Psi Mini Unit Final

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
UNIT OVERVIEW
C & I Overview of the Entire Unit- Pg.2
Evaluation and assessment Overview of the Entire Unit- Pg.5
Tech Overview and Rationale of the Entire Unit- Pg.10
Tech- Intention of the Coggle Page- Pg.12
LESSON ONE
Lesson One Lesson Plan- Pg. 13
Lesson One Smart Notebook Screenshots- Pg. 21
Alberta Geographical Regions Worksheet- Pg. 22
Alberta Map Activity Pg. 24.
Evaluation and Assessment Lesson One Rationale- Pg. 25
C & I Lesson One Rationale- Pg. 30
LESSON TWO
Lesson Two Lesson Plan- Pg. 32.
Lesson Two Smart Notebook Screenshots- Pg. 43
Quick Worksheet: Albertas Geographical Regions- Pg. 44
Fill in the Blanks Video Worksheet- Pg. 47
Flashcard Images- Pg. 48
Evaluation and Assessment Lesson Two Rationale- Pg. 49
C & I Lesson Two Rationale- Pg. 54
Educational Psychology Unit Defense- Pg. 56
LESSON THREE
Lesson Three Lesson Plan- Pg. 61
Lesson Three Smart Notebook Screenshot- Pg. 66
Review Worksheet- Pg. 67
KWL Chart- Pg. 68
Park Photos- Pg. 69
Park Maps- Pg. 70
In-class Fieldtrip- Pg. 72
Performance Task Letter from Alberto Otrebla- Pg. 73
Evaluation and Assessment Lesson Three Rationale- Pg. 74
C & I Lesson Three Rationale- Pg. 80
PERFORMANCE TASK
Part 1-4- Pg. 81-84
Rubric- Pg. 85
REFLECTIVE BLOG- pg. 87
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C & I Overview of the Entire Unit

Note: Rationales will be with their respective lessons.
Overarching Question:
In what ways do Albertas physical geography, natural resources,
and environmental sustainability impact your life as an Albertan?
Curriculum Outcomes Present in Mini Unit:

GLO 4.1- Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how
elements of physical geography, climate, geology and paleontology are integral to
the landscapes and environment of Alberta.
SLO 4.1.2- Students will: examine, critically, the physical geography of Alberta by
exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
Where is Alberta located in relation to the other provinces and territories of Canada?
(LPP)
What are the major geographical and natural vegetation regions, landforms and bodies
of
water in Alberta (e.g., prairie region, forests, rivers, hoodoos, Rocky Mountains, oil
sands)?
(LPP)
What are the significant natural resources in Alberta, and where are they located (e.g.,
mineral deposits, coal, natural gas and oil, forests)? (ER, LPP)
How are Albertas provincial parks and protected areas and the national parks in
Alberta
important to the sustainability of Albertas natural environment? (ER, LPP)
Rationale and Overview:
It is important for students to recognize the landscape that surrounds them.
Through its natural resources, Alberta has developed into one of the main economic
engines of Canada. Through its geographical features, Alberta is known to be a thriving
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home for many different plants and animals. There are two prevailing views of Alberta:
one that emphasizes the natural beauty of its geographical landscapes, and one that
emphasizes the often dirty and controversial resource development and extraction. One
draws visitors by the thousands, the other serves as the economic engine of the entire
country. Understanding this dichotomy will enable students to see their province as it
truly is: a home of people, and a home of nature. They will develop understandings
about the relationships between the two and contemplate ways in which that
relationship is continually evolving.
This unit focuses on Albertas Physical Geography and resources. Students will
be learning about many components of Albertas physical geography to answer the
overarching question In what ways does Albertas physical geography, natural
resources, and environmental sustainability impact your life as an Albertan?. This unit
is part of Alberta: A Sense of the Land from the social studies program of studies;
General Learner Outcome, 4.1 : Students will demonstrate an understanding and
appreciation of how elements of physical geography, climate, geology and
palaeontology are integral to the landscapes and environment of Alberta. Students will
begin by having a clear understanding of where Alberta is located within Canada on a
map. Following that, students will gain a basic understanding of Albertas six
geographical regions in lesson one. Students will learn the location, size, and basic
characteristics of the six regions in Alberta. In the following lesson students will continue
to learn about another physical characteristic of Alberta: its major bodies of water.
Students will recognize where these bodies of water are located in Alberta but more
specifically the regions in which they are found. Following bodies of water in Alberta,
students will explore renewable and nonrenewable resources and understand that water
is a renewable resource. Students will be exposed to other resources available in
Alberta and recognize which are renewable and nonrenewable.
The third lesson will explore provincial parks in Alberta. The intent behind
exploring provincial parks is so students can recognize that some resources, including
animals, require protection by the government. The unit will culminate with a mock
provincial park performance task, in which students will create a provincial park
proposal to the government of Alberta. The unit uses numerous examples of formative
assessments to help prepare students for this performance task, and this is the only
summative assessment in the entire unit.
Overall, the intent of this unit is to have students consider how life might be
different in different geographical areas of the province. The numerous regions that are
explored, whether that be through analyzing provincial parks, resource extraction, or
bodies of water enable students to consider how diverse Albertas landscape is.
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Students can ask themselves how might my life look different if I lived in the Canadian
Shield? What impact does my current region have on my life? and many more
questions, and the unit will not explicitly answer any of them for the students. Certainly
many of the questions will make an appearance in class discussions, but for the most
part the intent is that students will be taught in a manner that enables them to make
these understandings on their own.
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EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT RATIONALE

