Lesson Plan- Social Studies, Grade 3: W,R,F ( around 30 Minutes)Step by Step Procedures: Anticipatory SetAssessment: based on ObjectivesActivities for Vocabulary Words: Puzzle Maker, Worksheets, Graphic Organizer, Flashcards connected.mcgraw-hill.com- Worksheets, Assessments, Videos UNIT 1 PLANNER- THE GEOGRAPHY OF NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEANBIG IDEA- LOCATION AFFECTS HOW PEOPLE LIVE. ————————————————————————————————————Date: 9/24/14Title: Uniquely YouStandard Number and Info: N/AMaterials: A large sheet of white rectangular paper, markers, and a pencil- per student.Step by Step Procedures:1. Greet the class, and explain that today is the day that we are going to start Social

Studies for the year- On Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.2. Explain that our study will focus on America and its neighbors (Canada, Mexico, and

the Caribbean) - and we will know a lot about these places by the end of the year.3. “Before we start learning about other places and cultures, however, it is important to

know where you come from, and what cultural experiences make you unique.” Hold up example- which is your silhouette (½ looks like you, and the other ½ shows your cultural journey), and talk about it.

4. “Today, you will be doing the same activity. I am giving you fifteen minutes to draw your picture, and my example will remain on the board. Feel free to come up and look at it.”

5. After 15 minutes have passed- “Alright boys and girls, please put your pencils down, and I am giving you two minutes to clean up; and if you are done cleaning, you may share your picture with a desk partner.”

6. *If time allows- - have a couple of students share theirs with the whole class.Objectives: To assess your own cultural experiences.Assessment: Questions- (If time allows)1. Discuss your drawing with a partner, and why you drew what you drew.2. What is the purpose of doing this assignment?Accommodations (ESOL): Show student translation of what you said and other Spanish speaking students will help them.Commentary/Notes: The lesson went well; most of them understood the directions and acted accordingly. Ms. B recommended that the workbooks be passed out first, so I did and had the students write their names on it. Next time, you can try playing music while they draw, and ask a third question: Ask your parents about your heritage. Remind them to draw using pencil first, and tell them that the side with the drawings still includes the silhouette. Some children wanted to draw a flag, so they wanted to use a computer to look it up. ————————————————————————————————————Date: 9/25/14Title: Unpacking Unit 1

Standard Number and Info: Common Core Standards RI.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade three topic or subject area.Materials: Workbooks, Index Cards, ScissorsStep by Step Procedures:1. Tell the students that you are administering a two-minute assessment before and after

the unit, and you want them to record their answers on index cards. “Please label your card from #1-7, and write your name on the top. I am going to read a statement. Please write 1 (if you know very little about this), 2 (if you know some about this), or 3 (if you know a lot about this).”

2. “Now, please open your workbook and look at pages 2 and 3. You are seeing a blank map of North America on one page, and blank boxes on the other. Throughout this unit, I will give you time to come back to these two pages- and fill in the map (with labels and colors), and write about the geography of these places in the blank boxes. These will be checked by the end of the unit.”

3. Make vocabulary foldable- read steps 1 through 5.Objective: To introduce Unit 1 through pre-assessment and vocabulary.Assessment: There is a pre-unit assessment, which I am administering.1. I know how to read a map.2. I know the continents on Earth.3. I know how to describe the physical features of the United States.4. I know the five regions of the United States.5. I know how to describe natural resources in Canada.6. I know how to describe the vegetation in Mexico.7. I know how to identify a landmark. Accommodations (ESOL): Show student translation of Assessment and other Spanish speaking students will help them.Commentary/ Notes: For the pre-assessment, have them write the date next time. NO VOCABULARY FOLDABLE UNTIL THE END OF THE UNIT! The students were confused, and so was I. You are overestimating their understanding and abilities. Plan the same, but plan a little simpler. ————————————————————————————————————Date: 10/8/14 & 10/9/14 & 10/10/14 (First 10 Minutes) Title: Decoding VocabularyStandard Number and Info: : Common Core Standards RI.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade three topic or subject area.Materials: Large White Sheets, Markers and/or Crayons and/or Color Pencils, Play-Doh, Vocabulary PowerPointStep By Step Procedures:1. Pass out a piece of paper to each student; and have them fold it into eights. 2. After that, put up the vocabulary words that they will title their squares with (two

vocabulary words will be in one square, because one square will be labeled vocabulary- with the student’s name underneath.)

