DIXIE STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

ELEMENTARY 3rd SEMESTER LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

(1/25/13)
Teacher Candidate

Andrea Hadley

Grade Level 5

Title: Louisiana Purchase

CONTEXTUAL FACTORS (classroom factors)

Contextual Factors:
23 Students: 10 Boys, 13 Girls.
16 Caucasian, 4 Hispanic, and 3 American Indian
3 ELL students. (Ceasar: Spanish- WIDA 1; Ron: Navajo WIDA 3; Yareli: Spanish WIDA 3)
1 Student has Tourettes Syndrome (Jared)
3 Students have IEPs (Ron: Reading, Owen: Reading and Math, Alexis: Reading)
High Level Learners: Cami, Gage, Lily Darger, Taye
Behavior Issues: Owen- defiant, un-focused, physical limitations that cause anger.
Rayne- Blurts out a lot. Has a hard time being kind to other classmates. Takes things that arent hers.
Classroom environment:

The classroom is set up with 5 horseshoe tables where the students sit. There are 4-5
students at each table. They have a tote that holds their supplies (pencils, scissors,
rulers, etc.). They keep their things in a cubby that is assigned to each student. There is
a Promethean Board at the front of the room, along with a whiteboard. The classroom is
equipped with an IPad and a Chrome Book for each student. They use these devices for
many different assignments.
WALK-AWAY (As a result of this lesson, what do I want the students to know, understand, and be able to do?)
State Standard/Objective:
Fifth Grade Social Studies Standard 4: Students will understand that the 19th century was a time of incredible change for
the United States, including geographic expansion, constitutional crisis, and economic growth.
Objective 1: Investigate the significant events during Americas expansion and roles people played.
a. Identify key reasons why people move and the traits necessary for survival.
Content Walk Away: I can explain how purchasing the Louisiana Territory benefited our nation.
Language Walk Away: I can write a persuasive letter listing reasons that would benefit our country to purchase the
Louisiana Territory.

Vocabulary: Expedition, treaty, negotiate, ratify, congress

ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE (What evidence do I need to show the students have

learned the Walk-Away?)
Formative Evidence (checking for understanding throughout the lesson):
Listen for understanding of the article about the Louisiana Purchase as students give
their answers.
Content Walk-Away Evidence (Summative): Students will write a letter displaying
their knowledge of how the Louisiana Territory would benefit our country if
purchased.
Language Walk-Away Evidence (Summative):
Students will write a letter displaying their knowledge of how the Louisiana
Territory would benefit our country if purchased.

Modifications/Accomodations (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)

Students will be
strategically grouped in
order for the ELL,
struggling learners, and
high ability learners can
be supported and
expand their thinking.
Provide support for
Cesar as needed to
understand what to
write.
Give students
highlighters to highlight
key things in the text
they would want to
include.

Approx
.
Time
8 min.

10
min.

ACTIVE LEARNING PLAN

Activate/Building Background Knowledge

How many of you have moved? What are some reasons that people move? List reasons on the board. Briefly
discuss previous content they have learned about (The Constitution, 13 Colonies, Bill of Rights, first two
presidents of the United States.)
Formative assessment:
Learning Goal
Success Criteria
Assessment Strategy
Understand reasons people move. Being able to name reasons
Listing reasons people move.
people move.
Modification/accommodations: (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)
Ask Cesar specifically about his move to the United States and how it made him feel.
Focus Lesson (I do it)
I will start by showing the School House Rock video Elbows to Elbows. Students will be asked to listen for
reasons our country began expanding in the 19th century. We will discuss those reasons after. I will show my
Prezi presentation. Talk about Thomas Jefferson and his role as the third president of The United States. Talk
about how our nation looked before the purchase of the Louisiana Territory. We will go over key vocabulary
words; expedition, ratify, congress, treaty, and negotiate.
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Success Criteria
Assessment Strategy
Understand reasons our country
Naming reasons that our country
Students will watch a short video
began expanding.
began expanding.
and listen for reasons the country
began expanding. They will then
be asked to list the reasons.
Modification/accommodations:
The Prezi presentation will have visuals for Cesar, Ron, and Yareli to refer to so they can better understand
key terms and ideas. High level learners can help me list reasons for expansion after the video.

