OUR WATER

Submitted By: Kimberly Nahinu

EDEL 453: Teaching Elementary School Social Science Nevada State College-Spring 2012 Instructor: Karen Powell

OUR WATER Social Studies Lesson Plan

Summary of Lesson Plan: This social studies lesson plan is designed for 1st grade students to learn to compare and contrast different types of land and water in various regions of the United States, including mountains, plains, rivers, and lakes. This lesson uses the Houghton Mifflin Social Studies textbook Our Water (p. 82-87) Target Lesson: 1st Grade Students at all learning levels Whole group reading & discussion, independent notes and assessment

Objectives: G5.1.1 -Differentiate between and identify water and land on a map and globe and use the terms ocean and continent. G6.1.1- Sort and group pictures displaying geographic features, e.g. forests, deserts, lake regions.

Procedure: 1. Refer to notes on TE p. 82- Get Set to Read Preview the pictures in this lesson. ASK children which ones look like land in their community. As children read the lesson, help them fill in the chart by identifying details to compare and contrast land and water. Discuss with children local landforms or bodies of water in your city or town. Ask children to tell what they know about that landform or body of water. Introduce vocabulary (mountain, plain, river, lake) 2. Write the daily message on the board Is the land in our community hilly or flat? Do we live near any water? Writing Prompt- Ask students to write a sentence or caption to tell about the landforms and water in your community.

3. As a class read pgs. 82-83, As children read the lesson, help them fill in the chart (Reading Skill: Compare and Contrast) by identifying details to compare and contrast land and water. 4. After each page TALK ABOUT (pg. 82-84) a. Q: What is a mountain? A: A piece of land that is higher than the land around it. b. Q: Tell how a plain is different than a mountain. A: A plain is flat and sometimes grassy; a plain can be high or low; a mountain is high. c. Q: What is the name of the mountain in the picture on page 82? A: Mt. McKinley

OUR WATER Social Studies Lesson Plan

d. Q: What is the difference between a river and a lake? A: A river is fresh water that flows across the land to the ocean. A lake has land around it. e. Q: Look at the pictures on page 84. What do you see? A: There is a river and there is a huge riverboat. It is traveling on a river. f. Review and Assess TE p.85 5. As we are reading and continuing when we finish reading, students should record information in their study guide worksheet/ homework. (Unit Resources p.22) Assessment: LESSON REVIEW (TE p. 85) Write a journal entry: Tell how a river is different from a lake. What kind of land and water can you find on Earth? Draw a picture in your journal showing plains and mountains. Reflection: Which part of the lesson do you think will be the easiest to teach? I think the Visual Learning would be the easiest to teach. Its easier to describe and relate to something that you can touch or see. What part will be the most challenging for you to teach? When the students first begin the discussing what plains are, they might have difficulty because they might describe a plane or airplane. How will you follow up or extend your lesson? As an extension to the lesson, I would use the Extended Lesson 2 (p.86-87) about John Muir. What can you do for students who dont grasp the concepts? For the students that have difficulty understanding the concepts in this lesson, I would use the Reteach Mini Lesson described at the bottom of TE p.84. We would work together to fill in the Venn diagram to help children compare and contrast mountains and plains. Which part of the lesson, if any do you think might need change? I thought this lesson was very well written, and students in the first grade would be able to compare and contrast mountains and plains, and lakes and rivers. When you were writing this lesson plan, what was the most difficult part? Im a believer in differentiated instruction. I want to make every student relate to what is being taught. I would probably add a few Kagan Strategies into my lesson, and do some paired reading, TIME PAIR SHARE, and talking chips.

References & Materials: Reading Skill and Study Guide/Homework paper (Unit Resources workbook p. 22samples at the bottom of TE pg. 82 & 84)

OUR WATER Social Studies Lesson Plan

Social Studies Book: Our Water p. 82-87 Student Journal paper, pencil, crayons