Date: March 17, 2002 Grade: Fourth
Teacher Name: Jan Barrett Subject: Social Studies/L. Arts
Topic-
Westward Expansion- The territorial growth of the United States in the years following the American Revolution.
Content-
This is a five day lesson plan to teach the westward expansion of the early American pioneers to 1861. This will include the key people who contributed to the western movement.
Key vocabulary words: pioneers, annex, impressments, nationalism, pathfinders, purchase, doctrine, prediction
Standards-
Social Studies
4.1.10 Describe the westward expansion of the early American pioneers to 1861.
4.1.11 Discuss the key people who contributed to the westward movement.
4.9.1 Compare the causes and effects of human migration in the United States.
4.9.2 Analyze settlement patterns to explain why people settle in various areas.
4.10.2 Explain how physical and human characteristics of places influenced human migration and settlement.
Language Arts
4.1.B13 Identifies cause and effect
Identifies and recalls details
Identifies sequence and events
4.I.B9,13 Makes inferences/generalizations
4.1B10,13 Paraphrases content
4.1B6 Uses text organizers
4.1A3 Demonstrates research skills
Goals: Aims/Outcomes-
Objectives-
Materials and Aids-
Picture of wagon train, board & marker, journals, key vocabulary words, word sort cards, sticky notes, rubric, computers, overhead projector, PowerPoint program, word list and article for story impression- Pioneer life in Sacramento, Concept Development Maps, internet.
Procedures/Methods-
Day 1-The teacher will have students make predictions from the wagon train picture headed West about the next unit. The laptop computer will be connected to the television for everyone to view. The students will make predictions and record them in their journals. Afterwards, they will share their journal entries. The teacher will ask students to consider what might motivate them to move to a different region from the one they are living in today. Then the teacher will ask them to infer what might have happened to American Indians as European settlers continued to move west. Next, the teacher will clear up any misconceptions or conflicting understandings. Then the teacher will assign each student a famous mystery person from the era to research. See Process. The students will use the internet to find information to write ten clues about themselves; this will be put on a PowerPoint program in the computer lab at a later date. A rubric will be given to help clarify what will be expected of them for this assignment. The teacher will begin reading aloud from the novel, Dear Levi, by Elvira Woodruff.
Day 2- The teacher will have students complete a Concept Development Map for the vocabulary words. Each group will be given a concept map and one word to give examples and attributes of the word. Afterwards, the class will share their definitions and each student will fill in their Concept Development Chart which will include; the word, example, similar word, dissimilar word, important attributes, and definition. Next, the teacher will retrieve the article, Pioneer life in Sacramento. Before reading the article the teacher will model a story impression to demonstrate what they will be expected to do. Next, the teacher will display ten words from the article and have the students write story impressions including the words in their stories. The students will share their stories with the class. Afterwards, the teacher will read aloud the real article. The teacher will continue to read aloud from, Dear Levi.
Day 3- The students will work in small groups to do decision making. Each group will be given a Supply List and they will be asked to pretend that they are traveling west on a five month journey by covered wagon. They are to choose supplies with their groups, keeping in mind that the wagon will carry 2,000 pounds. Next, the students will defend why they chose the items they did and present them to the class. The next activity is a vocabulary word sort; the small groups of students will be given fifteen words from, Building the West, to place on a Vocabulary Sort Card using sticky notes to write the words. They will have to decide which category each word will go under as a team. Afterwards, the teams will share results; these words will then be written in their journals. The teacher will continue to read aloud from, Dear Levi.
Day 4- The students will make words during the Making Words activity for the word, stampeding. The students will work on their mystery person reports. The teacher will continue to read aloud from, Dear Levi.
Day 5- The students will work on completing their research. Next they will read aloud their clues and give the class an opportunity to guess who they are. If they guess early, the student will still read the rest of the clues to the class.
Evaluation-
There will be two rubrics to score the oral presentation and the written report of their famous mystery person.
Week 2- A Hot Potatoes Multiple Choice Quiz will be assessed.
