ELE 331 TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES K-4

LEARNING STATION ACTIVITY PLAN

Title of Activity: Fort Building

Subject Area: Mathematics

Standard: Standard - CC.2.3.4.A.1 Draw lines and angles and identify these in two-dimensional figures.

Specific Objective of the activity: After viewing teacher demonstration, students will build a two-
dimensional fort using popsicle sticks.

Motivation: We will introduce the activity to students by informing them that they are going to make their
own forts to protect themselves from an attack. Their forts will be made out of popsicle sticks. We will
tell them that they can be as creative as possible but they will have to defend why they chose to build the
fort the way they did.

Crowd Control: In order to avoid future misbehavior, students will be told that the popsicle sticks are to
be used only for building the fort and are not to be used inappropriately (throwing, hitting each other,
chewing on it, etc.)

Materials: Popsicle sticks, glue, model, markers

Resources: http://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/fort-pitt/

Preparation: To begin, we researched the construction of Fort Pitt and why it was build the way it was.
Then we created a model for students to refer to using popsicle sticks.

Student Directions:
Step 1: Draw a blueprint of the fort you are doing to build. Consider where the entrance will be,
what shape it will be, how it will protect you, etc.
Step 2: Determine a guestimate on how many popsicle sticks you will need.
Step 3: Write your name on one of the popsicle sticks you will use.
Step 3: Begin building your fort by gluing together the popsicle sticks.
Step 4: Allow glue to dry completely.
Step 5: Using a marker, draw windows or other specification on the fort.

Evaluation: The blueprint of the students fort will be collected and pictures will be taken on the finished
product. Within the blueprint the students will have determined the shape of the fort they planned to build.
The blueprint will be compared to the students finished fort to determine their ability to create the 2-
dimensional figure. Students will meet the goal if their forts correspond with the blueprint or if they can
identify changes that were made.
ELE 331 TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES K-4
LEARNING STATION ACTIVITY PLAN

Title of Activity: Defending Your Fort

Subject Area: Language Arts

Standard: Standard - CC.1.4.3.I Support an opinion with reasons.

Specific Objective of the activity: After viewing teacher demonstration, students will write a short
paragraph with one opinion and three supporting details.

Motivation: We will tell the students that they have to defend their fort. They are to write about how their
fort will protect them.

Crowd Control: We will stay within close proximity to the student in order to monitor their behavior. The
teachers will give prompts to the students and ask questions to keep them on task.

Materials: Paper, Pencils, example paper

Resources: http://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/fort-pitt/

Preparation: To prepare for this lesson, we researched the construction of Fort Pitt. We looked at the
purpose of each section of the fort and its defense mechanisms. We also prepared an example of the
written response.

Student Directions:
Step 1: Take out a piece of paper and pencil.
Step 2: Write a 5 sentence paragraph identifying why you think your fort is safe and at least 3
reasons that support it being the best choice to make.
Step 3: Once everyone is finished, take turns reading your paragraph (defending your fort) to the
class.

Evaluation: The students papers will be collected and checked. A checklist will be used to determine if
the students included why they think their fort will protect them and three reasons to support their claim.
In order for students to have reached the mastery level set for this activity they are required to have
included the four components.
ELE 331 TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES K-4
LEARNING STATION ACTIVITY PLAN

Title of Activity: Who Am I?

Subject Area: History

Standard: Standard - Standard - 8.1.3.B Identify fact, opinion, multiple points of view, and primary
sources as related to historical events.

Specific Objective of the activity: After viewing teacher demonstration, the students will be able to
identify at least 8 facts and opinions within a text.

Motivation: The students will be reading informational clues that contain facts and opinions about an
individual and are presented with a photo. They will be challenged to guess the identity of the historical
figure. This activity will be an intriguing strategy to present facts and opinions to children.

Crowd Control: In order to prevent misbehaviors for this section. The students will be given a specific set
of instructions. They will be told that will take turns looking at each of the pictures and reading the
prompts. They will be told to write their responses and then wait for everyone to be finished. We will
remain with the group of students in order to monitor behavior.

Materials: Paper, pencil, printed pictures, prompts

Resources: http://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/fort-pitt/

Preparation: To prepare for this activity we researched information on William Penn, General Forbes, and
Native Americans. We collected important information and typed up an informational text on each person,
as well as a photo.

Student Directions:
Step 1: Students will look at the photo on the poster board and read the passage next to the
picture.
Step 2: Attempt to guess who the individual is.
Step 3: Flip the photo to reveal the answer.
Step 4: Students are given a copy of the paragraphs and are to identify facts by writing an F at the
beginning of the sentences.
Step 5: Identify opinions in the paragraph by writing a T at the beginning of the sentence.
Step 6: When everyone has finished, students reveal and discuss their answers.

Evaluation: At the end of the activity, the students answer sheets will be collected. Their sheets will be
reviewed and checked for accuracy. Observation throughout the activity will also be used to determine the
students understandings. In order to reach the mastery level set for this activity, students must correctly
identify a total of eight facts and opinions.