Web viewWe have not evaluated any of the students to determine their preferred learning style in our classroom. My CT and I have discussed the intelligences but this is a low

UWB TPA Lesson Plan for Social StudiesName: Deb Caldwell Subject: Social Studies/Phantom TollboothGrade Level: Grade 4 (Gifted) Lesson Model:

Direct Inquiry ConceptLesson Title: The Electoral Colleges role in Presidential Elections

Date: December 1, 2011Duration: 4 -45 minutes sessions

Context4th Grade Gifted & TalentedThis is a fourth grade gifted and talented program. The population contains 31 students consisting of 18 boys and 13 girls. Seven of the students are new to the school and School District.Gender Number of Students Percent of TotalBoys 18 58%Girls 13 42%Total 31

MSP Scores for classroom population The students MSP scores at the completion of the 2010-2011 school year (third grade) found the majority of the students to have exceeded their level for both Reading and Mathematics.MSP Math Math % Reading Reading %Exceeded Level 27 86 28 90%Met Level 4 14 2 7%Below Level 0 1 3%

Subjects A survey of the students collected data regarding subjects they enjoy, those that the worry most about and those they find the most challenging.Subject WA

HistoryWriting Reading Science Math Art Nothing Homework Group

WorkComputers

Look forward to learning

6 1 0 9 13 2 0 0 0 0

Worried about learning

3 3 0 4 10 0 5 1 2 1

Hardest subject

2 12 2 3 10 0 1 0 0 0

Themes of Interest to the students Writing and writing

techniques Animals and birds Art

Space and Astronomy

Greek Mythology Culture

Engineering History

Ways of LearningWe have not evaluated any of the students to determine their preferred learning style in our classroom. My CT and I have discussed the intelligences but this is a low priority for my CT while she tries to build community. Looking at the data collected for each of the students, as well as my personal observations, I can make some assumptions. The majority of the class seem to prefer the Logical/Mathematical and interpersonal ways of learning. They are a very social group. A very small percentage prefers Verbal/Linguistic and Intrapersonal. It will be most helpful to find out each students preferred method so accommodations and considerations can be made when designing curriculum.

Equity PedagogyAs a teacher, “Self-understanding and knowledge of the histories, modal characteristics, and intragroup differences of ethnic groups are important competencies required for teachers to implement equity pedagogy. They provide a foundation for teachers to identify, create, and implement teaching strategies that enhance the academic achievement of students from both gender groups and from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural groups. Equity pedagogy is not embodied in specific strategies. It is a process that locates the student at the center of schooling. When effectively implemented, equity pedagogy enriches the lives of both teachers and students and enables them to envision and to help create a more humane and caring society.”

We do not currently have the actual ethnic diversity of our classroom though we have a diverse population of students. We do know the English language is not the primary language for all our students. We are just beginning to assess some of these students literacy, especially those who were just at or below standard. We are currently working with the school resource educator to have these children appropriately assessed so we can begin to help them improve their literacy skills for fluency and comprehension.

Areas Where Students May Struggle1. When analyzing information, students with little experience or practice with this higher-

order skill may find the process challenging.a. Pre-teach skill lessons on strategizes used for analyzing data

2. Unless students have experience or practice in analyzing primary documents, they may find this process challenging, as answers are not always evident. Students must gather evidence, make assumptions, and reach conclusions.

a. Pre-teach skill lesson on strategies used for an inquiry process: analyzing data, collecting evidence, synthesizing data, and reaching conclusions

3. Students are required to read and summarize information. Struggling readers and ELL students may be challenged by this requirement.

a. Minimize reading material, locate and present the same information at a lower reading level, assign helpful student partners, explain information and scaffold students with oral directions, provide tape-recorded information, and/or allow students to study the reading material at home before the lesson.

Differentiating Instruction

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Reading: Consider accommodating special need students when creating the reading list. Try to create a subset of the main reading list that will still provide these students with an understanding of the time period.

Grouping: Grouping could provide a venue for accommodation by pairing stronger students with special needs students for reading, analyzing documents, discussion assumptions, and drawing conclusions.

