Direct Instruction Lesson Plan Template: WHOLE GROUP LESSON AND REFLECTION

Grade Level/Subject: Central Focus:

3rd Grade: Social Studies
3.G.1 Understand the earths patterns by using the 5 themes of
geography: (location, place, human-environment interaction,
movement and regions).

Essential Standard/Common Core Objective:

3.G.1.1 Find absolute and relative locations of places within the Date submitted:5/08/17
local community and region. Date taught: 3/29/17

Daily Lesson Objective:

In groups of two, SWBAT describe an assigned NC city in terms of absolute and relative location. To show
understanding, students must receive 2 out of 3 parts correct of their Geography handout.
21st Century Skills: Academic Language Demand (Language Function and
Communication & Collaboration, Vocabulary):
Critical Thinking. Define, apply, describe.
Prior Knowledge:
Students should know how to read maps using its symbols, and how to conduct basic map skills.

Activity Description of Activities and Setting Time

T: So, yesterday we talked about the three regions of North Carolina.

Can anyone tell me what those three regions are?
S: Mountain, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.
T: Thats right, and does anyone remember which region we are in?
S: The Piedmont
T: Great job! Concord is in the piedmont region of North Carolina. So,
1. Focus and Review do you think someone might could find Concord if we just tell them
to come to North Carolinas piedmont region?
S: No, because theres a lot of cities in the piedmont region.
T: Thats right. So, what might be a way we could explain to
someone where we are, right here at Coltrane Webb?
S: We could tell them places we are close to like churches/malls etc.
OR we could tell them we are close to Charlotte.
T: Awesome answers guys! Those are all on the right track!

2. Statement of T: Today we are going to learn how to find relative and absolute
Objective location of different cities in North Carolina. To do this, we are first
for Student going to work together to find the relative and absolute location of
where we are in our city of Concord, North Carolina.

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 T: Using our map, lets locate our city: Concord. What kinds of things
are near Concord?

S: Students will name nearby places, monuments, etc.

T: Thats great guys. This is called relative location. Relative location

is the most common way of locating places. It includes the distance
and direction from another known location. For example, if someone
asked us, Where is Coltrane Webb? We wouldnt say On the
corner of Spring St and Grove St. We would say In downtown
3. Teacher Input
Concord, a block from the courthouse, across from the theater.

T: Now, On the other hand, absolute location is the exact location on

Earth of a specific place. We use grid lines called latitude and
longitude to name this exact location. Latitude runs east to west.
Longitude runs north to south. Lets watch this video to learn more.

https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/geography/latitudeandlongit
ude/

T: Using what we just learned, lets practice by looking at the world

map handout I just gave you. Try finding the lines of latitude and
longitude that intersect in the US. Can anyone tell me the lines you
found?

S: Student will give example of interesting lines in US.

T: Great! Can you tell go a little deeper and tell me what state those
lines intersect in? What about the city?

4. Guided Practice S: Students will tell the state and city. (Redirect as needed.)

T: Now, lets flip to the other side that shows just the US. If you
notice, NC is between 30-40 N and 70-90 W. Keep in mind that
there are lines between 70 and 90, but we cant fit all of those on
this map. Now that we see how the lines of latitude and longitude
work, lets find the approximate coordinates for Concord.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concord%2C_North_Carolina

T: Lets check our US map and see if those coordinates look about
right! Are they correct? Is anyone confused on how we find either
absolute or relative location? (Redirect as needed.)

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 T: I am now going to put you in a group with a partner. Each group
will be assigned a city in North Carolina to research. I want one
partner in each group to grab a Chromebook. Other than that, you
each need to grab a pencil and the Geography handout I have just
given you. (After students get in groups.) Now, you each will go to
Mrs._______ homepage. There you will go to her Blendspace. There
5. Independent Practice are slides that each cover facts about the city you have been
assigned. You will fill out the handout with your partner, which
includes finding your citys relative and absolute location. Are there
any questions?

(Students will research assigned city. Teacher will walk around

asking questions such as: So, what did you find out was near your
city? Did that help you find your relative or absolute locationetc.)

6. Assessment Methods Formative: Questions asked throughout lesson.

of Summative: Students will turn in Geography handout of their assigned city.
all objectives/skills: Students will need to show understanding by getting 2 out of 3 parts correct.
Parts: Facts of city, relative location, absolute location.
7. Closure
Each group will come to the board and share facts about their
assigned city. On their maps, students listening will circle the cities
students talk about, as well as write their absolute location and one
thing nearby in the provided blanks.
8. Assessment Results
of All students showed understanding by getting two out of the three parts correct.
all objectives/skills: Almost all students understood how to describe relative location, but not quite
in enough detail (needed to include distance and direction). More time might
need to be spent understanding latitude and longitude. Students could find
absolute location, but had a hard time remembering which line went which way
and how to record that data.
Targeted Students Student/Small Group Modifications/Accommodations:
Modifications/Accommodations:
Lower-level students:
ELLs: Partner with multilingual students. Will focus only on relative location.
They will be encouraged to practice English
as much as possible during group work. All Higher-level students:
material will be translated. Will choose a country outside of America and find its
absolute and relative location.
Students with ADHD: Will sit close to
teacher during instruction. Will also have
jobs such as passing out world map and
geography handouts.

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Materials/Technology:

Chromebooks, World map handout, Geography handout, pencil, Apple Air Play to show
map/website search on TV.
References:
Geography slides from CT (Day 1 only).
Reflection on planning and implementation of the lesson:
Overall, I feel like the lesson went really well. Because slides were available ahead of time, I did
not write my lesson plan out as above. I think writing my lesson plan out, as well as planned
questions, would have helped with smoother transitioning throughout. I realized that even
though you can have everything planned out in your head, having something to look back on
helps you to stay on course, as well as remember key concepts you wanted to cover/relate to.
The kids seemed to really love being assigned different cities in North Carolina to research and
find out about. A lot of them were familiar with most of them. My clinical class was a very vocal
and outgoing class, which made sharing at the end very fun. Although my clinical teacher
already had this lesson planned, I really enjoyed teaching it, and seeing students collaborating
together to research/share their city.