POWERFUL SOCIAL STUDIES LESSON PLAN OUTLINE

JMU Elementary Education Program: ELED 434 ALL SECTIONS

The following information should be included in the header of the lesson plan:
Morgan Sears
Mrs. Lauren Strawderman, John Wayland Elementary School
Grade 3
Lesson to be presented on October 21, 2014 at approximately 2 p.m.
Submitted to cooperating teacher October 15, 2014.
o Cooperating teacher signature _____________________________________________
A. TITLE OF LESSON: Encountering Foreign Peoples: The Native American Perspective
B. CONTEXT OF LESSON
What pre-assessment did you do that tells you the students readiness, interests, and/or learning preferences?
I will briefly talk to students before reading the book, Encounter, to see what they know so far about explorers and their arrival to the Americas
and what they know about Native Americans.
Why is this an appropriate activity for these students at this time? How does this lesson fit in the curriculum sequence?
This lesson is appropriate for the students at this time because it relates to explorers and their interactions with Native Americans and falls right
within the unit on explorers that my teacher has allotted time for. They will also be working on writing and repeated reading in this lesson,
which are not necessarily targets, but inadvertent links to language arts aspects, both of which are specific ones that the students are currently
working on.
How does this lesson fit with what you know about child development? Cite theorists whose work supports your understanding of these aspects of
the lesson where appropriate. Use data collected during your seeing student thinking assignment to support your decisions.
At any age, many children learn well through experiencing and reflecting on content and situations. I think that reading Encounter, reflecting
on the book through discussion, and applying it through letter writing is going to be interesting and effective for these third graders. This, in my
opinion, embodies the constructivist theory of Jean Piaget.
C. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand- what are the broad generalizations
the student should begin to develop? (These
can be difficult to assess in one lesson.)

Students will understand the

relationship between the first explorers
and native peoples and the effects that

Know- what are the facts, rules, specific data

the students will gain through this lesson?
(These knows must be assessed in your
lesson.)
Students will know the impact that exploration
had on American Indians, including:
Spread of disease.

Do- what are the specific thinking behaviors

students will be able to do or practice as a
result of this lesson? (These will be assessed in
your lesson.)
Students will explain the situations
between American Indians and the
explorers and the impact that it had on

exploration had on both parties.

S
D
.

both parties.

Forced relocation of Indian

settlements.
Angry, upset, sad, and scared feelings.
Conflict between parties.

ASESSING LEARNING:
What will your students do or say, specifically, that indicate every student has achieved your objectives? Rememberevery objective must be
assessed for every student!

Task
After reading the book Encounter by
Jane Yolen, we will discuss as a class
the reactions that the children think the
Native Americans may have had to
explorers arrival to their homeland.
Students will be given a writing
prompt asking them to pretend as if
they were a Native American and
write a letter to the explorers about
how they felt about their arrival.

Diagnostic Features
In discussion, I will look for:
Students empathizing with Native
Americans.
Negative reactions to explorers arrival
in the Americas.
Students understanding that explorers
arrival and discovery of the Americas
was not a great thing for every party
involved.
In writing, I will look for:
Disgruntled tones in the students
writing, showing that they were
unhappy with the arrival of explorers.
Assertive feelings towards the
explorers.
Detailed descriptions of why they are
upset about explorers arrival (it upset
their home life, marginalized them,
overtook their land, etc.).

Support
If a child does not understand, I will sit
down with them and talk to them oneon-one about the feelings of the Native
Americans, possibly using analogies
that are relatable to their life to help
them understand.
If a child does not feel comfortable
writing the letter or cannot for any
reason write the letter, I will sit down
with them and role-play, me being an
explorer and them being a Native
American. They will verbally tell me
how they feel about my arrival.

D. RELATED VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING (and NATIONAL STANDARDS if required)

SOL 3.3 (part of B): The student will study the exploration of the Americas by learning about the impact of travels on American
Indians.
E. MATERIALS NEEDED
Writing sheets with directions (me) (attached)
Cards with rap typed on them (6 sets) (me) (rap attached)

Yolen, J. (1992). Encounter. San Diego, CA: Voyager Books.

