DIXIE STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

ELEMENTARY 3rd SEMESTER LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

(1/25/13)

Teacher Candidate

Andrea Hadley

Grade Level 5

Title: Trail of Tears

CONTEXTUAL FACTORS (classroom factors)

Contextual Factors:
23 Students: 10 Boys, 13 Girls.
16 Caucasian, 4 Hispanic, and 3 American Indian
3 ELL students. (Ceasar: Spanish- WIDA 1; Ron: Navajo WIDA 3; Yareli: Spanish WIDA 3)
1 Student has Tourettes Syndrome (Jared)
3 Students have IEPs (Ron: Reading, Owen: Reading and Math, Alexis: Reading)
High Level Learners: Cami, Gage, Lily Darger, Taye
Behavior Issues: Owen- defiant, un-focused, physical limitations that cause anger.
Rayne- Blurts out a lot. Has a hard time being kind to other classmates. Takes things that arent hers.
Classroom environment:
The classroom is set up with 5 horseshoe tables where the students sit. There are 4-5 students at each table.
They have a tote that holds their supplies (pencils, scissors, rulers, etc.). They keep their things in a cubby that
is assigned to each student. There is a Promethean Board at the front of the room, along with a whiteboard. The
classroom is equipped with an IPad and a Chrome Book for each student. They use these devices for many
different assignments.
WALK-AWAY (As a result of this lesson, what do I want the students to know, understand, and be able to do?)
State Standard/Objective:
Fifth Grade Social Studies Standard 4: Students will understand that the 19th century was a time of incredible
change for the United States, including geographic expansion, constitutional crisis, and economic growth.
Objective 1: Investigate the significant events during Americas expansion and roles people played.
d. Assess the impact of expansion on native inhabitants of the west.
Content Walk Away: I can explain how the Westward Expansion affected the Native American people.
Language Walk Away: I can explain how the Westward Expansion affected the Native American people.
Vocabulary: Relocation, discrimination, voluntary, civilized
ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE (What evidence do I need to show the students
have learned the Walk-Away?)
Formative Evidence (checking for understanding throughout the lesson):
Listen for understanding as students share with a partner and in class
discussions.
Content Walk-Away Evidence (Summative): Read students letters to President
Jackson making sure they are using real evidence to support their perspective
on the Indian Removal Act with at least three details.
Language Walk-Away Evidence (Summative): Read students letters to
President Jackson making sure they are using real evidence to support their
perspective on the Indian Removal Act with at least three details.

Modifications/Accomodations (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)

Students will be strategically
grouped in order for the ELL,
struggling learners, and high
ability learners can be
supported and expand their
thinking.
Provide support for Cesar as
needed to understand what to
write.
Give students highlighters to
highlight key things in the text
they would want to include.

Approx.
Time
5 min.

ACTIVE LEARNING PLAN

Activate/Building Background Knowledge
I will begin by forcing students to move around in the classroom. What if you were forced to leave
your house, your town, your friends, your school? How would you feel?
Today we are going to talk about how the Westward Expansion affected the Native American
People.
Formative assessment:
Learning Goal
Success Criteria
Assessment Strategy
Help students realize how it
Students will imagine how it
Listen as students respond to
would feel to be forced to
would feel to be forced to
questions about how they
leave their homes.
leave their homes.
would feel if they had to leave
their homes by force.
Modification/accommodations: (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)
Make it more understandable for Cesar what it might feel like to be forced to move by visually
showing students being forced to move to a new seat.

15 min.

Focus Lesson (I do it)

I will start by showing the Brain Pop video about the Trail of Tears. Students will be asked to listen
closely to the information being given in the video, paying close attention to reasons why Native
Americans were forced to leave their homes. Students will talk at their tables discussing reasons the
Native Americans were forced to leave their homes. We will then discuss as a class the reasons for
the Indian Removal Act.
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Success Criteria
Assessment Strategy
Understand what the Trail of
Being able to explain what the Listen for responses in
Tears is.
Trail of Tears was all about.
discussions about the Trail of
Tears and reasons Native
Americans were forced to
leave their homes.
Modification/accommodations:
Walk around listening as ELL students and struggling learners discuss the reasons at their tables
providing prompts for them as needed. Ask higher order questions to advanced learners and have
them explain to the people at their tables.

