Mini Unit Plan

Teacher
Subject
Topic/Foc
us

Laura Church
Grade 5 Social Studies
The Atlantic Region of Canada
(60 min classes)

Overarchin
g Question

How do the landforms, bodies of water, climate, and natural resources

of the Atlantic region affect the quality of life for the people who live
there?

Learner
Considerati
ons

Students may have guided notes if it helps them learn. The teacher can
scribe for students who cannot read or are ESL students

Performanc
e Task
Overview

Students will complete a workbook. They will answer questions that

pertain to the overarching question. They will be permitted all of class
time and will be allowed to use resources such as informational picture
books, atlases, and the internet. They will be allowed to work together,
but all students must complete their own workbook.

Learner Outcomes
General
Outcomes

Specific
Outcomes

5.1: Students
will
demonstrate
an
understandin
g and
appreciation
of how the
physical
geography
and natural
resources of
Canada affect
the quality of
life of all
Canadians

5.1.2 Students will

examine, critically, the
physical geography of
Canada by exploring
and reflecting upon the
following questions
and issues:

5.1

5.1.2

Links to
Overarching
Question/subquestions

Assessment
Criteria
Students provide evidence
of their learning as they

Mapping assignment
for formative
assessment (fill in the
bodies of water and
label the Appalachian
mountains on the map)
What are the major
geographical regions,
landforms, and bodies
of water in Canada?

What are the

similarities and
differences between
the regions?

Formative
SMARTBOARD sorting
activity: sort images of
the Atlantic Region

from images of other

regions.

5.1

5.1.2

5.1

5.1

How is the
geographical region
they live in different
from other regions in
Canada?

5.1.2

What are the factors

that determine climate
in the diverse
geographical regions
of Canada?

5.1.2

How do landforms,
bodies of water, and
natural resources
affect the quality of life
in Canada?

List ways the Atlantic

Region is different from
the Plains Region

Worksheet that the

group will complete
How do the
Appalachian mountains
and the ocean affect
the weather in the
Atlantic region?
Answering questions in
Performance task: How
do natural resources
affect food, jobs,
housing, recreation,
etc.

Laura Church
Educ 3501 ABC
Danny Balderson
November 9, 2015

Lesson Overview Rationale

For my Mini Unit, I chose to do a grade 5 Social Studies unit on The Atlantic
Region of Canada. My overarching question is: How do the landforms, bodies of
water, climate, and natural resources of the Atlantic region affect the quality of life
for the people who live there? This question relates to the GLO: Students will
demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how the physical geography and
natural resources of Canada affect the quality of life of all Canadians. I chose to
focus on the SLO 5.1.2: Examine, critically, the physical geography of Canada by

exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues. I used the
following questions from the Program of Studies: What are the major geographical
regions, landforms, and bodies of water in Canada? How do landforms, bodies of
water and natural resources affect the quality of life in Canada? What are the
differences and similarities among the geographical regions of Canada? How is the
geographical region they live in different from other regions of Canada? What are
the factors that determine climate in the diverse geographical regions of Canada?
I am operating under the idea that we have already covered the Plains
Region, so students have a basis for some of the concepts, but we are working on
applying them to a different region. Students will begin by examining how the land
looks and the different bodies of water that are near the Atlantic Region. This gives
students an idea of what the region looks like and where it is in Canada, in relation
to us in the Plains Region. This first lesson aim is that students will identify the
major geographical landforms and bodies of water in the Atlantic Region. They will
demonstrate this knowledge through a mapping activity where they label the
Appalachian Mountains and the 3 major bodies of water.
My second lesson develops student knowledge of the region by providing
them with more information on the natural resources and how they are used. In this
lesson, students will begin to examine how the different factors of the Atlantic
environment affect the people that live there (for example, natural resources
available affect food, jobs, recreation, etc.). This lessons objective is that students
will identify the natural resources and landscape in the Atlantic Region. This will be
demonstrated through a SMARTBOARD activity that asks students to look at
different images from across Canada and sort out the ones that might belong to the
Atlantic Region. This allows students to pick out natural resources and landforms

that affect the Atlantic Region. It also allows students to see how different regions
across Canada can look very similar, or very different.
My third lesson is focuses on the climate of the region and getting students
ready for the performance task. Students must apply knowledge they have learned
in the past two lessons, and research new information about the Atlantic regions
climate, as well as the factors that affect the climate. I ask the students to
demonstrate their learning by breaking into groups and use resources such as books
and the internet to research climate. I ask them to answer questions on a
worksheet, which breaks down the climate concepts into smaller questions. This is
very similar to my Performance Task so that it prepares students so they can apply
all their knowledge/research skills into the Performance Task workbook.
My Performance Task is a Workbook. At this stage, I would like my students to
be able to answer the overarching questions, which are broken down into smaller
questions in my Performance Task Workbook. The task asks students to pretend
they are moving to the Atlantic Region. It asks students to consider all the ways
their life will be different and how the environment of the region will affect how they
find food, a job they will get, and what they do for fun. These lessons scaffold by
starting out slowly by adding concepts throughout the 3 lessons. Lastly, the
Performance task asks them to apply their knowledge to multiple questions. I
attempted to create my lessons so they increase knowledge and difficulty of
assessment so they can effectively accomplish the performance task.

Teaching Strategies and Classroom Climate Rational

Teaching Strategy

Why I Am Using Them

Direct Instruction with

Direct Instruction allows

Ways I Will Engage the

Students
Through pictures, posing

PowerPoint

Think, Pair, Share

me to address many
different types of learning
through auditory, visual,
and allowing the students
to apply knowledge
through questioning and
discussion.
This allows quick
discussions about main
ideas that can help
solidify concepts. It also
accommodates learners
that excel by discussing

KWL chart

This allows me to assess

prior knowledge and find
out what the students
want to know about the
subject. It also allows for
me to see how far the
student comes with the
lesson.

