Amy Judy

March 5, 2015
Bluefield State College
Daily Lesson Plan

Subject: Social Studies

Topic: Dinosaurs

Grade:

Length of Lesson: 30 minutes

First

Introduction/Essential Question: How can maps be used to locate different landforms?

Standard: Geography
Objectives:
A: General
SS.1.G.1 Reflect an understanding of cardinal directions, map symbols in a
legend, geographic landforms (e.g., mountains, lakes, rivers) and location by
interpreting simple maps.
B: Specific:

Students will locate three geographic landforms on a map through

studying the environment of three different species of dinosaurs.

Lecture with discussion

Constructivist Activity

World map
Photocopy of a Tyrannosaurus Rex
Photocopy of forested river valley in North America
Photocopy of Velociraptor
Photocopy of deserts of Asia
Photocopy of Ankylosaur
Photocopy of South Pole
Copy of world map (one per student)
Note taking graphic organizer (one per student)
Medium sized poster board (one piece per student)

Methods:

Materials:

Direct Instruction (I Do):

Engage students by asking them to imagine that they are a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Now have
students think about what environment that they live in and where it is located on the
world map. Is it warm? Is it cold? Do they see trees or an ocean? Allow for a five to eight
minute classroom discussion so that students can provide their thoughts about the posed
questions. After discussion concludes I will place the photocopy of the Tyrannosaurus
Rex and the photocopy of the forested river valley of North America on the overhead
projector and ask students if this is what they imagined. I will ask students what they
think would be in a forested river valley. Answers could include different types of trees,
water. Next, I will explain to students that a forested river valley of North America is one
type of landform that can be located on a map. Based on giving students that information,
I will ask students if they could define the word landform. Merriam Websters Word
Central defines landform as a natural feature of a land surface. I will then place the world
map on projection screen and have a student volunteer, recalling his/her knowledge about
continents, come up and point out North America.
The next dinosaur is a Velociraptor. I will place the photocopy of that dinosaur on the
projector while asking students where they thought this type of dinosaur might have
lived. After a brief discussion I will place the photocopy of the deserts of Asia on the
projection screen and ask students what type of landform it is and what might they find in
it. Answers could include, it is a desert that contains sand, cactus, limited water, sand
storms, and/or sand dunes. I will then use the world map of continents on projection
screen, having a different student volunteer use prior knowledge to locate the continent of
Asia.
Our last dinosaur is called Ankylosaur and I will place a photocopy of that dinosaur on
the projection screen and ask students where they thought this type of dinosaur might
have lived. After a brief discussion I will place a copy of Antarctica on the projection
screen and ask what type of landforms could be found here. Answers could include, ice,
icebergs, glaciers, ice mountains, and/or ice caves. Again, using the world map, I will ask
for a student volunteer to recall prior knowledge to locate the continent of Antarctica.
As I conclude direct instruction, I will name a continent and call upon students to give me
a landform that would be located on that specific continent. For example, I would say
Antarctica, student will answer iceberg, I say Asia, student will answer sand dunes, I say
North America, student will answer river.
Guided Practice (We do):
Using the note taking graphic organizer, as a class, we will name at least three landforms
that could be found on each of the continents during direct instruction. I will model for
students how to label their graphic organizer such as in the note topic section, we would
write landforms. In the remaining boxes (we will only use three) we will write one
continent per box. I will prompt students to recall the different landforms and the
continent in which they are located on by stating the continents name and asking students

what land forms would be found there. We will continue this pattern until we have at least
three landforms for each of the three continents listed.

Differentiation:
Tier 1 learners: Instead of writing the type of landform, students
would have the option of drawing the landform with colored
pencils under the correct continent.
Tier 2 learners: Teacher will monitor students, providing additional
prompts of landforms so they can place it under the correct
continent heading.
Tier 3 learners: Students will complete the graphic organizer and
will be permitted to use technology (computers) to locate
additional types of dinosaurs that may have lived within the
landforms discussed.
Closure:
To wrap our lesson, I will remind students of the definition of a landform: a natural
feature of a land surface, while holding up the picture of each dinosaur along with the
landforms that it lived among. I will also place the map of continents on the projection
screen while prompting students to tell me what landform(s) I would find in Asia? In
North America? In Antarctica?
Independent Practice (You do):
I will post on projector the name and picture of each of the three dinosaurs and the
continent that they are associated with. (For example: Velociraptor/Asia) Students will
recall and list on lined paper at least three of the different landforms associated with each
dinosaur and continent. Students will also draw a sketch using crayons/colored pencils of
one of the landforms they listed for each continent. (For example: if student listed
glaciers, ice caves, and ice mountains for Antarctica, student would illustrate only one of
those items.) The illustration could be drawn underneath each continents list of
landforms.
Assessment/Evaluation of Lesson:
Students will create an illustration on poster board of their favorite landform that we
studied in this lesson. This illustration is to be like an advertisement for the landform that
they have chosen, they need to sell the landform. Students will be permitted to use words
on their posters, however students must have an illustration of the landform and why it
would be good to purchase. (For example if I were illustrating a river, I would perhaps
draw people swimming, or boating) Students will be encouraged to be creative! In the
event students posters are not completed by the end of the class, they will be permitted to
work on them the next day.

Note taking graphic organizer to be used with guided practice

Map of continents to be used in direct instruction