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Part I: Lesson Overview and Instructor Background Knowledge (20
points)
a). Unit Title: Exploring the Western Hemisphere
b). Rationale:
Students will begin to explore and gain conceptual knowledge of the Western Hemisphere by engaging in the analysis of a variety of regional maps, constructing an understanding of weather and climate and how these two concepts affect how people interact with their environment and recognizing the relationship between physical and cultural characteristics. Students will study the geography and maps of both Americas and interpret how this geography affects the people who live there. Students will also learn how people affect the places they live by creating their own cultural characteristics. This content brings students into a broader scope of what other regions are like and how different cultures interact with the environment around them, thus educating students towards a global understanding of geography and human interaction in order to improve their communication with diverse groups of people.
c). Unit Objectives:
SWBAT= Students will be able to
1. SWBAT describe characteristics of regions in the Western Hemisphere by studying climate, land use and population maps.
2. SWBAT analyze characteristics of a region by answering geographic questions and gaining knowledge of people and their environment.
3. SWBAT identify landforms, bodies of water and vegetation of the Western Hemisphere.
4. SWBAT determine various climate regions by studying climate graphs and their effects on the way people live and interact.
5. SWBAT define cultural characteristics by learning about various regions and determining which characteristics are influenced by humans.
6. SWBAT analyze physical characteristics of a region and determine how these characteristics affect the way people live and work.
7. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
8. SWBAT examine and utilize maps to write a narrative piece as a tour guide of a specific landform.
d). Unit Standards or Grade Level Content Expectations:
1. 6.G1.2.5: Use information from modern technology such as Geographic Positioning System (GPS), Geographic Information System (GIS), and satellite remote sensing to locate information and process maps and data to analyze spatial patterns of the Western Hemisphere to answer geographic questions.
2. 6.G1.3.1: Use the fundamental themes of geography (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, region) to describe region or places on earth.
3. 6.G1.2.1: Locate the major landforms, rivers (Amazon, Mississippi, Missouri, Colorado), and climate regions of the Western Hemisphere.
4. 6.G1.2.4: Use observations from air photos, photographs (print and CD), films (VCR and DVD) as the basis for answering geographic questions about the human and physical characteristics of places and regions.
5. 6.G2.1.1: Describe the landform features and the climate of the region (within the Western or Eastern Hemisphere) under study.
6. 6.G3.1.1: Construct and analyze climate graphs for two locations of different latitudes and elevations in the region to answer geographic questions and make predictions based on patterns. (e.g., compare and contrast Buenos Aires and La Paz; Mexico City and Guatemala City; Edmonton and Toronto).
7. 6.G2.2.1: Describe the human characteristics of the region under study (including languages, religion, economic system, governmental system, cultural traditions).
8. R.CM.06.01: Connect personal knowledge, experiences, and understanding of the world to themes and perspectives in text through oral and written responses.
e). Social Studies Content:
Exploring the Western Hemisphere through different interpretations of maps is something I am comfortable teaching. I have worked with maps my whole life in my own education and took a geography course while getting my undergraduate degree. However, I wanted to know more about how children interpret maps and what may be challenging for them. I found that children from ages 6-12 are in what Piaget calls the concrete operations phase (Muir & Frazee, 1986). This means that children of these ages require manipulatives and hands on activities that would strengthen these abstract ideas. Because of this, I made sure to include many examples of maps, activities that interpret maps and various levels of group work and independent work so students could use each other as a resource as well.
Another important geographical aspect of the unit is an understanding of regions. Students are aware that a region is easily identified as a state or country. But, the concept of a region being without borders is more challenging to understand. Regions are an “intermediate step between our knowledge of local places and our knowledge of the entire planet” (Joint Committee on Geographic Education, 1984). In order to facilitate this intermediate step and promote better understanding of a variety of regions, my unit delves into regions based on climate, physical characteristics, and human characteristics such as land use, language and religion. This unit will put students in the shoes of a geographer and allow them to make their own conclusions about regions close to home and within the Western Hemisphere. My own knowledge of regions will make it difficult not to jump to conclusions and give students answers. I have built in questions that will force me to wait for them to make their own decisions, and I will act as a facilitator as we explore.
The most important concept and generalization to understand in this unit is how physical and human characteristics affect one another. But before this can be taught, students need to take the time to study maps, become comfortable reading them and above all understand what the map is telling us. Then, these maps can become a tool to teach students how regions become characterized in different ways and how humans throughout the Western Hemisphere work with, and sometimes against, their environment. That is why the unit is grounded in studying various maps. Each teaching point or big idea refers to a map. Consistently referring to maps will help students gain an understanding of regions in both a physical and social context (Brophy and Alleman, 2007).
By tying together the use of manipulatives, references each day to maps and studying a variety of regions, students will have a change to explore many different aspects of the Western Hemisphere. Instead of studying states and countries, students will be analyzing location and how it influences the way people throughout this hemisphere live and work with and against their environment.
f) Key Concepts
1. Physical characteristics: natural geographic features on the earth’s surface. Mountains, for example, were not man made. They are a physical characteristic.
2. Cultural characteristics: geographic features that are influenced by humans. Boarders of countries are an example of a cultural characteristic.
3. Climate: a region that is described by temperature and precipitation averages and is determined over a long period of time. For example, we live in a temperate climate, which gives us warm summers and cold, snowy winters.
4. Weather: what the temperature and precipitation is on a given day. For example, the weather today is snowy and 32 degrees. We don’t know what it will be like 14 days from now but we can guess using climate averages.
5. Landforms: a feature that makes up the earth’s surface such as a plain, desert, mountain or large river.
6. Region: an area that has one or more characteristics in common. For example, a country is a region that is unified by government.
7. Headwaters: the source of a river or where the river’s water comes from.
Part II: Knowing Your Students and their Learning Environment
a). Who are my students?
Because many of the students are visual learners, all lessons will have visuals and models of how to complete the expected task. Clear directions and expectations are a must.
Students are extremely verbal and enjoy relating their stories to topics covered in class. I will follow a discussion format that leaves the option to relate their interests and experiences to the topic while also keeping to a strict time format that will allow for us to stay on track and accomplish the day’s tasks.
C- He has autism spectrum disorder. He requires a lot of redirection and help staying organized. Writing is a difficult task for him, as well as copying things down. I will always provide notes if needed for the lesson. I will also avoid assigning a large amount of writing, or pair him with a student who can do the writing while C still contributes his ideas. I will also need to prompt him to have his glasses.
N- He has autism spectrum disorder. He does not produce large amounts of work and regularly leaves the classroom for sensory breaks. He receives help from the paraprofessional. Giving him small, modified tasks will keep him successful. He will also receive notes ahead of time.
H- She has autism spectrum disorder. She requires frequent redirection. She often needs prompting to begin or stay on task. She receives help from the paraprofessional. Sometimes she needs to move around. This is permitted. Sometimes H calls out in class because of her autism and other times to be purposefully disruptive. I know when her intent is to be disruptive and the necessary redirections to quell the behavior.