Comprehension: Might try orally explaining the background information and instructions to special needs students, or students could take the information home to read/study a day or two before the lesson is taught.

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Content Big Idea and Learning TargetsSubject: Social Studies, Grade 4 (Gifted)This lesson will be taught to 4th grade challenge students as part of the thematic, interdisciplinary unit using Phantom Tollbooth.Washington State Standards: Science: 4th and 5th GradeThe student understands and applies knowledge of government, law, politics, and the nation’s fundamental documents to make decisions about local, national, and international issues and to demonstrate thoughtful, participatory citizenship.EALR 1.0: CivicsBig Idea: 1.4 Understand civic involvementCore Content: 1.4.1 Understands that civic participation involves being informed about public issues and voting in electionsDescription of Standard for Grade 4-5In fourth grade, students use their understanding of social studies concepts and skills toexplore Washington State in the past and present. Students learn about the state’s uniquegeography and key eras in early Washington State history, particularly the treaty-makingperiod. They use this historical perspective to help them make sense of the state’s geography, economy, and government today. The cognitive demand of many GLEs begins to include analysis and asks students to look at issues and events from multiple perspectives.Essential Understandings: (Content/ Big Idea)

Democratic governments must balance the rights of individuals with the common good.

Essential Questions: (Objectives/Learning Targets)

How does the United States balance the rights of individuals with the common good?

Who should decide?Students will know

Understand what the Electoral College is

Understand importance of swing states Understand importance of battleground

states Why it is important to participate in

government Understand what campaign issues are Understand different perspectives of

citizens

Content Standards (What student’ will be able to do & demonstrate)

Forecast the electoral vote count for the presidential election.

Describe campaign issues, the Electoral College, the role of swing states, and the importance of political participation.

Label a US map with all of the electoral votes.

Color each state the appropriate color for their party affiliation.

Label swing states with their prediction. Tally the electoral votes for each state.

Materials Computers with Internet access or printouts of chart listing electoral votes per state

(optional) U.S. outline map

Online Resources USA Outline Maps (Houghton Mifflin)

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Xpeditions Atlas (National Geographic) Outline Maps of the United States (NationalAtlas.gov) Electoral College Data Historical Election Results 2008 Presidential Election Interactive Electoral Map Electoral College Calculator Lesson Plan – Electing a President Instructional Elections Guide for Elementary 1

Off-line resources Paper maps of United States

Academic Language Vote Election Map Electoral College color key citizenship Battleground state Swing State Primary Caucus Convention Popular vote Political Party Republican Democrat

Differentiating Instruction Reading: Consider accommodating special need students when creating the reading and

vocabulary list. Try to create a subset of the main reading list that will still provide these students with an understanding of the lesson.

Grouping: Grouping could provide a venue for accommodation by pairing stronger students with special needs students for reading, analyzing documents, discussion assumptions, and drawing conclusions.

Comprehension: Might try orally explaining the background information and instructions to special needs students, or students could take the information home to read/study a day or two before the lesson is taught.

1 Lesson Plan used for instruction from” http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/election/president.html

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Assessment of Student LearningFormative: As students work in small groups, the teacher will be circulating specifically listening and watching for the assessment criteria below. This will allow the teacher to adjust, modify, and clarify student understandings. During this phase, the teacher will be specifically doing the following:

Teacher will be monitoring students’ knowledge and ability to correctly use their new civic and political academic language by listening as they work in groups.

Teacher will be monitoring students’ knowledge and ability discuss and gather facts for describing past electoral results.

During my lessons formative assessment is embedded to gauge if students are/are not learning my intended lesson. Think-pair-share, small group, and large group are included to allow students to develop positive peer interactions, socially construct knowledge and learn different ways or perspectives about ways of knowing. When students verbally share as a teacher I am monitoring students discussions, work activities, and inquiring about their thinking.

