ED 345 Calvin College Lesson Planning Form

Teacher: Date: Subject/ Topic/ Theme:

I. Objectives
What is the main focus of this lesson?
Pony Express
How does this lesson tie in to a unit plan? (If applicable.)
Unit: Westward Expansion Lesson: mail delivery service when they get out west.
What are your objectives for this lesson? (As many as needed.) Indicate connections to applicable national or state standards. If
an objective applies to only certain students write the name(s) of the student(s) to whom it applies.

SWBAT identify what the pony express was.

SWBAT describe why the pony express was so important
SWBAT create their own stamp to use on a letter sent on the pony express.

II. Before you start

Prerequisite knowledge and skills.
What mail is.

Assessment
Questioning, participation, creation of the stamp.
(formative and summative)

Materials-what materials (books,

Notebook paper, envelopes, wooden square blocks, foam stickers, stamp pads, Pony Express
handouts, etc) do you need for this
page from packet, pencil
lesson and do you have them?

Do you need to set up your Desk groups and floor space

classroom in any special way for
this lesson? If so, describe it.

III. The Plan

Time Parts The description of (script for) the lesson, wherein you describe teacher activities and student activities
Motivation
(Opening/ Have you ever sent a letter before?
Introduction/ Have you ever received a letter before?
Engagement) How do you send or receive letters?
Through the mail!

Development When the overlanders first moved out west they did not have a mail system.
 L moved from Michigan this summer. What if there were no phones or computers or mail system. How
would his family know that he made it safely? J is moving to Michigan at Christmas. If there are no
phones or computers or mail how will we know if she made it or not? How will she be able to tell us how
much fun she is having?

Mail was really important back then, so they created something called the Pony Express.
Have you heard of the Pony Express before?

Read Pony Express.

(have two students read the paragraphs)

How did the Pony Express work?

What needed to be on a letter to send it in the mail?
A stamp!

Today we are making our own stamps!

We will be using wooden blocks. Then we are going to stick foam stickers onto them to make the design
of our stamp.

What do we put stamps on? Letters!

So after we design our stamp, we need to write a letter. I want you to write a letter with three things you
have learned about moving out west in it. You can write your letter to any teacher you want. It can be
me, Mr. Sneller, Mrs. Tanner, Mrs. Naylor, Ms. Polikaitis, or any teacher you want. But it needs to have
three things you have learned about moving out west in it.

When you are done with your letter, fold it up, put it in the envelope and we will stamp it!

I will call you up by table group to get supplies for your stamps. When you are done with your stamp,
come get supplies for your letters.

Walk around the room and help students as needed.

Choose one person from each table group to share the design of their stamp. Then, go around again and
Closure
choose another person from the table group to share what they wrote in their letter.

Your reflection on the lesson including ideas for improvement for next time: