LESSON PLAN

Title:                                            Get to the Heart of the Matter
Content Area  Chapter 8 – Nutrition
Grade Level: Grade 7 & 8th
Health Goals                         1) I will select foods that contain nutrients.  2)  I will evaluate Food labels 3)  I will follow a Healthful Diet that reduces the Risk of Disease 4)  I will progress healthful eating habits.
National Health Education Standard OR Health Education Standard 1 – Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health California Health Education Standards : Standard 1: Essential Concepts 1.1.N Describe the short- and long-term impact of nutritional choices on health. 1.2.N Identify nutrients and their relationships to health. 1.6.N Analyze the caloric and nutritional value of foods and beverages. Standard 5: Decision Making 5.1.N Use a decision-making process to evaluate daily food intake for nutritional
Performance Indicators  Students will be able to : 1)      Evaluate the relationship between personal health an healthy behavior 2)      Demonstrate healthy practices that will maintain or improve the health of self.  Pre -Assess Students will be given a worksheet and asked to write down all the foods they consider healthy and those that are unhealthy.
Assessment/Evaluation: Mastery- how will you know they know it? Gauging students for level of understanding is important for all lessons.  If the perceptions are misunderstood, re-teaching and/or additional practice is necessary.  Nutrition should be highlighted during the school year with each lesson stressing and increasing upon existing plan.    The teacher can estimate students’ understanding of the concepts by witnessing their exchanges and discussion in class. As well as by assessments such as quizzes and small projects.	Performance indicators: 1)  Demonstrate healthy practices and behaviors to maintain and improve personal health.  2)  Identify a short-term personal health goal and take action toward achieving the goal.  3) Will gain an understanding of health knowledge Life skills They will practice life skills for health; identify ten life skills to practice health Rationale This lesson incorporates both Science standards and nutrition standards for health.  Using the internet for a health project, students will be able to identify healthful foods from less healthful foods and explain why they are essential for good health.  They will then sort foods into categories of that contain nutrients and food that do not. They will categorize the foods into the foods found on the Food pyramid. The foods that are good for them and promote health and prevent disease. The lesson will end with the class gathering a list of the top 10 foods and doing a taste test.
Infusion/Subject Integration: Infusion/subject integration: Incorporating this health lesson into the section of Science when learning about the human body. This will give students the opportunity to visual see the effects that proper health choices can have on their body. Also the negative side such as diseases and other illness which can be prevented by good nutrition.	The lesson: The teacher starts the conversation with the whole class and asks the students, “What does “healthy” food means to you?” Give me some examples.  “What is a more healthy choice?”  Students respond with their understanding of healthy foods that they eat at home.  The teacher answers the question after the students, and reasons verbally her understanding of why the food is healthful.  As students answer, the teacher places pictures of the foods on the smart board. Then have categories as to where they belong. The teacher describes that there are three way of thinking about food that help us remember how much of it and how often we should eat it.  Healthy foods are vegetables, fruits, nuts, and lean meats.  We should eat these foods every day since they help us to be healthy.  .  Unhealthy foods are ice cream, potato chips, chocolate, butter, doughnuts, and fried potatoes. Then I will explain to them that they are going to be reviewing nutrients and the importance of locating the nutrients they need or ideal health.
Health Literacy:	Teacher explains that we will be categorization of types of foods they find on the internet.  Students are put into groups of 3-4 and given a worksheet to place the food into the correct category.  The teacher models the process, and shows example on the Elmo overhead. After modeling, the students will get into their assigned groups and begin to find the health and unhealthy foods and how it affects their body.
Materials: Materials needed for this project are available in the classroom. The food needed for taste testing and the worksheets will be provided by the teacher.	The materials for this lesson are: 1)  Graphic organizer to place pictures /information for students to put foods into categories 2)  Computer with internet access 3)  List of foods to help students look up 4)  Handouts with information that we discussed in class to show their knowledge of what a nutrient rich food consists of 5)  Fruit and vegetables from the top 10 foods students food to be the healthiest and most beneficial for your 6)  Bowls to hold fresh food Action 2: Students will participate in a fruit and veggie tasting.  They will receive cut up fruits and veggies they choose from their research.  Students will explore the tastes and talk about which ones they like the best.  Students who try food they have not had before will be asked first on how the enjoyed the taste. By identifying healthy foods that are pleasing and come into contact with the taste of healthy foods, students can begin to make smart choices and participate in discussions about nourishment with their families. Action 3: The teacher asks about healthful foods that students like  Teacher explains that for the conclusion of this project they will write a paragraph to answer what food they believe are health for you and why. Some of the ways they help prevent disease. The foods that are healthy and that they would like to eat every day to reduce their risk of becoming unfit or get diseases.  The project will be displayed on the board in the classroom so youngsters recall their commitment to eat their favorite healthy foods often.
