Unit Plan: Geography

Lesson Plan for Monday

Grade: 1st
Social Studies Strand: Geography
Submitted By: Laura Comstock


EDEL 453: Teaching Elementary School Social Science
Nevada State College Spring 2014
Instructor: Karen Powell
Lesson Plan for Day 1 Strand: Geography submitted by: Laura Comstock

Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 2
B. Summary of the Lesson Plan:
During this lesson we will popcorn read from their Social Studies textbook pages 74-77.
Students will create their own artwork explaining what you could find in an ocean.
C. Basic Information:
Grade Level: 1
st

Time to Complete this Lesson: 50 minutes
Groupings: whole group (reading); Independent (creating their own picture); partners
(explaining their picture)
D. Materials:
Social Studies textbooks
Construction paper
Scissors
Markers/crayons
Glue
Chart paper
E. Objectives:
o NV State Social Studies Standards
G5.1.1 Differentiate between and identify water and land on a map and
globe and use the terms ocean and continent.
o Student-Friendly Standards
I can provide an example of an ocean and a continent.
F. Vocabulary
Ocean I know that an ocean is a large body of water.
Continent- I know that a continent is a large area of land.
G. Procedure:
1. To begin the lesson by creating a KWL chart to introduce the topics and vocabulary
words, ocean and continent.
2. Ask the students what do you know about Oceans and Continents. What do you want
to learn. Record students responses on chart paper.
3. Begin reading out of the social studies by picking students names from the plastic cup.
Begin reading on page 74.
Lesson Plan for Day 1 Strand: Geography submitted by: Laura Comstock

Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 3
4. At the end of the reading discuss the lesson review questions by students sharing with
their face partners first and then aloud with the class whole group.
5. Explain that each student will be creating their own art project of things they would see
underwater in the ocean.
6. Make sure students are aware that they will be sharing their work with their peers when
they are finished.
H. Assessment:
What will you use to measure student understanding?
Students will be assessed by observing their artwork and also by completing the KWL
chart of things they learned about oceans and continents.
Explain how you will know students understand the concepts from the lesson.
I will know by assessing and listening to their artwork explanations when they share with
their shoulder partners. To clarify some students understandings I can ask them how
they know a fish can be found in an ocean versus on a continent.
I. Closure:
I will close the lesson by students describing one thing they would see on their
continent.
J. Reflection:
1. Which part of the lesson do you think will be the easiest for you to teach?
I think the easiest part will be instructing the students to create their own artwork of
the ocean.
2. Which part will be most challenging for you to teach?
The most challenging will be making sure the students understand the difference
between and ocean and a continent.
3. How will you follow up or extend this lesson?
I can follow up with the lesson by making a graphic organizer to list some oceans
and list some continents.
4. What can you do for students who dont grasp the concepts?
I can provide pictures and explain in a small group on the different visual cues of
continents versus oceans.
5. Which part of the lesson, if any, do you think might need to change?
I think I need to be careful on what names of students I draw to read aloud to the
class during popcorn reading because not all students will be able to read.
6. When you were writing this lesson plan, what was the most difficult part?
Lesson Plan for Day 1 Strand: Geography submitted by: Laura Comstock

Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 4
The most difficult part was making sure this lesson would fit the 50 minute time limit.