When students are listening to my direct instruction, however, often prior to their ‘doing’ hands-on activities I gauge student understanding in several ways. It can be a mixture of ‘thumbs up’ for it is clear ‘thumbs down’ for not clear, or ‘hand flat with a rocking motion’ sort of get it but not confident. Other times I may elicit several students ideas/comments or alternative ways of thinking, to measure if they are thinking about what I am instructing.

Exit and/or entry tickets are also another method of gathering student feedback. What do they now before I teach a lesson, did they leave the classroom with what I hope they had from the lesson. I don’t choose to grade these because I believe they are an additional instructional tool for my reflection on my teaching and how to modify for the next lesson.Summative: What is the eventual summative assessment

The teacher will be looking at the following and specifically looking for:

Table Clearly compares the swing states on the following: electoral votes, pertinent issues, key

groups, voting history, and demographic breakdown. Contains a column indicating which way you think the state will vote. A paragraph is included for each swing state explaining your decision Graphic organizer is neat and easy to read. Graphic organizer columns are labeled as follows: electoral votes, pertinent issues, key

groups, voting history, demographic breakdown, and decision. Final document has been edited for correct spelling, grammar, capitalization, and use of

punctuation.

Electoral Map Each of the fifty states is labeled in its correct location. All electoral votes are correctly labeled. States are colored the appropriate color for their party affiliation.

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Swing states are colored according to your decision. Electoral votes are tallied and listed for each party. An appropriate legend is included. The title indicates the content of the map. The title is clearly distinguishable using 16 font and underlining. The map is neatly drawn. Lines are drawn with a ruler. Final document has been edited for correct spelling, grammar, capitalization, and use of

punctuation.

Performance Task: (Looking at …)By entering the Phantom Tollbooth, Milo and his friends had the opportunity to visit many distinct lands.

Along with diverse terrains, our country’s makeup of fifty states varies in opinions, wants, and needs. Therefore key campaign issues and the different perspectives of the citizens of the fifty states will vary enormously. It is important to understand the Electoral College and the importance of swing/battleground states.

You will take on the role of a political analyst, forecasting the electoral vote count for the presidential election. You will need to learn about campaign issues, the Electoral College, the role of swing states, and the importance of political participation. For each swing state:

You are to create a table addressing the following: number of electoral votes, the state’s pertinent issues, key groups, voting history, and demographic breakdown. Visit the website, http://www.270towin.com/states/

Decide whether the swing state will be carried by the Democrats or Republicans, and give a brief explanation for your reasoning.

Using a map of the US, label all of the electoral votes. Color the state the appropriate color for their party affiliation.

o Label your swing states with your prediction.o Tally the electoral votes for each state.

Title the map with your prediction: Republican Candidate _____votes Democratic Candidate= _____ votes. After the election compare your predictions to actual votes.

Your swing state table, prediction decision, and map will need to meet all the criteria on the rubrics your teacher will give you.Other EvidenceAccommodations/Modifications: So all students can show progress toward learning targets

For the two students that are challenged by the English language, yet do not qualify for ELL, they will be provided with instructional support. For any reading and writing, they will receive one-on-one assistance from myself or my master teacher. When appropriate, we will substitute different vocabulary words and/or readings with the same overarching goals yet at an appropriate level for their reading/writing. When writing they will receive extra time to

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complete their written assignments and have one-on-one assistance during class sessions. When having group discussions and/or activities, the students will be placed with stronger skilled students to allow them group work without them losing the context of what is being taught. If doing any jigsaw activities, consider what is being jig sawed to ensure they are successful with this activity.Student Voice:Student self-assessment

Piaget, Vgotsky, and Dewey all teach us that students learn best through meaningful experiences and when these experiences are shared, knowledge is socially constructed providing for higher level learning that as an individual.

