Learning the Fifty States
Grade: 5
1. Goal:
Locate major physical and human (cultural) features of the Earth.
Find, understand, and use specific information in a variety of texts across the subject areas to perform a task.
2. Objective:
The student will be able
to identify the names of
the fifty states and their locations relative
to other states (GE.05.GE.03.02)
The student will also be able to use nouns, pronouns and adjectives.
Examples of Forms:
Beginner: EP.BG.02 Texas is a big state.
Early Intermediate: EP.EI.012 Texas is a fun state to visit.
Intermediate: EP.IN.02 Texas usually has very hot weather.
Early Advanced: EP.EA.02 Tom loves Texas; he lived there for 6 years.
Advanced: EP.AD.02 Texas is one state I would like to visit in the future, because it has great weather and there are so many interesting people to meet.
Targeted language Skills:
Reading:
Students will use online web games and group practice based on the
Multiple
Intelligences to identify and locate the 50 sates in the United States.
Also,
they will follow along as we read the unit text, Kate Heads West.
Writing: Students will label the 50 states in their journals. They will also follow KateÕs travels through the United States. They will be encouraged to write facts about the states using nouns and adjectives.
Speaking: Students will practice singing the '50 states song' daily. Each group will be responsible for identifying the states that their group has been assigned as the whole class sings the song together. They will present this information using the intelligence strengths that their group has in common
Listening: Students will listen to the music while working in their groups to help them get acquainted with the song. Also, they will learn where the 50 states are on the map by listening to the other groups present their portion of the song. They will also listen as we read our class text to help identify KateÕs travels through the United States.
3.
Materials/Equipment/Supplies/Preparation
For this lesson, our class will be using the book, Kate Heads West as a 'springboard'. In her travels, Kate begins in New Jersey and reaches as far west as Arizona, making stops in Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico. As we follow Kate's travels through each state, we will discuss the characteristics that make each state unique (ie. National Cowboy Hall of fame, the Cherokee Heritage Center and the World Champion Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest in Oklahoma) and write simple sentences in our journals. Also, identifying the states as a class will be a great lead into meeting one of the 5th grade Social Studies standards, where students learn all 50 states. I plan on using music to teach the students the '50 states' song, (found at www.mrsjonesroom.com/songs/50states.html) as we follow Kate's travels on a BIG map projected on the overhead. Students will be put in groups that exemplify their learning strengths regarding Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences (as a teacher, I am assuming that I will already have each student identified to the intelligences). Each group will be assigned a stanza of the song, and when it is their turn to lead the class, as a group, they will identify the states in a way that exemplifies their strength as a group. In order to make this lesson successful, I will need to give the students ample time to prepare and I also want them to create a team identity. Also, this lesson incorporates a lot of multimedia, as the song will play from my computer and the overhead will serve as our BIG class map. Also students will play online games to help them learn where all states are in relation to one another. To help the students understand my desired outcome, it is important that I sing the song and exemplify ways students could present the song to the class using modeled talk.
4. Procedure
A.
anticipatory set, motivation or hook—about 2 minutes
During this aspect of the lesson, students will get to listen to the music and visually see me demonstrate how I want each group to present their portion of the song (this is the 'I Do' portion of my lesson plan). Hopefully, students will become excited to learn the song and this excitement will stimulate interest to learn all 50 states individually and as a group.
B.
Teaching Modeling—about 30 minutes
In this portion of the lesson, students will have an opportunity to build on the knowledge we have been discussing over the past weeks regarding Kate's travels west. They will apply this knowledge by getting to finally use the online games that I have been modeling in the past weeks as we have followed Kate, both on the BIG class map on the overhead, and on the computer. As a class we will have time to visit the library or computer lab. During this portion of the lesson, the class will be split up into halves, while one group is working on the computer with the web game, the other half will be working independently with various learning tools I have provided to practice identifying the states. The website we will be using is a site that aims to make learning fun as they have learning games for all subjects (www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games.html). The learning tools that will be provided for students that are not working on the computers will revolve around Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences. For example, visual learners can fill in a blank map or create their own, auditory learners can listen to the music and sing along while identifying the states on a blank map, and students with a strong spatial intelligence could use one of the class' 50 states puzzle to learn where the states are located. In order for the class to learn the 50 states song, it will be important that the song has relevance, which is why they are learning the 50 states; so they will know what they are singing about. Also, in order to help them learn the song, I will play it numerous times throughout the day and they will be provided with the lyrics to the song.