Exit Slip

Exit slips allow students

to ask questions without
pressure of being in front
of their classmates.
Getting Exit slips
anonymously reduces
stress or embarrassment

Q&A

Q&A allows for

assessment of
understanding and helps
students apply the
material theyve been
learning

questions and class

discussions. Students will
be able to see and hear
about a different place
and discuss it with their
friends.
Social learning is very
important and also fun
and enticing for students.
I will pose interesting
questions that allow them
to discuss the ideas they
are learning with their
friends and share their
opinions.
I will entice the students
by giving them an
opportunity to
demonstrate their
knowledge and ask
questions. They will also
demonstrate where their
interest lies and I can use
that in the lessons.
I will give the students an
opportunity to ask
questions or raise
concerns of things they
are confused about. Exit
slips take away the
embarrassment of asking
a question and thinking
your classmates will think
youre stupid. This takes
away those issues for
some students
I will entice students
through interesting
questions because these
questions can be based
on their personal opinions
and spark discussion. It
can also allow them to

Hands on Mapping
Activity

SMARTBOARD Activity

Group research with

research stations

Research/Workbook in
Groups or Individually
(Performance Task)

This hands on mapping

activity will help the
students learn the
geography of the location
but it is hands on, and
they are working to find
the places they have to
label and they can see
the geography of the
location to gain insight
into how the people of
the Atlantic region live.
This activity is a little
harder, but gets students
to see the geographical
landscape and compare it
to other parts of Canada.
This will help students
visually see what the
Atlantic Region looks like
Group work allows
students to work together
to accomplish a task. It
takes pressure off
individual students so
they can work more
effectively toward a goal.
Different stations and
research allows students
a more holistic
connection with the
information because they
are discovering it for
themselves. It also gets
them out of their desks
and moving around the
classroom
This workbook allows
students to use research
to find answers they may
not know (a real life skill),

apply their knowledge

and think about things in
a different way
Students will be
interested in this
assignment because they
can get a better
understanding of where
the Atlantic region is
compared to where they
are. They can see the
vastness of Canada.

This activity will entice

the students because it is
like a fun game and they
get to see this pictures of
the Atlantic Region. It is
also hands on which
allows students to
remember it better
Students will be engaged
with this assignment
because they will be able
to work with their peers,
be able to look through
books and go on the
computer, as well as
move around the room to
discover the answers for
themselves. It allows
them to ask questions
themselves and work
toward finding the
answer.

I think giving them a

premise and allowing
them to draw throughout
the workbook is enticing.

as well as allows me to
see whether they can
apply their learning.

I think the students will

also enjoy doing a little
research on the
computers and in books.
Going to different stations
also allows them to use
different resources for
their research.

Teaching Resources Rationale

Teaching Resource
Website:
http://web2.uwindsor.ca/edf
ac/student/griff3.htm#Atlantic

Where I
Found It
By
researching
teacher
resources

Website:
http://crossfield.rockyview.a
b.ca/grade-5/learninglinks/social-studies-websites

Through
Learn
Alberta

Website:
http://projects.cbe.ab.ca/ict/
2learn/kdwajda/canada/stud
entwork/appalachian.htm

By
researching
teacher
resources

Website:
http://content.blackgold.ca/i
ct/AISI/DivII/Grade5/G5Socia
lStudies/G5SocialStudies.ht
ml#Lesson Plans and
Projects
Website:
http://byemoor.clearview.ab.
ca/Teachers/Mr_van_Zandbe
rgen_Grade_5/Social
%20studies/Appalachian
%20&%20Maritime
%20Region

Through
Learn
Alberta

Teacher
Resources

Justify Use
I found that it was a good resource
for giving a quick grade 5 level
overview of the regions. It was
helpful for building content and I
think it would be good for students
doing research for their project
This was great for giving a list of
grade 5 kid appropriate resources so
students can watch videos, play
games, and read websites that will
help them learn
A kid made website that gives an
overview of the Atlantic region that
follows the Alberta curriculum. I
thought this would be good for kids
because it is written for kids so they
can understand it.
Gave me insight into lesson planning
and ways to engage students in
learning.

This had great information, picture,

and graphs on the Atlantic Region
that is written for grade 5 students.
Therefore it is accessible for students
to gain information from.

PowerPoint

Ed Tech
Class

SMART Notebook

Ed Tech
Class

I used PowerPoint because it is easy

to use and is a simple layout for
students to easily understand the
content
I used SMART Notebook because it
allows for interactive activities

Lesson Plans
Lesson 1
Class: Social Studies

Grade: 5
Topic: Physical Geography of Canada
Time Limit: 60 min.

GLOs

Overarching question: How do the landforms, bodies of

water, climate, and natural resources of the Atlantic region
affect the quality of life for the people who live there?
5.1: Students will demonstrate an understanding and
appreciation of how the physical geography and natural
resources of Canada affect the quality of life of all Canadians

SLOs

5.1.2: Students will examine, critically, the physical

geography of Canada by exploring and reflecting upon the
following questions and issues:

Objectives

Materials

Resources

What are the major geographical regions, landforms, and

bodies of water in Canada?
What are the similarities and differences between the
regions?
How is the geographical region they live in different from
other regions in Canada?
Students will:
1. Identify the major geographical landforms and bodies of
water in the Atlantic region.
2. Apply concepts of geographical landforms to answer
questions and colour a map
3. Analyze the information about the Atlantic region to
discuss what factors would affect the life of the people
who live there.
PowerPoint presentation on an overview of the Atlantic
region (landforms, bodies of water).
Map activity (atlases and google maps for help)
http://web2.uwindsor.ca/edfac/student/griff-3.htm#Atlantic
http://crossfield.rockyview.ab.ca/grade-5/learninglinks/social-studies-websites

Procedure
Introduction
(10min)

Assessment
Methods
Attention Grabber:

Have any of you ever traveled to

the Atlantic Ocean on the East
side of Canada?

Formative
assessment:

Observational
are the students
paying attention?

Assessment of Prior Knowledge:

KWL chart:

fill out what you know under the

KNOW section about the Atlantic
Region (do you remember what a
region is? Do you remember what
a landform is? Do you know
where the Atlantic region might
be in Canada? Do you know
where the Atlantic Ocean is?)
Now, fill out the WANT section of
things youd like to know or
questions you have about the
Atlantic Regions.
Connection to Curriculum:

What is an example of a landform

you remember that is found in
the Plains region? (Prairies, hills,
badlands, rivers, lakes, valleys,
coulees)
Expectations for Learning and
Behaviour:

Classroom Activity: participation

in classroom discussions and
respect to partners
Advanced Agenda:

Today we will be learning about

the Atlantic region in Canada, and
then we will do a mapping
activity. At the end of class, we
will discuss what weve learned
and do a closing exit slip.
Transition to Body:

Canada is a vast country with

many different types of landforms
and natural resources. In the
Plains region, where we live, our

Are they chatting

with friends? Are
they doodling in
their notebooks?

landforms are prairies, valleys,

and badlands. We can see some
similarities and differences
between the Atlantic and Plains
regions.
Body (45min)

Learning Activity #1: Direct

Instruction on landforms and
bodies of water in the Atlantic
region PowerPoint

Does anyone know what a

plateau is?
Do we have Plateaus in Alberta?
How do you think the Atlantic
Ocean affects the natural
resources of the region?
How do you think the Atlantic
Ocean affects the weather of the
region?
Are any of the physical landforms
we just went over the
same/different to the Plains
(mountains, ocean, rolling prairie,
plateaus)
Do you think the Appalachian
Mountains affect the way of life in
the Atlantic Region?
What is one reason you would like
to live in the Atlantic Region?