Lesson Two- Albertas Physical Geography and Natural Resources
Lesson Overview
Lesson Outcomes:
Curricular Outcomes:
GLO 4.1 : Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how elements of
physical geography, climate, geology and paleontology are integral to the landscapes and
environment of Alberta.
SLO 4.1.2: examine, critically, the physical geography of Alberta by exploring and reflecting on
the following questions and issues:
4.1.2.2- What are the major geographical and natural vegetation, landforms and bodies of water
in Alberta?
4.2.1.4- Recognize major natural resources available in Alberta?
Learning Objectives:
At the end of the lesson students will be able to:
Identify bodies of water in Alberta. (Knowledge)
Recognize major natural resources available in Alberta. (Knowledge)
Distinguish between renewable and nonrenewable natural resources. (Analyze)
Lesson Description:
Lesson two continues the process of scaffolding toward the performance task. It
builds upon the understandings of Albertas physical geography that were established in
lesson one and moves into a more in-depth look at the various regions and their
characteristics. This lesson analyzes different natural resources that might be found in
each of the regions of Alberta. It also looks into various bodies of water that might be
found in each of the regions. The lesson begins with a formative review of what was
covered in lesson one. This helps student reflect on what they had learned. The lesson
ends with a flash card game that assesses the student learning in an engaging,
formative way.
Scaffolding to Performance Task:
This lesson scaffolds to the performance task in that the students will build
knowledge together about Albertas bodies of water and natural resources, as well as
review their understanding about Albertas physical geography found in lesson 1. This
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lesson also exposes students to a map of Albertas natural resources as they relate to
the different regions of the province- another requirement of their performance task. All
of the assessments in this lesson are formative, meaning that they are not for marks.
They will help the students consolidate their learning about material covered in the
previous lesson, and help the teacher recognize whether or not the students have
sufficient mastery of the material in this lesson to successfully complete the
performance task.
Core Assessment Concepts:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Many of the assessment concepts used to design lesson one were also used to
design lesson two. I will include them in point form here:
Three sources of assessment: observation, student work, and conversation (Davies,
2011, 45).
Formative assessment used to address student needs (Gareis and Grant, 2015, 5-6).
Pre-assessment to help the teacher understand a baseline as to where students are at
(Gareis and Grant, 2015, 7).
The formative assessment enables the teacher to provide descriptive feedback to the
students throughout and after the lesson, setting them up for the performance task.
(Davies, 2011, 17).
This lesson also includes differentiation to ensure validity in one of the lessons
formative assessments. This more directly links to the construct and content validity of
the two minute write. Our class has an ESL learner who is able to speak but struggles
with writing. Construct validity refers to an assessment measuring what it purports to
measure (Gareis and Grant, 2015, 29). In this case, we are not assessing the students
ability to write, we are assessing, formatively, what the student has learned during the
lesson. The student, then, is allowed to vocalize to the teacher what they have learned
during the lesson, rather than writing it down. With the students struggle to write, not
allowing them to do this would send an incorrect message to the teacher that the
student learned nothing. While the student would not be explicitly graded based on the
writing, they would be assessed to have learned nothing based on the poor writing skills
that exist.
This lesson also differentiates in terms of the difficulties of questioning. This
allows students to remain motivated and engaged.
Instructional Processes
Formative Assessment:
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As with lesson one, lesson two includes a variety of formative assessment

techniques that help the teacher gauge student learning and judge their own teaching
methods.
Some examples of formative assessment used are:
1. Formative worksheet- based on the first lesson where students work in pairs. The
formative assessments from lesson one enable the teacher to realize who the stronger
students are. They are placed with students who might be struggling to complete this
worksheet.
2. Fill in the blanks activity- to help students follow along with the video and have some
recorded responses to the video. The video will then be watched a second time without
writing.
3. Class discussion about lesson 1.
4. Coggle concept map.
5. Thumbs check- to gauge where students themselves feel they are at.
6. Think-pair-share about bodies of water to gauge student knowledge beforehand.
7. Bodies of water worksheet.
8. Class discussion.
9. Two Minute Write.
10. Flashcards activity.
As with lesson one, the teacher will use the formative assessments to establish
where the students are at in terms of understanding and mastery of the lessons
concepts. In most cases, the students wont even realize that they are being assessed
but it is important that the teacher is constantly assessing progress before moving on to
the next point. It is essential that the teacher takes extra time with the entire class or
with individual students where necessary.
The use of formative assessment in lesson one reflects key assessment
concepts by enabling the teacher to provide feedback to students before, during, and
after the lesson. It also enables students to develop a clear understanding of concepts
before they have to move on to another topic Lastly, it causes the teacher to reflect
upon their teaching strategies. The use of formative assessment in this lesson is
elaborated more in-depth in the section labelled core assessment concepts. The
differentiation in the two minute write ensures that only student learning is being
assessed and not other things.
Description of what the teacher is doing:
Throughout the lesson the teacher is engaging students in discussion, helping
them with their work by providing descriptive feedback, and also judging which students
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are struggling or excelling. The teacher is also thinking of things that might need to be
reviewed or taken further before the students are ready for the performance task.
Description of what the students are doing:
The students, throughout the lesson, are showing the teacher what they know
(though they might not realize), by engaging in class discussion, group work, games,
and worksheets. They are demonstrating their level of mastery over the topic material.
Key Questions:
There are a number of questions asked throughout the lesson, ranging in
difficulty to allow for differentiation. Some include:
1. Lesson 1 review- How many geographical regions does Alberta have?, how would
you describe these regions? and how might your life be different if you lived in these
other regions?
2. Pre-assessment- What bodies of water do you already know of? Where in Alberta are
they located?
3. During lesson (after video)- What regions might you think you will find some of these
resources?, what are some renewable natural resources in Alberta? and What are
some non-renewable natural resources in Alberta?
4. After lesson (2 minute write includes 3 questions to choose from): In what ways were
you correct or incorrect in your estimation of where the resources might be found?,
How many resources show up on the map? Which ones are renewable and which ones
are non-renewable? and What natural resources are found near your town and how do
they affect your life?
Evidence of Lesson Components:
Opening- The introduction of the lesson was designed to give the teacher an
opportunity to formatively assess what the students have retained from lesson one, and
if there is any need to return to that lesson before the students are ready for the
performance task. It was also designed to have the students reflect on what they had
learned. Lastly, adding the information to the Coggle would give the students a chance
to see what they had learned.
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Closing- The flashcard game at the end of the lesson is designed to be an

