Social Interactive Model (Cooperative Learning) Lesson Plan

Teacher: Andrea Johnson

Grade Level: 6th
Lesson Duration: 60 minutes, weekly
Curriculum Area: Social Studies
Topic: Ancient Egypt
Overview:
The topic of this lesson plan is Ancient Egypt culture for a sixth grade Social Studies class. The lesson will be taught using the
cooperative learning teaching strategy - Student TeamsAchievement Division to develop social interaction. This lesson is taught to review
students knowledge of Ancient Egyptian culture and will be completed at the end of each week. It will be used to teach students how to
communicate and work with each other cooperatively to achieve a common goal.
Academic Goals:
Sixth grade students will work cooperatively in team study groups to discuss Ancient Egypt culture and complete the study guide given.
Sixth grade students will investigate and reflect on the culture and belief systems of Ancient Egypt.
Social Goal:
Sixth grade students will work together and contribute to each others learning.
Standards:
National Standards
Social Studies Standard #1 - Culture
Social Studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of culture and cultural diversity.
NYS Learning Standards
Social Studies Standard #2 World History
Key Idea 1
The study of world history requires an understanding of world cultures and civilizations, including an analysis of
important ideas, social, and cultural values, beliefs, and traditions. This study also examines the human condition and
the connections and interactions of people across time and space and the ways different different people view the
same event or issue from a variety of perspectives.
Performance Indicators
Know the social and economic characteristics, such as customs, traditions, child-rearing practices, ways of making a
living, education, and socialization practices, gender roles, foods, and religious and spiritual beliefs that distinguish
different cultures and civilizations.
English Language Arts Standard 4 Language for Social Interaction
Students will listen, speak, and write for social interaction. Students will use oral and written language that
follows the accepted conventions of the English language for effective social communication with a wide variety of
people. As readers and listeners, they will use the social communications of others to enrich their understanding of
people and their views.

Performance Objectives:
Given index cards, the student will create 3 questions for their classmates to answer correctly.
Given the Welcome to Ancient Egyptian Realm Web Quest, the student will identify 4 out of 6 characteristics of Ancient Egyptian
culture.
Given an assigned group, the student will work effectively in a cooperative group.
Given an assigned group, the student will appreciate working together.
Materials:
Index cards
Quiz
Ancient Egypt Web Quest Welcome to the Ancient Egyptian Realm
Poster displaying rules for group work
Individual and Group Feedback on Collaborative Teams
Anticipatory Set:
In order to start this lesson, I will ask the students if they have ever been on team. I will ask the students what it means to be on a
team. I expect students to state that working on team means that they have to cooperate, working together, they all want the same goal,
etc. I will then say that we are going to review some rules for working together as a team. On poster board, I will list things such as
always listen to each other opinions, be respectful, etc. I will post these on the front board. Next, I will tell the students that this
week, we learned about Ancient Egyptian culture and today we will work in study teams.
Development:
I will explain to the class that I will be teaching this lesson using the 4 Ts - Teach, Team Study, Test, and Team Recognition to help
us work together. I will write these terms on the board. I will then tell the class the expectations for each phase. I will explain that
since we have been learning about all aspects of Ancient Egyptian culture including their religion, clothing, housing, and their daily life,
now it was time to see what we have learned and how we can learn from one another. Every week, we will learn about a different aspect
of Ancient Egyptian culture. Every day I will present new concepts about culture using lecture, Smart Board, or have the class work in
pairs on the Ancient Egyptian Web Quest provided. I will select 5 study teams. The teams will be comprised of 4 to 6 students who are
equal in academic ability, gender and ethnicity. I will have each team create a name for themselves. I will explain to the class that their
job as a member of the team is to ensure that everyone understands what was taught previously. For homework, I would have had the
students create 3 questions (with answers) from what we learned this week or what they have learned from completing the Web Quest on
index cards. The other team members will have to answer the questions given. If someone on the team is having difficulty, the other team
members will review the concept. Students will provide each other with their own strategies or mnemonic devices to aid with studying. I
will tell the students that it is important that every member is on the same page regarding the information, because team averages will be
recorded. I will give the students 60 minutes to meet with their group. After the team study is completed, I will give a quiz (see
attached) to measure knowledge gained. These tests are individual and students cannot help each other. After each test is scored, I will
have a ceremony, giving recognition to the team with the highest average. The team with the highest average will receive a 1 st place
medal and it will be noted on the weekly recognition chart. As weeks past, the team that has most improved team score will also receive
a honorable mention.
Monitoring Cooperative Learning Process:

