1 large sheet of poster paper / group. These are located at each group location. Computer to create grading rubric. For cloud pictures and descriptions:
2 Technology Student Technology Differentiated Instruction Culturally Responsive Adaptations Integration (across and/or within) Reading and/or Vocabulary Strategies Writing Strategies Difficulties In Content Difficulties in Management INSTRUCTION Model of Instruction Clarify Aims & Establish Set Instructional http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(gh)/guides/mtr/cld/cldtyp/home.rxml Cloud poster: http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/weather/2.html None. This should not be needed, as art is very subjective and skill level does not apply. However, if any student needs additional assistance with specific cloud characteristics, I will be available, and there will be pictures available as well. None. Clouds are universal. Art and science. This also ties to our Language Arts read aloud book- Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. None needed for this activity. None needed for this activity. This is a review of yesterday s lesson. The concepts should be clear and group members can help each other. Should students forget the specific characteristics, they will be on our poster from yesterday, in their science book and evident in the available pictures. Students will be placed in heterogeneous groups by the teacher and given the specific area in which their group is to work. Students will each be given a group job which will also help keep the groups working effectively. Additionally, each group will be presenting their portion of the mural to the class, so they will want to do a quality job. The most likely area of difficulty will be in sharing of supplies and allocating individual space on the mural paper. The materials manager for the groups should assist with this, and I will be moving between the groups assisting as necessary should difficulties arise. Cooperative Learning 5 minutes Yesterday we learned about four types of clouds. What are they? (Wait for responses) Good! Today, we re going to combine art and science to make a classroom mural (a very big picture) that incorporates the four types of clouds. I hope you re ready to draw, paint, color, and create! And guess what? Your finished product will be displayed in the hall outside of our classroom so the other students can learn about clouds AND see what great artists we are! 45 minutes
3 Activities Closure You will be working in assigned groups to make one portion of the mural. In your groups you will need to draw both land and sky elements. In the sky, you will be placing a specific type of cloud. Be sure to accurately represent your clouds, because you will be sharing them with the rest of the class to guess what type they are. Do all clouds have rain? Do all clouds look alike? These are things to keep in mind. You want to be very accurate in your drawings. I have included reminders on your direction sheet at your group work areas, but also feel free to look at our poster on the science bulletin board, in your science book or at the additional pictures located on the bulletin board. Also, be sure to talk with your group members too. In each group you will choose one job, but you only have one minute to do that. Let s review the jobs. A material manager (wait for responses) ---yes, helps with the supplies and sharing. The encourager (Wait for responses)---yes, points out all the good things the others in the group are doing and then talks about it, or gives a compliment or a high five etc. The observer (Wait for responses) watches to make sure all parts of the assignment are being done and done correctly. This person will want to pay particular attention to the specific types of clouds being drawn. Each of you will draw a cloud on your picture, and help draw some portion of the land as well. Feel free to fill in the rest of your picture any way your group would like. There could be trees, flowers, roads, cars, houses etc. You have a sheet of scratch paper at your work area to make your plan on before placing on the final poster paper. The red group will be meeting on the north end of the room, the green group in the south end of the room, the blue group in the east end and the orange group in the west. Do not move until I say GO. The groups are as follows: (read off the group names and members from the attached sheets.) OK, when I say so, you may walk quietly to your group area. Any questions? (Answer as needed). GO. You now have one minute to choose your jobs, and write your name next to your job on the assignment sheet at your work area. Thirty seconds. Five, 4, 3, 2, 1 OK, raise your hand if you do not have a job. Good, now you should look to see what type of cloud you will be drawing. If you have a question, be sure to ask your group members. I will only answer questions that all members in your group have. You have 40 minutes to create the best cloud posters ever. 15 minutes Wow, what wonderful artists we have in this room. Now that we have our group pictures done, we ll have each group present their picture to the class. (Have the class guess what type of cloud is in the picture.) Point out all the specifics about your picture and cloud type. Also, be sure to tell us who in your group drew which elements. When we are finished, we will put all the pictures together in the hallway, making a large mural of clouds. I will add labels so
4 other students will be able to learn about clouds too. Call up one group at a time and ask each person to describe what they drew and why. After each presentation, have the class applaud to recognize the group s and each individual s efforts. You have done a wonderful job and worked well in your groups. Let s go outside and see what types of clouds we see, and then have a few minutes of extra recess! Assignment See attached color sheet for group and individual assignments. STANDARD 4: EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE Grades K-2 EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE The student will observe closely the objects and materials in their environment. Benchmark 2: The student will observe and compare objects in the sky. The student Grades K-2 Indicators Instructional Examples The student 1. observes and recognizes the sun, moon, stars, clouds, birds, airplanes, and other objects in the sky. 1. observes day and night sky regularly. Teacher Notes: The sun, moon, stars, clouds, birds, and other objects such as airplanes have properties that can be observed and compared.
5 Red Group Bob, Sue and Jim Jobs: Materials manager Encourager Reporter Cirrus Clouds These are thin and wispy or curly and generally occur in fair weather.