A- He has an auditory processing disorder. He requires his hardware, which includes his hearing aide and teacher microphone. He has organizational difficulties. He can often be moody and requires patience. Pairing him with successful students is a way to coach him to engage and have support without simply giving him the answers. Allowing him to take breaks can also be imperative for his success.
R, T, N, H- These boys all have challenging behaviors. They are exceptionally social. A stern warning usually does it for these students. R tends to be more complex and requires breaks. Staying flexible during lessons is an important part of teaching these students.
N, K, B, N, W- This group of students is very advanced for their age group. They are successful on all tasks given to them. These students benefit from advanced vocabulary inclusion and higher level thinking questions- questions that sometimes are too difficult for the struggling students. Including these things as well as the accommodations for struggling students will engage all learners.
b). Student knowledge and interests.
In the previous unit, students learned about foundations of social studies in four categories: geography, economics, civics and history. In relation to this unit, they have previously explored maps, used different world scales including local, national and international scales, and analyzed human/environment interaction. Students also learned about the rainforest in fourth grade and have a large amount of interest in this region. Relating topics to their region is a way to engage students.
Students have knowledge of the countries in the Western Hemisphere but do not readily identify regions, especially regions without boundaries. Understanding how regions can exist without boundaries is something that is an abstract idea and will require a good amount of teaching. Students also have conceptual knowledge of climates and weather but do not realize that climate is weather over long periods of time. Definitions are also a hard part of this unit because of the terminology used such as region. Students will have a vocabulary book during the unit to aide in their understanding of these new terms.
c). Classroom context.
The desks are arranged in pairs. Students are grouped into fours, two pairs each. The students frequently work in pairs or in groups on tasks. There are students in the class who have roles such as paper handler and techie who works the clicker for the projector. Students have time in the beginning of class to sharpen pencils and retrieve necessary materials from their lockers. They also have flexibility in the beginning of lessons to get themselves ready for a lesson while were starting each day with a read aloud. The two students who require significant support from the paraprofessional are seated next to or near her so they can readily receive support. Students; seats are chosen based on successful, productive pairings and groupings. The student with auditory processing disorder sits at the back of the class to the right so his left ear is pointed toward the speaker and he can move about the room if necessary.
d). Linguistic, social and academic challenges, resources and supports.
Advanced students will be paired with struggling students to serve as teachers and guides as the struggling students work to understand concepts. H and N will receive support form the paraprofessional during activities for guidance and redirection during lessons and activities. Students will also be paired with H, N, and C as supporters during the completion of in class work. A and R who both struggle behaviorally will have flexible work areas that allow them to take breaks during appropriate times in class and will be paired with classmates who will support their struggles in class.
b). Annotated Bibliography:
Brophy, J. and Alleman, J. (2007). Powerful social studies for elementary students. (2nd Ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
This text, specifically the section related to geography, outlines what this subject looks like in elementary grades and the importance of including geographical strands that focus on differences throughout the world. Brophy and Alleman do an excellent job explaining how children’s development and experiences often times limit their ability to think in terms of human and geographical diversity.
Gilliland, J. (1993). River. Clarion Books.
The reading level for this book is ages 4-8. However, this book is a useful tool for teaching appreciation of the rainforest. It touches on the biodiversity surrounding the Amazon River and the importance of protecting this forest from deforestation or other harmful acts. The illustrations and accompanying text capture the beauty of the forest. Any bias in the book is leaning towards environmentally safe practices. This book is a way to bring the content of landforms into perspective.
Google Maps. Retrieved from http://maps.google.com/.
Google Maps is an excellent way of incorporating technology into content. It allows for users to view an interactive map of any location around the world. As we read The Cay and studied various locations in the Western Hemisphere, we were able to view it using our smart board. The students had high interest in this tool and it was used more frequently as we progressed through the unit.
Joint Committee on Geographic Education (1984). Guidelines for geographic education (pp. 1-8). Washington, DC: The Association of American Geographers.
Guidelines for a geographic education outline the fundamental themes in geography, specifically location, place, relationships within places, movement and regions. The content is outlined concisely and effectively, highlighting the most valuable information about each theme. The authors encourage all citizens to become geographically literate members of a world society.
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum (MC3). Retrieved from: http://members.scope.oakland.k12.mi.us/grade.aspx?id=57
This is the curriculum East Lansing Public Schools use for social studies teaching. It provides detailed lessons and units. The lessons are well thought out and provide detailed lists of required materials, although there is little room for teacher creativity. The potential bias of this curriculum is the lack of focus and exploration of South American countries and the heavy concentration of North America.
Muir, S.P. and Frazee, B. (1986). Teaching map reading skills: A developmental perspective. Social Education, 50 (3), 199-202.
Muir and Frazee discuss the importance of teaching map-reading skills through the lens of developmentally appropriate content. The approach through this lens encourages teachers to consider what their students know and what they are capable of learning based on Jean Piaget’s hierarchy of learning and development. Following this model, learning symbols would be the first map skill taught while perspective of scale would be the last skill taught. Considering what map skills sixth graders have and what may need to be reviewed as we explore maps is a crucial part in planning the unit.
Singer, Marilyn. (2000). On The Same Day in March: A Tour of the World’s Weather. 1st Edition. Harper Collins Publishers.
The reading level for this book is grades K-3. It is an enjoyable picture book that covers the weather in various cities around the world on the same day in March. Identifying the weather on the same day introduces students to the idea that areas around the world have different climates that experience weather different as well. The illustrations are colorful and aesthetically pleasing. This book will be used to introduce the idea of climate.
Taylor, T. (1994). The Cay. London, England: Puffin Modern Classics.
The reading level for this book is 6.3 with a lexile measure of 860L. The book is set in the Caribbean Islands between North and South America. It follows a young boy named Phillip and a West-Indies man named Timothy who became friends under tragic circumstances. The novel is an excellent way to create meaningful conversations about the geography of this region.
Part IV: Overview of Lessons and Assessments
a) Narrative Overview: Provide an overview for the ten lessons in your plan.
Lesson 1- 1.24.11
-GLCE: 6.G1.2.5: Use information from modern technology such as Geographic Positioning System (GPS), Geographic Information System (GIS), and satellite remote sensing to locate information and process maps and data to analyze spatial patterns of the Western Hemisphere to answer geographic questions.
· Objectives: SWBAT describe characteristics of regions in the Western Hemisphere by studying climate, land use and population maps. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
· Procedure: Students will discuss how they get to school. Students will draw a mental map of WH. Students will define region. Students will compare a variety of maps. Students will compare special purpose maps.
· Assessment: Mental maps to assess what students know and Comparisons for student knowledge of reading maps.
· Extensions/Modifications (for students who finish early or are struggling)
Lesson 2- 1.25.11
-GLCE: 1. 6.G1.3.1: Use the fundamental themes of geography (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, region) to describe region or places on earth. 2. 6.G2.1.1: Describe the landform features and the climate of the region (within the Western or Eastern Hemisphere) under study.