Motivation: Motivation is teaching tactics that highlight resourceful methods for capturing attention, engaging students, and conveying a lesson.	The motivation in the lesson Get to the Heart of the Matter teaches students about nutrition and the effects it can have on them. They will use their critical thinking skills and decision making to identify which foods can help them stay healthy and also reduce the risk of diseases.  By having them do a project and engaging their interest in technology I can have the students work together to present their findings.  Student involvement is essential and stimulates knowledge about food and nutrition.  Next, students learn about foods they have never heard of and practice critical thinking skills about what they have learned about foods and organizing and sorting them into groups.  They participate by tasting and eat foods that are healthful and nutritious.
Multicultural Infusion: Teaching strategies need to be adapted to include an appreciation of all learners represented in the classroom, otherwise the core concepts may seem irrelevant to many students.    Differentiation for ELL	Action and rationale The students will be placed into groups. Each group will be appointed a person to record. The person who is recording with will be a paper and fold it in half to make two columns. The first side will be labeled “Foods” and the second side “Foods Groups”. Each assigned group is to brainstorm a list of foods which they will search on the internet to see the health value it does or does not have. The recorder will list the first column foods and the group will identify the food group and benefits.  Ell learners will be asked to put pictures to represent foods that are being discussed
Inclusion -Differentiation for  special learning challenges Inclusion means making variations as necessary to give students with disabilities and ELLs opportunities to maximize strengths and compensate for learning challenges.    Advanced and gifted students are included in this category, also. Gifted Learning Challenged	This lesson covers instructional planning that is effective for all students, particularly ELLs and students with disabilities.  By means of question techniques, relating to personal experiences, using graphic organizers, modeling, thinking aloud, and computers they will assist students at all educational levels to access the core concepts of the lesson.  For Gifted and Advanced students might be placed into a group for a cooperative learning experience. They can be given an extra task to add to the lesson. Such as making a PowerPoint presentation on the foods that they feel are best to fight and prevent diseases. For students with disabilities, each student’s needs must be measured.  Effective teachers will take into consideration the students with disabilities might need and plan for it.  Review IEPs for adaptive equipment, provide extended time to complete the project, have another student assist them one on one, if needed.
Technology: Use of tools, such as computers, interactive smart boards, digital devices, overhead projector, and online access enhance learning in a content area.    Websites Any websites on food and nutrition	This lesson utilizes technology in order for students to think and search for the answers they need. By incorporating technology, students will be more engrossed in the lesson and get to use their knowledge of computers into their project.
Reflection with students The conclusion helps pull the whole lesson together it gives the teacher a guide as to what worked or didn’t work in the lesson.   As a class together recaps the purpose, give students a chance to ask questions, and build on what learning they took away from the lesson. Final Assessment   Teacher Observation	The end of this lesson supports the goals and objectives.  At the end of the activities, students are asked what they learned.  It also helps they learn what fruits and vegetables are healthy choices and why we should eat them every day.  The teacher journals foods that should be eaten rarely and seldom.  The class will discuss dissimilarities between healthful food and those loaded with fat and sugar.  Food that is healthful helps us grow strong.  Students are asked if they have any questions about what we learned.  Students will be assessed on their final project. They will be graded on what they discovered in their research and how they present it giving into consideration the following: Accommodations :   Giving the student extra time to complete assignments or tests Allowing students to take testing over several days   Working in a small group  Working one on one with the teacher  using a student/peer tutor  decrease number of items per page or line read directions orally  use small distinct steps in instructions  adapt worksheets as necessary

Cooperative Learning Groups

Cooperative Learning

1. a. Evaluate how you can use grouping patterns to teach your grade level standards in the area of writing in your content area.

