Blended Learning Lesson Plan

Lesson Title: Turkey Run

Objectives:
Students will be able to describe what problem solving is and give examples of different
problem-solving activities.
Students will be able to arrange the Lego pieces so that the marble (Turkey) can make in
through the “maze.”
State Standards:
7c: Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various roles and
responsibilities to work effectively toward a common goal.
Context:
This lesson is an elementary special education STEM lesson about problem solving. I am
teaching this lesson because it is helpful for students to understand how to problem solve and end
up with different results. Before this lesson, the students learned different ways in how to go
about using problem solving so they can use that knowledge to create their maze to allow the
turkey to be set free. This means that students will be completing this lesson being able to
understand how to what they are doing and go to do it. This skill is important because the
students will not be able to how to make a clear pathway while making their maze if they do not
understand problem solving. After this lesson, the students will learn how to describe what they
did to their maze that allowed the turkey to become free. In order to prepare for this, the students
will learn how to be able to talk about what they have just created. Overall, this lesson will be
important in helping students with their gross motor skills and gain their knowledge of problem
solving.
Data:
The students will be split up into three different groups. The groups will consist of low, middle,
and high. These groups will be based on their exit ticket answer to the question, “was today’s
lesson easy or hard? If it was hard why was it hard?” Also, on the exit ticket, will be questions
about the lesson we had completed for the day to see if the students can remember what we did.
The purpose of these questions is to allow those students who are struggling to understand better
and ask more questions if they need too. As the teacher, this helps me because it is showing me
how I can improve so each student is understanding the lesson to their full capability.
Materials:
Part of Lesson Material(s) Used Link
Introduction Smart Board https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf-ULFTBdLc

Teacher iPad, worksheet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahha-igVmJw

Directed
Collaborative Legos, Lego No link, students will do this with no technology.
board, marble
Independent iPad(app), https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-cat-in-the-hat-builds-
Digital Headphones that/id1332796551

Closure Worksheet No link, students will complete a worksheet.

Procedures:
Introduction (10 minutes): I will start the lesson by explaining to the students what we
will be doing today. I then will turn on the Smart Board that will show a book called “How Too
Catch A Turkey.” The students will listen to the audio book while also looking at the pictures on
each page. The purpose of listening to this book was because it represents problem solving and
that is what the collaborative lesson is based on. The book the students listened to was about a
turkey that finds itself in a cage on a stage because it is going to be part of a play. The turkey
freaks out and runs throughout the school as the children, cafeteria staff, librarian all try to catch
it. Finally, the principal joins in and he runs through the athletic field chasing the turkey. The
turkey ends up wearing a football shirt, making him look like a little mascot. In the end, the
turkey ends back up on the stage and everyone thinks he is very adorable, which makes the
turkey no longer have stage fright. Once the book is complete the students will be asked what
part of the book exampled problem solving. After all the students get a chance to answer I will
explain to them the correct answer if no got it correct. From there the students will break off into
their groups and begin each activity.

Teacher Directed (20 minutes): In this portion of the lesson, students will gain a better
understanding of what problem solving is. They will begin by turning their attention to the iPad
on the table and I will play a short clip that explains what problem solving is and how we can use
it while doing different things. After the clip is over, we will go over what we just learned and
address any confusing some students may have. With the lower group, I will stop the video after
something new is discussed to explain it in a similar and more understanding way by giving
specific examples for the students to understand. The middle group will have the option to have
the video paused and be explained if they are having trouble understanding, but if they choose to
not have the video stopped at any point, we will go over what was just talked about and the
students will be asked if they can think of any other times they have witnessed or used problem
solving. With the higher group, there is a very high chance there will be no questioned asked
about the video. Once the video is over, these students will be asked to make their own problem-
solving situation up in their head and share it with the group. Once all questions are answered
and we have gone over the video, students will be handed a worksheet that has a lost turkey. The
students will need to use problem solving to free the turkey from the outside world and get it
back to its cage. Once they have completed the worksheet and the time is up, they will rotate to
their next activity.

Collaborative (20 minutes): In this section of the lesson, the students will work together
to create a maze using Legos. The goal for this maze is make a clear path for the turkey to get
from where the turkey is to his food on the other side of the maze. For this activity we are going
to have a marble represent the turkey. The piece of board the students are given is one foot by
one foot. Meaning, they will have to create different paths in order for the turkey to get to its
food. The purpose of this activity is for students to understand that there might be obstacle in the
way, so they have to find a way to make the maze open on both ends without the turkey getting
stuck in the middle. This requires problem solving because the students may have to remake their
paths many times in order for the turkey(marble) to get through. Once the students have worked
together and have used the Legos to make a clear path with no trees, rocks, benches, etc. in the
way for the turkey to get through then they will raise their hand and the teaching assistant will go
over and the students can show them there maze. If the turkey makes it through correctly then the
students will receive a prize, but if the turkey does not make it through then the students will
need to work together again to figure out what went wrong. Once the maze is complete and time
is up, the students will rotate to their next activity.

