edel453 spring2014 janacantos lp-4

Lesson Plan #4

Grade: 2Social Studies Strand: Civics

Submitted By: Jana Cantos

EDEL 453: Teaching Elementary School Social ScienceNevada State College – Spring 2014Instructor: Karen Powell

Lesson Plan #4 – Citizenship and the Law submitted by: Jana Cantos

B. Summary of the Lesson Plan : This lesson teaches students about why Independence Day (Fourth of July) is important to Americans. This lesson uses the Houghton Mifflin Social Studies textbook “Neighborhoods” (p. 338-338A)

C. Basic Information: Grade Level: 2nd grade Time to Complete this Lesson: Approximately 50 minutes Groupings: Whole group (virtual Field trip and discussions) and independent work

(Field trip record sheets and poem).

D. Materials: Data Sheets Computer with power point software.Paperpencil

E. Objectives: o NV State Social Studies Standards

C13.2.5 Describe traditional patriotic activities, holidays, or symbols from around the world.

o Student-Friendly Standards I can describe traditional patriotic activities, holidays, or symbols from

around the world.

F. Vocabulary Independence – Being free from rule by another nation. Patriotic – love of country and willingness to sacrifice for it. Traditional – inherited pattern of thought or action. Symbols - something visible that by association or convention represents

something else that is invisible; "the eagle is a symbol of the United States".

G. Procedure: 1. Ask the students to read the title of the lesson and what they know about

Independence Day.

Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 2


2. Teacher talks about the word Independence with the students, writing the word on the board and underlining the word depend. Teacher asks the students if they know what the word depend means. Teacher discusses with the students that the word depend means to rely on. The prefix in means not. Teacher explains that the word independence means not to rely on.

3. Teacher discusses the background found on page 338 with the students.4. Teacher takes the students on a virtual field trip to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to

show the students the signing of the Declaration of Independence via http://www.slideshare.net/eshotwell/the-constitutional-virtual-field-trip-presentation (Teacher has provided students with pre-trip clarifications and expectations)

5. Teacher will narrate the virtual field trip for the students.6. Students fill out data sheet based upon virtual tour. 7. Teacher and students discuss some of the freedoms that US citizens have.8. Teacher and students discuss different holidays from other countries around the

world.9. Teacher will use a shared pen and write a poem about being free, modeling for the

students so that they may write their own poems.10.Students will write a poem about their own freedoms. The poems should start with

“I am free…”11.Students complete the 3 questions from the talk about it section on page 338A

titled “Talk about it” on a separate sheet of paper.

H. Assessment: What will you use to measure student understanding?

To measure student understanding teacher will informally assess students based upon discussions.

Explain how you will know students understand the concepts from the lesson. Teacher will know that the students understand and can describe traditional patriotic activities, holidays, or symbols from around the world based upon the student’s answers the “talk about it” section and the poems.

I. Closure: Students will read their poems (if they wish) out loud to the class. Students and

teacher discuss what independence means and what it means to be free. Teacher gives a “Ticket Out the Door” asking the students what Independence Day means.

J. Reflection: 1. Which part of the lesson do you think will be the easiest for you to teach? The easiest part of the lesson to teach will be about the freedoms we all enjoy.


http://www.slideshare.net/eshotwell/the-constitutional-virtual-field-trip-presentation


2. Which part will be most challenging for you to teach? The most challenging part of the lesson to teach will be the historical part of Independence Day.3. How will you follow up or extend this lesson?To extend this lesson I would have the students draw a mural to illustrate the phrase “lif, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” from the Declaration of Independence.4. What can you do for students who don’t grasp the concepts?For students who don’t grasp the concepts I would break down the word freedom and explain the word more thoroughly. I would also model the poem a bit more in depth to provide a clear and concise example of what I am looking for.5. Which part of the lesson, if any, do you think might need to change?I am actually pleased with this lesson and don’t think I would change any part of it.6. When you were writing this lesson plan, what was the most difficult part?The most difficult part in writing this lesson plan was finding the strategy to integrate into the lesson. I had a hard time finding the standard I was going to use and then a strategy to go with it.7. Explain the strategy from “Integrating Language Arts & Social Studies”

that you included in this lesson plan.I used strategy # 8 Connecting with Cultural Institutions in this lesson plan. The part of the lesson where we take a virtual field trip and fill out the data sheet comes from this strategy.


edel453 spring2014 janacantos lp-4

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