TCNJ Lesson Plan

Social Studies: Ecological Footprint

1. Topic of the Lesson and Grade Level: Ecological Footprint: Fourth Grade
2. Lesson Essential Question(s): How do we affect the Earth and how does the Earth affect us?
What natural resources can be found in the Northeast region?
3. Standards:
New Jersey Standards:
D2.Geo.6.9-12. Evaluate the impact of human settlement activities on the environmental and
cultural characteristics of specific places and regions.
D2.Eco.3.3-5. Identify examples of the variety of resources (human capital, physical capital, and
natural resources) that are used to produce goods and services.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a
topic.
4. A. Learning Objectives and Assessments:
Learning Objectives

Assessments

Students will understand what an

ecological footprint is.

Students will listen to a video on ecological

footprint and take an in depth quiz on their
own ecological footprints. Students will
then work together to think of ways to
reduce their footprints.

Students will be able to identify the natural

resources that come from the Northeast
region.

Students will research and create a poster

on designated states in the Northeast region
and their natural resources. They will then
present to the class.

5. Materials:

Laptops
Poster board
Exit Slip
Chart Paper
White lined paper
http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calculators/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fACkb2u1ULY
Northeast Region book
Smart board

6. Pre-lesson assignments and/or prior knowledge: Students learned about the states and
capitals located in the Northeast and have participated in a picture walk of the Northeast book
that goes into greater depth about the region. The first unit for Social Studies is the Northeast
region, therefore students will learn more about our area and how we can maintain an
environmentally safe living condition. Additionally, students have taken a quiz on the Northeast
region in terms of locations of states and capitals in this area.
7. Lesson Beginning: The lesson will begin with a brief discussion of the students knowledge
of ecological footprints. Students will create with the teacher a K-W-L chart about ecological
footprints prior to watching the video.
8. Instructional Plan:
Day 1:

Students and the teacher will do a K-W-L chart together to discover what they already
know about ecological footprints and what they want to learn or have questions about.
Students will watch a video about the meaning behind an ecological footprint.
Ms. Nizri will stop the video at certain points for the students to jot down new things they
have learned.
After the video, students will share the new information they have learned from their KW-L chart.
Students will take the ecological footprint quiz on laptops to discover their own footprint
on the earth.
Students will talk in groups and then as a class about what they learned after taking the
quiz and how they could improve their footprints.
Students will receive chart paper within their groups to create a visual image of one idea
they came up with to reduce our ecological footprints.
Students will share their chart paper with the class.

Day 2:

Students will recap what they learned the day before about ecological footprints.
Students will investigate in their Northeast Region books about natural resources
individually.
Ms. Nizri will go over the definition of natural resources and have a group discussion
about what the students found in their books.
Students will be assigned to groups and specific states to investigate natural resources.
Ms. Nizri will go through the rules of using laptops and how to research key words.
Students will work as groups and utilize laptops to research the areas and their natural
resources.
Students will be given poster board to create a display of the natural resources found in
their states and how they can help our community.
Students will present their poster boards.

o Differentiation: The lesson is very in depth in terms of the topics of ecological footprints
and natural resources. There are many ways students can engage in these two topics, most
of which will be with groups. Students will be able to reach out to their peers for help
while working in their groups. Students will also be provided with many ways of
learning. For example, group discussions, videos, and online programs will help the
students understand ecological footprints and natural resources in several ways.

Questions:
What is an ecological footprint?
How can we maintain a small ecological footprint in our own lives?
What are natural resources that can be found in the Northeast?

o Classroom Management: Ms. Nizri and Mrs. Czajkowski utilize the class, class, class
management technique and the students respond, yes, yes, yes. This quiets the class and
allows for the teacher to explain the next step for them to complete easily and with
silence. There is also a clip chart that is used to manage individual student behavior and
as the students act throughout the lesson they will either stay at the same part of the chart,
or move up or down.
o Transitions: Students will work at their tables while researching their natural resource
area. They will be in groups for the two days and will stay at their tables with laptops.
There will be no movement between the rug and tables, as the other elements of the
lesson will be conducted at their desks and on the smart board. Social Studies occurs at
the end of the day, so once the period is over, students will put materials away and begin
to pack up for dismissal.
9. Closure: Students will work on their poster boards for two or three days. Students will then
present their findings on the natural resources from their states. Students will then complete an
exit slip asking them to answer questions about ecological footprints and natural resources in
order to refresh their memories on the information they have learned.