<> C. Group Application—about 15-20 minutes (if time allows)This portion of the lesson is actively practiced within the Teaching Modeling portion of the lesson. However, as a student I know that too much practice is never a bad thing! Knowing this, as a teacher and if time allows for it, I would love to use this time to give my students more opportunities to learn the states using their multiple intelligence strengths. And, this application can be practiced in the classroom, where many students mybe more comfortable verses the library or computer lab setting. In order to make sure the students are learning the correct information, I will need to be very active. I believe that by allowing the students to learn the 50 states using their multiple intelligence strengths they will generate more excitement, have more confidence and make the overall experience more enjoyable; yet as a teacher, I understand that it will require more attention to each student's learning. However, if the students are learning concepts on a deeper level, rather than simply memorizing the song or regurgitating information, I feel like my job will be easier down the road, because they will learn strategies that help them learn the most effectively and efficiently-and what a great tool to give a student! During this group application, students will work with their group to learn the 50 states. I will circulate around the room to make sure students are learning the correct information, whether that be actually singing the song with the musically talented or working to complete the puzzle with the spatially talented. With this group learning environment, I am trying to emphasize the 'We Do' portion of the lesson.
D. Independent
Application/Independent Practice—about 10 minutes
Now that the students have had an opportunity to work extensively with their group in identifying the states, they will as a group decide how they want to present the information. Throughout our group work time, the music has been playing and all students have had an opportunity to sing the 50 state song. My hope would be that as a class we would sing the song together, and each group specifically would be responsible for identifying 8-10 states as we sing those states in the song. For example the first stanza of the song includes Alabama, and Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, and Co-nnecticut. The visual group could point to these states with a ruler on the BIG map, while the class sings the song with them. All students will have a song sheet that has the lyrics to the song listed; however, if there are students who forget the words or have a hard time reading them at the pace of the song, they are encouraged to hum, that way all students are still participating. Within this group presentation, I tried to emphasize the 'You Do' portion of the lesson.
E. Closure—about 10
minutes
In this portion of the lesson I want the students to form connections between our unit text (Kate Heads West) and the class activities. I will give each student a small map where they can identify the 50 states and glue it into their journals. This will help me check for their understanding. However, I will encourage the students to use their multiple intelligences as a strengthÉfor example if it is easier to label the states while singing the song, I want the kids to know that this form of presenting their new knowledge is great. Also, I will ask the students to write some simple sentences using nouns, pronouns and adjectives. They can draw from our unit text or the class activities to generate sentences. I will encourage the students to label each structure of the sentence (nouns, pronouns and adjectives), but understand that this may be an area that needs further instruction for students to master. To help simplify the process, we will review what some simple sentences as a class, and I will write them up on the board to help students visually understand what objectives I want them to meet.
Also, as a closing activity we can sing the song one last time as a class as we visually look at a map of the U.S. on the overhead. This will help to recap vocabulary and the lesson concepts.
5. Meeting Varying Needs
One aspect of this lesson that could be a challenge for some students is the use of multimedia resources. However, I see the lesson as a great way to teach students how to use the internet if they have not had access to it previously. One way to make the process easier would be to exemplify all the steps to reaching the right website in front of the class on the first day in the computer lab or library. I am assuming that where ever I may teaching this lesson, the computer room will have access to a computer that projects on a large screen (similar to our smart boards). However if this is not the case, then each small group can work with one computer. I will appoint one student the leader, and they can use this opportunity to share with their group how to use the computer efficiently. In cases where some students may share a common language, (ie. Spanish) they will be encouraged to use this language for a clearer understanding.
Also, in grouping the students by their multiple intelligence strengths, I am hoping to show the class that everyone is great at something. Although all students will come from different backgrounds and experiences, this does not mean that they will not share a common learning strength. As the students create a team identity I am hoping this will give them feelings of being connected to classmates who they may not have naturally been connected with.
Also, throughout the lesson I would keep a close watch on student progression and work efficiency, making sure to give ample wait time between activities where is may be needed.
6. Assessment
Although my most formal assessment will be when I look over student journals to make sure they have their simple sentences written along with an accurately filled in map of the United States, much of my assessment will also take place during the group application and independent practice. If I notice that there are substantial errors on the map in their journal, then I could ask the student individually, if they would identify the states using their groups' learning technique, or in a way that suits them best as again, labeling the map may not be the best learning application for some students. Also, it will be important to assess the sentences each student has written. If they have not used and labeled nouns, pronouns and adjectives correctly, I could meet with the student on an individual basis. However, if the errors are consistent among many students, this could be an indication that I need to devote more time to addressing the structure of simple sentences.
7. Reflection
Was the time allotment appropriate for the lesson?
How did it go overall?
What should I do differently next time?
What went really well?
Was the song helpful to the students' learning?
Did the technology seem to hinder or help student learning?