POWERFUL SOCIAL STUDIES LESSON PLAN OUTLINE

JMU Elementary Education Program

A. TITLE OF LESSON: Taking Over DC

B. CONTEXT OF LESSON
The reason for picking this topic is because of my class’ recent trip to Washington DC. My students were fascinated with the area
and the new things they were seeing. Since they have experienced DC and some of the landmarks personally I know they will
enjoy talking about it and can easily relate it to their own lives. I also picked to go over some landmarks because while in DC
some of my students called them by the wrong names and were getting confused. However, Harrisonburg City Schools do not
teach social studies in 5th grades so there is no real curriculum that is being followed or pervious lesson to go along with it which
makes this lesson work because it is based on need more than curriculum. The pre-assessment was not formal but based on what I
heard students talking about on the field trip. One student called the Washington Monument the Pentagon and another called the
Capital Building the White House. Although these were just two students, it gave me the general idea that they were not very
familiar with the land marks and needed the review. The choice for the lesson is appropriate because it models what the students
do on a normal day. The class is usually introduced to a topic by a video which they do a very good job at retaining the
information from the video, so that was a perfect way to start the lesson. The foldable is another activity they are very use to doing
which makes it an appropriate activity to do with the class. According to Kohlberg, students around middle school age should be
moving into the convectional morality stage of moral values development. This is the stage where students start to have an
understanding of law and order to maintain social order. So, learning about how government runs is a good stepping stone into this
stage.

C. RELATED VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING (and related NATIONAL STANDARDS)

 History:
o 1.2 The student will describe the stories of American leaders and their contributions to our country, with emphasis on
George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington Carver, and Eleanor Roosevelt.
 Civic:

o 1.11 The student will recognize the symbols and traditional practices that honor and foster patriotism in the United
States by

 a) identifying the American flag, bald eagle, Washington Monument, and Statue of Liberty;
  GOVT.7 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the organization and powers of the national government by

o a) examining the legislative, executive, and judicial branches;

o b) analyzing the relationships among the three branches in a system of checks and balances;

o c) examining the ways individuals and groups exert influence on the national government.

 C3 framework: Dimension 2

o D2.Civ.1.3-5. Distinguish the responsibilities and power of the government officials at various levels and branches of
government and in different times and places.

D. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand – Students will understand
what landmarks are (specifically the
ones in Washington DC)
Student will understand how our
government runs.
Know – Students will know what the
Lincoln Memorial, Washington
Monument, Capital Building, and
White House are.
Students will know the Executive,
Legislative, and Judicial branches
of government.
Students will know who makes up
each branch and what their main
roles are
Do – Students will match pictures of
the 4 landmarks with their
corresponding name.
Student will be able to name the
Executive, Legislative, and
Judicial Branch and the basic facts
about each branch (who is in each
branch, what building is related to
them, and what their role is in
government.) This will be
assessed by filling out a
worksheet.
E. ASSESSING LEARNING:
What will your students do or say, specifically, that indicate every student has achieved your objectives? Remember—
every objective must be assessed for every student!
Task: Diagnostic features: Support:
The landmark matching game. Students  I will be I will give support by reading the
will be given cards with a picture of one of looking for cards out loud so they all know
the four of the major landmarks we are students to match what each card says which should
talking about and the corresponding the correct name help some of the struggling readers
name. with the correct even though all of my students
picture. Ex: should be able to recognize the
matching the names of these landmarks.
picture of the Students will also be paired off so
White House to they have the support of a peer.
the words “White
House”
 I will assess
students based
on how many
they get right and
wrong in the
matching.
Because there are
only 4 if they miss
one they miss
two so I am
looking for 4 out
of 4 right to say
they have
mastered it.
However, if they
get any wrong I
 will focus on
which ones they
miss to know
what to review.

During the video students will be asked  I will be Before calling on a students I will
questions about information. looking for who give students a few seconds to
answer what think so that everyone has time to
questions and if think.
they are If no student answers, I will ask the
repeating what is students to turn to a partner and
said in the video share their ideas first before
or coming up with speaking in front of the class.
their own
answers.
 I will be
seeing if students
and answer
correctly in their
own words. Ex:
when I ask what
the job of
 congress is
students should
answer “to make
or create law”
when the video
talks about
making bills.

