Gwynedd Mercy University

School of Education
Lesson Plan
Your Name:
School:

Date: March 16, 2015

Grade/Topic: Fourth Grade/History

STANDARD: 8.4.4 World History

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATION: Students will identify and recognize the
importance of The Middle Ages by creating their own diary as if they lived during this
time period.
I.

PLANNING AND PREPARATION:

1.

Briefly describe the students in your class, including those with special
needs, explain how you will meet the needs of all learners.
This is a fourth grade class consisting of twenty four students. There are
fourteen boys and ten girls. There are two students with Individualized
Education Plans and I plan to accommodate these students using the goal
of the IEP.

2.

What are your expectations for this lesson? What do you want students to
learn and be able to do with the knowledge?

3.

Students will frame questions and draw conclusions

Students will analyze and interpret The Middle Ages
Students will connect ideas with reasoning

Why are these expectations suitable for this group of students?

These students are highly visual learners. My expectations will be
demonstrated because the students will be able to visually depict what
they know and what they learned about the importance of the people who
lived during The Middle Ages. These students are also very social and so I
will have them work individually rather than as a group to prevent
distractions.

4.

How do these expectations support the school districts curriculum, state

standards, and content standards?

My expectations correlate with Pennsylvanias Department of Educations

standards as well as Central Bucks School Districts individual standards.
Standard Area-8.4: World History
Grade Level- 8.4.4: Grade 4
Standards:

5.

Explain the psychological principles/theories you used in constructing this

lesson.
This lesson reflects Howard Gardners Multiple Intelligence Theory. This
theory was emerged from the idea that students all learn differently and
using different parts of their brains. In this theory, intrapersonal means that
individual work meets a students needs the best. These students will work
on their diary entries individually however; will also work through
interaction, or interpersonally, when communicating their final products.
Through Gardners idea of linguistic, students have highly developed
auditory skills and will explain their thinking through words. Bodily
kinesthetic is shown in this activity as the students will use hands on and
manipulatives, such as, the materials, and a gallery walk at the end of the
lesson.

II. CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT:

6.

Describe the effective classroom routines and procedures resulting in little

or no loss of instructional time.
At the beginning of the year, I explained the routine and procedure that the
students are expected to respect throughout the day in this classroom.
These include, following directions, working well with other students (in
group work) and respect to one another as classmates.

7.

Identify what you will do to set clear standards of conduct and behavior
management of student behavior.
I have a set of rules designated to individual work which is posted on
the front wall in the classroom. The students are expected to follow these
rules throughout individual work.

8.

Identify what you will do to establish expectations for student

achievement.
I will model the lesson for the students in order to achieve student
achievement. I will encourage students to work hard and motivate them to
continue helping each other. I want my students to achieve the best work
that they can do.

III.

INSTRUCTION:
9.

What will you do to motivate students?

When students enter the classroom they will take their seats. I will explain
that they will be acting as medieval lords, knights, and ladies who lived
during the Middle Ages. I will read the book, Medieval Life by Andrew
Langley which includes illustrations and pictures that will help my
students understand what it meant to live during the Middle Ages.

10.

What will you do to activate prior knowledge?

To activate students prior knowledge I will have a pre-activity discussion.
I will remind the class of yesterdays lesson, which I introduced the
vocabulary for this unit. I will then ask the students what they know and
what they want to know about the Middle Ages using a KWL chart.

11.

How do you plan to engage students in the content? What will you do?
What will students do?
Materials:
For this lesson, you will need:
Colored paper
Markers
Glitter Glue
Paper fasteners
Lesson:
I will introduce the lesson to the class and start the story Medieval
Life by Andrew Langley at the front of the room. During the
reading I will encourage students to share their ideas and activate
their prior knowledge about the Medieval Times.
I will activate students prior knowledge by creating a KWL chart
with the students in front of the room.
.

12.

The students can make up names for themselves such as lords,

knights, and ladies.
Next, I will encourage students to brainstorm to produce a list that
the lords, knights, and ladies would write about in their diaries.
This list might include:
o Their daily lives in their castles
o Activities for entertainment
o Romantic relationships
o Attracts on the castle by other lords and knights.
I will encourage students to ask questions at this time.
I will then direct students to write one entry in their diaries and
make up the date for the entry. The entry should focus on one topic
or can cover multiple from the list above. The students should use
as much detail as possible.
Next I will give the students sheets of the colored paper as front
and back covers for their diaries. I will instruct the students to use
markers or the glitter glue to decorate the rest of the colored paper
with signs and symbols that could represent their families.
When all of the students have completed, we will come back as a
group and I will choose two students to share their entries with
their classmates.
While presenting, students should read their entry and share the
reasons behind the important symbols they chose to use on their
diarys cover.
I will then collect the students diaries and introduce tomorrows
lesson.

Describe the use of questioning and discussion strategies that will

encourage students to participate in class.
Throughout this lesson, I will incorporate questions using Blooms
Taxonomy. Questions testing the students comprehension of the topic
will be used as the students describe and explain the importance of living
during the Middle Ages. Questioning and discussion will occur at many
times during this lesson including the KWL chart and during
presentations.

13.

What difficulties do students typically experience in this area, and how do

you plan to adapt/modify to meet their needs?
During the activity, I will constantly walk around the class to assist all
students, as well as, talking all the students through the activity. All
learners will be completing this activity which includes modeling and
using direct, applicable manipulatives. The manipulatives and visuals will
be especially helpful to the students with IEPs.

14.

Identify what informal and/or formal assessments you will use to monitor
student learning.
As I walk around the class during the activity, I will observe how the
students work individually and see if they ask for help. I will also be
checking for understanding and making sure that each students diary is
written using correct spellings. I will informally assess each student as I
walk around the class and a formative assessment will be noted upon
completion of the activity.

15.

What will you do to bring closure to the lesson?

To conclude, I will summarize the importance of The Middle Ages. I also
tell the students that tomorrow we will be re-creating scenes from MidEvil Times.

Lesson Adapted From: http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lessonplans/the-middle-ages.cfm