Social Studies Lesson Plan Example

LESSON PLAN for CONTENT METHODS SEMESTER (Five E Model)

Name(s):  Andrea Clark                                                           Section:  05

Subject: Social Studies                                                 Grade Level: 4th                     

Title of Lesson:  A Living System: Our Government, Personified

Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) Elementary Education Standards

Please check the appropriate strand.

MATH                                                                        SCIENCE                   SOCIAL STUDIES

_____  Number and Operations and Algebra               _____  Physical           __X___  Integrated study of history

_____  Measurement and Geometry                            _____  Life                  _____  Geography

_____  Data Analysis and Probability                          _____ Earth/Space       __X___  Social Sciences

LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

Establishing the Lesson Framework

Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills: §113.15. Social Studies (15)  Government. The student understands important ideas in historical documents of Texas and the United States. The student is expected to:

(A)  identify the purposes and explain the importance of the Texas Declaration of Independence, the Texas Constitution, and other documents such as the Meusebach-Comanche Treaty;

(B)  identify and explain the basic functions of the three branches of government according to the Texas Constitution; and

(C)  identify the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights (Celebrate Freedom Week).

Objective(s): The student will identify important features of Texas government including, three branches of government, the Declaration of Independence, and the Texas Constitution. The student will also be able to explain the roles of important figures in Texas government history such as Governor Ann Richards and Henry B. Gonzales.

Rationale for teaching this lesson: When using competition and team work students not only has to understand the important ideas in historical documents of Texas and the United States. The student is has to be able to relay that information to their peers. In this way the students have to have in depth knowledge of their subject in order to be successful in the game.

Content Area Literacy Strategy: By using the Tea Party CALS students reinforce their subject fluency as they teach other students. They learn more about the vocabulary words used in the text and deepen their understanding of the big ideas of the lesson as they explain, listen to peers, and talk about the themes with classmates.

English Language Proficiency Standard (ELPS): 1) construct meaning from oral presentations and literary and informational text through grade-appropriate listening, reading, and viewing  2) participate in grade-appropriate oral and written exchanges of information, ideas, and analyses, responding to peer, audience, or reader comments and questions 3) speak and write about grade-appropriate complex literary and informational texts and topics

Evaluation Strategies

Pre- Assessment: 

Question and answer strategy where the teacher connects this lesson to what they have learned previously about the 3 branches of government, key documents, and players in the history of Texas government.

Formative Assessment(s):  Observation, Questioning, Discussion, Written Response

Summative/Post Assessment: Exit ticket detailing 3 new pieces of information they have about Texas Government.

Designing Supportive Learning Environments

	TEACHER USE	STUDENT USE
Materials	Poster Paper, Markers, Leaf Printables with names of relevant Texas government terms and personalities, Scissors, Tape	Crayons, Textbook or access to the internet
Resources	Social Studies Textbook, Texas Government Websites	Textbook, Texas Government Websites
Technology (justify why needed or not needed)	Access to internet if no textbook available	Access to internet if no textbook available

SETTING
Classroom Arrangement	Two large study group tables with a large walkway in middle leading up to the board.
Materials Management	Materials provided by teacher
Student Grouping	Students divided into two to four competing teams
Technology Needs	Internet access if no textbook is available
Safety Concerns	This lesson involves racing. The teacher must remind students that they need to be aware of their bodies in relation to others and objects surrounding them.

Student Needs/Adaptations

STUDENT	CONTEXTUAL FACTOR	STUDENT NEED/ADAPTATION
Student A	ADHD	Written instructions and timer reminders of responsibilities
Student B	ID	Peer support and para-aide
Student C	ELL Advanced  Level	Visual clues and peer-support

Content Knowledge

The specific content knowledge needed for the teacher to know for this lesson includes: identifying important features of Texas government including, three branches of government and their working relationships, the Declaration of Independence, and the Texas Constitution. The teacher should also be able to explain the roles of important figures in Texas government history such as Governor Ann Richards and Henry B. Gonzales.

            Other connections to learning that the teacher must know are which branches of government civic jobs fall under i.e., Governor- executive branch, J.P. - judicial branch.

The students will make the content meaningful and clear to one another through tea party discussions, the teacher will facilitate by directing students to their subjects relevant information

Students should be able to distinguish between jobs in government and how each branch works with one another to keep the system in balance.

Students may have trouble understanding the difference between branches and why they should care about the functions of our government.

The teacher may use School House Rock videos and examples of why the government is a living system and their role in progress toward a more equitable future.