Formative
Assessment

Summative
Participation:

Specific Learner Considerations:

any students who have trouble

paying attention can be given
guided notes

Transition to Activity #2:

Ask students to turn to their

elbow partner and tell each other
any of the physical landforms
similar to the Plains, landforms
different from the Plains, and
what effect you think the

Observational: Are
students paying
attention?

Are they
participating in
discussions? Are
they being
respectful toward
their partners
during the
discussion? From
their answers, do
they seem to have
a good idea of the
concepts?
Ask students for
understanding
using thumbs up,
thumbs down
Think Pair Share
questions

Formative
Assessment:

I would look at the

map to see if they
can apply their
knowledge and

Appalachian mountains have on

life in the Atlantic region.
afterward, students can share
some of their answers.

see if they are

understanding the
material.

If they finish the

sponge activity I
Learning
Activity
#2:
Map would see how well
they can match the
Activity
terms and see if they
On the blank map, colour and remember the
label the Atlantic Region, the previous units
Appalachian Mountains and the
bodies of water weve learned The KWL chart would
about (Atlantic Ocean, Strait of St be assessed to
ensure they learned
Lawrence, Bay of Fundy)
and expanded their
Specific Learner Considerations:
knowledge
Hand out blank map

A map that is already partly filled

in so they only have to do a part
of it. Visual cues to help them
remember where to put things
(let them take a closer look at my
example).

Sponge Activity:

I would prepare a matching

worksheet about the Atlantic
region and the other regions we
have gone over

Transition to Closure:

Closure (5min)

Fill in the LEARNED section of

your KWL chart for something you
learned about the Atlantic Region.

Consolidation/Assessment of
Learning:

I would ask the students to hand

in their maps (even if they are
not finished). I would also use the
completed KWL chart. I would use

Ensure students are

handing in their KWL
charts and their
names are on them

these for formative assessment

Transition to Next Lesson:

The Atlantic Region is a good

place to live for the beauty and
the recreation, but the climate
and natural resources also have
major effects on the people who
live there.

Lesson 2
Class: Social Studies
GLOs

Grade: 5

Topic: Physical Geography of Canada

Overarching question: How do the landforms, bodies of water,

climate, and natural resources of the Atlantic region affect the
quality of life for the people who live there?
5.1: Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation
of how the physical geography and natural resources of Canada
affect the quality of life of all Canadians

SLOs

5.1.2: Students will examine, critically, the physical geography of

Canada by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions
and issues:

Objectiv
es

How do landforms, bodies of water, and natural resources affect

the quality of life in Canada?
How is the geographical region they live in different from other
regions of Canada?

Students will:
4. Identify the natural resources available in the Atlantic Region.
5. Consider how the Atlantic region is similar and different from the
Plains Region.
6. Apply concepts of geographical landforms, bodies of water, and
natural resources to do SMARTBOARD Activity

Material
s

Resourc
es

SMARTBOARD Sorting Activity (What belongs in the Atlantic

Region)
PowerPoint Presentation about the climate and natural resources
available in the Atlantic Region.

http://crossfield.rockyview.ab.ca/grade-5/learning-links/socialstudies-websites
http://projects.cbe.ab.ca/ict/2learn/kdwajda/canada/studentwork/ap
palachian.htm
http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/themes.aspx?
id=ATLANTIC&sub=ATLANTIC INDUSTRY_FISHERIES&lang=En
http://web2.uwindsor.ca/edfac/student/griff-3.htm#Atlantic

Procedur
e
Introduc
tion
(10min)

Assessment Methods
Attention Grabber:

Natural resources affect many

aspects of our life in Canada.
Because Canada has abundant
natural resources, we are able to live
prosperous lives.

Assessment of Prior Knowledge:

Does anyone remember what a

natural resource is? Can anyone
remember what an example of a
natural resource in the Plains Region
is?

Connection to Curriculum:

Today we are discussing the natural

resources in the Atlantic region, can
anyone tell me of a natural resource
that comes from the Atlantic Region?

Expectations for Learning and

Behaviour:

During the SMARTBOARD Activity

Formative
Observations

are the students

paying attention?

Summative
Participation

Q&A are the students

answering questions
correctly? Do they
need prompting
questions?

later in class, I want everyone to

remember that we need to respect
each other in this class. It is okay to
make mistakes because we learn
from them.
Advanced Agenda:

Today I will be telling you all about

the Natural Resources of the Atlantic
Region. And then we are going to do
an activity on the SMARTBOARD.

Transition to Body:

Body
(45min)

Because Canada is such a huge

country, we have abundant natural
resources. But different regions have
different natural resources. These
differing resources make living in one
area of Canada very different from
another part of Canada.

Learning Activity #1: Direct

Instruction on the natural resources
of the Atlantic Region with
PowerPoint

Based on what you know about the

landforms of the Atlantic region, what
kinds of natural resources can you
think might be found there?
How do we use fish from the Atlantic
Region?
Are there farmers/farms in Alberta?
What kinds of crops are common
here?
What do we do with wood from
forests?
Why is oil and gas important for our
country?

Specific Learner Considerations:

Summative
Participation

Are students following

along with the
PowerPoint? Are they
answering questions?
Are they asking
questions?
Are they on task
during THINK PAIR
SHARE?
Are their answers
correct?
Thumbs up/Thumbs
down for
understanding

Guided notes
Transition to Activity #2:

Ask students to grab an elbow

partner and discuss the 3 questions
on the board: What was your
favourite fact about the Atlantic
Region? Can you think of a similarity
between the Atlantic Region and the
Plains Region? The Atlantic Region
has a lot of water nearby that gives
them fish. Can you think of
something else the water is useful
for? Does anyone want to share their
answers with the rest of the class?

Learning Activity #2: SMARTBOARD

Sorting Activity

When I pull your name out of the hat,

you must come to the SMARTBOARD,
choose one of the images, and sort it
into the correct vortex. If you make a
mistake, you may try again, or ask for
a hint.

Specific Learner Considerations:

Guiding questions to help (Do you

remember if the Atlantic Region is
near water? Do you remember what
kind of recreation people in the
Atlantic Region enjoy?)

