NYS Learning Standards

1. NYS Learning Standards Writing, Reading, Science

2. Reading • ELA1.09.RE1 – Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding • Performance Indicator ELA1.09.RE1.01 – Students locate and use school and public library sources for information and research • Define a purpose for reading by asking questions about what they need to know for their research

3. Writing • Standard ELA1.09.WR2: Language for Information and Understanding Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding. • Performance Indicator  ELA1.09.WR2.04: Students take notes from written and oral texts, such as lectures and interviews. • Performance Indicator  ELA1.09.WR2.11: Students use charts, graphs, or diagrams to illustrate informational text.

4. Science • Standard MST4 - Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science. • Performance Indicator MST4.alt.PS1A -Students recognize patterns of daily, monthly and seasonal changes in their environment

5. The Students • Chi Chi • Faiz • Mike

6. Chi Chi • Chi Chi is a student who relates well to her peers and is very outgoing. She enjoys interacting with her friends and likes when she is put into groups to do work. She is currently diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and has the following limitations: limited to her wheel chair which is battery powered, she has minimal use of her hands and cannot use any other parts of her body, her speech is slow and sometimes she finds it hard to get her words out, even if she knows what she wants to say, there are some cognitive delays and does not do well when the lesson is solely taught by lecture.

7. Mike • Mike is a 17 year old child with a diagnosis of autism. He functions below grade level. He has difficulty with fine motor movement, which greatly limits his writing. He is also relatively non-verbal and requires the use of a text to speech device to communicate, although he does use basic sign language for simple requests. His strengths include gross motor functions, as well as staying focused. Weaknesses include communication. He is limited to his text to speech device and simple sign language. He also functions far below grade level in reading.

8. Faiz • Faiz is a 13 year old boy who is diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Weaknesses include, limited mobility and fine and gross motor skills as well as communication. He uses a battery operated wheel chair and a computer device to communicate. He has limited use of his hands, he uses his knees to manipulate his keyboard. He is an intelligent boy but it takes him awhile to get his ideas across.

9. Accommodations • A scribe for Mike and Chi Chi • Faiz uses his computer for completing the vocabulary • Students will be working with partners • Wheelchairs for Chi Chi and Faiz

10. The Water Cycle - Objectives • Students will read given information on the water cycle • Students will define vocabulary words • Students will label water cycle chart • Students will complete terrarium project with a partner and complete journal entries on wikispaces • Complete quiz in computer lab

11. Materials • Water cycle chart • Vocabulary words • Items to build terrarium • Water cycle song and video • Computer lab • Wikispaces

12. Lesson Plan Outline • Access wikispace • Show water cycle video • Show chart and play song • Define vocabulary words • Fill out chart with a partner • Build and label terrarium with group • Record observations in the discussion section of the wikispace • Take online quiz

13. Prior Knowledge • Complete a water cycle web on the board as a class. • Ask students what they know about the water cycle • Put their ideas on the board

14. Anticipatory Set • Students will watch video on the water cycle • Questions: • How many parts are there of the water cycle? • Name some forms of precipitation. • How is precipitation formed? • Where does precipitation flow into? • What is evaporation?

15. Vocabulary Words • Water Cycle • Condensation • evaporation • precipitation • Runoff • transpiration • surface water • groundwater

16. Water Cycle Chart

17. Water Cycle Chart (blank)

18. How to build a terrarium • Terrarium • Click on link and follow directions on making the terrarium • Make sure to label parts • Answer questions about terrarium

19. Terrarium Assessment Questions • You only watered the terrarium once, so how did water get on the lid and sides? • Take off the lid and feel the soil. Why is the soil still wet? • Did it ever rain in your terrarium? • Water collects on the lid of the terrarium, water also collects in the sky as clouds. Where does water in the clouds come from? • How is this an example of the water cycle? • If we were to remove the lid what would happen? • If the terrarium is a model of the real world, what do you see outside that reminds you of the plant in your terrarium? What reminds you of the soil? What reminds you of the small droplets of water on the lid?

20. Assessment • Vocabulary Quiz • Interactive water cycle quiz • Completion of terrarium