Life Cycle of a Frog
Overview
Our SIOP thematic unit is intended for 2nd grade students. We have centered all the learning around frogs because they are easily recognized by students and can activate background knowledge. Frogs are also easy to bring into the classroom at any stage in their life cycle, so students have access to them as a form of realia. Our unit covers five subject areas: Science, Social Studies, Art, Math, and Language Arts. For each subject area, we focused on a different level of language proficiency.
1. Art (Level 1) – Students will create frog life cycle sculptures and arrange them in the correct order of the life cycle.
2. Math (Level 2) – Students will use frog manipulatives to practice adding/subtracting, and then they will engage in some oral storytelling about the activity.
3. Science (Level 3) – Students will define metamorphosis and identify the stages of the frog life cycle.
4. Social Studies (Level 4) – Students will identify ways to take action to protect the environment and create a poster to help save the frogs.
5. Language Arts (Level 5) – Students will create and develop a frog story using specific frog life cycle information and key vocabulary learned during the course of the unit.
All of our lessons include content and language objectives. We used many strategies that are beneficial for ELL students including cooperative learning, visuals, modeling, realia, graphic organizers, and opportunities for interaction with peers through activities like “Find Your Match”. The strategies in our lessons are great for all students but are especially beneficial to the ELL students. Each lesson includes formative assessments throughout. All lessons should be developed using the SIOP model, so that all we have to do as teachers is tweak them according to the specific ELL students that we have.
1. Art (Level 1) – Students will create frog life cycle sculptures and arrange them in the correct order of the life cycle.
2. Math (Level 2) – Students will use frog manipulatives to practice adding/subtracting, and then they will engage in some oral storytelling about the activity.
3. Science (Level 3) – Students will define metamorphosis and identify the stages of the frog life cycle.
4. Social Studies (Level 4) – Students will identify ways to take action to protect the environment and create a poster to help save the frogs.
5. Language Arts (Level 5) – Students will create and develop a frog story using specific frog life cycle information and key vocabulary learned during the course of the unit.
All of our lessons include content and language objectives. We used many strategies that are beneficial for ELL students including cooperative learning, visuals, modeling, realia, graphic organizers, and opportunities for interaction with peers through activities like “Find Your Match”. The strategies in our lessons are great for all students but are especially beneficial to the ELL students. Each lesson includes formative assessments throughout. All lessons should be developed using the SIOP model, so that all we have to do as teachers is tweak them according to the specific ELL students that we have.
Created by: Michelle Brady, Alicia Christian and Honey Goode