Students will be given a worksheet with  I will be I will be circling the class and
blanks about the three branches of assessing them seeing who needs help.
government. on if they can fill I will read it to any struggling
in the blanks reader (My ELL students are taken
correctly. Under out during this time)
legislation
student should fill
in the Capital
Building for
where congress
works and say the
judicial branch
review or checks
laws.
 I will observe
who fills in all the
blanks and who
waits for me to fill
them in as a class.
 I will also
observe what
blanks students
are leaving blank
 and are unclear
about.

F. MATERIALS NEEDED
 Computer (school has)
 Doc Camera (school has)
 Smart Board/ screen (school have)
 Color Paper (I provide)
 Scissors (school has)
 Glue (school has)
 Brain pop video (online)
 Matching game (I provide)
 All handouts (I provide)
 Pencils and markers (school has)

G. PROCEDURE
(Use this graphic organizer if it is helpful for you. If you create your own format you must include each aspect listed below, in the
column headings). NOTE: You are not required to include 4 learning events if your lesson will not include this many! The extra
events are only included for the sake of demonstration.

Introduction  I will start by asking students
(no more than 5-10 what their favorite part of the trip
minutes) was or what the coolest thing they
saw was.
 I will tell the students to keep it a
short answer so to not take too much
 Students will answer with their  No support needed
favorite part of the trip.
 About 5 students answer
 Students will take a guess at
what a landmark is.
 Students will name off a few
 times. landmarks we saw.
 Depending on the number of
students who raise their hand at first,
I will verbally say, I am only pick 5
students to share.
 I will then ask what a Landmark
is.
 I will either reword or help
students if they cannot figure out the
definition by saying “A well-known or
famous place that stands out from its
surrounding. Meant to represent
ideas, events or important people”
 I will ask what landmarks we saw
on Monday.

Event 1  I will hand each pair a matching  Students will make the matches  I will make sure the
(5 minutes) game. I will instruct students to take in with their partner. pairs are appropriate
out the cards and match the picture so that students will
with the names. work well and not
fight. It will be a table
mate who they are
sitting next to for a
reason.
Transition  I will bring the class back  Students should respond with  None needed
(:10) together by saying “Flat tire” “shhhhh”

Event 2  I will have up a slide of the White  Students should answer with  Giving the students
(8 minutes) House. what they matched the picture with. time to think and
 Ask the students what building The White House reminding the
this is?  Students should answer with students to raise
 I will give students some fun facts what they matched the picture with. their hand so no
about the white house. The Washington Monument
 o Washington Monument:  Student should answer with the students are calling
Named after George Capital Building and Lincoln out before students
Washington. Took 30 Memorial when shown the right have a chance to
years to build so he did picture. think.
not see it.
o Capital Building: different
from white house.
Where Congress meets.
o White house: President
lives here. George
Washington was only
one not to live there
o Lincoln Memorial: Made
after Lincoln died. Took
over 50 years to build.
o Ask questions instead of
just talking about it.
 The slide will change to a picture
of the Washington Monument and I
will ask students what this is a
building of.
 I will give some fun facts about
the Washington Monument.
 I will repeat the same steps with
the Capital Building and the Lincoln
Memorial.
Transition  I will tell the students to put the  Students should clean up their  None needed
(1:30) game back in the bag. desks
 I will pull up the video
Event 3  I will play the brain pop video  Students should sit and watch  Video is support for
(7 minutes)  I will pause at different spots to the video students who learn
asks students questions about  When asked questions students visually and from
what was said in the video. should answer the question based on listening.
- What are the three branches of the video
 government?  Given students time
- What is the legislative? to think before
- And what building did we say calling on students
they are in?
for answers.
- What are the two parts of
congress?  Not always calling
- What is congresses’ big job? on the same
- Who is the main person we students
usually talk about when we say
the Executive branch?
- What building in DC does he
have?
- What is his main job?
- How many terms can the
president have?
- Who is our president now?
- What is the Judicial Branch made
up of?
- What is their main responsible?

Transition  I will ask students to help pass  Students will either stay at their  None needed
(2 minutes) out supplies for the foldable desk or help pass out materials.

