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Introduction
Coming into this Social Studies course, I was extremely nervous. Social Studies has always been a struggle for me, so teaching it and creating lesson plans was scary to even think about. I had never viewed the Social Studies Frameworks and hadn't seen many lessons done throughout my internship experience this past year. -
Grade- Kindergarten- Civics
This lesson was my biggest struggle out of all seven. I struggled with choosing a SS framework and objective, especially since I had never seen SS done in a Kindergarten classroom. My activities did not weave in compelling questions or include inquiry throughout, which is definitely part of this lesson plan I would change. I even found it difficult to differentiate this lesson about recycling for Kindergartners. -
Grade- Kindergarten pt. 2
The objectives were, "The students will be able to show how recycling impacts their community by organizing recyclable objects into the correct category." as well as, "The students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of the impact of recycling on their community through a discussion with group members." I would take out the second objective because based on our activities, we were not able to assess them completely off of this and did not create a rubric for it. -
Grade- Kindergarten pt 3
The lesson should have aligned with both objectives and learning activities if I was going to include both objectives. I also feel comfortable going back to thoroughly describe how to implement the lesson so a substitute could successfully teach it. There are also other content standards that align with this lesson that I did not include. -
Grade- Kindergarten pt. 4
For example, this lesson connects to CCSS Speaking and Listening standards about participating in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
After having a better grasp of the CC Social Studies Frameworks, there are many different lessons that can be engaging and fun for students, even in Kindergarten. I feel very comfortable going back to teach a Kindergarten lesson now! -
Grade- 1st
I was already more comfortable moving on the 1st grade lesson after viewing the SS Frameworks. The objective from the lesson was for students to identify and understand map symbols by locating important landmarks on a map. One thing that would be beneficial for the students would be actually having the definition of important landmarks and talking about what exactly that means. -
Grade- 1st pt. 2
When students share their maps at the end of the lesson, I think it would be beneficial for students to be prompted with questions so they have some sort of structure on what they should be sharing with the class. Overall, I really enjoyed this lesson and think I was able to teach Geography in a fun and creative way for the students. -
Grade- 2nd- Civics
I enjoyed the 2nd grade civic's lesson and thought that the students would love having the Mayor read them a story through Skype while learning about the government. My objective included activities, rather than describing the skills that the students were going to master which is something I would change. The assessment was engaging and fun for students because they were becoming civic-minded while doing a hands-on activity by creating their own tree with the three branches of the government. -
Grade- 3rd- Economics pt 2
For higher achieving students, they are able to think of a product or service that she could sell to the class. The use of compelling questions and supporting questions were used throughout the lesson. For example, “How do we get the things we need to live (food, clothing, goods, etc.)?” These questions being asked throughout the lesson would help them take the concepts and make them applicable to their own lives. At this point, I am starting to feel very confident creating SS lesson plans. -
Grade- 3rd- Economics
My 3rd grade lesson was based on connecting students’ lives with goods and services in Economics which was very applicable to what the students actually do with their families outside of school. I really liked adding in the Kahoot quiz at the end of the lesson on the iPads because it is a great way to see what the students know as well as revisit the material they learned in the lesson. I also really enjoyed differentiating in this lesson. -
Grade- 4th- Geography
Since we did not write a full lesson, I feel this helped strengthen my understanding of working with the CTSS Frameworks and helped me in creating an overview of what the lesson would look like. My 4th grade lesson was based on students using their understanding of topographic maps, geologic processes, and elevation profiles to create a graphic representation of an imaginary land form. In this lesson, I planned on using Interactive Geography Games, Google Earth of topgraphic maps and note.ly. -
Grade-4th-Geography pt. 2
For a future lesson, I would want to find a way to tie the Geography game back to what they’ve worked on in terms of the students making connections between the games they are playing and the concepts covered in the lesson. Google Earth would allow the students to actively guide their own learning based on their interests around the world while looking at topographical maps. Note.ly would help the students brainstorm ideas, while I would scaffold the process. -
Grade- 5th- History
This was my favorite lesson! I was happy with the amount of technology and primary sources I integrated into this lesson. I thought the objective was creative as the students were designing a coin that integrates the inventions and contributions of Ben Franklin by researching and analyzing many primary sources. Using note.ly would be an engaging tool for the students to brainstorm thoughts as they begin the lesson. The students were allowed to research Franklin, using specific websites. -
Grade-5th- History- Pt. 2
This lesson included 3 stations of rotations. I loved the primary resource station where students were able to analyze artifacts. There were also questions at this station for a further dimension of inquiry. This was a very hands-on and digital lesson for students. One thing I would have liked to add was that I would like to provide feedback digitally through Google Classroom. -
Grade 6th- Civics
I really enjoyed making the last lesson plan foe 6th grade. This idea came from educating civic minded citizens for the future. Students were explaining why it's important to do civic duties by constructing an essay and public service poster on Google Drawings. The students were asked compelling/supporting questions which helped them to think about the impact of certain things. I also was happy I was able to include a "See, Think, Wonder" chart which would stimulate the student's curiosity. -
Grade 6th- Civics pt. 2
One thing I wish I would add is an aspect in the lesson where students can gain ideas from their peers by doing a gallery walk. I may even consider having a class period on the students sharing out their posters and why they believe civic responsibilities are important. -
Conclusion
I'm very surprised at the growth I have made in this class this semester. After reviewing the frameworks weekly, I gradually started getting more and more comfortable with the content. I now feel confident to teach Social Studies in a way that is enjoyable for myself and my students. As the semester went along, I felt that writing lesson plans became easier and easier. I also learned and reflected on multiple ways to integrate technology and primary resources into lesson plans.