Lesson Plan 2 - State Investigation

Lesson 2 – State Investigation
Candidate Name: Host Teacher Name: Cory Crossett

School: Montessori Borealis Grade Level: 4th-6th # of Students: 4-6
Date & Time of Lesson: Length of Lesson: 15-20 minutes
Topic of Lesson: State Investigation Content Area:
Geography
Materials: Include all materials including types of technology used:
Pencil, eraser, scissors, colored pencils, paper, encyclopedias
ALASKA CONTENT STANDARD

Geography:
B. A student should be able to utilize, analyze, and explain information about the human and physical features of places
and regions.
1. know that places have distinctive geographic characteristics
7. understand that ta region is a distinct are defined by one or more cultural or physical features.
Alaska Cultural Standard for Educators

E. Culturally-knowledgeable students demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of the relationships and processes of
interaction of all elements in the world around them.
7. Determine how cultural values and beliefs influence the interaction of people from different cultural
backgrounds.
TRANSFER GOAL(S) (transferability)
Students will be able to use an encyclopedia to research information about their state and know how to use this tool for
many different investigation work.
STAGE ONE – Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings (meaning)

Enduring Understanding(s): What Essential Questions will be Considered?
Students will understand that….
Students will understand that there are multiple ways What are different tools we can use to investigate and
to investigate and find information about topics they are find information about something we are interested in?
interested in.
Students will understand that there are many different What are some tools we can use to organize our thoughts
graphic organizers they can use to organize their and help in creating projects?
thoughts and create projects with.
STAGE ONE: Objectives STAGE TWO: Assessments

Evidence of Learning/Accountability -
Formative/Summative/Performance
Knowledge - What students should know…. Assessment(s)/Other Evidence:

Students should know there are different ways to research Preassessment
and find information. When asked What are different tools we can use to
investigate and find information about something we are
Students should know that graphic organizers are used to interested in? Students will be able to discuss what they
help organize thoughts and create know. I will pay attention to who makes notes.
projects.
When asked, “What are some tools we can use to organize
our thoughts and help in creating projects? Students will
have time to discuss what they know. I will make notes of
who answer and what the responses are.
Skills - What students should be able to do……. Assessment(s)/Other Evidence:
Students should be able to use the encyclopedia to find their Students will use the encyclopedia to pull
state and explore the text to investigate information and learn new information about the
information. state they choose.
Students should be able to create a Four-Door Book as a Students will fold and cut the piece of paper,
graphic organizer. following directions to create their organizer.
Students will be able to write down four topics of

the state and create a Four-Door Book of their
state.
STAGE THREE: Opportunities to Learn (Acquisition)

Introduction/Hook
“Today we are going to create a Four Door Fold graphic organizer and use it to learn and write down information
about a state we are interested in.
“For this lesson we will need the following materials: scissors, pencil, eraser, and paper. Please gather your scissors,
pencil and eraser, I already have the paper here on the table.”
Processes and products for Learning Opportunities Strategies for Differentiation/ Multimodal
Instruction/Universal Design for Learning
What are some tools we can use to organize our thoughts Students can choose to work in pairs or alone.
and help in creating projects?
Students are given choices on what state they would like to
The teacher will ask students if they know what a Four- investigate and what features of the state they would like to
Door Book graphic organizer is? Have they ever created know (economy, state symbols, interesting facts, important
one before? dates, places to visit, land and climate, history, etc.)
The teacher will show the students her example of the Students will have a choice as to how they want to present
graphic organizer she already for the state of Pennsylvania. their projects.
Teacher will note, “I chose Pennsylvania because I don’t

really know much about this state and I wanted to learn
more.”
Teacher will ask students, “Is there a state that you would
like to know more about? What makes this state standout to
you, or why would you like to know more?
What are different tools we can use to investigate and

find information about something we are interested in?
Students will have time to answer the question. The teacher
will make sure each student has time to answer the
question.
Teacher will then note that we can use the encyclopedia to

research information about a topic.
“Who has worked with an encyclopedia before? What are

some things you know about encyclopedias?
“Encyclopedias go in alphabetical order. What do you

notice about these encyclopedias?” (Give students time to
answer).
“My state is Pennsylvania, so which encyclopedia do I

need?”
Teacher will retrieve the encyclopedia and show students

how I find Pennsylvania in the encyclopedia. I will show
where I was able to find some of my information, pointing
it out on the Four-Door Book that I created.
The teacher will write down on the whiteboard different

topics they can choose from giving them a choice as what
to investigate.
“If you find information not listed on the board that you are
interested in, you are welcome to use it for your project,
just make sure the cover page notes that topic.”
“We can now choose a state that you would like to

