Molloy College

Students: Alexa Lerman Professor: Rickey Moroney

Course EDU 527 Date: July 28th, 2018

Grade: 2nd Grade Content Area: Science

Topic: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES

After a class discussion about insects, plants, and animals, students will be placed in groups of

four to explore Buzz Into Pollination, where they will work together to understand the pollination cycle.

Students will define pollination, complete a graphic organizer, summarize the pollination process, make

connections throughout the chapter, and complete a step-by-step illustration, after which students will

independently write a one sentence response explaining their drawing, with 90% accuracy.

NYS-NGLS / +NYS STANDARDS AND INDICATORS

LS2. A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

Plants depend on animals for pollination or to move their seeds around. (2-LS2-2).

Indicator: This will be evident when students have discussed what they have learned from the

online chapter text ‘Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems’, and completed each activity

online based on what they have just read in the online chapter text.

ETS1. B.: Developing Possible Solutions

Designs can be conveyed through sketches, drawing, or physical models. These representations

are useful in communicating ideas for a problem’s solutions to other people. (2-LS2-2).

Indicator: This will be evident when students define what each part of the Cheeto Pollination

Experiment symbolizes, and when students fill out the illustration chart ‘How do bees pollinate

flowers?’
ELA- 2R2

Key Ideas and Details

Identify a main topic or central idea and retell key details in a text; summarize portions of a

text. (RI&RL)

Indicator: This will be evident when students identify what pollination is from the online chapter

text.

ELA- 2SL2

Comprehension and Collaboration

Recount or describe key ideas or details of diverse texts and formats.

Indicator: This will be evident when students reflect upon the online chapter text, videos, and

activities by illustrating the process in their graphic organizers, and by writing one sentence

expressing their drawings.

INSTE STANDARDS

1. Empowered Learner

3. Knowledge Constructor

6. Creative Communicator

7. Global Collaborator

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

 ‘Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems’ online chapter

 Cheeto Pollination Experiment Directions

 ‘How do bees pollinate flower?’ Diagram Worksheet

 Tablet/ Desktop Computer

  Cheetos snacks

 Flower Cut Out (placemat)

 Cupcake holders

 Bee/Insect Cut Out (hand figure)

 Pencil/ Markers/ Crayons etc.

MOTIVATION

Teacher will begin by asking students about what they know about insects, plants, and animals.

Students will gather in assigned groups of four students, and will be given a desktop tablet, or

computer to use for the lesson. Then, students will sit in groups while engaging in conversation

about what they know about pollination, plants, and insects. Students will then share with their

peers their knowledge of pollination, and how important plants and animals are to one

another. Students will go online to the class website on ‘Interdependent Relationships in

Ecosystems’ to the chapter Buzz Into Pollination, ‘http://molloyecosystem.weebly.com’. This

online chapter is arranged all about pollination, the many insects, important factual videos, and

class activities that will draw students’ interest in the topic, and students will be engaged in

learning more about pollination. Upon completion of the online chapter, the teacher will then

give each student an already cut-out flower placemat, and a bee/ insect cut out hand figure.

Each student will then receive a cupcake holder filled with Cheetos. Students will then receive a

graphic organizer to develop further connections with a step-by-step process between

pollination, the activity they are doing in class together, and they will also write a one sentence

response in each box to clarify what they are expressing in their drawings.

DEVELOPMENTAL PROCEDURES
1. Students will begin with discussing what they know about insects, plants, and animals.

2. Students will receive a tablet, or desktop computer, and will be given a desktop tablet,

or computer to use for the lesson. Students will then sit in groups while engaging in

conversation about what they know about pollination, plants, and insects. Students will

then share with their peers on their knowledge of pollination, and how important plants

and animals are to one another.

3. Before the class activity, the students in groups will go online to the class website on

Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems to: ‘http://molloyecosystem.weebly.com’.

Students will complete this online chapter pollination, insects, factual videos, and class

activities that will draw each students’ interest in the topic, and students will be

engaged in learning more about pollination.

Teacher asks, “What is something interesting you found on the chapter website?”

Teacher asks, “Does anyone know what the term ‘pollination’ means?”

Teacher will discuss the term ‘pollination’ and what it means entirely.

Teacher follows up with “Why do plants depend on animals in order to grow?”

Teacher will recap the meaning of pollination, by using the examples on the class chapter

website and explain how many insects and animals help plants grow by dispersing their

seeds daily.

5. Students will discuss what they learned about pollination.

Teacher says, “Boys and girls, does anybody want to tell me one important thing they

learned from the chapter?”