Independent Digital (20 minutes): In the part of the lesson, students will ask the teaching
assistant for an iPad and then the students will find a seat either at their desk or on the carpet.
Once they have found a seat and turned on the iPad, they will locate the Cat in The Hat Builds
That app. Once the app is launched the students will follow the instructions by listening through
their headphones. There are different activities the students have to complete. All of the activates
are problem solving based and it will get the students thinking on how they can complete each
activity. The app gets the students thinking while also showing them different ways they are able
to complete each task. Each task is similar, but the object size and shapes are different, and the
students need to figure out what works best. The students will play the game until time is up and
once time is up, they will rotate to their next station.

Closure (10 minutes): Once all of the students have been to each station, they will all
return to their seats and turn their attention to the teacher. From there, the students will have the
opportunity to say to the class what their favorite station was and why. I will then ask the
students again what they believe problem solving means now that they have completed many
different activities that involve problem solving. Once everyone has had the chance to talk if they
wanted to, I will hand out a piece of paper. This piece of paper is the students exit ticket for the
day. There are five questions the students have to answer. This exit ticket will allow me to
understand how well the students are comprehending the lesson from today. This will allow me
to group these students into new groups for the following lesson. Once they have answered all of
the questions, the students may get up and hand the teacher their paper then go collect their
belonging and wait by the door until there way of transportation back home is called.

Rationale:
“How Too Catch A Turkey” YouTube audio book
I chose to have the students listen to the audio book off of YouTube as a class, so the
students have the chance to hear someone else talk instead of just hearing my voice all day. This
will allow the students to become more engaged because it is a new voice to them, along with
them having a clearer view of the photos from the book which they all very much enjoy looking
at. This video supports student learning and my standards and objectives because it is showing an
example of problem solving by having the turkey realize that everyone loves him, and he isn’t
afraid to be on stage. It supports my standard because the teachers, students, and principal are all
working together to try and catch the turkey. I know that this multimedia is high-quality because
it has content quality. The screen is clear, the video/pictures are easy to see, and the audio is not
to fast. This multimedia choice differentiates instruction for all learners because it provides
closed captions, pictures and, audio which can be used for all students.

Problem solving YouTube Video

I chose to have the students watch this short two-minute video on problem solving during
teacher directed station because it provided a clear understandable explanation along with an
example of problem-solving. This multimedia benefits the students because it gave them the
chance to hear someone else explain problem-solving to them besides myself and the teaching
assistants. This piece of multimedia supports my standards and objectives because it gives the
students a clear understanding of what problem-solving is which will then allow them to gain the
knowledge and be able to explain it to someone else if they are asked. Keeping their attention to
the view while it is on helps them works towards understanding how to point out when they
whiteness or realize they are using problem solving. This piece of multimedia supports my
rationale because it is providing feedback and adaption to the students. I know these pieces of
multimedia is high-quality because it allows for us to use closed captioning, it has audio and, it
presents videos and pictures on the screen which may benefit multiple different students.
Cat in The Hat Builds That iTunes app
 I chose students to use this type of multimedia during their independent time because I
felt as if it allowed the students to focus and what to complete the tasks the app asks them to do.
This app is a great way for students to understand problem solving because it has the students
complete different tasks to get to the end. The piece of multimedia benefits students because it
teaches them that they may have to complete similar tasks to get to the end, but they have to
realize that the objects they use to complete the tasks will all be different shapes and sizes so
they will need to use critical thinking in order to figure out which one they will need to use. This
piece of multimedia supports my standard and objectives because gives them the opportunity to
use this activity as their example they share of a problem-solving activity they have completed.
They are working efficiently to get to their goal of completing each task so they can get to the
end. This piece of multimedia supports my rationale because it is giving the students motivation
to want to get the end knowing that they can share it with their class and earn a sticker at the end.
This multimedia choice differentiates instruction for all learners because it speaks aloud to you
and takes you step by step on what to do and how to do it. For those students that are deaf this
would not be a beneficial app because there are no closed captions, but if a teacher can sign to
them what to do then they would be able to do each task.