Final Project 5 Day Lesson Plan:
Exploring the New World
Judith Collazo
EDCI 519-001
George Mason University
Fall 2007
November 27, 2007
ESOL Unit Lesson Plan
Exploring the New World
OVERVIEW:
Teacher: Judith Collazo
School: (Any) VA Elementary School Grade(s): 4-5
Proficiency Level(s): Levels 1-5 Program Model: ESL Push-in or Sheltered
Immersion Class
Demographics: 25% ELP 1-3 and 25% ELP 4-5, taken from 4th grade demographics of my field observation school (Rose Hill Elementary). Approximately 50 % of the school population is L1 Spanish speakers.
Unit Duration: 5 consecutive class sessions
Class Period Time: 45-60 minutesNumber of Students: 20+
- CONTENT AREAS: English language – oral presentations, intercommunication skills, intrapersonal journal writing, Social Studies – American History, Explorers, Pilgrims, Native Americans; Math - problem-solving skills, and two-place multiplication.
UNIT DESCRIPTION:
This unit was designed for an ESL push-in, Gen. Ed. Class with many ESLs or a sheltered immersion program model for elementary school ELL students, Levels 1 – 5; however, it would also work well for a general education 4th or 5th classroom with a culturally and linguistically diverse student population.
These lessons are part of a Thematic Unit/Study about the Explorers and Native Virginian Americans. Lessons 1-5 are scaffolded starting at Grade 3 SOLs and progress to Grade 4 by Day 3 of the lesson plans. I wanted to make the connections with Columbus Day (Explorers), Thanksgiving (Pilgrims), and the focus of the unit, Virginian Native American tribes. It will all be connected on Days 3-5.
History and language are connected to real life unit through journals, higher-order skills such as reflection, summarization, and synthesizing and diverse perspectives. The four skills of writing, speaking, listening and reading are integrated into content lessons. This plan accommodates the nine intelligences, various learning styles, and English proficiency levels. By differentiating instruction and scaffolding, teachers ensure all English language learners (ELL) and mainstream students succeed academically and linguistically!
Day One Lesson Plan – Expeditions: Are they Rewards worth the Risks?
Teacher: Judith Collazo School: Elementary
Grade(s) 4 Proficiency Levels(s) ELP1-5 Program Model: Push-In or Sheltered English immersion class with a class of 25% ELP 1-3 and 25% ELP 4-5, taken from 4th grade demographics of my field observation school (Rose Hill Elementary)
Content: Social Studies
PLANNING PHASE
Performance Objectives
1. Students will discuss risks vs. rewards
2. Students will graphically organize an expedition as a class and in
cooperative groups.
3. Students will be introduced to the definition of an expedition.
Content: The purpose of this activity is to prepare students for the Explorers Simulation in the following lesson. Students will learn through their own interests and begin organizing their thoughts in a group. Organizational skills are imperative for children preparing for real life.
Lesson Outline:
Content: ______
National/State/Local Standards:
*SOL 3.3 -The student will study the exploration of the Americas by
a) describing the accomplishments of Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de Léon,
Jacques Cartier, and Christopher Newport (previous lessons);
b) identifying reasons for exploring, the information gained, and the results from the
travels.
*This is a precursor lesson as part of a Thematic Unit/Study about the Explorers and Native Virginian Americans. Lessons 1-5 are scaffolded starting at Grade 3 SOLs and progress to Grade 4 by Day 4 of the lesson plans. I wanted to make the connections with Columbus Day (Explorers), Thanksgiving (Pilgrims), and the focus of the unit, Virginian Native American tribes. It will all be connected on Days 4-5.
TEACHING PHASE
(1) Preparation
Warm-up Activity: *Set students in cooperative groups of 3.
ATTENTION GETTER - Play 2 minute video of my skydiving experience.
Write RISK vs. Reward in two columns on the board.
Ask questions: What is the risk in skydiving? What do you think the reward is? (write answers in columns)
How many of you would take the risks______for the rewards______?
What are the risks to studying, playing sports, etc. and what are the rewards (Relate to students’ personal experiences and backgrounds).
Transition: Everyone has to balance the risks and rewards for all the challenges in their lives. On overhead projector put graphic organizer of “My Expedition” on the board/overhead projector. Expedition: A journey undertaken by an organized group of people with a set objective/goal. Go over vocabulary, journey/expedition, supplies, funding, organized and objectives and use skydiving as example. Now we are going to think about the risks and rewards that an explorer might face when going on an expedition. Fill-in the graphic organizer (column for supplies and people, funding/money, places to go) for my skydiving trip. Pass out large poster board size sheets of paper and have the students fold in thirds. As a group they will decide on an expedition. They will fill in the supplies, places to go and funding they will need. They should think about the goal of the expedition and use that to title their expedition poster.
Language Goals: How is instruction scaffolded and differentiated for a multi-level ELLs?
TESOL GOALS:
Goal 1 – To use English to communicate in social settings.
Goal 3 –To use English to achieve academically in all content areas.
