Lesson Plan: Geography

South Carolina standard selected (World Geography):

Standard WG-3: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics,

distribution, and migration of human populations on Earths surface.
Indicator: WG-3.3 Explain the cultural, economic, political, and environmental push and pull
factors that contribute to human migration (e.g., residents evacuating from a natural disaster like
Hurricane Katrina).
Final Project Description: Students will work in groups of 5-8 (different members from the first

unit project) to create a news segment on human migration. Students will designate news
anchors, actors, a director, camera crew, screenwriter/author, production crew, and any other
necessary roles to be filled. Some students will most likely need to double up on some of these
roles. The news show will include discussions on the reasons for migration and will use realistic
personal interviews of immigrants from different countries around the world that the groups will
make up to demonstrate the various push and pull factors that contribute of human migration.
The final news show must be 8-12 minutes in length and will be shown in front of the class. This
assignment will allow the students to be creative while maintaining accuracy and
professionalism. Individual brag sheets will be submitted when the final project is due. The
assignment will be distributed on the first day of the unit, which will be a Monday. Time will be
allotted during class the following Wednesday and Friday as well as the next week, Monday,
Tuesday, and Wednesday, to work in groups. Students are encouraged to meet outside of class as
well to complete this project. Groups will be chosen to present their news shows on Thursday
and Friday of the second week, which will wrap up this two-week unit.

Unit Title
Lesson Title
&
Instructiona
l Objective
Materials &
Media

Human Migration: Past and Present

An Introduction to Human Migration

The student should be able to understand the origins of human migration and the
reasons that the earliest humans and pre-humans moved from their homelands.

Class textbooks
Class notebooks
Index cards
Writing utensils
Tablets for class use
https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/human-journey/
http://humanorigins.si.edu/
http://www.prb.org/publications/datasheets/2013/2013-world-population-datasheet/world-map.aspx#map/world/population/2013
Computer with Internet access for teachers use

Instructiona
l Procedures

Grading

Map activity worksheets

Colored pencils and/or markers for map activity
Students will be instructed to take an index card and complete a daily
question. Daily Question: What makes people move? Have students
share their responses.
Where did it all start? I will present a map of earliest pre-human and
early human migratory routes similar to the map found at the
following link: https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/humanjourney/ . We will discuss the primary routes visible, and I will ask
questions such as: Where did it all begin? What were these earliest
humans and pre-humans attracted to about the lands that they moved
to? What made them leave their lands of origin? I will introduce
students to some of these population groups using images and
information from the following site: http://humanorigins.si.edu/ This
information will include where these populations came from,
adaptations, environmental details, and what happened to them.
I will then address any questions and pass out the migration map
activity worksheet. I will put students into pairs and have them
complete the activity sheet, which will have them use markers or
colored pencils to create migration routes of early humans based upon
the information presented to them and research that they conduct
using their tablets. After they complete the worksheet, they will
answer questions asking them to brainstorm ideas as to why the
populations moved, where they moved, what brought them to new
areas, what made them leave their lands of origin specifically? We
will share and discuss students responses as a class.
I will then show students a current world population map, such as the
map found at the following link:
http://www.prb.org/publications/datasheets/2013/2013-worldpopulation-data-sheet/world-map.aspx#map/world/population/2013
to demonstrate human proliferation since the earliest humans.
Students will create a ranked list of reasons as to why people could
move today, which will include ten items, such as: Hurricane strikes,
Lose Job, Stock Market plummets, and other events that could cause
people to move. Students will put these reasons into order from most
influential to least influential. I will then call on students to share
their lists and give a brief explanation. We will talk about
environmental, political, economic, cultural reasons that cause people
to move, which will introduce the entire unit.
To end class, I will introduce the PBL project and put students into
their groups. I will hand out the final project rubric and address any
questions at this point.
Students will be graded on their participation in todays activities and receive up
to five points for full participation. Participation will be graded using the
following system throughout this unit:

5 points for actively working through the assigned task with your group and
contributing consistently
4 points for working with your group through most of the assignment and
contributing something noticeable to the project
3-2 points for working for some of the time with your group but losing focus
or not contributing relevant information or skills to the assignment
1-0 points for losing focus and not contributing or working with the group at
all
Students will also be graded on their migratory map worksheets. For full credit,
students will provide complete responses to each of the questions and provide a
completed migratory map. Students will receive up to 10 points for this
assignment. Points will be deducted based upon a rubric that will be provided.

