Kaitlyn Scully

(Miss Scully/3rd Geography/Date)

I.

Topic:
Introduce the culture, geography, and economy of the Dominican Republic to the
students as part of our yearlong theme of Our World

II.

Objectives/Standards:
Given teacher instruction and collaborative work in stations, TSWBAT
demonstrate the elements of culture, geography, and economy of the Dominican
Republic (in a group discussion and on Venn diagram worksheets) to teacher
satisfaction.
PA Geography: 7.3.3.A
PA World History: 8.4.3.C
PA Arts and Humanities: 9.1.3.B

III.

Language Objectives:
The students will be able to verbally share whether or not they are familiar with
the instruments (and if so, how).
The students will be able to verbally share the definitions of culture, geography,
and economy with their partners in a think-pair-share activity.
The students will be able to read the information on the culture slideshow and
then write information about the Dominican Republic on their Venn diagrams.
The students will be able to write responses about the geography of the
Dominican Republic using the globe and the handout as guides.
The students will be able to listen to the recording about the economy of the
Dominican Republic.

IV.

Teaching Procedures (50 minutes):

1. Anticipatory Set (5 minutes)
I will show students three instruments that I brought home with me from the
Dominican Republic (DR), including the gira, a maraca, and a drum.
I will play each of the instruments and then ask students the follow questions:
o Does anyone know where these instruments are from?
o Does anyone know what these instruments are called?
If the students know where the instruments are from, I will ask follow-up
questions such as, How did you know? and, Have you ever been to the DR?
If the students do not know, I will explain that we are going to learn about the
Dominican Republic in our next unit.
I will explain that we will be learning about the culture, geography, and
economy of the Dominican Republic in todays lesson and that we will be using
the instruments again later.
2. Development (10 minutes)

I will explain that we are going to take a field trip to the Dominican Republic
today, but in our own classroom. I will explain that our field trip will consist of
visiting three different places which are set up as stations: culture, geography,
and economy. I will be the tour guide and the students will eventually be in tour
groups.
I will then review the definitions of culture, geography, and economy with the
class. They should remember these definitions since we have been discussing
Our World as a theme for the year. To review, I will say a term and then direct
student to think-pair-share.
o Culture: beliefs, customs, and arts of a place
o Geography: Earths physical features, such as mountains, oceans, and
rivers
o Economy: how goods and services are made and bought in a place
I will go to each station and explain what the students will be doing there. There
will be a sheet with directions at each station to reiterate what I explain. The
directions for each station are as follows:
o Culture station
Students will look at the slideshow (which will be projected onto
the front board) that I created about my trip to the DR in 2011.
They will observe each picture and read the information that is
included in the caption. They will fill out the DR side of the Venn
diagram with information about the culture there. Venn diagram
worksheets are available at the culture station. The leader for the
tour group will be responsible for switching the slides; the leader
will be the person whose last name comes first in the alphabet.
o Geography station
Students will follow the directions on the Geography Station
sheet (attached). I will go over these directions with the whole
class before sending them to the station. I will read them the
questions that they will have to answer on the Geography Station
worksheet and make sure that everyone understands them.
o Economy station
Students will listen to an audio recording that I created. The
recording will explain the major industries in the Dominican
economy. Since tourism is a major industry in the DR and the
students are there on a field trip, they will receive a stamp that they
will color in and then glue into their Passports.

3. Guided/Independent Practice (30 minutes)

I will separate the students into three groups (which I will have chosen
beforehand) and send them to their first station. The students will begin working
for approximately seven minutes at each station (doing the work explained
above). If I see that more time is needed, I will adjust accordingly.
While the students are working at each station, I will walk around and check for
understanding/focus and answer any questions.

After each tour group has visited each of the three stations, we will come together
and finish filling in the Venn diagram. Each tour group will share what they
learned about the culture of the DR, as well as the geography and economy.
Then, we will brainstorm ideas about our own culture, geography, and economy
in the US, and finally we will find commonalities between the two countries.

4. Closure (5 minutes)
Students will put their Venn diagrams into their Our World portfolios and I will
collect the geography worksheets.
Students will then have the opportunity to observe and play the instruments while
I play traditional Dominican music in the background.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPo-C3q6sls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wzTfYV7jgg
V.

