Assignment #5: Plan for a Fourth-Grade Field Trip to … · Assignment #5 i Assignment #5: Plan for...

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Assignment #5 i Assignment #5: Plan for a Fourth-Grade Field Trip to Maymont Daniel Batten EDUC 310U – Curriculum Methods Dr. Lanham April 17, 2007 I pledge that I have neither given nor received unauthorized assistance during the completion of this work.

Transcript of Assignment #5: Plan for a Fourth-Grade Field Trip to … · Assignment #5 i Assignment #5: Plan for...

Assignment #5 i

Assignment #5:Plan for a Fourth-Grade Field Trip to Maymont

Daniel Batten

EDUC 310U – Curriculum Methods

Dr. Lanham

April 17, 2007

I pledge that I have neither given nor received unauthorized assistanceduring the completion of this work.

Pre-Trip Lesson Plan 1

Fourth-Grade Field Trip to Maymont:Lesson Plan for Day Before Trip

Introduction

• Lesson Topic: The Tasks of a Forester/Preparation for Field Trip

This lesson will prepare students for the next day’s field trip by encouraging

students to imagine having a career in forestry. Incorporating many of the concepts

taught in previous life science lessons, this lesson will describe the responsibilities

of a forester and show students how they will perform some forestry tasks on the

upcoming field trip.

• Length of Lesson: 60-90 minutes.

• Virginia Standards of Learning:

a. History and Social Science Standard CE.12:

The student will demonstrate knowledge of career opportunities by

a) identifying talents, interests, and aspirations that influence career choice;

b) identifying attitudes and behaviors that strengthen the individual work ethic

and promote career success;

c) identifying skills and education that careers require;

d) examining the impact of technological change on career opportunities.

b. English Standard 4.1:

The student will use effective oral communications skills in a variety of

settings.

b) Contribute to group discussions.

c) Seek ideas and opinions of others.

d) Use evidence to support opinions.

Pre-Trip Lesson Plan 2

e) Use grammatically correct language and specific vocabulary to

communicate ideas.

c. Concepts from several fourth-grade science standards, such as life processes

and living systems, will probably be briefly mentioned during the course of this

lesson. (It is expected that these concepts were thoroughly addressed in earlier

lessons.) The concepts will be reviewed in more detail during the field trip itself.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Identify various careers in forestry.

• Research information on a forestry career of their choice.

• Identify various tools used in forestry careers.

• Use a tree identification key to determine the name of a specific tree.

• Write the results of a small-group research activity.

• Report aloud on the results of a small-group research activity.

• Write a brief report on the job of a forester.

Content

The following topics will be addressed during the course of this lesson:

• Various types of forestry careers

• Skills and tasks required in forestry careers

• Special tools used by a forester

• Tree identification

• Organization of research data

• Basic photography skills

• Logistics for upcoming field trip

Pre-Trip Lesson Plan 3

Materials and Advanced Preparation

• Materials:

1. One “forestry kit” containing the following items:

• Small notepads: 2

• Pencils: 2

• Measuring tape (to measure trunk diameter)

• Disposable camera

• Leaf/bark/fruit envelopes: 5-6

• Numbered cards to use in photos: 5

• List of observation questions to be used to describe each tree

• Tree identification key from the Arbor Day Foundation

2. Tree identification keys: 1 for each student

3. Checklist for parents for the upcoming field trip (reminders regarding bag

lunches and appropriate attire for their children)

4. A few leaves from various trees in the area – it may be wise to choose trees that

are rather easy to identify using the Arbor Day identification key

• Advance Preparation:

1. This lesson is part of a unit on plants and trees. Students should already have

satisfactory comprehension of several tree concepts (parts of a tree,

characteristics of leaves, photosynthesis, etc.) before this lesson begins.

2. Prepare at least one forestry kit to display during class.

3. Prepare list of the two-student forestry teams.

4. Prepare checklist for parents.

Pre-Trip Lesson Plan 4

Teaching and Learning Sequence

• Introduction/Anticipatory Set:

1. Encourage students to brainstorm and compile lists of forestry-related careers.

Write their contributions on the board. Be sure “forester,” or some closely

related term, ends up on the list.

