LESSON PLAN

Sample Co-Teaching Lesson Plan (Direct Instruction)

Subject:
Social Study Trail of Tears Day 4

Teachers:
Ms. Nguyen
Standard(s):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning
words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of
strategies.
SS.4.S1.PO 5: Describe the conflict of cultures that occurred between newcomers and Arizona
Native Americans: a. Indian Wars b. Navajo Long Walk c. formation of reservations.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey
ideas and information clearly.
Objective (Explicit):
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to understand the conflicts of culture between
Native American and the newcomers through the completion of two assessments.
Evidence of Mastery (Measurable):
Complete their two lesson assessments:
o Bringing thoughts to posters: create a poster about anything related to the Trail of Tears
using words (complete thoughts)
o Map and 10 facts: draw a map of the Trail of Tears, including important points and
descriptions
Scafffolding what students will do with their assessment
Sub-objectives, SWBAT (Sequenced from basic to complex):
What do you understand so far about the conflict between Native Americans and Americans?

Key

How do you think these historical events relate to the modern world?
What did you learn from the past days/lessons?
How is this topic revelant to students, their lives and/or the real world?
vocabulary:
Materials:
Culture
Posters
Native American
Big whiteboard
Andrew Jackson
Markers, colored and black
Trail of Tears
Video from Day 2 lesson plan by Ms.
Awbery:
Newcomers
https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/u
shistory/trailoftears/

Opening (state objectives, connect to previous learning, and make relevant to real life)
I will ask students a few questions about what they remember from the last 3 days/lessons.
I will ask students to explain what they know and understand about the Trail of Tears.
This topic will help students better understand the Native American history and culture,
especially since we are living in a state home to many surviving Native American tribes.
Furthermore, this topic also helps students build their knowledge about the historical conflicts
and events that helped shape our modern day culture and country.

Instructional Input

Teacher Will:
I will set my rules and expectations prior
to todays lesson.
I will introduce my lesson by briefly
summarizing the chapter as it was covered
over the previous 3 days.
I will ask students questions about the
previous lessons, both about what they
learned and what they took away from
those lessons such as :
o What did you learn from Day 1s lesson?
o What did you learn from Day 2s lesson?
o What did you learn from Day 3s lesson?
o Can any students tell me the
connections between the last three
dayss lessons?
o Can anyone tell me their thoughts about
how these historical events relate to
todays society in our country?
I will ask if the students are able to make
any connections between the previous
lessons and todays topic.
o Since all of you have learned about the
Cherokee and Andrew Jackson on Day 1
(Mr.Rocha), the Trail of Tears on Day 2
(Ms. Awbery), and have all looked at the
journey box and reviewed some primary
sources about the Trail of Tears on Day 3
(Ms. Brucato): can any of you make a

Student Will:
Students will refresh their knowledge about
the Trail of Tear by listening to the teachers
summary of the last 3 days lessons.
Students will raise their hands to be called
on in order to answer any questions.
Students are allowed to ask question if they
do not understand something.
Students are allowed to use their social
study notes from the last 3 days lessons to
answer questions and complete both
assessments for the day.

Guided Practice

connection between the last 3 days

lessons with todays topic?

Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation
If students do not remember the chapter after listening to the teachers summary of the
last 3 days lessons, I will show the video viewed on Day 2 (Ms. Awbery), activity they did
on Day 1 (Mr.Rochas), and review the primary sources and journey box from Day 3 (Ms.
Bruacato) in order to refresh their memory on the Trail of Tears.
Teacher Will:
Student Will:
I will ask the students to read the
Students will read the objective together
objective together with me again.
with the teacher.
I will ask the students to share what they
Students will share their knowledge of
have learned from the last 3 lessons, such
previous lessons.
as:
Students will sit in their groups.
o Can anyone tell me anything you
Students will discuss the two assessments
learned that interested you from the
given out.
last 3 days?
Students will discuss what each members
I will give positive comments and
part is on the assessment.
feedback.
Students are allowed to ask questions .
I will put students in groups for their
Students are allowed the use their social
assesments.
studies notes from the last 3 days lessons.

