Name Maria Diaz Date 4/4/17

GRADE: _______/20 Points

Elements of a Good Lesson Plan
Essential Element: Environment and Society
URL link to the lesson plan reviewed is:
http://www.nationalgeographic.org/activity/exploring-relationship-between-
human-activity-and-habitat-loss-amazon/
Title:
Exploring the Relationship between Human Activity and Habitat Loss in the
Amazon
Writer:
Heather J. Johnson
Overview what the lesson is about:
No formal overview is provided.
(Background information needed by the teacher to learn about the topic)
Whats there:
Back ground information needed by the teacher is provided under the
background and vocabulary tab. The background information describes the
recent increased rate and severity of deforestation throughout the amazon,
and a one paragraph description of the rain forestss inhabitants (plants &
animals). It also dedicates one paragraph to indigenous communities and
their relationship with the Amazon.
What I would add:
Human and physical South American geographical knowledge is required to
adequately monitor a discussion for this lesson plan. Teachers should be
comfortable with discussing location and culture of the Since this lesson
specifically focuses on the construction of a railroad, It is also important to
understand what affects railroads have on the geography of a place.
Teachers should look through historical and geographical resources to
understand previous and modern implications of building a railroad.
Students are also recommended to have basic understanding of
deforestation. map skills, ability to decipher multiple layers of a map showing
different data and make inferences and the ability to obtain, evaluate, and
communicate information from map resources
Grade Level:
This lesson plan is intended for grades 6-8 but I believe can be adapted to 9-
12 if you ask for more critical in-depth reasoning and ask students to conduct
independent research to form conclusions and synthesizes the information.
Amount of Time needed to teach This lesson plan requires 1h 40 min
intended to be 2 50minute class periods.
Materials Needed:
You will need pencils, colored pencils and the following handouts:
Amazonia: The Human Impact A combination physical and political map of
the Amazonia with many layers of information including separate maps of
resources, managed areas, and altered landscapes in the Amazon.
Human Activity in the Amazon An 18 question worksheet divided into 5
parts (Land Cover, Habitat Loss, Indigenous Territories, Human Activity and
Considering the Impact of a Railroad) (Answer key is provided, convergent
answers expected for parts 1-4)
Prediction Statement About the Effects of a Transcontinental Railroad in the
Amazon Basin Activity worksheet composed of a brief introduction a map
and 3 questions. (Answer key provided, Divergent answers accepted)
(Key Terms list of vocabulary that the student needs to learn or will learn as
a result of doing this lesson):
There is a list of 13 vocabulary terms and definitions under the Background
and Vocabulary tab. Instruction to discuss some of these terms that might
be unfamiliar to students is recommended with the introduction.
Standards and Skills addressed (Are a specific set of standards, such as the National Geography
Standards or others identified? Any specific skills identified, like map skills? Provide the geography standards
addressed in this lesson.)

National Geography standards identified by the producers of this lesson plan:

Standard 1: How to use maps and other geographic representations,
geospatial technologies, and spatial thinking to understand and
communicate information
(Students extract information from a complex map with multiple layers to
answer specific questions)
Standard 14: How human actions modify the physical environment
(Students are asked how building a human system (railroad) may modify the
physical environment (the Amazon), they share and present their findings.)
Standard 15: How physical systems affect human systems
(Students learn about standard 15 by exploring the relationship between the
Amazon and indigenous people, as well as the difficulties in transporting
good through the Amazon because of the physical systems)
Standard 4: The physical and human characteristics of places
(Students are asked to answer specific questions about physical and human
characteristics of the Amazon)
Geographic Skills:
Acquiring Geographic Information
(Students are acquiring specific geographic knowledge about the Amazon
including countries that encompass it, rivers and indigenous populations and
animals that inhabit it.)
Analyzing Geographic Information
(Students are asked to analyze the geographic information they acquired and
form a prediction about the effects a railroad would have on the
environment)

Objectives: By the end of this lesson, students should be able to . . .

There are 3 objectives for this lesson plan.
In the objectives students are expected to acquire knowledge, comprehend,
apply, analyze, synthesize and evaluate information using the maps, real life
scenarios and geographic information of the rainforest and its inhabitants.
However the product of the lesson isn't stated specifically in the objectives
and is something I would add.

Procedures (Are specific instructions for teaching the lesson given? Are they numbered? Divided into
opening, developing, concluding? Written to the teacher what the teach should do and say? Provide a sentence
about each part of the lesson below.)