3. Ask them to take out markers and crayons, and while they are doing so, you will walk around the room and pass out play-doh.

4. Start the PowerPoint (which has nothing but the word, the definition, and pictures), say that you will explain each vocabulary word to them, and then give examples. They may make any of the examples presented out of play-doh; and after I have checked them- that is what they will draw and label in the foldable. Repeat for all words, extend the lesson to the following day if words are still yet to be covered at the end of the first day.

5. While ending the lesson, give time to finish labeling and coloring the foldable. If they are done, ask them to share what they have drawn with somebody at their table.

Objective: Learn Unit 1 Vocabulary Assessment: Have the words written on Index Cards, hold it up, and ask for the definition throughout the Unit. Accommodations (ESOL): Show student translation of assignment, and other Spanish speaking students will help them.Commentary/Notes: It was a good lesson, I was definitely more confident on the second day than I was on the first. Because one of the vocabulary words (distortion) was not something that could be explained quickly like the other words, all of next week will be dedicated to it. I have now learned that over planning is great, but I should not expect to get as much done with the students as I had previously thought- so my previous lesson plans for one day could easily be stretched to a whole week! I could work on having more examples, and identifying what might confuse a student about a word. For example, I did not properly separate the words climate and weather- and say that weather is temporary, and climate has more of a consistent presence. Emphasize the labeling portion next time, because you only did it for two words. ————————————————————————————————————Date: 10/10/14Title: Where Do I Live?Standard Number and Info: SS.3.G.1.1 Use thematic maps, tables, charts, graphs, and photos to analyze geographic information, SS.3.G.1.3 Label the continents and oceans on a world mapMaterials: Foldable (Concentric Circles- Smallest to Largest (Community, Florida, The United States, North America, World), Markers, PowerPoint Step By Step Procedures:1. Have the class take out Markers while you pass out their Social Studies folders and

the foldables.2. Explain that the students can color/draw inside, but they must also write about what

they have learned about each different map.3. Go over PowerPoint, and talk about the area on each slide- then switch to the

“activity” for each circle. Have them draw out their community, as well as what they like about Florida. On the country circle, explain that remembering all 50 states is hard (play Fifty Nifty Song and Lyrics on Youtube- :30- 1:45.). On the North America circle, explain that this an example of a continent, and label The United States (play continents and Oceans Movie on Youtube- 1:02- 1:38.) On the World Circle, explain that you are going to play a video that mentions all of the continents and oceans (play Continents and Oceans Movie on Youtube- :17- 1:02.)

4. Explain that maps can cover a wide range of areas. Ask questions about whether or not you would fine ____ on _____ map. How many continents? Oceans?

Objective: What can I learn from a map?Assessment: Collect the foldable and grade by check, check with dot, and an X. See all students that have a check with a dot and a X. Accommodations (ESOL): Show student translation of what you said and other Spanish speaking students will help them. Commentary/ Notes: The lesson was good- a last minute modification was printing the circles for the foldable on construction paper, and having the students cut them out. Due to time constraints, I printed a circle per construction paper- and that wasted a lot of paper. Next time, I will include scissors in the materials, and fit as many circles as I can on a piece of paper. Also have all of the words (ex. Florida, United States, and Earth) written on the board, so students can see it and copy them down. Also, the second video can be played combining both segments, after the introduction of continents. The foldables will be graded and returned to the SS folder. ————————————————————————————————————Date: 10/15/14 Title: Earth’s DistortionStandard Number and Info: NGSS SS.3.G.1.5 Compare maps and globes to develop an understanding of the concept of distortionMaterials: Workbooks, Sticky NotesStep by Step Procedures:1. Greet and ask the students to answer the Essential Question on pg. 10, on the top left.

