The follow 3 points need to thought about before you create your lesson plan.

a. Important Facts: There are five regions: The West, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast,
and Southwest.
Geographers group states into regions because these regions have
similar landforms, culture, religions, weather, etc.
Michigan is a part of the Midwest region.
Michigan can be divided into two regions: the Upper and Lower
Peninsula.
Michigan is also a part of the Great Lakes region.
A peninsula is land that is surrounded by water on three sides.
The great lakes are Lake Michigan, Huron, Ontario, Superior, and
Erie.
b. Key Concepts: Review Michigan Unit and Learn About Regions of the U.S.
-Regions are areas with one or more common features.
c. Skills students need for lesson and skills taught: Students need to be able to
demonstrate their understanding of Michigan geography (what landform it creates,
why people move into and out of Michigan, the two peninsulas). Students need to
identify the two peninsulas Michigan divides into and that Michigan is a part of the
U.S. I will teach students to identify Michigan as a part of a whole (part of a country)
and how they can identify the region Michigan belongs to (Midwest region, Great
lakes region).
I.

II.

III.

Demographic Information
The following should be given:
a. Student Teachers Name: Laila Ali
b. Grade Level: 3
c. Topic: Social Studies
d. School: Geer Park Elementary School
e. District: Dearborn Public Schools
f. Lesson Plan Title: Regions of the U.S.: Midwest and Michigan
g. Duration: (estimate how long your lesson will take to teach): 30
minutes-1 hour
Objectives
SWBAT listed and should demonstrate the following:
- Identify the type of landform Michigan is.
- Identify and name the five Great Lakes.
- Identify ways Michigan can be divided into regions
- Explore the 5 regions and identify Michigan as part of the Midwest
region.
Common Core Curriculum
The following should be explained:
a. List the Common Core objectives used in the lesson
1. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-onone, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3

topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own
clearly.
2. 3 G2.0.1 Use a variety of visual materials and data sources to
describe ways in which Michigan can be divided into regions.
3. 3 G2.0.2 Describe different regions to which Michigan belongs
(e.g., Great Lakes Region, Midwest).
b. Explain why you decided to teach this lesson and how it is theoretically
sound. Students are learning about Michigan in class so this book reviews
facts that they know and teaches new information as well. Students will have
a district wide test at the end of the month and this content is important for
them to know.
c. How is the content relevant to students?
The content is new information that is covered in the third grade curriculum.
Students are learning about the state of Michigan and about how it is a part of
the country. Students are learning geographical terms that can help them
become well-rounded citizens. They are learning about the great state they
live in.
IV.

Learning Resources and Materials

The following should be explained:
a. List appropriate materials: list all items
1. US Map (in Classroom)
2. Michigan Map: http://0.tqn.com/d/geography/1/S/Z/I/mi.jpg
3. Regions Map: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/IQckZWtNXA4/UCVUWXK0sKI/AAAAAAAAAG4/NLtmKIIUnEA/s
1600/five+regions.jpg
4. Regions Definiton Card
5. Youtube video
6. Social Studies Notebook
7. Pencil
8. Glue stick
b. List resources
Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIdOINLX9SE
Regions Map
Classroom US Map
Region Definition Card
c. List technology: this could include computers, televisions, tape
recorders, calculators
1. Promethean Board
2. Computer (for video)
d. Bibliography
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIdOINLX9SE
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/IQckZWtNXA4/UCVUWXK0sKI/AAAAAAAAAG4/NLtmKIIUnEA/s1600/
five+regions.jpg
http://0.tqn.com/d/geography/1/S/Z/I/mi.jpg

V.

