Unit Theme: Traveling Around America

Grade: 3

Monday:
Lesson Title: Slithering Snakes Throughout the United States
Written by: Ciara Reidy
Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Duration/Time: 50 minutes
Subject/Content Area: Science
Overview: Students will research different types of snakes found throughout the United States.
Materials:
1. Computer with Internet access
2. Construction paper
3. Scissors
4. Basket
Procedure:
1. Prepare for this activity by cutting snake shapes out of colored construction paper and
writing the name of a different snake on each one. Put the "snakes" in a box or basket.
2. Divide the class into groups, and have each group take a snake out of the basket to
research.
3. Guide students' research by starting them off with the following questions to answer:
a. Where does the snake live?
b. What does it eat?
c. Is it venomous (poisonous)?
d. What are its colors and patterns?
4. Explain that these questions are to help them take their research further.
5. Have each group design an informative chart or display to share information about their
snake.
Closure: Have each group of students present their design or informative chart to the class,
explaining the different characteristics of their snake and where it is found in the United States.
Lesson Title: Winter Olympics
Written By: Brianna
Grade: 3rd
Time/Duration: 1 hour
Subject/Content Area: Writing
Materials:
o Writing worksheet
o Writing utensil
o Computer/ iPad
Objectives: Students will be able to identify Winter Olympic sports and three athletes that
compete in that specific sport.

Procedure:
1. Introduce the objective of the lesson to the students
a. To find different winter sports and the athletes that compete in those sports
2. The students will use the internet to research different winter sports
3. The students will also need to find three athletes that compete in each sport they find
4. While searching the internet the students will need to fill out the Winter Olympic Sports:
Research
5. After they have completed their research have the students move on to the Winter Olympic
Sports: Expository Writing
6. After the students have finished both the Research and the Writing, have them put their
booklets together
Closure: Ask the students if they can name one winter sport they researched. Ask them to
name an athlete that competes in that sport. Tell the students that people from all different
cultures compete in the Olympics. Each country gets to have a representative go and compete
in every sport.
References:
http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/kcherritt/winter-olympic-sports-research-ampexpository-writing-upper
Lesson Title: United States Temperature
Written By: Madi
Grade: 3
Duration/Time: 1 hour
Subject/Content Area: Math/Reading
Materials:
Graphing paper
Colors (pencils, markers, etc.)
Computers or iPads
Climate article
Objectives: Students will be able to interoperate information from articles into line graphs
Procedure:
1. Students will begin by reading an article on United States climate from
http://www.path2usa.com/usa-climate
2. After finishing the article students will choose 3 states each from a different climate zone.
3. Using computers or iPads students will go to http://www.usclimatedata.com
4. Using the website they will look up the 3 states that they chose and gather the average high
and low temperature information for each month
5. With the information they gathered they will create three different line graphs
a. x-axis = months

b. y-axis = Degrees Fahrenheit

c. two separate colors for plotting points (one for high temperatures and one for low
temperatures)
References:
http://www.path2usa.com/usa-climate
http://www.usclimatedata.com

Lesson Title: Creating Landforms (and Bodies of Water)

By: Genevieve Tosatto
Grade: 3
Duration/Time: 1hr
Subject/Content Area: Social Studies(Geography)& Art
Materials: Scissors, glue, markers/crayons, construction paper, white paper cups, cellophane,
saran wrap, pipe cleaners, shoe box lids (mostly provided by the teacher), hot glue-gun (for
teacher use, if necessary)
Objectives:
Students will be able to differentiate between land formations
Students will be able to recreate a land formation
Students will be able to depict and describe what makes each land formation special
Procedure:
1. Students will be split into groups so that each student in a group has different abilities to
contribute and so all feel comfortable within that group (researchers, writers, designers,
constructors)
2. Groups will agree on a landform to recreate from a list of landforms (butte, plateau,
valley, fjord, canyon, mountain, volcano, etc.)
3. Using resources (books, computers or iPads) students will research for about 20
minutes what the chosen landform looks like, and what makes it special, and where
(what country/community) the landforms can be found, and if they have any special
significance/help the people in that community
4. Students will then work together to create a three-dimensional representation of that
landform using the shoe box lid as a base
5. Once finished the group will share with the class what their landform is, how you can tell
that their creation is that landform, what makes that landform different from other
landforms, where it can be found, and any special significance (this step can be moved
to the next class-time as a refresher for what was done/learned previously if there is not
enough time after students have finished their creations.
Closure: After the students share all of their landforms, discuss with the class about how there
are many different kinds of landforms, because there are different places and environments all