When they are done writing, ask them to share with a partner at their table. While they are sharing, pass out sticky notes.

2. Show them the large globe, and read from “To understand where we live… “half of a sphere.” After reading, spin the globe and ask how many hemispheres Earth has (if one hemisphere is half of a sphere, and earth is a sphere).

3. Then, point to the map that is pulled down on the board, and read from “Like a globe…time”

4. Have them write which kind of map they think is better and why on the sticky note. Then, have them come up to the board and put the sticky note on the side that they chose. (Draw a t-chart labelled map and globe before the lesson).

Objective: To understand distortion on maps.Assessment: Questions1. Which do you think is better to show Earth’s land and water, a globe or a map? Why?Accommodations (ESOL): Show student translation of what you said and other Spanish speaking students will help them.Commentary/ Notes: The objective that was written on the board was changed to form a question, aligning with Mrs. B’s objective structure: Why are maps distorted? I wrote the student agenda on the board, and made a separate one for myself (what I needed to do) on a large post-it note (and stuck it to the ELMO). The lesson went really well, but I should mark what I have to read in the teacher’s book. There could have also been more of an elaboration on what was read. Also make sure that there is a dry-erase surface that can be written on besides the main board- because it is a distraction to keep switching between the map and the board (because you have to pull down the map). In the T-Chart activity, remind them that they must write a reason for picking either map or globe (All of my ELL students simply wrote globe). Say that there is no right answer, and that a map and a

globe both represent Earth. The T-Chart looked great when the question (Which do you think is better, a globe or a map? Why?) was written on a sentence strip and attached to the top. An example from each side: globe (a glob becus it shows you the earth is a sper) and Map (Map because it shows the whole earth). It ended well, I told the students that I would not tell them which one (map or globe) was better, and that they would learn it over the next two days. I also liked how I encouraged them to come up and feel the globe/look at a map- but I have to figure out a way to do that without the entire class gathering around and attempting to spin the globe at the same time. ————————————————————————————————————Date: 10/16/14 Title: Earth’s DistortionStandard Number and Info: NGSS SS.3.G.1.5 Compare maps and globes to develop an understanding of the concept of distortionMaterials: WorkbooksStep by Step Procedures:1. Write summary of the video on the board, and then cover it with the projection

screen. 2. Review the qualities of maps and globes, and say that we will learn which ones are

distorted today. 3. Put on What does Earth Look Like on Youtube- 4:50- 6:45. Pull up screen. 4. Summarize and discuss it- A globe is the best way to represent the Earth, but it is

hard to carry around. (Say that the globe is heavy, and hold it at an angle at which only one hemisphere can be seen). Ask- Can you see all of the land on Earth?

5. A flat map is convenient, but you have to distort it in some way. Most hold shape, but distort it in area. (Point out Greenland and Africa on the map and globe. Explain how Greenland and Africa look the same on both, but Greenland is much bigger on the map relative to Africa’s size than it is on the globe.)

6. Areas near the equator are minimized, areas near the poles are exaggerated. (Show Antarctica on the globe as well as the map, and say how big it looks on the map vs. how small it really is on the globe).

7. Next, read from “If you stretched…shape” 8. Have the class answer “Look at the Map above. Explain how it is distorted” in their

workbooks. Objective: To understand distortion on maps.Assessment: Grade the answer to the workbook question, pg. 11. Accommodations (ESOL): Show student translation of what you said and other Spanish speaking students will help them.Commentary/ Notes: I should list the projection screen/ map if needed in the plan, and wait before I videotape myself doing a lesson again. As I was watching it, I realized that I was flustered, especially since little things went wrong. Make sure that everything that needs to be connected to the computer has been connected- I had the videos ready to go, but I forgot to plug in the audio cord that connects the computer to the projector. Youtube reloaded, and my video kept stopping in the middle and rebuffering. Not only was it an annoyance, but it was a waste of time. Look at the map before the lesson- I had assumed that it would be in the Mercator projection, but it was a circular flat map (so the proportions were actually quite accurate)! Here are my notes from the video: Good

