TITLE:ILikeHolidays

GRADELEVEL:Grade1
TIMEFRAME&SETTING:Thislessonwilltake3045minutestocompleteandwillstart
inthegrouplessonarea(carpet),expandtotheclassroomandstudentsdesksandwillendback
onthecarpet.
CONCEPTUALKNOWLEDGE:CulturalPracticesHolidayscelebratedinAmerica
PROCEDURALKNOWLEDGE:
Predictmostlikedholiday.
Collectdatafrompeers.
Solvemathproblemsusingadditionskills.
Questionwhatdeterminesthemostlikedholidays.

STANDARDS:
Strand

Cultural Anthropology

Standard 6: Cultural Anthropology: SYSTEMS, DYNAMICS, AND INQUIRY-Understand

culture as a system of beliefs, knowledge, and practices shared by a group and
understand how cultural systems change over time
Topic

Cultural Systems and Practices

Benchmark SS.1.6.1

Describe ways in which own and other cultures

express cultural beliefs and practices through
stories and/or legends

Topic

Computational Fluency

Benchmark MA.1.3.2

Use a variety of strategies to solve number

problems involving addition and subtraction
(e.g., comparing sets, counting on, counting
backwards, doubles, doubles plus one)

OBJECTIVES:Studentswillbeabletoanswerquestionsdrawnfromthecollecteddatausing
theILikehandoutanduseavarietyofstrategiestosolvenumberproblemswithatleast75%
correct.

MATERIALS:pumpkin,cultureposter,holidaypostercards,vocabularycards:holiday,
tradition,data,research,andculture,ILikeworksheet,numbergrid,andpencils

TECHNOLOGY:paper,pencil,andnumbergrid
PROCEDURES:
ENGAGE&MOTIVATE:
1. Iwillmotivatemystudentsbyholdingupapumpkinandaskingthequestion,What
dopumpkinsmakeyouthinkabout?
2. Iwillthenallowstudentstogivetheirresponses.
3. Iwillthensay,WhenIseepumpkinsIthinkoftheseasonFall,aseasonisatimeof
yearwhentheweatherchanges.Therearefourseasons:Winter(coldesttime),
Spring(somerain,flowersbloom),Summer(hottesttime),andFall(colorschange,
itschillyoutside).Fallismyfavoriteseasonbecauseofthechangesinnature,
leaveschangecolors,theweathergetscooler,andmyfavoritecelebrationorholiday
isThanksgiving.

