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Kathryn Schulte

Model Lesson May 15, 2017

Subject/Skills: English Language Arts Theme: Water Cycle


Grade Level: First Grade Time of Lesson: 10-10:30 Length of Lesson: 30 minutes

Curriculum Frameworks
Grade Level: First
Strand: English Language Arts Literature, Writing, Speaking and Listening, Language
Standards: RL.MA.1, RL.MA.2 / W.MA.8 / SL.MA.2 / L.MA.1a, L.MA.2b, L.MA.2d, L.MA.6
Page Numbers: 15, 26, 31, 36 & 38 Publication Date: March 2011

1. Objectives
a. The students will gain knowledge of the water cycle and vocabulary words associated with it by
listening to a narrative read-aloud.
b. The students will synthesize the new vocabulary and knowledge they have learned by
responding to a writing prompt.
c. The students will recognize that visual images help with retelling the story and with
comprehension.
2. Pre-requisite skills/knowledge
a. It is important that students have the pre-requisite skill of being able to read with at least some
fluency, and are able to tap out unfamiliar words or use other skills to help them decode. It is
also important that they are able to retell and answer comprehension questions or have the skills
to know that they can find the answer in the text.
3. Schedule and Pacing
a. 2 minutes ask students to turn and talk about what they know about the weather, and what
they remember from reading the Scholastic News on Friday. This will activate their background
knowledge.
b. 2 minutes choose several students to share with the whole group what they talked about with
their partner.
c. 2 minutes introduce lesson by explaining that we are going to talk about the water cycle. A
cycle is something that keeps going around like a circle (have them make a circle with their
hands in the air like sky writing). Tell them that I have a silly book called Ice Boy that talks all
about that cycle but explain that I'm going to need your help telling it.
d. 2 minutes hand out cycle cards and briefly explain each step and the hand/body motions that
go along with each step.
e. 8 minutes read Ice Boy by David Ezra Stein, and have the children selected to be the
raindrops move from one part of the cycle to the next as it happens in the story. Expect that
they will need prompting and help.
f. 3 minutes retell the story by having the raindrops repeat their cycle and have each group
explain what their role would be.
g. 1 minute read writing prompt Once, I was a drop of water, and explain/ask that they finish
that sentence and add at least one more before they illustrate. Challenge students to use the
words from the word bank in their sentences. Remind them that they can tap to do their best
writing to figure out how words are spelled. Reinforce that if they need help in any way to try
first and then raise a hand and I will come help. Also, posters will be up for them to reference.
h. 1 minute transition to desks for writing prompt.
i. 7 minutes students work on writing response. While students are working, navigate to the
online game so that it is ready to demonstrate during wrap up.
j. 2 minutes wrap up and show the game. Hand out the lanterns and the website links so that
students can continue to work on the water cycle and show their families what they learned.
4. Materials
a. Materials to be used in the lesson include:
i. Ice Boy by David Ezra Stein (April 2017)
ii. Cycle cards and words for group retell
iii. Mini posters explaining the water cycle
iv. Writing Prompt
v. Lantern/Game website take home
vi. Raindrops to color for fast finishers
5. Differentiated Instruction
a. Enrichment students will be challenged to use the new vocabulary that can be found in the
word bank at the bottom of their writing prompt sheet.
i. Word Bank:
1. steam, vapor, cloud, ice, snow, rain, droplet, water
2. evaporation, condensation, collection, precipitation
b. Support students will be encouraged to write, but if that is too much, there is space for them
to illustrate their understanding.
6. Assessment
a. Students will be informally assessed in this lesson by observing them as they listen to the read
aloud and participate in using the visual images to help with retelling and comprehending the
story.
b. Students will also be assessed on their writing responses to the prompt Once, I was a drop of
water and how they incorporated the new knowledge and vocabulary.
7. Extension of the Lesson
a. Follow up: Lantern craft to take home a website link to a game where you help a raindrop move
through the water cycle. (http://www.educationsoutheastwater.com.au/natural-water-cycle/)
b. Note: I see this as one lesson as part of a larger lesson on weather and seasons. I would add the
game to the classroom computers for students to play during centers or free time. I would have
them complete the lanterns as a follow up lesson and then hang them in my classroom. I also
would have the students make a water cycle bracelet using a pipe cleaner and pony beads with
dark blue for water, yellow for the sun, clear for the vapor, white for the clouds, light blue for
rain, and green for the earth. This would help the students retell the water cycle and show that
they can comprehend both the science behind it as well as demonstrating that they can retell
the story of Ice Boy.

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