Lesson Plan Guide

Teacher Candidate:

Morgan Abrahamson

Date: April 27, 2015

Grade and Topic:

Third Grade, Social Studies

Length of Lesson: 165 minutes over three days

Mentor Teacher:

Dr. Amy Adcock

School: University of Memphis

UNIT/CHAPTER OBJECTIVE/GENERALIZATION/BIG IDEA:

The A Day in History is part of a larger unit focusing on the history of North America. This lesson is in
alignment with the Tennessee state curriculum standards for third grade Social Studies.
LESSON OBJECTIVE:
Given a virtual scavenger hunt form, the learner will research various topics of United States history and answer
a series of related questions, with a score of 4 out of 5 on the rubric.
Given a sheet of guiding questions, the learner will research a topic of their choosing and answer a series of
related questions with a score of 4 out of 5 on the rubric.
Given a computer with Internet access to Prezi, the learner will create a short presentation on the research topic
of their choice and include major facts and details, with a score of 4 out of 5 on the rubric.
The goal of this lesson is for students to understand major historical events. Students will provide a visual
presentation as well as a written reflection to display their understanding.
STANDARDS ADDRESSED:
Tennessee Social Studies 3.16: Use timelines and historical passages to summarize the history of a region,
including events, inventions/inventors, artists, writers, and political figures. (C, G, H, P, TN) Suggestions are as
follows: Christopher Columbus, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Daniel Boone, Nancy Ward, Thomas
Jefferson, Betsy Ross, Noah Webster, Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, Harriet Tubman, Geronimo, George
Washington Carver, Georgia OKeefe, Amelia Earhart, E.B. White, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Dian
Fossey, and Barack Obama.

MATERIALS:
Pencil
Paper
Virtual Scavenger Hunt form
A Day in History: Guiding Questions form
Computer with access to:
https://www.google.com/
https://prezi.com/
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
Students will use Google listed above to find resources for A Day in History. Prezi will be used to create a short
presentation about each students topic. Students, upon completing the activity, will save and publish their Prezi
to the classroom Prezi account. A sample of the product is available here: Virtual Scavenger Hunt sample,
Guiding Questions sample, Prezi sample

BACKGROUND and RATIONALE:

Students will display a clear understanding of a major historical event by creating a short Prezi presentation
summarizing the event that occurred.
Academic language is not addressed in IDT 3600.
This lesson is in continuation with the Tennessee state social studies standard 3.0.
We will refer to the presentations created here as we continue to learn about these historical events in greater
detail. In addition, we will use the reflections written here as a starting point for our creative writing unit.
I am aware that the lesson will be differentiated for students who did not master the objectives and for those
ready for enrichment. However, modifications are not covered in this course and are not a part of this particular
lesson.

PROCEDURES AND TIMELINE:

Introduction:
The teacher candidate will begin by displaying images of various individuals (George
Washington, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Christopher Columbus) on a projector at the front of
the room.
The teacher candidate will now create a K-W-L chart with the class. She will prompt the class
with a series of questions, such as, Who is this individual? What do we know about them? What did
they do that was significant? giving time for students to write down what they already know on a sheet
of paper.
The teacher candidate will now lead students through a discussion on what they want to know
about each individual, giving time for students to write down their questions on a sheet of paper.
The teacher candidate will follow this with a brief discussion on the importance of understanding
major historical events that have occurred in the United States.
Over the next two days, students will develop a greater understanding of the United States
history.
Procedures:
Day One
Prior to the Computer (5 minutes):
Teacher Procedures:
1. The teacher candidate will distribute the virtual scavenger hunt form and ask students to
underline any key words in the questions that they can use to research the answers.
Student Procedures:
1. Students will underline any key words that may be used to research the answer to the questions.
At the Computer (45 minutes):
Teacher Procedures:
1. Have students open an Internet browser.
2. Direct students to Google.com
3. Monitor and assist as needed.
Student Procedures:
1. Open an Internet browser.
2. Go to Google.com and use the key words from each question on the virtual scavenger hunt form
to research the answers.
3. Write answers onto virtual scavenger hunt form.
After the Computer (10 minutes):

Teacher Procedures:
1. Ask the students to circle one question that they would like to research further.
2. Collect virtual scavenger hunt forms.
3. Lead students in a brief discussion with prompting questions such as What did you learn? The
teacher candidate will write the students responses in the L column of the K-W-L chart.
Student Procedures:
1. Students will circle the question they wish to know more about.
2. Students will turn in their virtual scavenger hunt form.
3. Students will participate in class discussion.
Day Two
Prior to the Computer (5 minutes):
Teacher Procedures:
1. The teacher candidate will distribute the students completed virtual scavenger hunt form from
day one, along with a guiding questions sheet.
Student Procedures:
1. N/A
At the Computer (30 minutes):
Teacher Procedures:
1. Have students open an Internet browser.
2. Direct students to Google.com
3. Monitor and assist as needed.
Student Procedures:
1. Open an Internet browser.
2. Go to Google.com and begin researching topic, using guiding question as a reference.
3. Write answers/information on the guiding questions form.
After the Computer (10 minutes):
Teacher Procedures:
1. Collect the students completed virtual scavenger hunt form and guiding questions form.
2. Lead class through a discussion with prompting questions What did you learn today that you
didnt know yesterday? The teacher candidate will write student responses in the L column of
the K-W-L chart.
Student Procedures:
1. Students will turn in their completed virtual scavenger hunt form and guiding questions form.
2. Students will participate in class discussion.
Day Three
Prior to the Computer (5 minutes):
Teacher Procedure:
1. The teacher candidate will pass out the students completed guiding questions form.
Student Procedures:
1. N/A

