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Lesson Plan #2 This lesson occur over at least 3 days with sessions of about 45 minutes to 1 hour each Class Topic: Movement Patterns in the USA, New England and Vermont before the Westward Movement. A review of important historical events and topics necessary for understanding this unit Objectives: •4th Grade students recall, synthesize and present prior knowledge about the events that lead to Westward movement and teach this information to 3rd grade students •3rd grade students identify important events in history essential to understanding this topic as well as important movement patterns prior to the mid 1800s Pre class Preparation: Materials: Class books, journals and time lines created in the 2002-2003 school year Juvenile books on Vermont and United States History Other: 4th Grade Students use at least one extra prep period where they review work from the previous school year and prepare presentations for the class. Instructional Development This is an important lesson for all the students in the class. Older students get to be experts and decide how to present materials they have previously created. Younger students receive knowledge that is essential to their understanding of this theme. 4th grade students display their timelines (which go up to the 1860s) around the classroom and can use their journals and our class book from last year. Teacher and students will review important events and compare Wardsboro, Vermont events with those occurring in the state and country. Other students attempt to “stump” them with questions. 4th Graders read preselected entries from the journals they wrote from the point of view of early Wardsboro settlers and then take questions as that character. Students all have time to examine appropriate books and texts to help familiarize them with important events of the time period Assessment Strategies: 3rd grade students question 4ths, revealing their understanding of the events that lead to and caused the Westward Movements Students make a new class timeline together that highlights important events leading up to Westward Movement and leaving room to add new events. Students can add to this time line throughout the unit. 4th Graders create “Quiz Show” questions for the thirds demonstrating their knowledge of the significant events and themes and third graders responses will assess their understanding. Lesson Plan #3 Final Lesson This lesson occurs over at least 5 days with sessions of about 45 minutes to 1 hour each Class Topic: A Family’s Dilemma, Should they leave Vermont Objectives: •All students synthesize information from this unit •Students make and support a decision about whether or not a family should move West or stay in Vermont Pre class Preparation: Materials: All information, worksheets, writings, books, timelines and other materials used in this unit should be available to all students A variety of simple costumes and props Teacher created scaffolding worksheets to facilitate process Other: Availability of another adult to help work with teams Instructional Development This is a culminating lesson that gives students the opportunity to bring together all the information they have gathered throughout the unit into one dramatic presentation. Students consider “A Family Dilemma”—Should the family move out of Vermont or stay put? Students clarify where they stand on the decision. They could line up with those most in favor of staying at one end and those who really want to migrate at the other end and with everyone else in the middle to help determine their feelings on the issue. Students pick their favorite parts for a play, and the teacher assigns roles. Students meet in groups of like-minded family members and work together to create their arguments and “scripts.” They make note-cards for the final performance. Throughout this process teacher reads accounts from historical fiction of families making these types of decisions. Students choose simple props and costumes and prepare for the family meeting, where they make their final decision about the family’s future Assessment Strategies Students’ preparation process indicates their understanding of the topic and the “push” and “pull” factors involved in such a decision. Students’ performances also demonstrate their understanding of the causes of migration westward and the effects on those left behind and those already in the west. Students complete a short piece of writing and an illustration to show their final understanding and reflections on this unit of study.
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