EXPLORE&EXPLAIN:
1. Iwillthensay,Todaywearegoingtotalkcultureandmorespecificallyholidays
celebratedinAmericaandaroundtheworld.Doesanyoneknowwhatculture
means?(WhenIsaythewordcultureIwillpointtothewordontheboard.).
2. Iwillthensay,Cultureisthethingswebelieve,do,andsaythattellaboutwhowe
are.(IwillthendisplaytheWhatisCultureposterandwitheachculturesubtopicI
willexplainandshowacorrespondinggesture.).Culturecanbeseeninthefoodswe
eat(gestureeatingfood),andtheclotheswewear(gestureputtingonajacket),the
languagewespeak(gesturepointedfingermovingawayfrommymouth),andeven
intheholidayswecelebrate(gesturewithcelebratoryhandsintheair).Culturealso
includesreligion.Cananyonethinkofagesturetoshowreligion?(Askforstudent
volunteertodemonstrate.).Iwillhavestudentsmimicthegesture.
3. Iwillthensay,Cultureisthethingswebelieve,do,andsay.Culturecanbefoundin
thelanguagewespeak.Whereelsecanweseeculture?(Askforstudentresponses,
ifnostudentrespondswithcelebrations/holidaysmoveconversationinthat
direction.).Cultureisalsofoundincelebrations/holidays.(WhenIsaytheword
holidayIwillpointtothewordontheboard.)
4. Iwillthensay,Aholidayisadayofcelebration.Iwillthenshowthestudentsa
posterrepresentingthetopsixholidayscelebratedinAmerica(NewYearsEve,
Easter,IndependenceDay,Halloween,Thanksgiving,andChristmas).Fourofthese
holidaysarecelebratedaroundtheworldandtwooftheseholidaysarecelebrated
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onlyinAmerica.Cananyoneguesswhichtwoholidaysareonlycelebratedin
America?(Responsetolistenfor4thofJulyandThanksgiving).
5. Iwillthensay,The4thofJulyisAmericasbirthday.Onthe4thofJulywecelebrate
ourliberty.Doesanyonerememberwhatlibertymeans?(Recallfromlastlessonon
thePledgeofAllegiance.Responsetolistenforisfreedom).Theotherholidaythat
iscelebratedonlyinAmericaisThanksgiving.Thanksgivingdatesbackto1621
whenagroupofpeopletravelledtoMassachusettssotheycouldfreelypracticetheir
religion.WhentheyweretheretheymetIndianswhotaughtthemhowtoplantand
growcrops.ThePilgrimsweresothankfultheydecidedtohaveafeasttogive
thanksandnowThanksgivingisatraditionhereinAmerica.
6. Iwillthenpointtothevocabularywordtraditionandsay,Atraditionisapractice
thatispasseddownfromonegrouptoanothergroup.Thanksgivingdayisatradition
inAmericaandiscelebratedonthefourthThursdayinNovember.
7. Iwillthensay,Holidaysareimportantbecausetheybringpeopletogether.No
matterwhereyouarefrom,nomatterwhatcolorskinyouhave,theseholidaysare
partofAmericastraditions,theyarepracticesthatmanyofusdoeveryyear.
8. Iwillthensay,Someholidaysaremorepopularormorelikedthanothers.Infact,a
research(Iwillpointtothevocabularywordresearch)aresearchisan
investigation,likewhenadetectivefindsinformation.Researchwasdonethatasked
Americanswhichholidaytheylikedmost.DoyouknowwhatAmericapicked?
(Allowstudentstomakepredictions.)
9. Iwillthensay,Wewillfindoutinjustalittlebit,butwhydontwedoalittle
researchofourown?(Toencouragecriticalthinkingandapplicationof
concepts/skillsIwillask),Howdoyouthinkwecanfindoutwhichholidaysour
classlikesmost?(Allowthekidstomakesuggestions.)
10. Iwillthensay,Howaboutwetakeacounttoseewholikeswhatholidays?Ihavea
worksheetcalledILIKE.Everyonesnameishereonthelist.WhatIwouldlike
youtodoistogoaroundandaskeachofyourclassmates,whichholidaytheylike
most.Oncetheytellyou,putthefirstletteroftheholidaynexttotheirname.For
example,(Iwilldemonstratewithastudent).Justin,outofthesixholidays,4thof
July,Easter,Halloween,Thanksgiving,Christmas,orNewYearsEve,whichholiday
doyoulikethemost?(AllowJustintorespond).Iwouldthenputtheinitial,the
firstletteroftheholidayJustinpickednexttohisname.ThenIwillgoandask
anotherclassmatethesamething.IwillkeepgoinguntilIhaveeveryoneschoice.
11. YoucanonlychooseONEholiday.Youcannotchangeyourmindandtelldifferent
peopledifferentanswers.Choosetheholidayyoulikemostandwhenyouareasked
saythatsameone.Nochangingyourmind.
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12. Iwillthensay,Ifyouasksomeonewhatholidaytheylikemostandtheysaythat
theydonotcelebrateholidays,putanXbytheirnamesothatweknowwehavetheir
choicetoo.
13. Iwillthensay,Onceeveryonehasaworksheet,youwillhaveonlytenminutesto
collectyourinformationandthenreturntoyourdesktoanswerthequestionsonthe
backofyoursheet.Whenyouhearthissound(playalarmfromphone)thatmeans
timeisupandyouneedtocomebacktothecarpet.Whenyoucomebacktothe
carpetpleasebringyourworksheetwithyou.Doesanyonehaveanyquestions?
14. IwillthenexcusestudentstotheirdesksandthengivetheILIKEworksheetsto
theTableCaptainstotakebacktotheirgroups.