Lesson Plan: Government

South Carolina standard selected (Government or American History):

Standard USG-3: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the basic organization and
function of United States government on national, state, and local levels and the role of
federalism in addressing the distribution of power.
Indicator: USG-3.2 Evaluate the formal and informal structure, role, responsibilities, and
authority of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the national government as the
embodiments of constitutional principles.
Final Project Description: Students will work in groups of 5-8 (different members from the first

unit project) to create a news show telling their audience about the legislative branch and the
members of the Senate, House of Representatives, and others involved in Congress. Students will
designate news anchors, actors, a director, camera crew, screenwriter/author, production crew,
and any other necessary roles to be filled. Some students will most likely need to double up on
some of these roles. The news show will include live scenes from meetings, campaigns, and
elections, which will include explanations or narration from the anchors, anchors describing what
is going on at the scene, and/or live interviews. Personal interviews with at least three members
of the legislative bodies will be included, using current or past representatives that the students
will research. The final news show must be 8-12 minutes in length and will be shown in front of
the class. This assignment will allow the students to be creative while maintaining accuracy and
professionalism. Individual brag sheets will be submitted when the final project is due. The
assignment will be distributed on the first day of the unit, which will be a Monday. Time will be
allotted during class the following Wednesday and Friday as well as the next week, Monday,
Tuesday, and Wednesday, to work in groups. Students are encouraged to meet outside of class as
well to complete this project. Groups will be chosen to present their news shows on Thursday
and Friday of the second week, which will wrap up this two-week unit.

Unit Title
Lesson Title
&
Instructiona
l Objective
Materials &
Media

Instructiona
l Procedures

The Legislative Branch

The Senate
The student should be able to understand and explain the roles and
responsibilities of members of the Senate as well as the roles and responsibilities
of the Senate as a whole.
Materials for Compare and Contrast project
class textbooks
class notebooks
poster paper
writing materials
colored pencils, markers, Sharpies, etc.

As a warm-up, I will have students take an index card and respond to the
following questions: What is the role of the House of Representatives? What
are the qualifications for becoming a member of the House? Students will be
given five to ten minutes to complete this warm-up. I will pick up the cards,
which will be graded as a participation grade. We will discuss the students
responses to these questions to be sure they understood the information
presented in the previous lesson.
Next, students will be put into groups of three or four and be instructed to
take a sheet of poster paper and creative materials. They must each have
access to either a hard or digital copy of the class textbook for this
assignment. The groups will be tasked with Chunking the Chapter on the
Senate. This chapter will contain a plethora of great information laid out in an
organized and readable manner. Each group will be given a set of two to three
sections of the chapter to read and break down. They will record the titles of
each section and the main points on their poster paper. Each sections should
have at least two main points listed neatly on the poster paper. I will go to
each group and monitor their progress. I will be available to answer any
questions and ask questions to keep students on track. Some of these
questions could include: Does the information presented depict the Senate as
a more enlightened and responsible body than the House? Do you notice any
differences in the House and the Senate as you read and discuss this text?
What do you think the purpose of the Senate is in the legislative branch?
Once students have been given time to complete this assignment, I will have
each group come to the front of the class and present their chunks of the
chapter. Students will be graded on participation for this assignment and
presentation component. As each group presents, I will ask the other students
to record the information in their notebooks. If students have missed the main
points or are lacking important information, I will take the time to address
these aspects with each group during and after their brief presentations.
Next, I will ask for students to volunteer to answer the questions that I asked

Grading

as they worked on their chapter assignments. These questions include the

following: Does the information presented depict the Senate as a more
enlightened and responsible body than the House? Do you notice any
differences in the House and the Senate as you read and discuss this text?
What do you think the purpose of the Senate is in the legislative branch?
Students will be required to take notes on responses, ideas, discussion
regarding these questions, as this material will appear again on the test.
Once this discussion is complete, I will have students take creative materials
and individually create a compare and contrast graphic organizer that shows
similarities and differences in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
These organizers should include as much detail as possible with a minimum
of ten items for the House and ten items for the Senate and five items listed as
similarities. The students individual organizers should be creative, colorful,
organized, and neat. They should meet the requirements that will be listed on
a rubric. If time allows, students may volunteer to share some of their ideas
after completing this assignment.
Further, if we have extra time, final project groups will be allowed to meet
and work on their projects. At this point, students should have roles assigned
and some kind of scripted ideas.
Students will be graded on their participation in todays activities/discussion and
receive up to five points for full participation. Participation will be graded using
the following system throughout this unit:
5 points for actively working through the assigned task and contributing
consistently
4 points for working with your group through most of the assignment and
contributing something noticeable to the discussion
3-2 points for working for some of the time but losing focus or not
contributing relevant information or skills to the assignments and discussion
1-0 points for losing focus and not contributing or working with the group at
all
Students will also be graded on their compare and contrast graphic organizers.
For full credit, students will turn in a complete graphic organizer and meet each
requirement listed on a rubric that will be provided. The information should be
accurate, and the graphic organizers should express creativity. Students will
receive up to 10 points for this assignment. Points will be deducted based upon
the rubric that will be provided.

