LESSON PLAN

1.     The student will be able to identify the six kingdoms of life.

2.     Students will be able to describe key facts about each kingdom.

·         Instructional Technique: Group work, computer work, class discussion.

1.)  Questionnaire webpage

2.)  Outside links for more information

  • http://www.paec.org/biologypartnership/assets/classification/6%20Kingdoms.pdf

  • http://archives.microbeworld.org/microbes/archaea/where.aspx
  • http://www.biology4kids.com/files/invert_main.html
  • http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/autotroph/?ar_a=1

Procedure: 

 A. Introductory Activity: To begin the activity I would ask the students a few introductory questions to get them thinking about how we classify our forms of life. One question is, “Do you consider mushrooms to be plants?” Another would be if all bacteria are the same?” and the last is “Do you think insects are animals?” These questions will most likely stump the majority of the class because they’re categorizations that are unfamiliar to many of them, and seem tricky.

B. Step-by-step: After our introductory activity I’ll have the students break up into groups of two and with their partner they will go to the computers where they will visit the website that I have created to help guide them through the lesson. Everyone will start on the main page, but once they begin they can pick any category of the six kingdoms of life which are animals, plants, eubacteria, fungi, archaebacteria, and protists. Each kingdom has two questions and an outside link that will enhance their learning.

C. Closure: Once the groups have all completed the questions on each group, I will ask them to move away from the computer and have a discussion about it. This is when we will ask questions about what we learned and clarify. I will then have them fill in a chart in which they will put one fact they learned about each kingdom of life that they think is important. They can work with their partner to remember what they have learned. When done each group will tell the fact that they wrote down and if anyone else has new facts that they did not have, I’ll have them write it down in addition to theirs.

D. Adaptations for different learners: Because the students are working with a partner it helps them to bounce ideas off each other and support each other throughout the activity. If a student is a struggling reader, they can get assistance and encouragement from their partner while exploring the website. I will also be available for assistance to anyone that needs me throughout the lesson.

E. Homework: I will not assign homework on this lesson, but I would like them to take home the grid that they made during the lesson and teach their family member, or someone they know about the six kingdoms so that they become experts on the topics.

A.   How/ when will you determine if you have met your objectives?

a.      The student will be able to identify the six kingdoms of life.

b.     Students will be able to describe key facts about each kingdom.

 

We will know that the objectives have been met by having the students create a grid sheet with the one fact that they learned about each kingdom. By doing this we see what stuck in their minds and stood out to them in the lesson. The next step was to listen to what other people wrote and copy down any new information. Then the last step was for them to go home and teach someone about the lesson, them being the expert and teacher for the lesson. I will only ask that someone sign off on being taught.

 

B.    Concerns or questions you have about teaching this lesson?

My biggest concern is that the topic may be too difficult for 4th graders. Animals and plants are not hard kingdoms to grasp but I think that the archaebacteria, protists, and eubacteria kingdoms can be a lot more complicated.