POWERFUL SOCIAL STUDIES LESSON PLAN OUTLINE

JMU Elementary Education Program: ELED 434 ALL SECTIONS

The following information should be included in the header of the lesson plan:
Lindsey Porter
Mrs. Madison, Clymore Elementary
Date and time lesson is to be presented: October 29, 2013 at 1:40 PM
Date written plan is submitted to the practicum teacher: October 26, 2013

A. TITLE OF LESSON: The Agriculture of Virginias Regions

B. RATIONALE:
In this lesson, students will review what they have already learned about the regions of Virginia. They will recall the locations of the regions
and the main characteristics of each. By gathering information they have learned about the regions, they will then begin to understand the
relationships between each of the 5 regions and how they are related. Because the students are residents of Virginia, it is essential that they
have a basic understanding of the environment around them. As citizens, they need to be familiar with the geography of Virginia to value the
state they live in and are a part of. Through this lesson, students can learn how to gain an appreciation for their state through their learning of
geography, agriculture, tourism, and other characteristics that contribute to the state of Virginia. They will learn that each region contributes
something to the state, and without important economic factors, Virginia would not be the state that it is today. The students will be able to
discuss each regions agricultural characteristics and the differences/similarities between the regions.
C. CONTEXT OF LESSON
A couple of weeks before I taught this lesson I sat in on a lesson being taught about the regions of Virginia. Each day spent in Social Studies
was focused on a separate region. Since the class has already learned about the 5 regions, my cooperating teacher suggested that I teach a
review lesson of the regions. The students are ready for a review because they are familiar with the location and characteristics of the regions
of Virginia. To conclude the unit, a review lesson would refresh the students understandings of the regions and the relationships between them
to further deepen their learning. The first half of my lesson will involve reviewing the names and descriptions of the regions, and the second
half will include learning about the agricultural aspects of each region. The students will then be able to take what they have learned about the
regions to begin a new unit on the history of Virginia. This lesson will be beneficial to the students because their curriculum sequence requires
students to have knowledge about each of the regions before studying Virginia history. This lesson also fits with child development because it
allows students to think critically and analyze different aspects of a concept while engaging in group discussion. It gives students the
opportunity to work with their peers and practice teambuilding skills.
D. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand what are the broad
generalizations the students should
begin to develop? (These can be
difficult to assess in one lesson.)

Know what are the facts, rules,

specific data the students will gain
through this lesson? (These knows
must be assessed in your lesson.)

Do what are the specific thinking

behaviors students will be able to do
or practice as a result of this lesson?
(These will also be assessed in your
lesson.)

U1 Virginia can be divided into 5

geographic regions.
U2 Virginias agriculture is a
significant contribution to our
individual lives as well as our state.

K1 Virginia has 5 regions (Tidewater,

Piedmont, Blue Ridge Mountains,
Valley & Ridge, Appalachian Plateau)
K2 Each region of Virginia has
unique agricultural characteristics.

D1 The students will recall each of

the five regions when given their
characteristics.
D2 The students will write different
agricultural characteristics of each
region.
D3 The students will write
similarities and differences of the
agriculture of the regions.

E. ASSESSING LEARNING:

Task:
What learning tasks have you
organized that can be used for
assessment?

Diagnostic
features:

What
features will
you look for in
student
responses or
products from
the task(s)?

What
criteria will
you use for
assessment?

Support:
What resources can you
draw upon (or adaptations
can you make) in assessing
children with special needs?

D1 The students will recall each of

the five regions when given their
characteristics.

Students who have difficulty

recalling the regions will be
provided with a list of all 5
regions, and they can refer
to the list to choose which
region is correct.

Observation
When
students are
playing the
guessing
game, I will
observe them
stating the
correct region
when their

partner is
giving
characteristics
.
D2 The students will write
different agricultural
characteristics of each region.

D3 The students will write

similarities and differences of the
agriculture of the regions.

