Micro-Teaching Lesson Plan
MICRO-TEACHING LESSON PLAN
Student Teacher: Erika LovasiCurriculum Area: Science
Subject: Life Systems - Habitats &Communities
Grade: Four
Lesson Topic: Introduction To The Ecology of Food Chains
Expectations: Students will;
1) Demonstrate an understanding of a food chain as a system in which energy from the
sun is transferred eventually to animals, and construct food chains of different plant
and animal species. (e.g., carrot - rabbit - fox) Understanding Basic Concepts, The
Ontario Science and Technology Curriculum, pg.21.
2) Construct food chains that include different plant and animal species and humans
(e.g., grass - cattle - humans). Relating Science and Technology to the World Outside the
School, The Ontario Science and Technology Curriculum, pg. 22.
Teacher Materials: *animal/plant cutoutsPupil Materials: *pencils
*flip chart paper *glue sticks
*sticky tack/tape *worksheets
*chain links
Presentation Steps:
Introduction/Motivation/Set: ...... 3 min.
Demonstration - How energy flows through living things
1. Have all the students form a line and hold hands.
2. The teacher will be at the beginning of the line, representing the sun.
3. A squeeze of the hand will represent energy. The teacher will squeeze the hand of the
first student, who in turn will squeeze the hand of the next student, and so on down the
line.
4. Have the last student tell when the “flow of energy” reaches him/her.
5. Begin again, this time remove a student from the line. What happens to the flow of
energy when some members of the chain are missing? (Flow is broken)
Sequence of Steps for Learning: ...... 8 min.
1. Introduce information and concepts dealing with Food Chains;
-Sun provides energy for all living things on earth
-People need energy to walk, run, play, and work
- Even when you are sitting quietly or sleeping, your heart is beating, and that
requires energy
-The energy you need for all activities comes from the food you eat...but
does the food get it’s energy?
-The energy in food comes from the sun.
-Plants manufacture and store energy from the sun
-People and animals eat the plants, thereby getting energy from the plants
-Some animals eat other animals to get their energy
-This eating pattern is called a food chain
2. Demonstrate how the food chain works using the visual aids (marine cutouts)
3. Construct various food chains on the blackboard using plant/animal cutouts through
student interaction and participation. Ask questions such as ‘Who eats whom?’
4. Ask students what would happen if one animal or plant in the food chain were
missing? (Relate question to introductory activity - energy flow is broken)
Recapitulation: ...... 4 min.
1. Review the concept of “What is a food chain”
-All energy starts from the sun
-The sun transfers it’s energy into the plants
-Animals eat the plants to gain energy, and..
-Some animals eat other animals to obtain energy
-Humans fit into this food chain by eating plants and animals
Application: ...... 5 min.
1. Distribute handout, read paragraph about the cow and her calf, ask how you (as a
human) could become a part of this simple food chain?
Answer: A person could affect the chain by planting corn, wheat, grasses to be used
for food and then become part of the chain by eating the products grown (corn, bread)
or the plant eating cows.
*After verbal, group discussion of the correct answer, provide a written model of the
answer for children to refer to when writing the answer to the question.
2. Students will demonstrate their knowledge of constructing food chains by correctly
piecing together a paper chain in the order of the food chain.
Evaluation:
Criteria for Assessment1 2 3 4
Ability to answer questions Understands very Shows someShows understanding Shows
accurately (understanding little of the concept understandingof most concepts complete
subject material) understanding
Accuracy in constructing Is unable to Can constructIs able to construct Is able to
the paper chain in the discriminate the food chain,food chain with only construct
order of the food chain components of but with manyone error food chain
the food chain errors without error