There are specific instructions provided in the lesson plan numbered into 4
steps. Theyre not specifically divided into opening, developing, concluding
but the divide is self evident. It offers ideas and some specific things for
teachers to do and say. ex: Ask: Why do people believe they need this
railroad? Who could benefit from having this railroad? Why might it affect
pristine areas and indigenous communities?
But for the most part it provides a general idea but its not incredibly specific
and allows for modification of the lesson plan.
Opening the Lesson:
Step 1: Engage student interest by introducing the plan to build a
transcontinental railroad in the Amazon rain forest.
In this step the teacher is instructed to pass out the map that is provided
and read the paragraph underneath it and begin a discussion on the pros
and cons of building a railroad. Then tell them you will be talking about the
railroad. Then regroup the students so that one person from each group form
a new group. Have students discuss what they larded
Developing the Lesson:
Step 2: Construct knowledge about land cover types, habitat loss, and
indigenous territories throughout Amazonia.
Step 3: Draw relationships between land cover, roads, and habitat loss in
Amazonia.
In these steps teachers pass our the Human Activity in the Amazon
worksheet, have someone read the direction form small groups and assign
them each on part of parts 1-3. Then regroup the students so that one
person from each group form a new group. Give students a moment to
discuss and then have them complete part 4 in their new groups.
Concluding the Lesson
Step 4:Make a prediction about the effects of building a transcontinental
railroad through the Amazon rain forest.
Have students complete part 5 independently, then distribute the worksheet
prediction statement about the effects of a transcontinental railroad in the
Amazon Basin and Scientific Prediction. Review rubric and worksheet. Have
students complete this individually. Grade.

Assessment (Summative) how you know that the student has achieved the
objective(s) (Is the specific assessment provided? Are ideas provided for Formative Assessment given?
Does the assessment relate to the objective(s) provided?)

I believe the Prediction Statement About the Effects of a Transcontinental

Railroad in the Amazon Basin is meant to be used as an assessment of the
lesson because it requires students to hypothesize and use higher levels of
thinking that require for students to have already acquired lower levels of
knowledge to be able to hypothesis and provide for their reasoning.
If Rubric is used to assess the lesson it should be provided.
The success of the lesson is to be assessed by the students responses to the
2 worksheets provided. There is an answer sheet and a rubric provided for
assessing the worksheets. But there is no specific instruction to asses
participation discussion or student engagement and overall success of the
lesson.
(Extensions modifications for different ability groups and/or grades) (Are
there ideas of how to modify the lesson for students of different abilities, ESL, different grade levels? Are additional
ideas for teaching the lesson provided?)

There are no modification ideas for students with different abilities, ESL, or
grade levels, but ideas for more in-depth modifications are provided. It is
recommended to research a local contraction project and have students
predict what are the longterm and short term effects of this project. Have
them use online resources or/and have them discuss the effects of the
railroad on the carbon sink effects of the railroad.
Works Cited resources used by author to create the lesson, if not original
(Does the author of the lesson cite sources he/she used to create the plan? Are other websites provided for
additional information?)

Credits to all contributors to the lesson are provided under the Credits tab.
Media references and other resources are located under the Media tab. The
map also includes credits and sources and most references are credited to
National Geographic. No other websites are provided.
Handouts ready to reproduce: Handouts are easily accessible and ready to
reproduce.
Answer Keys
An answer key is provided for Human Activity in the Amazon is provided
with specific answers and a rubric is provided for Prediction Statement
About the Effects of a Transcontinental Railroad in the Amazon Basin
(Technology Component) (Is there use of technology in the lesson? By whom teacher, student, for
research to create a product, as a resource?)

There is no technology component required but it is suggested you can have

students explore and interactive online map of the amazon and other
resources to provide more in-depth content and foster retention through
different mediums of content information.
YOUR EVALUATION OF THIS LESSON PLAN: (Evaluate the quality of the lesson idea/lesson plan. Remember
that evaluation involves using criteria on which to base your comments. Indicate how the lesson is connected to the National
Geography Standards. Include modification you might make to teach the lesson or to make it a stronger lesson. Is there a strong
relationship between the objectives, the activities, and the assessment?)
 I think this is a good lesson plan. The instructions are clear, well written
and easy to understand. The first worksheet requires students to draw
information from the map provided and create knowledge. The Map itself is
multi layered and complicated and helps students develop their map reading
skills. The second worksheet allows students to demonstrate the knowledge
they acquired by synthesizing the information and hypothesizing about the
effects of a railroad on the Amazon. The premise of the activity is a great
way to teach physical geography and human geography simultaneously.
Students learn facts about the physical landscape of the rainforest and also
learn about the human effects on the environment.
In the second worksheet students are asked to elaborate their
hypothesis and provide for reasoning and evidence for their claim. This
helps students tie in all the information learn while also thinking critically
about the information provided.
Students have the opportunity to work in groups and be the more
knowledgeable other in each group. They show deep level of understanding
the content by presenting it to their class mates. Students answer
convergent and divergent questions to show understanding. They need are
asked to show almost all skills on the bloom wheel. Students acquire
knowledge by analyzing the map and answering questions like What
countries and territories are located in Amazonia? and Which country
holds most of the rain forest? How much?. Students are also asked to
analyze the information they draw from the Amazon map by being asked
questions like Identify patterns of land cover throughout the Amazon rain
forest. Questions like Why do you think habitat loss due to fires and
deforestation is occurring in these areas? asks students to hypothesize and
synthesize information.
I think this assignment would work really well as a town hall proposal
activity. After its completed you could have one group lobby for the
construction of the railroad, then have the other group lobby against it and
have the last group as the deliberating jury. This way students can present
the information they learn, work on their public speaking skills, role-play
possible career opportunities work as a group, they must articulate their
positions and retain information they hear from their class mates. Students
will also acknowledge various view points and realize the complexity of
environmental issues, thus acquiring deeper more meaningful understanding
of the material.