Sponge Activity:

matching and word search activity

Transition to Closure:

Tell students they did a great job and

thank them for their participation.

Are students
participating? Do they
need a lot of
prompting questions?
Are they sorting the
images correctly?
Is it too easy/too hard
based on the speed
and accuracy they
finish it?

Hand out exit slip to students and tell

them to fill it out the best that they
can, but they dont have to put their
name on it (this way any students
who are embarrassed/nervous to ask
a question dont have to feel
pressure).
Closure
(5min)

Consolidation/Assessment of
Learning:

Exit Slip (what is one thing you

learned about the Atlantic Region
today? Do you have any questions
about the natural resources in the
Atlantic Region?). Students have
space to ask anything they want
about the Atlantic Region, or if they
need clarification on any of the things
we talked about

EXIT SLIP participation

Do they have a lot of
questions?

Transition to Next Lesson:

Natural Resources, landforms, and

bodies of water of the Atlantic region
affect the quality of life for the people
who live there. Next class we are
going to learn about the climate of
the Atlantic Region and use all our
knowledge that weve learned so far
and do a group worksheet.

Lesson 3
Class: Social Studies
GLOs

Grade: 5

Topic: Physical Geography of Canada

Overarching question: How do the landforms, bodies of water,

and natural resources of the Atlantic region affect the quality of life
for the people who live there?
5.1: Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation
of how the physical geography and natural resources of Canada

affect the quality of life of all Canadians

SLOs

5.1.2: Students will examine, critically, the physical geography of

Canada by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions
and issues:

What are the factors that determine climate in the diverse

geographical regions of Canada (latitude, water, mountains?)

Objectiv
es

Students will:

Explain factors that determine climate in the Atlantic Region

Apply knowledge of the landforms, bodies of water, natural
resources, and climate of the Atlantic Region.

Material
s

Short PowerPoint on Climate in the Atlantic Region

Worksheet
Pencil crayons, pencils/pens, pictures of the Atlantic Region to
inspire/remind students
Books and atlases/computer stations

Resourc
es

http://byemoor.clearview.ab.ca/Teachers/Mr_van_Zandbergen_Gr
ade_5/Social% 20studies/Appalachian%20&%20Maritime
%20Region

Procedur
e
Introduc
tion
(10min)

Assessment Methods
Attention Grabber:

Have illustrated picture books on

climate and the Atlantic region set
up at the front of class

Summative for
Participation:

Assessment of Prior Knowledge:

Did anyone notice the weather this

morning? How did it affect you? Did you
have to bundle up? Did you have to
make sure you had your mittens and
toque? Does anyone remember what

Are they paying

attention? Are they
answering/asking
questions?
Thumbs up/down

climate means and how it relates to

weather? What kind of weather/climate
do we have in the Plains region?

Connection to Curriculum:

How do mountains affect our

climate? Do you think there are any
physical landforms in the Atlantic
region that affect their climate?

Expectations for Learning and

Behaviour:

In todays social studies class, I am

going to split you into small groups
of 2-3 and you will be working with
your group to research and answer
questions about climate in the
Atlantic Region. Even though you are
working with partners, I expect
everyone to be on task and working
quietly throughout the period. The
books and computers you have
access are to be treated with respect
and returned in the same condition.

Advanced Agenda:

Todays class will be split up into

prearranged groups that they will
alternating stations with to use
different resources to help answer
questions about the climate in the
Atlantic Region. Each group will work
together on one worksheet.

Transition to Body:

Before I let you work on your project,

I want to do a short introduction into
the climate of the Atlantic region.

Body
(45min)

Learning Activity #1: Short

Introduction with PowerPoint

Summative for
Participation

Discuss the typical weather patterns

of the Atlantic region and the
amount of precipitation they
typically get per year.
Think/Pair/Share: How does weather
affect your daily life? How do you
think weather in the Atlantic Region
affects the people there?

Are they working,

respecting their peers,
and respecting the
resources?
Are they following
instructions?
Are they asking for
help when needed?

Transition to Activity #2:

Divide students into pre-arranged

groups and direct them to which
group they will be starting in. (use
when I say go before giving
directions so students know not to
move yet)
Hand out worksheets to group
leader (the first student on the list
for each group)

Activity #2: Worksheet with

Research Stations

Tell the students that they must stay

on the website I already have
opened on the computer
Encourage students to read the
directions for each question
carefully.
Alternate students every 10 minutes
so they go to each station
(computers and information picture
books).
Once I finish explaining the
assignment, ask a student to repeat
the instructions of what they are
supposed to be doing

Formative Assessment:

The worksheet will be

for formative
assessment it is a
practice run for the
Performance Task that
will be next class (the
performance task and
student self
assessment will be the
summative)

Specific Learner Considerations:

I could scribe for students or they

could have a similar assignment for
ESL students, or those who cannot
read.
This assignment could also easily be
adapted for different learning
abilities by changing the questions

Sponge Activity

If students finish early, they can

draw/colour the title page of their
workbook that we will be starting
next class (Performance Task)

Transition to Closure:

Closure
(5min)

Were almost out of time, I want

everyone to go back to their desk,
and start to fill out your Exit Slip for
today. Please make sure everyone in
your group has their name on the
worksheet, and that your name is on
your exit slip, and hand it in on my
desk.

Consolidation/Assessment of
Learning:

Ask students to answer the 2

questions on the exit slip (What is
one factor that affects climate in the
Atlantic Region? What is a question
that you had about the climate in
the Atlantic Region?)

Feedback To Students:

Thank students for working well

today and for the past few days.

Formative:

Collect the worksheet

and exit slip for
formative assessment

Transition to Next Lesson:

Now that weve covered all the

information for the Atlantic Region,
next class we are going to do a
project similar to today, but
everyone will work on their own
workbook and it will cover all the
information weve discussed about
the Atlantic Region.

Laura Church
Educ 3504 ABC
Lisa Prawdzik
November 9, 2015

Evaluation and Assessment Mini Unit Rationale

Rationale: Assessment A

Scaffolding Lesson Plans

Lesson 1:

Lesson
Overview:

Description

How does your

lesson scaffold to
your performance
task?

What core assessment

concepts inform your
design choice?

Objectives:

This lesson begins

to build a
foundation of the
Atlantic region for
the students. I am
operating under
the idea that weve
already covered
the Plains Region. I
assess their prior
knowledge with a

This lesson would focus on

getting a feeling for where
they are with their
knowledge base, and if
they are ready to move on,
give them a foundation for
going forward. The KWL
chart is very helpful with
this because it also gives
me a sense of where the
students interests lie so I

GLO 5.1: Students will

demonstrate an
understanding and
appreciation of how the
physical geography and
natural resources of
Canada affect the
quality of life of all
Canadians.