· Obj: SWBAT analyze characteristics of a region by answering geographic questions and gaining knowledge of people and their environment. SWBAT analyze physical characteristics of a region and determine how these characteristics affect the way people live and work. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
· Procedure: Read a chapter from The Cay. Students will define regions within school. Students will come up with examples of regions in the world. Students will define physical and cultural characteristics. Students will distinguish which examples fit into each category.
· Assessment: Participation in discussions and sorting.
· Ext/Mod: Students who are shy and do not like to participate in whole group discussions/ activities will only be required to demonstrate listening and attentiveness during the lesson.
Lesson 3- 1.26.11
-GLCE: 1. 6.G1.3.1: Use the fundamental themes of geography (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, region) to describe region or places on earth. 2. 6.G2.1.1: Describe the landform features and the climate of the region (within the Western or Eastern Hemisphere) under study.
· Obj: SWBAT analyze characteristics of a region by answering geographic questions and gaining knowledge of people and their environment. SWBAT analyze physical characteristics of a region and determine how these characteristics affect the way people live and work. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
· Procedure: Read from The Cay. Display map and identify physical characteristics that cross boundaries. Discuss climates. Identify cultural characteristics. Discuss political maps and boundaries. Discuss how religion and language define regions. Students will complete Regions Activity.
· Assessment: Regions Activity
· Ext/Mod: Students who need extra assistance like C, H, N and A may work with adult support or peer support.
Lesson 4- 1.27.11
-GLCE: 6.G1.3.1: Use the fundamental themes of geography (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, region) to describe region or places on earth.
6.G1.2.1: Locate the major landforms, rivers (Amazon, Mississippi, Missouri, Colorado), and climate regions of the Western Hemisphere.
6.G1.2.4: Use observations from air photos, photographs (print and CD), films (VCR and DVD) as the basis for answering geographic questions about the human and physical characteristics of places and regions.
6.G2.1.1: Describe the landform features and the climate of the region (within the Western or Eastern Hemisphere) under study.
· Obj: SWBAT identify landforms, bodies of water and vegetation of the Western Hemisphere. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day. SWBAT examine and utilize maps to write a narrative piece as a tour guide of a specific landform. Procedure: We will read River by Judith Gilliland together. We will view pictures and discuss physical and cultural characteristics, specifically landforms. Students will develop a tour plan to get tourists to visit their landform.
· Assessment: River worksheet and tour plan.
· Ext/Mod: Students will be given an ample amount of time to complete the plan. If students finish early, they will be offered an extension activity.
Lesson 5- 1.28.11
-GLCE: 6.G1.3.1: Use the fundamental themes of geography (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, region) to describe region or places on earth.
6.G1.2.1: Locate the major landforms, rivers (Amazon, Mississippi, Missouri, Colorado), and climate regions of the Western Hemisphere.
6.G1.2.4: Use observations from air photos, photographs (print and CD), films (VCR and DVD) as the basis for answering geographic questions about the human and physical characteristics of places and regions.
6.G2.1.1: Describe the landform features and the climate of the region (within the Western or Eastern Hemisphere) under study.
· Obj: SWBAT identify landforms, bodies of water and vegetation of the Western Hemisphere. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
· Procedure: We will continue reading The Cay. Students will identify Amazon and Mississippi River. Will compare the 5 characteristics and record them on a sheet of paper with a peer. Students will share their findings with the whole class. Then, students will participate in an question answer session as if they were tour guides.
· Assessment: Informal assessment of the 5 characteristics
· Ext/Mod: This assignment will be graded as participation.
Lesson 6- 1.31.11
· GLCE: 6.G1.3.1: Use the fundamental themes of geography (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, region) to describe region or places on earth. 6.G2.1.1: Describe the landform features and the climate of the region (within the Western or Eastern Hemisphere) under study. 6.G3.1.1: Construct and analyze climate graphs for two locations of different latitudes and elevations in the region to answer geographic questions and make predictions based on patterns. (e.g., compare and contrast Buenos Aires and La Paz; Mexico City and Guatemala City; Edmonton and Toronto).
· Obj: SWBAT determine various climate regions by studying climate graphs and their effects on the way people live and interact. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
· Procedure: We will continue reading The Cay. Students will define weather and climate. Students will determine the difference between each term. Students will read On the Same Day in March, A Tour of the World’s Weather. Students will use atlas to identify the sites.
· Assessment: Complete March Weather. Will be used a participation points.
· Ext/Mod: Students who are on writing caseload will not be expected to write full sentences. This assignment is more of a participation check.
Lesson 7- 2.1.11
· GLCE: 6.G1.3.1: Use the fundamental themes of geography (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, region) to describe region or places on earth. 6.G2.1.1: Describe the landform features and the climate of the region (within the Western or Eastern Hemisphere) under study. 6.G3.1.1: Construct and analyze climate graphs for two locations of different latitudes and elevations in the region to answer geographic questions and make predictions based on patterns. (e.g., compare and contrast Buenos Aires and La Paz; Mexico City and Guatemala City; Edmonton and Toronto).
· Obj: SWBAT determine various climate regions by studying climate graphs and their effects on the way people live and interact. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
· Procedure: We will continue reading The Cay. We will discuss and define climographs. I will model what building a climograph is like by using Detroit’s data. I will get students into groups of 5 and give them a set of data to create a climograph. They will also write a description of the climate. These will be presented to the class. We will wrap up the class discussing the differences of weather and climate.
· Assessment: Climographs
· Ext/Mod: Students who need extra support will benefit from the group atmosphere. If a student is a struggling writer, they can still offer help and guidance during the activity.
Lesson 8- 2.2.11
· GLCE: 6.G1.2.4: Use observations from air photos, photographs (print and CD), films (VCR and DVD) as the basis for answering geographic questions about the human and physical characteristics of places and regions. 6.G2.2.1: Describe the human characteristics of the region under study (including languages, religion, economic system, governmental system, cultural traditions).
· Obj: SWBAT define cultural characteristics by learning about various regions and determining which characteristics are influenced by humans. SWBAT analyze physical characteristics of a region and determine how these characteristics affect the way people live and work. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
· Procedure: We will continue reading The Cay. Students will brainstorm different cultural characteristics. These will be shared with a partner. We will discuss the differences again between physical and cultural. Students will combine lists and fill out the A-B-Cs. Students may use atlases and other resources to complete. We will discuss location.
· Assessment: ABCs
· Ext/Mod: Students will have time to work in pairs and resources for extra help.
Lesson 9- 2.3.11
· GLCE: 6.G1.2.4: Use observations from air photos, photographs (print and CD), films (VCR and DVD) as the basis for answering geographic questions about the human and physical characteristics of places and regions. 6.G2.2.1: Describe the human characteristics of the region under study (including languages, religion, economic system, governmental system, cultural traditions).
· Obj: SWBAT define cultural characteristics by learning about various regions and determining which characteristics are influenced by humans. SWBAT analyze physical characteristics of a region and determine how these characteristics affect the way people live and work. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
· Procedure: We will continue reading The Cay. Students will view different images to compare physical and cultural characteristics. We will also discuss locations. Students will write a letter to another student in Costa Rica including language, religion, leisure activities, political systems, economic systems and population.