around the world. Relate this to how there are many different people who come from these
many different places, but how these differences all contribute to making the world a beautiful
place.

Tuesday:
Lesson Title: Adding and Subtracting at the Sports Store
Written By: Brianna
Grade: 3rd
Time/Duration: 1 hour
Subject/Content Area: Math
Materials:
o Pretend money
o Sports Store cut outs
o Shopping list
o Scratch paper
o Writing utensil
Objectives: Students will be able to solve real world math equations that they create
themselves.
Procedure:
1. Introduce the objective of the lesson
a. To create math equations using the product for sale in the store and to be able to solve the
equations correctly
2. Have the students partner up with another student
3. Hand out the products that are for sale and the Shopping List worksheet
4. Allow the students to begin shopping
a. Have the students begin by filling out their shopping list (there are four different lists they
need to create)
b. Have the students write down the cost of all the products they put on their list
c. Have the students add up the products on their lists to determine what their bill is
d. Have the student pay the other student and if need be the other student give the appropriate
change back
5. Have the students repeat step four until both have gone through their four shopping lists

Closure: Ask a few students to come to the board and share what they purchased. Have them
work through their equation on the board. Explain to the students that math is a universal skill
and no matter where they go in the world the answer to their equation will be the same.
References:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Adding-and-Subtracting-at-the-Sports-Store533022

Lesson Title: Animals Around United States

Written by: Ciara Reidy
Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Duration/Time: 90 Minutes
Subject/Content area: Reading/Writing
Overview: Students will learn about animals and their habitats. Students will learn that animals
live in different environments such as forests, deserts, wetlands, and grasslands around the
United States. Students will be able to write about the environment that they are most interested
in.
Materials:
Animals Around Us Video
Journal paper
Computers with Internet access
Procedures:
1. Talk about different natural environments with the class. What is a forest? What does it
look like? How is a forest different from a desert? Explain the term "habitat" and talk
about the many kinds of animals that live in different habitats. Use Animals Around Us
video to illustrate the unique features and animals of the forest, desert, grasslands, and
wetlands.
2. Have the students research the environment they chose to further explore on the
internet and write a paragraph or two about their chosen environment. Talk about the
kinds of things you would expect them to write about, such as the animals and plants
that live and grow there, and where in the United States that environment exists.
Closure: Once the students complete their paragraphs, ask students to share them with the
rest of the class.
Lesson Title: Where an Athlete Begins
Written By: Brianna
Grade: 3rd
Time/Duration: 1 hour
Subject/Content Area: Social Studies
Materials:
o Large group area for the students to sit
Objectives: Students will be able to recognize the different backgrounds that people come
from.
Procedure:
1. Introduce the objective of the lesson
a.
To realize how everybody comes from a different background, but how that does not
determine your future
2. Tell the students that Donald Driver is going to be coming in as a guest speaker

3. Introduce the guest speaker

4. Have the students sit on a large carpet area and listen to Donald Driver talk about his life
growing up in poverty
5. Allow the students to ask questions at the end of the speech
Closure: Tell the students that Donald Driver is an excellent example of someone who worked
as hard as he could to insure that did not live a life of poverty. Tell the students that regardless
of where they come from, they get to determine where they will end up.
References:
Donald Driver

Wednesday:
Lesson Title: Pete Patoniak
Written By: Madi
Grade: 3
Time/Duration: 1 hour
Subject/Content Area: Science/Weather
Material:
Paper
Writing Utensil
Objectives: Students will be able formulate weather related questions.
Students will be able to describe the weather patterns in Wisconsin.
Procedure:
1. Ask the class what kind of weather we experience in Wisconsin
a. Rain
b. Snow
c. Tornado
d. Wind
e. Hail
2. Ask what they know about how these different weather types are created.
3. Have the student formulate 2-3 questions each for Pete Patoniak.
4. Enter Pete Patoniak- Speaking about weather in our local community and Wisconsin
community.
5. Allow time for students to ask questions.