engaging formative assessment that helps the teacher gauge where the students are at
and help the students think about the lesson.
Timeline- The lesson is quite long for a grade four class. It is important to bear in
mind that the lesson does not have to be completed in one day. If the early formative
assessments suggest that the lesson is not teaching what is intended, the teacher
MUST take the time to address that. Also, if students demonstrate that they need to
cover content from lesson one again, the teacher needs to do that.
Content- All of the content covered is designed to scaffold to the performance
task at the end of the unit. This fits into the timeline component as well because if the
time is not given to the students to master different concepts, they will not be prepared
for the performance task at the end.
Tech Overview and Rationale of Entire Unit

Technology has been integrated into our mini unit in several ways we believe will
benefit the learning of our students. One dominant use of technology in the lesson plans
is the Coggle concept mapping site we will be using. The goal of using Coggle is twofold. First, we wanted an engaging way we can formatively assess our students
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learning. We can see what they already know and later on, what they have learned.
Second, the Coggle serves to provide students with a visual of what they have learned.
In each lesson where it is they who add to the Coggle, they can see that there is a treelike structure of everything that they have learned gradually growing (see attached
intent of Coggle). This might help them recognize key terms, or simply be something
cool and enjoyable for them to look at.
Another way our unit has utilized technology for student benefit is by the virtual
tour of Albertas geographical regions on the LearnAlberta website. We felt it would be a
fun field trip-like experience; the graphics and in-depth visual tour enables students to
leave their desks and explore their chosen region without the risk or paperwork for the
school. My TA told me students remember more from field trips than they do from
sitting in their desks. We have also included websites for interactive quizzes, videos,
and images we think would enhance the learning that takes place in our unit. In our
second lesson we also use a random group generator that we felt would be fun,
engaging and unique.
Perhaps one of the biggest downsides of technology is its ability to let us down.
For all of the resources we have planned on using as online learning, we have made
backup plans for offline learning. The Coggle, for example, can be written as a concept
map on the whiteboard and added to the computer later. The Jigsaw activity in lesson
one has been adapted to suit technology troubles in two ways. First, we planned for the
limited computer booking availability. In this situation, we plan to use the smartboard
and explore the regions as a class, rather than as a group. In the event that the internet
and/or computers are not working, we have planned the jigsaw activity such that it can
be done offline. When including technology in a lesson, it is important to make sure that
plans are made to do the same lessons without it just in case.
At points in our lesson, technology is the backup plan. In lesson one, for
example, we have an online game where students can name the provinces and
territories and identify those that border Alberta. Considering the chance that the
internet might not work, we created a smartboard activity that accomplishes the same
outcome. Students drag the name of the province down to its location. If the students
are right, the province absorbs the name. If they are incorrect, the name of the province
returns to its place in the word bank. Backup plans such as this account for program
failure rather than whole technology failure.
Overall, when technology works and is available, it can have a tremendous
positive impact on lessons and the learning that takes place. We have incorporated
technology so it enables us to create stimulating and engaging lessons with minimal use
of the traditional read and respond lessons.
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This is just an example of how the Coggle mind map that we will use through all three
lessons may look. Of course, not all components are filled in and the actual usage would see
the students add all of the information on their own, though perhaps with the help of teacher
prompts.
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Overarching Question for Three Consecutive Lesson Plans: In what ways do

Albertas physical geography, natural resources, and environmental
sustainability impact your life as an Albertan?
Lesson Title/Focus
Alberta: Location,
Geographical Regions
and their Characteristics
Grade four Social Studies

Alberta: The land,
Histories and Stories
Cours
e
C&I JKL Jeff

and Jillian
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CURRICULAR OUTCOMES
Alberta: A sense of the land
GLO 4.1 : Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how elements of physical
geography, climate, geology and paleontology are integral to the landscapes and environment of Alberta.
SLO 4.1.2: examine, critically, the physical geography of Alberta by exploring and reflecting on the
following questions and issues:
4.1.2.1- Where is Alberta located in relation to other provinces and territories in Canada?
4.2.1.2- What are the major geographical and natural vegetation regions, landforms and bodies of water
in Alberta?
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Locate Alberta within Canada. (Knowledge)
Locate Alberta in relation to other provinces and territories in Canada. (Knowledge)
Identify major geographical and natural regions in Alberta. (Knowledge)
Distinguish between the different geographical regions in Alberta. (Understand)
Apply their learning by creating a map of Alberta, with its geographical regions, and bordering
territories, country, and provinces. (Apply)
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
In-class computer and Smartboard/ projector (individual laptops or I-pads if available)

