Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Jessie Tigner

Date: November 18, 2014

Grade and Topic: Grade 4, Social

Studies

Length of Lesson: 55 minutes for 1

day

Mentor Teacher: Carmen Weaver

School: University of Memphis, IDT

3600

Unit Objective
The American Explorers lesson is part of a unit covering the age of
exploration. The exploration of the explorers established the Americas.
Their routes directly affected the settlement of the colonies and
expansions that happened later on. The student will understand this by
identifying the routes different explorers took and identifying important
facts about their routes as described in the TN State Standards 4.4.

Lesson Objective
Content Learning Goals and Objectives

Given website with descriptions about the explorers, TLW identify

each explorer and complete the worksheet with 100% accuracy.
Given what the student learned above, TLW insert each explorer
into a table on Word with 12/12 score on the rubric.

Student Participation
The goal of this lesson is for students to demonstrate a clear
understanding of the explorers and their impact on the Americas.
Students provide visual representations and identify each explorer listed:
Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, and Henry Hudson.

Standards
State/District, Common Core Standards

TN Social Studies: 4.4 Trace the routes of early explorers and describe the
early explorations of the Americas, including: (C, E, G, H, P, TN)

Christopher Columbus
Ferdinand Magellan
Amerigo Vespucci
Robert de La Salle
Hernando de Soto
Henry Hudson
Jacques Cartier

ISTE Standard(s)

3. Research and Information Fluency: Students apply digital tools to

gather, evaluate, and use information.
b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use
information from a variety of sources and media

Materials
Materials Used
1.
2.
3.
4.

Explorers worksheet
Computer
Microsoft Word
Internet Access to:
a. Online descriptions of explorers
1. http://www.ducksters.com/biography/explorers/
2. Pencil
Technology Integration
Students will use the websites stated above as resources for the Explorers. Word
processing software will be used to type, format, and add text to a table that
shows understanding of the explorers. Students, upon completing the activity,
will save their work to a shared Dropbox folder for their class. A sample of the
product is available at the end of the document.

Background and Rationale

Students will demonstrate a clear understanding of each

explorer by providing written interpretations of each
explorers expedition in a table created in Word
Academic Language is not addressed in IDT 3600.
This lesson is a continuation of TN science standard 4.4.
We will refer to the table created here as we continue to
explore the Early Settlement of the Americas.
I am aware that the lesson will be differentiated for
students who did not master the objectives and for those
ready for enrichment. However, modifications are not
covered in this course and are not part of this particular
lesson.

Procedures and Timeline

Introduction

Before you read the story to the class, have the students create a list of
the characteristics they think explorers should have. Give them 5 minutes
to complete their list.
After the students have created their lists, have the teacher call on
students and create a list on the board. Use this list as a reference when
reading the book.
After the list is compiled on the board, read So You Want to be an
Explorer? by Judith St. George.

Procedures
Prior to the Computer (15 minutes)
Teacher Procedures:

1. After the Introduction, have the

students get in groups and
compare their list to the book.

Student Procedures:
1. Students will get in groups that
are
assigned.
2. Then will compare and discuss in
their groups the similarities and
differences between their list and
their classmates.

At the Computer (45 minutes)

Teacher Procedures:
1. Handout the Explorer Worksheet

Student Procedures:
1. Open MS Word and an

2. Have students open both MS Word

and an Internet browser
3. Direct students to the Explorers
website
(http://www.ducksters.com/biography/
explorers/)
4. Explain that they will be clicking on
the explorers name and will be
directed to a new page with all the
information.
5. Explain that they will need to find the
information for each explorer and fill
in the handout.
6. After the hand out is complete, the
students then will create a table in
Word to organize the explorers.
7. Monitor and assist as needed

Internet browser
2. Go to explorer website.
3. The student will click on
each explorer listed on
their handout.
4. The student will read the
descriptions of each
explorer and fill in the
handout given to them.
5. After the handout is
completed, Go to MS
Word
6. Add the following title:
Explorers of the Americas.
7. Below the title, Insert a 3column 4-row table
8. Add the following column
names: Explorer; Best
Known For; Date of
Exploration to the
Americas and Description;
Fun Fact
9. Under the Phase column,
insert the names of these
explorers: Christopher
Columbus, Ferdinand
Magellan; Henry Hudson
10.
In the second
column, type what the
websites say is what they
are best known for
11.
In the third column,
enter the date of each
explorers exploration and
a brief description.
12.
In the fourth
column, insert a fun fact
that you learned
13.
Save work
14.
Repeat items 10-13
for the remaining
explorers.
15.
When all explorers
are finished, correct any
spelling errors
16.
Print a copy

After the Computer (30 minutes)

Teacher Procedures:

Student Procedures:

1. Place students in groups of 3

to 4 students
2. Ask students to discuss each
explorer to their group.
3. Give students 5 to 10
minutes to discuss what
they have learned.
4. Have the students write a
summary of the explorers in
their journal.

1. While in a group, students discuss

what they learned about the
explorers today.
2. Students discuss the explorers.
3. Students write a brief summary of
the explorers in their journals.

Closure
Students volunteer to share their with the class. At the end of class, the teacher
collects the summaries, checks for assignment submissions table, and polls the
class for questions.

Assessment Evidence
Explorers Rubric
Overall Grade: 12/12

Criteria

Handout

Very little to none Only a some of theAlmost all of the

All of the chosen
of the handout was
handout was
Handout was
Handout was completed and
completed or was completed or was completed or was correct.
correct.
correct.
correct.

Chart: Date and

The description forThe description forThe description for
Description very few or none of
some of the
almost all of the
the explorers
explorers
explorers clearly
demonstrates an demonstrates a demonstrates why
appropriate
fairly appropriate the image is an
representation of representation of appropriate
the concept.
the concept.
representation

The description for all

of the chosen
graphics very
clearly
demonstrates understanding
of the explorers

Chart: Fun Fact

The student did not
The student only The student insert The student inserted
and Best Known
Insert these phrases
Inserted a few
Almost all of the
All the phrases
for
Into the chart.
phrases into the phrases into the chart.
Into the chart.
chart.

Modifications
I am aware that modifications will be made for students who did not master the objectives and
for those ready for enrichment. However, modifications are not covered in this course and are
not part of this particular lesson.

Student Sample

Explorer

Bestknownfor

FerdinandMagellan

Firsttocircumnavigate
theglobe

ChristopherColumbus

DiscoveringAmerica

DateofExplorationto
theAmericasand
Description
1519;Hesetsailtofind
Asia,butlandedin
SouthAmerica.

FunFact

1492;Christopher
Columbuswasoneof
thefirstexplorersto
startcommunication
betweentheAmericas
andEurope.Hemade
tieswiththeNativesthat
helpedhisexplorethe

Columbusbrought
horsestothenewworld
onhissecondvoyage

Magellan'skneewas
woundedinbattle,
causinghimtowalk
withalimp.

HenryHudson

MappingtheHudson
RiverandtheNorth
Atlantic

land.
1610;Whenhesetsail,
hisvovagewentlonger
thanexpectedandhe
foundedtheHudsonBay
andStrait)

Anorthwestpassage
wasfinallydiscovered
byexplorerRoald
Amundsenin1906.