2. Focus on the career of a forester. Drill down into this career, perhaps by

continuing the brainstorm session in a KWL chart. What types of things does a

forester do? What types of tools would such a person use? Eventually explain

that on tomorrow’s field trip, each student will perform some tasks of a forester.

Convey that today’s lesson will describe how they will perform these tasks.

• Lesson Development:

1. Building upon the discussion in the anticipatory set, explain that foresters use

special tools to perform their duties, and that the students will use a few such

tools on the field trip. Introduce a sample “forestry kit” that the students will

receive the next day. Show the kit bag, and then empty the bag out item by

item, describing the purpose of each item as it is revealed.

2. Distribute the tree identification keys. Demonstrate to students how the key is

used to identify a tree based upon its leaves. Draw a picture of a leaf on the

board (or use a large photo of a leaf) and walk the class through the key until

they correctly identify the tree.

3. Next, the students will practice using the tree identification key on their own.

Divide the class into small groups, three or four students to a group, and give

each group one leaf. Nominate one member of the group as the data recorder.

Each group should identify the various characteristics of the leaf (compound vs.

Pre-Trip Lesson Plan 5

simple, for example) as they work through the key. The data recorder will write

this information as the group determines it.

4. After all groups are finished, talk through each group’s findings with the entire

class. Hold up a group’s leaf, and then ask all the relevant questions about the

leaf based on the identification key. Ask one student from the group to read

aloud the findings made by the group’s recorder as you ask the questions.

(Alternatively, ask each member of the group to contribute one or two

answers.) Be sure that the entire class comprehends how each group came to its

conclusions on the identification of their leaf’s tree.

5. Be sure students return their tree identification keys; the keys will be needed for

the field trip on the next day.

6. Next, discuss the specific project that the students will perform the next day.

Cover all the logistics of the project:

• Students will work in two-person teams. Distribute or announce the list of

teams at this time. Each team will receive a forestry kit when they arrive at

Maymont.

• Describe the distribution of tasks for each team: one student will be the

photographer; one will be the data recorder. (To keep the students’

attention, do not announce who will be assigned which roles yet.)

• Both students will be responsible for determining the answers to all the

questions on the tree observation sheet. Read some questions from the

observation sheet to give students a view of what they will need to do to

acquire the answers. Explain that each team will collect information about

five trees of their choosing at Maymont. The teams will need to complete

Pre-Trip Lesson Plan 6

all the questions on the observation sheet for each of their five trees.

• Explain the photography part of the project. Explain how the photos will be

used for a project after the field trip. Show how foresters identify trees in

photos (that is, by using numbered cards next to the subject). Show several

examples of such photos to ensure students comprehend how to take these

photos. Explain that the teams will need to take several photographs of each

of the five trees that they choose. Each tree should have at least one photo

of the entire tree (or a large portion of it), a photo of a leaf of the tree, and a

photo of the tree’s bark.

• (Optional; this point applies only if Maymont staff approves.) Explain the

collection envelopes. If any parts of a tree, such as a leaf, have fallen off of

a tree the team has selected, the team can take that item and put it in one of

the provided envelopes. The envelope must then be labeled with the number

of the tree, as a forester might do. Show an example of what such an

envelope might look like.

• When all logistics are explained, announce that each team can choose their

roles on their own. (The students can discuss this topic at a later time,

perhaps on the bus to Maymont the next day.)

7. It’s assumed that the class may be a little excited about the field trip at this

point. To return some serenity and focus to the classroom, have the students

write a one- or two-paragraph explanation of why a forester’s job is important

and what would be the most interesting part of a forester’s job. Collect this

assignment after 10 or 15 minutes.

Pre-Trip Lesson Plan 7

• Closure:

1. Open the floor for questions about the trip and the students’ project

responsibilities during the trip.

2. Remind students about the items they should bring for the field trip.

3. Distribute copies of the parents’ field trip checklist; remind students to bring

the checklist home with them at the end of the school day.

Homework

No homework is required for this lesson. However, students must remember to bring home

the field trip checklist for their parents to review.

Evaluation

Student comprehension of this lesson will be assessed based on their participation and

group work. Specifically:

• Did the student contribute to the class discussions and compilation of brainstorm ideas?