Blank Canada and Alberta maps
Region worksheets
Coloured and numbered popsicle sticks for jigsaw activity.
Print-outs of the information for each region (if the internet is down). Found on Pg. 30 and 31 of
Voices of Alberta: People, Places, and Possibilities Call no. (currlab) 971.23 voi.
At least six computers, if available.
PREPARATION AND LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Online resources must be pre-loaded and ready to use
Printouts of map of Canada and Alberta and the region worksheet (make extra copies)
If technology fails, back up maps should be readily available as well as descriptions of the
regions and their locations.
Create smartboard presentation of the blank map of Canada. If technology is not working,
cover the names of the provinces and territories of Canada on the classroom map.
Number the coloured popsicle sticks with masking tape.
IF coloured popsicle sticks cannot be found, the teacher may colour them by drawing a streak
with a marker on each one.
Check to see if internet is working BEFORE lesson or if there is any anticipated maintenance
that may disrupt technology use.
Book AT LEAST six computers.
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Have printout of information for each region for the possibility of technology not working at all.
There should be one printout per region.
Consider who you might group together in the event that plan C is needed for the geographical
regions activity. Stronger readers should be divided up between groups.
Prepare the worksheet for the geographical regions jigsaw activity.
Print the worksheet for the geographical regions jigsaw activity
PROCEDURE
Introduction
Welcome students to the class.
Begin the lesson by introducing the subject matter of the lesson today.
Share that they will be exploring Canada but more specifically Alberta.
Without too much detail that may become distracting mention that there
will be some group activities, and map making.
Introduce the AGENDA:
Tell students we will start by creating a concept map about what they
already know about Alberta.
They will then play a game as a class to help students name Canadas
provinces and territories.
They will then have a discussion about some of Albertas geographical
features.
Next, they will do a fun activity to learn the differences between
Albertas six geographical regions.
Lastly, they will make some maps to help them see the different regions.
Time
5
min
Ask students to think about what they know about Canadas Landscape
but more importantly what they know about Alberta specifically.
o Having students think before you begin a lesson brings the focus to the
material you are about to cover.
o Students may choose to write this down if they feel they will not
remember their thoughts, but it is not a requirement.
Body
Concept
Map
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ask students, as a class, to create a mind map of what

they already know about:
Alberta,
Albertas landscape,
and Albertas natural resources.
Use https://coggle.it/ for this activity.
One version will be written on the board by students, while
the teacher uses Coggle to create an electronic version for
future reference. At the end of the unit- the concept map
will be built upon as a class, and students will be able to
Time
10 min
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see what they have learned.

If there is a classroom leader that day, ask them to lead in
terms of calling on students to respond. If there is not,
invite a student up to lead the mind-map. In either case
make sure they know the rules:
do not only call on your friends,
call on people who are being respectful,
and all ideas are valuable and get added to the concept
map.
BACKUP- if technology is not working at that particular
time, the teacher can take a picture of the concept map
and add it to the Coggle later.
Where in 1. Begin this component by playing the labelling game
the World
Canada: Provinces and Territories found at
is Alberta? http://online.seterra.net/en/vgp/3006 call students up to
the board individually if they think they can name a
province or territory. They may have one phone a friend.
2. When the map activity is complete, ask students to
discuss with their neighbor beside or behind them
(whichever works best logistically). What do they notice
about where Alberta is located? What is to the North, East,
South, West of Alberta? Note: The names of the provinces
or territories do not remain on the map once the activity is
complete, so students will be challenged to remember as
much as they can. Before the activity, mention that
they should focus on what is to the north, south,
east, and west of our province AND its overall
location within the country. Also, the map does not
label the United States to the south, so students will have
to really think about their answer.
3. Gradually wind the discussion down so that it relates less
to Canada in general, and more specifically to Alberta.
Accomplish this by saying something along the lines
of:while Canada is a very big country, Alberta is a smaller
area within Canada.
PLAN B: In the event that the internet is down, have a
blank map of Canada pre-made on the smartboard and
have students drag the names of the provinces up to their
right place
PLAN C: In the event that both the internet AND the
computers are down, use the classrooms Canada map,
and cover up the names of the provinces. Students can
10 min
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then guess the names of the provinces. In this case, the

teacher will need to acknowledge whether or not the
answer is correct, rather than the technology doing so.
Class
1.
discussion
on major 2.
features.
Begin by asking students what they already know about

any of Albertas geographical features.
Use prompts, such as : What physical features does
Alberta have? What does the landscape look like around
their city or town? Where in Alberta have they been to that
has an interesting landscape?
3. If necessary explain the meaning of the word Landscape
a. Landscape: all the visible features of an area
4. Introduce each region name, so when the video
activity happens they can recognize the word.
a.
Canadian Shield, Boreal Forest, Rocky Mountains,
Foothills, Parkland and Grassland
10- 12
min
-Do not elaborate too much, if at all, on these names, as

the students will be exploring them later. Answer
questions, if asked, but do not allow yourself or the
students to become swamped.
ActivityAlbertas
Geographi
cal
Regions
If there are AT LEAST SIX computers, do the following

activity:
(Assuming there are 30 students)
JIGSAW ACTIVITY (also use for backup plan C listed below,
if necessary) Use the following resource for this activity:
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/sszi/en/
10
minutes
to
explore10
minutes
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1. Hand out coloured popsicle sticks: the colours will be

