Lesson Plan Format

Teacher Candidate: Jessa Paczkoski Date: 12/06/2022 Time: 60 minutes

I. Objectives, Standards and Assessments

0. Standard(s)

NGSS:

Standard: MS-LS4-1: Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document

the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth

under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past.

Science and Engineering Practice

- Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions: Constructing explanations and designing

solutions in 6–8 builds on K–5 experiences and progresses to include constructing

explanations and designing solutions supported by multiple sources of evidence consistent

with scientific ideas, principles, and theories.

Disciplinary Core Idea

- Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity: The collection of fossils and their placement in

chronological order (e.g., through the location of the sedimentary layers in which they are

found or through radioactive dating) is known as the fossil record. It documents the existence,

diversity, extinction, and change of many life forms throughout the history of life on Earth.

Crosscutting Concept

- Scientific Knowledge Assumes an Order and Consistency in Natural Systems: Science

assumes that objects and events in natural systems occur in consistent patterns that are

understandable through measurement and observation.

PDA SAS/PDE Common Core:

Standard - 3.1.7.C3: CONSTANCY AND CHANGE: Identify evidence drawn from geology,

fossils, and comparative anatomy that provides the basis for the theory of evolution.
 - Eligible Content - S7.D.1.1.2: Explain how fossils are formed..

B. Performance Objectives (Learning Outcomes) and Assessment Plan (Evaluate!)

Learning Objective Formative Assessment Data Collection Tool Connection to Summative

     The student will be able to… Design/Plan for each Assessment (when applicable)

objective

1. … correctly identify and define body, Kahoot! and the Automatic Feedback Unit Test
trace, mold, cast, and carbonized fossils, Interactive Student from Kahoot! and online
given today’s lesson. Notetaker submission of the
notetaker
2. … accurately match the fossil to their Interactive Student Teacher observation and
correct type, given photographs. Notetaker online submission of the
notetaker

II. Instructional Materials

Teacher:

- Google Slides Powerpoint

- Fossil Formation Interactive Notetaker

- Link for Fossil Dig! kahoot

Students:

- Computer

III. Subject Matter Explanation

a. Prerequisite Skills and/or Prior Knowledge

i. Recognize that fossils provide us with information about living things that inhabited the Earth

long ago.

b. Key Vocabulary

i. fossil - the preserved remains or evidence of ancient living things.

ii. mold - the impression in a rock left by an ancient organism.

iii. cast - a fossil copy of an organism made when a mold of the organism is filled with sediment or

mineral deposits
 iv. body fossils - formed from the remains of dead animals and plants. Most are made of hard parts

such as teeth, bones, shells, or woody trunks, branches, and stems.

v. trace fossils - the preserved evidence of the activity of an organism. Includes tracks, footprints,

and nests.

vi. carbonized fossils - a thin, approximately two-dimensional films of carbon preserved on a flat

surface of rock.

c. Content (Today’s Knowledge to be Acquired)

i. The student will be able to identify the five different types of fossils.

ii. The student will be able to match the fossil to their correct type, given photographs.

IV. Implementation

A. Introduction

1.  Hook

- Project a would you rather game on the board for when the students walk into the

classroom (Google Slide #1)

- Go through all four would you rather questions with the class, all that involve

dinosaurs.

- Have the students move to the side of the room that their choice is on

the whiteboard.

2. Activation of Prior Knowledge

- Tell the students that there is a connection between plate tectonics and our new topic,

fossils. (Google Slide #2)

- Ask the students what they remember about tectonic plates.

- Allow for two to four students to share their prior knowledge of the

plate tectonic theory.

- The plate tectonics theory explains the existence of fossil marine life in rocks atop

mountains as resulting from the uplifting of the plate during continental collisions.

3. Setting Today’s Objective

- Identify the five different types of fossils.

- Match the fossil to their correct type, given photographs.

B. Development

- Introduce the new topic by asking the students what they think a fossil is. (Google Slide #4)

- Explain to the students that fossils are the preserved remains or evidence of ancient living

things.

- Identify the five new types of fossils we are going to discuss throughout the lesson, to the students.

(Google Slide #5)

- Body, Trace, Mold, Cast, and Carbonized Fossils

- Instruct the students to open their chromebooks, and to log on to their Science Google Classroom.

- Tell them that there should be an assignment labeled as Fossil Formation Interactive

Notetaker.

- Inform them that this will be their notetaker for the lesson, and will be submitted before

they leave class.

- Body Fossil (Google Slides 6 - 8)

- Ask the students what they think a body fossil is. (Google Slide #6)

- Define what a body fossil is (Google Slide #7)

- Identify to the students what a body fossil is made up of.

- Tell the students two fun facts about body fossils. (Google Slide #8)

- Trace Fossil (Google Slides 9 - 11)

- Ask the students what they think a trace fossil is. (Google Slide #9)

- Define what a trace fossil is (Google Slide #10)

- Identify to the students what a trace fossil is made up of.