 6. Students will be given a flower placemat, a cupcake holder with Cheetos in it, and a

bee/ insect cut out hand figure.

 Students will be directed to return to their desks to recall specific details from the

chapter as well as reconnect with their groups to discuss anything else they found most

interesting from the website

 Students will work in groups of four to discuss what pollination is, what pollen is, and

how this cycle is important for plants and animals.

 Students will be given the class worksheet ‘How do bees pollinate flowers?’, and will

have to figure out what the Cheetos represent (pollen), what their hands represent

(insect), and what happened when they touched the flower placemat (pollination).

 To wrap up and assess, students will fill out the graphic organizer, and illustrate each

step of this cycle. They will also write a one sentence response in each box to clarify

what they are expressing in their drawings.

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Model Graphic Organizer

Indicator: This will be evident when the teacher shares the graphic organizer

‘How do bees pollinate flowers?’ discussing the meaning of pollination. Teacher will also

instruct students how to complete the graphic organizer by using hers as an example.

Group Discussion

Indicator: This will be evident when the class discusses pollination, and the ways plants,

animals, and insects interact with one another.

Cooperative Learning -Group work

 Indicator: This will be evident when students are asked to sit in groups of four to discuss

their ideas of pollination, what the chapter may demonstrate, why everything they

learned is important, and by completing the graphic organizer.

ADAPTATIONS

 For students with visual impairments, he/she will sit closer to the tablet, or desktop

computer. Graphic organizers will be in large font along with other enlarged images if

needed.

 For ELL students, they will receive support and guidance from teacher and classmates.

Extended time will be allowed if needed. Students will be provided with the key terms

and definitions to be able to participate in discussions. Students will be provided with

flashcards showing a picture with words in their language, and in English to further

express the lesson.

 For those struggling with high motor skills, there will be support and extra time if

needed, and a computer given to them to aid in the writing process. Students with

lower motor skills will be given pencil grips to aide in the handwriting process for

notetaking, or completing the graphic organizer. Teacher will be aware of student

needs, and help them use the grips when needed.

 For students with low reading and writing, they will be able to have a teacher assistant,

or teacher aide to read out loud directly to them, and also act as a scribe for the writing

activity. If no teacher aide, or teacher assistant available, student will use a voice

recorder, and an iPad to be involved in the class activity.

 For speech and language impairment students, visual representations will be included as

well as walking them through step by step instructions. These students will receive all

visuals, and physical prompting gestures for those with receptive impairments.

 For attending to first year students, the teacher and class will make them feel

comfortable and acknowledge their shyness. Allowing them to participate and support

sharing of ideas will allow students to feel more comfortable.

 For Kinesthetic learners, they will be able to walk around the room and give each

student their flower placemat and bee/ insect figure. These students will also be given a

step-by-step process of pollination with pictures.

 Auditory Learners- They will be able to listen to the class discussion, hear the chapter

being read, and be involved with the activity at their desk with a teacher assistant, or

teacher aide guiding them through the class activity.

 For any student with allergies, Cheetos will not be used. Orange glitter will be used

instead. A class note will be sent home with the students for guardian permission to

consume assorted candies/ foods prior to the lesson, and all responses will be taken into

consideration for activity preparation.

DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

 Struggling Students: Students will receive guidance by the teacher. During the chapter

discussion, teacher will read slowly with this group of students and clearly for them to

understand. The graphic organizer will be leveled providing struggling students with

prompts and guidance to aide their thinking. Students will only fill out the illustrations.

There will not be many words on one page, providing students with a welcoming
 worksheet to work with. Teacher will check in on the student's’ progress and support

struggling students when needed. Students with IEPs will be addressed, and

accommodated for the lesson and activity.

 Average Students: Students will receive guidance and prompting by the teacher when

needed. Students will receive the graphic organizer, will write two sentences for each

illustration, and will be expected to participate in group discussions making further

connections.

 Advanced Students: Students will receive the graphic organizer, but will be expected to

include more detailed answers and drawings to the sections in the graphic organizers.

Students will write more than two sentences when defining pollination. Students will be

asked to relate this graphic organizer to two more insects with pollination that they

have read about on the class chapter, making several extra critical thinking connections.

 Visual Learners- They will be able to see the chapter clearly, the photographs in it, and

will be zoomed closer for them. The graphic diagram will be bigger, and clearer.

 Kinesthetic Learners- They will be able to walk around the room and give each student

their flower placemat and bee/ insect figure. These students will also be given a step-by-

step process of pollination with pictures.

