Lesson 1: Taught and Reflected
Detailed Lesson Plan Preparation (Pedagogy: Two corners [Adapted from "Four Corners"])
Title: What Are Wants And Needs?
Grade: Kindergarten
Concept/Topic: Social Studies
Time Needed: About 15-20 minutes
Backward Design Approach: Where are you going with your students?
Identify Desired Results/Learning Outcome/Essential Question:
Students can explain what a need is and what a want is and the difference between the two. Students can classify various things as a want or a need.
NCSCOS/Common Core Standards:
K.E.1.1 Explain how families have needs and wants.
Assessment Plan:
Students will be assessed informally through observation during the activity. How many students and which ones have grasped the concept of needs versus wants will be evident as they move from side to side. Students will also be assessed informally at the end during our discussion on the carpet. Students will be asked again what the difference between a need or a want is and an example of each.
Meeting the student where they are:
Prior Knowledge/Connections:
The students have recently gone over the difference between living and non-living things so this lesson will be taking it a step further with what living things need versus what living things want. Students can easily tell what they want so I will be comparing these to what they actually need. Some students recently planted plants during indoor recess a few weeks ago, so I will be applying that experience to wants and needs as an additional example.
Lesson Introduction/Hook:
"Hello! Today we are going to be talking about the wants and needs. Wants and needs are two very different things. Can anybody tell me what a "want" is? (Call on a student or two). Right, a want is something you would like to have, but it is not necessary or needed to live. Can anybody tell me what a need is? (Call on a student or two). Right, a need is something you must have to survive."
Heart of the Lesson/Learning Plan:
Differentiation/Same-ation:
This lesson is a whole class activity so I will be starting with the basic definitions of wants and needs. The students will not be "put on the spot" in case this is the first time they are differentiating between wants and needs. The movement activity will allow students to watch and follow what others are doing in case they are not quite sure at first. I will also allow students to give some of their own examples of wants and needs to apply this idea to their lives, particularly for the more advanced students.
Lesson Development:
-Introduction:
"Hello! Today we are going to be talking about the wants and needs. Wants and needs are two very different things. Can anybody tell me what a "want" is? (Call on a student or two). Right, a want is something you would like to have, but it is not necessary or needed to live. Can anybody tell me what a need is? (Call on a student or two). Right, a need is something you must have to live."
-Heart of the Lesson:
- "So for example, a few weeks ago some of our friends planted the exotic plants (point to them). What are some things the plant needs to live? (sunlight, water, soil, container) So do the plants need the stickers on the outside of the container to live? (No, we wanted them there) Do the plants need to be looked at every hour by kindergarteners to live? (No, we want to look at them)"
- Explain that we are going to play a game to decide what things are needs and what things are wants for us (or people). Explain that one side of the room is labeled "Needs" and the other is labeled "Wants." Explain that something will be said and they will move to whichever side depending on if it is a need or a want.
- State the behavior that should be used to move to one side or the other. Demonstrate proper behavior (tiptoeing with voices off) and improper behavior (possibly with help of a student). Explain that if someone has improper behavior, they will have to sit in a seat and point to which side they believe.
- Have students stand up and then go through each of the things on the needs/wants list.
- After every student has picked a side, as someone from each side to explain why they believe it is a need or a want. Restate that ____ is a need because we have to have it to survive or _____ is a want because we like it but do not have to have it.
- After the activity, have the students come back to the carpet.
- Ask someone to explain what the difference is between a want and a need. Ask one student to give an example of a want, and another to give an example of a need.
What is a want?
What is a need?
What are some things that plants need to live?
Do the plants need the stickers on the outside of the container?
Do the plants need to be looked at every hour by kindergarteners to live?
Is ______ a want or a need?
New Vocabulary:
Want: Something you would like to have, but do not have to have to live.
Need: Something you have to have to live.
Concluding the Lesson/Closure/Debriefing:
After the activity, have the students come back to the carpet. Ask someone to explain what the difference is between a want and a need. Ask one student to give an example of a want, and another to give an example of a need.
Materials/Resources:
- Signs for each side of the room: "WANT" and "NEED"
- List of wants and needs to read or show pictures (See pictures below)
- Air
- Tickets to Frozen on Ice
- Water
- The Star Wars Angry Birds Game
- Food... then: A three scoop double chocolate fudge sundae with sprinkles on top (Although a food, this is a special food that we could survive without, but may want as a treat)
- Sleep
- Shelter/ Place to sleep/ Home
- Air
Teaching Behavior Focus:
- Provides clear directions
- Classroom management is positive and appropriate
- Student engagement through discussion is fostered
- Learners’ interests and experiences are acknowledged and integrated into discussion
Follow-Up Activities/Parent Involvement:
It could be suggested that students categorize items bought while shopping with their families as wants or needs.