Grade Level - 4
Subject(s) - Science, Language Arts
Learner Outcomes
Materials
note
taking paper
computer
lab worksheet
reference
materials about desert life
Technology
Tools
computer
lab with Internet access
Word
processing software such as Microsoft Word, The
Ultimate Creativity and Writing Center, or Creative
Writer
Teacher Notes - The KWL chart needs to be copied for each child and completed, whole group, before going to the Internet Lab. Each student needs to take a copy of the Ecosystems Matrix and Deserts worksheet to the Internet Lab for completion. Creative Writer can also be downloaded for students to type their acrostic poems.
Procedures
Day
One
1
Begin lesson by distributing a KWL chart
to each student (what students already know, what students want
to know, and what students learned once the lesson has been completed).
Ask students to respond to the first and second columns. Lead a group
discussion about what the students wrote in the "K" column (what they know),
and the "W" column (what they want to learn) as the teacher copies responses
to chart paper. Students will complete the "L" (what the students
learned) column on day three, so make students keep the chart for evaluation
purposes.
2 Teacher passes out "Desert Life" worksheet to be completed in the internet lab. This sheet correlates with the following websites - Evergreen Ecosystem site and Merriam Webster Dictionary. ALSO, have students bring Ecosystem Matrix to lab, and fill out column about "Deserts."
3. Save the sheet for review and discussion of answers tomorrow.
Day
Two
1.
Review answers from yesterday's lab worksheet about animals, plants, and
general facts about the desert. Discuss information on matrix as
well, making sure that all data is filled in. The matrix will need
to be used for the study of all other ecosystems in this unit.
2. Pass out reference books ( including Harcourt Brace adopted science text ) about desert life. Allow groups of children to share materials. Students may also use their worksheets completed in computer lab yesterday as additional reference material.
3.
Tell students that they are responsible for creating an acrostic poem about
the desert, whereby each letter in the word D-E-S-E-R-T is the start
of a factual statement about desert life. The word "desert" will
appear vertically down the left-hand side of the page, and the statement
will be written to the right of the letter. (For example:
Drought
is the lack of rain, which can be found in the desert.)
4. Students will make a rough draft of the acrostic poem. Once the poem is acceptable according to direction, accuracy, spelling, and punctuation, students may then use Microsoft Word or Ultimate Creativity and Writing Center software to finalize a copy of the poem.
5. Students may orally read poems and display in classroom.
Modifications - Students may work in partners for any necessary peer assistance. Students may want to use research software that will read the text aloud.
Enrichment - Students who finish early or would like an enrichment activity may write a short story from the point of view of a desert animal. Some ideas for topics might include: friendship between desert animals, a desert animal who visits another ( previously studied ) biome and can't stay, or a "day in the life" of a particular desert animal. Students should use a word processing program for their story.
The teacher may also run off copies of a desert crossword puzzle. Using this site from Scholastic, students can answer the crossword puzzle questions by reading about deserts.
Evaluation/Assessment - Have students fill out the "L" (what I LEARNED) column of the KWL sheet originated on Day 1. The teacher may decide for the class how many "L" statements are necessary per letter grade, and this should be discussed with the class prior to evaluation. Other methods of evaluation include: answers on sheets from lab, acrostic poem, enrichment activities
West
Virginia Instructional Goals and Objectives
Science
- 4.35, 4.36, 4.37, 4.38, 4.40, 4.6;
Language
Arts - 4.5, 4.7, 4.12, 4.13, 4.16, 4.23, 4.42, 4.46, 4.49, 4.50, 4.51,
4.69, 4.70, 4.81;
Study
Skills - 4.83, 4.85, 4.86, 4.87, 4.91, 4.92
National
Standards:
Language
Arts:
References
-
The
Evergreen Project
Merriam
Webster Dictionary
Tour
of the Biomes
Gander
Academy
The
Cyber Zoo-What is A Biome?
An
African Adventure-Deserts
A
Virtual Tour of the Desert
Desert
Animals & Wildlife
Desert
Life
Author
- Beth Henry
Kathy Kemper
Kim Waggy
Flinn Elementary School
|
|
|
|
|
|