How do the trees change?

Grades: 1

*This is a lesson I taught to first grade students as part of an instructional sequence during my student teaching pre-internship.

1. Begin by reading the story A Busy Year by Leo Lionni

2. Use the tree slide of the power point presentation to teach students how trees change through the seasons.

3. Model to students how to complete the tree sort, then divide them into groups and have them complete the sort.

4. Review to check for understanding.

5. Have the students complete the tree page in their four seasons book. For below-level writers, have the words pre-traced onto writing paper.

6. As students finish, have them complete another tree worksheet. The student picks a season, writes it on the line, then colors the tree to match the characteristics of a tree during that season.

*Home outreach: Have students take this worksheet home for their parents to help them complete.

Butterfly Camouflage

Grades: 1-3

*This is a lesson I taught to first, second, and third grade students as part of an afterschool science program.

1. Start by showing students three colored flowers and three colored butterflies. Put a butterfly on each flower and ask the students to observe what they notice. Now move the butterflies to another flower and ask the students to observe what they notice. Do this a third time so that the color of butterflies matches the color of flowers.

2. Discuss the students observations, guiding them into the discussion of camouflage.

3. Now show the students a picture of a butterfly.

4. Have the students color the butterfly in their books to match the pattern and coloring on the butterfly (Integrating Art). Ask the students to predict what type of environment the butterfly could camouflage into.

5. Next, show a picture of that butterfly hiding in the environment. Discuss the environment and have students write the information discussed under the ‘About this Butterfly’ part on the page in the butterfly books.

6. Repeat the above two steps according to time.

7. Next, allow students time to scan through book with butterflies. Have them pick their favorite butterfly. Give the students a large, white paper butterfly and instruct the students to color their butterfly like the one they chose in the books.

8. Have the students share their butterfly with the class, identifying what environment the butterfly would best camouflage into.

9. Discuss and review today's lesson. Then send home outreach letter.