· Assessment: Letter to students in Cosa Rica
· Ext/Mod: Some students may struggle with this assignment because they are on writing caseload. I will provide some information like population statistics.
Lesson 10- 2.4.11
· GLCE: All GLCE’s
· Obj: All Objectives
· Procedure: Finish the Cay. Do a summative review of the material using Jeopardy. Administer final assessment.
· Assessment: Quiz over material covered in unit.
· Ext/Mod: Students who need more time will be able to complete the quiz during either recess.
a). Unit Title: Exploring the Western Hemisphere
b). Rationale:
Students will begin to explore and gain conceptual knowledge of the Western Hemisphere by engaging in the analysis of a variety of regional maps, constructing an understanding of weather and climate and how these two concepts affect how people interact with their environment and recognizing the relationship between physical and cultural characteristics. Students will study the geography and maps of both Americas and interpret how this geography affects the people who live there. Students will also learn how people affect the places they live by creating their own cultural characteristics. This content brings students into a broader scope of what other regions are like and how different cultures interact with the environment around them, thus educating students towards a global understanding of geography and human interaction in order to improve their communication with diverse groups of people.
c). Unit Objectives:
SWBAT= Students will be able to
1. SWBAT describe characteristics of regions in the Western Hemisphere by studying climate, land use and population maps.
2. SWBAT analyze characteristics of a region by answering geographic questions and gaining knowledge of people and their environment.
3. SWBAT identify landforms, bodies of water and vegetation of the Western Hemisphere.
4. SWBAT determine various climate regions by studying climate graphs and their effects on the way people live and interact.
5. SWBAT define cultural characteristics by learning about various regions and determining which characteristics are influenced by humans.
6. SWBAT analyze physical characteristics of a region and determine how these characteristics affect the way people live and work.
7. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
8. SWBAT examine and utilize maps to write a narrative piece as a tour guide of a specific landform.
d). Unit Standards or Grade Level Content Expectations:
1. 6.G1.2.5: Use information from modern technology such as Geographic Positioning System (GPS), Geographic Information System (GIS), and satellite remote sensing to locate information and process maps and data to analyze spatial patterns of the Western Hemisphere to answer geographic questions.
2. 6.G1.3.1: Use the fundamental themes of geography (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, region) to describe region or places on earth.
3. 6.G1.2.1: Locate the major landforms, rivers (Amazon, Mississippi, Missouri, Colorado), and climate regions of the Western Hemisphere.
4. 6.G1.2.4: Use observations from air photos, photographs (print and CD), films (VCR and DVD) as the basis for answering geographic questions about the human and physical characteristics of places and regions.
5. 6.G2.1.1: Describe the landform features and the climate of the region (within the Western or Eastern Hemisphere) under study.
6. 6.G3.1.1: Construct and analyze climate graphs for two locations of different latitudes and elevations in the region to answer geographic questions and make predictions based on patterns. (e.g., compare and contrast Buenos Aires and La Paz; Mexico City and Guatemala City; Edmonton and Toronto).
7. 6.G2.2.1: Describe the human characteristics of the region under study (including languages, religion, economic system, governmental system, cultural traditions).
8. R.CM.06.01: Connect personal knowledge, experiences, and understanding of the world to themes and perspectives in text through oral and written responses.
e). Social Studies Content:
Exploring the Western Hemisphere through different interpretations of maps is something I am comfortable teaching. I have worked with maps my whole life in my own education and took a geography course while getting my undergraduate degree. However, I wanted to know more about how children interpret maps and what may be challenging for them. I found that children from ages 6-12 are in what Piaget calls the concrete operations phase (Muir & Frazee, 1986). This means that children of these ages require manipulatives and hands on activities that would strengthen these abstract ideas. Because of this, I made sure to include many examples of maps, activities that interpret maps and various levels of group work and independent work so students could use each other as a resource as well.
Another important geographical aspect of the unit is an understanding of regions. Students are aware that a region is easily identified as a state or country. But, the concept of a region being without borders is more challenging to understand. Regions are an “intermediate step between our knowledge of local places and our knowledge of the entire planet” (Joint Committee on Geographic Education, 1984). In order to facilitate this intermediate step and promote better understanding of a variety of regions, my unit delves into regions based on climate, physical characteristics, and human characteristics such as land use, language and religion. This unit will put students in the shoes of a geographer and allow them to make their own conclusions about regions close to home and within the Western Hemisphere. My own knowledge of regions will make it difficult not to jump to conclusions and give students answers. I have built in questions that will force me to wait for them to make their own decisions, and I will act as a facilitator as we explore.
The most important concept and generalization to understand in this unit is how physical and human characteristics affect one another. But before this can be taught, students need to take the time to study maps, become comfortable reading them and above all understand what the map is telling us. Then, these maps can become a tool to teach students how regions become characterized in different ways and how humans throughout the Western Hemisphere work with, and sometimes against, their environment. That is why the unit is grounded in studying various maps. Each teaching point or big idea refers to a map. Consistently referring to maps will help students gain an understanding of regions in both a physical and social context (Brophy and Alleman, 2007).
By tying together the use of manipulatives, references each day to maps and studying a variety of regions, students will have a change to explore many different aspects of the Western Hemisphere. Instead of studying states and countries, students will be analyzing location and how it influences the way people throughout this hemisphere live and work with and against their environment.
f) Key Concepts
1. Physical characteristics: natural geographic features on the earth’s surface. Mountains, for example, were not man made. They are a physical characteristic.
2. Cultural characteristics: geographic features that are influenced by humans. Boarders of countries are an example of a cultural characteristic.
3. Climate: a region that is described by temperature and precipitation averages and is determined over a long period of time. For example, we live in a temperate climate, which gives us warm summers and cold, snowy winters.
4. Weather: what the temperature and precipitation is on a given day. For example, the weather today is snowy and 32 degrees. We don’t know what it will be like 14 days from now but we can guess using climate averages.
5. Landforms: a feature that makes up the earth’s surface such as a plain, desert, mountain or large river.
6. Region: an area that has one or more characteristics in common. For example, a country is a region that is unified by government.
7. Headwaters: the source of a river or where the river’s water comes from.
Part II: Knowing Your Students and their Learning Environment
a). Who are my students?
Because many of the students are visual learners, all lessons will have visuals and models of how to complete the expected task. Clear directions and expectations are a must.
Students are extremely verbal and enjoy relating their stories to topics covered in class. I will follow a discussion format that leaves the option to relate their interests and experiences to the topic while also keeping to a strict time format that will allow for us to stay on track and accomplish the day’s tasks.
C- He has autism spectrum disorder. He requires a lot of redirection and help staying organized. Writing is a difficult task for him, as well as copying things down. I will always provide notes if needed for the lesson. I will also avoid assigning a large amount of writing, or pair him with a student who can do the writing while C still contributes his ideas. I will also need to prompt him to have his glasses.
