The Internet contains a vast resource of educational lesson plans. In order to evaluate the lesson plans and decide if they are pedagogically sound, I use the following table to critique them.
Rubric
Table
Name of the Lesson
Plan:____________________________________ Author of the Lesson
Plan:___________________________________ URL:___________________________________________________ Subject
Area:____________________________________________ Intended Grade
Level:______________________________________
This lesson contains
the following components: xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx Summary of
Lesson: x x
I evaluated the following ten different lesson plans using the above rubric. The lesson plans are examples of lessons that can be found in Mathematics, Science, Language Arts and Social Studies.
#1Name of the Lesson
Plan: Adventures
in Statistics Author of the Lesson
Plan: Tom
Scavo and Bryon Petroroja URL:
http://forum.swarthmore.edu/trscavo/statistics/adventures.html Subject Area:
Mathematics Intended Grade Level:
Fifth
and Sixth Grade
This lesson contains
the following components: Summary of Lesson:
This
lesson incorporates several mathematical strands including,
computation, graphing and data analysis. It is based on a
student-generated idea and culminates with a presentation to
the school's principal. I would recommend this lesson plan
to elementary school teachers. x x
Name of the Lesson
Plan: What
if There Were No Clocks? Author of the Lesson
Plan: Janet
Paganio URL: http://www.newton.mec.edu/Angier/DimSum/Crit.Think.Time.Lesson.html Subject Area:
Mathematics Intended Grade Level:
1st-3rd
Grade
This lesson contains
the following components: Summary
of Lesson: I found this lesson to be a good introductory
lesson before teaching concepts about time. This lesson is
quite simple and would not require a lot of time. The
suggestions for extending this lesson incorporate several
subject areas besides Math. x x
Name of the Lesson
Plan: Three-Dimensional
Shapes Author of the Lesson
Plan: Terry
Sayre URL: http://ericir.syr.edu/Virtual/Lessons/Mathematics/Geometry/GEO0007.html Subject Area:
Geometry Intended Grade Level:
2nd-5th
Grade
This lesson contains
the following components: Summary of Lesson:
This
lesson incorporates geometry into an architectural
framework. Students learn about three-dimensional shapes as
they design their own 'dream house' using 3-D shapes they
have created. The only weakness that I found in this
activity is that it does not incorporate technology. Having
the students create a 'dream home' on the computer with an
appropriate software program could easily extend this
lesson.
Name of the Lesson
Plan: Aurora
Borealis: What Creates These Shimmering Celestial
Lights? Author of the Lesson
Plan: Newton's
Apple URL: http://ericir.syr.edu/Projects/Newton/10/lessons/Borealis.html Subject Area:
Science Intended Grade Level:
4th-6th
Grade
This lesson contains
the following components: Summary of Lesson:
This
lesson was created to go along with a segment about the
Aurora Borealis from the television series, "Newton's
Apple". The lesson is great follow-up after seeing the
television segment. The lesson gives an explanation on what
causes the Aurora Borealis and then incorporates an activity
that shows students how ions conduct electricity, which fits
in very nicely with the cause of the Northern Lights or
Aurora Borealis. There are also several follow-up activities
to reinforce the concepts presented in this
lesson.
Name of the Lesson
Plan: How
are Mummies Able to Survive? Author of the Lesson
Plan: Newton's
Apple URL: http://ericir.syr.edu/Projects/Newton/13/lessons/mummy.html Subject Area:
Science Intended Grade Level:
4th-6th
Grade
This lesson contains
the following components: Summary of Lesson:
This
is another lesson from Newton's Apple that ties in with a
segment about mummies. The lesson explains the origins of
mummies and includes some hyperlinks to sites about mummies.
The main activity involves the learner in 'mummifying'
apples. Several activities are included to extend the lesson
into other subject areas. This would be a great lesson to
tie into the study of Egypt and archeology. x x
Name of the Lesson
Plan: Poetry
Writing With Jack Prelutsky Author of the Lesson
Plan: Jack
Prelutsky URL: http://www.scholasticnetwork.com/writewit/poetwit/index.htm Subject Area:
Language
Arts Intended Grade Level:
1st-6th
Grade
This lesson contains
the following components: xxx xxx xxx Summary of
Lesson:
This is a wonderful and motivational Poetry Lesson by Jack
Prelutsky for elementary students. Mr. Prelutsky provides a
format for students to use while writing poetry using his
own poetry for ideas. When the student has completed a poem,
it can be entered on-line and the student will receive a
certificate with their poem printed on it and signed by Jack
Prelutsky. This lesson is part of the "Writing with Writers"
series from Scholastic Network and includes a detailed
Teacher's Guide. x x
Name of the Lesson
Plan: Write
a Book Review with Rodman Philbrick Author of the Lesson
Plan: Rodman
Philbrick URL: http://www.scholasticnetwork.com/writewit/bookrev/index.htm Subject Area:
Language
Arts Intended Grade Level:
3rd-6th
Grade
This lesson contains
the following components: xxx xxx xxx Summary of Lesson:
This
is another great lesson plan from the "Writing With Writers"
series from ScholasticNetwork. Rodman Philbrick shows
students how to write a book review. This lesson encourages
students to read and write about books of their choice. When
the student finishes their book report, it can be published
on-line. The student can, also, receive a printed
certificate for the report signed by Rodman Philbrick. This
lesson, also, includes a detailed Teacher's Guide.
x x
Name of the Lesson
Plan: A
Jar of Dreams Author of the Lesson
Plan: Cathy
Skubik Subject Area:
Language
Arts and Social Studies Intended Grade Level:
2nd-6th
Grades
This lesson contains
the following components: xxx xxx Summary of
Lesson:This
unit focuses on the main themes of A Jar of Dreams by
Yoshiko Uchida; believing in yourself,following your dreams
through hard work and overcoming the harmful effects of
prejudice. The activities are meant to stimulate student
thinking on these themes as well as give them an outlet to
express their ideas about the themes. This unit was
developed for the Schools of California Online Resources for
Educators (SCORE) Project.
This
unit is a great way to incorporate literature into a Social
Studies unit. x x
Name of the Lesson
Plan: The
Egypt Game Author of the Lesson
Plan: Kathy
Hayden Subject Area:
Social
Studies and Language Arts Intended Grade Level:
6th
Grade
This lesson contains
the following components: xxx xxx xxx Summary of Lesson:
This
is a unit from the Schools of California Online Resources
for Educators (SCORE) Project, This lesson includes several
activities that relate to the book, The Egypt Game by
Zilpha Keatley Snyder. The activities are creative and
motivational. This would be an excellent addition to any
Social Studies curriculum that included the study of
Egypt. x x
Name of the Lesson
Plan: The
Great Kapok Tree Author of the Lesson
Plan: Brad
and Vicki Pascoe Subject Area:
Social
Studies and Language Arts Intended Grade Level:
3rd
Grade
This lesson contains
the following components: xxx xxx xxx xxx Summary of Lesson:
This
is another wonderful unit from the Schools of California
Online Resources for Educators (SCORE) Project. The
activities in this unit revolve around the book, The
Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry. The activities are
designed to teach students more about the Rain Forests of
South America. x x