Name: Matthew McCluskey Program: Elementary Education Course: EDU450

Lesson Topic/Title: Building Background Knowledge: Colonial America - Introduction &

Pre-Assessment

Lesson Date: 4/3/17 Lesson Length: 50 minutes Grade/Age: 4th-5th Grade

Learning Objectives (Targets):

Learning Objective: Students will be able to distinguish the historical era of Colonial America from
current day by providing evidence, in a teacher-led whole-group discussion.

Learning Target: I can express (in my own words) information I heard or read about Colonial
America from the videos and/or websites I visited.

Learning Objective: Students will be able to pose specific questions about the topic of Colonial
America.

Learning Target: I can ask specific questions about Colonial America that I want to follow up on.

Content Standards: Content Standards Alignment & Justification:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1.C

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4
topics and texts, building on others' ideas and
expressing their own clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1.C
Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify
or follow up on information, and make comments
that contribute to the discussion and link to the
remarks of others.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.2
Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or
information presented in diverse media and
formats, including visually, quantitatively, and
orally.
Students will show that they have met this
standard by sharing at least one piece of evidence
from diverse formats (text, visuals, media), in
their own words, which they learned from the
interacting with the content accessed on the
Padlet. The information they share will be added
to the K column of the KWL chart during whole
group discussion at the rug.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.2
Students will show that they have met this
standard by sharing one specific question they
have about the topic of Colonial America.
Students will write down one question they have
that they want to research further on their Exit
Ticket and bring it to the rug to share with the
whole group during the wrap-up discussion.
These questions will be added to the W (What I
Want to Know) column of our classwide KWL
chart on chart paper.
Assessment:
Pre-assessment:
K column of classwide KWL chart
K column of student KWL Exit Ticket
W column of classwide KWL chart and
student KWL Exit Ticket
Pre-Assessment Questionnaire
Formative:
Observation of students in partner groups
and during whole group discussion
L column of student KWL Exit Ticket
Self-Assessment:
Exit Ticket
Assessment (Data & Student Feedback):
Pre-assessment:
The teacher will use the K column of the
classwide KWL chart and the Pre-Assessment
Questionnaire to gain an understanding of some of
the background knowledge that students have
about Colonial America, as well as some
misconceptions that students have. The teacher
will use this data to inform future instructional
planning and address misconceptions students
may have about the time period, colonists, Native
Americans, etc. Some misconceptions may be
able to be addressed in the moment during
discussion, while others may need assigned
reading or content for clarity.
Formative:
The teacher will use observation of the students in
their partner groups and during whole group
discussion to inform future instructional planning,
including future partner groups, based on each
individual students background knowledge.
Students who show a significant lack of
background knowledge relative to the topic may
benefit from being paired with a student who has a
strong understanding.
The W column of the KWL chart will guide the
teachers direction in regard to content for future
lessons in the unit. The teacher will provide
students with a variety of access points, via text
and diverse media formats, to address the
questions they pose.
The Exit Ticket will be an individual KWL. This
will give the teacher evidence of background
knowledge for each student, whether they hit the
target of asking a specific question about the
topic, and what new learning occurred for the
student during the lesson. Data for each
 individual hitting targets will be recorded on the
Target Tracking Sheet for the unit.

Integration of Other Content Areas:

Social Studies/Language Arts:

This Social Studies-based content will be taught during Reading Workshop due to the
following four lessons in the unit having a focus on the building of background knowledge
through the reading strategies of locating explicit details and making inferences.

Instructional Strategies to Differentiate Whole Class Instruction:

Grouping: Students will be placed in small groups for stations based on teachers prior
knowledge of their ability to work effectively with specific individuals. Students who have a
difficult time with focus and tend to be easily distracted with certain peers will be separated
accordingly.
Technology: Students will access age-appropriate information about Colonial America via a
Padlet created by the teacher. The media accessed through the Padlet will be varied in format,
including virtual tours of Colonial-era homes and workplaces, YouTube videos related to the
lives of Colonial-era children, and an developmentally-appropriate website (Ducksters.com)
with a plethora of information on the topic.
Questions: Students will respond to oral questions to show understanding. In whole group
discussion, answering questions orally allows all students to hear peer knowledge of the
content. Auditory learners benefit from being able to hear their peers explain what they
understand. The teacher can formatively assess student understanding of the content being
taught, address misconceptions, and choose appropriate adjustments to the teaching and
learning sequence as needed.

Modifications:

Accommodations: My ELL students, MA and MH will benefit from the visual aspect of the KWL
chart, the videos included on the Padlet, and the easy of navigation once they are on Padlet. I will also
provide typed directions specifically for these students and GH, who has difficulty remembering
multi-step directions.

Extensions: All students must complete their Exit Ticket. Because of the nature of the lesson, it will
not be possible for students to finish their work early. Although students will only be required to
choose two sources to access on the Padlet, students who make it through the videos and record one
question and one thing they learned on their KWL Exit Ticket can elect to view the other resources as
time permits. A possible resource-based extension as a writing connection would be for students either
write an narrative about a child from the Colonial-era who time-travels to present day, and how they
might react to how different childrens daily lives are, or write about how their own lives would be
different if they were a colonist child.
Technology Integration:

ISTE Teaching Standard:

2. Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments

Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating
contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the
knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the Standards.

c. Customize and personalize learning activities to address students diverse learning styles, working
strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources

Rationale: This standard is met in the lesson by my use of Padlet to customize the learning experience
for the different learning styles and abilities in my classroom. Six of my students are mostly visual
learners, but all students in my classroom engage in their learning more when technology is
incorporated. Using Padlet allowed me to make it easy for students to personalize their learning
experience by choosing which information they accessed based on what interested them most. For my
ELL students, Padlet helps to organize all the access to important information in one place with visuals
which will help them build connections to the content. My use of YouTube videos and virtual tours
helps all students quickly gain background knowledge on the topic in an engaging way.