- Standard 1 – English language learners communicate for social, intercultural and instructional purposes within a school setting.
Goal 2 – To use English in socially and culturally appropriate ways.
- Standard 5 – English Language Learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the area of Social Studies (Grades 4-5, Explorers, Colonization, Cross-Cultural Experiences).
(2) Presentation
Summary of Lesson -
Pass out large poster board size sheets of paper and have students fold into thirds
Meanwhile explain that each group is going to plan an expedition. “As a group I want you to decide on an expedition. You will fill in the supplies, places to go, supplies/people, and funding you will need. Title your expedition. Decorate your chart.”
Allow students approximately 20 minutes to work on their expeditions, longer if time allows. Students can use free time to decorate the expedition charts.
Go over the meaning of expedition, supplies, and places to go and funding again. Model with graphic organizer that class made about skydiving trip. Make sure you discuss that their expeditions must have a goal and their title should reflect that goal (skydiving trip goal was to go skydiving in Florida).
Have students label their graphic organizers (Title: goal/destination on top, 3 columns (one for each student in the group): Places to Go/People, Supplies and Funding).
Tell them to think of an expedition with a set goal and destination. Have them use classroom resources (travel guides, encyclopedias, magazines, internet) to look up information on their expedition sites.
Monitor each group to keep on task. If they cannot decide on an expedition, give them choices or assign one.
*Ask these questions to guide the groups -
- Where will we explore/travel and why?
- Will we need funding/money?
- What supplies and people will you need?
Activities
Level 1. Starting – Cut and paste magazine photos into appropriate categories. Draw pictures to put in columns (places to go, Funding and Supplies).
Level 2. Emerging – One or two word answers for columns.
Level 3. Developing – Tell the class about your expedition, where your group chose to go, supplies and funding needed.
Level 4. Expanding - Write a journal entry about their expedition or dream vacation.
Level 5. Bridging – Write a skit/role play for their group to perform about their expedition.
Four Skills
Listening Activity: Play the Garth Brook’s song “The Dance” about risks and rewards and the Hanna Montana song “Life is what you Make It” while the children are making their posters (See Appendix). Students can think about the risks and rewards mentioned in the songs.
Speaking Activity: Oral presentation of expedition posters to class and/or ESL teacher.
Reading Activity: Prior to this lesson, students will read about the Columbus and the Pilgrims journeys to the New World (readers will be adjusted for all ELPs).
Writing Activity: Graphic organizers, journal entries, skit dialogues
(3) Practice
a. video and discussion of “risks” vs. “rewards”
b. graphic organizers, cooperative group work,
c. role plays, oral presentations,
(4) Evaluation
Holistic Rubric to grade graphic organizers, oral presentations, journal entries, and skit dialogues.
Anecdotal records, teacher observations of student social and academic language used in groups
(5) Expansion/Extension
Day 2’s Lesson will be a simulation based on the Explorers’ and the Colonists’ voyages to America, using the same type of graphic organizer to plan for the journey.
Methods/Approaches/Strategies
Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (CALLA) - metacognitive strategies (organizational planning), cognitive strategies (grouping, summarizing), and social/affective strategies (cooperation and questioning for clarification)
Direct Method - students are encouraged to paraphrase in order to express themselves, listening to target language in large quantities.
Other Activities:
Follow-up: The students will present their posters to the class. During the next lesson, students will plan for and participate in a simulated journey to the “New World.”
Assessment:
Holistic Rubric to grade graphic organizers, oral presentations, journal entries, and skit dialogues
Anecdotal records, teacher observations of student social and academic language used in groups
Homework: Make a graphic organizer for the Explorers or Colonists on their expeditions to the New World. Make sure students understand HW. Begin HW in class (1-3 minutes).
Technology: Computer research of destinations, video clip and overhead slides, PPT with hypermedia could be used if teacher selects destination options for the groups, prior to the lesson.
Materials: TV, VCR, Overhead Projector, Large sheets of paper, markers, resource materials (travel magazines, encyclopedias, etc.).
Closure: After the expedition is planned, each team will present their charts to the entire class of adventurers or the ESL group. As students leave the room, they will write one risk or reward to studying or doing homework.
REFLECTION PHASE
*I included reflections on my first 2 days of the weeklong plan because these are lessons that I previously taught.
Efforts to Accommodate:
Visual learners: video, graphic organizers, overhead modeling
Auditory learners: songs about risks and rewards
Tactile learners: cutting and pasting magazine pictures and places into columns.
Specials needs learners: matching pictures/ drawing pictures of words
and differentiated instruction for each ELP level.
What worked well? The graphic organizers were simple and easy to organize. The students enjoyed picking their own destination/goal (Caribbean, Hawaii, Antarctica). Many drew pictures and they were very descriptive on the places to go and the supplies needed.
What didn’t work well? Some of the students had a hard time grasping the more abstract meaning of “risks” and “rewards.” Some of the vocabulary words such as expedition, goals/objectives were above the lower level ELP students. I had to use shorter words and phrases, as well as model a lot to help guide understanding the CLD learners in the class.