Students may have trouble listening to one another teach the concepts, they may also have trouble understanding what they are reading in order to decipher what is important information to convey to the other team members.

Be prepared by using frequent reminders of the competition at the end of the lesson and reading and discussing information as needed with students.

Instructional Strategies

The instructional model(s) utilized in this lesson is (are):

 __X___ Guided Inquiry                                 _____ Direct Instruction          __X___ Cooperative Learning

           

__X___ Challenge                               _____ Open Inquiry               _X____   Five E Model

INTRODUCTION/FOCUS/ENGAGE
The teacher will…	Introduce lesson as a competition that requires them to work together as a team. Explain that the point of the research that they are about to do is for the benefit of the team. There is no point to it if their team members do not listen to each person’s definitions and pay attention to the color of the leaf for the subject they are defining.
The student will…	Listen to the guidelines for the competition, afterwards they are to get into a critical thinking mode of behavior, attention to detail, focus on main ideas, metacognition.
Type of formative Assessment	Questioning, Discussion
Approximate time	5 mins.
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURE/METHOD/ACTIVITIES
EXPLORE:	The Students will: Work together which requires that students have patience, focus, and cooperation. Therefore, the students will work together to help each other find and interpret information gathered on a subject. Once information has been achieved, the shorthand definition will be put on the corresponding leaf for the definition. The student will then color the leaf in a unique design, lightly as to still be able to see the definition and term. The Teacher will: Be available to any student who needs help with discerning pertinent information or to redirect those who have gotten off-task.
EXPLAIN:	The Students will: Either be a good audience member by taking notes on the color and content of each leaf while remaining silent unless they need clarification on a subject or teaching their own subjects to their team. The Teacher will: Be available to redirect or assist with informational/content needs.
ELABORATE:	The Students will: Participate in a one on one race to find the leaf that corresponds with the clues the teacher gives. The students must remember to maintain a safe distance between themselves while racing. Once a leaf has been selected it will be handed to the teacher. The Teacher will:  Facilitate the game and reiterate the subject with the definition each time one is found.
EVALUATE: APPROXIMATE TIME:	The Students will: Decide which branch of government a subject falls under or if it is a civic duty instead The Teacher will:  Award an extra point when the correct branch is named or argued affectively for the placement 30-50 mins. according to time restraints (15-25 mins. for both information gathering and Tea Party Time)
	Rubric:      Score Student can identify important subjects in Texas history Students can explain why the subject is important in Texas Government Collaboration 4 Student is able to identify 3 or more subjects and can place them in the appropriate branch of government Student can identify the reasons why a subject is relevant to Texas history and can communicate that information effectively Student helps teammates with locating and discerning information. Student is attentive and active while listening to tea party talk. Student is encouraging to teammates during race 3 Student was able to identify 2 subjects and was able to place them in appropriate branches of government Student is able to discern most information but includes anecdotes that distract from the main points. The student gets their point across, mostly with some confusion Student does their job with little help given to others. Student is attentive but not listening to learn from teammates. 2 Student was able to identify 1 subject and was able to place them in appropriate branches of government Student writes down first observation without fully analyzing the text. Seems unconcerned about teammates absorption of information Student only does their job and does not help. Student is disengaged from the Tea Party 1 Student was able to identify a subject but was unable to place them in a branch of government Student does not write down any relevant information and only conveys surface impressions to team. Student does not finish all subjects and does not bother to color leaf. Student disrupts Tea Party
CLOSURE
The teacher will…	Provide index cards for exit ticket and a HOT question about the lesson
The student will…	Fill out exit ticket
Type of formative assessment	Questioning, Discussion
Approximate time	5 mins.

Science Websites

Here are a few websites to have fun with in the name of science!

Just for Kids: From the Univ. of IL extension service, this site offers a set of animated, interactive options covering a wide range of science topics, including plants, gardens, insects, a woods walk, and many more. Teacher‟s guides are available via a link on the top of each page. http://urbanext.illinois.edu/kids/index.html 

Magic School Bus: Materials on animals, space, the human body, and much more are explored through games and guided tours. http://scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/

Ology: Learn about the 'ologies', from the American Museum of Natural History. Includes interactive games, interviews with scientists, solving mysteries, and much more. http://www.amnh.org/ology/paleontology# 

Math Websites

Here are a few websites to help with the concepts we will be learning this year:

AAA Math
Designed for grades K-8, this comprehensive math resource contains hundreds of pages of basic math skills and randomly-created interactive practice activities.

