Molloy College

Division of Education

Student: Justina Zendrian. Date: March 27, 2019

Grade: 9th Topic: Mesoamerica Content Area: Social Studies

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVE(s)

After a prior lesson and class discussion on the geographic location, government, and economy
of Mesoamerican empires of Aztecs and Mayans, students will be able to examine their
accomplishments through the use of a virtual reality simulation, compare and contrast from prior
knowledge of past civilization accomplishments, and a reading on other accomplishments of the
Aztecs and Mayas. Students will be able to demonstrate their new understanding by participating
in a do-now, participating in discussion questions, and answering written questions.

NYS-CCLS / +NYS STANDARDS AND INDICATORS

Social Studies Standards

NYS Social Studies Standards (Common Core Curriculum)
1. Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies
a. Key Ideas and Details
i. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and
secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the
information.
ii. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary
source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop
over the course of the text.
2. Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects
a. Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events or
technical processes.
i. Introduce a topic and organize ideas, concepts, and information to make
important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g.,
headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia, when useful to
aiding comparison.

Curriculum: Grade 9: Global History and Geography I

9.3 Classical Civilizations: Expansion, Achievement, Decline: Classical civilizations in
Eurasia and Mesoamerica employed a variety of methods to expand and maintain control
over vast territories. They developed lasting cultural achievements. Both internal and
external forces led to the eventual decline of these empires.

9.3c: A period of peace, prosperity, and cultural achievements can be designated as a

Gold Age.
• Students will examine the achievements of Greece, Gupta, Han Dynasty, Maya
and Rome to determine if the civilizations experienced a Golden Age.
© Molloy College, Division of Education, Rockville Centre, NY 11571
Revised 10/25/16
*edTPA academic language
ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) Standards for Students
1. Empowered Learner
a. Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving, and
demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning
sciences.
2. Knowledge Constructor
a. Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct
knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences
for themselves and others.

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES
• Pens
o Classroom necessities, such as paper and pens, will be provided for the
students who do not have.
• Student phones
o For the “Do Now” activity, students will be asked to complete it using their
cellphones. The students will submit their answers through a website,
polleverywhere.com, where students will be able to see their responses and
responses from their classmates.
• Handouts
o Students will be given question sheets based on the virtual reality simulation
and the achievements reading.
• School iPads
o During the lesson, students will be placed in pairs and given a school iPad so
they can easily view the virtual reality lesson.
• Achievements of Mayas and Aztecs reading
o This reading on the achievements of Mesoamerica allows for students to
review information that they know and create a scaffold from the virtual
reality simulation they participated in earlier in the class period.
• Computer and projector
o The teacher will project the “Do Now” question on the board and will project
the virtual reality simulation on the board.

MOTIVATION (Engaging the learner(s)*)

Students will be asked to complete a do-now question. This question along with the daily
objective will be projected on the screen for all students to see. The teacher will read the do-now
aloud and prompt to students to take out their phones and begin thinking and writing about the
question. The teacher will state that the students have about two minutes to complete the
question.

Do-now question: In 1 sentence, describe the Mesoamerican empires that we have discussed so
far.

© Molloy College, Division of Education, Rockville Centre, NY 11571

Revised 10/25/16
*edTPA academic language
The do-now question is meant to be a “hook” for the students. It is asking the students to reflect
on their learning from previous lessons. The lesson will focus on the accomplishments of the
Aztecs and Mayas. The do-now is meant to help students scaffold their learning.

The teacher will ask for students to complete the do-now individually and then will go over the
responses seen on the board. The teacher will then ask for students to volunteer to share their
answers (2-3 students). The students have used www.polleverywhere.com in previous lessons
and so have been aware of the process of how to input their responses.

DEVELOPMENTAL PROCEDURES

Developmental Procedures include Activities and Key Questions.

• Activities
o Students will begin the lesson with a “do-now” interactive question using their
phones and a website.
o Students will then participate in a class discussion on their response to the “do
now” question
o Students will then transition to a discussion on different accomplishments they
have learned about so far in history.
o Students will then have the opportunity to use school iPads to go on
www.nearpod.com and type in a student code to explore two scenes from
Mesoamerica.
§ Students will see scenes from the Mayan Ruins and Aztec Ruins
§ The students will be placed in pairs for this activity and will be given
questions to answer about the scenes. Before changing to the next scene,
the teacher will review student answers as a whole.
o Students will transition to a secondary source reading about other
accomplishments from both the Aztec and Mayan Empires.
§ Students will have questions to answer based on the reading. Students can
work with partners for this activity.
o Before the end of the period, students will recap their learning.
• Closure: Be sure to include a description of how you would close the lesson.
o Students will be able to verbally recap their learning before the end of the period
as a summary.

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES (Learning Strategies*)

• Cooperative Learning (engaging groups of students in working together on a structured

activity)

Indicator: This will be evident when students work with partners to view the virtual
reality simulation on Near Pod. Students will also work with partners or in a group to
answer questions relating to the simulation activity.

© Molloy College, Division of Education, Rockville Centre, NY 11571

Revised 10/25/16
*edTPA academic language
 • Direct Instruction (explicit presentation of information)

Indicator: This will be evident when the teacher is discussing the student’s prior
knowledge of Mesoamerica and reading through the secondary source on the
accomplishments of the Aztecs and Mayas.

• Discussion (engaging in meaningful discussions about the content)

Indicator: This will be evident when students are discussing their responses to
the “do-now” question.

• Modeling (showing rather than telling by acting out desired behaviors)

Indicator: This will be evident when the teacher models what she sees in the
Near Pod virtual reality simulation. This is meant to help students think beyond what they
initially see in the virtual reality.

• Demonstration (showing, explaining, clarifying the correct way to do something)

Indicator: This will be evident when the teacher shows and explains to the
students how to place the code on Near Pod and how to hold the iPad to have the
best viewing of the virtual reality.

• Scaffolding (providing support and moving students toward greater independence)

Indicator: This will be evident when the teacher helps students understand the
vocabulary of a secondary source text before reading a passage.

DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

There are many ways to differentiate this lesson. The teacher focused on adapting to Howard
Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Below are a list of different intelligences and how
they relate to this lesson.
• “Verbal-linguistic intelligence”: Students will be able to demonstrate their verbal-
linguistic skills through their sharing of their responses from the “do-now”
activity and their partner work.
• “Spatial-visual intelligence”: Students will be able to demonstrate their spatial-
visual intelligence through the use of the virtual reality Near Pod simulation.
Students will be able to think about the images they see and discuss what they
see.
• “Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence”: Students will be able to demonstrate their
bodily-kinesthetic intelligence through their ability to control their body
movements while looking at the iPad.

© Molloy College, Division of Education, Rockville Centre, NY 11571

Revised 10/25/16
*edTPA academic language
 • “Interpersonal intelligence”: Students will be able to demonstrate their
interpersonal intelligence when working with their partners to answer questions
based on the virtual reality and the reading activity.
• “Existential intelligence”: Students will be able demonstrate their existential
intelligence through class discussion and when higher order thinking skill
questions are asked by the teacher.

Please note: Logical-mathematical intelligence, Musical intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence,

and Naturalist intelligence are not demonstrated in this lesson plan.

ASSESSMENT

Informal Assessment:
• Students will be informally assessed throughout the lesson in the following ways:
o Through class participation in the do-now activity, the virtual reality simulation,
and the questions on the handouts and in discussion.

Formal Assessment:
• Students will be formally assessed at the end of the lesson in the following way:
o Through the use of a verbally summary of their learning.

© Molloy College, Division of Education, Rockville Centre, NY 11571

Revised 10/25/16
*edTPA academic language