15 min.

Collaborative (You do together)

Show students the Trail of Tears painting. When looking at the painting, what do you see? How
does it make you feel? Students will also be given three firsthand accounts and take a minute to
read and discuss these with a small group. They will then create one sentence that represents their
groups understanding of how the westward expansion created conflict for the Native American
people.
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Success Criteria
Assessment Strategy
Students will have the
Students will write a one
Listen as students read their
opportunity to examine
sentence statement describing
statement looking for
primary sources to determine
how expansion created
understanding of how the

how expansion created

conflict.

20 min.

5 min.

conflict.

expansion created conflict.

Modification/accommodations:
Firsthand accounts will be provided for all and will expand the knowledge of the advanced learners
with information they may not know. Students will be grouped strategically to promote successful
outcomes.
Guided Instruction (We do it together)
Each table will be given an excerpt to read. They will have a question at the top of the excerpt. They
will need to read it and then explain to the rest of the class what their question was and answer it
using the information they read. While doing this students will fill in their graphic organizers.
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Success Criteria
Assessment Strategy
Understand key events and
Students will read about key
Students will be able to
details pertaining to the Trail
details pertaining to the Trail
adequately explain their
of Tears.
of Tears.
answers to the rest of the class.
Modification/accommodations:
Students will be given an ample amount of time to process their answers and to relay their answers
as well to the rest of the class.
High level learners may be asked to expand on their answers.
Independent (You do it alone)
Students will write a letter as if they were a Native American to President Jackson giving their
perspective of the Indian Removal Act. They must support their perspective with real evidence that
was learned about in the lesson. Use at least three details.
Summative Assessment:
Students will turn in their letters. I will go over their letters looking to see that they support their
perspective with real evidence from the information given in the lesson with three details.
Modification/accommodations:
I will make sure to give prompts to ELL students and struggling learners that may need extra
support, highlighting important key facts.
Closure/Review of walk-aways, vocabulary, and essential questions
Go over vocabulary. Have students give definitions to shoulder partner.
Which President signed the Indian Removal Act?
The Trail the Native Americans took to Oklahoma is called what?
How did expansion create conflict?
Watch short clip to review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUILURVoPhw

SIOP Indicators (Add SIOP number and description within the lesson plan)
Preparation: 1-Content objectives, 2-Language objectives, 3-Content appropriate, 4-Supplementary materials,
5-Adaptation of content, 6-Meaningful activities
Building Background: 7-Linked to background, 8-Linked to past learning, 9-Key vocabulary
Comprehensive Input: 10-Appropriate speech, 11-Clear explanation, 12-Variety of techniques

Interaction: 16-Opportunity for interaction, 17-Grouping supports objectives, 18-Wait time, 19-Opportunity
for L1 students
Practice/Application: 20-Hands-on materials, 21-Activities to apply content/language knowledge, 22Language skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking
Lesson Delivery: 23-Content objective supported, 24-Language objective supported, 25-Students engaged, 26Pacing
Review/Assessment: 27-Review vocabulary, 28-Review concepts, 29-Feedback, 30-Assessment
TEACHING NOTES
What do I need to remember to do? What materials do I need to have ready? What is the approximate time
needed for this lesson?
Copies of Primary sources ready for each group.
Andrew Jackson letter papers copied.
Trail of Tears videos ready.
Graphic Organizer ready.
Prezi ready to go.
REFLECTION AFTER LESSON
How can I use the assessment data to reflect on & evaluate the outcomes of teaching and learning? How can I
transfer what I learned from teaching this lesson to future teaching? What was effective and not effective? What
goals can I set to improve my practice and student learning?