Developmental Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Tiffany DeFranza Date:

Group Size: 27 Allotted Time 30 Minutes Grade Level 4th Grade

Subject or Topic: Science: Matter

Common Core/PA Standard(s):

3.2.4.A1: Identify and classify objects based on their observable and measurable physical properties.
Compare and contrast solids, liquids, and gases based on their properties.
Learning Targets/Objectives:
• The fourth-grade students will be able to demonstrate their prior knowledge of matter by completing a
pre-test.
• The students will be able to define the assigned words that are important in this unit by creating their
own set of flashcards using the textbooks glossary.

Assessment Approaches: Evidence:

1. Anecdotal notes 1. The teacher will continue to take notes on the index
2. Pre-test cards. The teacher will specifically take note on any
academic concerns, achievements, or behaviors that should
be noted.
2. The pre-test will be used to design instruction and
emphasis concepts that the students may be confused or
have not previously learned about. The pre-test will also be
used to reflect on my own teaching.

Assessment Scale:

Target Acceptable Unacceptable Total

100% - 88% 87% - 72% Below 72%

Number of 4 2 19 25
Students
% of Students 16% 8% 76%

Subject Matter/Content:
Prerequisites:
• Previous grade-levels have introduced the three states of matter.
• Students are familiar with taking benchmark tests that are for data and will not play a part in their class
grades.
• Previous lesson on living and nonliving things.
Key Vocabulary:
• Physical change: a change in the physical properties of matter such as shape and size.
• Chemical change: a change in the properties of matter where a new substance.
• Chemical reaction (same definition as chemical change in the textbook)
• Matter: Anything in the universe that has mass and takes up space.
• Mass: the amount of matter in any given object.
• Solid: a state of matter where the particles are close together and in a regular pattern.
• Liquid: a state of matter where the particles are not close together and take the shape of their container.
• Gas: a state of matter which has no definite shape or fixed volume.
Introduction/Activating/Launch Strategies:
• The teacher will explain that for this next unit we are going to learn about matter. The teacher will give
the students an overview of the week and explain that at some point we are going to be investigating
different forms of matter by experimenting.

Development/Teaching Approaches
• The teacher will have the students put up their testing folders.
• The teacher will seat JG, GK, JT, and KT at the rectangular table with the teacher’s aid.
• The teacher will assure the students that this is a pre-test and we have not learned a lot of this
information yet. The teacher will assure the students that the pre-tests do not affect their grades.
• The teacher will hand out the student’s pre-tests and collect them as they complete them.
• The teacher will encourage the students to silently read at their seats while they wait for all of their
classmates to finish.

• Once all the students are finished with the pre-test the teacher will ask the students, row by row, to get
their science textbooks.
• The teacher will enthusiastically give an overview of the matter unit.
• The teacher will ask students who knows what the three types of matter are? Desired response: solid,
liquid, gas. The teacher will write these three vocabulary words on the board.
• The teacher will explain that matter is made up of particles and it is something that cannot be created or
removed from the world. The teacher will write this vocabulary word on the board.
• The teacher will ask students if they have ever heard this before, or if they would define matter
differently. Possible responses: matter is everything, matter is what everything is made of…
• The teacher will ask if anyone knows if there is a way we can weigh matter?
• The teacher will explain that mass is the amount of matter in any given object. We can compare the mass
of matter by comparing a feather to a chair. The teacher will write this vocabulary word on the board.
• The teacher will also explain that the experiment we are going to do will have to do with changing
matter. The teacher will ask the students if anyone knows the two ways that matter can be changed:
physical and chemical changes. The teacher will write these vocabulary words on the board.
• The teacher will explain that we will learn the difference between these two changes through
demonstrations we will look at together.
• The teacher will ask for a student volunteer to come up and pass out the flashcard templates.
• The teacher will remind the students to use the glossary to find a concise definition for each vocabulary
word.

Closure/Summarizing Strategies:
• The teacher will hand out envelopes for students to put their flashcards in.
• The teacher will explain that tomorrow we are going to begin talking about the different states matter.
• The teacher will ask that each student comes in tomorrow of an idea of one solid, liquid, and gas that
would be all in the same room.
 Accommodations/Differentiation:
• JG, GK, JT, KT: Students will receive all questions read aloud to them on the pre-test and will sit at the
back rectangular table with the teacher aid in the room.
• JG, GK, JT, KT: Students will be given extended time to complete the pre-test.
• JG, GK, JT, KT: The vocabulary words will be pre-written for the students, it will be their responsibility
to write the definitions.

Materials/Resources:
• Harcourt Science textbook, teacher’s edition
• Harcourt Science textbook, student copies (27)
• 8 flashcards for each student

Reflective Response:
Report of Student Learning Target/Objectives Proficiency Levels

The students did well during our first day of instruction, which was more of an overview of the unit and
an introduction to the important to the vocabulary. Right off the bat, students were extremely familiar with the
three states of matter, including the four vocabulary words. However, the definitions in the book for solids,
liquids, and gas, went more into depth than the definitions they were exposed to in previous grades. Colin was
immediately concerned that it would be difficult to remember the three definitions because they all sounded
very similar since they described the pattern and proximity between particles in each state of matter. I assured
the students that we would be doing an activity tomorrow which would clarify the definitions and why they
are important to understand, not only memorize. Students were engaged when we were listing examples of
different types of matter. The students seemed extremely unfamiliar with the physical and chemical
change/reaction terms. In fact, Skyler and Hunter were the only two students that recalled ever hearing these
terms. These are difficult concepts, and I have planned and will continue to plan ample instruction in
understanding the difference between these two changes that matter may undergo.
Kathryn, Andrew, Jo, Charlie, Robert, Shay, Jorge, and Chase raised their hands consistently throughout the
lesson. I often had to provide wait time until other students began raising their hands to ensure many students
were getting the chance to share answers. The three students who are in the learning support setting for most
of the day (Jayla, Gavin, and Juan) often seem like they are struggling to keep up with the conversation. They
also rarely, if ever, offer answers during class. By the end of the lesson, students were having many “ahh-ha”
moments, where they realized what some of the correct answers on their pre-tests were.

Remediation Plan (if applicable)

Overall, I believe this lesson went very well. This lesson was meant to be an overall introduction to the
unit and there were very few concepts that the students seemed extremely intimidated by. Physical and
chemical changes seemed to be one topic that came up which students were very unfamiliar with. I believe it
will be important to take a formative assessment after the lesson three where physical and chemical changes
are addressed to determine if the students understand the difference.

Personal Reflection Questions

• How can I keep Gavin, Juan, and Jayla engaged?
• How can I have the students engaged in a whole group discussion between each other without chaos
ensuing? I believe students would enjoy conversing about topics when they are first introduced, making
predictions, etc…
• How can I encourage other students to answer questions without calling them out when their hands are not
raised?