Ask Dr. Math
This is a huge resource of answers to math questions for elementary to college students. If you have a question not covered, you can ask Dr. Math!

Brain Bashers
Includes an interesting collection of math, logic, and language puzzles, games, and illusions, separated into easy, medium and hard categories.

Social Studies Websites

Here are only a few websites to further your understanding of our Social Studies topics this year:

Circle of Stories: This site uses documentary film, photography, artwork, and music to help tell a number of Native American stories. Native Americans narrate five of the stories. Lesson plans included on this site.http://www.pbs.org/circleofstories/ 

Great American Landmarks Adventure: From the National Parks Service, this virtual trip takes students back in time via a time machine to cave paintings from about 1500 years ago through space exploration in 1969. The 43 pictures can be printed and colored by the time travelers. *Note: If menu page won‟t load, go to „credits‟, and then to „step into adventure‟. http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/pad/adventure/landmark.htm

Congress For Kids: from website: “Congress for Kids gives you access to interactive, fun-filled experiences designed to help you learn about the foundation of our federal government and how its actions affect you. Although designed for students in grades fourth through high school, other students, teachers, parents, and interested citizens will find helpful, engaging activities, too.” http://congressforkids.net/index.htm 

You can find out more about specific topics of interest by doing  your own online investigations (with parental consent, of course).

Philosophy of Teaching

Learning is innate, it is what we humans are best at. It is up to the educator to inspire students to want to learn more than is necessary, to want to explore a subject until their curiosity is satiated. I will always lead by example, by showing my students that learning is never really over if you have growth in mind and by furthering my own understanding of how to deepen a student’s thinking by posing challenging questions with higher order thinking being the goal. This is how children learn, by growing into a concept. It is a truism that the only things that change are the things that challenge you. I do not want my students to ever say that their work is “good enough” but rather that they “do their best” and mean it. If that is truly the case, then that student will have developed a growth mindset, which is the most important tool in learning in all fields.

I try to invest in the individual by having this same growth mindset. I understand that there is limitless potential for all of us to improve as long as we are challenged, supported, and encouraged, no matter what our past experiences tell us. In this way I will always vary instruction to account for the current Zone of Proximal Development (the range of difficulty where a student is challenged but not frustrated) of each student. New experiences matter, our reactions to these new experiences matters even more. With this in mind, an emphasis on adaptability will be a part of my classroom, students will be required to work in groups to solve problems based real world scenarios and students will be active in their learning thereby, ensuring a whole body connection to new information. I believe that having a symbiotic relationship with the community is vital to the success of my teaching philosophy. My students will be made aware of their integral role in society and how they can affect real change by just caring enough to participate. Much of the focus for the classroom will be community involvement so there is much I can learn from my students, parents, faculty, and rest of the community as well. I will try to lead by example, by having an open door policy in my classroom, I will encourage my student’s parents to come and learn with us!

Philosophy of Discipline:

I believe that the secret to avoiding common behavioral problems is establishing positive classroom procedures for daily tasks and activities. Consistency is essential and once they have internalized classroom procedures, the day will run smoothly now that they have a routine built into their day. I will define what you expect of students from the very beginning. By creating a positive classroom climate my students will feel safe, secure and will be engaged with their own learning. I will have several discussions with the students about maintaining the right climate in their classroom. They will help with ideas of how they think the classroom should run and they will help me enforce everyone’s expectations.

            My classroom plan will help to develop student involvement and cooperation in classroom activities and will help establish a productive working environment. To establish a productive working environment I will make my room stimulating and inviting. Classroom displays and arrangements will be functional and inviting. Students will be more invested in working in an environment that they helped decorate. In this way they can remind themselves of classroom procedures by making their own posters of them. If there are further difficulties in following instruction then I will have the student leave the room on an errand. This will hopefully break the negative cycle and refocus both of us on learning. Only after a student’s behaviour becomes discouraging to others learning will I ask for more direct help from administrators and parents. I believe self-awareness to be one of the most important skills to have in becoming a viable member of society. Therefore, I will afford students every opportunity to self-correct before enlisting other tactics.    

Bio

Hi, my name is Andrea Clark and I will be graduating from Sam Houston State University in May 2016 with a certification to teach Early Childhood through 6th grade! Growing up within a military family I was treated to a wide array of personality types, cultures, and educational philosophies. With this type of background, I believe that I will be able to connect with all kinds of families and their children. My hobbies consist of reading, writing prose, and costume design. I hope that once we meet we can learn more from and about each other!