investigate! The only thing we need to be mindful of is not
choosing a state that starts with the same letter. Do you
know why this may cause a problem?” Give students a
chance to answer. Confirm the answer after the students.
“You are welcome to work by yourself or with a partner,

just make sure if you have a partner you both agree on
which state you would like to investigate”.
“I would like to give you a choice about presenting your

final products, would you like to stand up and discuss what
you found out about your state and show your work, or
would you rather put them on a table and take the time to
look at and read what others created?”
Teacher notes, “These Four-Door Book organizers can be

used for multiple different projects where you want to
discuss four different points about a topic: for example, a
who, what, where, when”.
“Can you think of any other ideas as to how you may use
this style of organizer?”
Closure:
Students will have time to research and investigate their state, creating their own Four-Door Book graphic organizer.
Students will choose how they want to present their work to each other or just put them out for others to read.
Considerations prior to the lesson:

• What is the objective of the lesson? How will you know if the students have met the
objective?
• What provisions are you making for faster and slower learners?
• How do you integrate local knowledge and cultural content?
• How do you use (or not use) technology wisely?
• How does this lesson fit into the overall curriculum?
• Have you changed the lesson plan at all?
Questions for reflection after the lesson:

 How did the lesson go?
 Did the students meet the objective? How do you know?
 Were there any unexpected events? How effectively did you respond?
 Comment on one student who did particularly well and one who did not meet your
expectations. Why did this happen? What can you do to follow up with the student
who did not do well?
 Are there any changes you would make in this lesson if you could do it again? Why?
 How did your lesson reflect culturally responsive teaching?
I feel like this lesson went a lot better than the first lesson in regard to having more
context and giving students something they can work on independently. The first lesson had the
students engaged, but this one connected them to encyclopedias and gave them an opportunity
to make a 3D graphic organizer. Two of the students met the objective, while the third is still in
progress. The third student wanted to be in the lesson, and he created his graphic organizer, but
when it came time to look up and write down information he did not want to write. Another
peer partnered with him, so I ended up getting a 4th student engaged, but he has a broken arm, so
he was not able to write. I ended up listening to the comments from the third student and tried to
show him in the encyclopedia where he may find that answer to his question or statement, but it
seemed to fall off at that point.
The student who did particularly well had made the Four-Fold Book by just looking at
my example, then found her state quickly, looked up her four topics and went straight to work.
She had two sections done before the end of our 30 minutes. Cory asked her to do something
and she replied, “Can I finish this while you talk?” She was really engaged and liked the
project. The other student who did not meet my expectations has autism and has a hard time
engaging in work. He did not do any writing or drawing, just the folding and cutting of the
graphic organizer. He did discuss some points and was working with his peer, but it didn’t look
like he did anything to me. When I spoke with the host teacher after he was impressed by how
engaged the student was. He informed me that the level that he was at in the lesson was really
good and I should be proud of how I was able to capture the interest in the student and have him
engage.
I think next time I could maybe help that student by allowing for him to type up his
organizer, copy and paste pictures, or find a new way to help him put his thought’s down on
paper. Maybe I can give him sticky notes to write on? I also wonder if the other student who
partnered with him, if he has use of his writing hand, could he do the writing and drawing for
the pair. I could also partner the student who did exceptionally well with the one who did not
and see if they can be productive together.
The lesson was culturally responsive because students were able to learn a little about
their state of interest and get some background information. They were able to have an
experience with a new state, broadening their understanding the world outside of their home.
The different states have different aspects that make them unique, so by investigating the state
the students is able to learn more about different regions in the United States.

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Lesson 2 – State Investigation

Candidate Name: Host Teacher Name: Cory Crossett

ALASKA CONTENT STANDARD

Alaska Cultural Standard for Educators

TRANSFER GOAL(S) (transferability)

STAGE ONE – Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings (meaning)

STAGE ONE: Objectives STAGE TWO: Assessments

Knowledge - What students should know…. Assessment(s)/Other Evidence:

Students will be able to write down four topics of

STAGE THREE: Opportunities to Learn (Acquisition)

Teacher will note, “I chose Pennsylvania because I don’t

What are different tools we can use to investigate and

Teacher will then note that we can use the encyclopedia to

“Who has worked with an encyclopedia before? What are

“Encyclopedias go in alphabetical order. What do you

“My state is Pennsylvania, so which encyclopedia do I

Teacher will retrieve the encyclopedia and show students

The teacher will write down on the whiteboard different

“We can now choose a state that you would like to

“You are welcome to work by yourself or with a partner,

“I would like to give you a choice about presenting your

Teacher notes, “These Four-Door Book organizers can be

Considerations prior to the lesson:

Questions for reflection after the lesson:

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