Grouping patterns can be useful in teaching my grade level standards. The way I can use grouping patterns to teach my grade level standard in the area of writing is I can group students based on their skills. For example I can put my students together by level such as Advance, Proficient, Basic, and Below Basic. I can also group students based on style of learning which will allow me to work with students. By using grouping this will allow me to differentiate my classroom instruction in small groups for my students.

b. Describe how you will form each group attaining a mixture of heterogeneous and homogeneous grouping.

In order to form groups while attaining heterogeneous and homogenous grouping often depends on the level of the class. As a teacher you have can group students together who have abilities that are similar in order to target those who have common needs and help them to achieve higher levels. I would start by grouping students I feel are comparable in their skills to monitor for understanding and see how they can work together. After I assess my class and how my homogenous grouping worked, I would then break my groups in a heterogeneous setting. By doing this, students will have the ability to learn from other students in the class.

Both heterogeneous and homogeneous groupings have their place in the classroom. Seat students near peers that vary in levels of achievement, proficiency, gender for example.

I will seat the students in groups of four. These groups can be seated in a variety of formats: four students at a table, four desks together, or students seated in rows that have been designated as a small group that will work together in particular situations.

The heterogeneous groups will comprise of one student that is high achieving, two students that achieve at an average level and one student that is lower achieving. The notion is that each student profits from having the other students in the group. The variety of ideas and perspectives, as well as the shared learning benefit each student in the group.

Students in these groups can work together on a writing task, including thinking of topics , working with the group on  projects. I can then pull homogeneous groups of students for a variation of reasons.

Homogeneous groupings are a great way to help specific students with skills they need to work on. For example, you may have a group of high-achieving students come together to review their writing and expand on a particular aspect that you are working on, such as adding a counter claim to argumentative writing, increasing the number of citations, adding depth or details to the setting or characters, etc.

It is important to keep in mind that these groups should be flexible groupings. Students can enter and exit these groups for an assortment of reasons. Homogeneous groupings should replicate a specific necessity of the group of students. Students have varying strengths and areas of need so the groups will reflect those needs or strengths.

                                                   

 c. Create at least three group configurations based on Gardner’s intelligences including whole group, small group, peer pairs and individual design.

A group configuration I would implement is a homogeneous group for verbal/linguistic learners. I believe as though the writing center is a terrific opportunity for visual learners to develop. I would have all of the visual learners go to the writing center to use tools such as organizers to begin to write key pieces and pictures about the writing.

Another group configuration is to take the Visual/Spatial learners and allow them to use the Computer center (e.g., visual design and layout software) to add to their writing assignment. Incorporating technology would get them motivated to work hard. This grouping includes the whole class, because they will be working on adding content to their writing.

My third grouping configuration would be the intrapersonal learners. I would have them work with a peer to help them assess their work. The students can work together to talk about the writing and how it can be improved.

d. Explain how you will use each grouping pattern to reinforce the grade level content standard you selected in writing.

Each grouping pattern will be used to reinforce the grade level content by making sure the students are getting the support they need. By having them exposed to the different groups we can see what areas they are successful in and which they need help. My goal as a teacher is to try many avenues necessary in order for the students to achieve their full potential.

Content Standard of Writing

1.1       Demonstrate an understanding of the elements of discourse (e.g., purpose, speaker,

audience, form) when completing narrative, expository, persuasive, or descriptive

writing assignments.

The students will be grouped to work on a type of writing assignment which will be broken up so that they will understand the process.

e. Analyze how each grouping pattern will facilitate meeting the content area standard for each learner cluster. 

The grouping pattern will facilitate meeting the content area for each cluster by allowing the students the opportunity to learn in a different setting. By doing so the students will be able to help each where it may be required. Having students from with different learning abilities work together will allow for those who may be on the lower spectrum to see from their peers what is necessary to understand the content. We can assess the students by having them in different scenarios and groups which will allow me not only to see where they may be struggling but change when I see fit.