yellow, red, blue, orange, green, and purple. Five of each
colour will be handed out around the class.
2. Each popsicle stick will also contain a number between 1
and 5.
3. Divide the groups into their COLOUR GROUPS FIRST. The
activity WILL not work if they are divided into their number
groups first. There will be 6 groups of 5.
4. Have yellows go to the back RIGHT of the room, reds go to
the back LEFT of the room, blues go to the CENTRE-LEFT of
the room, oranges go to the CENTRE-RIGHT of the room,
greens go to the FRONT RIGHT of the room, and purples go
to the FRONT LEFT of the room.
NOTE: the above arrangement depends on class size and
layout. Adaptation may be needed.
5. Assign a region to each colour.
6. Give each colour group a computer.
7. Give each student a worksheet.
8. Each group will use the resource
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/sszi/en/ and find their
geographical region and explore it.
9. Each group will look for the location of their region, the
characteristics of each region, and the what of their
region. The what portion includes the types of landforms,
animals, and vegetation that might be found there. This
will be specified on the worksheet.
___________________________________________________________
_________
10.
After 10 minutes of allowing the groups to do their
research on their region, break the students into their
NUMBER GROUPS. There will be 5 groups of 6.
11.
Have 5s go to the back left corner of the room, 4s
go to the back right corner of the room. 3s go the centreleft of the room, 2s go to the centre-right of the room. 1s
go to the front right of the room and 1s go to the front left
of the room.
12.
Have students exchange their learning with other
members of their number group. Each member will have
researched a different geographical region.
13.
As they are debriefing about what they have
learned, students will record information about the other
regions on their regions.
14.
Have students return to their seats.
15.
Ask students to share any thoughts they may have
about their learning
to
exchang
e.
5
minutes
for
thought
s
TOTAL=
25-27
minutes
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NOTE: Teacher may need to note that there will be some

groups with different numbers of students, depending on
the actual size of the class.
NOTE: The listings of where the groups go may change
depending on the layout of the classroom. The teacher
needs to adapt this to the class. A map on the board would
make this process easier.
___________________________________________________________
_________
BACKUP PLAN B: IF computers are already booked,
or there are not enough available, we can go over
the regions together on the smartboard, and do the
following activity:
Introduce activity by explaining that students will be
recording information from an interactive resource they
will be watching, then break into the activity:
1. Number students 1 to 3. (hand out pre-made worksheets)
2. 1s are to focus on the LOCATION of each geographical
region.
3. 2s are to focus on the CHARACTERISTICS of each
location.
4. 3s are to focus on the WHAT of each location. What
types of animals might be found there, plants, formations,
etc.
5. If there are 30 students, there will be 10 of each number.
6. Use the following resource:
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/sszi/en/ to explore
Albertas geographical landscape as a class. NOTE: Do not
make this too formal. Allow students to interact and have
fun. After all, it will be an adventure for them.
NOTE: In this situation, the teacher will be in
control of the technology.
A. Have students decide which regions they would like to
learn about to give them options in the order of learning,
this will keep them involved and excited. Accomplish this
by simply asking the class what region we should explore
next.
1. Group a 1, a 2, and a 3 students together.
2. They will exchange their focus points and talk about what
they learned .
3. Have students share with the class any thoughts they
might have.
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Backup Plan C: If internet does not work, teacher

should have print out information of each region.
This option requires students to read a bit, so try
and divide stronger readers between each group.
Use the jigsaw activity listed above.
Note: All of the above plans will use the same
worksheet.
Map
Making
1.
2.
3.
4.
Have students apply what they have learned:

Tell students they will have about 8 minutes to
complete the first portion of the map making task
individually, and then they will work in pairs for
another 7 or 8 minutes to complete the last portion.
The portions are specified in the instructions below.
Note: It is acceptable for students to not finish the
first portion of the assignment entirely, this will
give the teacher an understanding of their abilities.
Begin by labelling Alberta on a map, with the North, East,
South, and West
provinces/countries labelled as well.
Check in with students and clarify any questions they may
have. You may do this as a whole class rather than
answering similar questions more than once, or potentially
overlooking shy students who may not want to ask.
NEXT allow students to draw roughly where each of
Albertas SIX geographical regions are located. These are,
CANADIAN SHIELD, BOREAL FOREST, PARKLAND,
FOOTHILLS, ROCKY MOUNTAINS, and GRASSLAND
Have students turn to a neighbour and complete the
remaining components of the task together.
Have them briefly label the major characteristics of each.
The maps should include features all maps have: Compass
Rose, Title. This map will act as the formative assessment
for the geographical features component. (map example
will be provided)
IMPORTANT NOTE: A list of requirements MUST be included
on the map, so that students have a clearer understanding
of their expectations. This will help them break down the
activity into more achievable chunks.
STEP 1: Label Alberta on a map, and identify the
territories, provinces, and country that border it
STEP 2: Draw, in your best estimate, the locations of the
different geographical regions of Alberta
15 min
Jeff Williams 20
STEP 3: Turn to your neighbour and, Create a compass for

your map and generate a title to help readers understand
NOTE: Working together on this component will set them
up nicely for the individual portion of the worksheet in the
next lesson.
Closure
Class discussion: go around the class and ask each student to name
ONE thing that they will take away from the lesson, and ONE thing
they think they need to learn more about. This can go table-by-table or
row-by-row, depending on the layout of the classroom.
Explain that we will go further in the next lesson.
Time
7 min
LESSON
TOTAL:
69
minutes
Assessment
Class discussion- observation- listen for clues that students understand some
of the characteristics of the geographical features. It will be more to provide
the teacher information about what they need to go further in depth on, or
whether a few individual students will need additional help. (Formative)
Maps - Canadian Map and regional map (Formative)
Regional information worksheet (Formative)
*As this is only an introduction, there will not be any summative
assessments.
Jeff Williams 21
Lesson One Smart Notebook
Jeff Williams 22
Name:_______________
Albertas Geographical Regions
1: Record your popsicle stick colour and number here.
Popsicle stick colour:______________________
Popsicle stick number:_______
2: The teacher will tell you where your colour group will meet in the classroom. Record
what region your group will be learning about on the line below.
Your Region:______________________________
3: Please open your computer and go to http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/sszi/en/.