F. PROCEDURE
(Use this graphic organizer if it is helpful for you. If you create your own format you must include each aspect listed below, in the column
headings). NOTE: You are not required to include 4 learning events if your lesson will not include this many! The extra events are only
included for the sake of demonstration.
Activity Element
& Time (in minutes)

Procedures and management

Step-by step procedures including
questions and main points visualize
what you are going to say to the students.
It might be helpful to script out what you
are going to say, although during the
lesson you do not need to use this
language verbatim.

Introduction: Discussion
of prior knowledge

Event 1: Read Aloud

(About 10 minutes)

Transition (less than 1

minute)

The teacher will have a discussion

with the students about their prior
knowledge of explorers, or what they
have learned about explorers in the
unit so far. Questions may include:
What is an explorer?
What do explorers do?
Do you know of any
explorers?
What special things did they
do?
The teacher will ask students to move
to the reading rug in the back corner
of the room.
The teacher will read to the students
Encounter by Jane Yolen, pausing for
questions or comments from students
if needed.
The teacher will explain to children
that they will have a short discussion

Students
Describe what the students will be doing
as a result of your instructions

Students will be seated at the reading

rug around the rocking chair, where
the teacher will be sitting.
Students should be thinking of their
prior knowledge about explorers,
brainstorming, and sharing their
knowledge with the class.

Students will move to the reading rug

in the back of the room and sit down,
surrounding the rocking chair.
Students will listen intently to the
story while possibly thinking of
questions or comments they wish to
share with the class.
Students will be listening during this
short period of transition and

Academic, physical, social &

linguistic differentiation,
resources, and support
How will you support ALL
students by differentiating
aspects of your lesson based
on readiness and interest, and
according to content, process,
and product? It isnt always
necessary to include
differentiation in logistical
aspects of the lesson such as
transitions.
I will attempt to use
higher and lower level
language during
discussion.

I will make sure

students are seated
appropriately based on
personality conflicts in
the classroom in order
to increase
participation.
There will be no
differentiation for this

Event 2: Discussion (5-10

minutes)

Transition (1-2 minutes)

Event 3: Letter writing

(15-20 minutes)

about the story and what they think

and feel about it.
The teacher will guide discussion
with questions realted to the reading
that will prepare students for the next
portion of the lesson. They may
include:
What did you think about the
story?
How do you think the Europeans
felt when they arrived to the
Americas?
How do you think the Native
Americans felt when the
Europeans arrived to the
Americas?
Why do you think they felt that
way?
How would you feel if you had
been a Native American when this
happened?
The teacher will thank students for
their thoughtful comments and
questions during the discussion.
The teacher will ask students to
quickly (but safely) return to their
seats and get out a pencil.
The teacher will hand out a prepared
sheet with directions for the activity
and lines provided for writing (a
template will be made prior to the
lesson).
The teacher will go over the
instructions with the students using
the document camera.
The teacher will emphasize
specifically that the students will use
information gained from the story and
the discussion to write their letters.
The teacher will roam the room while

instructions, still seated on the

reading rug.
Students will continue to be seated on
the reading rug.
Students will be engaging in
conversation with the teacher and
their peers.
Students will be asking questions and
making comments.
Students will be thinking about what
they heard in the story, making
connections between Encounter and
what they know about explorers,
Native Americans, and settlement.
Students should be thinking about
how the Europeans and Native
Americans both may have felt during
this event.

portion.

If necessary, I will
restate the questions
several times if they
are unclear to any
students until they are
understood.
I will be sure to use
language that will
address both higher
understandings and
lower understandings.
I will answer specific
questions to the best of
my ability to ensure
understanding.

Students will return to their desks and

get out a pencil.
Students will await instructions for
the next portion of the activity.

There will be no
differentiation for this
portion.

Students will go over instructions

together with the teacher.
Students will use information gained
from the read aloud and discussion to
place themselves in the place of
Native Americans and write a letter to
the Europeans about how they felt
when they came to the Americas and
settled on their homeland.

