Direct Instruction Presentation w/ Adv Organizer Concept Attnment Cooperative Learning Inquiry Teaching

Concept Attainment Lesson Plan (10 pts)

Lesson Background:
Your Name: Katie Ruga
Grade Level: 4th Grade
Subject: Social Studies
Lesson Title: Desert

Content Standards:

Standard SS.3-5.G.1 Understand the use of geographic tools to locate and analyze information about people,
places, environments.

Standard: SS.3-5.G.2 Understand how geographic and human characteristics create culture and define
regions.

Materials Needed:
20 cards with the yes and no words on them.
Graphic organizer worksheet for each student
Paper, pens, color pencils

Prerequisite Skills:
Students must be able to draw, write, and label

Lesson Objective:
After this lesson students will write 3 facts about a desert and draw and label at least one animal and one
plant that are found in the desert with 100% accuracy.

Concept Label: Desert Climate.

Critical Attributes: [yes] Non-critical Attributes [no]

sand, hot, cold, lizards, snakes, elephants, rain, monkeys, leaves, canopy, forest,
wind, sandstorm, dry, cactus, farming, cities, wetlands, whale, ice
nomads, camels

Definition of Concept: A barren or desolate area especially a dry, often sandy region of little rainfall, extreme
temperatures, and sparse vegetation.

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Interaction with Students:

1. Provide examples and non-examples to the class: (Distinguish yes/no attributes) Time 10 min

The examples of the desert climate are the yes part which will be up on the screen. The non examples will
be in the no section.
 Yes No

Sand Rain

Hot Monkeys

Cold Leaves

Lizards Canopy

Snakes Forests

Elephants Rainstorms

Wind Farming

Sandstorm Cities

Dry Wetlands

Cactus Whales

2. Test for attainment: (Do the students understand the concept?) Time: 2-3 min
Ask students, Do you think you know the concept?

I would actually ask the students: What questions do you have for me about this?
I would then lead the discussion about the desert and questions they may have.

3. Analyze student thinking processes and integration of learning: Time: 5 min

(Are they able to provide additional examples and non-examples?)

Students, in your notebooks please write down at least 3 to 5 more examples of examples of a desert climate
and non-examples of a desert climate. I would give the students about 3 minutes to do this and then have
them share with their elbow partner. Once this is done, I would bring the class back together and add what
they came up with to our list.

4. Clarify lesson objectives: (What are students going to DO with these?) Time: 40 min
You did a great job of coming up with desert words and words that do not belong with desert words! What
has this made you wonder about deserts?
*We will spend a few minutes allowing students to express what questions they now have about deserts.
Each of you will need a graphic organizer and a pencil. We are going to watch a movie about deserts and
you will need to record facts on your paper. You will need to write at least three facts about deserts and draw
and label at least one plant and one animal. There will be one square left that you can record bonus
information in. Bonus information can be anything that you thought was interesting or that you would like to
learn more about. After the movie is over, you will have time to color your pictures if you want to, but during
the movie, I want you to focus on listening for information. Are there any questions?
*We will then watch the section of the Planet Earth Documentary titled Desert.
5. Procedures for Using the Concept in a meaningful way?
Students will be learning about the desert during this lesson.
The Concept sort will help to activate students background knowledge and heighten their interest in this
lesson.
They will view the Desert section of the Planet Earth DVD and fill out a graphic organizer.
6. Assessment / Closure (How do you evaluate student progress or provide closure for this lesson?) Include
rubric, checklist, and assessment documents. Time: 3-5
At the end of the movie, students will continue to complete their graphic organizers and hand them in as they
leave the room. These graphic organizers will be evaluated based on the rubric.

7. DIFFERENTIATION of Content, Process or Product:

a. Adaptation for students who need extra help, time, or attention? The students who may need some
extra help will have cut outs of the words on their desk so they can actually sort themselves without needing
to keep up with the class.
b. Extension for students of high ability? (Remember, assigning gifted students to be the tutor for others is
not sufficient academic challenging for students who have mastered the lesson).
High ability students can take this assignment a step further and add more details or draw a picture of the
desert habitat with labels rather than use the graphic organizer.

TOTAL LESSON TIME: 60 min

8. References Consulted (Curriculum books in Drake SOE curriculum lab, previous teachers as resources,
online websites, your past experiences, or your own initiatives, etc):

All lesson ideas including rubric and graphic organizer are from Katie Ruga and Shelley Draur
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9IzbytEnfE BBC Planet Earth series, this is the Desert Episode

Rubric

Category 4 3 2 1

Illustration of Illustrations are Illustrations are Illustrations are Illustrations are not
Desert Plant neat, accurate, and neat, accurate, and neat, accurate, not accurate or missing
labeled. labeled. labeled. entirely and not
labeled.

Facts 3 Facts are 2 Facts are 1 Fact is recorded. No facts are

recorded and recorded legibly recorded.
organized in an and are somewhat
extremely neat and organized.
orderly fashion.

Illustration of Illustration is neat, Illustration is neat, Illustration is neat, Illustration is not

Desert Animal accurate, and accurate, and accurate, but not accurate or is
labeled. labeled. labeled. missing entirely
and not labeled.

Desert Animal
Name:___________________________________

Fact 1-
Fact 2-

Fact 3-

Desert Plant Bonus