Teacher Procedure/Lesson Development

a.Introduction

1. Anticipatory Set- To motivate my students, I will ask them to take a

deep breath and exhale. I will have them get up and do a couple of
stretches with me and then ask them to sit down. I will begin by
saying, Ok boys and girls, before we begin our new lesson today, I
want to review what we have learned so far about Michigan. (I will
hold the orange cones and tell students that they will get one if they
answer the questions correctly). I will ask the questions listed below.
Students get an orange cone (which is equivalent to a piece of candy
at the end of the day) for each question they answer correctly.
2. How you will link the lesson to the students prior knowledge?
I will ask students review questions about Michigan. I will ask
questions like:
What type of landform is Michigan?
What is a peninsula?
What is one lake that borders Michigan?
What does Michigan have in the UP?
Why do people move into Michigan?
Why do people leave Michigan?
b.Methods/Procedures (Lesson Development)
1. Essential Question: How can Michigan be divided into regions and
what region is Michigan a part of?
2. Lesson Described in Detail Step-by-Step
a. Begin by telling students, So what do we know about
Michigan? (Use review questions above and give each
student with correct answer an orange cone) What is one
way we divided Michigan? Answer: The Upper Peninsula
and Lower Peninsula.
b. Once I review with them I will say, We actually divided
Michigan into regions. Put up definition of region.
c. Read definition of region. Have students repeat the definition
after instructor.
d. I will say, Michigan is divided into two regions. The Upper
Peninsula and the Lower Peninsula. I will ask students to
put a thumbs up if they agree or thumbs down if they
disagree.
e. Pull down US map. I will say, Michigan is also a state
inside of a whole country. People who study regions, called
geographers, decided to divide the country into five regions.
These regions have similar characteristics. They may have
similar landforms: like mountains, valleys, or plains, or
similar cultures, or religions. Name each region: Northeast,
Midwest, West, Southeast, and Southwest.
f. Show the Youtube video. Stop at Midwest part and tell
students to pay close attention to this part of the video
because Michigan is in the Midwest region.
g. After the video, open the regions color-coded map. Have
students label the map along with you with the region names.
Ask students to circle Michigan on their map and to point at
it. Ask students Which region does Michigan belong to?
Once a student answers, say: So Michigan is not all the way

on the east and not all the way on the west. It is in the
middle. That is why this region is called the Midwest.
h. Now say, We are going to focus on Michigan. It belongs in
the Midwest region and it also belongs to the Great Lakes
region. The Great Lakes region is the area around the Great
Lakes. So Michigan, and these other states that border the
great lakes are a part of the Great Lakes region.
i. So boys and girls, I want you to write these two sentences
in your social studies notebook. On the Promethean Board
write down: Michigan can be divided into different regions.
One way is the blank peninsula and blank peninsula. Another
way is Michigan is part of the blank region. Have students
copy this down and fill in the blanks.
j. Review the sentences with the entire class. Give students a
copy of the Regions map to glue into their notebooks. Also,
give students a copy of the regions definition for them to
glue into their notebooks as well.

3. Type(s) of Teaching Described

a. Direct Teaching: I will be teaching a new concept so
students will be taught through note taking, watching a
video, and listening to me describe what a region is and what
region Michigan is a part of. I will guide them towards
figuring out the answers to my questions using context clues
and the maps displayed.
b. Inductive/Inquiry Teaching: I will say, Geographers
describe regions based on direction using words like north,
south, east and west. Looking at the map, can someone tell
me a state that is on the east? On the west, in the south?
Where do you think Michigan lies? Is it on the east, west, or
the middle? I want students to reach the conclusion using
the resources given to them and through my direct teaching
of the material. Students will be able to make inferences
based on what they have learned so far.
4. Strategy/ies Listed and Explained (Best Practices)
The following strategies will be used in my lesson:
-Questioning: I will ask students questions that will help guide them
towards making accurate conclusions. I will ask them questions on what
they have learned so far and link that information to what they will learn
during this lesson. Students will be motivated to answer because they
receive candy for answering correctly.
-Scaffolding: I will model what I want them to do in terms of labeling the
map and writing the sentences down at the end of the lesson. I will help
students understand the material so that by the end of the lesson, they will
be able to fill in the blanks for the sentences. For students who are
struggling, I will try to help guide them towards the answer using inductive
teaching (asking them questions and having them use resources to find
their answers).
-Labeling Maps: I will help students organize the regions map by labeling
each region. Students will have this map in their notebooks to refer back to.

