Lesson Plan Guide

Teacher Candidate:

Paris Felts

Grade and Topic:

3rd Grade Social Studies

Date: June 7, 2015

Length of Lesson: 2 hours and 55 minutes

for 1 day
Mentor Teacher: Annette Sargent Cornelius

School: University of Memphis-IDT 3600

UNIT/CHAPTER OBJECTIVE/GENERALIZATION/BIG IDEA:

This lesson plan is part of a unit plan on North and South America.
LESSON OBJECTIVE:
1. Given photographs of cultural components in South and North America, the student will distinguish
the culture of South America with a score of three out of four on the rubric. (Blooms taxonomy:
knowledge)
2. Given the selected images, a computer and word processing software, the student will identify the
major cultural components of South America and describe the difference between North and South
American culture by writing a three paragraph essay with a score of three out of four on the rubric.
(Blooms taxonomy: comprehension, analysis, synthesis)
Student Participation
The goal of this lesson is for students to distinguish the culture of South America and demonstrate the
differences between North and South American culture by researching the main components and
representing those components in a table and writing a short essay to summarize their research.
STANDARDS ADDRESSED:
State/District
TN Social Studies 3.31 Conduct short research projects to describe the major components of history and
culture including language, clothing, food, art, beliefs, customs, and music. (C, H)
ISTE Standards
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources
and media

MATERIALS:

Materials Used
1. Computer
2. Microsoft Word
3. Internet Access to:
a. http://www.south-america-travel.info/culture.html
b. http://www.gettyimages.com/creative/latin-american-culture-stock-photos
4. Pencil
5. Paper
Technology Integration
Students will use the computer to access the websites listed in the Materials section to research the South American
culture and retrieve images to support their descriptions. The Word Processor will be used to complete the table displaying
their research and to type the summary. A sample of the product is attached to this document.

BACKGROUND and RATIONALE:

Students will distinguish the cultural differences between North America and South America. Given a previous
lesson on the cultures in North America, the students will write a short essay on the differences of cultural
practices between the two countries.
Not addressed in this course.
This lesson is a continuation of the of the TN social studies standards 3.14.
This lesson will serve as a guide when we begin to research, in depth, the historical background for South
America.
The lesson or technology use will be modified to meet the needs of diverse learners.

PROCEDURES AND TIMELINE:

Introduction:
1. Begin by displaying numerous images that represent multiple cultures across the globe on the whiteboard.
2. Provide a brief description of each image, revealing what culture it represents.
3. Give the students a chance to ask questions and discuss the images.

Procedures:
Prior to the Computer
Teacher Procedures: (10 minutes)
1. After the introduction, hand out the images and
blank sheet of paper to the students and ask
them to pick out the images that represent
South American cultures and write down
which major culture the image represents.

Student Procedures:
1. Students select the picture they believe to
associated with South American culture and
briefly describe the image.
2. They then label the image using the major
cultural components as guidance.

At the Computer (120 minutes)

Teacher Procedures:
1. Have students to open MS Word
2. Direct students to create a table with three
columns and nine rows
3. Direct students to the South American travel

Students Procedures:
1. Open MS Word
2. Add the following title: South America Major
Components of Culture
3. Below the title, insert a three-column nine-row

website
4. Direct students to the Getty Images website
5. Monitor and assist as needed

table
4. Add the following column names: Cultural
Component, Picture, Why Picture was Chosen
5. In the Cultural Component cell, list all the
major cultural components topics
6. Go to the travel website and read over the
background information.
7. Go to the Getty Images website and right-click
on the image you want and click Copy
8. Go to the Picture cell in Word Document
9. Paste the picture
10. Write a brief rationale for why the picture
chosen represents that topic.
11. Save work
12. Repeat items 5-10 for the remaining topics
13. When all topics are finished, correct any
spelling errors
14. Print a copy

After the Computer (45 minutes)

Teacher Procedures:
1. Have students to write a summary about North
and South American cultures and explain the
differences between the two.

Student Procedures:
1. Students write a three paragraph essay
describing the South American culture and
distinguish the cultural differences between
North and South America.

Supporting Activity
Students will begin writing down key facts about North American culture to help assist with the summary essay.

Closure:
Students will take turns reading their summary essays. The teacher collects all charts and summary essays
and allows students to discuss and ask questions.

ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE:

Criteria

Graphic images
represent each major
culture component

All of the chosen

graphics clearly
represent the culture
components of South
America.

Almost all of the

chosen graphics
clearly represent the
culture components of
South America.

Only a few of the

chosen graphics
clearly represent the
culture components of
South America.

Very few or none of

the chosen graphics
represent the culture
components of South
America.

Rationale for using

the graphics

All of the chosen

graphics demonstrate
why the images were
an appropriate
representation of the
major culture
components.

The rationale for

almost all of the
chosen graphics
clearly demonstrates
why the image is an
appropriate of the
major culture
components.

The rationale for

some of the chosen
graphics demonstrates
why the image is an
appropriate of the
major culture
components.

The rationale for very

or none of the chosen
graphics demonstrates
why the image is an
appropriate of the
major culture
components

Summary Essays

The summary clearly

states the differences
between North and
South American
cultures using
examples of the major
culture components
for both.

The summary
somewhat states the
differences between
North and South
American cultures
using examples of the
major culture
components for both.

The summary
somewhat states the
differences between
North and South
American cultures
using minimal
examples of the major
culture components
for both

The summary does

not state the
differences between
North and South
American cultures.

MODIFICATIONS:
I am aware that modifications will be made 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 part of this particular lesson.

Cultural
Components

Picture

Why Picture was

Chosen
This image represents
one of the ways South
Americans
communicated

Language

The girl in this image is

wearing the countries
national clothing

Clothing

The food displayed

represents Latin
Americas fascination
with spicy food

Food

South America Major Components of Culture