projection of voice- but I am talking too fast! I liked how I stopped after asking the question and waited for the class to “vote” if they agree. I should leave more time before I speak after a student is answering, because it looks like I am cutting the student off. When I am nervous, it shows in my voice- so don’t let the kids know if you are nervous because the video kept rebuffering. For a video, I should turn the lights off- and move to the back of the class, because you never know if you are blocking a student’s point of view. Next time, I should have the main ideas of the video summarized on the board- so it is easier to elaborate on it afterwards. Don’t talk when you are facing the board, because your students will not be able to hear you. I liked how I recognized the words/concepts that the students would be confused by- and further broke it down. I need to stop, breathe, and think about what I am going to say next. Again, it is all right to leave wait time after a question has been asked! When I say that the “farther away from the equator, the more distorted a map gets”- I should have left the map down, and emphasized that point by gradually widening my hands more and more away from the equator. Make sure that all of the students have the lesson’s materials. It was good to hold up the book and point to where the students should start reading along- but you need to mention that the students will be reading along with you. Walking around while the students were answering the question in the workbook was good- but try to position yourself in a way that you can keep an eye on the rest of the students in your class. I liked how I emphasized concepts with my hands- with the words minimized, exaggerated, and stretched. The attention getter needs to be worked on, but I liked how I gradually raised my voice as I went from “And 4, 3, 2, 1”. Never free call of the students up at once- it will cause commotion and confusion. I need to work on the effective wrapping up of the lesson, and transitioning into the next lesson/activity. ————————————————————————————————————Date: 10/17/14 Title: Earth’s DistortionStandard Number and Info: NGSS SS.3.G.1.5 Compare maps and globes to develop an understanding of the concept of distortionMaterials: Workbooks, Vocabulary Foldable, QuizStep by Step Procedures:1. Point to a map and ask why it is distorted. Review yesterday’s lesson if needed. 2. Hold up the orange and its peel. Explain that you drew a rough map of the Earth with

a Sharpie on it, and then peeled the entire peel off. Tell them that you are going to flatten it in front of them. Ask (on the board)- What do you think is going to happen when I flatten this peel? Will it stay the same? How will it be different?

3. Now, flatten it in front of the entire class and put it underneath the elmo (on a paper towel). Emphasize on how the pieces are much farther apart near the top and bottom than they are in the middle. Point to the map, and say that is why the map is stretched, or distorted, more at the poles than it is in the middle of the globe.

4. Explain that the middle of the globe is the equator, and that it divides the hemispheres in half. Ask- How many hemispheres does the Earth have?

5. Explain how there are different ways to distort maps, while globes are the same- have globes of various sizes. Put up Pinterest Picture of the faces. Point out that our head is like an irregular sphere. The one on the top left is how it looks like. The bottom is what happens when we attempt to draw it as a flat map- which is what happens to

