Social Studies Lesson Plan: Reflection Essay Running head: SOCIAL STUDIES LESSON PLAN: REFLECTION ESSAY

Social Studies Lesson Plan: Reflection Essay Grand Canyon University SED-485 Social Studies and Standards Aug 18, 2013

Social Studies Lesson Plan: Reflection Essay Social Studies Lesson Plan: Reflection Essay The lesson plan, Ranking the Order of Importance was created using all six levels of Blooms taxonomy, reaching multiple intelligent, uses authentic literature, and will elicit higher order thinking in a diverse classroom environment. During the entire lesson I am constantly implementing formative and summative assessment to ensure that the students are not only

engaged and active participants but also learning what is being taught. Although, the activities are not question with a right or wrong answer it allows the students to put what they deem is most important using critical and logical thinking skills to them and then asks why they think that way and if others would agree. The lesson starts by using the students previous knowledge and the memory of learned materials by evoking particulars, terminology, key concepts and answers. The second level of Blooms is used throughout the lesson plan and is constantly checking the students comprehension through classroom discussions and answering questions. The students uses the third level of Blooms when solving problems, using new knowledge, to new situations by utilizing gained information, specifics, procedures and systems in a distinctive way. The lesson allows the students to investigate and disclose information into components by recognizing purposes or affects which is the fourth step in the Blooms taxonomy. The fifth level is also observed in the lesson plan because the students accumulate information collectively in another technique by uniting rudiments in a new design or suggesting optional answers. The sixth level of Blooms taxonomy is covered because the students must impart and support views by producing conclusions with reference to information, legitimacy of concepts or quality of effort established on a series of criteria. The lesson plan was written with the three types of learning styles and multiple intelligent levels in mind so that each student would and could be an active participant during the lesson. Kinesthetic learners are able to interact with the lesson plan. They not only are actively

Social Studies Lesson Plan: Reflection Essay participating through hands on activities like the vocabulary and worksheets assessments but also have the ability to move to other groups. Auditory learners are able to grasp the concept through the discussions that that are going on in the classroom and activities that utilize discussion from the teacher and students. Visual learners are able to learn through the visual cues that are offered for a greater understanding of the lesson itself because of the pictures and items used which in turn induces critical thinking skills (Learning Styles, 2013). Each activity addressed all three learning styles. I was also walking around the class so that if I did see a student that was struggling with comprehension of any activity taking place, I was able to address it. Multiple intelligent levels were all addressed and the students were able to complete the worksheets, and assessments with little or no help after being helped from me and other students. When students were divided up into groups or partners I placed them in the proper group so that it was not just friends and or equal intelligence so that everyone would participate. This technique worked well because when a student was struggling about what or how to do something the other students in the group would help and explain so that everyone knew what and how to do the activities (Gardner & Hatch, 1989). The discussion activities were also very interactive from all learning levels and created a better understanding through the use of critical thinking skills.

I have taught this lesson at Canyon Lake High School to a senior level class. The response was overwhelming and every student participated in the lesson and activities. The students were engaged and interested in the topic and gave great feedback. By using formative and summative assessments written into the lesson plan I was able to assess the knowledge gained by all the students. If there was a question then it was easy to go back and review for further understanding of the subject. The students especially liked the activities that were introduced and really interacted using critical thinking skills and logic thinking. The students especially liked the anticipatory activity because almost every students placed a value different that the other. Girls

Social Studies Lesson Plan: Reflection Essay

would place the hair dryer on the top and the boys placed the piece of meat on the top. Then they each had to explain why they placed the objects as they did. This activity went on for a lot longer than I had planned at first but I made adjustment so that it worked well. That activity let me easily transition into the next activities and show that when the students cannot agree on what is really minute in importance how can people agree what is most important when it is something of significance. It was shocking how many seniors had not ever read the Constitution let alone the Preamble to the constitution. If they had read it then they had not remembered it on understood anything of the importance. The students had never broken down the Preamble of the Constitution and were very interested in what they thought was most important and what the others in the class believed were more important. When the students shared their order another discussion began on why they put the order the way they did. While leading the discussion I walked around the class to ensure that all students were actively participating. They found it very interesting that the other students had a place the value in a different spot and then tried to argue about why they were right and the other others did the same. The students finally came to the conclusion that there is no right or wrong answer and actually each is equally important because you really cannot have one without the other. They were very curious about how their parent and other friends outside of class would answer the same question.

Reference Bloom B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Co Inc.

Social Studies Lesson Plan: Reflection Essay Chapin, J. (2007). A Practical guide to middle and secondary social studies: 2nd ed. Boston, M.A.: Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 113. (2010). Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies Subchapter C. High School. Retrieved on Aug 14, 2013, from; http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter113/ch113c.html Gardner, H., & Hatch, T. (1989). Multiple intelligences go to school: Educational implications of the theory of multiple intelligences. Educational Researcher, 18(8), 4-9. Learning Styles (2013) Retrieved on Aug 14, 2013, from; http://www.learning-styles-online.com/overview/ NCSS (2010). Retrieved on Aug 15, 2013, from; http://www.socialstudies.org/state-social_studies_standards_development Pohl, M. (2000). Learning to think, thinking to learn: Models and strategies to develop a classroom culture of thinking. Cheltenham, Vic.: Hawker Brownlow.