Explorers arrive

Lesson Plan #2: Collaboration

Grade: 3 Social Studies Strand: History
Submitted By: Patty Medeiros Partner: Rebecca Waltz
EDEL 453: Teaching Elementary School Social Science Nevada State College Spring 2014 Instructor: Karen Powell

Lesson Plan #2 History

submitted by: Patty Medeiros & Rebecca Waltz

B. Summary of the Lesson Plan: This social studies lesson is designed for 3rd grade students to learn about the first European explorers to come to North America. This lesson uses the Houghton Mifflin Social Studies textbook Communities (p. 110-113). C. Basic Information: Grade Level: 3rd grade Time to Complete this Lesson: 50 minutes Groupings: o o o o Partner Groups (Think-Pair-Share, Rally Robin) Table Groups (Talking Chips) Individual Whole Class

D. Materials: T-Chart Worksheet for each student (Sample at end of Lesson plan or top of TE pg. 110) Study Guide/Homework (Unit Resources p. 32) for each student (sample at the bottom of TE pg.113) Paper and Pencils E. Objectives: o NV State Social Studies Standards H1.3.3 Learn about individuals around the world and discuss their contributions.

Student-Friendly Standards I can explain why the first explorers came from around the world and summarize their impact.

F. Vocabulary Trade route a road or waterway that people travel to buy, sell, or exchange goods Explorer a person who travels to unknown or little-known places

G. Procedure: 1. Building Background - Refer to notes on TE 110 - Get Set to Read. o Using Think-Pair-Share (face partners), have student A and B alternate reading the headings and boldface words on pages 111-113 and then their partner will predict what the lesson will be about. Introduce vocabulary (trade route, explorer).
Nevada State College

Expand vocabulary introduction (if time allows.)

EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 2

Lesson Plan #2 History

submitted by: Patty Medeiros & Rebecca Waltz In table grouping, have students try to find alternate words to describe the vocabulary word. For example, business road instead of trade route. Explain to students that the suffix er means one who, so an explorer is one who explores.

o o

Using Think-Pair-Share (shoulder partners), ask the students to think about what the explorers were looking for. Call one or two groups to share their answers. Using Talking Chips within their table groupings, have students identify and discuss places theyd like to visit, but have never been before. Explain that European explorers didnt know what they would find. Explain the T-Chart that students would complete to chart details they learn about explorers from Spain and France into two categories as they read.

2. Read pages 110-111 and clarify understanding using questions provided in Teach section on page 111 after reading is completed. o o o In partner grouping (any), have students use Read & Retell strategy to read pages 110-111. Either with their partners or individually, have students write details in their TChart. Ask students to clarify what they learned by answering questions from the margins of page 111. Students should share their answers using the Rally Robin strategy.

3. Read pages 112-113 and clarify understanding using questions provided in the TE margin on pg. 112 after reading is completed. o o o Again in the same partner groups, have students use Read & Retell strategy to read pages 112-113. Either with their partners or individually, have students write more details in the TChart. Ask students to clarify what they learned by answering questions from the margin in the TE pg. 112: o o Why did Cabrillo explore the Pacific Coast north of Mexico? What did the French explorer Samuel de Champlain do? Do you think the French government was pleased with Champlain? Review: Why did Spain and France send explorers to North America?

4. Explain the Study Guide/Homework (Unit Resources pg. 32). Working in partner groups, have students complete the Study Guide/Homework worksheet. If time allows, check student understanding by discussing responses aloud as a whole group.

Nevada State College

EDEL 453 - Spring 2014

Karen Powell- Instructor

page 3

Lesson Plan #2 History

H. Assessment:

submitted by: Patty Medeiros & Rebecca Waltz

a. What will you use to measure student understanding? Write a Journal Entry: Why was it important that the explorers came to North America? Discuss some of the explorers discoveries. b. Explain how you will know students understand the concepts from the lesson. Students should demonstrate their understanding of the lesson by including information in their journal entries such as: o o o I. Closure: Quick whole group review and discussion of the first European explorers to come to North America. explorers saw and learned about new places explorers found rich resources such as fish and beaver explorers met American Indians

J. Reflection: 1. Which part of the lesson do you think will be the easiest for you to teach? I think the easiest part of this lesson to teach will be the vocabulary portion. The lesson in the Houghton Mifflin textbook includes a Vocabulary Strategy section to provide the teacher with extra support in teaching the meanings of the vocabulary words by looking at smaller chunks of the words and their meanings to form an understanding of the whole word. Students at this grade level should already be familiar with breaking up words to find meaning. 2. Which part will be most challenging for you to teach? I think it will be most difficult for students to remember the names of the explorers and their specific contributions/importance, therefore it will be more difficult for me to teach this part. I think the T-Chart included in the lesson will help students. 3. How will you follow up or extend this lesson? An important extension to this lesson would include having students use their mapping skills to understand the original trade routes and the routes the explorers followed when coming to North America. 4. What can you do for students who dont grasp the concepts? For students who dont grasp the concepts I would work with them in a small group to create an Explorer booklet where students will devote one page to each explorer discussed. We will work together first discussing what explorers are and then have students write the definition of explorer in their own words on the first page. The following pages of the booklets will include the name of each European explorer discussed in the lesson, a small map that shows the route traveled by the explorer and any important facts or discoveries regarding the explorer.
Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 4

Lesson Plan #2 History

submitted by: Patty Medeiros & Rebecca Waltz

5. Which part of the lesson, if any, do you think might need to change? The only part of the lesson I think I would change would be adding an extra day for the extended mapping lesson. I think if time permits on this second day I would also like to have all students make the Explorers booklets, rather than just the students who didnt grasp the concepts of the lesson. 6. When you were writing this lesson plan, what was the most difficult part? The most difficult part of this lesson was trying to decide on what activities were most important to include for student understanding of the concepts without including too many to overwhelm the lesson or go over the allotted 50 minute time slot. Trying to determine the best grouping of students for the most effective learning throughout the different parts of the lesson was also a challenge. There are times when whole group instruction is most effective and times when collaborative grouping is appropriate, and then you want to be able to assess the students individual understanding as well. 7. Describe your experience collaborating on this lesson plan. I admit I normally cringe at the idea of group work. I would rather take on the load by myself and not have to try to collaborate with someone else; aligning differing schedules and ideas. (Previous bad experiences!) HOWEVER, I had a great partner this time around who contributed some great ideas I had never heard of before (Talking Chips, Rally Robin) and she made this collaborative lesson an enriching experience. It was somewhat slow going at first trying to decide on our exact topic via back-and-forth emails, but after our grade/strand/topic was decided we were able to create an effective lesson together that went quite smoothly.

Nevada State College

EDEL 453 - Spring 2014

Karen Powell- Instructor

page 5

Lesson Plan #2 History

submitted by: Patty Medeiros & Rebecca Waltz

European Explorers
Chart details you learn about explorers from Spain and France into two categories.

Spain

France

Nevada State College

EDEL 453 - Spring 2014

Karen Powell- Instructor

page 6