Worksheet
On their
sheet,
students will
write
characteristics
such as, the
Tidewater
region
cultivates
pigs, corn,
and soybeans,
etc.
Worksheet
On their
sheet,
students will
compare and
contrast the
region in the
last 2
questions. For
example, they
will write that
both the
Tidewater and
Piedmont
regions
cultivate pigs.

If there are any students

with special needs and are
unable to write, I will give
an interview and ask the
student to verbally tell me
what types of agriculture is
found in each region.

Students who have trouble

comparing and contrasting
the regions in the form of
writing sentences will be
able to create a Venn
Diagram. They can choose
2 regions and use the
diagram to write the
similarities and differences
between the 2.

F. RELATED VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING (and NATIONAL STANDARDS if required)

Virginia: The Physical Geography and Native Peoples
VS.2 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the physical geography and native peoples, past and present, of Virginia by
b) locating and describing Virginias Coastal Plain (Tidewater), Piedmont, Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau
Skills
VS.1 The student will demonstrate skills for historical and geographical analysis and responsible citizenship, including the ability to
i) analyze and interpret maps to explain relationships among landforms, water features, climatic characteristics, and historical events.
Communication: Speaking, Listening, Media Literacy
4.1 The student will use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings.
e) Use grammatically correct language and specific vocabulary to communicate ideas.
g) Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams.
G. MATERIALS NEEDED
Slips of paper listing the regions (me)
Virginia posters (me)
Worksheet (me)
Pencils (students)
H. PROCEDURE
Activity Element
Procedures and management
& Time (in
Step-by step procedures
minutes)
including questions and main
points visualize what you are
going to say to the students. It
might be helpful to script out
what you are going to say,
although during the lesson you
do not need to use this language
verbatim.
Introduction (2

I will introduce the lesson

minutes)
to the class by saying that we
will be reviewing the 5
regions of Virginia.

I will ask, What are the 5

regions or Virginia? and I will
tell students to raise their
hand to answer.

Students
Describe what the students will
be doing as a result of your
instructions

Academic, physical,
social & linguistic
differentiation,
resources, and
support
How will you support
ALL students?

Students will raise their

hand to answer, What are
the 5 regions of Virginia?
They will state that the
regions are Tidewater,
Piedmont, Blue Ridge
Mountains, Valley & Ridge,
and Appalachian Plateau

Students who have

difficulty or feel
uncomfortable with
verbally stating the
regions will be given
the option of writing
the names on a piece
of paper.

Guessing Game (5
minutes)

Transition (1
minute)

Poster Analysis (10

minutes)

I will explain the

instructions of the game that
the class will be playing.
I will state that students
will be working with a partner
and one of the students in
each pair will be given a
region. They will need to
describe this region to their
partner as the other person
tries to guess the correct
region.
Once the partner has
correctly guessed the region,
they will move on to another
region until time is up.
After 10 minutes, I will tell
the students to thank their
partner for working with them
and they should move back to
their original seat.
I will remind the class to
move to their seat quickly
and quietly.
I will divide the class into 5
groups and give each group a
Virginia poster showing the
agriculture of each region.
I will hand out a worksheet
containing questions related
to the posters to each
student.
I will tell the class to work
with their group to answer
each question on the
worksheet.

Students will find a partner

to work with and will stand or
sit next to that person.
When students receive
their paper, they can begin
the guessing game with their
partner.
They will continue to play
the game until I announce to
the class that time is up.

Students who are

unable to remember
the names of each of
the 5 regions will be
given a list of the
regions to choose
from.
If there are any
students who find
the game to be too
easy, I will adjust the
rules so that they will
be limited to only
certain
characteristics they
are allowed to say.

Students will thank their

partner and move back to
their seat quietly.
Students will either throw
away their slips of paper in
the trashcan or hand them to
me.
Students will work in their
groups to analyze the poster
and answer the questions on
their worksheet.
They will be working
diligently and will treat each
of their group members with
respect while they are
working.

