Developmental Lesson Plan
Teacher Candidate: Amanda Walker Date: 09-6-2020
Group Size: 25 students Allotted Time:50 Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Subject or Topic: Lesson Plan 2: The Harmful Effects of Invasive Species
Common Core/PA Standard(s): Standard 4.5.3.B: define the term pests and identify various
plants and animals that humans call pest
Learning Targets/Objectives:
● The 3rd grade student will be able to identify the harmful effects an invasive species
has on one's ecosystem by viewing a powerpoint and taking guided notes and a
research report
Assessment Approaches: Evidence:
1. Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down: 1. Observational
“Thumbs up if you understand the 2. Research Report
harmful effects an invasive species a. 1. Location of Invasive Species
has on one's environment and b. 2. Invasive Species Of Choice
thumbs down if you not sure” c. 3. Invasive Species Native
2. Research Report Home
…. d. 4. Species Non-Native Home
e. 5.. Description/Drawing
f. 6. How does it impact the
environment?
…
Assessment Scale:
● Student finds a location of an invasive species, their native home, description of the
invasive species, how and when it was introduced, how it impacts the environment,
and how sciented control it = 7/7 Proficient
● Student finds 5/7 things on the research report sheet but not all = 5/7 Basic
● Student finds 2/7 things on the research report sheet but not all = 2/7 Below Basic
Subject Matter/Content:
Prerequisites:
● Non-Native Species
● Native Species
● Habitat
● Invasive Species
● ecosystem
● how to fill out guided notes
Key Vocabulary:
● Predator
○ an animal that lives by killing and eating other animals
● Food web
○ the whole group of interacting food chains in an ecological community
● resources
○ the things needed for animals and plants to survive such as food and water
● Prey
○ an animal hunted or killed by another animal for food
● Extinction
○ when a species has no more living members
Content/Facts:
● Every ecosystem has a system of living things that live and survive off of its own
individual food chain
● The cycle of this food web interacts with the native species within a habitat through
predator and prey.
● When an invasive species comes in and affects the ecosystem or a particular species
the other species begin to decline, leaving less resources for other animals and plants
to survive within their ecosystem
● this can lead an entire species into extinction
Introduction/Activating/Launch Strategies:
● Prompt Students: Good morning scientist! you all did an amazing job with yesterday's
lesson on invasive species I really enjoyed looking at all of your drawings and facts.
Who can tell me three things they have locked in their brain from yesterday's lesson?”
(GIVE TIME TO ANSWER) Fantastic answers! We are going to discuss today the
harmful effects Invasive Species have on an ecosystem. You will be taking some notes,
from my powerpoint, and then you will be doing a fun research activity. But first we
are going to read a story about where chocolate comes from!
● Read “No Monkeys No Chocolate”
Development/Teaching Approaches
● Talk about “No Monkeys No Chocolate Book” say: “After reading this book, it has
given us a great example of how something as simple as chocolate comes from the
role of many different species within a chain. and ecosystem.
● Ask: “What might happen if an invasive species was moved to the native home of the
cocoa bean in South America?”
● Wait for students to answer, then say: “Great answers everyone. If an invasive species
were to come in and wipe out the population of the monkeys who help the cocoa
beans grow, then all the other animals that rely on the resource of the cocoa bean
will decline. A resource can be the things needed in order for a plant or animal to
survive within its natural habitat such as food or water. Now we are going to move a
little further into the harmful effects an invasive species can have on an ecosystem
within a powerpoint.”
● I DO
○ “In moments I am going to pull up a powerpoint for today's lesson. Before I do
so I am going to have (pick a student) in just a moment pass out guided notes
for today's powerpoint. (have student) pass out guided notes.
○ Pull up the Harmful Effects of Invasive Species PP
○ Go through power point with students by slide, each slide has what you are
supposed to say on it
○ on slide #3 prompt the students: Explain the food chain in the picture. Follow
each animal and say each text blurb in order from the sun to the grass to the
grasshopper to the mice etc.
○ continue reading through slides. At slide # have a discussion with the students
“What would happen if a new invasive species got relocated from their native
land and into the ecosystem we just looked at?” discuss with students
○ follow out with the rest of the slides
○ during presentation prompt students to follow along with their guided notes
“Be sure to follow the guided notes throughout the powerpoint”
○ answer any questions students might have about the lesson or about the
guided notes
○ end powerpoint and begin discussing the research report project
○ “Great job everyone on paying attention to the powerpoint and following
through your guided notes! Now you will get the chance to research an
invasive species of your choice using the ipads. I will be handing them out
shortly, but first let me explain how we will be doing this.