I will have students circle where Michigan is located. This helps them see
Michigan as a part of a country and not just a state by itself.
-Total Participation (Thumbs up/Thumbs down): This strategy helps with
making sure each student can hear and understand what I am saying. I want
students to be focused and this method allows me to see who is paying
attention and who is not. It also gives students who are shy a chance to
participate without speaking.
1. Method of Practice
a. Guided PracticeStudents will answer the fill in the blank
questions while I walk around to see what they have written
down. I will also have students circle Michigan on the map
and point to the state, while I walk around to see that they
have done so. I will provide feedback to students who do
well by saying, Good job! and help students who are
struggling by giving them clues (Use the map)
b. . Independent PracticeStudents will have to fill in the
blanks for two sentences. This is done independently and
then we will come together as a class to review them.
Students are practicing their handwriting skills and how to
write complete sentences. They can use these sentences to
study for their unit test at the end of the month.
2. Your RoleMy role is to guide students to figuring out the answers
to my questions and using the maps for help. I want students to be
able to use the resources given to them to make informed decisions.
Students will be taught about regions and about Michigan
specifically. I will give them the information they need to understand
regions and why they are divided this way. I will give each student a
map to label and the definition cards for the vocabulary words.
a. Modeling: I will write down the sentences and they will
copy them into their notebook. Students will then use what
they know to fill in the blanks.
b. Facilitating: I will go around and observe how students
answer the fill in the blank sentences I gave them. I will
explain to students who are confused. I will monitor and
guide them through the lesson.
3. How Will You Implement Varying Perspectives?
I will ask students, Whos ever been to another state? Do you know
what region that is? This will give me an idea of what students
already know and where to begin from.
4. How Will You Integrate Across the Curriculum?
Students will be speaking and listening. They will learn how to participate
in classroom discussion and write informational notes in their journals.
This will help cover their language arts skills and also cover content in
Social Studies.
1. Closure
a. How you will help students summarize what they have
learned
The sentences I plan on having them write in their notebooks will
summarize the important points of the lesson. I will give them a few
minutes to answer the blanks and then we will come back together as a

class and discuss what they put for the blanks. I will say, So we know, so
far, that Michigan can be divided into regions. It can be divided into the
Upper and Lower Peninsula, and it is part of the Midwest region. In the
next couple of days, you will also learn about other ways Michigan can be
divided further into counties. Great job today boys and girls. We will now
get ready to go to lunch, so put your notebooks away.
a. What are you doing to help students
summarize/synthesize what they have learned and
prepare them for the next learning activity.
I will connect what they have learned so far to the new
material on regions. I will remind them of how they have
already divided Michigan into two regions (UP and LP) and
how they now know about another region Michigan belongs
to: the Midwest.
Communication with Parents: I will post on the classroom blog what students covered in Social
studies during this lesson. Parents will be aware of the resources I used and students can access
the maps and video through the links on the blog.
TECHNOLOGY USE:
Students are using the interactive Promethean board to fill in
the blanks for the sentences at the end of the lesson. This
lesson is a quick introduction to regions and the Midwest.
WHAT TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS DID YOU USE TO
DEVELOP AND / PREPARE YOUR LESSON?
I used various websites and a video to prepare for my lesson.
I found resources that have the definition cards already made
and I used various blank maps I found on the Internet. These
websites are educational websites that can be used for
supplemental material for any subject area.
DID YOU USE TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS WITH YOUR
STUDENTS TO ENGAGE THEM IN THE LESSON?
EXPLAIN WHY OR WHY NOT?
Yes, I used the Promethean board to engage them in my lesson. I
used it to label the map and I had one student come up and circle where
Michigan was on the map. I wanted to use the board because it is a
technological tool the students are used to using in the classroom. It also
helps to enhance the lesson. It allows me to label the map along with the
students and model how it should be done. It is also interactive in that
students could come and write on the board as well.
c. Accommodations/Adaptations
1. Are there any safety issues that you need to address/ If so
explain.
No, there are no safety issues, other than reminding students to keep
their hands and feet to themselves.
2. How will you differentiate instruction to accommodate your
students individual strengths, interests and needs? What
adaptations in the environment, materials, equipment, teaching
strategies or lesson objectives will be made when implementing
the lesson?
-Visual learners: Students have various visual representations of the
material (word definition cards, U.S. map, regions map, Michigan map).