If students are having

difficulty with the
writing portion, the
teacher will role-play
with them, pretending
to be the Europeans,
while they tell me how
they felt about our
arrival from the Native
American point of
view.
The teacher will
provide one-on-one

Transition (3-4 minutes)

Event 4: Columbus Rap

(About 20 minutes)

Conclusion (5 minutes)

students work, stopping to provide

encouragement and assistance where
needed.
The teacher will instruct students to
put pencils and letters away to finish
them at a later time (if they are not
already finished)
The teacher will tell students that they
are going to do a final, fun activity
where they will rehearse a rap.
The teacher will divide children into
groups (2 groups of 4 and 2 groups of
5).
The teacher will give each group a set
of cards with a rap about European
(specifically Columbus) arrival to the
Americas written on them.
The teacher will tell the students that
they may spread out around the room
in their groups to rehearse their wrap
and decide how they will split up
parts.
The teacher will explain that, at the
end of the activity, the students will
have the opportunity to perform for
the teacher (the teacher will go around
to each group individually).
Towards the end of the activity, the
teacher will go around to different
groups and listen to their rap.
At the end of the activity, the teacher
will collect the cards from the groups
and call students back to their seats.
The teacher will conclude by asking
students what they learned about the
Europeans and the Native Americans
and how the Native Americans felt
about the foreign arrival. We will
briefly talk about how this lesson

attention to students
who need it.

Students will put away pencils and

letters away to finish at a later time. If
they are already finished, they will
turn them in.
Students will return to their seats or
remain in their seats for instructions
for the next activity.
Students will find a spot in the room
with their group and their cards.
Students will practice reading the rap
with their group for a period of time,
deciding how they will say it and who
will say what part.
Students will perform the rap for the
teacher when the teacher reaches their
group.
Students will return the cards to the
teacher and return to their seats.

There will be no
differentiation for this
portion.

The differentiation for

this activity is built in.
Instead of having the
children perform the
rap in front of the
class, they will
perform in small
groups when the
teacher comes around
the room to them. This
is so that the children
that are shy in the class
are not pressured to
get in front of the
class, but still provides
student-to-student and
student-to-teacher
interaction.
If students wish, they
may have the
opportunity to perform
the rap in front of the
class, but are not
obligated.
There will be no
differentiation for this
portion.

Students will engage in brief

discussion and listen intently.
Students will be thinking about and
reflecting on the knowledge gained
from the lesson.

topic differs form the typical portrayal

of the discovery of the Americas.

G. DIFFERENTIATION:
Write a narrative explanation of two to three paragraphs describing how you have planned to meet the needs of all students in your classroom
with varied learning styles and abilities, English language proficiency, health, physical ability, etc. How will you support the learning of
children struggling with your objectives or those who find the content only minimally challenging? Draw from the examples you described in
the final column of the chart in the procedures section of your lesson plan.
When I wrote this lesson, I planned to differentiate in several ways. The majority of the students in my class have strong engagement
during read alouds. The reading of Encounter on the reading rug will address both visual and auditory learners. Auditory learners will also be
served during the pre-discussion and discussion of the book. I believe that all of the students, however, will enjoy this portion of the lesson.
In the second activity, the writing of the letter from the Native Americans to European explorers, students will practice their
comprehension and writing skills. Many students struggle with these things in my class. It will be a great opportunity for these students to work
more with their writing and pulling information from the text and our discussion. This will serve the kinesthetic learning style, in that the
students will actually be creating something and applying knowledge gained throughout the reading and discussion.
In the third portion of the lesson, the rap, students that are auditory learners are primarily reached. The students will be repeatedly
reading and working with their group the Columbus rap that will be provided to all of them. They will be hearing it, making connections to the
lesson, and saying it. I think that this will really sum up the lesson well in a fun way that will make their knowledge of the subject concrete.
After this, I will address auditory students (mostly) again when closing in a brief discussion that draws conclusions about the lesson.
H. RATIONALE: 1-Double-spaced page that justifies what you are teaching and why it is important for students to develop a deep
understanding of what is being taught. Be sure to emphasize how it contributes to students development as citizens and to their lives beyond
school. Explain why it matters in terms of its meaning to students, the value of the subject content, opportunities for inquiry and its importance
to the community and to society. The rationale should not be that the lesson fits within the state or school curriculum.
When explorers arrival to North America is typically taught in schools, students hear a brilliant tale of an exciting, new, worldchanging discovery of a never-before-found-land by European voyagers. Children are taught about how the Europeans came here bravely and
had friendly encounters with the Native Americans that had privately inhabited this land for years already, sharing feasts and giving thanks
with them. However, I think that it is a big part of historical education to provide students with an unbiased variety of viewpoints and accounts
on every event and situation. This is the main reason I have chosen to approach this subject with the kind of lesson that I have designed.
Encounter by Jane Yolen, the main introduction or part of the lesson content, is a counter narrative to European arrival to the Americas that
provides a story of this event from the somewhat neglected viewpoint of the Native Americans involved.