15
min.

Collaborative (You do together)

Students will read an article together in small groups. They will then fill out the questions as a group. Before
reading the article they will go over the questions together.
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Learning key events that took
place referring to the Louisiana
Purchase.

Success Criteria
Students will be able to answer
questions pertaining to the
Louisiana Purchase.

Assessment Strategy
Students will read a passage and
answer some questions pertaining
to the passage.

Modification/accommodations:
Students will be placed in groups where they can support one another (i.e. high-level learner with an ELL
student). Students will be given highlighters to highlight important information within the text they read.
Guided Instruction (We do it together)
Together, we will go over the questions they filled out referring to the article they read about the Louisiana
Purchase. We will discuss the things they read. I will randomly select students to answer the questions from
the worksheet.

8 min.

Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Understand key events leading up

Success Criteria
Students will be able to answer

Assessment Strategy
Students will give their answers

to the Louisiana Purchase and

reasons for the purchase.

questions correctly about the

Louisiana Purchase.

from the worksheet.

Modification/accommodations:
Students will be given an ample amount of time to process their answers and to relay their answers as well to
the rest of the class.
High level learners may be asked to expand on their answers.
Independent (You do it alone)
Students will write a letter as if they were Thomas Jefferson to Napoleon Bonaparte persuading him to sell
the Louisiana Territory to the United States. Make sure to include factual reasons to support your argument
that you learned in class today.
Summative Assessment:
Students will turn in their letters. I will go over their letters looking to see that they understand the benefits
and reasons purchasing the Louisiana Territory.
Modification/accommodations:
I will make sure to go over the article with Cesar and other low level learners that may need extra support,
highlighting important key facts.
Closure/Review of walk-aways, vocabulary, and essential questions
We will restate our walk-aways and go over vocabulary. Wrap up asking again reasons people may move.
SIOP Indicators (Add SIOP number and description within the lesson plan)
Preparation: 1-Content objectives, 2-Language objectives, 3-Content appropriate, 4-Supplementary
materials, 5-Adaptation of content, 6-Meaningful activities
Building Background: 7-Linked to background, 8-Linked to past learning, 9-Key vocabulary
Comprehensive Input: 10-Appropriate speech, 11-Clear explanation, 12-Variety of techniques
Interaction: 16-Opportunity for interaction, 17-Grouping supports objectives, 18-Wait time, 19Opportunity for L1 students
Practice/Application: 20-Hands-on materials, 21-Activities to apply content/language knowledge, 22Language skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking
Lesson Delivery: 23-Content objective supported, 24-Language objective supported, 25-Students
engaged, 26-Pacing
Review/Assessment: 27-Review vocabulary, 28-Review concepts, 29-Feedback, 30-Assessment

TEACHING NOTES
What do I need to remember to do? What materials do I need to have ready? What is the approximate time needed for
this lesson?

Prezi up and ready.

Students will need articles and paper to write their letters.
REFLECTION AFTER LESSON
How can I use the assessment data to reflect on & evaluate the outcomes of teaching and learning? How can I transfer
what I learned from teaching this lesson to future teaching? What was effective and not effective? What goals can I set
to improve my practice and student learning?
As the students wrote the letters to Napolean Boneparte, I noticed that there were very few students that understood what
they were supposed to include in that letter. I know now that when I give an assessment/assignment, I need to provide
more explicit instructions, and give examples as to what I am expecting the students to be able to show through their
work. I felt as though the group work was a great way for the students to collaborate and interact with one another,
however, I needed to make it to where each student was responsible for their own learning within the group and held
accountable for what they did/did not contribute. I want to make sure in future lessons I am first of all engaging each
student in the lesson, making them each be more responsible for what they are learning and applying. I can do this by,
having students each provide a sample of what they are learning whether it be through an explanation they give, an
assignment, or any other formative or summative assessment where they are truly displaying and applying the knowledge
they gained from the lesson.