The regions map is color-coded based on the region. It helps students see
the different regions and how they are divided. It also gives the map a
kid-friendly feel (not boring).
-ESL learners: Students can use the word definition cards as reference.
The cards include the definition, an example, and a picture for each
word. Students can better understand the vocabulary this way. I could
help them label their maps if they cannot write in English. I would also
translate the words to Arabic for them.
-Gifted Students: These students would help their peers if they finish
ahead of them. They would be my helpers. They can help guide their
table partners if they are having problems understanding the directions or
how to do something. I could even ask these students to name the other
states that are located in the Midwest region.
d.Outcomes
1. Describe the criteria by which you can assess/evaluate student
performance.
I will assess/evaluate student performance based on observations made
during the lesson. Since this is a quick introduction to regions, I will use
the orange cones as a way to see which students understand the material
and which do not. I will also use the thumbs up/thumbs down strategy to
assess which students are paying attention and who is struggling. I will
also assess students based on what they have written down for their
answers to the fill in the blank sentences at the end of the lesson. If they
have the correct answers, they get the full two points. If they have any
mistakes, I will take off points (.5-1 point) accordingly. The rubric for
assessment is below:
Points Possible
Criteria for grading
3 points
Student has all three blanks correct.
The first two blanks can be
interchangeable (upper, lower) or
(lower, upper). The third blank is
Midwest. Student can repeat
sentences and understands what they
have written. Handwriting is neat
and legible.
2 points
Student has two blanks correct and
can understand what they have
written. Handwriting is neat.
1 point
Student has one blank correct and
does not have a clear understanding
of the material. Handwriting is not
neat.
0 points
Student has no right answer for the
fill in the blank questions. Student
handwriting is not neat or legible.
2. How were the objectives/outcomes reflected in the students
work?

VI.

Students were able to meet my objectives through questioning and

reflecting on the material. Students identified many of the things I
listed on the objectives through questions I asked at the beginning of
the lesson and throughout. Students also met the objectives through
labeling the map and answering the fill in the blank sentences at the
end.
3. Did the criteria support the learning objectives?
Yes, the criteria did support the learning objectives. The criteria is
based on what students were able to do in the lesson. If students met
the criteria listed, then they met the objectives of the lesson.
Methods of Assessment and Evaluation utilized, such as (these are suggestions):
a. How will you monitor learning using some of the examples above?
I will monitor learning through questioning. I will have review previous material
through asking questions and giving out extrinsic rewards. I will observe to see
how many students get the questions correct and which students are still
confused. I will also observe students as they label the maps and answer the
blanks (for the sentences) at the end of the lesson.
b. What did the students learn? How do you know?
Students learned about Michigan and what region it is located in. They
learned about what a region is and why geographers divide land into regions.
I know this because I will question students on this material and ask them to
fill in blanks that correspond to what they have learned. I also know this
because I monitored their responses throughout the lesson and reiterated the
material.
c. Did assessment and evaluation provide evidence of student learning (e.g.,
oral/written report, visual representations, or viewing a technology
presentation)?
Yes, the sentences at the end of the lesson serve as an exit ticket. Students are
filing in the blanks with answers that correspond to the information they learned
in the lesson. I will be able to see what they have written down and assess which
students have understood the material and which students did not get it. Students
are also visually representing what they have learned through labeling the map of
the regions and identifying where Michigan is on the map.
d. How you will give feedbackis it written, is it verbal?
I will give verbal feedback throughout the lesson. I will tell students Great
Job if they are on the right track and help students who are struggling. I will
give individual feedback (verbal) when I walk around to see what they have
written down for their answers to the fill in the blank questions. I will try to
guide students towards the right answer without giving it away.
e. How will you help students summarize what they have learned and
prepare them for the next lesson?
I will use the fill in the blank questions to summarize what they have learned
in the lesson. After I see each individuals answers, we will come together as
a class and review the correct responses and explain why they are correct.
Then, I will wrap up the lesson and explain that they will learn about other
ways that Michigan can be divided further into smaller regions (i.e.
counties).
f. Does your evaluation match your objectives?
Yes, my evaluation matches my objectives. My evaluation covers the
material that was covered previously and the new material they learned in
this lesson.