• Did the student show understanding of how the tree identification key is used?

• Did the student participate in the group activity, by working to identify their trees,

recording the group’s conclusions, or by reporting aloud on the group’s findings after

the conclusion of the activity?

• Did the student show comprehension of the job of a forester in their written

assignment?

Adaptations

(A description of adaptations for this lesson is not required for this assignment.)

References

Careers and Technology Lesson Plan. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2007, from

http://www.learnforestry.com/lessons/grade5/sec7/lesson_plan.shtml

Field Trip Organization Plan 8

Fourth-Grade Field Trip to Maymont:Organization/Lesson Plan for Field Trip Day

Introduction

• Field Trip Topic: Trees at Maymont

This field trip will expose students to the multiple types of trees at Maymont

park in Richmond. The arboretum and gardens at Maymont contain numerous

unique species, both native and nonnative, that can teach students about tree life.

Students will collect information about favorite trees using a miniature forestry kit.

Their findings will then be used for projects and lessons back in the classroom in

the days following the field trip.

• Length of Lesson: Approximately 6 hours.

• Virginia Standards of Learning:

a. Science Standard 4.4:

The student will investigate and understand basic plant anatomy and life

processes. Key concepts include

a) the structures of typical plants (leaves, stems, roots, and flowers);

b) processes and structures involved with reproduction (pollination, stamen,

pistil, sepal, embryo, spore, and seed);

c) photosynthesis (sunlight, chlorophyll, water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and

sugar); and

d) dormancy.

b. Science Standard 4.5:

The student will investigate and understand how plants and animals in an

ecosystem interact with one another and the nonliving environment.

Field Trip Organization Plan 9

c. Science Standard 4.8:

The student will investigate and understand important Virginia natural

resources. Key concepts include

b) animals and plants;

d) forests, soil, and land.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Participate in an educational program hosted by the Maymont Nature Center.

• Measure the diameter of tree trunks.

• Estimate the height of trees.

• Describe the texture of different types of tree bark.

• Describe the characteristics of different types of leaves.

• Differentiate between deciduous and coniferous trees.

• Identify specific characteristics of native and nonnative trees.

• Take bark rubbings from five different species of trees.

• Compile detailed notes about five different species of trees.

• Organize written information in a notebook for analysis at a later time.

• Illustrate five different species of trees.

• Photograph various elements of five different species of trees.

• Collect and label specimens from trees for analysis at a later time.

• Contribute questions and answers in group discussions about specific trees.

Field Trip Organization Plan 10

Materials and Advanced Preparation

• Materials:

1. One “forestry kit” for each pair of students (the contents of which are described

in the previous day’s lesson plan).

2. List of tree types on the Maymont grounds (either previously made available by

Maymont staff or created by teacher on advance scouting trip).

3. Prepare to accommodate for forgotten or misplaced items. Extra coats,

umbrellas, and sunscreen are some items that may be needed. Before leaving

the classroom for Maymont, check that each student has everything they need

for the day.

4. Be sure to bring sufficient funds to pay for incidentals such as bottled water and

forgotten or misplaced lunches. Also, if time permits a visit to the children’s

farm at the end of the day, the teacher may wish to provide quarters to each

student so they can buy a handful of food for farm animals.

5. Hand cleaner or wipes for cleanup before picnic lunch and after feeding

animals.

• Advance Preparation:

1. At least 15 days prior to the trip, discuss the trip with the assistant director of

the Maymont Nature Center (currently Kathy Mortimer). Make the reservation

for the visit at that time; also, make a group reservation for the “Plantastic”

education program. Make any required payments at this time (note that

Maymont often does not charge for public school groups from the Richmond

area, but they may charge for services such as an all-day tram rental). Also, ask

Maymont about whether students are allowed to take fallen leaves, bark, nuts,

Field Trip Organization Plan 11

etc., and whether they can make bark rubbings. Lastly, check to see whether

Maymont has an informal list of the trees on the grounds (they currently don’t

have a tree guide for visitors).