Lesson Title: Natural and Man-Made Landforms in Our Community

By: Genevieve Tosatto

Grade: 3
Duration/ Time: 45 min
Subject/Content Area: Social Studies (Geography) & Math
Materials: large piece of paper, markers (for class pie chart), regular sized blank paper, colored
pencils/crayons, and pencils (for individual pie charts)
Objectives:
Students will be able to differentiate between natural and man-made landforms
Students will be able to relate content knowledge to their community
Students will be able to practice creating and understanding pie charts
Students will be able to practice reducing fractions
Procedure:
1. As a whole group, the class will discuss the different landforms there can be and
whether they are natural (mountains, hills, lakes) or man-made (dams, streets, lots,
buildings)
2. The class will then take a poll for the different landforms that have been discussed as
to whether or not the students see these landforms in their own community
3. After taking the poll, the teacher will write the totals on the board, as well as putting the
totals as fractions out of the class size (the amount of students)
4. On their pieces of paper, the students will right these totals and fractions, and reduce
them if necessary
5. The students will then flip their pieces of paper over and work on making pie charts to
represent the data gathered; students may work alone or together with those around
them, the teacher will also be walking around helping and talking to students
6. Once complete, the class will discuss their findings, including the reduction of fractions
and what the pie charts look like
7. The class will then make a large pie chart together (in case there is still confusion) with
the teacher drawing on the large sheet of paper
Closure: Discuss with the class about all the different landforms in the community. Does their
community look like other communities in the world (give examples)? Conclude by discussing
what makes their community special, and how the landforms in their community help/influence
them.

Lesson Title: Influential People Puppet Show

By: Kristen Siekierski
Grade: 3
Time/Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Subject/Content Area: Reading & Writing
Materials:

Short books about influential individuals of all cultural backgrounds, both living and
deceased (one book/student)
File Folders
Thick Popsicle Sticks
Crayons
Markers
Index Cards
Objectives:
Students will be able to describe an influential person in America after reading about
them.
Students will be able to articulate their knowledge to their peers.
Procedure
1. Have each student select a book off the table.
2. Tell students to read the book, and then write a summary of the person on an index
card.
3. After they have completed the index card, pass out the file folders. Have students
draw a picture of the person on the folder, cut it out, and glue it to the popsicle stick, then
attach their index card to the back of the puppet.
4. Students will go behind the puppet stage and give their summary to the class.
5. After each student presents, the audience may ask questions about the person.
6. When the class is done, collect the puppets for display.
Closure
Ask students if they have any other questions. Display puppets on the wall or put them in
the dramatic play area for future use.

Thursday:
Lesson Title: Geometry with Mount Rushmore
Grade: 3rd-5th
By: Bethany Roloff
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Math
Objectives: Students will be able to understand that more complex shapes and how they can
be partitioned into smaller, simpler, geometric shapes. The students will be able to understand
grids and symmetry.

Materials:
Parquetry blocks
Pencils
Paper
Photos
Rulers

Strands of String
Procedure:
1. Students will have prior knowledge abut what Mount Rushmore is.
2. The students and I will then talk about the different symmetry that Mount Rushmore has
3. Students will be shown pictures of Mount Rushmore and how there are many different
shapes that are similar and different using the rulers to see the difference.
4. Students will then be able to see the different shapes based on the pictures but they will also
be able to then make their own version of Mount Rushmore based on what they found.
5. Once students have looked at the pictures and then made part of their own part of Mount
Rushmore, Students will be able to share their Mount Rushmore pictures
Closure:
Students will share their different geometry pictures with the class. We will all discuss the
importance of symmetry with Mount Rushmore. We will then share our different pictures that
we have done based off of symmetry we have done in class.