VII.

Teacher Reflectiondone AFTER teaching the lesson to help you gain insight into
your practice and help you make adjustments in your teaching.
This is completed after teaching the lesson and is meant to help you gain insight into your
practice.
a. Reread your objectives. Were your objectives supported by the
outcomes you observed?
Yes, my objectives were supported by the outcomes. Students were able to
identify what region Michigan belongs to by the end of the lesson. They were
also able to identify they type of landform Michigan is, what a peninsula is,
the great lakes, and the five regions. Students were able to understand the
directions and answer the review questions correctly. They were able to make
inferences on the names of the regions based on their locations (i.e. northeast
region is in the north and east, thus its name).
b. What do you think worked? Why?
I think the review questions at the beginning were easy to understand and
students did a great job answering them. I also think the video I used worked
really well with the lesson. Students were focused on the video and it was
easy to understand. I reviewed the classroom rules beforehand and
demonstrated appropriate behavior. I also reminded students to raise their
hand (not to shout out) and they did really well throughout the lesson. Giving
students a good job cone for answering questions correctly really motivated
students to participate in class (extrinsic motivation).
c. What did not work? Why?
I was not able to use the Promethean board because of a technical issue. I
used the ELMO device instead and it helped. I wasnt able to write directly
on the board but students were still able to see what I wrote on the ELMO.
Also, I think I should have waited to tell students about the Great Lakes
region. Some students confused that with the Midwest region on the
assessment. Both answers are correct, but I wanted to focus on the Midwest
region, so I should not have mentioned both at the same time.
d. What could you do differently to make the lesson more successful?
I could check to see if the Promethean board is working prior to the lesson
(in order to avoid any technical issues). I could also focus on a few things at
once, and then mention other aspects (like the Great Lakes region), in
another lesson. Overall, I think I did well.
e. Which student teacher standard/standards did you demonstrate during
the lesson?
I demonstrated the learner differences standard. I was able to incorporate
various activities and visuals that helped a variety of learners. The colorcoded maps and the video were helpful to students who are visual and
auditory learners. The sentences were easy to understand and students were
only required to fill in the blanks (easier for students who have issues with
their fine motor skills). I printed out definition cards for students that
included the word, definition, picture, and sentence (which helps English
Language Learners understand the word).
f. Did some things happen for which you were not prepared? How did you
react?
Yes something happened that I was not prepared for. Right before I began my
lesson, the Promethean board started acting up and refused to work. I decided
to just switch to the camera on the ELMO and I used that device to display

the maps of the regions and the sentences they needed to copy down into
their notebooks. I was very calm about it and I just moved on with the lesson.
g. Identify three things you think went well with the lesson and why.
1. Students were well behaved, focused, and participated throughout
the lesson. I believe students were this way because I reviewed the
classroom rules beforehand and I offered extrinsic rewards for
participating in classroom discussion. I also made learning fun by
incorporating a fun and educational video and encouraging
discussion.
2. Students really liked the video on the regions of the U.S. The video
is easy to understand and is geared towards elementary students.
Students are able to follow along with what the narrator is saying as
he points out various points on a map. He uses the same vocabulary
words we covered in class and explains why regions are divided they
way they are. I stopped the video in certain places to reiterate
important points I wanted students to get out of the video. Students
were able to pick up on the information and answer questions about
the video.
3. Students were able to correctly identify two ways that Michigan can
be divided into regions. I had students label the regions map and
repeat definitions after me. By labeling the regions, students were
able to see where Michigan was located on a U.S. map and point out
which region it was in. Students made inferences on the name of the
region based on direction (one student said, they called it the
Midwest because its in the middle). The video and the review
questions also helped with understanding regions and ways of
dividing the state.