2. If possible, the teacher should visit Maymont’s grounds prior to the field trip.

Make note of the location of specific important trees, check the seasonal

condition of the trees, and review the area to ensure the suitability for student

involvement (e.g., are the lawns and pathways wet, are any areas under

renovation, etc.). If Maymont does not provide a tree list, make one at this time.

It may also be wise at this time to take digital photos of the trees that will be

highlighted and discussed in class after the field trip; completing this task ahead

of time will simplify class management responsibilities on field trip day.

3. Make a decision on how the student group will travel through the grounds at

Maymont. A number of areas in Maymont are not easily accessible for

physically disabled people. It may be necessary to reserve the park’s tram for

the entire class to ensure equal access for all.

4. Inform parents about the trip well in advance, in accordance with school

guidelines regarding field trips. As field trip day approaches, send reminders

home to parents. Students will need to wear suitable attire for several hours

outdoors; monitor weather forecast and suggest the type of clothing the students

should wear in the parents’ reminder the day before the trip. Also, the students

will have a picnic lunch at Maymont, so parents should be sure students bring a

bag lunch on field trip day.

Field Trip Organization Plan 12

5. Maymont requires that an adult accompany every 10 children. Assuming a class

size of fewer than 30, make arrangements so that at least two chaperones

(possibly parents) accompany the group in addition to the teacher.

6. Make transportation plan in accordance with school field trip policy. A school

bus will be needed to bring the group to Maymont by 10:00 a.m. and back to

school prior to the end of the school day.

Field Trip Sequence

• At school, prior to field trip:

1. Meet in the classroom at the beginning of the day as usual. Assuming school

begins around 8:00 a.m., some class time can be spent prior to departure. In

addition to the typical sequence of events that occur each day in the classroom,

the following activities should also occur:

• Present an example of one of the forestry kits that the students will use on

the field trip. Show and describe the contents of the kit, item by item, and

explain how each will be used.

• Introduce the trip’s chaperones.

• Conduct a review of the students’ readiness (such as appropriateness of

clothing, whether they remembered their lunch and are wearing sunscreen).

• Review the rules of the trip.

2. Depart school; arrive at Maymont prior to 10 a.m. for check-in procedures.

• At Maymont:

1. The first event of the day, scheduled for 10 a.m., is a Maymont education

program called “Plantastic.” This 30-minute session in the Nature Center

building covers photosynthesis, plant life cycles, seed dispersal, and the human

Field Trip Organization Plan 13

use of plants. (Much of this material should have been covered earlier in the

unit back at school, but the program will provide a helpful review and may also

serve to calm the students somewhat.) An instructor from Maymont will guide

the students during this time.

2. At the conclusion of the program, distribute forestry kits to the two-student

teams. Give each team a few minutes to inspect the contents of the kits before

leaving the education room.

3. Gather the group outdoors in the rear of the Nature Center building and either

board the tram or begin the forestry walk. (This decision should have been

made prior to field trip day based on the teacher’s evaluation of the students’

physical ability).

4. The group will then travel throughout the Maymont grounds, stopping to

inspect the various trees. The teacher will stop at selected trees to conduct

discussions about the trees and set the tone for the students’ own research.

Topics of discussion could include:

• Identification of parts of a tree

• Tree size and shape; reasons for these characteristics

• Leaf characteristics (color, spacing, amount, simple vs. compound, alternate

or opposite, etc.)

• Trunk characteristics (width, bark color, texture, etc.)

• Characteristics of flowers, berries, nuts, and fruit

• Root system (visibility, appearance, etc.)

• Tree age; how does one find out the age of a tree?

• Is the tree a home for birds/insects?

Field Trip Organization Plan 14

• Is this a native or introduced tree?

• How could humans use the tree? Shelter/wood for building, etc.

• At the cactus garden, compare the survival tactics of cactus and trees

• At the bear area, discuss the types of trees bears might appreciate

5. At appropriate locations in the park, encourage students to perform the required

observation, collection and photography tasks on five trees of their choosing.

(The arboretum area near Maymont House and the Japanese Garden are two

excellent locations for these activities.) For each chosen tree, the teams should

attempt to:

• Complete the observation sheet for the tree. Students should write their

sketches and notes in their forestry notebooks.

• Identify the type of tree using their identification key.