As teachers, it is easy to fall into a routine of delivering content, testing on what you want the students to know and fail to ask what the students believe they learned. As teachers, failing to ask questions of our students fails to provide us invaluable information about our own teaching. Did the students learn what we had hoped they would learn? What questions do they still wonder about? What did they enjoy about the lesson, and what was challenging and/or frustrating? If they were to design the lesson, what may they have done differently and why?These types of questions help us reflect on our own teaching and ways of delivering our lessons to each of our students. We must also remember, however, that these big questions do not necessarily happen with very lesson but should definitely occur for those large learning goals. With the above in mind, for this unit plan, I envision asking these questions at the end of each lesson after student presentations of their projects.

A curriculum of identify asks students to reflect on their skills and interests as they relate to the discipline being studied. Since learning requires experiences in order to have a base to build upon, knowing what value they place on what was learned tells me something about the base they have developed with my instruction. (See Appendix D)

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Instruction and Engagement to Support Student Learning

Introduction Tell Students what you want them to be able to doBy entering the Phantom Tollbooth, Milo and his friends had the opportunity to visit many distinct lands. Along with diverse terrains, our country’s makeup of fifty states varies in opinions, wants, and needs. Therefore key campaign issues and the different perspectives of the citizens of the fifty states will vary enormously. It is important to understand the Electoral College and the importance of swing/battleground states. You will take on the role of a political analyst, forecasting the electoral vote count for the

presidential election. You will need to learn about campaign issues, the Electoral College, the role of swing states, and the importance of political participation. For each swing state:

You are to create a table addressing the following: number of electoral votes, the state’s pertinent issues, key groups, voting history, and demographic breakdown. Visit the website, http://www.270towin.com/states/

Decide whether the swing state will be carried by the Democrats or Republicans, and give a brief explanation for your reasoning.

Using a map of the US, label all of the electoral votes. Color the state the appropriate color for their party affiliation.

o Label your swing states with your prediction. o Tally the electoral votes for each state.

Title the map with your prediction: Republican Candidate _____votes Democratic Candidate= _____ votes. After the election compare your predictions to actual votes.

Your swing state table, prediction decision, and map will need to meet all the criteria on the rubrics your teacher will give you.Tell Students how you will know they got thereTable

Clearly compares the swing states on the following: electoral votes, pertinent issues, key groups, voting history, and demographic breakdown.

Contains a column indicating which way you think the state will vote. A paragraph is included for each swing state explaining your decision Graphic organizer is neat and easy to read. Graphic organizer columns are labeled as follows: electoral votes, pertinent issues, key

groups, voting history, demographic breakdown, and decision. Final document has been edited for correct spelling, grammar, capitalization, and use of

punctuation.

Electoral Map Each of the fifty states is labeled in its correct location.

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All electoral votes are correctly labeled. States are colored the appropriate color for their party affiliation. Swing states are colored according to your decision. Electoral votes are tallied and listed for each party. An appropriate legend is included. The title indicates the content of the map. The title is clearly distinguishable using 16 font and underlining. The map is neatly drawn. Lines are drawn with a ruler. Final document has been edited for correct spelling, grammar, capitalization, and use of

punctuation.Tells Students how you will help get them thereAt the end of this lesson students will be able to analyze vote counts from each state to determine which candidate got the most popular votes in each state. Correctly color and label an electoral map of the United States as follows:

All electoral votes are correctly labeled. States are colored the appropriate color for their party affiliation. Swing states are colored according to your decision. Electoral votes are tallied and listed for each party. An appropriate legend is included.

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Direct Instruction

Overview2

Predicting the electoral vote count for the presidential electionObjectivesStudents will be able to:

Students analyze vote counts from each state to determine which candidate got the most popular votes in each state.

Create electoral map with a color key to show the popular vote results. Use the electoral map and a chart to determine how many electoral votes each candidate

received.

Materials

Computers with Internet access or printouts of chart listing electoral votes per state (optional)

U.S. outline map

Online Resources USA Outline Maps (Houghton Mifflin) Xpeditions Atlas (National Geographic) Outline Maps of the United States (NationalAtlas.gov) Electoral College Data Historical Election Results 2008 Presidential Election Interactive Electoral Map Electoral College Calculator Lesson Plan – Electing a President Instructional Elections Guide for Elementary 3

Off-line resources Paper maps of United States

2 Lesson Plan for electoral college from: http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/00-2/lp2088.shtml

3 Lesson Plan used for instruction from” http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/election/president.html

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InstructionTeacher Does Student Does

Phase 1: IntroductionTeacher tells students that by entering the Phantom Tollbooth, Milo and his friends had the opportunity to visit many distinct lands.