Adaptations/Modifications:
Objective 1
o Entering: Respond to the question about the instruments by putting a
thumbs up if they are familiar with them and a thumbs down if they are
not.
o Developing: Respond to the question about the instruments by using a
sentence frame.
o Expanding: Respond to the question about the instruments by using a
complete sentence.
Objective 2
o Entering: Share definitions of the terms by circling the correct picture
which describes each term.
o Developing: Share definitions of the terms by matching a sentence
describing each term to it.
o Expanding: Share definitions of the terms by using complete sentences.
Objective 3
o Entering: Read an adapted version of the information on the slideshow and
write a response using provided terms (in a word bank). A translator will
be available to help with any difficult words.
o Developing: Read an adapted version of the information on the slideshow
and write a response using a sentence frame.
o Expanding: Read the regular version of the information and write a
response using bullet points (which will not be graded on mechanics or
grammar).
Objective 4
o Entering: Respond to questions about geography by filling in blanks. A
translator will be available to help with any difficult words.
o Developing: Respond to questions about geography by using sentence
frames.
o Expanding: Respond to questions about geography by using complete
sentences (which will not be graded on mechanics or grammar).
Objective 5

o Entering: Listen to the recording and follow along to a script with

vocabulary words defined. A translated version will be provided
afterwards so that the student can make sure she/he understands the
content.
o Developing: Listen to the recording and follow along to a script with
vocabulary words defined.
o Expanding: Listen to the recording and reference a list of vocabulary
words.
VI.

Materials:
3 Dominican instruments
Print-out of instructions for each station
Venn diagram worksheets
Globe
Geography Station map sheet
Slideshow about culture
Projector
Laptop
Speakers to play audio recording
Audio recording
Geography Station worksheets
Stamps for passports
Glue sticks
Colored pencils or crayons
Students Our World portfolios (including Passport)
Pencils
Adapted worksheets and materials

VII.

Evaluation:
Formative: I will ask questions, check knowledge with think-pair-share, and listen
to students answers as they are working in their stations. I will also check for
understanding when we discuss the answers for the Venn diagram. I will collect
the Geography Station sheet and assess their knowledge and map skills, which we
have discussed previously in class. I will base my future map lessons on how
well they completed the Geography Station this time.
Summative: Given that this is the classs first exposure to the content about the
DR, I will not be administering a summative assessment yet. However, the
culmination of the Our World theme for the year will include a Day in the Life
of a Student in the [Country Name Here] project.

VIII. Reflection:
Student:
o Did the students remember the meaning of each term (which we have
previously learned): culture, geography, and economy?
o Were the students confused at my explanation of the stations?

o
o
o
o

Did the students follow directions at each station?

Were the students on task?
Did the students complete the Venn diagram at the culture station?
Did the students complete the Geography Station activities, using their
prior knowledge about maps?
o Did the students pay attention to the audio recording about the economy?
o Did the students play with the instruments appropriately?
o Did the students provide accurate answers for the Venn diagram when we
came together as a class?
o Were the students engaged and actively participating throughout the
lesson?
Teacher:
o Are there areas for improvement in the lesson that I can clarify to the
students and correct for next time I teach it?
o Was I unclear or confusing at any point in the lesson, based on students
questions or incorrect answers?
o Based on the students participation and their responses, will I want to use
this lesson again in the future?

Republic

Dominican
United States

Geography of the Dominican Republic

Directions:
1. Look at the globe. Try to find the
Dominican Republic on the globe.
2. Color in the Dominican Republic on
your World Map in your Our World
portfolio with a blue crayon or
colored pencil.
3. Answer the following questions.

Questions:
1. What ocean does the Dominican Republic border?

2. What is the name of a city in the Dominican Republic?

3. Is the Dominican Republic to the north or south of South

America?

Directions for Culture Station:

1.
2.

3.

Pick up a Venn diagram sheet.

The leader for the tour group will be
the person whose last name comes
first in the alphabet. That person will
switch to the next slide whenever
everyone is ready.
Fill out the Venn diagram with
information about the Dominican
Republic as you go through the
slideshow. Look at the pictures and
read the information.

Directions for Economy Station:

1.
2.
3.

Listen to the recording about the

economy of the Dominican Republic.
When the recording is finished, color
in a stamp for your passport.
Glue the stamp into your passport.

Passport Stamps for DR