Lesson Title: Mapping Influential People

By: Kristen Siekierski
Grade: 3
Time/Duration: 45 minutes
Subject/Content Area: Social Studies
Materials:
iPads
Name Slips
USA Map
Pins
Objectives:
Students will be able to identify where various influential people came from.
Students will be able to analyze trends.
Procedure
1. Have each student pick a name out of a bucket. The names will represent people that
have been studied throughout the week. A variety of backgrounds will be
represented.
2. Have students use iPads to research were their person was from. If they were born in
one place, then lived in another, then that will be noted as well.
3. Have each student come up one by one to put their names on the map with pins.
Have them locate the place on the map and attach the name.
4. After all names are on the map, look at the trends. Ask students questions to
encourage thought. Is there one area where lots of people were from? Are they spread
out? What people come from what areas? Are there any trends that you notice? Why do
you think that is a trend?

-Have students start by sharing with a partner, then share ideas with the class.
Write ideas on the board.
Closure
Discuss how influential people are from all over America. They come from all backgrounds,
lifestyles, and areas. Anyone can make a difference.

Lesson Title: Landforms Alphabet

By: Genevieve Tosatto
Grade: 3
Duration/Time: 1 hr
Subject/Content Area: Social Studies (Geography) & Reading & Writing
Materials: Writing paper with spot for illustration, crayons/colored pencils, pencils, Geography
from A to Z by Jack Knowlton and Harriet Barton
Objectives:
Students will be able to synthesize information that they have read
Students will be able to relate what they read to their own lives
Students will be able to take what they have learned and write about certain aspects
Procedure:
1. As a whole, the class will read Geography from A to Z by Jack Knowlton and illustrated
by Harriet Barton
2. The class will then discuss what was discussed in the book and how it relates to what
they learned and what is in their community
3. The class will then begin to work on their own A-Z book - students will choose a letter
and the corresponding landform to write about and draw
4. Remembering everything they have learned about landforms, the students will write a
paragraph (5-7 sentences) about their chosen landform including information such as
physical features, where (what country/community) you can see it, if it is natural or manmade, and if it is present in their own community
5. All of the pages will be put together and will be displayed in the classroom as well as
copies made available for individual students and parents (by electronic or physical
means)
Closure: Read through the completed pages together, and discuss with the class all that they
have learned about landforms, the places/communities in which they can be found, and why
landforms can be helpful to people or the environment.

Friday:

Lesson Title: Tracking the Wild Ones

Written by: Ciara Reidy
Grade Level: 3rd grade
Duration/Time: 45 minutes
Subject/Content Area: Math
Overview: Students will learn how to analyze graphs to answer specific questions about
endangered animals in the United States.
Materials:
A copy of the Tracking the Wild Ones worksheet for each student
A copy of statistics about threatened and endangered species worksheets for each
student;
Number of U.S. Listed Species Per Calendar Year
Summary of Listed Species
Procedure: Start this lesson with a brief discussion of endangered species. Ask your students
to share what they know about the number of endangered species in our nation. Explain that
they are about to examine some current data to find out just how many endangered species
have been identified. Remind them that these are the animals and plants that are known to be in
trouble. Many others probably exist. Distribute copies of the Tracking the Wild Ones worksheet,
the Number of U.S. Listed Species Per Calendar Year worksheet, and the Summary of Listed
Species worksheet to the students. Instruct students to use charts and graphs on worksheets to
answer the questions.
Assessment: Answer key to the Tracking the Wild Ones worksheet:
1. The number of listed species grew every year.
2. 991
3. 166 more plants were listed
4. 1349 species
5. 139 fish species
6. corals, 2 species
7. lichens
8. 775 more U.S. species than foreign ones
Closure: When students have completed the handout, correct the answers as a group and talk
about the large numbers of endangered species found in the United States. Were the students
surprised to find that there are more listed species in this country than in the foreign countries?
How might that be explained?