Students who would

rather work
individually will be
given the option to.
If there are any
students who are
visual processors, I
will allow them to
create a Venn
Diagram (or some
other graphic
organizer) to
compare and
contrast the regions.
Students who finish

the worksheet early

will also be able to
create a graphic
organizer to display
the characteristics.
Transition (1
minute)

Conclusion: Poster
Analysis Discussion
(5-7 minutes)

I.

Once the groups have

completed their worksheet, I
will ask the class to come
together to discuss the
worksheet as a whole group.

I will ask the class what

observations they saw from
the map and what they wrote
on their worksheet
Then, I will continue to ask
questions to the group but I
will lead to a conclusion that
connects agriculture to the
students daily lives. I will ask
questions such as, We live in
the Valley & Ridge region.
What is some agriculture that
you see from where you live?
or How do these types of
agriculture help us in our
daily lives?

Students will move quickly

and quietly back to their seats
and will return their posters to
me.
They will keep their
worksheet and/or graphic
organizer at their desks.
Students will recall the
different characteristics of
each region. If there are any
students who created a
graphic organizer, they will be
provided with the opportunity
to share their work with the
class.
When students are asked
how agriculture is connected
to their lives, they can
respond however they feel
that they can relate to it.

If there are students

who feel
uncomfortable with
sharing their ideas
out loud, they can
write about their
connections to
agriculture in their
journal and turn it in
as a writing
assignment.
This assignment can
also be used for
gifted students who
would like to have an
extra opportunity to
share their thoughts.

DIFFERENTIATION:
My lesson includes several opportunities for differentiated instruction. To meet the needs of students who are not mastering the
learning objectives, I will provide alternate assignments for them to complete that still relate to the objectives. During the guessing game
activity, there may be some students who are not able to remember the names or characteristics of the five regions. If this occurs, I will provide
the students with a list of the regions as well as their descriptions to help them with playing the game. For students who are English Language
Learners, I will also provide them with a list but will include translations in their native language as well as the definitions of key terms. If
there are any students who finish the game early of find the game to be too easy, I will adjust the rules accordingly. To make the game more

difficult, I will give the students a list of terms that they will not be allowed to say when giving characteristics of a region. Students will be
able to switch roles so they both have an opportunity to describe the regions using certain terms. Finally, if there are any students who may feel
uncomfortable with playing this game or have difficulty understanding the rules, I will provide them with a matching game that allows them to
match cards with the regions and their characteristics.
During the poster analysis group time, students will be distributed among the groups based on their skill levels and abilities. There will
be a variety of learners in each group so that they have the opportunity to work with a diverse group of students. This assignment will be
differentiated because students will be able to both discuss their observations from the poster as well as write information on their worksheet.
For students who are English Language Learners, I will provide them with a translated version of their worksheet in their native language. I
will also give them a key with pictures and names of the types of agriculture in their native language. If there are students who are struggling
to meet the objectives, I will allow them to create a graphic organizer to better arrange the information they have gathered. They will be given
the option to either work with a group or individually. Students who finish early will also be able to develop a graphic organizer with their
group members. They can also complete a writing assignment based on how agriculture affects them as individuals, or how agriculture helps
the state of Virginia.
J. WHAT COULD GO WRONG WITH THIS LESSON AND WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT?
Since I will be making copies of the worksheet the morning I teach my lesson, there is a chance that the copying machine may not be
working. If this occurs, I will tell the students to write their answers to the questions on a sheet of loose-leaf paper. They can also create
their graphic organizer either on the same sheet or on a poster board.
If I happen to run out of posters for each group, I will place a poster under the document camera or I will place it on the board at the front
of the classroom for the whole class to see.

Name:__________________ Date:_____________
Agriculture Map Of Virginia
Directions: Answer the following questions using the map provided.
1. Give 3 types of agriculture in each region.
Tidewater
Region

Piedmont
Region

Blue Ridge
Mountains

Valley & Ridge

Appalachian
Plateau

2. What do the regions have in common? (Example: The Tidewater region and
Blue Ridge Mountains both produce eggs.)
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

3. What are some differences between the regions? (Example: The Piedmont
region grows grapes, but the Appalachian Plateau grows pumpkins.)
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________