Outcomes: SLO 5.1.2

Students will

Identify the major

geographical
landforms and
bodies of water in
the Atlantic Region
Apply concepts of
geographical
landforms to answer
questions and
colour a map
Analyze the
information about
the Atlantic Region
to discuss what
factors would affect
the life of the people
who live there

Overarching Question:
How do landforms,
bodies of water,
climate, and natural
resources of the
Atlantic region affect
the quality of life of the
people who live there?

Instructio
nal
Processes

KWL chart to
ensure they
remember what
landforms are and
to see if they know
anything about the
Atlantic Region.
This would affect
where I take my
lessons. If students
do not remember
what landforms
are, I would go over
that again in a
different way.
My performance
task aims to help
students answer
the Overarching
Question. This
lesson gives them
some of the
knowledge and
describes how the
land looks in the
Atlantic Region
compared to where
we live in the Plains
Region.

What formative
assessment
techniques will you
be using? What
information will you
be collecting? How
will you use that
information?

can try to work those in to

keep them engaged.
This lesson focuses on
formative feedback for the
map activity, but I do start
to get a sense of
participation for summative
evaluation. I also use Q&A,
think/pair/share, and
thumbs up/down for
understanding. These forms
of assessment will be
aimed to understand where
they are, and to challenge
those who need to be
challenged.
Think/Pair/Share allows
students to get feedback
from peers as well. They
can bounce ideas off each
other and get a better feel
for the material.

How does your use of

formative assessment
reflect key assessment
concepts?

Description of what
teacher is doing:
I will begin by
introducing the topic,
assessing for prior
knowledge with a KWL
chart, asking some
general questions to
see where the students
are. I will then move
into the body where I
use direct instruction
and a PowerPoint with a
lot of pictures to
introduce the Atlantic
Region. Throughout the
PowerPoint I ask
questions (start general
and move into harder
questions as needed).
During the mapping
activity, I will monitor
uses of books and
computers, as well as
go around to each
student to see how well
they are doing with
their maps. During this
time I will provide
verbal feedback and
answer any questions.
At the end of the
lesson, I will ask
students to complete
their KWL chart and
hand the map and the
KWL chart in.

I use KWL chart,

Q&A,
Think/Pair/Share,
thumbs up/down,
and a mapping
activity. Using
prompting
questions and
verbal feedback
will be important
for the mapping
activity. These will
all be for formative
assessment where I
collect information
about their level
and their interests.
I will discover
where the students
are in their learning
and if we need to
go over anything
again, or if they
need to be
challenged. If some
students are
struggling, I can go
over any
information again,
use guiding
questions, or
answer any
questions they may
have. If students
need to be
challenged, I can
give them more
difficult questions,
or differentiate
their tasks to
challenge them.

The methods I have chosen

for formative assessment
check prior knowledge and
are Assessment FOR
Learning. I use the
information to see how far
the students are, if they are
ready to move onto the
next concept, or if they
need to be challenged.
I do begin to assess
summatively for
participation. However, this
assessment will be based
over the entire unit, not
only one lesson. Therefore,
even if students do not
participate very much one
day, they can still get a
good mark.

Description of what
students are doing:
Students will begin the
lesson by filling out the
first part of their KWL
chart, which gets them
thinking about the
topic, and remembering
what else they have
learned. Students will
then listen during the
lesson, answer verbal
questions, participate
in Think/Pair/Share, and
join class discussions.
They will do a mapping
activity where the
colour and label the
Atlantic Region as a
demonstration of what
they have learned that
day. Students may use
books/google maps to
help.

Students will be
required to follow
instructions for the
mapping activity,
engage in
discussions with
the class and their
elbow partners.
They will use
thumbs up/down to
demonstrate
understanding
throughout the
lesson.

Lastly, Students finish

their KWL Chart to say
what they have
learned.
Sequence of key
questions:
Does anyone know
what a plateau is?
Do we have Plateaus in
Alberta?
How do you think the
Atlantic Ocean affects
the natural resources of
the region?
How do you think the
Atlantic Ocean affects
the weather of the
region?

These questions
posed to the
students during the
lesson will help the
students gain a
deeper
understanding of
the material
because they will
apply their
knowledge.
Other questions will
be posed during a
THINK PAIR SHARE.
This will allow
students to share
ideas with partners

Are any of the physical

landforms we just went
over the same/different
to the Plains
(mountains, ocean,
rolling prairie, plateaus)
Do you think the
Appalachian Mountains
affect the way of life in
the Atlantic Region?

and brainstorm
different concepts.
I will use their
answers to see how
well they are
grasping the
content and
whether they need
to spend more time
on these ideas.

What is one reason you

would like to live in the
Atlantic Region?
Evidence of Lesson
Components (opening,
closing, content,
timeline)

Opening: the KWL

chart is one way I
assess prior
knowledge. It
allows students to
demonstrate
interest and tell me
what they already
know and what
they want to know.
I can adapt my
lessons to
accommodate
these factors.
Formative
observation will
help ensure rules
are followed later
if students are not
listening, I can ask
them to repeat
directions/expectati
ons
Content: Students
will be more
engaged with the
material if there
are a lot of times
for them to discuss
with a partner or
answer questions
in class. Thumbs

up/down works well

to assess whether
the students are
understanding, or
which students
may need extra
help. It is an easy
way for students to
tell me how they
are doing. I think
students will enjoy
the map activity
because they get
to colour, but are
still demonstrating
their learning.

Closing: The last

part of the KWL
chart allows me to
see how far they
have come with the
material or if they
need extra help.

Rationale: Assessment A

Scaffolding Lesson Plans

Lesson 2:

Lesson
Overview:

Description

How does your

lesson scaffold to
your performance
task?

What core assessment

concepts inform your
design choice?

SLO: 5.1.2

This lesson builds

on the previous
lesson by giving
students
information on how
the land provides
them with natural
resources and how
we use them.

This lesson focusses on

formative assessment. I use
observation, Q&A,
prompting questions,
Think/Pair/Share, thumbs
up/down, class activity, and
an exit slip. Once again, I
am looking at student
participation for summative

How do landforms,
bodies of water, and
natural resources affect
the quality of life in
Canada?
How is the
geographical region

they live in different

from other regions of
Canada?

Outcomes Students
will:

Identify the natural

resources available
in the Atlantic
Region
Consider how the
Atlantic Region is
similar/different
from the Plains
Region
Apply concepts of
geographical
landforms, bodies of
water, and natural
resources to do a
SMARTBOARD
activity.