maps. 6. Pass out foldable, and have students draw distortion, completing it. 7. Fill out quiz. Objective: To understand distortion on maps.Assessment: Quiz1. What can you learn from a globe?2. What can you learn from a map? 3. Which is distorted, a map or a globe?4. How is it distorted? (ex, what part is stretched?)5. Where is the equator? Accommodations (ESOL): Show student translation of what you said and other Spanish speaking students will help them.Commentary/ Notes: This lesson was observed, here are his notes (what I will do next is in italics): Akshita and her CT were going over the performance task for Math - looking at multiplication and division concepts.  Akshita was asking good probing questions - "how many circles are you going to draw (in your model) if you have ____total?"  ELL/ESE students were being supported by another teacher.  Akshita diffused a potentially challenging confrontation - great job!  Akshita circulated the classroom, answering questions, redirecting students who weren't focusing on their performance task.  Students were reading when they completed their performance task.  Akshita was getting ready to teach a social studies lesson - looking at the different continents by "unwrapping the peel of an orange" to show how each piece fits into the globe.  Modeling this shows complex concepts made easier for students.  (May want to cut the orange before the lesson).  Passed out the social studies workbooks to begin the lesson. Needed to use a map (flat) - talk about the difference between the map which is flat and the globe which is a sphere - distortion! (GREAT)  Almost all students were focused on the start of the activity.  Material distribution needs to be seamless (assign students to pass out materials before the lesson) - a bit unorganized, but working through it. Students were able to explain the concept of distortion of a map.  Asking multiple questions - take your time! (Instead of asking multiple questions, ask two or three that are condensed and in depth to the class) In which areas does a flat map get "stretched"?  Slow down the pace - never confirmed that all students know about these concepts.  Please remember to allow students to self-assess. (occasionally stop and ask students to hold the self-assessment circles up!)  EQ: How and why is a map distorted?  What do you think is going to happen when I flatten the "peel of the orange"?  Explain.  Discussed the concept of segments on a flat map. Is this why...?  Not an open-ended question.  Instead, ask:  tell me what you noticed about the equator?  Can you...? a student answered and then she jumped right to the activity.  Never addressed misconceptions (Think about what the students might be stressed about, then incorporate addressing that into the lesson plan!)- take your time! Used an analogy of a human head versus the globe (Earth). Minimized, exaggerated - does anyone not understand this concept?  do you want to talk about this a little more before...?  RUSHING...relax...take your time! Understand the idea of rehearsing your lesson.  Think about what you want them to understand as you go through this process. (How can you show what you want your students to understand while doing the lesson?) CT used the example of looking at a mirror in a "funhouse" - could be a misconception. Some may have never experienced this. Had students draw a

picture of an object that is distorted.  Here are my notes: The first two questions were ambiguous, because everyone put states as the answer (That is because I showed them the Fifty Nifty song). For the third question, I told the students to just put map or globe. I learned that when grading small assessments, it is easier to grade everyone’s first answer, and so on.    ———————————————————————————————————— Date: 1/7/15Title: Regions of the United States Standard Number and Info: NGSSS SS.3.G.2.2 Identify the five regions of the United States Materials: Workbook, Folder, United States Map, Large Sticky NoteStep By Step Procedures:1. Tell students that we will be learning about the five regions of the United States, and

put a USA Map on the Elmo. Have them turn to page 20 in the workbook, and have them read the italicized paragraph- then have them answer the question. Students will then share what they wrote with a partner, and I will ask for some answers from the class.

2. Read the paragraphs on page 21. Afterwards, on the Map, label each region (which is on the ELMO)- ask students to label the same on theirs. Ask which regions the state of Florida, California, Texas, Illinois, and New York are in.

3. Say that today, we are also be going to look at the physical features of the United States as a whole. I know that we covered Bar Graphs in Math- What part of the graph would you look at if you wanted information about what it shows? (Answer: Title)- Flip Physical Map over on the ELMO. Who can tell me what this Map is showing? (Answer: Physical Map of the United States) Point to the box and call it a Key- say that it simplifies the information on the Map, just like on a Bar Graph. Say that Bright Green are the Lowlands, Light Green are the Plain, and Brown are Mountains. What region do you see the most Mountains in? (Answer: West) What region makes up most of the Plains? (Answer: Midwest).

4. Now- it is your turn! You will move in groups to three stations around the room. Each one will have 2 questions that you have to answer- but you have to look at the Map carefully! Define Population, Elevation, and Annual Rainfall on the Board. Each of you has an index card- write your name and label 1-5. All of the answers will be the name of a region- and that is all I want to see. This will be your exit ticket.

Objective: What are the five regions of the United States? Assessment: Carousel:1. Which region has the highest level of elevation? West2. Which region has the lowest level of elevation? Southeast3. Name two regions that get mostly between 32 and 64 inches of Annual Rainfall.