N- He has autism spectrum disorder. He does not produce large amounts of work and regularly leaves the classroom for sensory breaks. He receives help from the paraprofessional. Giving him small, modified tasks will keep him successful. He will also receive notes ahead of time.
H- She has autism spectrum disorder. She requires frequent redirection. She often needs prompting to begin or stay on task. She receives help from the paraprofessional. Sometimes she needs to move around. This is permitted. Sometimes H calls out in class because of her autism and other times to be purposefully disruptive. I know when her intent is to be disruptive and the necessary redirections to quell the behavior.
A- He has an auditory processing disorder. He requires his hardware, which includes his hearing aide and teacher microphone. He has organizational difficulties. He can often be moody and requires patience. Pairing him with successful students is a way to coach him to engage and have support without simply giving him the answers. Allowing him to take breaks can also be imperative for his success.
R, T, N, H- These boys all have challenging behaviors. They are exceptionally social. A stern warning usually does it for these students. R tends to be more complex and requires breaks. Staying flexible during lessons is an important part of teaching these students.
N, K, B, N, W- This group of students is very advanced for their age group. They are successful on all tasks given to them. These students benefit from advanced vocabulary inclusion and higher level thinking questions- questions that sometimes are too difficult for the struggling students. Including these things as well as the accommodations for struggling students will engage all learners.
b). Student knowledge and interests.
In the previous unit, students learned about foundations of social studies in four categories: geography, economics, civics and history. In relation to this unit, they have previously explored maps, used different world scales including local, national and international scales, and analyzed human/environment interaction. Students also learned about the rainforest in fourth grade and have a large amount of interest in this region. Relating topics to their region is a way to engage students.
Students have knowledge of the countries in the Western Hemisphere but do not readily identify regions, especially regions without boundaries. Understanding how regions can exist without boundaries is something that is an abstract idea and will require a good amount of teaching. Students also have conceptual knowledge of climates and weather but do not realize that climate is weather over long periods of time. Definitions are also a hard part of this unit because of the terminology used such as region. Students will have a vocabulary book during the unit to aide in their understanding of these new terms.
c). Classroom context.
The desks are arranged in pairs. Students are grouped into fours, two pairs each. The students frequently work in pairs or in groups on tasks. There are students in the class who have roles such as paper handler and techie who works the clicker for the projector. Students have time in the beginning of class to sharpen pencils and retrieve necessary materials from their lockers. They also have flexibility in the beginning of lessons to get themselves ready for a lesson while were starting each day with a read aloud. The two students who require significant support from the paraprofessional are seated next to or near her so they can readily receive support. Students; seats are chosen based on successful, productive pairings and groupings. The student with auditory processing disorder sits at the back of the class to the right so his left ear is pointed toward the speaker and he can move about the room if necessary.
d). Linguistic, social and academic challenges, resources and supports.
Advanced students will be paired with struggling students to serve as teachers and guides as the struggling students work to understand concepts. H and N will receive support form the paraprofessional during activities for guidance and redirection during lessons and activities. Students will also be paired with H, N, and C as supporters during the completion of in class work. A and R who both struggle behaviorally will have flexible work areas that allow them to take breaks during appropriate times in class and will be paired with classmates who will support their struggles in class.
b). Annotated Bibliography:
Brophy, J. and Alleman, J. (2007). Powerful social studies for elementary students. (2nd Ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
This text, specifically the section related to geography, outlines what this subject looks like in elementary grades and the importance of including geographical strands that focus on differences throughout the world. Brophy and Alleman do an excellent job explaining how children’s development and experiences often times limit their ability to think in terms of human and geographical diversity.
Gilliland, J. (1993). River. Clarion Books.
The reading level for this book is ages 4-8. However, this book is a useful tool for teaching appreciation of the rainforest. It touches on the biodiversity surrounding the Amazon River and the importance of protecting this forest from deforestation or other harmful acts. The illustrations and accompanying text capture the beauty of the forest. Any bias in the book is leaning towards environmentally safe practices. This book is a way to bring the content of landforms into perspective.
Google Maps. Retrieved from http://maps.google.com/.
Google Maps is an excellent way of incorporating technology into content. It allows for users to view an interactive map of any location around the world. As we read The Cay and studied various locations in the Western Hemisphere, we were able to view it using our smart board. The students had high interest in this tool and it was used more frequently as we progressed through the unit.
Joint Committee on Geographic Education (1984). Guidelines for geographic education (pp. 1-8). Washington, DC: The Association of American Geographers.
Guidelines for a geographic education outline the fundamental themes in geography, specifically location, place, relationships within places, movement and regions. The content is outlined concisely and effectively, highlighting the most valuable information about each theme. The authors encourage all citizens to become geographically literate members of a world society.
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum (MC3). Retrieved from: http://members.scope.oakland.k12.mi.us/grade.aspx?id=57
This is the curriculum East Lansing Public Schools use for social studies teaching. It provides detailed lessons and units. The lessons are well thought out and provide detailed lists of required materials, although there is little room for teacher creativity. The potential bias of this curriculum is the lack of focus and exploration of South American countries and the heavy concentration of North America.
Muir, S.P. and Frazee, B. (1986). Teaching map reading skills: A developmental perspective. Social Education, 50 (3), 199-202.
Muir and Frazee discuss the importance of teaching map-reading skills through the lens of developmentally appropriate content. The approach through this lens encourages teachers to consider what their students know and what they are capable of learning based on Jean Piaget’s hierarchy of learning and development. Following this model, learning symbols would be the first map skill taught while perspective of scale would be the last skill taught. Considering what map skills sixth graders have and what may need to be reviewed as we explore maps is a crucial part in planning the unit.
Singer, Marilyn. (2000). On The Same Day in March: A Tour of the World’s Weather. 1st Edition. Harper Collins Publishers.
The reading level for this book is grades K-3. It is an enjoyable picture book that covers the weather in various cities around the world on the same day in March. Identifying the weather on the same day introduces students to the idea that areas around the world have different climates that experience weather different as well. The illustrations are colorful and aesthetically pleasing. This book will be used to introduce the idea of climate.
Taylor, T. (1994). The Cay. London, England: Puffin Modern Classics.
The reading level for this book is 6.3 with a lexile measure of 860L. The book is set in the Caribbean Islands between North and South America. It follows a young boy named Phillip and a West-Indies man named Timothy who became friends under tragic circumstances. The novel is an excellent way to create meaningful conversations about the geography of this region.
Part IV: Overview of Lessons and Assessments
a) Narrative Overview: Provide an overview for the ten lessons in your plan.
Lesson 1- 1.24.11
-GLCE: 6.G1.2.5: Use information from modern technology such as Geographic Positioning System (GPS), Geographic Information System (GIS), and satellite remote sensing to locate information and process maps and data to analyze spatial patterns of the Western Hemisphere to answer geographic questions.
· Objectives: SWBAT describe characteristics of regions in the Western Hemisphere by studying climate, land use and population maps. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
· Procedure: Students will discuss how they get to school. Students will draw a mental map of WH. Students will define region. Students will compare a variety of maps. Students will compare special purpose maps.