Listen to the first video then click on Alberta to zoom in and find your region.
Once you have found your region click on it once. Listen to the first video, you may then
click on the region again and listen to the next video. Explore the page and record your
answers to the questions below.
Where is your region located in Alberta?
__________________________________________________________________________
Jeff Williams 23
What is an important feature of this region?
__________________________________________________________________________
Are there any animals in this region? What animals are in this region?
__________________________________________________________________________
What plants grow in your region?
__________________________________________________________________________
Does your region have another name?
__________________________________________________________________________
Your teacher will tell you what is next, after this side of the worksheet is completed.
Albertas Geographical Regions Part 2
3: Look at the number on your popsicle stick and listen for the teachers instruction on
where you will go next.
4: Listen to your new group members and record your information in the chart below.
Region Name
Region
Features
Animals in the
Region
Plants in the
Region
Other Name of
Region
Jeff Williams 24
Name:_____________________
Map of Alberta and its Regions
1: On the Map of
Canada find
Alberta and
label it.
2: Label the
provinces and
territories to the
North, East,
South, and West
of Alberta.
Jeff Williams 25
3: On the Map of Alberta, roughly

draw where Albertas Six Regions
are located. Colour each region in
a different colour and label them.
Remember to include your basic

map components.
EVALUATION AND
ASSESSMENT
RATIONALE
Lesson One- Location, Geographical Regions and their
Characteristics
Lesson Overview
Lesson Outcomes:
physical geography, climate, geology and palaeontology are integral to the landscapes and
4.1.2.1- Where is Alberta located in relation to other provinces and territories in Canada?
4.2.1.2- What are the major geographical and natural vegetation regions, landforms and bodies of
water in Alberta?
Jeff Williams 26
At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
Locate Alberta within Canada. (Knowledge)
Locate Alberta in relation to other provinces and territories in Canada. (Knowledge)
Identify major geographical and natural regions in Alberta. (Knowledge)
Distinguish between the different geographical regions in Alberta. (Understand)
Apply their learning by creating a map of Alberta, with its geographical regions, and
bordering territories, country, and provinces. (Apply)
Lesson Description:
Lesson one serves as an introduction to Albertas physical geography. Before
going into detail about different regions within Alberta, it is necessary for students to be
able to locate Alberta within Canada, and the neighbourhood around Alberta. This
enables students to have some perspective on Albertas size which in turn will help
them recognize exactly how Alberta has so many diverse and distinct geographical
regions and natural resources.

