The Southwest

Paper #2: Using the Teacher Edition

Submitted By: Michael Feher
EDEL 453: Teaching Elementary School Social Science Nevada State College Spring 2013 Instructor: Karen Powell

Paper #2: Using the Teacher Edition

submitted by: Michael Feher

A. Summary of the Lesson Plan: (2 sentences) The students will understand how limited amounts of water has shaped both the land and the people of the Southwest. They will also understand how Spanish, Mexicans, and American-Indians have influenced the culture of this area by using the eSocial Studies book and pages 274-281. B. Target Population: (3 bullet points) Grade Level: 4th Skill Level: All levels Grouping: Whole groups - instruction, pairs working on assignment C. Materials: (bullet points) Houghton Mifflin Social Studies book, p.274-281 Vocabulary and Study Guide worksheet (in book) Smart Board Interactive Map Pen/Pencil Paper

D. Objectives: (bullet points) o NV State Social Studies Standards

G8.4.1 Describe ways physical environments affect human activity in Nevada using historical and contemporary examples. G8.4.3 Explore the impact of human modification of Nevada's physical environment on the people who live there.

Student-Friendly Standards G8.4.1 I can describe ways the environment affects human activity in the past and present. G8.4.3 I can explain how things that people have done to the environment affect us and the way we live.

E. Procedure: (numbered steps) 1. Teacher will start lesson by explaining to students that Nevada is a Southwest state and ask them to brainstorm some of our neighboring states so they can get an idea of what the Southwest is. After responses, with the Smart Board, teacher will click on the Interactive Map (side of page) to show students who our neighboring states are.

Nevada State College

EDEL 453 - Spring 2013

Karen Powell- Instructor

page 2

Paper #2: Using the Teacher Edition

submitted by: Michael Feher

Teacher can play around on the map with the Legend. Teacher can also ask students to brainstorm some characteristics of Nevada (hot, dry, desert, etc.) 2. Students will popcorn read pages 274-277. Upon completion of reading, on the Smart Board, class will do a web. The main idea circle will be ways that southwesterners have solved the problem of having little water (use local plants in their parks, drip irrigation, building dams, limited watering of yards). As a class, students must come up with at least 5 responses (refer to p. 277, question 2). 3. Teacher will go over review question on page 277. Teacher will ask students how they conserve water at their houses (shutting off water when you brush your teeth, restrictions on watering yards, taking shorter showers, etc.). 4. Students will pair up and do the Vocabulary and Study Guide homework. They may use the book as a reference. Both students need to turn in their own paper. 5. On back of worksheet, students will answer either question 1 or 3 on page 277. Students will do this writing individually. 6. CLOSURE: Turn in worksheet. As a class, we will review and wrap up the days activities. We will end lesson with the teacher pulling up Interactive Map on Smart Board. Teacher will cover up the names of the states, and students will try and guess what states are which. F. Assessment: (bullet points) What will you use to measure student understanding? The assignment students will be doing after reading. Teacher can scaffold during this time as well. Explain how you will know students understand the concepts from the lesson. If the students can describe ways physical environments affect human activity in Nevada using historical and contemporary examples, they understand the concepts from the lesson. G. Reflection: (answers to assignment specific questions) 1. Which part of the lesson do you think will be the easiest for you to teach? I think reading the text will be fairly simple to get through. I also think creating the web and allowing the students to brain storm will be fun to do. 2. Which part will be most challenging for you to teach? Step 3 under Procedures might be difficult. Students might not understand the concept of conservation. If they dont, it might be challenging to teach. 3. How will you follow up or extend this lesson? Review the material the next day before we start something new. 4. What can you do for students who dont grasp the concepts?
Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2013 Karen Powell- Instructor page 3

Paper #2: Using the Teacher Edition

submitted by: Michael Feher

Spend additional time with them during the individual writing part. Here they can ask questions on what might be confusing them. 5. Which part of the lesson, if any, do you think might need to change? Maybe instead of doing popcorn reading, the teacher can just read it to them. Sometimes popcorn reading takes a good amount of time to get through. Since we only have 50 minutes, things do need to be moving at a good pace. 6. When you were writing this lesson plan, what was the most difficult part? Finding a standard for this lesson was the most difficult part. I felt like almost every standard for 4th grade geography dealt with Nevada. This textbook isnt just a book for Nevada; its for many different states. Im still not sure if my standards are correct. But like I said, a lot of them had to do with Nevada geography

Nevada State College

EDEL 453 - Spring 2013

Karen Powell- Instructor

page 4

Paper #2: Using the Teacher Edition

submitted by: Michael Feher

Nevada State College

EDEL 453 - Spring 2013

Karen Powell- Instructor

page 5

Paper #2: Using the Teacher Edition

submitted by: Michael Feher

Nevada State College

EDEL 453 - Spring 2013

Karen Powell- Instructor

page 6