Northeast and Southeast4. Which is the only region to get above 96 inches of Annual Rainfall? West5. Which region has the least amount of people per square mile as a whole? West Wrapping Up: Explain that over the next couple of weeks, we will be going over each region of the United States- and there will be a foldable for each region. Accommodations (ESOL): Show student translation of what you said and other Spanish

speaking students will help them. Commentary/Notes: It was a good lesson, but make sure that you remember to label the maps before you start to talk about the Physical Map. Also, the questions were a bit too ambiguous- and the titles were not clearly defined. You forgot to ask about which state is in which region- and to ask the students to take the labeled map with them as they move through the carousel. Classroom management is an issue- and you need to work on having a better hold when the students argue with each other. The groups were divided well, but you have to make sure to tell the groups to stay in the area even after they have completed the question(s). The second paragraph on pg. 21 did not need to be read until the study of the regions had started. I did mention why 5 regions existed- because it was hard to narrow down where everyone lived, and I liked how I gave examples of the “finding Florida” question. I should have explained instructions before I divided them, and I forgot to mention that it was an exit ticket! Learn how to use technology- you could not zoom in effectively when you were explaining the Key- because it became blurry. Draw the outlines of the regions on the maps that were used on the carousel. ————————————————————————————————————Date: 1/16/15Title: The Southeast Region Standard Number and Info: NGSSS SS.3.G.2.3 Label the states in each of the five regions of the United States, SS.3.G.2.4 Describe the physical features of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, SS.3.G.3.1 Describe the climate and vegetation in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, SS.3.G.2.5 Identify natural and man-made landmarks in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, SS.3.G.3.2 Describe the natural resources in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Materials: Southeast Graphic Organizer, Southeast Powerpoint, Macaroni and Cheese, Bowls, SpoonsStep By Step Procedures:1. Pass out Social Studies Folder and Southeast Graphic Organizer2. Go through the Southeast Powerpoint. 3. Pass out Macaroni and Cheese and explain that it is an example of Classic Southern

comfort food. Objective: Why is the Southeast Region important? Assessment: N/AWrapping Up: Explain that each region covered will have the same graphic organizer, and we will be able to taste foods that are also unique to each region. Accommodations (ESOL): Show student translation of what you said and other Spanish speaking students will help them. Commentary/Notes: This lesson went really well- the Mac and Cheese was a hit! Students were telling me that they liked the format of a graphic organizer. I liked the fact that I underlined everything that needed to be written down, and divided the sections according to the graphic organizer- so that no student had to ask about what to write down. The only issue was that I did not have the chance to explore the Map much, and there was also no form of Assessment. However, I have decided to administer a simple pop quiz about this region before we go over the Northeast Region. For the other regions, I should definitely design more activities around the Map. Mrs. B suggested that we look

at it and pronounce the names of the States in that particular Region before we start talking about it! Also, I will play the Fifty- Nifty Song (the version which shows the name and spelling of the state) before going into the powerpoint. Also, on the next powerpoint- don’t forget to include a slide for the significance of the food! ————————————————————————————————————Date: 1/23/15Title: The Northeast RegionStandard Number and Info: Common Core Standards RI.9 Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in the two texts on the same topic, NGSSS SS.3.G.2.3 Label the states in each of the five regions of the United States, SS.3.G.2.4 Describe the physical features of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, SS.3.G.3.1 Describe the climate and vegetation in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, SS.3.G.2.5 Identify natural and man-made landmarks in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, SS.3.G.3.2 Describe the natural resources in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Materials: Northeast Graphic Organizer, Northeast Powerpoint, Social Studies Workbook and Folder, New York Cheesecake, Bowls, SpoonsStep By Step Procedures:1. Put Northeast Graphic Organizers, Workbooks, and Folders on each desk.2. Before starting the powerpoint, explain that there will be a review to see what we

remembered from last week. Explain the thumbs up/down and provide an obvious example to practice.

3. Explain that we need to work on names and location of each state, but before we can do that- we should learn how to say their names properly. Say that you will point to each state while saying its name- and the students will point to the same state on their graphic organizer and say it after you.