• Take a photograph of the entire tree (or a large portion of it), as well as a

photo of a leaf of the tree, and a photo of the tree’s bark. The numbered

labels (provided in the kits) should be used in each photo.

• Collect any materials from the tree that may be found on the ground and

place them in the labeled envelopes provided in the kits. (Skip this task if

the Maymont staff does not wish for group to conduct this activity.)

6. Move throughout the park and provide ample time (90 minutes, perhaps) for the

group to complete their research activities. When everyone has taken their tree

photos, give students the opportunity to use the remainder of the film in their

cameras as they wish, as long as the subjects are appropriate.

Field Trip Organization Plan 15

7. After research work is complete, the group will gather for a picnic lunch and

relaxation. If time permits, the group can also visit the Children’s Farm to see

(and feed, if appropriate) the animals.

8. Return to the bus at the appointed time. Collect all forestry kits as students

board the bus. Be sure the students’ names are on their kits and that the

disposable cameras are inside.

• After school is out for the day:

1. Get film from disposable cameras processed after school. Be sure photo packs

are labeled properly so each pair of students gets their own photos the next day.

2. Review the photographs taken by students. Make note of (and remove, if

warranted) any inappropriate photos.

Evaluation

Students will be evaluated based on their participation and project work during this field

trip. Specifically:

• Did the student participate constructively in class discussions?

• Did the student correctly follow instructions during the research phase of the trip?

• Did the student, along with his or her partner, complete an observation record for five

trees?

Adaptations

(A description of adaptations for this lesson is not required for this assignment. However,

some mention has been made throughout this document on the considerations the teacher

needs to make for physically disabled students.)

Post-Trip Lesson Plan 16

Fourth-Grade Field Trip to Maymont:Lesson Plan for Day After Trip

Introduction

• Lesson Topic: Review of New Tree Identification Skills

This lesson will use the field trip to Maymont to build upon the students’ new

skills in tree identification. The project work from the previous day will be

reviewed in discussion. Students will continue learning about trees by starting a

new project: a “field guide” for one tree of their choosing. Lastly, a quiz on tree

identification will be given to check for understanding of this learning.

• Length of Lesson: 60-90 minutes.

• Virginia Standards of Learning:

a. Science Standard 4.4:

The student will investigate and understand basic plant anatomy and life

processes. Key concepts include

a) the structures of typical plants (leaves, stems, roots, and flowers);

d) dormancy.

b. Science Standard 4.5:

The student will investigate and understand how plants and animals in an

ecosystem interact with one another and the nonliving environment.

c. Science Standard 4.8:

The student will investigate and understand important Virginia natural

resources. Key concepts include

b) animals and plants;

d) forests, soil, and land.

Post-Trip Lesson Plan 17

d. English Standard 4.1:

The student will use effective oral communications skills in a variety of

settings.

b) contribute to group discussions.

d) seek ideas and opinions of others.

d) use evidence to support opinions.

e) use grammatically correct language and specific vocabulary to communicate

ideas.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Report aloud on the results of a small-group research activity.

• Use a tree identification key to determine the name of a specific tree.

• Discuss the characteristics of native and nonnative trees.

• Plan their work on a “field guide” for a particular type of tree.

• Take a tree identification quiz.

Content

The following topics will be addressed during the course of this lesson:

• Review of results and lessons learned during field trip

• Tree identification: experiences, successes and struggles in

• Native and nonnative tree types

Materials and Advanced Preparation

• Materials:

1. Forestry kits as retrieved from students the previous day

2. Developed film from students’ disposable cameras

Post-Trip Lesson Plan 18

3. List of questions that need to be addressed in the students’ field guide project

4. Tree references books that students can bring home with them (optional)

5. Tree identification quiz

• Advance Preparation:

1. Review the teams’ observation notes prior to class to get a feel for how well

they completed their assigned tasks. Make notes to prepare to give praise and

further guidance to team members in the upcoming class period.

2. Put each team’s developed photos in their corresponding forestry kit.

Teaching and Learning Sequence

• Introduction/Anticipatory Set:

1. Begin the lesson by arranging students so they are sitting with their forestry

partner from the previous day’s field trip.

