Julianna Dean

SERP 475

Dr. Gratz

Spring 2016

Benchmark 3: Instructional Activiites

1. Topic: Social Studies (Middle School)

Objective: Students will understand the important role that the Nile River played an in the

lives of ancient Egyptians and still does today.

Materials: Computers, paper, colored pencils

Implemented: Students will research the various aspects of the Nile River (socio, economic,

cultural) and fill in chart with information. One side of the paper will be for

ancient Egypt and the other side will be for current Egypt. Students will complete in

small groups (2-3 students).

2. Topic: Social Students (Middle School)

Objective: Students will review important facts about the Irish Potato Famine and apply

social morals to primary sources and secondary sources.

Materials: Primary and secondary sources from the Irish Potato Famine, like journal entries,

records, etc., paper, pencil

Implemented: After looking at several primary and secondary sources, students will write a

letter home to their family describing the Irish Potato Famine. They will use socio,

economic, and political aspects in their letter.

3. Topic: Science (Middle School)

 Objective: Students will understand that there are ethical and practical arguments in favor of

cloning and against cloning.

Materials: Computer for research, pamphlet software

Implemented: Students will conduct research to find the various sides of cloning (how it is

done, why it is done, is it safe, etc.) and then they will make a pamphlet that can be given

out to fellow students to inform them about the new scientific technologies.

4. Topic: Language Arts (High School)

Objective: Students will understand that adapters of a literary work into drama and other

genres must consider dialogue and stage directions.

Materials: paper, pencil, copy of the Odyssey, other materials to create a play (costumes,

etc.)

Implemented: In small groups, students will turn Homers Odyssey into a different genre,

like a satire, comedy, etc., using the appropriate characteristics for each genre. They will

create a play and perform it for the class.

5. Topic: Math (Lower Elementary)

Objective: Students will Explore different ways to find solutions to problems or situations

and draw a picture that represents a problem-solving strategy.

Materials: paper, pencil, colored pencils

Implemented: Students will create a word problem about in a real world situation (ex.

buying lunch) and will draw visual aids in order to solve it. They will show their process

to their table.

6. Topic: Language Arts (Elementary)

 Objective: Students will learn that every story has a main idea and supporting details and

find the main idea and several supporting details in a news story.

Materials: Online source for news (age appropriate), main idea graphic organizer

Implemented: Students will find news article online and then fill out the graphic organizer

to find the main idea and the supporting details. They will then turn their notes into a

summarizing paragraph about the news article.

7. Topic: Social Studies

Objective: Students will describe the American flag and what it symbolizes.

Materials: paper, colored pencils, computer for research

Implemented: Students will research what the American Flag symbolizes (the amount of

stars, how it has changed, what it means to America, etc). They will then make their own

flag that symbolizes what they believe symbolizes the United States.

8. Topic: Science (Upper Elementary/Middle School)

Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of motion and forces by using the

catapults to launch objects.

Materials: Computer/Ipad for research, building materials, paper, pencil

Implemented: In small groups, students will research catapults (what makes one successful,

etc.) and create a plan to make one themselves. They will need to write what part of

motion/force is being used during each stage of the catapult and then finally build one.

9. Topic: Math (High School)

Objective: Students will understand Euclid's proof of the Pythagorean Theorem and apply it

in finding the dimensions of self-created shapes.

 Materials: Geogebra software where students will create shapes and find dimensions

Implemented: Students will use Geogebra to create a given shape and then using the

Pythagorean Theorem, they will find the dimensions.

10. Topic: Independent Life Skills (High School)

Objective: Students will create interview questions based on a job developing video that was

watched in class.

Materials: Video discussing the aspects of job interviews, paper, pencil

Implemented: Students will write interview questions as an employer making sure that the

interviewee is answering all the important topics. They will then pair up and complete

mock interviews.

11. Topic: Independent Life Skills (High School)

Objective: Students will research various recipes given certain ingredients.

Materials: Cookbooks, paper, pencil

Implemented: Students will find three recipes given a list of ingredients that they could

make based on their skill set. If time, students could then look in current ads to see how

much given ingredients would cost at the store.

12. Topic: Independent Life Skills (Middle School)

Objective: Students will identify their personal information (address, phone, contact

information, etc.) when given various choices

Materials: Chart for each student with corresponding information

Implemented: Much like a matching game, students information will be in a chart and then

students will have to place corresponding card on top (will have to place home phone

number on square that lists their home phone number).