This lesson scaffolds to the performance task in a few ways. First, it helps
students become familiar with the map of Alberta. The map making component is a key
area in the performance task. By including the map of Alberta in the performance task
we are able to evaluate a students understanding of Albertas location. Next, the
understanding of Albertas geographical regions is another important aspect of the
performance task, as they will be asked to propose a provincial park for a geographical
region of their choosing. From there, they can identify the physical characteristics of
their park. Lastly, scaffolding is the inclusion and gradual removal of supports as they
develop mastery of a topic (lecture). It would be impossible to remove supports if we
were unsure about how well the students understand their new concept. For this
reason, as this rationale will discuss later, we have included multiple examples of
formative assessment throughout the lesson.
As Davies (2011) argues, there are three general sources of assessment
gathered in classrooms: observations of learning, products students create, and
conversations with students about learning (45). The first lesson includes all three of
these ideas. The class discussions that are incorporated at various parts of the lesson
allow students an opportunity to share what they have learned. They also allow the
Jeff Williams 27
teacher to observe/eavesdrop on conversations and see who might need additional help
with their work. We also have students create a map. For one part, they work
individually, and for another part they work in pairs. This enables the teacher to observe
the work as it happens. Is anyone struggling? Is anyone excelling? From there, the
teacher can make judgements as to whether they need to go further with a certain
concept with the whole class or with a few individuals. The map that they create
provides us with a physical representation of what they have learned during the lesson.
All of these are formative in nature.
Gareis and Grant ( 2015) argue that there are three main considerations with
regard to student learning: curriculum, instruction and assessment (4). They argue that
in the absence of assessment teaching becomes all about teachers and their decisions
and not about the students and their learning (5). There is a lot of formative
assessment in the lesson for this exact reason. It will allow us to check in on student
progress and, if necessary, revamp our lessons to suit their needs.
Gareis and Grant (2015) also note the importance of pre-assessment in student
learning. They argue that it can help establish a baseline of student knowledge and
trigger previous learning (7). Lesson one incorporates pre-lesson discussions to help
students connect to their past knowledge, and also the teacher connect with the
students existing knowledge, providing a gauge as to where the students are.
The levels of formative assessment also enable us to provide descriptive
feedback. Descriptive feedback gives the learner information about their learning that
helps them self-reference and plan their next steps... [and] comes during, as well as
after, the learning (Davies, 2011, 17). By providing descriptive feedback for students
through the use of formative assessment, lesson one helps students to build a firm
foundation upon which they can pursue lessons two and three and eventually the
performance task.
If there is one way to describe the teachers role in lesson one is it to engage.
This includes engaging with student prior knowledge through the use of pre-assessment
in the form of class discussion, engaging with student behaviour with regard to what
they are expected to do (are they doing what I intended? Is it because they do not
understand or because they find it too easy or unengaging?), and engaging with student
responses in the class discussions, Coggle, and the map activity. All of these provide
the teacher with an understanding of whether or not the intended outcomes of the
Jeff Williams 28
lesson are being met appropriately or if there is something that needs to be reviewed or
revamped. It is important the teacher takes the time to address student concerns
throughout the lesson.
There is a variety of formative assessment in lesson one. The teacher will be
collecting evidence of prior knowledge and of new student learning, which will then be
used to address whether or not the lesson is going as intended.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Pre-assessment- discussion about what students already know about Alberta.
Coggle concept map that will be weaved through all three lessons.
Map labelling game.
Discussion about Albertas major features.
Jigsaw activity on Albertas major regions.
Map making activity.
Class discussion.
elaborated more in-depth in the section labelled core assessment concepts.
Description of what students are doing:
Throughout the lesson students will be participating in games, discussions, and
other activities that help demonstrate to the teacher what they have learned. This will
enable the teacher to assess student learning. It will also enable the students to think
about their own learning more frequently, which will help them know where they may or
may not need help.
Key Questions:
There are a number of questions throughout the lesson, none of which are
yes/no questions. This forces students to not only know the answer to the question, but
to know why they know the answer to the question. There are many questions in the
lesson, so this rationale will only include a couple of them (see lesson plan for more).
1. Pre-assessment- What do you already know about Alberta, Albertas landscape, natural
resources? (This goes onto the Coggle concept map).
Jeff Williams 29
2. During lesson- What geographical features does Alberta have? and What does the
area around your town look like? This ties their new learning to what they already know
and are familiar with. (This also goes onto the Coggle concept map).
3. Post lesson-ask everyone to share one thing that they will take away from the lesson.
(To Coggle also).
Evidence of Lesson Components
Opening- The introduction to the lesson was designed to inform students what
they will be learning about as well as enable students to share what they already know
about the topic that will be covered that day. This helps the students tie their existing
understandings into what they are going to be learning about. The Coggle concept map
that will be used throughout enables students to visualize what they have learned. As
the tree grows, they can see their learning. It can also help the teacher understand that
the students do not know as much as would be liked and can refresh prior knowledge.
Closing- The class discussion at the end is designed to help students reflect on
what they have learned that day and tie everything together. Sally might say something
that Bill did not pick up during the lesson. This can help Bill reflect on his learning. It can
also help the teacher reflect on their teaching. If only 20 out of 30 can share something
that they have learned, there is a teaching problem.
Timeline- The lesson is quite long for a grade four class. It is important to note
that the lesson is designed to give students options as to what interests them and
designed to promote engagement. It is also important to bear in mind that the lesson
does not have to be completed in one day. If the early formative assessments suggest
that the lesson is not teaching what is intended, the teacher MUST take the time to
address that.
Jeff Williams 30
Curriculum and Instruction Rationale

Lesson 1- Alberta: Location, Geographical Regions and Their Characteristics
Lesson one has been designed to spark interest and provide basic information to
students about Albertas diverse landscape. It is important to ensure that students can
locate, on a map, where Alberta is located to create context and visual aid to students
who may have a visual learning preference.
In the interest of acknowledging what students already know, the mind map will
offer students an interactive way to see their collective knowledge, and witness the map
grow as their knowledge does. For students that are ESL or have low comprehension
abilities this offers them the opportunity to listen to their classmates and feel no
pressure to have to contribute immediately.
Throughout the lesson students have the option of participating or remaining in
their seats. It was important that discussion constantly occur throughout the lesson as a
method of checking in with students and providing prompts to help them think deeper
about Alberta and its landscape. As the lesson progresses it is important that students
have opportunities to talk amongst themselves and collaborate. This is why the jigsaw
Jeff Williams 31
activity is imperative to developing new knowledge about Albertas landscape. The

intention of the jigsaw activity is first, to share knowledge, and second, to work with
different peers at different skill levels. Not only is the teacher present to scaffold learning
for students but peers may help each other along as well. The online video is interactive
and modern, so students should remain engaged; the strength in groups is that those
who may be concentrating on writing information down can work well with students
listening more closely. It was integral that, no matter the execution of the lesson, with or
without technology, that the worksheet remain the same; this offers students who may
have benefitted from the use of technology the chance to try again when technology is
available. Our final map making task for the lesson is designed to place intangible
regions on a map to better visualize the material. This activity will serve as a way for
students to wind-down as well. The excitement from working with peers and moving
around the classroom will be brought down with the individual portion of the map
making activity. This classroom management technique allows for closing discussion
without interruption.
Jeff Williams 32
Overarching Question for Three Consecutive Lesson Plans: In what

ways do Albertas physical geography, natural resources, and
environmental sustainability impact your life as an Albertan?
Lesson Title/Focus:
Albertas Physical
Geography and Natural
Resources
Class: Social
Studies Grade 4:
Lesson 2
Cours
e
C&I Jillian
& Jeff
CURRICULAR OUTCOMES
GLO 4.1 : Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of
how elements of physical geography, climate, geology and palaeontology
are integral to the landscapes and environment of Alberta.
SLO 4.1.2: examine, critically, the physical geography of Alberta
4.1.2.2 (modified) identify bodies of water in Alberta
4.1.2.4 recognize major natural resources available in Alberta
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Jeff Williams 33