2. Return each team’s forestry kit to them and encourage the teams to review their

photos.

• Lesson Development:

1. Allow a few minutes for some casual, yet directed, class discussion about how

well the field trip project went. Ask questions to draw out students’ opinions.

Did each team have enough time to get their five trees documented? What was

the hardest part of the project? What do they think of their photos? Did they

learn anything that surprised them?

2. Direct the discussion to tree identification. Did the students determine the

name/type of their selected trees? Form the discussion around both the “yes”

and the “no” answers:

Post-Trip Lesson Plan 19

• Teams who respond in the positive can be asked to show the class how they

identified one of their trees by making a brief oral report that can be

accompanied by the photos they took of the tree and any specimens they

retrieved from the grounds around the tree.

• For any trees that could not be identified by their teams, use the tree

identification key with the entire class to identify them. (Remember that

Maymont has a number of rather exotic trees that may be difficult to

identify; students shouldn’t be penalized for not being able to identify all

their trees.)

3. Close out the discussion with a relatively short discussion on native and

nonnative trees. Ask students to offer up some of their selected trees as

examples of native and nonnative trees. Eventually focus on trees that are

native to Virginia and encourage students to be on the lookout for such trees

around their home and neighborhood, as well as around the school playground

at recess time.

4. Next, explain that each student will create a “field guide” for one of the trees

they selected on the field trip. Using the observation notes from the previous

day as a starting point, each student will perform research on one tree species of

their choice and create a multi-page scrapbook that describes the tree. Ground

rules for the creation of the field guides include:

• The teams will not work on these guides together, other than to share any

relevant resources (observation notes, for example) they collected the

previous day.

Post-Trip Lesson Plan 20

• The members of each team must select different tree types for their

respective field guides (multiple field guides for a particular tree type can be

created by the class as a whole, however).

• The research can be done using the Internet and/or reference books.

5. Distribute the list of topics that need to be addressed in the guide. Some of the

possible questions include:

• Observations about the tree, as recorded in the observation sheet.

• Detailed research findings about this kind of tree. Some topics would

include how the tree acquires water, what the purpose of its leaves is, how it

changes from season to season, where it typically grows in nature, possible

ways humans use the tree, and what animals rely on it.

• If the students have collected anything from the tree (leaf, rubbing, bark), it

can be used as the illustration for the title page of the guide.

• A picture or drawing of the tree’s leaf, or press an actual leaf in the guide.

Photos of the tree that were taken at Maymont can also be used.

6. Explain that the field guides will be compiled over the next couple days. The

main research part of the project work must be completed as homework, while

the actual creation of the guides will occur in the classroom. When they are

finished, the guides will be combined into one book and submitted to the school

library so all students can see it.

7. Give students a few minutes to confer with their team members and choose the

tree type they want. When finished, students should return to their regular seats.

Post-Trip Lesson Plan 21

• Closure:

To assess understanding of the main lesson, distribute a quiz on tree identification.

The quiz will show a number of illustrations of leaves; the student will be required

to use his or her identification key to determine the type of tree to which the leaves

belong. Also include some questions on terminology related to tree identification

(compound vs. simple leaves, alternate structure, and so on).

Homework

The homework required for the main research portion of the field guide will probably

require more than one evening’s work. Consider the depth of the question list, decide on a

number of evenings required and assign portions of the list for each evening. Each day,

check to be sure each student has completed the assigned section. As the sections are

completed, students can use their findings in the creation of their field guides in class.

Evaluation

Student comprehension of this lesson will be assessed based on their test results,

participation and completed projects. Specifically:

• Students will be given a quiz that evaluates their skills and expanded vocabulary in tree

identification.

• At a time in the near future (but not on the first day back from the field trip), students

will be given a larger test that will assess their knowledge of the concepts and

vocabulary used during this unit. Concepts would include topics such as photosynthesis

and plant anatomy.

• Students will demonstrate knowledge of one particular type of tree by creating a “field

guide” that shows findings from research about the tree. (The field guide will be

completed by the time this unit is finished.)

Post-Trip Lesson Plan 22

Adaptations

(A description of adaptations for this lesson is not required for this assignment.)

References

My Tree Book. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2007, from

http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/life9.html