Basic Productivity Tools (BPT)

Lesson Idea Name: American Symbols

Content Area: Social Studies
Grade Level(s): Kindergarten
Content Standard Addressed:
SSKH2 Identify the following American symbols:
a. The national and state flags
b. Pledge of Allegiance
c. Star Spangled Banner
d. The bald eagle
e. The Statue of Liberty
f. Lincoln Memorial
g. Washington Monument
h. White House

Technology Standard Addressed: Empowered Learner

Selected Technology Tool: PowerPoint

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gqeuh4tny3wrm6t/American%20Symbols.pptx?dl=0

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☒ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☐ Applying ☐ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☐ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

☒ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☐ Level 3: Infusion ☐ Level 4: Integration
☐ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

This lesson idea can support the learning experience for students who learn better visually and auditory,
because the PowerPoint identifies each object with the picture, as well as by saying the name of what it is.
This lesson can also support the learning for ESOL students because the teacher can input different languages
into their PowerPoint so that it can be understood by all students within the classroom.

Lesson idea implementation:

In this lesson, we will begin by discussing different things we already know about America. Some of the
students may already identify some of the objects in the PowerPoint before we get to that part in the lesson.
This classroom discussion will be our introduction to the PowerPoint slides where the students will have the
opportunity to raise their hands and guess what the symbol is on the first slide. The students will have the
opportunity to tell any story that they know that is related to the object. Then we will move to the next slide
which verbally states what the symbol is. Once the PowerPoint is complete, we will read the children’s book
“U.S. Symbols” by Ann-Marie Kishnel as a class together on the carpet. For the student’s projects, the teacher
will go around the room and assign different U.S. symbols to different students in the classroom. The student
will have 1 week to complete a poster with facts, words, and pictures about their assigned symbols. Once the
project is complete, we will turn the tables of the classroom into a half circle and the students will place their
poster on their desk. The students will have the opportunity to walk around the classroom and look at other
student’s work related to other symbols. The lesson will be assessed by a multiple choice worksheet that
Spring 2018_SJB
 Basic Productivity Tools (BPT)
gives a bit of information about each different symbols. The student will have to match up the description to
the correct word. Feedback will be given by the teacher in comment form on their worksheet, and then it will
be handed back to them to assess. They will have the opportunity to correct their worksheet so that the
teacher can ensure the student’s understanding.

Reflective Practice:
After designing this lesson, I feel that the activities chosen will really develop student understanding of
American symbols. By using different teaching tools through the lesson, we are able to use visual, verbal, and
a hands on approach to the lesson. Walking around the classroom to appreciate other student’s work is a
good way to create student engagement and peer discussion. In order to further extend this lesson, we could
incorporate a technology tool that allows students to create their own PowerPoint on their symbol instead of
using a poster board. The lesson could be extended by having the students who feel comfortable enough to
come up to the front of the class and present their PowerPoint and tell the class what they have learned
about their assigned symbol.

Spring 2018_SJB