I will use scaffolding in the assessments by

showing students an example of what they
are going to do, such as:
o Assessment 1: bringing thoughts to
posters
1. Every student in the group will write
their names on the top right corner of
the poster.
2. Students will come up with a title for
their posters. (Ex: Trail of Tears,
Conflict between Native Americans
and Newcomers , etc.)
3. Students can use their notes from the
last 3 days for this assessment.
4. Students will discuss with their group
and write what they think are the
most important thoughts about what
they have learned during the last 3
days of social studies.
5. Each group will share their thoughts
with the rest of the class.
o Assessment 2: Map and 10 Facts
1. Students will receive a poster for
their map and 10 facts.
2. Students will write their names on
the top right corner.
3. Students will use their social studies
notes from the last 3 days lessons.
4. Students will draw a map of the Trail
of Tears, being sure to included

Independent

where it started and ended. The

map can be as simple as a line
which includes the names of all the
states which the Trail of Tears passed
through.
5. Students will write any 10 facts which
they learned during the last 3 days.
(Example : DBQ questions, facts
about the Cherokee tribe, facts about
Andrew Jackson, etc.)
Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation
If students are having a difficult time completing their posters, they are allowed to ask for
repeated instructions and/or allowed to use the provided examples to help complete their
own work.
o Example, assessment 1 : I will walk to a group that is having a difficult time and go over
an example with them:
o I can start with the title of the poster: Trail of Tears.
o I will explain my reason of it being called the Trail of Tears: when the Native
Americans moved around from state to state, they were forced to make the move;
so, the Native Americans were sad losing their homelands to the newcomers.
o Example, assessment 2: If a group is having a difficult time with the map, I will give the
students a hint about which states were on the Trail of Tears.
Teacher Will:
Student Will:
I will pass out posters and markers for
Students will get two postersone for each
each group.
assessmentand a set of colored markers
for each group.
I will show my example of the posters
Stuents will look at the teachers example
(assessment 1, bringing thoughts to
posters) to the students while depicting
on the whiteboard.
the example poster on the big whiteboard, Students should write their thoughts and
then explain the examples to the students.
ideas from the last 3 days on the poster.

Practice

o I will use the big whiteboard as a poster

for my example:
1. I will write my name on the top right
corner of the whiteboard.
2. I will title my poster as The

Conflict.
3. I will write my thoughts of the
hisorical events as they relate to
todays society. For example, it was
very sad for Native American people
when they were forced to move from
their homeland. ETC.
I will tell students that they can complete
their posters based on my example on the
whiteboard, or they can use their own
thoughts and ideas.
I will give students roughly 7 minutes to
discuss with their groups and write their
thoughts on the posters.
I will tell students when time is up for the
first assessment.
Students will then start their second
assessment: map and 10 facts about the
Trail of Tears.
I will give students roughly 7 minutes to
complete the second assessment.
Once both assessments are complete, I will
ask the groups to share their work with
the rest of the class .

Students will raise their hands to share their

posters of assessment 1, bringing thoughts
to posters, and assesment 2, map and 10
facts.
Students will turn in their work at the end of
the lesson.

I will ask the students to turn in their

posters (assessment 1: bringing thoughts
to posters; assessment 2: map and 10
facts) at the end of the lesson.

Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation
- If any groups do not want to share their posters with the class, the teacher will just collect
their poster at the end of the lesson.

Closing/Student Reflection/Real-life connections:

The teacher will ask the students questions about the lesson, such as:
o What did you learn from the last 3 days of lessons?
o Do you think what you learned previously relates to todays lesson?
o What did you take away from todays lesson?
o Why did you pick that particular thought/idea for the poster?
Before finishing the lesson, I will understand the conflict between the Native Americans and the
newcomers after reviewing the summary of the last 3 days lessons and finishing both of todays
assessments.