Lesson Planning

Waynesburg University

Writing the lesson plan:

Translating thoughts into a plan of action
_____________________________________________
Pennsylvania Academic Standard(s) addressed during this lesson:
(Provide Standard number and statement)
- S4.C.1.1.2: Categorize/group objects using physical characteristics.
- S4.A.1.3.2: Describe relative size, distance, or motion.
- 3.3.4. B1.Identify planets in our solar system and their basic characteristics. Describe
the earth’s place in the solar system that includes the sun (a star), planets, and many
moons.
- 3.4.4. B2. Explain how the use of technology affects the environment in good and bad
ways.

Lesson Objective(s)
(Stated in observable and measurable terms)
The students will be able to use Microsoft Excel to create a graph (pie, bar, or line)
representing information discovered about our solar system. The students will create a list of
information to choose from.

Assessment Plan
(What will be done to determine if lesson objectives have been met?)
The students will be assessed using a teacher made rubric for this activity. The rubric
will also serve as a guide during the activity for the student to ensure all of the proficient parts
of the project are complete.

Materials:

• A computer lab with 1 computer for each student

• Access to Microsoft Excel
• Tutorial guide to create a graph for each student
• A teacher made rubric
• A computer with a projection screen and a smart board for presentation of how to work
Excel (for teacher)
Inclusion Techniques for Students with Special Needs:
• For students with special needs, the teacher will have an excel sheet formatted with
the columns and rows clearly labeled. The student will have to put the information into
the sheet. The students will have the option to choose which type of graph they would
like to use.
• The students’ excel sheet will use larger font and bold borders to elaborate where the
data will go and make it easy for the eye.
• The student will have access to the teacher and an assistant to walk around to support
the students if they should become frustrated or confused.

Enrichment Techniques:
• For students who are advanced, their responsibility in the computer lab will increase to
complete their 2 graphs and then help support their peers in creating a graph.
• These students will also be responsible for setting up their graphs using the Excel
sheets, while the other students will have a formatted sheet provided.

Lesson Differentiation (What modifications/accommodations will be made to ensure that ALL students have access to and are able
to participate in the lesson):

• All students will be trained by the teacher, how to operate and work Excel.
• All students will have a tutorial guide with visual representations of each step for
support.
• All students will have a formatted sheet to use for creating an Excel graph.
• All students will have time to research their information to collect prior to the creation of
the graphs. Their data will be written or typed for easy access.
• All students will have access to the educators in the computer lab for support
throughout the process.

Lesson Presentation
Introduction/Motivational Activities/Anticipatory Set:

• The students will complete, verbally, a series of questions regarding their background
knowledge of using Excel.
• The teacher will explain how graphs can be used to represent information clearly to an
 audience. The teacher should show and explain an example of a graph in the room
(such as an attendance graph).
• The teacher will then have a brief discussion with the students about information that
could be graphed about the solar system. The teacher and students will generate a list
of possible topics to complete graphs on.
• The students will be shown a sample Excel graph for each option of graphs (pie, bar,
and line). These should be created prior to the lesson.

Detailed Teaching Sequence:

(Provide sufficient detail that would enable a substitute to effectively present this lesson. Bulleted statements are preferred)

** THIS LESSON WOULD REQUIRE A BLOCKED PERIOD TIME OF 90 MINUTES**

• The teacher should begin by handing out the tutorial guide to the students to take
notes and refer to during the step-by-step instruction for creating an Excel graph. (1-3
minutes)
• The teacher would review the vocabulary terms used in the lesson: distance, density,
gravity, orbit, rotate, axis, etc. (10 minutes)
• The teacher will demonstrate each step of making an excel sheet for the students. The
teacher will demonstrate the steps for setting up the graph information on the excel
sheet (for advanced students) but will explain that she will have a sheet already
constructed for the students. (20-25 minutes)
• The teacher will then explain the assignment to the students and hand out their data
collected (made on a separate day) to input the information into their Excel sheet. (5
minutes)
• The students will then help the teacher, with one set of data chosen as an example, to
create an Excel graph. (10-15 minutes)

Guided Practice/Independent Practice/Assessment Activities

• After the example is created with the students, the teacher will explain that the
students will be creating a graph like the one done together on the information they
have collected. The students will be given time to complete their graphs while the
teachers will walk around to support the students. (30 minutes)
• The students’ guided and independent practice will be mixed in this lesson.
 • The students will also use the rubric to assess how they think they did on their graph.
The students will print out their graphs and self-monitored rubric to the teacher at the
end of the day.

Closure:

• Exit slip with a rating scale- Questions that will be included are as follows: On a scale
of 1-10, 1 feeling the least confident and 10 being the most confident, answer the
following questions:
o “How would you rate your graph at this moment?”
o “How would you rate your interest in this project?”
o “How would you rate your confidence to use Excel by yourself?”
o “How did you like this overall project assignment?”