Pondering the Pond
Summary
This is designed for second grade students. This is an introductory activity to naming a few of the plants, animals, and insects found at the pond. It is a follow-up activity to a trip to the pond and students will have done an observation at the pond before this activity.
I have made smart board files to introduce and encourage students to learn the names of some of the animals and plants they have observed at the pond and to categorize them. There are slides to introduce names of plants, insects, birds, and animals found at the pond. Students will also match pictures to names in a quiz format as well as sort pictures of animals into groups.
CollapseLearning Goals
- Students will read definitions and names of pond plants, birds, animals, and insects to learn a little more about what they observed at the pond.
- Students will practice common names of plants, animals, birds and insects by matching names and pictures.
- Students will sort pictures of pond flora and fauna into the four categories: plants, birds, animals, and insects.
- Students will practice common names of plants, animals, birds and insects by matching names and pictures.
- Students will sort pictures of pond flora and fauna into the four categories: plants, birds, animals, and insects.
Context for Use
This lesson is designed to be used in a second grade classroom as part of a year-long pond study. I plan to take my students to the pond once a month to document pond life and seasonal change. This would be a follow-up lesson to our first visit to the pond. The lesson is comprised of smart board files to introduce naming of pond life to students and encourage them to match and sort pond life to promote engagement and familiarity. Other than initial observation students need no prior skills for this lesson.
A smart board is required to display the files for this lesson.
This lesson could be adapted by using picture cards instead of slides to identify and name pond life. This could also be done with on line research with the teacher providing names of pond life.
A smart board is required to display the files for this lesson.
This lesson could be adapted by using picture cards instead of slides to identify and name pond life. This could also be done with on line research with the teacher providing names of pond life.
Description and Teaching Materials
1. Have students seated around the smart board so all can see and there is an isle for students to come to the board for participation.
2. Review with students plants and animals they saw when they were at the pond. Allow a few students to share.
3. Discuss with students the benefit to knowing common names of plants and animals and how this enables scientists as well as students the ability to discuss the plants and animals with clarity and ease.
4. Work through slides 1-5 naming each of the pond species and highlighting distinguishing characteristics and details. Allow students to use the highlighting pen to highlight facts within text.
5. Slide 6 is a matching game where students match pictures of pond life to their name in the grid. Allow students to come and move pictures to the correct square in the grid.
6. Slide 7 is a sort with pictures of pond life. Four categories have been provided. One modification could be made to let students sort pond life and create their own categories. Allow students to take turns to move pictures.
7. End the lesson with students doing a pair share and discuss 2-4 pond species they found interesting.
This lesson could take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes depending on how in depth your discussion becomes. Pond activities ( 4.8MB Aug3 09)
2. Review with students plants and animals they saw when they were at the pond. Allow a few students to share.
3. Discuss with students the benefit to knowing common names of plants and animals and how this enables scientists as well as students the ability to discuss the plants and animals with clarity and ease.
4. Work through slides 1-5 naming each of the pond species and highlighting distinguishing characteristics and details. Allow students to use the highlighting pen to highlight facts within text.
5. Slide 6 is a matching game where students match pictures of pond life to their name in the grid. Allow students to come and move pictures to the correct square in the grid.
6. Slide 7 is a sort with pictures of pond life. Four categories have been provided. One modification could be made to let students sort pond life and create their own categories. Allow students to take turns to move pictures.
7. End the lesson with students doing a pair share and discuss 2-4 pond species they found interesting.
This lesson could take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes depending on how in depth your discussion becomes. Pond activities ( 4.8MB Aug3 09)
Teaching Notes and Tips
- Using the smart board engages students in learning.
- Try to allow as many students as possible the chance to come to the smart board to participate.
- Be sure to establish or teach students how to use the smart board effectively and respectfully before teaching this lesson.
- If interest lags pick up the pace of the lesson.
- Before using these files with students be sure to test them on the smart board to make sure all interactive features are working.
- Pointedly teaching names of pond life is new to our lesson plans. Until now naming pond life has been informal and incidental. Our hope is that by teaching it directly that students will learn more about pond life and be empowered by their new knowledge and skill.
- Try to allow as many students as possible the chance to come to the smart board to participate.
- Be sure to establish or teach students how to use the smart board effectively and respectfully before teaching this lesson.
- If interest lags pick up the pace of the lesson.
- Before using these files with students be sure to test them on the smart board to make sure all interactive features are working.
- Pointedly teaching names of pond life is new to our lesson plans. Until now naming pond life has been informal and incidental. Our hope is that by teaching it directly that students will learn more about pond life and be empowered by their new knowledge and skill.
Assessment
Current plans for assessment are anecdotal. Hearing students use common names for pond life will indicate if they know them or not. This could also be put into more formal assessments by displaying pictures and having students identify pond life either orally or in written form.
Standards
- Students will read definitions and names of pond plants, birds, animals, and insects to learn a little more about what they observed at the pond.
- Students will practice common names of plants, animals, birds and insects by matching names and pictures.
- Students will sort pictures of pond flora and fauna into the four categories: plants, birds, animals, and insects.
- Students will practice common names of plants, animals, birds and insects by matching names and pictures.
- Students will sort pictures of pond flora and fauna into the four categories: plants, birds, animals, and insects.