Instructio
nal
Processes

Description of what
teacher is doing:
I will introduce the
lesson by asking
questions to assess
prior knowledge on
natural resources.
Using direct instruction
and a PowerPoint I will
give a lesson that uses
a lot of questions,
discussions, and
Think/Pair/Share

Students use last

class and material
from this class to
complete the
SMARTBOARD
activity where they
categorize different
images from across
Canada. This builds
student knowledge
so they can
effectively
complete the task
in class 3.

assessment.

What formative
assessment
techniques will you
be using? What
information will you
be collecting? How
will you use that
information?

How does your use of

formative assessment
reflect key assessment
concepts?

I will be using
questions and
discussions to
assess student
knowledge and see
if they understand
the lesson, and
that we are going
at a pace that suits
their learning
needs.

Once I have assessed for

prior knowledge through
questioning and
observation, I will ensure
the students understand
the concepts and how the
natural resources affect the
lives of people in the
Atlantic Region. I will use
the activity to check for
understanding and use
feedback to encourage
students or help them if

The SMARTBOARD
activity allows me

Once again, formative

assessment here allows me
to see how well they are
progressing and to see if
anyone needs to slow
down/be challenged.

assessment methods. I
will use thumbs
up/down to see if
students understand.
I will guide the
SMARTBOARD activity
by giving prompting
questions and
facilitating discussion.
Lastly, I will give Exit
Slips so students can
write something they
learned/questions
without pressure.
Description of what
students are doing:
Students will be
listening to the lesson,
answering/asking
questions, participating
in discussions and
Think/Pair/Share.
Thumbs up/down,
participating in the
activity, and filling out
exit slip.

Sequence of key
questions:
Does the Plains Region
have fishing industry?
What about forestry?
How does Canada use
fish from the Atlantic
region?
The Atlantic Region has
a lot of water nearby

to see if students
have fully
understood the
concepts and can
apply them to the
activity.

Students will be
required to follow
instructions for the
sorting activity,
engage in
discussions with
the class and their
elbow partners.
They will use
thumbs up/down to
demonstrate
understanding
throughout the
lesson. Finally they
will need to use
their exit slips to
demonstrate
learning and ask
questions
These questions
posed to the
students during the
lesson will help the
students gain a
deeper
understanding of
the material
because they will
apply their
knowledge.

needed.

that gives them fish.

Can you think of
something ese the
water is useful for?
Does Alberta have an
oil/gas industry?
How are oil and gas
used in Canada?

Evidence of Lesson
Components (opening,
closing, content,
timeline)

Other questions will

be posed during a
THINK PAIR SHARE.
This will allow
students to share
ideas with partners
and brainstorm
different concepts.

Opening: Engaging
questions at the
beginning of the
lesson capture the
students attention
and get their brains
working. It reminds
them of concepts
theyve already
learned and allows
them to draw
connections
between previous
units and the
content we will
learn today.
Content: Q&A and
think pair shares
allow students to
discuss ideas more
deeply, they can
spur on class
discussions and
help students
engage with the
material by
applying it to a
situation. Thumbs
up/down allows
students to tell me
whether they
understand the
content and are

good to move on. It

also lets me know if
my lesson is
making sense, or if
some students
need more help.
The Sorting Activity
is engaging
because it allows
students hands on
learning. They can
see images of
different regions,
and apply the
content weve been
learning to decide
which one is from
the Atlantic Region.
Closing: The Exit
Slip is beneficial for
students because
they can ask
questions or
discuss their
learning without
having pressure/
embarrassment
from other
students.

Rationale: Assessment A

Scaffolding Lesson Plans

Lesson 3:
Description

How does your

lesson scaffold to
your performance
task?

What core assessment

concepts inform your
design choice?

Lesson
Overview:

Lesson Outcome:
(Overarching question:
How do the landforms,
bodies of water,
climate, and natural
resources of the
Atlantic region affect
the quality of life for
the people who live
there?)
Students will:

Explain factors that

determine climate in
the Atlantic Region
Apply knowledge of
the landforms,
bodies of water,
natural resources,
and climate of the
Atlantic Region.

Lesson Description:
This lesson is student
led. They receive their
workbooks and are split
into groups where they
go to different stations
to research and help
answer questions. At
the end of class,
students fill out a selfevaluation on their
participation
throughout the unit.
Instructio
nal
Processes

In my third lesson,
students add to
their knowledge
about the Atlantic
Region by learning
about climate, how
it affects people
who live there, and
factors that affect
climate. The
assignment takes
the information
from the first two
lessons and applies
it to answer
questions to
complete their
worksheet.
Students will split
into groups, use
books, and the
computer to
answer questions
that they do not
know. Students will
be in groups for
this assignment.
This is a similar
activity to the
Performance task,
so it helps prepare
students for their
summative
assessment

This lesson uses formative

assessment to evaluate the
students. Their worksheets
will allow me to see how
well the research went and
whether the books and
websites were enough for
students to understand the
concepts.

What formative
assessment
techniques will you
be using? What
information will you
be collecting? How
will you use that

How does your use of

formative assessment
reflect key assessment
concepts?

I will use formative

assessment through
observation, prompting
questions, and to ensure
they are following
instructions and respecting
each other.

information?
Description of what
teacher is doing:
I will be introducing
students to the climate
in the Atlantic Region,
but leave most of the
information up to
student research. While
students are working, I
will be supervising the
students progress, be
going around the room
providing feedback,
and formatively assess
students through
observation to ensure
they understand the
assignment and that it
is not too hard.

Description of what
students are doing:
Students split into
groups and alternate
stations (informational
picture books, and
computers). At these
stations, students will
research and use their
research to answer the
worksheet questions
with their group.

Sequence of key
questions:
Why does the Atlantic
Region get so much
precipitation?

I will be using
observation and
feedback to
students while they
are working. If they
are having trouble I
will link it back to
prior knowledge
and use prompting
questions to help
them find the
answer.

While the students

are working,
formative
assessment will
focus on
observation and
prompting
questions if they
need help. I will
observe students
to see if they are
having trouble or if
the assignment is
too difficult for
them and they
need extra help.
Student knowledge
of these questions
will help me
determine if they
understand the
material or if they

I will be using formative

assessment techniques to
assess understanding of
content for the unit. I will
assess for learning to
ensure every student
understands the content
and can answer the
workbook questions.

How does neighbouring

an ocean affect the
Atlantic region?
How do the nearby
Appalachian mountains
affect the Atlantic
Region?

