Lesson 4

KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Teacher Candidate:
Hillary Dankel and Natalie Schafer Date:
Cooperating Teacher:
Group Size:
25
Subject or Topic:
10/20/15
Coop. Initials
Allotted Time 1 hour Grade Level
Reptiles
10
Section
STANDARD:
Standard 3.1.3.A1 Describe characteristics of living things that help to identify and
classify them.
I. Performance Objectives (Learning Outcomes):
The third grade students will be able to investigate how reptiles use camouflage to
survive in their habitats by completing an inquiry in small groups and testing their
predator skills to find hidden objects.
The third grade students will be able to describe characteristics and adaptations of
chameleons by reproducing patterns from a chosen background onto a chameleon
template.
II. Instructional Materials
- Habitat trays from Lesson 2 (see attached on how to make)
- Tally sheet (see attached)
- Assorted buttons
- Patterned scrapbook paper (1 sheet per student)
- Chameleon template (see attached)
- Markers and crayons
- Glue or glue sticks
- Beautiful Footage: Chameleons Are Amazing YouTube Video
htttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJtalqahi3l
- Word Wall (from previous lessons)
III. Subject Matter/Content (prerequisite skills, key vocabulary, big idea, outline of
additional content)
A. Prerequisite skills
1. Fine motor skills (using scissors, coloring, gluing)
2. Knows definition of an adaptation
3. Understands predator/ prey relationships

4. Knows definition of defense mechanism
B. Key Vocabulary
1. Chameleon: A small, slow moving lizard with a prehensile tail, a long
extensible tongue, independently moving eyes, and ability to change color
2. Camouflage: to hide or disguise
3. Binocular vision: Being able to look in two directions at the same time
4. Extensible tongue: Can shoot out very long and very fast
5. Prehensile tail: Can grab or hold onto objects
C. Big Idea
1. Why do reptiles use camouflage?
2. What special adaptations do chameleons use?
D. Content
1. Camouflage is used by some reptiles as a defense mechanism and also for
hunting.
2. Chameleons use camouflage to hide from predators and to catch their prey.
3. Chameleons can change a variety of colors depending on their mood,
environment, and to send messages
4. Chameleon tongues can move as fast as 13mph to catch insects.
IV. Implementation
A. Introduction
1. To introduce this lesson, the teacher will play a YouTube video Beautiful
Footage: Chameleons Are Amazing
htttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJtalqahi3l
2. The teacher will ask questions to check comprehension after the video.
a. What habitats did you notice in this video?
b. What adaptations did you observe that make chameleons unique?
c. What did you find most interesting about the video?
3. The teacher will collect the field journal assignment from the previous
lesson (see previous lesson for homework assignment)
B. Development
1. After discussing the video the teacher will introduce the key vocabulary and
write the words onto the word wall.
2. The teacher will ask the students Why do you think chameleons use
camouflage?
3. The teacher will introduce an inquiry on camouflage.
a. Before the lesson takes place the teacher will prepare the four habitat
trays and hide fifteen to twenty buttons in the habitat based on the colors in
the tray.
b. The teacher will place the trays in four spots in the classroom and lay
masking tape on the floor three to four feet away from the trays.
c. Some buttons should blend in well and be hidden, while other buttons
should be contrasting in color and easy to see.
d. The teacher will divide the students into four groups and pass out the
tally sheet. (See attached)
e. The students will have approximately 1 minute to stand behind the tape at
their station and record as many buttons as they can see using the tally sheet.
f. The students will try to locate buttons in groups of 2 or 3.
g. After each student in the group has tallied their buttons the students will
rotate to the next habitat tray.
4. After all the students have rotated to each habitat tray, they will return to
their seats and have a class discussion on how many buttons theyve found.
5. The teacher will reveal the total number of buttons for each tray.
6. The students will write a conclusion on their tally sheet to summarize how
easy or how hard it was to locate the buttons.
7. The teacher will collect the tally sheets and conclusions.
8. The teacher will hand out the chameleon templates and scissors to the
students and ask them to cut the chameleons out.
9. The teacher will handout a piece of pattern paper to each student.
10. The students will color the chameleons to blend into their pattern paper.
11. After the chameleons are colored the students will paste their chameleons
onto the pattern paper.
12. The teacher will collect the chameleon artwork to hang in the classroom.
C. Closure
1. The teacher will explain that the next day they will be learning about
another reptile.
2. The teacher will present the students with this specific riddle which will
lead into the next day.
a.
I have four legs and a tail.
I have no teeth.
I can swim and dive underwater.
I carry my house around with me.
I am a...
3. The teacher will have the students write down on a piece of paper what
they believe the reptile is for the next lesson as an exit ticket.
D. Accommodations/Differentiation
1. To accommodate for Justin, a 3rd grade boy with Down Syndrome, the
teacher will allow him more time to locate the buttons and allow him to
work with a partner to complete the tally sheet.
2. To differentiate for Jake, a 3rd grade boy with a visual impairment, the
teacher will allow him to cross the tape line and let him get as close to the
tray as he needs to see the buttons.
E. Assessment/Evaluation Plan
1. Formative
a. The teacher will use a checklist to monitor the students during the
camouflage inquiry to make sure they are on task and working well in
groups.
b. The teacher will use a checklist to monitor whether the students
grasp the concept of camouflage during a chameleon coloring activity.
2. Summative
There is no summative for this lesson.
V. Reflective Response
A. Report of Student Performance in Terms of Stated Objectives (Reflection on
student performance written after lesson is taught, includes remediation for
students who fail to meet acceptable level of achievement)
Remediation Plan
B. Personal Reflection (Questions written before lesson is taught. Reflective

