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Lesson Plan: Teaching Vocabulary in the Content Areas

Using a Concept of Definition Map to Construct a Definition of a Key Science Concept: Eco-system

Abstract: In this lesson, students are introduced to a graphic organizer to guide their class discussion about a science concept. After the completion of the map, students construct a definition for ecosystem, the central concept for a new unit of study.

Grade Band: 3–5.

Estimated Lesson Time: One 50-minute class

Standards:

Standard 5. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meanings and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).

Standard 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.



Overview: In this lesson, a fifth grade science class will launch a unit of study on ecosystems by constructing a definition of the concept: ecosystem. Using a graphic organizer with the attributes of a definition, the teacher will lead a class discussion about (1) the category of the word (What is this?), (2) some characteristics of the concept (What is it like?), and (3) some specific examples and non-examples of the word. Once the map is complete, the teacher models how to write a definition using the information on the word map. After writing their own definitions, students can confirm them by using dictionaries (or science texts or trade books) to look up ecosystem, then revise or add to their definitions, if necessary.

From Theory to Practice: Stahl, S. A. (1999). Vocabulary Development. Cambridge, MA: Brookline Books.

Research on vocabulary instruction tells us the most effective instruction for teaching words as concepts includes using a variety of techniques to help students establish connections: among contexts, with their prior knowledge, and with other concepts being taught.

Student Objectives (skills, strategies, concepts),

Students will:

• Predict what the central concept means by prewriting in their science journals

• Collaborate on filling out a graphic organizer: concept-of-definition map

• Draw on prior knowledge and experience to think of examples and non-examples

• Construct a definition based on the compilation of information in the map

• Confirm (or revise) a definition with a reference book or science text

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

Resources:

• Science journals

• Blank graphic organizer on board or overhead projector:

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Preparation:

1. Prepare blank graphic organizer on board

2. Have science journals available

3. Prepare handout for pairs of students: What kind of ecosystem do crayfish live in?

Instruction and Activities:

Before:

1. Introduce the lesson by stating the goal: to discuss a complete definition of the life-science concept, ecosystem, and relate the concept to what the students already know and are learning.

2. Students will predict what ecosystem means with a quick write of their own definition of ecosystem in their science journals.

During: Board talk

3. Initiate a discussion about what a definition is by pointing out the elements of a complete definition on the graphic organizer: category of word (what is it?), properties (what is it like?), and illustrations (what are some examples?).

4. Define concept, ecosystem: Ecosystem is a life-science system formed by the interactions of a community of organisms (living things) with their environment.”

5. Guide a rich discussion that draws on student’s background knowledge about the concept by having students contribute to the map: What is it like? What are some examples?

After:

1. In pairs, students apply their understanding of the concept ecosystem to what they have learning about crayfish. Teacher distributes handout: What kind of ecosystem do crayfish live in?

2. As a large-group wrap-up, the teacher records a final complete definition from contributions from the group based on information on the word map and application to current study. For example, “Ecosystem is a life-science concept describing the interaction of communities of organisms, such as crayfish, with their environment, such as fresh water stream.”

Extension:

1. Teacher asks students to predict meaning of ecology and ecologist, based on their understanding of the root eco-.

Class work: Students revise (add to) their original definitions in their science journals.

Student Assessment/Reflections

• Teacher reads revised definition for ecosystem from science journals.

Assessment for Objectives:

• Predict what the central concept means by prewriting in their science journals

• Collaborate on filling out a graphic organizer: concept-of-definition map

• Draw on prior knowledge and experience to think of examples and non-examples

• Construct a definition based on the compilation of information in the map

• Confirm (or revise) a definition with a reference book or science text

Supplemental material: student handouts

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