GTDifferentiated Model Lesson

Grade Level:
1st / Subject Area(s):
__Reading, Writing
__ Mathematics / _X Science
__ Social Studies / TEKS/Student Expectations:
1.9 Organisms and Environments
The students knows that the living environment is composed of relationships between organisms and the life cycles that occur.
  • 1.9(A) sort and classify living and nonliving things based upon whether or not they have basic needs and produce offspring
  • 1.9(B) analyze and record examples of interdependence found in various situations such as terrariums and aquariums or pet and caregiver
  • 1.9(C) gather evidence of interdependence among living organisms such as energy transfer through food chains and animals using plants for shelter
1.10 Organisms and Environments
The student knows that organisms resemble their parents and have structures and processes that help them survive within their environments.
  • 1.10(A) investigate how the external characteristics of an animal are related to where it lives, how it moves, and what it eats
  • 1.10(B) identify and compare the parts of plants
  • 1.10(C) compare ways that young animals resemble their parents
  • 1.10(D) observe and record life cycles of animals such as a chicken, frog, or fish

4th9 Weeks
Essential Question(s):
How do living things depend on their environments and their structures to stay alive?*
What changes do organisms go through in their life cycles?*
Why do organisms resemble their parents?*
* Taken directly from CRM.
Assessment(s):
_X Pre-Assessment _XFormative _XSummative
GT Scope and Sequence Skills:
__ Creative Thinking
_XCritical Thinking
_XCommunication
__ Research / Student Learning Styles:
_XAuditory
_XVisual/Spatial
_XKinesthetic
__ Other: / Elements of Depth and Complexity:
_XLanguage of the Discipline
__ Details
_X Patterns
__ Trends
__ Rules / __Ethical Considerations
__ Unanswered Questions
__Over Time
__Different Perspectives
_XBig Ideas
Lessons and Activities
_XWhole Class __ Small Group __Independent Activity
Whole Class: Read a short story to the whole class about a trip to a zoo, tending to young animals or pets, or appropriate text about different animals. Open a discussion during the reading about characteristics of the animals in the story. Discuss observable physical features of animals. Ask students to compare young animals to their parents and identify the particular features that the parent animals pass on to their young.
On Grade Level: Introduce several small posters or pictures of animal characteristics, categorized by their similarities (ie. fur, feathers, shells, skin). Conceal the headings of each poster. Have the students try to figure out what the animals have in common.
After students identify the characteristics, use the vocabulary to describe the various characteristics: beak shape, body covering, feathers, fur, skin, scales, hair, etc.
Discuss how parent animals pass on these characteristics to their young. Students will identify several characteristics that parent animals pass on to their young.
GT Level: Discuss with the students the patterns they find in animal characteristics being past from parent to young animals. Allow students to talk about whether this repetition remains among like animals or whether or not there is consistency between different animals.
Whole Class: Play a guessing game with the class by providing several pictures of small animals in a bag. Identify different areas of the classroom by animal characteristics; create a “zoo” in the classroom. Students pull from the bag and act out the animal they drew from the bag. Students in the class will guess what animal the actor is trying to portray. When guessed correctly, the student goes to the area of the “zoo” with students acting out similar characteristics. This game can be repeated as students have the opportunity to draw several different animals. / Resources:
Small posters of animals with varying characteristics
Characteristics list
Guessing game with small pictures of various animals
Bag/Box
Collaborative Work Skills : Process Assessment
CATEGORY / Consistently / Occasionally / Often / Struggles with Expectations
Problem-solving / Actively looks for and suggests solutions to problems. / Refines solutions suggested by others. / Does not suggest or refine solutions, but is willing to try out solutions suggested by others. / Does not try to solve problems or help others solve problems. Allows others do the work.
Focus on the task / Consistently stays focused on the task and what needs to be done. Very self-directed. / Focuses on the task and what needs to be done most of the time. Other group members can count on this person. / Focuses on the task and what needs to be done some of the time. Other group members may sometimes remind to keep this person on-task. / Rarely focuses on the task and what needs to be done. Allows others do the work.
Contributions / Routinely provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. A definite leader who contributes a lot of effort. / Usually provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. A strong group member who tries hard. / Sometimes provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. A satisfactory group member who does what is required. / Rarely provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. May refuse to participate.
Product Assessment
During the 1st nine weeks rubrics for “Product Assessment” were provided as models. However, these generic rubrics do not take into account the specific expectations you have established with regard to student products. For this reason, you are encouraged to design your own rubric. Below are useful links to support your use of rubrics in the classroom: RubiStar: Teachnology: Rubrics for Teachers:

Advanced Academic Services

Austin Independent School District