Theme: US History
Lesson Title: Washington Monument
Grade Level: Ages 8-12
Duration/Time: 45 minutes
Subject/Content Area: Writing & Reading
Overview: This lesson will focus on George Washington and the Washington Monument. The
students will see how and why George Washington was an important president and what led up
to the monument and its importance. There will be many other books about George Washington
that they can read from and this will also allow for students to write different paragraphs about
what they learned and questions that they may have.
Materials:
-A Picture Book of George Washington by David Adler

-Other George Washington Books

- Chalk board/Dry erase board
-Washington Monument Cutout
-Crayons
- Cardboard or flat sticks
-Glue/Tape
-Paper for writing paragraphs
Objectives: Students will be able to connect the concept of a monument to their own life and
also create a monument about themselves.

Procedures:
1. To start off the lesson, the teacher will talk with the students about their prior knowledge on
President George Washington. The students and teacher will discuss with the students a few
details of him.
2. The information that the students give the teacher will be written in a column What I Know
3. The teacher will then read the book A Picture Book of George Washington by David Adler
to the students and tell them to pay close attention to details as different details will be
discussed at the end of the book.
4. The teacher will then finish reading the book and ask students questions about what they
learned, what a monument is, and why the Washington Monument is important.
5. The teacher will then write the different answers after the book in the What I Learned
column.
6. After that discussion, the teacher will then hand out different materials to students to create
their own monument of their life.
7. The teacher will show the students an example of his/her monument about his/her life to
show the students what they should be doing.
8. The teacher will then have the students share a few examples about themselves and what
they feel is important for their life to be on a monument
9. The students will work on their monuments throughout the class period
10. After working on their monuments, students will share their monuments and the important
aspects of their monument.
Closure: Once all of the students have finished their monuments, they will share the importance
of their monument and the different things they put on their monument. To wrap up the lesson,
the teacher will ask the students to give examples of new information they learned about
George Washington and the teacher will write these answers on the board.
References: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/washington-monument

Lesson Title: Science of the Olympic Winter Games

Written By: Brianna

Grade: 3rd
Time/Duration: 1 hour
Subject/Content Area: Science
Materials:
o Lined paper
o Writing utensil
o Computer/ iPad
Objectives: Students will be able to identify Winter Olympic sports and describe how the athlete
uses science.
Procedure:
1. Introduce the objective of the lesson to the students
a. To discover how science is directly related to different winter sports
2. The students will use the internet to watch videos of a variety of different winter sports
a. The videos describe how science is directly related to sports and how the athletes need to
incorporate it in order to be successful in their sport
3. After the students have watched five videos have them write down the sport that the video
focused on and how science is directly related to it
4. Have the students partner up with another student and share what they wrote down
Closure: Ask the students to share about a video they watched. Have the students share what
the sport was and how science was directly related to it. Point out to the students that every
country participates in these sports. Tell the students that everyone all over the world uses
science.
References:
http://nbclearn.com/olympics/cuecard/47296

Lesson Title: Making Landmarks

By: Kristen Siekierski & Bethany Roloff
Grade: 3rd
Time: 45 minutes
Subject: Art
Materials:
iPads
Variety of Craft Supplies
Objectives:
Students will be able to identify landmarks and the people that go with them.
Students will be able to explain why a particular person has a landmark.
Procedure:
1. Students will be in groups of 2-3.

2. Students will go on the iPad to research a landmark that is tied to a person. They will get
teacher approval before proceeding.
3. Students will recreate the landmark in 3-D by using the craft supplies available.
4. After the landmark is created, the will write a short summary of the landmark and why the
person is featured in it.
5. Students will present their landmarks to the class.
Closure
Talk about how all the landmarks feature a variety of people who have done a variety of things.
Put landmarks on display around the room for other people to look at.