· Assessment: Mental maps to assess what students know and Comparisons for student knowledge of reading maps.
· Extensions/Modifications (for students who finish early or are struggling)
Lesson 2- 1.25.11
-GLCE: 1. 6.G1.3.1: Use the fundamental themes of geography (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, region) to describe region or places on earth. 2. 6.G2.1.1: Describe the landform features and the climate of the region (within the Western or Eastern Hemisphere) under study.
· Obj: SWBAT analyze characteristics of a region by answering geographic questions and gaining knowledge of people and their environment. SWBAT analyze physical characteristics of a region and determine how these characteristics affect the way people live and work. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
· Procedure: Read a chapter from The Cay. Students will define regions within school. Students will come up with examples of regions in the world. Students will define physical and cultural characteristics. Students will distinguish which examples fit into each category.
· Assessment: Participation in discussions and sorting.
· Ext/Mod: Students who are shy and do not like to participate in whole group discussions/ activities will only be required to demonstrate listening and attentiveness during the lesson.
Lesson 3- 1.26.11
-GLCE: 1. 6.G1.3.1: Use the fundamental themes of geography (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, region) to describe region or places on earth. 2. 6.G2.1.1: Describe the landform features and the climate of the region (within the Western or Eastern Hemisphere) under study.
· Obj: SWBAT analyze characteristics of a region by answering geographic questions and gaining knowledge of people and their environment. SWBAT analyze physical characteristics of a region and determine how these characteristics affect the way people live and work. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
· Procedure: Read from The Cay. Display map and identify physical characteristics that cross boundaries. Discuss climates. Identify cultural characteristics. Discuss political maps and boundaries. Discuss how religion and language define regions. Students will complete Regions Activity.
· Assessment: Regions Activity
· Ext/Mod: Students who need extra assistance like C, H, N and A may work with adult support or peer support.
Lesson 4- 1.27.11
-GLCE: 6.G1.3.1: Use the fundamental themes of geography (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, region) to describe region or places on earth.
6.G1.2.1: Locate the major landforms, rivers (Amazon, Mississippi, Missouri, Colorado), and climate regions of the Western Hemisphere.
6.G1.2.4: Use observations from air photos, photographs (print and CD), films (VCR and DVD) as the basis for answering geographic questions about the human and physical characteristics of places and regions.
6.G2.1.1: Describe the landform features and the climate of the region (within the Western or Eastern Hemisphere) under study.
· Obj: SWBAT identify landforms, bodies of water and vegetation of the Western Hemisphere. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day. SWBAT examine and utilize maps to write a narrative piece as a tour guide of a specific landform. Procedure: We will read River by Judith Gilliland together. We will view pictures and discuss physical and cultural characteristics, specifically landforms. Students will develop a tour plan to get tourists to visit their landform.
· Assessment: River worksheet and tour plan.
· Ext/Mod: Students will be given an ample amount of time to complete the plan. If students finish early, they will be offered an extension activity.
Lesson 5- 1.28.11
-GLCE: 6.G1.3.1: Use the fundamental themes of geography (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, region) to describe region or places on earth.
6.G1.2.1: Locate the major landforms, rivers (Amazon, Mississippi, Missouri, Colorado), and climate regions of the Western Hemisphere.
6.G1.2.4: Use observations from air photos, photographs (print and CD), films (VCR and DVD) as the basis for answering geographic questions about the human and physical characteristics of places and regions.
6.G2.1.1: Describe the landform features and the climate of the region (within the Western or Eastern Hemisphere) under study.
· Obj: SWBAT identify landforms, bodies of water and vegetation of the Western Hemisphere. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
· Procedure: We will continue reading The Cay. Students will identify Amazon and Mississippi River. Will compare the 5 characteristics and record them on a sheet of paper with a peer. Students will share their findings with the whole class. Then, students will participate in an question answer session as if they were tour guides.
· Assessment: Informal assessment of the 5 characteristics
· Ext/Mod: This assignment will be graded as participation.
Lesson 6- 1.31.11
· GLCE: 6.G1.3.1: Use the fundamental themes of geography (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, region) to describe region or places on earth. 6.G2.1.1: Describe the landform features and the climate of the region (within the Western or Eastern Hemisphere) under study. 6.G3.1.1: Construct and analyze climate graphs for two locations of different latitudes and elevations in the region to answer geographic questions and make predictions based on patterns. (e.g., compare and contrast Buenos Aires and La Paz; Mexico City and Guatemala City; Edmonton and Toronto).
· Obj: SWBAT determine various climate regions by studying climate graphs and their effects on the way people live and interact. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
· Procedure: We will continue reading The Cay. Students will define weather and climate. Students will determine the difference between each term. Students will read On the Same Day in March, A Tour of the World’s Weather. Students will use atlas to identify the sites.
· Assessment: Complete March Weather. Will be used a participation points.
· Ext/Mod: Students who are on writing caseload will not be expected to write full sentences. This assignment is more of a participation check.
Lesson 7- 2.1.11
· GLCE: 6.G1.3.1: Use the fundamental themes of geography (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, region) to describe region or places on earth. 6.G2.1.1: Describe the landform features and the climate of the region (within the Western or Eastern Hemisphere) under study. 6.G3.1.1: Construct and analyze climate graphs for two locations of different latitudes and elevations in the region to answer geographic questions and make predictions based on patterns. (e.g., compare and contrast Buenos Aires and La Paz; Mexico City and Guatemala City; Edmonton and Toronto).
· Obj: SWBAT determine various climate regions by studying climate graphs and their effects on the way people live and interact. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
· Procedure: We will continue reading The Cay. We will discuss and define climographs. I will model what building a climograph is like by using Detroit’s data. I will get students into groups of 5 and give them a set of data to create a climograph. They will also write a description of the climate. These will be presented to the class. We will wrap up the class discussing the differences of weather and climate.
· Assessment: Climographs
· Ext/Mod: Students who need extra support will benefit from the group atmosphere. If a student is a struggling writer, they can still offer help and guidance during the activity.
Lesson 8- 2.2.11
· GLCE: 6.G1.2.4: Use observations from air photos, photographs (print and CD), films (VCR and DVD) as the basis for answering geographic questions about the human and physical characteristics of places and regions. 6.G2.2.1: Describe the human characteristics of the region under study (including languages, religion, economic system, governmental system, cultural traditions).
· Obj: SWBAT define cultural characteristics by learning about various regions and determining which characteristics are influenced by humans. SWBAT analyze physical characteristics of a region and determine how these characteristics affect the way people live and work. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
· Procedure: We will continue reading The Cay. Students will brainstorm different cultural characteristics. These will be shared with a partner. We will discuss the differences again between physical and cultural. Students will combine lists and fill out the A-B-Cs. Students may use atlases and other resources to complete. We will discuss location.
· Assessment: ABCs
· Ext/Mod: Students will have time to work in pairs and resources for extra help.