REINFORCE&WRAPUP:
15. Oncestudentshavecompletedtheirworksheets,Iwillcallthembacktothecarpet
areatogoovertheirdata.
16. Iwillsay,Soletsseewhatwecameupwith.(Iwillthenpointtothevocabulary
worddata)Datameanstheinformationcollected.Basedonyourdata,the
informationyoucollected,howmanystudentsdontcelebrateholidays?
17. Iwillthenwritetheanswerontheboard.Howmanystudentslikethe4thofJuly
(IndependenceDay)themost?HowmanystudentslikedEasterthemost?How
manystudentslikedHalloweenthemost?HowmanystudentslikedThanksgiving
themost?HowmanystudentslikedChristmasthemost?Howmanystudentsliked
NewYearsEvethemost?
18. Iwillthenaskstudents,Howcanwechecktomakesureeveryonewascounted?
(Responsetolistenforistocountoraddallofthenumberstogether.)Wewillthen
proceedtoaddthenumberstogetherandthenanswertheremainingmathproblems.
19. Iwillconcludethelessonsaying,Goodjobboysandgirlswithcollectingdataand
answeringthequestions.Didyouhavefunfindingoutwhatholidaysyourclassmates
likedmost?HolidaysarecelebratedinAmerica.(Iwillpointtothevocabularyword
cultureontheboard)andispartofourculture.Cultureisawayoflife,whatwedo
andhowwedoit.HolidaysarepartofourcultureinAmerica.So,letsgobackto
ourguessestoseewhatholidayAmericanslikemost.
20. IwillshowtheAmericanpollchart.Didanyoneguessright?Whydoyouthink
ChristmasisAmericasmostlikedholiday?(Allowstudentstorespond.).
21. Iwillthenask,Howareholidaysimportanttoourculture?(Allowstudentsto
respond.).
22. Iwillthenask,Whydoyouthinkcultureisimportant?(Allowstudentstorespond).
4

23. Iwillendbysaying,Americahaslotsofholidaysthatwegettocelebrate,sono
matterwhichoneyoulikethemostorevenifyoudontcelebrateanyofthem,they
arepartofAmericascultureandyouarefreetoenjoythemwithyourfamilyand
friends.

DIFFERENTIATION:Icandifferentiatethecontenttoincorporatesports,movie/bookgenres,
orfoods.Icandifferentiatetheprocessbyhavingstudentsphysicalshowtheirlikesbygrouping
ratherthandocumentingonaworksheet.Icandifferentiatetheproductbyallowingstudentsto
audiblycommunicatetheirlikes,mayberoleplaytheirresponses.

SPED/ESL/ELL:Dependingonthedisability,Icanusepicturecardsforeachholiday
andincludethesesameimagesinthekeyboxontheILIKEsheetsforstudentstopoint
outtheirchoices.Icouldalsopairstudentswithpeerstoworkthroughtheworksheet
together.FortheadvancedlearnerIcanhavethemwriteashortstoryabouttheirfavorite
holiday.

Auditory Learners: I will communicate directions verbally, out loud.

Visual Learners: I will demonstrate and show examples.

Kinesthetic Learners: A portion of the directions includes students moving about

classroom to gather their data.

ASSESSMENT:StudentswillcompleteanILIKEworksheet.
Rubric

Advanced

Proficient

Average

Not Proficient

Student collected data Student collected data Student collected data Student collected data
and answered 100% of and answered 75% of and answered 50% of and answered 25% of
the questions correctly. the questions correctly. the questions correctly. the questions correctly.

ELABORATION&EXTENSION:Intheeventastudentdoesnotachievetheobjective,Iwill
createaoneononeorsmallgrouplessontofurtherunderstanding.Iwillassiststudentsin
creatingaculturewebusingtheirownculture.Toencourageextensionofconceptualand
proceduralknowledgeIwillextendtheconcepttovotingandintroducedemocracy.1

RESOURCES:
Aspects of Culture jpg. Retrieved from http://bilingualkidsrock.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/06/Aspects-of-Culture-Beyond-Language-infograph-869x1024.jpg
Christmas clipart:
http://www.zastavki.com/pictures/originals/2013/New_Year_wallpapers_Gifts_for_children_und
er_the_Christmas_tree_for_New_Year_050900_.jpg
Easter clipart:
http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/kezj.com/files/2013/03/easter-eggs-iStockphoto630x414.jpg
Halloween clipart:
http://www.epicurious.com/images/articlesguides/holidays/halloween/halloween-trick-or-treatbags.jpg
Independence Day clipart
http://citymomsblog.com/desmoines/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2014/06/American-flagfireworks.jpg
New Years Eve clipart:
http://nationalharbor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/NewYearsEve.jpg
Poll Survey: http://www.statesman.com/gallery/events/other/christmas-americas-favoriteholiday-poll-says/gF57/#519574
Thanksgiving Clipart:
http://paulsdahlman.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/thanksgiving-dinner.jpg
Patricia Tracy Jones
Signature Lesson Reflection
The first element I thought about when creating a lesson plan was my audience, and the
next thing I considered was the time of day the lesson plan was to be administered. My mentor
teachers class consisted of twenty-four first graders and Mrs. Smith, my mentor teacher, slotted
time for me to teach my lesson plan after the students morning recess. Throughout my time of
6