4. Remind them that they do not write down what is written on each slide- just what is underlined, and under the right box on the graphic organizer.

5. After precipitation video, ask- What is precipitation? The four forms are snow, sleet, rain, and hail. Which two occur in the Northeast Region?

6. Explain that an acre is roughly the size of a football field, and enough pumpkins were grown to fill 20,000 acres in the state of New York- which is a Northeastern state.

7. Review the difference between natural and manmade if needed.8. For the Compare/ Contrast activity (pg. 24)- pull up the projector and draw a blank

Venn Diagram- with NE on left and SE on right. Talk about how compare is in the middle, and contrast is on the sides. An example will be between climates- because NE’s climate is cold and snowy in the Winter, and SE is mild. Both, however, have hot Summers.

Objective: What are the climates, vegetation, landmarks, and natural resources of the Northeast Region?Assessment: The Exit Ticket- which is based off of answering the questions from the Assessment slide on a post- it. Wrapping Up: Explain that next week, we will be exploring the Midwest region.Accommodations (ESOL): Show student translation of what you said and other Spanish speaking students will help them. Commentary/Notes: This was a lesson for which Dr. Summa observed me- I think that it

went really well. The only problem was that this lesson was so long (an hour), that I did not even have time to administer the assessment! (Which will be given next week). Ms. B and I have decided to have Social Studies two days a week now, 30 minutes each time. At first, I was going to fast, but I was happy that I was checking for understanding after every slide after a while. I need to start grading their graphic organizers- because they were not able to answer a simple compare and contrast venn diagram question correctly because they did not write down “trees” as a natural resource for the southeastern states. Overall, good, but I need to start accounting for time that students take to understand the material, or engage in the activities. ————————————————————————————————————Date: 2/6/15Title: The Midwest RegionStandard Number and Info: Common Core Standards RI.9 Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in the two texts on the same topic, NGSSS SS.3.G.2.3 Label the states in each of the five regions of the United States, SS.3.G.2.4 Describe the physical features of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, SS.3.G.3.1 Describe the climate and vegetation in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, SS.3.G.2.5 Identify natural and man-made landmarks in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, SS.3.G.3.2 Describe the natural resources in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Materials: Midwest Graphic Organizer, Midwest Powerpoint, Cornbread, NapkinsStep By Step Procedures:1. Pass out Northeast Graphic Organizers, and project the Powerpoint. 2. After reading the objective, lead students in the pronunciation of the Midwestern

states. 3. On the second climate slide (which has a climate map), ask students if the weather

was hot or cold in most of the Midwest region on that day. Make a connection to Science by reviewing temperature and its numerical equivalent on the Fahrenheit scale.

4. On the Landmarks slide, ask students to table talk on whether they think that Mount Rushmore is natural or man-made. Have several students share what the group discussed, and then explain how it is both to the class.

5. Pass out cornbread on napkins. Objective: Students will be able to accurately identify the climates, vegetation, landmarks, and natural resources given a map of the Midwest Region. Assessment: Students will be asked to discuss whether Mount Rushmore is natural or man-made, which forces them to think about the characteristics of each term. Teacher will walk around support each of the table talk conversations. Wrapping Up: Discuss that next week, there will be a fun game that reviews the content learned about the first three regions. Accommodations (ESOL): Show student translation of what you said and other Spanish speaking students will help them. Commentary/Notes: This lesson went really well, and I loved the students’ reactions to the fact that Mount Rushmore is both natural AND man-made! I still have to work on my classroom management- which has a tendency to falter. ————————————————————————————————————