- Tell the students two fun facts about trace fossils. (Google Slide #11)

- Inform the class that they will now have two to three minutes to complete the first concept check

that is in their interactive notetaker. (Google Slide #12)

- Ask the students what they think a mold fossil is. (Google Slide #13)

- Define what a mold fossil is (Google Slide #14)

- Identify to the students what a mold fossil is made up of.

- Tell the students two fun facts about mold fossils. (Google Slide #15)

- Cast Fossil (Google Slides 16 - 18)

- Ask the students what they think a cast fossil is. (Google Slide #16)

- Define what a cast fossil is (Google Slide #17)

- Identify to the students what a cast fossil is made up of.

- Tell the students two fun facts about cast fossils. (Google Slide #18)

- Carbonized Fossil (Google Slides 19 - 21)

- Ask the students what they think a carbonized fossil is. (Google Slide #19)

- Define what a carbonized fossil is (Google Slide #20)

- Identify to the students what a carbonized fossil is made up of.

- Tell the students two fun facts about carbonized fossils. (Google Slide #21)

- Inform the class that they will now have two to three minutes to complete the second concept

check that is in their interactive notetaker. (Google Slide #22)

C. Closure

- Instruct the class to log on to Kahoot! for their closing activity. (Google Slide #23)

- Explain that now that we know about the five different types of fossils we are going to have a

laboratory day tomorrow in class to do something with them.

D. Differentiation and Accommodations

1. Differentiation Plan

Tier 1 (Striving Learners):

- Provide a word bank for the students who are striving learner with, subject-specific,

academic vocabulary.
 - Allow for time at the end of class to meet with students who haven’t exactly grasped the

concepts taught within the lesson, to give them one-on-one support.

Tier 3 (Accelerated Learners):

- Allow for students who are accelerated learners, in the topic, to share examples of what

the different kind of fossils could look like, to their table team or even the class.

2. Accommodations Plan

Section 601:

- YC (Attention Deficit) - have regular “concept checks” throughout the lesson to keep the

student’s attention on the work rather than varying factors.

Section 602:

- HH (handwriting) - give more space for student to write down their thoughts, and to show

and explain their answer.

- JC (Attention Deficit) - have regular “concept checks” throughout the lesson to keep the

student’s attention on the work rather than varying factors.

Section 603:

- AM (Primary: SLD) - provide a glossary of content-related terms and break down

abstract concepts and rephrase if needed.

- AM (Secondary: Autism) - clear communication of what will happen at each station of

the lab, and how long it will take

- DA, OP (ID) - use a combination of written, verbal, and pictorial instructions when

explaining complex concepts.

- OS, DZ (OHI - ADHD) - Have regular “concept checks” throughout the lesson to keep

the student’s attention on the work rather than varying factors

- DA, SC, LD, NF, EP, DR, SR (ESL - Level 1) - provide native language supports, use of

visuals, and sentence stems in guided notes.

Section 604:

- YC (SLD) - Check in frequently to make sure the student understands the work
 - CA, JB, RD, LM (ESL - Level 1) - provide native language supports, use of visuals, and

sentence stems in guided notes.

V. Reflective Response:

A. Report of Students’ Success in Terms of States Objectives 

(Reflection on student success written after lesson is taught, includes remediation for students who

failed to meet acceptable level of achievement)

Students were able to successfully match pictures of example fossils with the type of fossil that is was

through the t-chart tables that were embedded within the interactive student notetaker. Students then

were able to come to the board and move the images into where they felt they belong within the t-chart,

we then asked the class if they agreed or disagreed with the placements.

B. Personal Reflection on Teaching Effectiveness

(Questions written before lesson is taught. Reflective answers to questions recorded after lesson is

taught.)

1. How well did the interactive student notetaker allow for students to comprehend the

material better, allowing for more time for the student to pay attention to content

information being given then copying notes down?

Section 602:

The interactive student notetaker was a good tool for the students to use after I explained how to

use it and what notes from the slides got put on it. After teaching this lesson, I went back into the

google slides and highlighted what I wanted them to copy down, to allow for more time to explain

each different type of fossil types.

2. How was my classroom management throughout the lesson, given the fact that the students

will be actively using their computers?

Section 602:

My classroom management was went well during the hook activity because I set clear

expectations in the beginning, that if students shoved each other, ran, or pushed that we would sit
 down and just raise our hands. Most students did not take advantage of the fact that the notes

required them to be on the computer for the duration of the class, and paid attention, answering

questions when asked.

3. How well was I able to accommodate for spanish speaking students and the teaching aid

within the classroom, during teaching sections 603 and 604?

Sections 603/604:

My accommodations for native language speakers were used in a co-teaching method. Where I

told the students the material in English, while the paraprofessional told the students the material

in Spanish. This worked throughout the lesson, with slight disruptions throughout the lesson by

students who completed their notes for the specific slide before the rest were able to copy it down,

due to the translations being said.

4. How well did the hook grab the attention of the class?

All sections: For the first two sections many didn’t know what a mammoth was so I added

pictures to the Would You Rather activity.