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Grade: Elementary
Subject: Reading/Writing
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FLOWER POWERA LANGUAGE ARTS UNIT
BY: MELISSA STOUT
MAY, 1997
UNIT : PLANTING FLOWER SEEDS
Grade: 4
Recommended Instructional Time: 7-10 days
Recommended Assessment Time: 2 days
Unit Outcomes:
Language Arts:
A.) Students will communicate to inform a specific audience by gathering, organizing, and presenting factual information in letters of request.Indicators:
1.) Students will write a letter of request.
2.) Students will create a web of materials needed to plant flower seeds.
B.) Students will write to inform a specific audience by gathering, organizing, and presenting factual information in a big book.
Indicators:
1.) Students will write a story explaining the steps of planting seeds using the writing process.
2.) Students will complete a sequence chain.
3.) Students will share their final products orally.
4.) Students will evaluate their own work using a checklist.
C.) Students will express complete thoughts in sentences and link related sentences in logical and/or sequential order.
Indicators:
1.) Students will use transitional words.
Major Skills:
Use of graphic organizers
Friendly letter form
Requesting information
Cooperative group skills
Decisions making
Materials Recommended for this Unit:
chart paper
markers
chalkboard or overhead
book, From Seed To Plant by Gail Gibbons
book, Messages in the Mail,
How to Write a Letter by Loreen Leedy
elements of a friendly letter chart
soil
10 ounce plastic cups
flower seeds
Prerequisites:
knowledge of friendly letter form
understanding of graphic organizers
knowledge of planting flower seedsExplanation of Codes:
A coding system is used to demonstrate which Dimensions of Learning is being addressed. An explanation of the codes is as follows:D1-Dimension 1: Positive Attitudes and Perceptions About Learning
D2-Dimension 2: Acquiring Knowledge and Integrating Knowledge
D3-Dimension 3: Extending and Refining Knowledge
D4-Dimension 4: Using Knowledge Meaningfully
D5-Dimension 5: Productive Habits of Mind
Experience 1
Outcome: Students will communicate to inform a specific audience by gathering, organizing, and presenting factual information in letters of request.
Indicators:
1.) Students will write a letter of request.
2.) Students will create a web of materials needed to plant flower seeds.
Recommended Instructional Time: 3-5 days
Motivating Set: Discussion of the fact that students will be planting their own flower seeds.
Prerequisites: Knowledge of the friendly letter format, the writing process, and of graphic organizers
Materials:
Teacher: chart paper, markers, chalkboard or overhead, book From Seed To Plant by Gail Gibbons
Students : paper, pencils, web, friendly letter checklist
Procedure:
1. To assess prior knowledge, ask students about specific instances when they planted or helped plant any type of seed. Discuss these experiences. (D1)
2. Using a web, record important words for the "planting a seed" web. (see teacher resource sheet 1) (D2-Declarative)
3. Read From Seed To Plant. by Gail Gibbons and discuss.
4. Explain to the students that they will also be planting their own flower seeds.
5. Discuss and decide what materials are necessary to plant seeds. (D4) Add these materials to the web and/or develop a class list of necessary materials. (teacher resource sheet 2)(D3)
6. Tell students that they will write a letter to their parents requesting the materials necessary to plant flower seeds. Be sure to give them a date by which to turn in all materials .
7. Tell the students to close their eyes and get a mental picture of what a friendly letter looks like. Review the elements of a friendly letter as a chart of a friendly letter is shown. (D2-Declarative)
8. Read, Messages In The Mail, by Loreen Leedy. Discuss the parts of various types of letters and notes. Specifically point out the friendly letter model.
9. Pass out the friendly letter checklist (See Teacher Resource 3) before the students begin their drafts so they may monitor there own work and be aware of teacher expectations. (D5)
10. Students will draft a letter to their parents requesting materials necessary (from class chart) to plant flower seeds. Monitor the students as they draft their letters. Keep the friendly letter chart in view as they write.
