EGP 335

Lesson Plan
Lesson Title: Cherokee Indians
Day Number: 5
Author: Ashley Pyle
Unit: Houghton Mifflin
Grade Level: 3rd
Background Information
Expected Duration 60 minutes
Concepts
o Cherokee Indians History/Traditions
Vocabulary
o Piedmont
o History
o Tradition
Skills
o Active listening
o Discussion
o Creative thinking
o Fine motor skills
1.1 Integration of Learning Outcomes/Objectives
Students will actively participate in discussions about the Cherokee Indians during learning.
Students will fill out a worksheet about their new knowledge of the Cherokee Indians.
Students will create a soap carving of an object of their choosing.
Students will create a piece of jewelry using beads.
Students will create a pinch pot made of clay.
1.2 Standards PA Civics, History, Economics, Geography & NCSS Themes I-X
PA Standards
History: 8.4.3.C: Compare and contrast selected world cultures.
Geography: 7.2.3.A: Identify the physical characteristics of places and regions.
NCSS
Standard 2 Geography
NCSS.2.2.d help learners to understand the physical and human
characteristics of places;
Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity
NCSS.1.4.g analyze a particular event to identify reasons individuals might respond to it
in different ways.
NCSS.1.4.h work independently and cooperatively within groups and institutions to
accomplish goals.
Standard 5: Individuals, Groups and Institutions
NCSS.1.5.b help learners analyze groups and evaluate the influences of institutions,
people, events, and cultures in both historical and contemporary settings.
1.3 Anticipatory Set

To start the teacher can say, Today we are going to be learning all about the history and traditions of a
new Indian tribe called the Cherokee Indians. The teacher will then present the PowerPoint on the
Cherokee Indians and hand out the worksheet the students will fill out during instruction.
After 15-20 minutes of instruction, the teacher will say Now that we have talked about the Cherokee
Indians history and traditions, we are going to see what its like to be a part of their tribe.
1.4 Procedures
During instruction the students will fill out their Cherokee Indian question worksheet.
Once the students have completed their worksheet, teacher will have students put their worksheet
in the classwork bin.
While students are putting their worksheets in the bin, the teacher will grab the materials off the
back table and place them where they belong. (Beads and yarn on front table, Clay and clay tools
on middle table, soap and carving tools on the back table.)
The teacher will then break students up in groups of 3. (Count off 1,2,3 1,2,3 and so on.)
The teacher will instruct all the 1s go to the front table. All of the 2s go to the middle table and
all of the 3s go to the back table.
Once students are all seated where they are supposed to be, the teacher will explain that at the
front table we will be creating our own beaded jewelry. Teacher will say you can create a
necklace or a bracelet using the yarn and any assortment of beads you would like. The teacher
will explain that at the middle we will be creating our own pinch pots. The teacher will
demonstrate how to create a pinch pot and say using the clay tools, you can draw any design you
would like on your pinch pots. We will leave them out to harden and you can take them home
with you tomorrow. The teacher will lastly explain that at the back table we will be making soap
carvings. The teacher will say you can create an object/animal you like as long as it is
appropriate. Some of the carving tools are sharp so we must be very careful with them. I will be
supervising so if you need help please ask.
Students will spend 10-12 minutes at each station. The teacher will be floating around while the
stations are taking place but will focus most of her attention on the soap carvings to make sure all
of the tools are being used safely and appropriately.
Once students finish the first station, they will rotate clockwise until they complete all the
stations.
Once all stations are complete, students will spend the last 5 minutes cleaning up any leftover
supplies and putting their crafts (except for the pinch pots) in their cubbies. The pinch pots will be
placed on the back table until they the next day when they will be hardened.
1.5 Differentiation
For Gifted Students: For gifted students, teacher will prompt them to create more complex soap
carvings and pinch pots.
For ELL Students: For Ell students, the worksheet will have hints in their native language to help
decode what it is asking. For ELL students who need even more help, the worksheet will be in
their native language and the teacher will give them individualized attention to make sure they are
on the right track during each slide.
1.6 Closure
Once the students have completed all of the stations, they will be given five minutes to help clean up the
classroom. They will collect all the leftover materials and wipe down the tables. After cleaning up is
finished, the students will be told to sit back down in their seats. The teacher will ask how did we like

