READ 3226

Reflection on Implementation & Planning of Lesson

For my lesson plan, I decided to teach a lesson plan integrating reading and
social studies with the central focus of having students navigate through a nonfiction
text focusing on dams and levees related to the Mesopotamian era. In planning this
lesson, I was able to work and co-plan with three hardworking colleagues during my
IMB experience. We knew that we wanted to integrate social studies and reading but we
had absolutely no idea how we wanted plan the lesson. Since I was based in a social
studies classroom, I was able to ask my CT what she had planned on teaching and she
directed me to the Mesopotamian unit in her curriculum. I shared this information with
my colleagues and we began to do our research on this specific era. We came to the
conclusion of using a non-fiction text on Dams and Levees and have students
participate in a silent conversation to draw discussion about the topic. I ended up
teaching my lesson in the language arts classroom.
I introduced the lesson by triggering prior knowledge of using textual evidence to
support answers and asking them questions about which era they are currently studying
in social studies. Many of the students blurted out Mesopotamian which was the correct
answer, but the students were holding many side conversations. I immediately
transformed into a super teacher and quickly thought of ways to control classroom
management. I began to make a hand clapping beat and asked the students to repeat
the beat that I did. This allowed me to regain the groups sole focus and proceed with
my lesson. I explained to the students what the lesson would focus on and transition
into the first activity. Each student received an article titled Dams & Levees and a

highlighter. I informed students that they were to read the passage and then they would
answer questions on the non-fiction text that they had just read. In answering the
multiple choice questions, students would have to find evidence in the text that proved
that their answer was correct. After answering questions, students participated in a
silent conversation on dams and levees to check for assessment. I was nervous of
running out of time once I begin my lesson but luckily I was able to complete all of the
daily objectives. I was overjoyed once I reached the end of my lesson and could ask my
students specific questions about the lesson and they could clearly elaborate on what
they learned about dams and levees, silent conversations, and citing textual evidence.