 Auditory Learners- They will be able to listen to the class discussion, hear the chapter

being read, and be involved with the activity at their desk with a teacher assistant, or

teacher aide guiding them through the class activity.

 Reading/ Writing- They will be able to have a teacher assistant, or teacher aide to read

out loud directly to them, and also act as a scribe for the writing activity.
 ASSESSMENT

 Teacher will utilize a teacher-created rubric to assess the student completed graphic

organizer along with the one sentence describing each illustration further

demonstrating their understanding of the chapter and to text connections related to

pollination with 90 percent accuracy.

 Teacher will assess understanding of the term ‘pollination’ by grading student responses

on the graphic organizer defining the cycle of pollination, along with their illustrations,

and sentence for each box.

o Rubric file:///Users/alexalerman/Downloads/MyRubric.xls.html

Scientific Drawings: Cheetos Pollination Experiment

Teacher Name: Ms. Lerman

Student Name: ________________________________________

 CATEGORY Weight for Each Category 4 3 2 1
Illustrations The student expresses detail in color, Illustrations are Illustrations are Illustrations are Illustrations are very
illustrations of the process, and clearly clear and concise. clear and concise confusing to confusing to identify
understands the lesson. There are no stray with one error. identify with 2 with 3+ errors. There
marks on the paper. There are no stray errors. There are are many stray marks
Color is used marks on the paper. some stray marks on the paper. Color is
carefully to Color is used on the paper. Color not used carefully to
enhance the carefully to is not used enhance the drawing
drawing. Overall, enhance the carefully to fully. Overall, the
the quality of the drawing. Overall, enhance the quality of the drawing
drawing is the drawing is drawing. Overall, is poor, and shows
excellent. good. the quality of the confusion with the
drawing is fair. lesson.
Accuracy The student expresses detail in writing one 95% or more of the 94-85% of the 84%-75% of the Less than 75% of the
sentence, and clearly understands the required sentence is required sentence is required sentence is required sentence is
process of pollination. written accurately written accurately written poorly and written very poorly and
and is correct. and is correct with is partially correct has 3+ incorrect parts
a minor error. with 2 errors. of the sentence.

Knowledge Gained The student expresses detail in illustrating, When asked to be When asked to be When asked to be When asked to be in a
writing one sentence, and clearly in a group, in a group, in a group, group, complete the
understands the process of pollination. complete the complete the complete the activities, engage in the
activities, engage in activities, engage in activities, engage in class lesson and
the class lesson and the class lesson and the class lesson and activity, student was
activity, student activity, student activity, student not engaged, and
was fully engaged, was fully engaged, was not fully overall is not capable
and overall and overall engaged, and of understanding all
understands all understands some overall shows aspects of this lesson.
aspects of this aspects of this confusion for some
lesson. lesson. aspects of this
lesson.

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE

 Following the lesson on ‘Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems’ on Pollination,

students will be asked to go home and gather more information about plants by

discussing with their families on the importance of plants in our daily lives. Students will

fill bring in a list of three reasons why plants are important in our lives to be discussed

about the next class lesson on ‘Photosynthesis’.

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES: DIRECT TEACHER INTERVENTION AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT

 Direct Teacher Intervention: The students, under direct intervention with the teacher,

will be given a project on pollination and photosynthesis, and will have to choose an

ecosystem to express this cycle being done. There will be class guidelines for the
 project, and students will research their assigned insect with its ecosystem, and will

utilize time in school for the project.

 Academic Enrichment: Students will be instructed to go home and view plants on and

off for several days to see if they can view pollination happening. If not, they will find an

academic video that expresses fun facts about pollination and seasons changing.
 References

Amato, Nicole., Fraser, Duncan., Lerman, Alexa. ‘Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems’.

Engaging World of Ecosystems. 2018. Retrieved July from:

http://molloyecosystem.weebly.com/buzz-into-pollination.html

Mense, Katie. ‘Cheeto Pollination Experiment’. Little Warriors a Kindergarten Blog. April 3rd,

2016. Retrieved July 2018 from: http://littlekinderwarriors.com/2016/04/cheeto

pollination-experiment.html

Roberts, Anna. “What Three Ways Are Animals Important to Plants?” Hunker. 2018. Retrieved

July 2018 from:

https://www.hunker.com/13404759/what-three-ways-are-animals-important-to-plants
Flower Placemat: Bees:

Cheetos Cupcake Holder Cheetos Snacks: Pollination:

“How Does a Bee Pollinate Flowers?” Graphic Organizer/ Illustration Sheet:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/How-Does-a-Bee-Pollinate-a-
Flower-2098466