being a part of the Cherokee Indian tribe for the day? Once students respond, the teacher will say Well I
think we all did a great job today and I cant wait to see how the pinch pots turn out tomorrow. Make sure
we all remember what we learned today about the Cherokee today so we can continue to learn about the
tribe tomorrow.
1.7 Formative/Summative Assessment of Students (P-12)
Formative assessment will occur throughout the lesson through teacher observation. The teacher will
observe who is participating in group conversation during instruction, who is having an easy time filling
out the worksheet and who is having a hard time figuring out the answers. The teacher will also observe
during the stations to see which students fine motor skills are where they should be and which students
need a little extra attention.
Summative assessment: The teacher will collect the worksheet the students filled out during instruction.
This worksheet will be used to complete the timeline at the end of the unit.
1.8 Materials/Equipment/Resources
A. STUDENT MATERIALS/ READING RESOURCES:

PowerPoint
Worksheet for each student
2 bags of beads (different colors and shapes)
2 rolls of yarn (white)
2lbs clay (grey sculpting clay)
Clay tools (10 6 plastic modeling tools with multicolored tips)
Newspaper for easy clean up
2 packs of Dove bar soap (16 bars per pack)
Jack Richeson Soft Wood and Linoleum Cutting Set (12 pieces in the set)

1.9 Technology
Smart board or projector will be needed to display the PowerPoint.
2.1 Reflection on Planning
This lesson is very hands-on and works a lot on the students fine motor skills and creative thinking. I
believe it will be a lot of fun for the students to put themselves in the position of Cherokee Indians for the
day.
Something that concerns me about this lesson is how ELL students will respond to the instruction part. I
feel that projecting the PowerPoint in their native language would not be scaffolding their learning very
well but I worry how they will keep up if it is in English. I feel that if the teacher or an aid is able to keep
an eye on them during instruction it should not be too big of an issue.
I really love the different stations in this lesson. I believe that the hands-on crafts will be something all
students in the class can enjoy. It gives the students the opportunity to learn in a way that isnt strictly
lecture and notes. It keeps them moving and engaged in the activity.
Content Analysis Information:
The Cherokee

Focus: Trail of Tears

Vocab Words:
Piedmont: gently rolling land at the base of the mountains. In the United States this comes between the
Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic coastal plain.
History: the study of the past. (Every single thing we learn about our country such as wars, presidents,
revolutions, etc. is all a part of our history.)
Tradition: a custom handed down from generation to generation. (Families have all different traditions.
For example every Christmas my family has a tradition of baking all different type of cookies and
desserts for two days straight.)
Living in the Southeast:
The Cherokee Indians lived in the Appalachian Mountains and valleys of the southeastern United States.
They depended on forests, rivers and rich soil to survive. They hunted, fished, gathered and farmed to get
food. They grew corn, beans, squash, pumpkins and sunflowers. The moist climate and the rich soil of the
piedmont allowed the Cherokee to grow corn twice a year.
The Cherokee built houses along rivers and streams and usually had two homes. In summer they lived in
large houses with peaked roofs while in the winter they lived in smaller houses built for warmth. In the
center of town was a building used for religious ceremonies.
In the early 1800s a Cherokee named Sequoyah invented a way to write the Cherokee language because
telling stories about their history was an important part of life for the Cherokee.

Cites:
http://native-american-indian-facts.com/Southeast-American-Indian-Facts/Cherokee-Indians-Facts.shtml

Name_______________________________________

Date_________________

CHEROKEE HISTORY AND TRADTIONS

Piedmont:

History:

Tradition:

What did the Cherokee need to survive?

What kind of food did the Cherokee grow?

How many houses did the Cherokee usually have? _________

What two languages do Cherokee today speak?

____________________________ and____________________________

How is Cherokee history/traditions similar to our history/traditions?