● WE DO
○ Pull up Research Report on doc cam
○ Explain to the students “ First you will be researching an invasive species on
the ipads. The website you can use to find these invasive species is right here
on the Research Report (Point to website) using this website to do your
research you will write down an invasive species.
○ Under Invasive Species: Write Red Fire Ant and say: “for example im picking
the Red Fire Ant
○ Under Native Location: Say “here you will be writing the native location of the
invasive species, where it originally comes from.” Since I am doing the Red Fire
Ant I am going to write down South America.” write down
○ Under Non -Native Location: Say “here you will be writing the location of
where the invasive species you chose has invaded. Since I am doing the Red
Fire Ant I am going to write down the Southern United States.”
○ Under Description: Say “Here you will be writing down a brief description of
the invasive species. Is it an insect? What does it look like? Is it an animal?
write down: the red fire ant is a red tiny insect that is similar looking to the
regular ant. Then under you will draw a picture of your invasive species.”
(draw little picture of red fire ant)
○ Under how it impacts the environment: say “Here you will be writing down the
impacts this invasive species has on its environment.” “For example, (write
this down) I am going to write down “The Fire ant is an invasive species
because it has a painful bite that harms humans, plants, and animals. The Fire
ant also eats almost any plant or tiny animal it can get its hands on. This
impacts the environment in a negative way because it affects the food chain of
this specific environment.” “You may find a little more detail then I have
included.”
○ Say: Before I pass out the papers I am going to show you how to navigate the
website to find an invasive species of your choice. In order to pick these
invasive species attached to the research report will be a list of invasive
species you can choose from.” -Pull up https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov
on the projector. “After choosing your invasive species you will type the name
of the invasive species in the search engine right here. (move mouse to search
engine on website) then you will be typing the name of the invasive species in.
I will be typing in Red fire ant. (type in red fire ant) Then you can click through
any of these links to find the information needed to complete your research.”
○ Pass out papers, and markers and crayons for the drawing section. Pass out an
Ipad per student.
○ say: “I am very excited to see your research on an Invasive Species. Does
anyone have any questions?” answer any questions
○ “I will be around to help you with any questions you have while we complete
this project. I will be collecting these by the end of class.”
○ be sure to walk around and help students during project
● YOU DO
○ students will be completing Research Report Paper using the ipads and the
sheet provided
Closure/Summarizing Strategies:
● Collect papers when students are finished
● say: “Wow great job everyone, I am very excited to read your research reports on the
invasive species of your choice. Now we are going to have a short class discussion on
what you learned today. Does anyone want to tell me the harmful effects invasive
species can have on an environment? You can also give me an example of how your
invasive species from today's research affects the environment. (give students time to
discuss.)
● say “ Amazing answers scientist and researchers, now let's keep this information
locked in to our brains with our magic keys”. (touch head and pretend to lock
information in head)
● say: “Now we will watch a short video on invasive species being transported from
their native location to a non native location. This ties into tomorrow's lesson when
we will be doing a fun activity on relocating a species!”
● Play Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz3UdLEWQ60
wrap it up: “Amazing job today guys! We will be learning more about how invasive
species are relocated tomorrow!”
Accommodations/Differentiation:
for a student with a visual impairment: I will have all powerpoints, papers, and videos
available to the students via email so they can watch and follow along on their support
systems.
Materials/Resources:
● “No Monkeys No Chocolate” By Melissa Stewart and Allen Young
● The Harmful Effects of Invasive Species PP
● Ipads
● Paper
● Crayons, markers
● Guided Notes
● Report Research Paper
https://kutztown.mackinvia.com/titles?
page=2&limit=15&sort=0&categoryId=3&categoryName=Animals
https://kutztown.mackinvia.com/Reader/Launch?
viaId=6351258&bookId=30363888&language=0&position=855
http://wordcentral.com/elementary/
https://www.brainpop.com/science/diversityoflife/invasivespecies/
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/invasive-species/
https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/invertebrates/red-imported-fire-ant
https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz3UdLEWQ60
Reflective Response:
Report of Student Learning Target/Objectives Proficiency Levels
Remediation Plan (if applicable)
Personal Reflection Questions
Additional reflection/thoughts
