Running head: TPACK LESSON - MAPS AND CULTURE 1

TPACK Lesson - Maps and Culture

Laurie Warner

Colorado State University-Global

Technology and Innovation

OTL 545-1

Dr. Jacqueline Derby

September 28, 2014

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TPACK Lesson - Maps and Culture

Students have been learning about geography and culture in the Western Hemisphere.

The following lesson uses the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)

framework to integrate technology into daily teaching practices. TPACK combines knowledge of

content, pedagogy, and technology (Koehler, 2011). Technology allows students to put their

knowledge into a format that is engaging and allows for assessment of understanding by the

teacher.

Lesson Plan – Maps and Culture

Your Name: Laurie Warner CSU-Global Course: OTL 545-1

Subject / Course: Social Studies

Topic: Geography

Lesson Title: Creating Maps

Level: 6th Grade Lesson Duration: Two 45-minute sessions

Common Core or State Standard(s) & Learning Objective(s):

State Standard: Use geographic tools to solve problems and distinguishing types of maps.

Objective: Students will demonstrate an understanding of different types of maps and/or how to create maps. (Students will be given a choice since both of these are required in sixth grade and have been in process since school started and are ongoing throughout the year. Students are working on basic ideas at this time.)

Essential Questions:

How can different geographic tools (maps) be used to demonstrate location and/or physical features?

How can maps give us information about a location?

What is the relationship between where people live and their physical location?

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Target Audience: The target audience for this lesson is three sixth grade classes in an elementary school, a total of 73 students.

Knowing the LearnerBased on your survey data from earlier in the course, describe the target audience for this lesson; what types of learning styles will you need to be mindful of?

This is a class of diverse learners. The majority of the class is visual-spatial and interpersonal. Therefore, there is a need for a visual lesson where students work together.

Pedagogies (Remember to consider relevance and career/workforce readiness skills around what is being taught):

Pedagogies(How are technology, content, and pedagogical knowledge working together in this lesson?)

Students are using technology to create a visual of what they are learning in class with regard to making maps and relationship between people/culture and physical location. Maps are used every day in the real world and students must be prepared to read and create maps. Students will develop a spatial understanding and gain perspective on personal location as related to location. Creating flow maps or Venn diagrams of information learned in class touches on information fluency and extensively requires creative fluency by students. Further information may be required by students to create the maps or diagrams they envision, so they may need to research beyond what has been learned in class to meet their creative requirements.

Maps help to find locations and enable people to move from one location to another, so knowledge of reading maps is essential to students throughout their lives. The creation of flow maps and Venn diagrams require skills students need in the workforce such as creativity and the ability to compare and contrast two or more items.     

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Technology Being Used by Students

Students will use laptops to create Venn Diagrams or flow maps using www.gliffy.com.

Gliffy is only one possible technology tool to be used to engage students and reinforce learning. Other possible tools for future lessons might be: www.timetoast.com to create timelines of cultures in Western Hemisphere, using Linoit at http://en.linoit.com/ to collaborate on research.

Technology Being Used by Teacher

Teacher will show students how to create an account and begin using Gliffy by connecting a laptop to the projector so all students can see instructions.

Lesson Strategy and Required Materials

Students will work in pairs and each pair will need a computer and will link to www.gliffy.com.A printer will be needed for students to print completed flow maps or Venn diagrams.

DAY 1:1. Teacher will show students how to create an account on Gliffy.2. Students will create their own accounts.3. Teacher will demonstrate how to make a Venn diagram about getting ready for school

compared to getting ready for work.4. Teacher will demonstrate how to make a flow map on how to get ready for school.5. Students will partner up and decide if they will make a flow map or Venn diagram to show what

they have learned about maps of the Western Hemisphere or cultures studied to date (Incas, Mayas, and Aztecs) Students may pick two of the three studied cultures to create their presentations. Students may show important elements of a map or compare and contrast two types of maps or compare and contrast two of the three cultures studied.

6. Students create their presentations and print them.

Day 2:7. Partners will present their diagrams or flow maps to the class.

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Assessments (How do you know students met the learning objectives and targets?)

Teacher will assess understanding by using observation and questioning while students work and by evaluating completed projects to look for map elements and key elements of each type of map or checking for understanding of cultures.

Modifications/Enrichments (implanted in this lesson or ideas for future lesson delivery)

Students who need modifications will be asked to identify key elements of a map (i.e. key, compass rose, scale bar) and key elements of physical versus political maps. These students may also be paired with students who are more knowledgeable and who will guide learning instead of doing all the work themselves.

Enrichments: Students needing to be further challenged will be asked to compare three types of maps or all three cultures using a three-way Venn diagram.

Examples

Below are actual examples of the products of students from the above lesson plan. The

examples show various forms of student creativity to demonstrate understanding of maps or

cultures of the Western Hemisphere.

Feedback Strategy (Frequent checks for understanding):

Teacher will walk around the room and speak with students about their ideas and strategies for their Venn diagrams or flow maps. If students have misconceptions or misunderstandings, teacher will ask questions to guide students in the right direction.

Teacher will also provide positive feedback and constructive criticism to help guide student inquiry.

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References

Koehler, M. (2011, May 13). What is TPACK? Retrieved from http://www.tpack.org.