After completing this lesson, I am hoping that this will help children to be better citizens by causing them to be empathetic towards the
feelings of others and respectful towards other cultures. As citizens, we must try to be aware of all the viewpoints and stances of people not
only in our community, but also in surrounding communities and global communities in order to make informed decisions. Being aware of the
norms of other cultures also helps us, as citizens, to respect them and the people that are within that culture.
This lesson is also important because it falls within the unit the students will be working on at that time: explorers. This not only makes
it convenient to teach, but also allows for me to show students another view to something that is typically taught so one-sidedly. I think it will
give students a well-rounded body of knowledge about the subject.

I.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG WITH THIS LESSON AND WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT?
Think about this! It may help you avoid an embarrassing situation. Look over the choices youve made for teaching this lesson. What
extenuating circumstances (based on what you know if your students, their schedules, and the context in which you teach) could potentially
derail your otherwise excellent plan? Identify at least 4 potential problems and thoughtfully describe your plan for addressing them when they
arise? IN other words, what are your contingency plans?
There are two students that get pulled out with a speech specialist during part of the time in which I plan to teach this lesson, which cannot be changed.
However, I am hoping that because the lesson has several different parts that address the same concept, these students will not fall behind. Additionally,
the two students that get pulled for speech do not participate in WRE (Weekly Religious Education) on the day after the lesson is taught. If needed, I
can work with these students to clear up any confusion that may result from missing the first part of the lesson the previous day.
The students may not take from the book, Encounter, the message that I am trying to emphasize (that Native Americans may have felt scared and
invaded, etc.). If this is the case, I will appeal to the students personal lives by asking how they would feel if totally foreign, different looking, different
speaking people came into their home and took over. Hopefully, this will cause the students to empathize with the Native Americans and take from the
activity what I am hoping.
Some of the students in the class tend to struggle more than others with writing. I do not believe that they have been instructed on how to write letters
yet, so there may be confusion on how to approach this. However, my hope is that the template that I create to write on will be helpful and clear up
some confusion. I will also answer questions, and explain the template thoroughly using the document camera if needed.
One thing that the students have been focusing on a lot has been fluency. Where some of them are advanced, some of them are struggling greatly with
this skill, concerning me a little for the rap activity in this lesson. I will be placing the students in 6 groups of 3 and will be grouping them with readers
of different levels. However, if this strategy does not work for whatever reason, I will alter the groups, or I will work with students that are struggling to
perform the rap together (I will participate fully in the activity).

Lesson Implementation Reflection

As soon as possible after teaching your lesson, think about the experience. Use the questions/prompts below to guide your thinking. Be thorough in your
reflection and use specific examples to support your insights.
I. How did your actual teaching of the lesson differ from your plans? Describe the changes and explain why you made them.
II. Based on the assessment you created, what can you conclude about your impact on student learning? Did they learn? Who learned? What did they
learn? What evidence can you offer that your conclusions are valid?
III. Describe at least one way you could incorporate developmentally appropriate practice in a better or more thorough way if you were to teach this
lesson again.
IV. Based on the assessment data you collected, what would you do/teach next if you were the classroom teacher?
V. As a result of planning and teaching this lesson, what have you learned or had reinforced about young children as learners?
VI. As a result of planning and teaching this lesson, what have you learned or had reinforced about teaching?
VII. As a result of planning and teaching this lesson, what have you learned or had reinforced about yourself?