answers to question recorded after lesson is taught)
1. How could this lesson be improved?
2. Was I able to teach the vocabulary words effectively for this

lesson?
VI. Resources (in APA format)

National Geographic, ed. "Beautiful footage: chameleons are amazing." Youtube. N.p.,
11 Aug. 2015. Web. 27 Oct. 2015.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJtaIqahi3I.
Ranson, A. (2014, May 3). Mini sensory tubs animal habitats. Retrieved October 13,
2015, from The imagination tree website:
http://theimaginationtree.com/2014/05/animal-habitat-mini-sensory-tubs.html
Lee, J. (2011, May 16). Bugs bugs bugs! Retrieved October 27, 2015, from Mrs. Lee's
Kindergarten website: http://mrsleeskinderkids.blogspot.com/2011/05/bugs-bugsbugs.html
Tally Sheet for Camouflage Inquiry

Name:________________________
Date:________________
Aquatic Habitat
Buttons Found:
Grassland Habitat
Buttons Found:
Actual Number of
Buttons:_____
Desert Habitat
Buttons Found:
Actual Number of
Buttons:_____
Rainforest Habitat
Buttons Found:
Actual Number of
Buttons:_____
Actual Number of
Buttons:_____
Conclusion: How good are your predator skills? Which buttons

were easy to find? Which buttons were hard to find? What were
the buttons that blended in using?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Checklist for Behavior Management/ Vocabulary Comprehension

Student
On Task
Not on Task Understands
Needs to
During
During
Concept of
Review
Camouflage Camouflage Camouflage Concept of
Inquiry
Inquiry
Camouflage
How to Create Sensory Habitat Trays

For use with unit on reptiles
These habitat trays or tubs are simple to make and can be used not only with this lesson,
but for free play or other sensory play for students. To get started, you will need a few things:
- foil lasagna trays (or plastic tubs if you would like to reuse them)
- Water
- Sand
- Fake grass or real grass
- Twigs/sticks
- Rocks
- Dirt or soil
- Small toy animals that can be found in each habitat
Once you have collected your materials, you can build as many habitats as you would like!
For the purpose of this inquiry, the teacher will create four habitats including water, desert,
jungle (rainforest), and grassland.
For the water habitat, fill the tray with water. Add rocks, sand, and aquatic reptile toys
like turtles and alligators or crocodiles.
For the grassland habitat, add a layer of fake grass (or sod) and a few rocks or twigs. Add
lizard, snake, or turtle toys.
For the desert habitat, fill the bottom of the tray with sand. Add rocks and twigs, and
add lizard, snake, and tortoise toys.
For the rainforest habitat, add soil and some water so the soil is damp. Add leaves, fake
trees or twigs, and lizard and snake toys.
Use your creativity to add anything else you would like to these habitat trays, and have
fun exploring!

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KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Hillary Dankel and Natalie Schafer Date:

3. Understands predator/ prey relationships

B. Personal Reflection (Questions written before lesson is taught. Reflective

2. Was I able to teach the vocabulary words effectively for this

VI. Resources (in APA format)

Tally Sheet for Camouflage Inquiry

Conclusion: How good are your predator skills? Which buttons

Checklist for Behavior Management/ Vocabulary Comprehension

How to Create Sensory Habitat Trays

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