Materials and Resources for Lesson Plan Development:

Pre-Assessment Questionnaire (one per student)

Chart paper (for whole-group KWL)
Markers (for chart paper/whiteboard)
Whiteboard
Teacher Laptop
Projector w/Chromecast/AppleTV
Projector Screen
Google Images of students playing games from Colonial-era
Chromebooks (one per student)
Headphones (one pair per student)
Pencils (for Exit Ticket)
KWL Exit Ticket (one per student)

Teaching & Learning Sequence:

Before the lesson:

Write learning targets on the whiteboard (optional)

Set up KWL chart on chart paper
Students should have Chromebooks at their seats
 Send link for Discover Colonial America! Padlet to students via Google Classroom
Set projector to HDMI setting for projecting content from teacher laptop
(Chromecast/AppleTV)

Open (10 minutes) (whole-group at the rug)

Ask students to join you at the rug and to sit with their usual reading partner
Through Chromecast/Apple TV project Google Images of children playing games from the
Colonial American-era
Once all students are seated at the rug, and tell them they have 10-15 seconds to look at the
pictures on the screen before you are going to ask them questions about the pictures.
Im looking for hands of students who want to share what they see in this picture or want to
make a guess about what they see.
Allow for three different students to share.
These pictures have something to do with the unit we are starting on Colonial America.
Allow for a couple seconds of wait time. Some hands may go up without asking for them.
If no hands go up, ask students if they have any guesses about the picture based on what you
just told them.
Take one response, but do not let on if their guess is correct. Keep all the intrigue alive that
you can! Tell students to be on the lookout for clues to this mystery.
Ask students to return to their regular seats at tables and have two students in charge of passing
out papers hand out the Pre-Assessment Questionnaire and KWL Exit Ticket.

Pre-assessment Activity (10 minutes) (independent work at tables)

Please answer the questions on this pre-assessment about Colonial America as well as you
can. It helps me to know what you know! Before you begin, write down one thing you know
or think you know about Colonial America in the K box on your Exit Ticket. Raise your hand
when you are finished your pre-assessment and I will come to you and collect it.
If students are having a difficult time thinking of something, tell them they must make their
best guess and write it down.
Students will complete Pre-Assessment Questionnaire independently.
Teacher will circulate throughout the room during this time to check for understanding of
directions and make initial observations assessing student background knowledge, as well as to
collect pre-assessments as students finish and monitor following of directions on Exit Ticket.

Active Engagement (20 minutes) (tables)

We are going to share what we know or think we know about Colonial America and list them
on a class KWL.
Try to fill the K column in less than five minutes with what students share.
During wrap-up, we will fill the W column (what you want to know or wonder about) with
what you write for the W on your KWL Exit Ticket.
Instruct students to open Google Classroom and click the link for the Discover Colonial
America! Padlet. Students will need to use headphones if they choose the video links.
Students will choose two links that look interesting to them and fill in the W and L on their
Exit Ticket as they explore.
 The teacher will circulate throughout the room during this time to check for understanding of
directions, observe which links students show the most interest in, and use proximity to
encourage on-task behavior, especially while students are using Chromebooks.

Wrap-Up (10 minutes) (rug)

Students verbally share the specific questions or wonders they have written on their KWL Exit
Tickets to the class KWL. (The L column will be completed at the end of the unit.)
Revisit the pictures of Colonial America-era children playing games and ask if anyone wants to
use new information to change or confirm a guess from the beginning of class. (Some students
will have learned about the games children played from the video on the Padlet.)
Review learning targets.
Collect KWL Exit Tickets.

Content Knowledge Notes:

Common Core Teacher Standards (CCTS) Alignment & Justification:

Standard #2 Learning Differences

The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to
ensure inclusive learning environments that allow each learner to reach his/her full potential.

2 (c) Designs instruction to build on learners prior knowledge and experiences, allowing learners to
accelerate as they demonstrate their understandings.

Rationale: I met this standard by assessing what the students already knew about the unit topic of
Colonial America on the class KWL and Exit Ticket; as well as throughout my observations of the
students interaction with the explicit information in the lesson. My ELL students, MA and MH, will be
provided with written directions, as well as having them read orally, and repeated for clarity. MA, MH,
GH, and DD will not have to follow the expectation of writing in complete sentences, as while that is a
habit we are trying to reinforce, it is not what is being assessed in this lesson.

Standard #6 Assessment
The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own
growth, to document learner progress, and to guide the teachers on-going planning and instruction.

6 (g) Effectively uses multiple and appropriate types of assessment data to identify each students
learning needs and to develop differentiated learning experiences.
Rationale: During this lesson, I used the classwide KWL chart, individual Exit Tickets, and
Pre-Assessment Questionnaire to gather data around students background knowledge of the
overarching unit topic. I will formatively assess students expression of information through
observation during whole-group discussion and use the L column on students Exit Ticket to examine
new learning. Accommodations in regard to writing expectations (not having to write in complete
sentences) have been made for several students. Students will self-assess how they feel they stand with
the learning targets at the end of the lesson.

Reflection: How many met

Instructional planning

How do I know students learned

Differentiation strategies

Next lesson

What would you do differently