Lesson Plan #2

Grade: 5th
Social Studies Strand: State and Regions
Submitted By: Janis Gomme-Campbell &
Sandra Montgomery

EDEL 453: Teaching Elementary School Social Science
Nevada State College Spring 2014
Instructor: Karen Powell
Summary of the Lesson Plan: This social studies lesson plan is designed for
5th grade students to learn regions and the region they live in. This lesson
uses the Houghton Mifflin Social Studies textbook "States and Regions"
(Core Lesson 2, p. 314 - 317). SW have taken a field trip to Red Rock
Canyon National Conservation Area at:
Scenic Loop Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89161 Phone: (702) 515-5350
Management: United States Bureau of Land Management

B. Basic Information:
Grade Level: 5th grade
Time to Complete this Lesson: 45 50 minutes
Groupings: whole group reading and discussions, individual work

C. Materials:
Houghton Mifflin 5th grade Social Studies book: p. 314 317
Bubble map with regional animals in the main bubble
Construction and lined paper
Colored pencils
Pictures of regional animals, plants and people.

D. Objectives:
o NV State Social Studies Standards


G6.5.3 Provide examples of cultural identity in
communities or regions from different perspectives.

o English Language Arts
W.5.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development and organization are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations
for writing types are W.5.1-3.)
W.5.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts
to support analysis, reflection, and research.

o Student-Friendly Standards
G6.5.3 I can tell about the region that we live in.
W.5.4 I can write a story about the region and its
inhabitants.
W.5.9 I can draw pictures to illustrate what I wrote about.








E. Vocabulary
indigenous- originating in and characteristic of a particular region or
country.
region- a large land area which has many sizes with characteristics
that make it recognizable from other land areas.
adaptations- the ability to change in order to survive in your region or
where you live.
nocturnal- animals that roam and eat at night and sleep during the
day.
diurnal- animals that roam and eat during the day and sleep at night.

F. Procedure:

Warm up Activity: Italics are instructions for only the teacher.
Show pictures of various things from business, plants, animals,
people that live within the region the students live in. For example:
Casinos, post office, lawyers, plants, animals, wildlife, etc.
Discuss how regions spread out from the Las Vegas area and reach
through Nevada. Place up a picture of a map of Nevada.
Continue discussing that regions are even bigger than Nevada and
stretch throughout the country. Show a picture of the country.

Lesson Activity
1. As a class, SW coral read about regions, specifically Nevada.
(Houghton Mifflin Social Studies, p. 314 317.
2. TW direct student attention to regional maps of America and Nevada.
Class discussion on regions.
3. SW have taken notes and record information during field trip to be
used as a resource and reference for (assessment) journal.
4. SW create bubble map to be used as a tool to write assessment journal
(see attachment).
4. Discuss as a class key points in the unit read. TW discuss each region
and how they are different and unique.
5. Introduce vocabulary words (indigenous, region, adaptations,
nocturnal, diurnal).
6. SW individually create their journals of regional Nevada. Journals will
include written and illustrative accounts of people and animals in that
area.










G. Assessment:
What will you use to measure student understanding?
The students writing journal and illustrations will determine the
understanding of regions.

Explain how you will know students understand the concepts from the
lesson.
By completing the writing journal students will be telling a nonfiction
story about the animals in the region of where they live. They will be
able to describe what goes on in the region they live in.

H. Closure:
SW be able to share their assessment journals with the class.

I. Reflection:
1. Which part of the lesson do you think will be the easiest for you to
teach?
Sandra: The easiest for me would be the visual and the hands on where the
students can grasp what the reading is about.
Janis: I think the easiest thing for me to teach is when I have a visual, in this case,
maps, to show students indicate what is indigenous to a region.

2. Which part will be most challenging for you to teach?
Sandra: Making sure that the students know what all is included in the region.
From animals, plants, human life and what they do, (Vegas area is widely known
for the gamboling) and making sure it ties in to everything.
Janis: Those students who may have difficulty grasping the concept of how
regions can actually make a difference in people's lives.

3. How will you follow up or extend this lesson?
Sandra: I would extend it by adding on to what is considered part of the region
for example: Plant life, gamboling, types of business. Then extend it out to
include the state of Nevada and keep spreading it out until it covers the country.

Janis: I might have small groups discuss how living in different regions affects the
way a person might live; example: if I lived in the north-east during winter, would
I need a sled or snowmobile if I couldn't drive the car? Would I need to stock up
food in case my home was covered in a snowdrift? If the electricity went out,
what would I need in reserve? Each small group would get a different region of
the country.
4. What can you do for students who dont grasp the concepts?
Sandra: I would pull down a map and show them a small area and discuss that
that area is a region and how all the area can be considered a region
throughout the country and even the world.

Janis: I would hope that after going on the field trip, seeing the maps (visual) and
completing the journal, every child would grasp this regional concept. Beyond
that, I may try to locate more age-appropriate books to show them.

5. Which part of the lesson, if any, do you think might need to change?
Sandra: I dont see anything that I would change in this lesson. After seeing
Janis response, I do have to say that I agree with her reflection. The writing
aspect of the activity could take a couple of days to complete.

Janis: There may not be enough time to cover all that is in this lesson plan. I might
span it over 2 - 3 days.


6. When you were writing this lesson plan, what was the most difficult
part?
Sandra: The only thing that I found difficult was not being able to meet up in
person and outlining what we wanted for the lesson. But communicating over
the phone and email ended up worked out great. I enjoyed working with Janis,
she worked hard and listened to ideas as well as stating ideas of her own. It
wasnt a one woman show with this lesson; it was a two woman show.

Janis: Although Sandra was a willing and positive partner, and I would be
honored to work with her again, it is easier for me to work alone on a lesson plan.
I am not as technologically inclined as I would like to be, so it is difficult to
elaborate back and forth.

J. Cross Curricular
This lesson is cross curricular with language art.