6 Green Group Kaylee, Tara and Josiah Jobs: Materials manager Encourager Reporter Cumulous Clouds These are puffy cotton balls floating in the sky or piled up in the sky.
7 Blue Group Grace, Tim and Gabriel Jobs: Materials manager Encourager Reporter Stratus Clouds These are flat and/or layered, often dark, low-level clouds accompanied by light to moderately falling precipitation. They can be uniform grayish clouds that often cover the entire sky. 30 April 2006 to 3 December 2007 Warrumbungles, NSW
8 Orange Group Carly, Tyler and Danni Jobs: Materials manager Encourager Reporter Cumulonimbus Clouds These are thunderheads. Photograph by: NOAA
9 Types of Clouds Poster Clouds come in many shapes and forms. Some are high in the sky, while others are so low they touch the ground. No matter what shape or elevation, clouds form the same way, by having water vapor condense onto small solid particles like dust, sea salt, and pollution. Clouds serve several important functions. One of these is providing rain and snow. They also help retain heat, so it doesn t escape quickly back into space. On hot days, clouds provide shade There are three main cloud types. Cumulus clouds are the puffy clouds that look like puffs of cotton. Cumulus clouds that do not get very tall are indicators of fair weather. If they do grow tall, they can turn into thunderstorms. The bottom of cumulus clouds are fairly close to the ground. Cumulus Clouds Stratus clouds look like flat sheets of clouds. These clouds can mean an overcast day or steady rain. They may stay in one place for several days. Cirrus clouds are high feathery clouds. They are up so high they are actually made up of ice particles. They are indicators of fair weather when they are scattered in a clear blue sky. Nimbus is another word associated with clouds. Adding "nimbus" means precipitation is falling from the cloud. Cumulonimbus Clouds Cumulonimbus clouds are the "thunderheads" that can be seen on a warm summer day and can bring strong winds, hail, and rain. Nimbostratus clouds will bring a long steady rain.
Cooperative Learning Lesson Plan - Criteria for Evaluation 10 Domain Unsatisfactory Basic Competent Target PLANNING 0 points 1 point 2 points 3 points Explanation: Relationships to curriculum goals and other subjects Thoughts and ideas for how this lesson will relate to other situations are not stated An attempt is made to relate the lesson to the broader curriculum, but connections are very vague Candidate is able to relate the objectives for this lesson with other lessons the student has had or will observe in the future Goals/Objectives Assessment (Make sure the assessment matches the objectives) Connected to P-12 state curriculum standards Candidate does not list any goals and/or objectives No thought is given to assessment No connection between this lesson and state or national standards exists None listed or none are needed No anticipation of difficulty is documented Goals and/or objectives are vague, unclear, or may be difficult to assess/measure A description of how and what to assess is included The relationship to the standards is attempted, but vague or unclear Items needed are listed and copies are attached Candidate predicts possible difficulties that may arise Candidate has well defined objectives that would be easily measured and/or assessed. Clear procedures, a copy of the assessment, scoring guide (key) The objectives for this lesson are clearly connected to standardsgrade and content are identified Items listed, references listed, copies attached Difficulties are predicted and possible solutions listed Candidate has a clear understanding of the big picture and is able to describe how this lesson is connected to other content Objectives are well defined, content related, and will be easily measured and/or assessed. Clear procedures, copy, answer key, good alignment to objectives Clear connection to curriculum standards and grade level, and a highlighted copy is included Items listed, references listed and Instruct. Materials and Resources described, all copies attached Difficulties Difficulties (and solutions) listed anticipated relate to both content and control INSTRUCTION (This must be written so that a substitute could teach the lesson be detailed!) (Identify the specific phases on the lesson plan) Clarify Aims and No documentation is found Candidate lists some way to Clear description is provided for Clarify Aims (clear statements on Establish Set for how the candidate will try to set the stage for lesson clarifying aims or establishing what & why),connect prior know (anticipatory set) establish the set set/engaging the students ledge, Establish set - engage class Present Information (verbally or text) (major bulk of content) Organize into teams (plan for space/time) Assist the teams Test or Presentation Provide Recognition No clear sequence of events is established Confusions over tasks No clear direction for organizing into groups No plan to assist teams General flow & resources are described with an overview of expectations Candidate lists a general way to organize teams, but is not clear or specific Not addressed Attempts to check understanding/recognize student Assignment Not addressed Assignment is described but no copies included Closure Lists no clear method for Ends group work, but does providing closure not bring closure Specific sequence of events, expectations are clear, resources (text/verbal/other) are identified Student teams are heterogeneous Specific organizations for teams Plan for assistance is described Specific sequence, clear expectations, identified resources, ideas for reading strategies Heterogeneous teams, detailed organization, ideas for assistance given, specific roles assigned Specific ways to check understanding and recognize work Checks comprehension, plans to recognize groups and individuals Assignment and instructions are Assignment w/instructions,copies described, copies attached attached, aligned w/objectives Lists a plan to bring closure to A creative way to close and the group work &/or lesson summarize the lesson is explained Total points earned: /36 points Rev. 10-28-09 tg