Date: 2/20/15Title: The Southwest Region Standard Number and Info: Common Core Standards RI.9 Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in the two texts on the same topic, NGSSS SS.3.G.2.3 Label the states in each of the five regions of the United States, SS.3.G.2.4 Describe the physical features of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, SS.3.G.3.1 Describe the climate and vegetation in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, SS.3.G.2.5 Identify natural and man-made landmarks in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, SS.3.G.3.2 Describe the natural resources in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Materials: 5 Regions Response Cards, Southwest Region Graphic Organizer, Southwest Powerpoint, Computers, SmartBoard, Paper, Markers, Post-Its, Anchor Chart Paper, 5 ComputersStep By Step Procedures:1. Pass out Southwest Graphic Organizers and 5 Regions Response Cards to the class,

and project the Powerpoint. 2. Explain the review game: “There will be a question on each slide. When I read the

question out loud, I want you to pinch your response card next to the name of the region to which it applies to. For example, if there was a question about oranges, then you would pinch the…Southeast Region! Caution though, some questions will apply to more than one region!Before we do that, let’s review the names of the fifty states with the Fifty Nifty song!”

3. After the review game, students will be introduced to the Southwest Region, and the teacher will lead them through the pronunciation of the Southwest Region’s states.

4. Lead the class through the Southwest Powerpoint. The pace will be slightly accelerated because this time, all of the underlined terms will be typed in on the students’ graphic organizer.

5. On the Southwest Carousel slide, divide the class into four groups- and lead them through Stations 1-4 (See Southwest Region Document under Lesson Materials). Spend about 10 minutes at each station.

6. Pass out Queso and Chips. Objective: Students will be able to accurately identify the climates, vegetation, landmarks, and natural resources given a map of the Southwest Region. Assessment: Review Game: Three Regions- visually assess which students have understood the lessons taught so far in this unit. Wrapping Up: Explain that next time, we will be learning about the last region of the United States, which will be followed by a major assessment. And that will be the end of the Regions Unit!Accommodations (ESOL): Show student translation of what you said and other Spanish speaking students will help them. Commentary/Notes: There were many aspects of this lesson that worked, and many that didn’t. First of all, the students loved the fact that the graphic organizer was filled in for them. It was good for me too, because it allowed us to cover the content more efficiently. They also loved the response cards. However, the carousel was both a good and a bad idea. The amount of stations were too many… I should have stayed with two or three. We ran out of time, and I had to literally run with them in order to reach the buses/cars at the

end of the day. However, the stations that were successful was the 50 States Puzzle and the Where Does Oil Come From? station. The fact that the directions were at each station were also successful. However, the video on the Oil station had a very low volume- so check up on that next time! ————————————————————————————————————Date: 3/20/15Title: The West Region Standard Number and Info: Common Core Standards RI.9 Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in the two texts on the same topic, NGSSS SS.3.G.2.3 Label the states in each of the five regions of the United States, SS.3.G.2.4 Describe the physical features of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, SS.3.G.3.1 Describe the climate and vegetation in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, SS.3.G.2.5 Identify natural and man-made landmarks in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, SS.3.G.3.2 Describe the natural resources in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Materials: West Graphic Organizer, West Powerpoint, Regions of the United States BINGO, Counters, Small Prizes, Regions of the United States Jeopardy, Regions of the United States Review Packet, Regions of the United States Test Step By Step Procedures:1. Pass out West Graphic Organizers, and project the Powerpoint. 2. After reading the objective, lead students in the pronunciation of the Western states. 3. Go through the West section of the Powerpoint. 4. Pass out the Regions of the United States Bingo, and play three games! 5. For further review (the week after, and before the test) play Regions of the United

States Jeopardy!6. Between the Bingo and the Test, give a Review Packet to the students. 7. The week after, administer the Regions of the United States Test! Objective: Students will be able to accurately identify the climates, vegetation, landmarks, and natural resources given a map of the West Region. Assessment: Regions of the United States Bingo Wrapping Up: Explain that there will be a Test in two weeks, and we will review until then. Accommodations (ESOL): Show student translation of what you said and other Spanish speaking students will help them. Commentary/Notes:————————————————————————————————————Date:Title: Standard Number and Info:Materials:Step By Step Procedures:Objective:Assessment:Wrapping Up: Accommodations (ESOL): Show student translation of what you said and other Spanish speaking students will help them.

Commentary/Notes:————————————————————————————————————