Maker Lesson Plans
with Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards
Spider Research Project
First we spent about week reading about Spiders and collecting the information on a graphic organizer. Here is part of our organizer:
Spiders
are can have
arachnids smell with their legs 2 body parts
thorax
predators make webs abdomen
8 legs and eyes
Each day we added facts we gathered from our reading. Then we read the graphic organizer. Spiders are arachnids. Spiders can smell with there legs. Spiders have two body parts the thorax and abdomen.....
We also collected vocabulary words of our Opinions about Spiders.
On Friday we wrote our paragraphs about Spiders that included an Introductory Statement, at least three facts, and a conclusion. When the students finished they made spiders from five chenille sticks. Before makerspace classes I would have shown them to wrap the fifth chenille stick around the other four to create the 8 legs. Now I asked them how many legs does a spider have and how were they going to do that with 5 sticks. I loved watching the different spider creations.
The following week we wrote an opinion paragraph. The students stated their opinion of spiders and gave two reasons to support their opinion. They then wrote a conclusion statement about spiders.
Reflection: I was pleased with the students variety of solutions. For the next time we do this project I want to think about what to say them to encourage them to make the legs more realistic. They were excited to make the spiders but many were quickly content to declare it done. Some of the students spend time to shape the body and legs. Others just wrapped them together and barely shaped the legs. One question I am asking myself is: Is is part of creating to allow students to not fully complete the projects that they are completely interested. |
Reading Standards for Informational Text. Key Ideas and Details. 2 Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text. 9. Identify basic similarities in the differences between two texts on the same topic. 10. With prompting and support, read informational text appropriately complex for grade 1.
Writing Standards. 2. Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure. W.1.7 Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of “how-to” books on a given topic and use them to write a sequence of instructions). (1-LS1-1),(1-LS3-1) W.1.8 With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
Science LS1.A: Structure and Function All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts in different ways to see, hear, grasp objects, protect themselves, move from place to place, and seek, find, and take in food, water and air. Plants also have different parts (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits) that help them survive and grow. (1-LS1-1)
Writing Standards. 2. Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure. W.1.7 Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of “how-to” books on a given topic and use them to write a sequence of instructions). (1-LS1-1),(1-LS3-1) W.1.8 With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
Science LS1.A: Structure and Function All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts in different ways to see, hear, grasp objects, protect themselves, move from place to place, and seek, find, and take in food, water and air. Plants also have different parts (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits) that help them survive and grow. (1-LS1-1)