Teacher tells students that along with the Unites States diverse terrains, our country’s makeup of fifty states varies in opinions, wants, and needs.

Tells students key campaign issues and the different perspectives of the citizens of the fifty states vary enormously.

Tells students it is important to understand the Electoral College and the importance of swing/battleground states.

Tells students they will take on the role of a political analyst, forecasting the electoral vote count for the presidential election.

Tells students they will be learning about campaign issues, the Electoral College, the role of swing states, and the importance of political participation.

Students listen

Phase 2: Demonstration, modeling, passing of information (I do it)

Teacher opens and displays the website: “Ben’s Guide to US Government for kids: http://bensguide.gpo.gov/index.html

Teacher tells students to take out their social studies journals.

Teacher demonstrates selecting 3-5 grade link on the Ben’s Guide. System displays topics on screen.

Teacher demonstrates selecting Election Process on 3-5 subject menu

Students place social studies journal and pencil on their desks.

Students write step to open 3-5 grade level link.

Students write step to open election process link

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Teacher demonstrates selecting President & Vice President Link

Teacher distributes the handout for explaining the process of electing a president. Tells them they will tape the handouts in their journals at the end of the lesson.

Teacher explains vocabulary to students: Vote Election Map Electoral College color key citizenship Battleground state Swing State Primary Caucus Convention Popular vote Political Party Republican Democrate

Teacher reads aloud the handout, stopping to explain terms as she reads.

Teacher demonstrates how to open the interactive electoral map: http://www.270towin.com/

Teacher demonstrates how to identify the following on the map selecting 1988.

Electoral votes Colors for party affiliation and w How to identify swing/battleground

states The electoral votes for each party. How to read the legend

Students write notes for selecting President and Vice President Link

Students listen

Students write down vocabulary words in social studies journal, the definitions provided by the teacher, and write one sentence using the word.

Students take notes on handout

Students write notes for accessing the interactive electoral map

Students take notes for working with the interactive electoral map.

Phase3: Guided Practice (We do it)

Teacher then guides students and together they identify for the 1992 presidential election: electoral votes, party affiliations, swing/battleground states, electoral votes for

Students, listen, question, take notes.

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each party and interpret the legend.Phase 4: Monitoring, providing feedback (They do it)

Teacher has students count off in sets of 4.

Teacher tells students they will now get a laptop out of the tech tools cart for working as a group.

Teacher tells students to logon to their computers

Teacher tells students they will not go to the electoral college interactive map at: http://www.270towin.com/

Teacher tells students to explore the 2008 campaign results. As they do talk about what they see and share questions, concerns, opinions.

As students work, teacher observes and monitors the discussions. The teacher is answering question, noting whether students are on task, and asking them to share their ideas and strategies. The teacher is also looking to see if the activity is intriguing, boring, and/or if students need further instruction and clarification allowing the teacher to plan, assist and/or adjust the lesson as necessary.

At the end of 15 minutes, the teacher calls the class back together.

Students count off

Students checkout laptop for each group and return to their group tables.

Students logon using appropriate security

Students open browser and surf to http://www.270towin.com/

Students begin exploring the 2008 results in their small groups for 15 minutes.

Students are prepared for large group directions.

Phase 5: Students work independently

Teacher tells students they will each create an electoral map, and graphic organizer (table) for the 2012 presidential elections. Students will need to make predictions.

Teacher distributes the two rubrics for this assignment found at the end of this document.

Teacher reviews the rubrics with the students

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and answers any questions.Conclusion

Teacher posts all maps in the classroom. Some of the students share their predictions and maps with the class.