student observation and teaching I noted that her students were very active after recess so I
wanted to incorporate movement in my lesson to use their energy to my advantage. As students
entered the room and met me on the carpet in the front of the room, which is where group
learning takes place, they were excited and curious about the pumpkin which I held in my hands.
I began my lesson with a visual and tangible object. Many students asked why I had a pumpkin,
to which I informed them they would find out very soon.
The lesson I used for my social studies integrated lesson was on cultural practices and the
holidays celebrated in America. During the time I was scheduled to teach my social studies
integrated lesson plan, my mentor teacher began a unit on maps. My initial idea was to
incorporate maps into the lesson. While collaborating with my mentor teacher she encouraged
me to look for ideas from some curriculum she provided. I had some idea of what I wanted to
teach and found it difficult to merge maps into my lesson plan, so with my mentors permission,
we decided that I would do a stand-alone or singular moment lesson on holidays and not
incorporate maps. This is a reflection on my Social Studies Integrated Math lesson plan entitled
I Like Holidays.
During recess, I spent some time casually talking to students about holidays and
traditions which provided me some knowledge of the students zone of proximal development
even before teaching the lesson. Mrs. Smiths students had little to no understanding of traditions
so I was certain their understanding of culture would be similar. As I got into the lesson, it was
evident that the majority of the students needed assistance with understanding the key ideas of
culture and tradition. Through discussion, gestures, and visuals (flash cards) students were able
to grasp these key ideas and able to articulate these concepts using words and gestures.
State standards contribute greatly in my lesson planning. HTSB/InTASC: Standard 1:
Learner Development says, The teacher understands how learners grow and develop,
recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the
cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements
developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences. I think that I have a good
understanding of how students learn because I myself am a student. When creating lessons I not
only keep in mind how my students grow and develop, but I include myself and ask how I would
best learn what it is I plan to teach. If I find the lesson too boring or too challenging, than
chances are my students will too and, therefore, learning is restricted. This lesson focused on
some rather big concepts and so I knew it was important to break down these concepts in a way
that young students could relate. With each big concept, I asked the students if they knew what it
meant. After getting responses, I showed a picture to describe the meaning of the word. For
example, none of the students knew the meaning of the word culture but when I showed
several flash cards with pictures representing elements of culture (i.e., language, food, religion,
celebrations/holidays) students began to connect their experiences to the definition of culture.
I also included gestures to represent the flash cards. For example, for the word food I gestured
eating and asked the students to mimic; for the word religion I gestured praying hands and
asked the students to mimic. Once going through all of the words that demonstrated culture, I
asked students to demonstrate a culture element, of their choice, using a gesture. We went on to
talk about the importance of culture and how holidays are part of culture. I was able to break

down big concepts (culture and traditions) using flash cards, gestures, and discussion so that
students could better understand and implement these ideas in their own lives.
According to my professors observation of me teaching a prior lesson, I met standards
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9. However, standard 7 was not included or responded upon. The
HSTB/InTASC Standard 7 states, The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in
meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, crossdisciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community event.
In order to meet this standard, I could implement questions within the lesson to develop students
reasoning and problem solving skills. For example, I could pose questions like, Why is culture
important or what do you think our school would look like if everyone practiced one culture?
By posing thought provoking questions I give my students the opportunity to engage in deeper
level thinking which in turn develops their ability to reason and problem solve.
The ACEI Standard 1: Development, learning, and motivation states Candidates should
know, understand, and use the major concepts, principles, theories, and research related to
development of children and young adolescents to construct learning opportunities that support
individual students development, acquisition of knowledge, and motivation. I think I have a
good understanding of the different theories about student development, but more importantly, I
am flexible to implement different methods and strategies when instructing. I think it is
important to refrain from sticking to using only one method, and one method only. Students are
unique and individual so as a teacher I need to respect my students strengths and needs in
relation to how they learn. Classrooms are becoming more diverse with the increase of
immigrant students and students with special needs and so it is even more important that I
practice scaffolding in just about everything I teach. I also think it is important to incorporate
reciprocal teaching which allows me to work with students ability to summarize, question,
clarify, and predict.
Throughout my educational journey of becoming a teacher, I am coming to realize that in
order to meet both the ACEI and the HTSB/InTASC standards, as an elementary teacher my
classroom should entail more discovering and learning together rather than me alone lecturing to
my students. Learning can be fun and exciting and this is what I want my students to understand.
Some teachers and teacher candidates think that these standards restrict or limit them as teachers,
but I think the standards are set in place simply to guide me in becoming an effective teacher.