Lesson Plan Guide

Teacher Candidate: Emily Watkins

Date: February 9, 2015

Grade and Topic: Grade 5, Social Studies

Mentor Teacher: Dr. Amy Adcock

Length of Lesson: 60 minutes for 2 days

School: The University of Memphis-IDT 3600

UNIT/CHAPTER OBJECTIVE/GENERALIZATION/BIG IDEA:

This lesson plan is a part of a unit on The Modern United States

LESSON OBJECTIVE:
Given short biographies, TLW select images that characterize each entrepreneur with a score of three out of four
on a rubric.
Given the selected images, TLW will support the decision to choose each image with a written justification with
a score of three out of four on a rubric.
Given a computer and Microsoft Word, TLW write two paragraphs on what it means to be an innovator in the
United States with a score of three out of four on a rubric.

Student Participation: The goal of this lesson is for students to demonstrate knowledge and understanding
of American entrepreneurs and their significant contributions to the American culture. Students provide
pictorial representations and write reflections on the meaning of entrepreneurs and innovations.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED:
State/District, Common Core Standards
5.72 Summarize the significant contributions to American culture of entrepreneurs and
innovators, including: (C, E, TN)
Ray Kroc
Sam Walton
Fred Smith
Bill Gates
Michael Dell
Steve Jobs

ISTE Standard(s)

1. Creativity and innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop
innovative products and processes using technology. B. Create original works as a means of personal or group
expression

MATERIALS:
1. American Entrepreneur Worksheet
2. Computer
3. Microsoft Word

4. Clip Art found within Microsoft Word

5. Internet Access to: Famous Entrepreneurs Biographies http://www.famous-entrepreneurs.com
6. Pencils

Technology Integration: Students will use the website listed above to help determine which
Entrepreneurs they will chose in order to complete their table and copy biographies. Microsoft Word will
be use to type, format, and add images to the Entrepreneur Table activity. Once the students have
completed the activity, they will save their work to a shared Dropbox for their class to view.
BACKGROUND and RATIONALE:
Students will demonstrate a clear understanding of the significant contributions to American culture by
American Entrepreneurs by using visual representations and written summaries about selected Entrepreneurs.
Academic Language is not addressed in IDT 3600.
This lesson is a continuation of TN Social Studies standard 5.72.
We will refer to the summary created here as we continue to learn about The Modern United States.
PROCEDURES AND TIMELINE:
Introduction:
Begin by writing down a few of the famous American Entrepreneurs names on a chalkboard, overhead, or
whiteboard.
Ask the students if they have ever heard of any of these men, if so, what do they associate with them.
Once the students have answered the previous question, give a brief background on the Entrepreneurs and how
they have affected American Culture.
Follow this with more group discussion, allowing for the students to give their opinions on how they personally
think these men have affected American culture.
Procedures:
Prior to the Computer (15 minutes)
Teacher Procedures:
1. After the Introduction, distribute the American Entrepreneur Worksheet and ask the students
to describe in two or three sentences each one listed in their own words and then describe a
picture that might go along with said Entrepreneurs.
Student Procedures:
1. Students complete their American Entrepreneur Worksheet by describing the persons listed in
two or three sentences and describe a picture that represents that person.
At the Computer (30 minutes)
Teacher Procedures:
1. Have students open MS Word and an Internet Browser
2. Direct students to the Famous Entrepreneurs website
3. Direct students on how to find clip art within Microsoft Word
4. Monitor as needed
Student Procedures:
1. Open MS Word and Internet Browser
2. Go to Famous Entrepreneur Website. Pick four Entrepreneurs
3. Read over four selected Entrepreneurs biographies
4. Go to MS Word
5. Add the title: American Entrepreneurs
6. Below title, insert a 3 column, 5 row table
7. Add the following names to each column: Famous Entrepreneur, Picture, Why I Chose this
Picture
8. Search for an image other than the Entrepreneurs business that relates to that person

9. Double click on image to select it, adding it to the Picture Column

10. In the last column, type a reason for selecting the photo
11. Save Work
12. Repeat items 8-10 for the remaining selected persons.
13. When all items are complete, check for grammar and spelling errors.
14. Print a copy
After the Computer
Teacher Procedures: (15 minutes)
1. Put the students in groups of 2 to 4
2. Ask the students to trade their work with their partners
3. Have the students silently review their peers work
4. Once that is complete, give the students 10 minutes to discuss with their peers which Famous
Entrepreneur they chose and why.
5. Have the students individually write a summary on the Entrepreneurs contributions in
American culture.
Student Procedures:
1. While in groups, students will look at each others work and assess whether or not they chose
the same entrepreneurs as their classmate.
2. Students will discuss why they chose those people.
3. Students will then write a summary on the contributions of the American Entrepreneurs they
chose.

Closure: Students will volunteer to share with the class one or two of the Entrepreneurs they chose and read
their summary. At the end of the class, the teacher will collect the assignments.

ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE:
Criteria

Graphic images
represent each of the
Entrepreneurs
properly

Very few or none of

the images represent
their chosen
Entrepreneur

Almost all of the

images clearly
represent their
chosen Entrepreneur

All of the images

clearly represent
their chosen
Entrepreneur

Reasoning behind
choosing graphics

Reasoning for
choosing images
does not
demonstrate
knowledge of
Entrepreneur
The summary does
not properly reflect
an understanding of
Entrepreneurs and
their contributions.

Only a few of the

images clearly or
partially represent
their chosen
Entrepreneur
Reasoning for
choosing images
vaguely
demonstrates
knowledge of
Entrepreneur
The summary
demonstrates a
vague knowledge of
Entrepreneurs and
contributions.

Reasoning for
choosing images
somewhat
demonstrates
knowledge of
Entrepreneur
The summary
somewhat
demonstrates a
knowledge of
Entrepreneurs and
contributions.

Reasoning for
choosing images
clearly demonstrates
knowledge of
Entrepreneur

Summaries

The summary
demonstrates a clear
knowledge of
Entrepreneurs and
contributions.

MODIFICATIONS:
I am aware that modifications will be made for students who did not master the objectives and for those ready
for enrichment. However, modifications are not covered in this course and are not part of this particular lesson.

Student Sample
Famous Entrepreneur

Picture

Why I chose this picture

Ray Kroc

This picture represents Ray

Krocs business in hamburgers.

Fred Smith

This represents Fred Smiths

business in packages and
delivery.

Bill Gates

This represents Bill Gates

business in computers.

Sam Walton

This represents Sam Waltons

business in customer service.