Event 4  I will instruct the students to cut
(10 minutes) out the monuments and glue them
on the front flap out the foldable
 I will then ask which each picture
is and have the student write the
name under the picture.
 I will give students some time to
fill out the blanks in the 3 branches
of government worksheet.
 I will then read through the 3-
branch worksheet and ask students
to call out the blanks as we reach
 Students will cut and glue  I will be making the
 Students will answer what the foldable under the
pictures are when asked. doc cam so students
 Students will write the name of can follow along
each monument under the picture as  I will have some
we talk about it.
precut for those
 Students will fill in the worksheet
best they can
students who work
 Student will call out the right slower
answers as I read through the paper
 Students will fill in any missing
blanks
 them.  Students will cut and glue.
 I will stop at each blank and fill it
in with what the answer is under the
doc cam.
 I will tell students to cut out the
rectangles and glue them on the
inside of the foldable flaps
Transition  I will tell students to clean up  Students will clean up their space  None needed.
(2 minutes) their trash and sit back down
 I will hand each table a bag with
picture of a president in it and the
rest of the handouts.
Event 5  I will tell students that they are  Students will be given time as a  There will be many
(as long as the need until to research the president they have table to research. books and the
the rest of the period) been given with the books and  Students will fill in the blanks computer for them
computer. about their person to use to research.
 I will finish giving instructions by  Students will fill in their fun facts ELL students can
saying they have to fill in the  Student will glue in the picture,
read English so do
worksheet questions and then fill in fun fact square, and fill in the blank
four fun facts about that person on
not need translated
in the foldable.
the square and glue the square, the books.
picture and fill in the blank in the  Students will be in
center of the foldable. groups that will help
them
 I will circle the class
helping and
answering
questions.
 I will have an
example book to
help students know
where to glue
everything and how

Conclusion:
(If they get their)
to put it together.
 As students finish up I will tell   Not all students will
them on the other side of the flap get their so no help
they can write about their favorite needed.
part of their DC trip

H. DIFFERENTIATION:
I am lucky to have been placed in a classroom with mostly gifted students. From observing my students, I have never noticed a huge
struggle with students to complete or grasp the lesson my CT teaches them. So, I plan my lesson to be a little more challenging to
accommodate for the majority of my students that can handle the material and make adjustments for those students who need it from there.
In my class, I have 5 ELL students that are reading on a 3 rd or 4th grade level. I also have one student with an IEP for behavior issues. This
student needs a little more time to process information and needs repeated reminders of the instructions. He also does not typically
respond when asked a direct question or speak out during class. Lucky, I have no student that will have physical or health disabilities that
will affect they during this activity.
For my one student who needs more time to process information, I will be giving plenty of time for students to talk and time to think.
This is not only for this particular student but for all my students who are quiet and not as confident with their answers. Giving this time
for all students will hopefully help students be confident in their answer and be able to bounce ideas off their other classmates. However,
for this practical student I will likely have to repeat the instructions multiple times. He tends to be much slower at cutting and gluing
things into his notebook. So for this activity I will have the materials already cut out in a bag for him so he can spend the time just gluing
and not falling behind. After we are done filling out the notes, I will give him my copy to make sure he has filled out all the blanks
correctly since he works a little slower.
There is not a lot of differentiations I will need to do for my ELL learner because they are still good readers. Most of these students are
pulled out during this time as well. The worksheet will be on an easier reading level for all students. I will also be filling in all the blanks
on the screen so students will not have to stress about spelling. This will help a few other students and not just my ELL students.

I. WHAT COULD GO WRONG WITH THIS LESSON AND WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT?
My students are typically very fast workers so the biggest thing that could go wrong is that they will go much faster than planned. The best why I
will have to deal with this is having extra activities for students to do or inform my CT that the activity may not take the full hour and ask for any
other work they will need to complete so they are not wasting their time. I plan on having students write a little about their trip if they finish early
but I know there are some people who could fly through that as well. My hope is that by making students work as a group for the last assessment
and by having to share books and one computer per table the faster students will have to slow down to work with their partners. I also am worried
that students may not answer my questions. I have already planned and worked in time for students to talk in groups about questions. This way
students should be more confident in their answers. However, if they are not, for the worksheet and questions after the video I will answer because
the information is still a little new.