Evidence of Lesson
Components (opening,
closing, content,
timeline)

need more
help/time OR if it
was too easy and
they need a
challenge

Opening: I will use

formative
assessment to
ensure students
are paying
attention to
directions and to
check for
understanding
(thumbs up/down)
Content: I will
summatively
assess their
participation to
ensure they are on
task, and being
respectful toward
peers.
Closing: I will take
in their worksheet
and Exit Slips for
formative
assessment.

Student Task Description

Grade 5 Social Studies
The Atlantic Region

Pretend you are moving to the Atlantic Region and answer the following questions in
your workbook. Consider the ways the physical landforms, natural resources, and
bodies of water would affect your new life in the Atlantic Region.

You will be moving around to different stations so you can use resources to help
you answer these questions. Spelling, grammar, and neatness will count so try your
best. Remember, you can always raise your hand and ask for help. Good Luck

1. Colour the Atlantic Region Purple on the map of Canada below.

2. How do the natural resources in the Atlantic Region affect your food sources?
What kinds of food could you find in your area from the natural resources? List
at least 2 yummy things to eat in the Atlantic Region.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3. How do the natural resources and the climate affect the design of your house?
Where will you build it? What kind of landforms might you see out your window?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Draw your new house:

4. Jobs are an important part of life in the Atlantic Region. What kinds of jobs
can you get in the Atlantic Region? Will natural resources around you affect the
job you get? List at least 3 jobs and the natural resources they use.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
5. List 3 bodies of water in the Atlantic Region. How will all this water affect what
you do for fun on the weekends? How will they affect the weather you
experience?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

6. What mountain range is found in the Atlantic Region? How will these mountains
affect what you do for fun on the weekends? How will they affect the weather
you experience?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
7. Draw a picture of something you will do for fun in the Atlantic Region.

8. List 3 ways the Atlantic Region is different from the Plains Region.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

9. What is your favourite fact about the Atlantic Region?

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Great Job! Youre all done! Now you know all about the Atlantic Region

Assessment Criteria

I will be summatively assessing the students by using the workbook performance

task and participation, as well as letting the students do a self-evaluation for
participation that I will take into account. We would have made this rubric
together at the beginning of the year so the students will be aware of this.
Level
Criteria

Workbook
Completion

Writing
Convention
s

Accuracy

Excellent

Proficient

Adequate

Limited *

I finished all
the
questions in
the
workbook
with
excellent
effort

I did not
have any
grammatical
and spelling
errors

I answered
all questions
correctly and
developed
my ideas

I finished
most of the
questions in
the
workbook
with good
effort

I only had a
few spelling
or
grammatical
errors

I answered
some
questions
correctly and
developed
my ideas

Insufficien
t / Blank *

I finished
few
questions in
the
workbook
with little
effort

No score is
awarded
because there is
insufficient
evidence of
student
performance
based on the
requirements of
the assessment
task.

I had some
grammatical
and spelling
errors

Oops, I had a
lot of
grammatical
and spelling
errors

No score is
awarded
because there is
insufficient
evidence of
student
performance
based on the
requirements of
the assessment
task.

I only briefly
answer
some
questions,
and I did not
develop my
ideas

I could not
answer
questions
correctly or I
gave off
topic
responses

No score is
awarded
because there is
insufficient
evidence of
student
performance
based on the
requirements of
the assessment
task.

I finished
some of the
questions in
the
workbook
with some
effort

Class
Participatio
n

Student
Self
Evaluation
on Class
Participatio
n

I
participated
and gave
many
excellent
ideas in
class
discussions
and
respected
other
students
ideas
I contributed
many
excellent
ideas in
class and
respected
my
classmates

I
participated
and gave
some good
ideas in
class
discussions
and mostly
respected
other
students
ideas

I contributed
many good
ideas in
class and
respected
my
classmates

I gave some
adequate
ideas in
class
discussions
and
sometimes
respected
other
students
ideas

I contributed
some ideas
in class and
sometimes
respected
my
classmates.

I did not give

ideas in
class
discussions
and rarely
respected
other
students
ideas

I rarely
contributed
in class and
did not
respect my
classmates

No score is
awarded
because there is
insufficient
evidence of
student
performance
based on the
requirements of
the assessment
task.

No score is
awarded
because there is
insufficient
evidence of
student
performance
based on the
requirements of
the assessment
task.

* When work is judged to be limited or insufficient, the teacher makes decisions about appropriate intervention to
help the student improve.

Map Activity Handout

Lesson 3 Assignment
Using the resources in class (computers and books), work with
your group to answer the following questions about the climate of
the Atlantic Region:
1) What does climate mean?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__
2) Summers in the Atlantic Region are very humid. What factors
contribute to the humidity?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
____
3) The Atlantic region has a very high amount of snow in the
winter. What factors contribute to the large amount of
precipitation?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
____
4) What months have the highest amount of precipitation in the
Atlantic Region?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__
5) Fog is very common in the Atlantic Region. How does the
Atlantic Ocean play a role in the heavy fog?
________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
6) How do the Appalachian Mountains contribute to the climate?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Ed Psych Mini Unit Defense
Rationale: Ed Psychology Defense
Scaffolding Lesson Plans

Lesson
Overview
:

Description

Connections to Learning Theories &

Demonstration of Attention to a Classroom
Structure and Climate

Lesson Outcome:

This lesson implements Vygotskys theory

of social learning here through collaborative
learning. Students aim to research and
answer questions in a group. Therefore,
group work allows students to peer teach.
This means that a student in the zone of
proximal development can help other
students to understand the material.

SLO: 5.1.2: What are the

factors that determine
climate in the diverse
geographical regions of
Canada (latitude, water,
mountains)? How do
landforms, bodies of
water, and natural
resources affect the
quality of life in Canada?
(Overarching question:
How do the landforms,
bodies of water, climate,
and natural resources of
the Atlantic region affect
the quality of life for the
people who live there?)
Students will:

Explain factors that

determine climate in
the Atlantic Region
Apply Knowledge of the
landforms, bodies of
water, natural
resources, and climate

This lesson motivates students by being

engaging and accommodates students
natural curiosity by allowing them to do
their own research. Allowing them to have a
hands-on, social learning experience gives
them intrinsic motivation. It also encourages
student autonomy to discover answers for
themselves.
This lesson requires a teacher to encourage
attribution in students. This will help
increase student self-efficacy, giving them
confidence in their ability to do the
assignment.
The learning environment must also be
positive, safe, and stable to enhance the
learning experience. The classroom needs to
have a positive learning community that will
have been built throughout the year through
clear expectations, teacher leadership, and

of the Atlantic Region.

engaging lessons with authentic tasks.