11. After students have completed their draft, instruct them to evaluate their draft by using the friendly letter checklist. Have them make corrections where necessary. (D5)
12. Separate students into partnerships and exchange letters. Partners will evaluate each other's work utilizing the same checklist. (D5) Once partners have evaluated the work, the writers will then make the necessary corrections to the letters of request and begin their good copy.
13. As a formative assessment, the teacher will conference with individual students after corrections have been made and the final copy has been written, to complete the "teacher" part of the friendly letter checklist. (D1)
14. Based on the student responses on the formative assessment, the following corrective and enrichment may be implemented:
Corrective: Provide the students with an exemplary response of the letter of request and have them rewrite their own.
Enrichment: Have the students write letters of request to their parents for other things that they would like to have (a new game, doll, etc.)** Be sure students take the letters home and bring materials in to plant the flower seeds. **
Experience 2
Outcome: Students will write to inform a specific audience by gathering, organizing, and presenting factual information in a big book.
Indicators:
1.) Students will write a big book explaining the steps of planting seeds using the writing process.
2.) Students will complete a sequence chain. 3.) Students will evaluate their own work using a checklist.
4.) Students will share their final product orally. Recommended Instructional Time: 3-5 days
Motivating Set: Planting the flower seeds
Prerequisites: Some knowledge of planting flower seeds is helpful, but not necessary, the writing process, graphic organizers
Materials:
Teacher: overhead, book From Seed To Plant by Gail Gibbons, transparency of a sequence chain
Students : Paper, pencils, sequence chain, posterboard, soil, seeds, plastic cups and any other materials students determined were necessary in the Experience 1.
Procedure:
1. Before beginning this activity, be sure the students have the necessary materials. It may be a wise idea to have extra materials.
2. Ask students to think about a time when they planted seeds. Discuss briefly. Have students describe the steps they took to plant these seeds.
3. Be sure students have the sequence chain, as well as the materials to plant their seeds readily available. (Teacher Resource 4) Model the steps of planting flower seeds for the class. Use the "think aloud" strategy. (D2-Procedural) Be sure to stress the importance of reading the directions on the back of the seed packet first and of reading directions before performing a task. (D3)
4. Next, have the students close their eyes and visualize themselves going through the steps to plant their flower seeds. (D2-Procedural) Explain the importance of this step.
5. Now, allow the students to plant the flower seeds. Be sure to monitor their progress as they work.
6. After students finish planting their flower seeds, review the steps taken. Now, have the students complete the sequence chain. (D2-Declarative)
7. Explain to the students that they will have a chance to do something very important with the knowledge and information they gained from this experience...they will get to teach the first graders in their school how to plant flower seeds!
8. Introduce the Big Book Of Planting Flower Seeds prompt (Teacher Resource 5). Discuss. Be sure students are clear on the expectations. Partnerships for this assessment are at the teacher's discretion.
9. Hand out the Big Book Grade Sheet to each student (See Teacher Resource 6). Be sure students understand how they will be graded. (D5)
10. Provide ample time and feedback while students are working on their big book. (D1)
11. As a summative assessment, the teacher will conference with each partnership using the Big Book Grade Sheet.
12. To assess the effectiveness of student partnerships, use the Cooperative Group Evaluation form with students (see Teacher Resource 7).
13. Distribute the student evaluation form and have the students complete it independently to evaluate the unit.
FLOWER POWER UNIT
A STUDENT EVALUATION
1. Please describe what you enjoyed most about this unit. (be very specific)._______________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What did you learn in this unit? ____________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Was anything in this unit difficult for you? _________
If yes, please describe._______________________________ ___________________________________________________
4. Would you want to change anything in this unit? _____
If so, what? _________________________________________ ___________________________________________________
Thank you for you honesty!!
Teacher Feedback on Flower Power Unit
1. Did you find the unit easy to implement? ____________ ___________________________________________________
2. Were students motivated by the activities? __________ ___________________________________________________
3. Did students master the outcomes? ________________
4. Were students actively engaged in their learning? ___________________________________________________
5. Would you change any of the lessons? If yes, which one(s)? ____________________________________________ ___________________________________________________
6. Any suggestions? _______________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
E-Mail Melissa at Missys455@aol.com!
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