What will you do differently as a result of this plan? I would allow students more time to research their destinations to help them practice using classroom resources.
How might this lesson be improved? Extend to 2 days in order to allow for comprehension of key concepts and time to plan role presentations. Students could make a storyboard of their travels, places they went what supplies they needed and didn’t, etc. and present that to the class.
One important thing I learned was that each student has his/her own learning style that must be accommodated to while taking into account his/her English language proficiency level. Differentiated instruction is a challenge to integrate but it is worth the effort. Every child can learn and through scaffolding every student can reach his/her full academic potential.
Day 1– Song Lyrics
The Dance (Garth Brooks)
Looking back on the memory of
The dance we shared 'neath the stars alone
For a moment all the world was right
How could I have known that you'd ever say goodbye
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance
Holding you I held everything
For a moment wasn't I a king
But if I'd only known how the king would fall
Hey who's to say you know I might have chanced it all
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance
Yes my life is better left to chance
I could have missed the pain but I'd of had to miss the dance
Life is What You Make it (Hannah Montana)
Dont let no frustration
Ever bring you down...
No, no, no, no!
Just take a situation
And turn it all around!
With a new attitude, everything can change
Make it how ya want it to be
Saying mad, why do that... give yourself a break
Laugh about it and you'll see!
[Chorus ]
Life's what you make it,
So lets make it rock
Life's what you make it
So Come on.... come on
EVERYBODY NOW!
aye aye aye oh aye aye, aaaaaye
Why be sad, broken hearted
There's so much to do...
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Life is hard or it's a party
The choice is up to you
With a new attitude, everything can change
Make it how ya want it to be
Staying sad, why do that, give yourself a break
I know you wanna party with me...
[Chorus]
[ Life's What You Make It lyrics found on ]
Life's what you make it
So Let's make it rock
Life's what you make it so come on
Everybody now
Let's celebrate it, join in everyone
You Decide
Cause life's...what you make it!
Things are lookin' up
Any time you want
All ya gotta do is realize that
It's under your control
So let the good times Rock and Roll!
OW!
[chorus]
Life's what you make it
So Let's make it rock
(Lets make it rock!)
Life's what you make it
So come on, come on
EVERYBODY NOW!
Lets celebrate it
Join in everyone
You decide cause life's... what you make it
Life is what you make it!
Day Two Lesson Plan –
The Voyage Of Discovery – Who will live to see the New World?
PLANNING PHASE
Performance/ Task-based Objectives:
- Students will financially plan for an imaginary nautical voyage resembling a 16th Century Explorer.
- SWBAT strengthen their math problem-solving skills.
- SWBAT perform two-place multiplication problems
- SWBAT organize their ideas using graphic organizers
- In cooperative groups, SWBAT use prior knowledge and apply it to the simulation activities (requesting funding, purchasing supplies and planning for unforeseen difficulties).
Content:
The purpose of this lesson plan is to help relate organization and academic skills to active learning, while promoting English language proficiency development. Many upper elementary level students have difficulty with math story problems and negotiating meaning in the target language. This simulation takes the class through a lifelike experience using step-by-step problem solving in a cooperative group setting. This activity also encourages risk-taking, a characteristic paramount to English language and content based learning. An optimistic goal of this lesson is that the pupils will experience a deeper understanding of the explorers through empathy. Finally, children need to be reminded how fun and exciting academics can be!
Lesson Outline:
National/State/Local Standards:
SOL 3.3 -The student will study the exploration of the Americas by
a) describing the accomplishments of Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de Léon,
Jacques Cartier, and Christopher Newport (previous lessons);
b) identifying reasons for exploring, the information gained, and the results from the
travels.
FCPS 4th Grade Math – Two digit-multiplication, recognize estimation strategies and write a number sentence with one unknown to solve a problem.
TEACHING PHASE
1.Preparation
Warm-up Activity: *Set students in the same cooperative groups as prior “Expedition” lesson.
Make a clustered vocabulary map/web on the board using words like safari, trail, journey, trip, travel, boat ride, use destinations from yesterday’s activity…) and have the students what word goes in the center circle (“Expedition).
Remind students of their expedition destinations and/or goals and ask them what they all have in common with explorers (answers will vary…try to get across the message that they are all journeys to explore new things).
Transition – Tell students that they are going to travel back in time in their imaginations as explorers in the 1500’s. These explorers were different than Columbus, Cabot, and Cabral, who bumped into the Americas while looking for _____? ( the Northwest Passage). Soon after Columbus died, many Spanish explorers realized that Columbus had found something more important than a passage to Asia. He had discovered new lands and riches for the explorers to claim for themselves and Spain.
Language Goals: How is instruction scaffolded and differentiated for a multi-level ELLs?
TESOL GOALS:
Goal 1
- Standard 1
Goal 3 –
- Standard 1
Goal 2 –
- Standard 3 - Math
- Standard 5 – Social Studies
(2) Presentation
Summary of Lesson -
Pass out large sheets of poster board shaped like ships that have the three sections organized on the reverse side