April Murray Lesson Plan: Turtle Island

Lesson Planning Template (Based on Wiggins & McTighe, Damian Cooper & MB Ed)

Grade/Course:

Grade 5 Social Studies

Unit:

Unit 1 First Peoples

Length of Lesson:

40 minutes

Stage 1 Desired Results

1. General and Specific Outcomes (Knowledge, Skills & Attitudes/Values):
General Learning Outcome: 5.1.2 First peoples and the connections to the land
Specific Learning Outcome: Describe practices and beliefs that reflected First People's
connection with the land and the natural environment.
2. Essential Questions: The key questions we will answer are
i)
ii)

3.
i)
ii)
iii)

What are creation stories?

Why were creation stories important to first peoples?

Students will know. . .

The story of Turtle Island.
The importance of creation stories and how they show a strong connection to the
land.
What lessons were learned by the main characters in the story.

4. Students will be able to. . .

i)
ii)
iii)
iv)

Compare the main themes from Turtle Island to similar themes learned in previous
lessons (e.g. connection to nature, importance of wildlife)
Explain the significance of creation stories (like Turtle Island)
Present Turtle Island in a creative manner
Organize their thoughts by completing a worksheet compiling their ideas from the
story.

April Murray Lesson Plan: Turtle Island

Stage 2 Assessment Evidence (Assessment AS/OF/FOR Learning)
Strategy (Performance Task, Observation Checklist, Interview, etc.):
- Formative: Students will be evaluated on their participation. This includes reading the story,
brainstorming ideas, and either acting out the story or actively watching.
- Summative: Teacher will use a marking rubric (shown next) to evaluate worksheets. This
includes accuracy of answers and creative illustration (includes colour, accurate to storyline,
creatively depicts student's understanding of Turtle Island).

Criteria (Please list i.e. Rubric, Achievement Indicators from Curriculum, Student or
Teacher Generated):
Participation:
Grade Scale
3
Very good to excellent participation in lesson:
Takes time to quietly read the story, helps brainstorm multiple ideas, provides comments,
engaged in acting out of the story by either acting out story or actively watching and listening.
2
Good participation in lesson:
Takes time to read story, brainstorms no more than one idea or comment, less interested in
acting out of story by not actively watching and listening
1
Basic participation in lesson:
Reads parts of the story, does not brainstorm and ideas or share any comments, hardly
interested in acting out of the story by not actively watching and listening, perhaps focused on
other things.
--Total /3
Worksheet:
Accuracy of answers /10
Creative illustration:
-Creatively depicts student's understanding of Turtle Island /5
-Illustration is accurate to storyline /3
-Includes colour and texture /2
--Total /20

April Murray Lesson Plan: Turtle Island

Reflection Did these assessment strategies allow you to address the outcomes for this
lesson? Did the students learning meet your objectives?
-

To be completed after lesson is completed.

Stage 3 Learning Plan

Instructional Strategies For This Lesson

Consider learning styles, multiple intelligences, learner abilities and student interests.

April Murray Lesson Plan: Turtle Island

1. Activating
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)

Refer to prior knowledge of First Peoples from previous lessons.

A copy of the creation story Turtle Island will be handed out to each student. The
story also will include an illustration showing the turtle with land on its back to
help better understand the story.
Students will quietly read Turtle Island to themselves.
Any questions about the story will be answered.
Learning Styles: Intrapersonal, visual, verbal/linguistic

2.
i)

ii)

iii)
iv)

Acquiring
As a class, we will brainstorm why creation stories like Turtle Island are
important to a culture and why they are shared. The brainstormed ideas will be
written on the board so students can reference it later. We will also brainstorm how
the story shows the connection First Peoples had with the land.
Selected students will then be chosen to come to the front of the class to act out the
story using puppets for the main characters. Having already read the story
themselves should help them be more confident in knowing how to act with the
puppets. (e.g. animal swimming or sitting on turtles back)
If time permits and if the students really enjoyed acting out the story, a different
group of students can have a chance acting out the story to the class.
Student teacher will use observation rubric regarding participation.
Learning Styles: Interpersonal, visual, verbal/linguistic, kinesthetic

3. Applying
i) Students will then complete a worksheet consisting of questions about the story, lessons

learned in the story, importance of creation stories, and a space to draw how they picture
......an island built on the back of a turtle's back.
ii) Student teacher will use summative rubric to assess worksheet after lesson is completed.
Learning Styles: Intrapersonal, visual, verbal/linguistic

April Murray Lesson Plan: Turtle Island

Resources/Technology:
-

Internet
Turtle Island story
Source: https://gct3.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/creation_story.pdf
Turtle Island illustration
Source: http://media-cacheec0.pinimg.com/originals/1a/15/e9/1a15e9e25edd6a8320f6d1e1cf73a9b3.jpg

Learning Materials Required:

-

Curriculum
Puppets
Source: Brandon University Aboriginal Resource Center

Cross-Curricular Integration:
-

Art: Worksheet illustrations

ELA: Reading the story, acting out the story, and writing aspects of the worksheet.

Stage 4 Reflection

Students will have learned about the Turtle Island story

The importance of creation stories and connection to the land

April Murray Lesson Plan: Turtle Island