Lesson Description:
This lesson introduces the
climate of the Atlantic
Region of Canada and
aims to have students
explain the factors that
affect the climate. To do
this, students will split into
groups and answer
questions about the
climate through research
on the computer and from
informational picture
books. Students will then
fill out an exit slip to
demonstrate learning and
ask questions.
Instructio
nal
Processe
s

Description of what
teacher is doing: I will be
introducing students to the
climate in the Atlantic
Region, but leave most of
the information up to
student research. While
students are working, I will
be supervising the
students progress, be
going around the room
providing feedback, and
formatively assess
students through
observation to ensure they
understand the
assignment and that it is
not too hard.

In this class, feedback and effective

classroom management will be important.
The classroom will need to be stable and
controlled. The volume of the working
students will have to be kept at a reasonable
level, which can be achieved through
processes that are already in place, such as
the traffic light and reminders to the class. I
will need to be fully prepared for all aspects
of the lesson (all materials and stations set
up). I will also need to demonstrate
withitness to keep classroom climate
positive to support a learning environment.

Description of what
students are doing:
Students split into groups
and alternate stations
(informational picture

I planned for students researching

information themselves because I think it
gives students authentic learning
experiences that support constructivism. It
also supports Vygotskys theory of social

Making the assessment formative will help

decrease student stress and allow them to
focus on the learning and understanding
how to do the assignment.

books, and computers). At

these stations, students
will research and use their
research to answer the
worksheet questions with
their group.

learning. Furthermore, group work allows

higher-level students to assist lower level
students in understanding. A student who
has just understood a concept can be
effective in helping another student reach
the zone of proximal development as well.
Being in control of their learning supports
student self-efficacy and improves their
motivation.

Sequence of key
questions:
What does climate mean?
How does neighbouring an
ocean affect the Atlantic
region?

These questions are designed to follow

Vygotskys theory of scaffolding learning.
Students begin by answering simple basic
questions that build a foundation so they
can answer more complicated questions
later on.

Why does the Atlantic

Region get so much
precipitation?
How do the nearby
Appalachian mountains
affect the Atlantic Region?

Evidence of Lesson
Components (opening,
closing, content, timeline)
Opening: I will use
formative assessment to
ensure students are
paying attention to
directions and to check for
understanding (thumbs
up/down)
Content: I will summatively
assess their participation
to ensure they are on task,
and being respectful
toward peers.

I think allowing this task to be only for

formative assessment takes stress away
from the student so they can focus on
learning. However, their participation and
showing respect for other students is
summative. I did this because I think it will
give students more responsibility and
ownership toward their own participation
and showing peers respect.

Closing: I will take in their

worksheet and Exit Slips
for formative assessment.

Works Cited
Woolfolk, A., Winne, P., & Perry, N. (2015). Educational Psychology (6th ed.,) Pearson Canada.

Tech Rationale
Rationale: Communications Technology A

Scaffolding Lesson Plans

Lesson (at least one):
Description

Lesson
Overview:

Describe how communication

technology used in the lesson/s, will
promote student engagement toward
the identified learner outcome(s). This
should provide a strong rationale for
using technology.

Lesson Outcome:
SLO: 5.1.2
Students will:

Identify the natural resources

available in the Atlantic Region
Consider how the Atlantic Region
is similar/different from the
Plains Region

I think that using a PowerPoint is an

excellent way to give students
information. It can easily be adapted
to different levels, as well as providing
different types of learning. This
PowerPoint uses many pictures and
questions to allow students to learn in
different ways.

Apply concepts of geographical

landforms, bodies of water, and
natural resources to do a
SMARTBOARD activity.

Lesson Description:

The SMARTBOARD sorting activity

engages students because they can
physically move the images around
and watch them disappear into the
Vortex. This is fun and stimulating for
students, but also allows for learning.

In this lesson, I use a PowerPoint to

give students information about the
Atlantic Region, and then I use the
SMARTBOARD to complete a sorting
activity where students sort images
of Canada. They must choose the
images that are from the Atlantic
Region. This allows them to see and
understand the landscape and
natural resources of the Atlantic
Region.

Instruction
al
Processes

Describe any potential downsides to

using this technology.
Description of what teacher is
doing:
I will introduce the lesson by asking
questions to assess prior knowledge
on natural resources. Using direct
instruction and a PowerPoint I will
give a lesson that uses a lot of
questions, discussions, and
Think/Pair/Share assessment
methods. I will use thumbs up/down
to see if students understand.
I will guide the SMARTBOARD
activity by giving prompting
questions and facilitating
discussion. Lastly, I will give Exit
Slips so students can write
something they learned/questions
without pressure.

If the technology malfunctions or if it

stops working, this could be a major
barrier to this lesson. I would need to
consider different ways to present the
information without the PowerPoint.
An issue with the SMARTBOARD
activity is that it only works for one
student at a time. I think addressing
questions and discussions to keep all
students occupied will also be
important.

Description of what students are

doing:
Students will be listening to the
lesson, answering/asking questions,
participating in discussions and
Think/Pair/Share. Thumbs up/down,
participating in the activity, and
filling out exit slip.
Sequence of key questions:
Does the Plains Region have fishing
industry? What about forestry?
How does Canada use fish from the
Atlantic region?
The Atlantic Region has a lot of
water nearby that gives them fish.
Can you think of something ese the
water is useful for?

Because only one student can use the

SMARTBOARD at a time, it may lead to
fights over who will go next. This can
be eliminated by ensuring the students
at the beginning of class that everyone
will get a chance to use it.

Some of these questions rely on the

technology (for example, some
questions are posed to the students
through the PowerPoint). It would be
important to ensure I have another
way to pose questions to students in
case the technology stops working.

Does Alberta have an oil/gas

industry?
How are oil and gas used in
Canada?
Evidence of Lesson Components
(opening, closing, content, timeline)
Opening: I will use formative
assessment to ensure students are
paying attention to directions and
to check for understanding (thumbs
up/down)
Content: I will summatively assess
their participation to ensure they
are on task, and being respectful
toward peers. I will formatively
assess their ability to sort images
on the SMARTBOARD.
Closing: I will take in their
worksheet and Exit Slips for
formative assessment.

During the SMARTBOARD activity, I will

be able to see how well students have
understood the content by seeing their
success in sorting the images. I will be
able to address any confusion or
issues students may be having right
away so they do not practice
incorrectly for too long. A problem that
may arise from this is if the
SMARTBOARD malfunctions. In that
case, I would need to have a backup
sorting activity with physical
manipulatives instead.