2. Defend cooperative learning (forming groups) allows for differentiation and increasing student performance.  

            Cooperative grouping has been proven to be valuable for all types of students because it encourages learning and promotes respect among various groups of students. The more diversity you have in a group, the greater the benefits for each student. Students learn to depend on each other in a constructive way for a range of learning tasks. Cooperative grouping is particularly advantageous for any student trying to learn. Cooperative grouping activities support student interaction, which helps the growth of language and the learning of concepts and content. It is imperative to assign students to different groups so that they can benefit from others with greater assurance when working in small teams. In addition to learning writing, students benefit from observing how their peers learn and solve problems. This avoids what normally happens if students select their groups; the same students perform the same tasks. Students need to rotate to develop the skills they most need to practice. I think it is a vital responsibility for me as a teacher to give students the chance to learn to work with group roles and deadlines as well as diverse personalities.  Each individual is diverse in their own way. As a teacher, I must put into account the fact that the student’s lack of skills and understanding has an impact on his learning.  By using cooperative learning I can assist in avoiding not helping a student in my class.                                       

                                                            

Means by which you can differentiate a content presentation

                                                        

In order for teachers to differentiate their learning they have to incorporate new ways to help or challenge their students. First teachers need to classify which types of learners they are working with.  Teachers can do this on their own or actually benefit from working with other teachers by gaining different perspectives and strategies. In order for differentiation to be effective you must be involved and engaged in the process. This is something where your input is necessary and your thoughts and goals must be clear. To be an effective teacher you must be open to others views, be willing to share your ideas, listen to other people’s ideas, and focus on the outcomes best for the students. Differentiate instruction has become a key factor of effective schools and a necessity for successful inclusion. The fact is that teachers and students will both benefit from a successful differentiate in the classroom.  The common goal we as teacher need to realize is to understand what our students need and how to work together to help them.In preparing a lesson we can try to integrate new ways to gauge for a student’s understanding and learning.Let’s take for instance the following groups and how we set apart some activities for these learners for our activity. As a class we often go over stories in book and have numerous activities that follow. However, there are things I can /do as a teacher to help all my students.

A. English Language Learners -   I can differentiate learning activities by

·               ·         Phonemic awareness

Phonemic awareness discusses to the ability to recognize and use these phonemes in spoken words. It is also the understanding that the sounds of spoken language work together to make words.

•      Phonics

Phonics is the understanding that there is a predictable relationship between phonemes. Readers use these relationships to recognize familiar words and to decode unfamiliar ones.

•        Vocabulary development

Vocabulary development states to the information of kept information about the meanings and pronunciations of words necessary for communication. Vocabulary development is important for beginning reading in that when a student comes to a word and sounds it out, he or she is also determining if the word makes sense based on his or her understanding of the word.

•              Reading fluency, including oral reading skills

Fluency is the skill to read words correctly and swiftly. Fluent readers identify words and understand them all together. Reading fluency is a critical factor necessary for reading comprehension.

•       Reading comprehension strategies

Reading comprehension is the result of all of the reading skills and the last goal of learning to read. The purpose of mastery of each of the four prior skills is to enable comprehension. 

B. Special Needs Students

      · Offer oral instruction for students with reading disabilities. Present tests and reading materials in an oral format so the assessment is not improperly prejudiced by lack of reading ability.

       · Arrange for learning disabled students with regular progress checks. Let them know how well they are developing toward an individual or class objective.

      · Give instant feedback to learning disabled students. They need to see rapidly the relationship between what was shown and what was understood.

     · Make activities short and quick. Long assignments are mostly trying for a learning disabled child.

    · Learning disabled youngsters will benefit if you provide them with concrete objects and events. Things /items they can touch, hear, smell

                                               

C. Advanced or Gifted Learners 

•    Anchor Activities – Offer student with significant activities that can be finished independently. Used as a managing tool for early finishers and small group instruction.

•    Activity Menus – Join in student choice, different levels of thinking, & multiple intelligence. Menu might focus on a concept or can cross topic areas.

•     Flexible grouping permits for students to move in and out of groups based on need, ability, interest, etc.

•      Peer Teaching – Use carefully. Make sure the student has mastered the topic and is able to help others.

•      Cubing – Allows you to monitor student thinking in multiple directions and to separate process and product for students of changing capabilities.