I would help the students incorporate the 5 principles of a Collaborative Lesson including positive interdependence, individual accountability,
group processing, social skills, and face-to-face interaction. While the groups are working, I will be walking around to each group
monitoring the social and academic skills of the students. I will make sure that the team members are strategically seated in order to
encourage eye-to-eye, knee-to-knee interaction. I would make sure that each member has 3 questions to ask of the group in order to
encourage interaction and conversation. I would make sure that each student is utilizing adequate collaborative social skills to function
successfully. Students will be given enough time and encourage to participate in reflection about what was learned and how it was learned.
Each student will be accountable for their own learning, so I would want to see frequent sharing of thoughts and ideas. I would encourage
all members to participate and intervene only when necessary.
Assessing and Processing:
I will assess each members individual learning by noting their individual quiz score and my observation of their input to the group. For the
assessment of the group productivity, I will use a rubric and use the scores to demonstrate how well and efficiently the groups worked. I
will ask the students to reflect upon how well they all worked together, and I will ask them to comment on the cooperative learning
process.
Closure:
I will invite the students to conclude what they have learned during the lesson. I will also encourage the students to fill out the SelfAssessment Rubric for Individual and Team work. I will ask the groups to share their group processing discussions to the rest of the
class.
Critique Questions:
Did my lesson promote cooperative learning?
Were my goals, standards, and objectives appropriate for my lesson?
Did I encourage the 5 principles of cooperative learning face-to-face interaction, group processing, individual accountability,
etc?
Did my individual and group rubric effectively address social interaction and collaborative work?
Was my Anticipatory Set engaging?

Team Recognition Chart (To be displayed in the classroom)

Teams
Mummy Madness

Team Egypt

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Nile Navigators

Honorable mention
Improved their score by
7 pts.!

Team Nefertiti

Team Ra

Group Work Rubric

Requirement

Contributions

Working
with others

Attempted

Acceptable

-Seldom
cooperative
-Did not do any
work
-Rarely offered
useful ideas

-Sometimes
cooperative
-Could have done
more
-Sometimes
offered useful
ideas

1
-Rarely listens

2
-Often listens to,

Admirable

3
-Cooperative
-Did their part of
the work
-Usually offered
useful ideas

Awesome

4
-Always willing
to help and do
more
-Did more than
others
-Routinely offered
useful ideas

-Usually listens to,

-Always listens to,

to, shares with,

or supports the
efforts of
others.
-Often is not a
good team
member

Focus on the
task

shares with, and

supports the
efforts of others.
-Sometimes not a
good team
member

-Does not focus

on the task and
what needs to
be done.
-Lets others do
the work.

-Sometimes
focuses on the
task and what
needs to be done.
- Other group
members must
prod and remind
to keep this
person on task.

shares with, and

supports the
efforts of others.
-Does not cause
problems in the
group

shares with, and

supports the
efforts of others.
-Tries to keep
people working
together.

3
-Focuses on the
task and what
needs to be done
most of the time.
-Group members
can count on this
person.

4
-Almost always
focused on the
task and what
needs to be done.
-This person is
very self-directed.

Points Earned: _________

Points Possible: 12
Grade : __________
Adapted from: http://www.eighthfloor.org/academy/gward/rubgrp.htm

Individual Feedback on Group Work

Did I relay enough information to my teammates?
Yes
No
Somewhat
Do I feel that my participation was significant?
Yes
No
Somewhat
Did I listen to my teammates input?
Yes
No
Somewhat
What was my contribution to the team?

What will my team and I do differently next time?

Rate of my group members participation:

Name
________________ 3
2
________________ 3
2
________________ 3
2
________________ 3
2
3 = great participation
2 = average participation
1= little or no participation.

1
1
1
1