At the Computer (30 minutes):

Teacher Procedures:
1. Ask students to open an Internet browser.
2. Direct students to Prezi.com
3. Monitor and assist as needed.
Student Procedures:
1. Open an Internet browser.
2. Go to Prezi.com
3. Log-in using classroom log-in information.
4. Select New Prezi
5. Select a background of your choice and click select template.
6. Add the title A Day in History: followed by the day or year of your topic.
7. Add your name as the subtitle.
8. Select a slide and type information relevant to your topic. (i.e. What happened, who was
involved)
9. Repeat step 8 until you have added all relevant information from your guiding questions form.
10. Save your Prezi and publish it to the public.
11. Print a copy.
After the Computer (25 minutes):
Teacher Procedures:
1. The teacher candidate will collect the students guiding questions form and copy of their Prezi.
2. Ask students to take out a sheet of paper and write a short opinion piece on what they believe the
world would be like today had this event not occurred.
3. Ask students a few guiding questions while they work. (i.e. Do you think the world would be
different if this event didnt happen? How would it be different? If your topic focused on a
specific individual, what do you think they would think about how the world is now?)
4. The teacher candidate will collect these responses when time is up.
Student Procedures:
1. Students will turn in their guiding questions form and printed copy of their Prezi.
2. Students will write a short opinion piece about how the world would be different if this event
didnt happen.
3. Students will turn in these responses when time is up.
Closure:
Students may volunteer to share their Prezi with the class. At the end of the lesson, the teacher will
check the class Prezi account for submissions, and answer any questions the students have.
ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
Virtual
Scavenger
Hunt
Guiding
Questions

1
1-2 questions
are answered
correctly.

2
3-4 questions
answered
correctly.

3
5-6 questions
answered
correctly.

4
7-8 questions
answered
correctly.

0-1/5
questions
answered
correctly.
Student did

2/5 questions
answered
correctly.
Student did
not support

3/5 questions
answered
correctly.
Student
supported

4/5 questions
answered
correctly.
Student
supported

5
9-10
questions
answered
correctly.
All questions
answered
correctly.
Student
supported

Points

Prezi

Opinion
Piece

Total Points

not
adequately
respond to
opinion
question.
No Prezi was
completed.

opinion with
evidence.

opinion with
incorrect
evidence.

their opinion
with minimal
evidence.

their opinion
with adequate
evidence.

Most
information
missing, what
is present is
incorrect.

Some
information
is present and
correct.
Minimal
creativity
displayed.

No response
or no effort
present.

Unsatisfactor
y response.
Student put
little to no
thought into
piece.

Satisfactory
response.
Student put
minimal
thought into
piece.

Most
information
is present and
correct.
Displayed in
a stimulating
and
interesting
manner.
Good
response.
Evident that
student put
some thought
into piece.

All
information
is present and
correct.
Displayed in
a stimulating
and
interesting
manner.
Excellent
response.
Evident that
student put
thought and
effort into
piece.

Virtual Scavenger Hunt

1. In what year did Christopher Columbus start the journey that would eventually lead to the discovery
of North and South America?
2. In what year did America attain their freedom from Britain?
3. Who was the first President of the United States? When was he elected?
4. Who designed the original American flag? In what year?
5. Abraham Lincoln was our ________ President. When was he elected? When was he assassinated?
6. When was the American Civil War?
7. What did Rosa Parks do in terms of the civil rights movement? When did she do this?
8. Where did Martin Luther King Jr. give his I Have A Dream speech? What day?
9. When was Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated?
10. Who was the first African American President? When was he elected?

A Day in History: Guiding Questions

1. What happened?

2. Who was involved?

3. What happened after this event? Was it positive or negative?

4. When was this person born? Is this person still alive? If no, when did this person die?

5. What do you think this person would think about modern society?

Virtual Scavenger Hunt (Student Sample)

1. In what year did Christopher Columbus start the journey that would eventually lead to the discovery of
North and South America?
a. 1492
2. In what year did America attain their freedom from Britain?
a. 1776
3. Who was the first President of the United States? When was he elected?
a. George Washington; April 30, 1789
4. Who designed the original American flag? In what year?
a. Betsy Ross; 1776
5. Abraham Lincoln was our ________ President. When was he elected? When was he assassinated?
a. 16th; March 4, 1861; April 15, 1865
6. When was the American Civil War?
a. 1861-1865
7. What did Rosa Parks do in terms of the civil rights movement? When did she do this?
a. She refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white passenger; December 1, 1955
8. Where did Martin Luther King Jr. give his I Have A Dream speech? What day?
a. Washington, D.C., August 28,1963
9. When was Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated?
a. April 4, 1968
10. Who was the first African American President? When was he elected?
a. Barack Obama; January 20, 2009

A Day in History: Guiding Questions (Student Sample)

1. What happened?
a. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus for a white passenger.
2. Who was involved?
a. Rosa Parks
3. What happened after this event? Was it positive or negative?
a. After she refused, she was arrested. She was later released. She became a major figure in the
civil rights movement, specifically regarding segregation.
4. When was this person born? Is this person still alive? If no, when did this person die?
a. She was born on February 4, 1913. She died on October 24, 2005.
5. What do you think this person would think about modern society?
a. I think that Rosa Parks would be disappointed with how far we have yet to come in terms of
racial equality.

A Day in History: Prezi (Student Sample)