Lesson 9- 2.3.11
· GLCE: 6.G1.2.4: Use observations from air photos, photographs (print and CD), films (VCR and DVD) as the basis for answering geographic questions about the human and physical characteristics of places and regions. 6.G2.2.1: Describe the human characteristics of the region under study (including languages, religion, economic system, governmental system, cultural traditions).
· Obj: SWBAT define cultural characteristics by learning about various regions and determining which characteristics are influenced by humans. SWBAT analyze physical characteristics of a region and determine how these characteristics affect the way people live and work. SWBAT construct meaning of geography through a literature based activity by listening to a whole class novel each day.
· Procedure: We will continue reading The Cay. Students will view different images to compare physical and cultural characteristics. We will also discuss locations. Students will write a letter to another student in Costa Rica including language, religion, leisure activities, political systems, economic systems and population.
· Assessment: Letter to students in Cosa Rica
· Ext/Mod: Some students may struggle with this assignment because they are on writing caseload. I will provide some information like population statistics.
Lesson 10- 2.4.11
· GLCE: All GLCE’s
· Obj: All Objectives
· Procedure: Finish the Cay. Do a summative review of the material using Jeopardy. Administer final assessment.
· Assessment: Quiz over material covered in unit.
· Ext/Mod: Students who need more time will be able to complete the quiz during either recess.
b) Family/Parent Letter: –
Dear Student and Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
Prepare for the trip of your life! In this next unit of social studies, we will be exploring the Western Hemisphere. We will examine landforms and physical characteristics, as well as cultural characteristics like languages, lifestyles and how the locations people live affect how they live. A brief overview of some of the activities we will be engaging in includes:
-Using special purpose maps such as climate, land use and population
-Identifying landforms, bodies of water and vegetation
-Defining physical and cultural characteristics of specific regions
-Developing an understanding of how people are affected by their environment and how people can, in turn, affect their surroundings
-Defining weather and climate and creating climographs
-Reading literature such as The Cay by Theodore Taylor, River by Judith Gilliland and On the Same Day in March, A Tour of the World’s Weather by Marilyn Singer
Many of these objectives will be met in class . As you can see, there is a lot we are aiming to accomplish in two short weeks! Because our school does not have enough atlases, the student may need to spend time outside of social studies, such as recess, to complete unfinished work instead of doing their homework at home. I am also available in the morning or I can stay after school to facilitate homework help. Some of the assignments include:
-Comparisons using special purpose maps
-A narrative as a tour guide
-A short explanation of the Amazon and Mississippi Rivers
-Creating climographs
-The A-B-C’s of the Western Hemisphere
If you have any comments, questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am looking forward to the exploration we have ahead!
Best,
Kaitlyn Goral
[email protected]
c)Assessments:
d) Out-of-school learning: opportunities to expand and enrich the curriculum outside of class (home assignment):
Because resources are limited, students will not be assigned a substantial amount of after-school work. We don’t have enough atlases to send home to each child. However, this unit is designed to teach students about regions within the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America. Their knowledge of the regions’ physical and cultural characteristics will provide students with a global understanding of geography and human interaction. This knowledge will enhance their ability to interact with diverse groups of people.
Dear Student and Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
Prepare for the trip of your life! In this next unit of social studies, we will be exploring the Western Hemisphere. We will examine landforms and physical characteristics, as well as cultural characteristics like languages, lifestyles and how the locations people live affect how they live. A brief overview of some of the activities we will be engaging in includes:
-Using special purpose maps such as climate, land use and population
-Identifying landforms, bodies of water and vegetation
-Defining physical and cultural characteristics of specific regions
-Developing an understanding of how people are affected by their environment and how people can, in turn, affect their surroundings
-Defining weather and climate and creating climographs
-Reading literature such as The Cay by Theodore Taylor, River by Judith Gilliland and On the Same Day in March, A Tour of the World’s Weather by Marilyn Singer
Many of these objectives will be met in class . As you can see, there is a lot we are aiming to accomplish in two short weeks! Because our school does not have enough atlases, the student may need to spend time outside of social studies, such as recess, to complete unfinished work instead of doing their homework at home. I am also available in the morning or I can stay after school to facilitate homework help. Some of the assignments include:
-Comparisons using special purpose maps
-A narrative as a tour guide
-A short explanation of the Amazon and Mississippi Rivers
-Creating climographs
-The A-B-C’s of the Western Hemisphere
If you have any comments, questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am looking forward to the exploration we have ahead!
Best,
Kaitlyn Goral
[email protected]
c)Assessments:
- Complete comparisons using special purpose maps to assess atlas use and map reading skills (Objective 1)
- Sorting activity to distinguish between physical and cultural characteristics. (Objective 2 and 6)
- Regions activity that will allow students to identify physical and cultural characteristics within different regions of the Western Hemisphere. (Objective 2 and 6)
- River worksheet that will aid in students’ identification of landforms, bodies of water and vegetation in the book River. (Objective 3)
- Students will work in groups to complete a tour plan of a landform in the Western Hemisphere, including identification of climate, population and location on a map. (Objective 3 and 8)
- Students will work in groups to complete a climograph with a given set of temperature and precipitation data. (Objective 4)
- Complete A-B-C’s of the Western Hemisphere by identifying cultural characteristics and their locations. (Objective 5)
- Final quiz that assess all knowledge gained during the unit (All Objectives).
d) Out-of-school learning: opportunities to expand and enrich the curriculum outside of class (home assignment):
Because resources are limited, students will not be assigned a substantial amount of after-school work. We don’t have enough atlases to send home to each child. However, this unit is designed to teach students about regions within the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America. Their knowledge of the regions’ physical and cultural characteristics will provide students with a global understanding of geography and human interaction. This knowledge will enhance their ability to interact with diverse groups of people.
CT FEEDBACK FORM for Social Studies
Teaching
Name(s) of Intern: Katie Goral
Collaborating Teacher: Susan Harvey School Whitehills Grade 6
Date: February 20, 2011
COLLABORATING TEACHERS: Please complete this feedback form for one of the lessons that your intern plans and teaches in your classroom. If you prefer to type up your comments, please ask your intern to email you an electronic copy of the feedback form.
1. Strengths of the lesson (content, activities, active student involvement, management, etc.):
Katie used a variety of materials and presentation techniques to engage students with different needs and modes of learning. She constructed lessons that included think-pair-share, individual and group work, reading aloud as a whole group as well as individually, built in movement of students, and students teaching students. All of these different ways of engaging students worked. Students were interested in the content and shared their enthusiasm with one another.
Katie used the GLCE’s to guide her instruction. She clearly defined what the students should come away with for the students and then reviewed afterwards to make sure students were aware of what they should be able to do.
2. Comments about preparation and planning for this lesson:
Katie sent me a fully articulated lesson plan that covered the entire range of her time in my class well in advance of instruction. Katie sought me out to talk through each of the lessons she intended to teach and took any suggestions to heart. Katie prepared Powerpoint presentations to accompany the lessons and made sure she had all materials prior to instruction.
