Unit Plan: History and Community: Our Changing Town
Lesson Plan for Friday Grade: Social Studies Strand: History
Submitted By: Jennifer Hemsath
EDEL 453: Teaching Elementary School Social Science Nevada State College Spring 2014 Instructor: Karen Powell
Lesson Plan for Friday
B. Summary of the Lesson Plan:
Strand: History
submitted by: Jennifer Hemsath
This social studies lesson is designed for 2nd grade students to understand how people work together in order to attain a common goal in our community. Students will be grouped in 4 and asked to come up with a specific topic about the community which they may need to change or improve. C. Basic Information: Grade Level: 2nd grade Time to Complete this Lesson: 50 minutes Groupings: whole group reading & discussion, grouped debate, Individual assessment
D. Materials: Integrating Language Arts & Social Studies: 25 Strategies for K-8 Inquiry-Based Learning, Strategy 15, Establishing a Pluralist Approach to Content, p. 104. K-2 Modifications p. 107. Graphic organizer chart:
Pencils Markers Poster board (advertisement for advantages of topic)
E. Objectives: o
Nevada State College
NV State Social Studies Standards
EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 2
Lesson Plan for Friday
o
Strand: History
submitted by: Jennifer Hemsath
H2.2.1 Identify ways in which people cooperate to achieve a common goal. I can tell you how people work together to reach their goals.
Student-Friendly Standards
F. Vocabulary Goal- something that you are trying to do or achieve Debate- discussion of a topic between two matched sides Dispute- to debate a topic in disagreement Agree- to have the same opinion or feel the same way Compromise- a way of reaching agreement; something that combines the ideas of two different things Communication- the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else Opinion- what one person thinks about something
G. Procedure: 1. Discuss vocabulary words. 2. Discuss prior lesson, Then & Now: What changes did we see in our town? Who makes those changes? Is it just one person or do people need to work together to make changes happen?" Is change always good? What do people need to do to make good changes? How does one create goals? Should everyone agree?
3. Groups students in 4. Each group will consist of a data recorder, a chart maker, a presenter, and a researcher. Model what each person is expected to do: Data recorder will makes notes on the pros & cons chart during the debate within the group. Researcher will go to each working group and take a quick poll of yes or no for the topic. Chart maker will record data to an advertisement poster based on what the group has decided on their topic. Presenter will present the information to the rest of the class.
Nevada State College
EDEL 453 - Spring 2014
Karen Powell- Instructor
page 3
Lesson Plan for Friday
4.
Strand: History
submitted by: Jennifer Hemsath
Each group will come up with a topic about the community for which they need to discuss a possible change, solution, or no change at all. An example: Development of a new park- Do we need one? Would this benefit the community? Would this cause any problems? Would it cost too much?
5. The teacher must move around the room to hear discussions within each group. Give feedback when appropriate. 6. When groups have finished their debate, and completed the advertisement poster, they will share the outcome with the rest of the class. H. Assessment: What will you use to measure student understanding? I would use my observations of group work, the outcome of their work (chart & poster), and the question in the closure portion of this lesson. Explain how you will know students understand the concepts from the lesson. The closure question will show whether or not students 1 Identify ways in which people cooperate to achieve a common goal. I would use a rubric to evaluate the degree to which their answers represented what I was looking for. I. Closure: Write a paragraph that explains your experience. Tell me how people must work together to achieve a common goal. Is it easy? What needs to happen?
J. Reflection: 1. Which part of the lesson do you think will be the easiest for you to teach? I think that modeling the parts of each group will be the easiest for me to teach. It should be pretty straight-forward. 2. Which part will be most challenging for you to teach? I think that both the vocabulary and the process of debate within groups will be equally challenging. That may need to be modeled (as a think-aloud) as I listen in on each group if I see some confusion. I do think that students will enjoy the expression of opinion within the groups once they understand the objectives. 3. How will you follow up or extend this lesson? I may follow up or extend this lesson with using the Nevada State Standard H3.2.1 Identify public and private spaces within the community. Students should be able to explain what areas are for public use and private use. Public areas will most likely be the main topic of this lesson on cooperation and change.
Nevada State College
EDEL 453 - Spring 2014
Karen Powell- Instructor
page 4
Lesson Plan for Friday
Strand: History
submitted by: Jennifer Hemsath
4. What can you do for students who dont grasp the concepts? I will model my own thinking about a topic by explaining my thoughts and why I am thinking what I am. I will ask students what they think and why or why not. I may need to help some students who do not have the background knowledge necessary to have an opinion or the ability to voice it. 5. Which part of the lesson, if any, do you think might need to change? I may need to spend more time modeling the parts of each group and how to express an opinion (or even have one). This lesson may require more scaffolding than 50 minutes allows. 6. When you were writing this lesson plan, what was the most difficult part? The most difficult part of writing this lesson was coming up with an activity that would align with the standard and objective. I used a strategy from Integrating Language Arts & Social Studies: 25 Strategies for K-8 Inquiry-Based Learning that I believe will be engaging and successful.
Nevada State College
EDEL 453 - Spring 2014
Karen Powell- Instructor
page 5
