Allison Haynes/Social Studies/October 30, 2015

I. Topic: Pennsylvania State Flower Mountain Laurel

II. Objectives/Standards:
Objective: After group activity and discussion TSWBAT complete and exit slip
that asks them to 100% accuracy.
Standards:
PA Civics and Government 5.1.3.F: Identify state symbols, national
symbols, and national holidays.
PA Environment and Ecology S4.B.1.1.3: Describe basic needs of plants
and animals (e.g., air, water, food).
III. Teaching Procedures:
2 mins

1. Introduction: Anticipatory set

a. Briefly review the material taught the day before
i. What is the name of the capital of Pennsylvania?
b. Today we are going to be talking about another state symbol. Before I
tell you what it is, we are going to try to solve some riddles to figure
out what the symbol is and some information about that symbol.

10 Mins

2. Development:
a. Tell the students We are going to work in our table groups. Everyone
must be whispering. If you talk loudly, other groups will hear your
answer. If the room is too loud or there are individuals that are too
loud, you may lose a dojo point. You must be whispering. One person
will be the recorder and write the groups answer on the white board.
Do not show or hold your answer up until I tell you to or you will lose a
team point. The group with the most team points at the end of the
riddle activity will get a dojo point. You will have no more than 2
minutes to figure out an answer for each riddle. I will tell you when
your time is up.
i. Everybody loves me, Im pretty and smell sweet. Look down
and you will find me near your feet. What am I? Flower
What state symbol are we talking about?? The state
flower
ii. My flowers bloom when the air is warm, the season is when the
bees like to swarm. What season does the flower bloom in?
Summer
The state flower blooms in the summer months.
iii. There are two months that I bloom, and gets even better, these
two months start with the same letter. What two months does
the flower bloom in? June and July
Specifically, the State flower blooms in June and July.

5 Mins

2 Mins

iv. This musical instrument can be used to describe the shape of

my flower, its also something that can be found in a church
tower! bell
The state flower is bell shaped
b. Good Job! You guys did a great job solving my riddles! Lets talk about
more information about our state flower
c. Our state flower is called the mountain laurel. Everyone say mountain
laurel together, ready, mountain laurel.
d. The flowers range in color from white to pink and usually have dark
rose colored spots on the inside
e. Like our riddles told us, the flowers are bell shaped, and they bloom in
the summer months of June and July. Although these flowers bloom in
the summer, they prefer to grow in part shade, part sun.
i. Besides the sun, what other things do flowers need to survive??
Soil, water, sunlight, carbon dioxide
f. One thing our riddle didnt tell us was that this flower is. POISONOUS!
i. Ask the students what this means
ii. Explain that if you eat the flower you can get very sick and even
die.
g. The mountain laurel is found in the eastern part of the United States
i. It ranges from Maine to northern Florida, and west to Indiana
and Louisiana
ii. Have the students identify what area Pennsylvania is in (north,
south, east, or west)
3. Guided and Independent Practice
a. Take a minute to fill in some facts if you havent already about the
mountain laurel on your flip book page.
b. If you already have facts down, draw a picture
c. If you already finished the state flower flip, look over the previous flips.
4. Closure:
a. Hand out the exit slip and have the students fill it out.
b. Collect the slip as the students leave the classroom.
IV. Materials:

PowerPoint presentation, lesson plan, name tags, exit slip

V. Adaptations/Plan Modifications:
a) If you
a.
b) If you
a.
b.

have extra time

Talk more about the areas that the mountain laurels are found
run out of time
Skip some of the pictures
Talk less about the map

VI. Evaluation:

Formative: as the students are trying to solve the riddles, walk around the
room and check on their progress, make sure the students are listening after
the riddle game, walk around and check the facts that students are writing on
the flip books as they fill them out, check exit slip accuracy
Summative: unit assessment given on day 6

VII. Reflection:

Write an assessment of the students performance and mastery in terms of

each stated objective. List each objectives evaluation separately
Write a self-evaluation including explanation for success or lack of it. Discuss:
what changes might have produced better results and could be used in
subsequent lessons.
Explain what specific changes were implemented from professor and teacher
suggestions and the results (if suggestions were not taken, explain your
rationale).

EXIT SLIP
Name: __________________________________________________________

1. The state flower is called the

____________________________________________.

2. The state flower blooms in what season?

________________________________.

3. Why should you not eat the Pennsylvania state flower? It is p

.

EXIT SLIP
Name: __________________________________________________________

1. The state flower is called the

____________________________________________.

2. The state flower blooms in what season?

________________________________.

3. Why should you not eat the Pennsylvania state flower? It is p