Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)

Lesson Idea Name: Become an Ocean Expert- Four Corners

Content Area: Social Studies
Grade Level(s): First Grade

Content Standard Addressed: SS1G3. Locate major topographical features of the earth’s surface.

Technology Standard Addressed: 3- Knowledge Constructor

Selected Technology Tool: Bubbl.us

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable): Embedded in Bubbl.us activity.

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): Students that are visually impaired can benefit from this activity
because they will be close to the signs displaying each continent name. Students with an auditory impairment
can also benefit from this activity because there is no language needed. The pointer chooses a corner with a
nonverbal gesture.

Lesson idea implementation: Four Corners is a game that teaches students valuable information while still
allowing them to have fun. The teacher will print a continent name on a sheet of paper and post it onto one
corner of the room. This step will be repeated until each of the four corners of the room contain a continent
name. The teacher will choose one student to be the designated “pointer.” The pointer stands at the front of
the classroom with their eyes shut while the rest of the class picks a corner to stand in. The pointer spins
around in a circle for about five seconds with their eyes shut while holding their index finger out (pointing
motion). When they stop spinning and choose a corner, every student in that corner must write down on
their dry-erase board which oceans are located around that specific continent. The teacher evaluates each
student’s answer and the students that do not have the correct answers must go back to their seats and are
out for the rest of the game. The teacher can switch up the continents so that students stay on their toes and
are challenged by the inconsistency of which continents are in each corner. The last student standing gets the
chance to be the next pointer!

This activity will take an entire class period to complete and would be a great review before a formative
assessment. By viewing each student’s answer each time the pointer chooses a corner, the teacher is able to
make the necessary and measurable evaluation of the students’ knowledge, abilities, and achievement.
Students that get out quickly or fail to write anything down during a round can be conferenced with
individually to see where the disconnect might be.
Reflective Practice: Although this game of Four Corners is not an introductory activity for a study unit, this
specific activity will impact student learning in a positive way by challenging students to showcase what they
know in a formative assessment. To further enhance this activity in my classroom, I could create centers for
my students to rotate to. On the Smart Board, a world map will be projected, allowing students to hold down
with their finger and drag the name of the continents and oceans to their appropriate locations. Another

Spring 2018_SJB
 Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)
center might include having students read a short Scholastic article on continents and their neighboring
bodies of water. Students could then participate in a think-pair-share activity where they think quietly to
themselves about one interesting fact they learned from the article, pair up with a partner and share what
they learned, and then the two partners will turn to another pair of students and share their newly found
information on the topic.

Spring 2018_SJB