AssessmentThe teacher will be looking at each students table and electoral map, looking for the following:Table

Clearly compares the swing states on the following: electoral votes, pertinent issues, key groups, voting history, and demographic breakdown.

Contains a column indicating which way you think the state will vote. A paragraph is included for each swing state explaining your decision Graphic organizer is neat and easy to read. Graphic organizer columns are labeled as follows: electoral votes, pertinent issues, key

groups, voting history, demographic breakdown, and decision. Final document has been edited for correct spelling, grammar, capitalization, and use of

punctuation.

Electoral Map Each of the fifty states is labeled in its correct location. All electoral votes are correctly labeled. States are colored the appropriate color for their party affiliation. Swing states are colored according to your decision. Electoral votes are tallied and listed for each party. An appropriate legend is included. The title indicates the content of the map. The title is clearly distinguishable using 16 font and underlining. The map is neatly drawn. Lines are drawn with a ruler. Final document has been edited for correct spelling, grammar, capitalization, and use of

punctuation.

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Appendices

Appendix A: Handouts and WorksheetsElection of the PresidentThe process of electing a President was set up in the United States Constitution. The Constitution requires a candidate for the presidency to be:

At least 35 years old A natural born citizen of the United States A resident of the United States for 14 years

So how does one become President of the United States? The following steps outline the general process for presidential elections.

Step I: Primaries and CaucusesThere are many people who would like to become President. Each of these people have their own ideas about how our government should work. Some of these people can belong to the same political party. That's where primaries and caucuses come in.

In these elections, party members get to vote for the candidate that will represent their party in the upcoming general election.

Step 2: National ConventionsAt the end of the primaries and caucuses, each party holds a national convention to finalize the selection of one Presidential nominee. During this time, each Presidential candidate chooses a running-mate (or Vice-Presidential candidate).

Step 3: The General (or Popular) ElectionNow that each party is represented by one candidate, the general election process begins. Candidates campaign throughout the country in an attempt to win the support of voters. Finally in November, the people vote for one candidate.

When a person casts a vote in the general election, they are not voting directly for an individual Presidential candidate. Instead, voters in each state actually cast their vote for a group of people, known as electors. These electors are part of the Electoral College and are supposed to vote for their state’s preferred candidate.

Step 4: The Electoral CollegeIn the Electoral College system, each state gets a certain number of electors, based on each state's total number of representation in Congress. Each elector gets one electoral vote. For example, a large state like California gets 54 electoral votes, while Rhode Island gets only four. All together, there are 538 Electoral votes.

In December (following the general election), the electors cast their votes. When the votes are counted on January 6th, the Presidential candidate that gets more than half (270) wins the election. The President-elect and Vice President-elect take the oath of office and are inaugurated two weeks later, on January 20th.

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Appendix B: Rubric (s)For The Phantom Tollbooth Project:

TablePossiblePoints

Criteria

PointsEarned

20

Table clearly compares the swing states on the following: electoralvotes, pertinent issues, key groups, voting history, and demographic breakdown.

5Table contains a column indicating which way you think the state willvote.

10

A paragraph for each swing state explaining your decision is included.

5 Graphic organizer is neat and easy to read.

5Its columns are labeled as follows: electoral votes, pertinent issues,key groups, voting history, demographic breakdown, and decision.

5Final document has been edited for correct spelling, grammar,capitalization, and use of punctuation.

Total Total

50 Teacher Comments:

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For The Phantom Tollbooth Project: Electoral College Map

PossiblePoints

Criteria

PointsEarned

10

Each of the fifty states is labeled in its correct location.

10

All electoral votes are correctly labeled.

10

States are colored the appropriate color for their party affiliation.

10

Swing states are colored according to your decision.

10

Electoral votes are tallied and listed for each party.

5 An appropriate legend is included.

5 The title indicates the content of the map.

5 The title is clearly distinguishable using 16 font and underlining.

5 The map is neatly drawn. Lines are drawn with a ruler.

5Final document has been edited for correct spelling, grammar, capitalization, and use of punctuation.

Total Total

75 Teacher Comments:

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