3. Comments about timing, pacing, wait time:
Katie responded appropriately to the needs of the classes. She used the Powerpoint to give students a chance to read as well as listen to the instruction, allowing students to keep up with her presentation. Katie moved the lesson forward smoothly and at a pace that kept excitement and interest of the students. Katie also allowed students think-time before calling on a student to answer, giving students a chance to formulate answers.
4. Suggestions for improvement regarding classroom management:
Katie does a wonderful job of managing the class. Perhaps she might consider dealing with students who distract other students more quickly. While most students were engaged in her lesson, some students chose to act out. I think that dealing with these students consistently, quickly, and firmly would improve her ability to instruct all students.
5. Suggestions for improvement regarding the social studies content, practices, activities, showing the connectedness and usefulness of the content:
Katie did a good job of connecting students to much of the content. It’s hard to connect kids to places they’ve never experienced because they really don’t have any idea what it would be like to live in a rainforest or desert. Katie used books, pictures, text to help kids visualize the things they didn’t have a connection to. Perhaps a video that showed more of the regions under discussion might have helped, assuming there was a video that would illustrate the concepts she was teaching.
6. Comments about connecting to students’ backgrounds and building on students’ prior knowledge:
Frequently Katie asks questions that lead students to make connections. For example, Katie asked students about coming to school and if they had used a map to navigate their way to school. Then she asked questions about maps and asked them to draw what they thought the Western Hemisphere looked like. The maps showed a wide range of knowledge and background!
7. Comments about promoting student thinking:
During the course of the lessons, Katie asked students to reflect on what they’d learned both in writing and orally. She encouraged students to keep track of their learning and thinking in a booklet. It was wonderful to see students referring to their booklets to refresh their memories and add to their thinking.
8. Comments about supporting students with special needs:
Both classes Katie taught have students with differing needs. To maximize student’s ability to follow what she was teaching, she used Powerpoints to keep the ideas she was sharing. This allowed students to fill in anything they missed as the lesson continued.
Katie continued the practice of making copies of the Powerpoints for students who have a difficult time taking notes so that they could refer back to the information being presented. There are many children with various special needs that were helped by her supplying them with materials that were partially filled in thus allowing these students to still bare some responsibility but at the level they could perform successfully.
Katie also used the sound system and microphone for those students with hearing disabilities. Katie also made sure that she spoke clearly and at a moderate pace.
When students who are either emotionally impaired, on the ASD spectrum, or ADHD need movement, Katie anticipated their needs and offered them the chance to move, often before it became an issue. Additionally, Katie used her training to deal with ASD students to use pressure to defuse behaviors that may well have escalated had she not done so. Katie’s exposure to such a wide variety of students with needs has given her a lot of tools to use that help both special needs and general education students.
9. Other comments, reactions, questions:
Katie may work for ten years before she amasses the number of students with special needs she experienced in just this one year. She has risen to the challenge and continues to strive for new ways to help all students be successful.
Name(s) of Intern: Katie Goral
Collaborating Teacher: Susan Harvey School Whitehills Grade 6
Date: February 20, 2011
COLLABORATING TEACHERS: Please complete this feedback form for one of the lessons that your intern plans and teaches in your classroom. If you prefer to type up your comments, please ask your intern to email you an electronic copy of the feedback form.
1. Strengths of the lesson (content, activities, active student involvement, management, etc.):
Katie used a variety of materials and presentation techniques to engage students with different needs and modes of learning. She constructed lessons that included think-pair-share, individual and group work, reading aloud as a whole group as well as individually, built in movement of students, and students teaching students. All of these different ways of engaging students worked. Students were interested in the content and shared their enthusiasm with one another.
Katie used the GLCE’s to guide her instruction. She clearly defined what the students should come away with for the students and then reviewed afterwards to make sure students were aware of what they should be able to do.
2. Comments about preparation and planning for this lesson:
Katie sent me a fully articulated lesson plan that covered the entire range of her time in my class well in advance of instruction. Katie sought me out to talk through each of the lessons she intended to teach and took any suggestions to heart. Katie prepared Powerpoint presentations to accompany the lessons and made sure she had all materials prior to instruction.
3. Comments about timing, pacing, wait time:
Katie responded appropriately to the needs of the classes. She used the Powerpoint to give students a chance to read as well as listen to the instruction, allowing students to keep up with her presentation. Katie moved the lesson forward smoothly and at a pace that kept excitement and interest of the students. Katie also allowed students think-time before calling on a student to answer, giving students a chance to formulate answers.
4. Suggestions for improvement regarding classroom management:
Katie does a wonderful job of managing the class. Perhaps she might consider dealing with students who distract other students more quickly. While most students were engaged in her lesson, some students chose to act out. I think that dealing with these students consistently, quickly, and firmly would improve her ability to instruct all students.
5. Suggestions for improvement regarding the social studies content, practices, activities, showing the connectedness and usefulness of the content:
Katie did a good job of connecting students to much of the content. It’s hard to connect kids to places they’ve never experienced because they really don’t have any idea what it would be like to live in a rainforest or desert. Katie used books, pictures, text to help kids visualize the things they didn’t have a connection to. Perhaps a video that showed more of the regions under discussion might have helped, assuming there was a video that would illustrate the concepts she was teaching.
6. Comments about connecting to students’ backgrounds and building on students’ prior knowledge:
Frequently Katie asks questions that lead students to make connections. For example, Katie asked students about coming to school and if they had used a map to navigate their way to school. Then she asked questions about maps and asked them to draw what they thought the Western Hemisphere looked like. The maps showed a wide range of knowledge and background!
7. Comments about promoting student thinking:
During the course of the lessons, Katie asked students to reflect on what they’d learned both in writing and orally. She encouraged students to keep track of their learning and thinking in a booklet. It was wonderful to see students referring to their booklets to refresh their memories and add to their thinking.
8. Comments about supporting students with special needs:
Both classes Katie taught have students with differing needs. To maximize student’s ability to follow what she was teaching, she used Powerpoints to keep the ideas she was sharing. This allowed students to fill in anything they missed as the lesson continued.
Katie continued the practice of making copies of the Powerpoints for students who have a difficult time taking notes so that they could refer back to the information being presented. There are many children with various special needs that were helped by her supplying them with materials that were partially filled in thus allowing these students to still bare some responsibility but at the level they could perform successfully.
Katie also used the sound system and microphone for those students with hearing disabilities. Katie also made sure that she spoke clearly and at a moderate pace.
When students who are either emotionally impaired, on the ASD spectrum, or ADHD need movement, Katie anticipated their needs and offered them the chance to move, often before it became an issue. Additionally, Katie used her training to deal with ASD students to use pressure to defuse behaviors that may well have escalated had she not done so. Katie’s exposure to such a wide variety of students with needs has given her a lot of tools to use that help both special needs and general education students.
9. Other comments, reactions, questions:
Katie may work for ten years before she amasses the number of students with special needs she experienced in just this one year. She has risen to the challenge and continues to strive for new ways to help all students be successful.