East Detroit Public Schools
Lesson Design
Author: Linda Houhanisin and Peg Wright
Subject: Social Studies
Grade: Fourth
Course: Michigan
Title: Michigan Cities
Length of Unit: Eight weeks
Materials Needed:
Power Macintosh G3 computers
large screen projection system or TV monitor
U.S. Atlas and Almanac (CD, V. 6)
Time Magazine Multimedia Almanac (CD, V.4)
Encarta Encyclopedia (1998)
Hollywood (CD by Theatrix)
Kid Pix (multimedia software)
ClarisWorks for Kids
printed encyclopedias, almanacs and atlases
Standards-Based Outcomes (MDE):
Social Studies:
V. Inquiry
Content Standard V, 1: All students will acquire information from books, maps, newspapers, data sets, and other sources, organize and present information in maps, graphs, charts, and timelines, interpret the meaning and significance of information, and use a variety of electronic technologies to assist in accessing and managing information. (Information Processing)
1. Locate information about local, state and national communities using a variety of traditional sources, electronic technologies, and direct observations.
3. Interpret social science information about local, state, and national communities from maps, graphs, and charts.
English Language Arts:
I. Meaning and Communication
Content Standard I, 1: All students will read and comprehend general and technical material.
1. Use reading for multiple purposes, such as enjoyment, gathering information, learning new procedures, and increasing conceptual understanding.
Prior Knowledge:
- Students must know how to find and gather information from printed and electronic encyclopedias, almanacs, and atlases.
- Students must know how to use multimedia software such as Hollywood, Kid Pix or ClarisWorks for Kids.
Cue Set:
- Read M is for Mitten by Annie Appleford. Discuss the structure and content of the book.
- Next, set up a scenario in which a hypothetical teacher travels around Michigan and somehow loses her billfold in one of the cities she visits. The students will have to find the missing billfold by solving the clues provided.
Best Shot Instruction:
- Pairs of students use research to find the answers to an acrostic puzzle which in turn will reveal the location of the teacher’s next summer vacation. The teacher models how to find the answers to the puzzle’s first two clues.
- The student partners then finish the research together. The teacher observes the research and questions the students to see whether they understand the lesson. The correct solution of the mystery will also demonstrate the students’ understanding. Use of electronic research tools such as encyclopedias, almanacs, atlases, etc. will integrate technology into the lesson.
Reteaching and Enrichment:
- The acrostic puzzle answers reveal the location of the teacher’s next summer vacation. The students revisit the places they could not identify during the first attempt.
- Each student pair designs a slide show or multimedia presentation featuring a city studied in the research. Included in the presentation is such information as location, population, historical landmarks, famous people, notable products, etc.
Review and Closure:
The students show the slide shows or multimedia presentations to the class.
Assessment:
- The lesson is first assessed through the teacher’s observations and questions during the research segment.
- The next assessment is done with the use of the acrostic worksheet. Accuracy of the answers is checked and the need for reteaching is determined.
- A rubric is designed for scoring the multimedia or slide show presentation. Criteria used to assess the presentation should include accuracy of answers, as well as correct spelling and grammar.