Lesson Plan: World Geography

Standard WG-3: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics,
distribution, and migration of human populations on Earths surface. Enduring Understanding
Social, political, and ecological issues require an understanding of the characteristics,
distribution, and movement of human population. To make complex choices and decisions about
these factors regarding the human population, the student will utilize the knowledge and skills
set forth in the following indicators:
Indicator: WG-3.3 Explain the cultural, economic, political, and environmental push and pull
factors that contribute to human migration (e.g., residents evacuating from a natural disaster like
Hurricane Katrina).
Unit Title

Human Migration

Factors of Immigration
Lesson Title
&
The student should be able to understand and explain the cultural, economic, political, and
Instructiona
environmental push and pull factors that contribute to human migration.
l Objective
Materials &
Media

Instructiona
l Procedures

Copies of the reading, which can be found at the following link:

http://www.fwd.us/antonio_story
Computer for teachers use
Internet access for news video clip
Notebooks and writing utensils

Hook: What makes people leave their homelands and move elsewhere?

Information will be conveyed for this lesson using a PowerPoint presentation that will
contain a map of human migration over the last century, as well as images and stories from
immigrants from different countries. We will discuss some general reasons that could cause
people to move from their homelands to other places. These should include economic,
cultural, political, and environmental push and pull factors contributing to immigration. The
presentation will also include a video clip that shows the turmoil happening in Syria to relate
the content to something modern that students are likely to be familiar with. We will then
pass out the reading entitled My Immigration Story by Antonio Alarcon, which is found at
the following link: http://www.fwd.us/antonio_story.
Students will read this story, then we will discuss the factors of human migration in a
modern context using the Socratic Seminar strategy.
Students will be sitting in a circle all facing one another. They will be asked to share one
emotion that they felt from the reading first to be sure everyone has read the source.

I will explain the rules of the seminar and pose our first question for discussion.
The rules are as follows:
Disrespectful discourse of any kind will not be tolerated.
Feel free to insert your opinions as long as you can explain your reasoning.
Students will not speak out of turn, and they will only speak when they are holding the
Patient Penguin. Students will toss or pass the penguin to the next student who raises his/her
hand.
I will monitor the order of hands raised and keep students on track.
I will pose questions after three to five minutes of discussion for each.
Students should contribute something meaningful to the discussion at least two times.
The questions that will be prepared for discussion are as follows:
1. What factors contributed to Alarcon moving from his homeland? Be specific.
2. How did this story make you feel? Use specific emotions when answering this question.
3. Should the US build a wall on the border of Mexico?
4. Should immigrants be deported from America? If no, why? If yes, why?
5. Should America monitor the population? If yes, how? If no, how?
6. Barack Obama announced that the U.S. government would no longer deport illegal
immigrants under the age of 30 if they were brought to this country by their parents when
they were children. How do you feel about this?
7. Should our government implement a guest worker program?
8. Should anyone and everyone be allowed to come to the land of opportunity? If yes, who
and why? If no, why not?
9. Is it a good idea to create a system to track the departures of foreigners who enter the U.S.
through airports and seaports? Why or why not?
10. Do you think that immigrants raise the overall standard of living of American workers by
boosting wage and lowering prices? Why or why not?
When the discussion ends, students will be instructed to write a journal entry from the
perspective of an immigrant from the country of your choice. Why do you wish to come to
America? What is difficult about the journey? What is it about your country that makes you
want to leave?
If time allows, I will have volunteers share their responses.

Grading

Students will be graded on participation in the Socratic Seminar. Full credit will be
awarded for speaking and contributing something meaningful at least two times. Points
will be deducted if students do not contribute at least two times. 5 points will be awarded
for full participation.
Students will also be graded on their journal entries. 5 points will be awarded for
completing the assignment.