Distinguish between renewable and nonrenewable natural resources.
(Analyze)
formative Quick Worksheet (extras)
atlases and maps
computers (if available)
Smartboard.
Smart notebook presentation.
https://coggle.it/
15 strips of paper each containing the name of a major body of water in
Alberta.
Group making generator found at https://www.jamestease.co.uk/teamgenerator/.
Whiteboard.
Markers.
Fill in the blanks worksheet.
Image flashcards.
Voices of Alberta: People, Places, and Possibilities (2006). Call No. (currlab)
971.23 voi.
Book a computer cart or computer lab for the class.
Print out the formative Quick Worksheet relating to the geographical
regions of Canada.This worksheet will also include a map of Canada, on
which the students will be asked to label and colour Alberta.
Remember to use the colour ink so the region images are easier to see.
Pre-arrange partners for the above formative assignment. Try to pair
stronger students with ones who might be struggling. Students will work in
these pairs to identify Alberta on the map then match the region name to its
corresponding description and then to the image depicting the region.
Print, Cut, fold, and place in a container or hat the following bodies of water
for Bodies of water activity and map making.
7 major river basins or watersheds, in Alberta: Hay River Basin, Peace/Slave
River Basin, Athabasca River Basin, Beaver River Basin, North Saskatchewan
River Basin, South Saskatchewan River Basin, and Milk River Basin.
Top Eight Biggest lakes in Alberta: Lake Athabasca, Lake Claire, Lesser Slave
Lake, Bistcho Lake, Cold Lake, Utikuma Lake, Lac La Biche Lake, Beaverhill
Lake.
These have been gathered from
http://environment.gov.ab.ca/info/library/6364.pdf ( Page 7- 15)
Jeff Williams 34
Print out the sheet for the fill in the blanks activity.
Have the renewable and non-renewable natural resources video buffering in
a separate tab.
Video source: http://www.accesslearning.com/videodetail.cfm?
asset_guid=14094040-7E63-4669-A696-0F6DDB8A5A65
Prepare the smart notebook presentation for the class.
PROCEDURE
Introduction
Begin the class by asking students what they remember about their
last lesson.
Use prompts like:

How many geographical regions does Alberta have?
What are their names?
How would we describe these regions?
Imagine that you lived in each of these regions. How might your life
be different?
With each response the teacher will create new branches on the
Coggle or build upon old ones.
Have the https://coggle.it/ concept map that the students started in
the first lesson open on the smartboard.
While this discussion is ongoing, students will add to and expand
upon their concept map.
The teacher will be responsible for adding the information to the
Coggle as the discussion proceeds.
Ensure that all student responses are being recorded. There
are no right or wrong answers and this will help you
understand what the students need more help with.
NOTE: if the internet/ technology is not working, the teacher will
write the responses on the board. Make sure to take a picture of the
responses to add to the Coggle later.
Ask students to close their eyes and put their heads on their desks,
and ask them to put their thumb UP if they feel like they have a firm
understanding of Albertas Geographical regions, SIDEWAYS if it is soso, and DOWN if they need more work. This will help the teacher
gauge where the students feel they are at.
After responses are given place students who had SIDEWAYS or
DOWN facing thumbs with students who had UP facing thumbs
(ensure you place DOWN with UP first). Tell the students that to start
the lesson, they will be working in pairs on a quick worksheet. Make
Time
9
min
Jeff Williams 35
sure that they know it is not for marks.

Body
Time
Students will work individually on the FRONT PAGE of

the quick worksheet. On the front page, students will:
label and colour in Alberta on a map of Canada
connect with a solid drawn line the region names,
Worksheet region descriptions and visual representations of
regions
2. Make sure students know they are being timed! Its
fun! Tell students they will have 10 minutes to do the
front page of their worksheet, remind them it is okay if
they do not finish before the time is up but to do their
best. (Timing students will show the teacher regions
that might be causing difficulties for the students. This
will enable the teacher to provide additional help
where necessary).
3. At the end of the worksheet, break students into pairs,
pre-planned by the teacher (use the above thumbs UP,
DOWN, SIDEWAYS strategy found in the introduction
again) Stronger students will go with struggling
students. Ask Students to flip to the BACK SIDE of the
Quick Worksheet. Students will:
a. Identify two different regions and compare and
contrast these regions using the Venn diagram.
Remind student that differences should be placed in
the outer part of the circles in the Venn diagram and
that similarities of the two regions they selected
should be placed in the overlapping portion of the
Venn diagram.
NOTE: Remind students that they can turn their
pages to the side to better write their points in
the Venn diagram.
15
min
Formative 1.
Assignmen
t in Pairs: a.
b.
Quick
4. Have Students place their Quick Worksheets on your

desk as this will be a formative assessment to gauge
students understanding of Albertas six major regions.
Think-pair-share.
Think-pair- Ask students what they know about lakes and rivers in
5
min
Jeff Williams 36
share
Alberta. Use the term Bodies of Water
You may ask: what bodies of water (lakes, rivers,

about
ponds, or streams) in Alberta do you know? Where are
bodies of
they located within Alberta?
water.
Some might mention that they have dugouts or canals
at home. All answers are acceptable.
Have students record their answers on a blank piece of
paper. (give a one minute time limit)
Ask the students to share their major body of water
with a partner.
Request that students turn to their right and share
their list with a partner.
Ask that if students have the same body of water that
they circle those bodies of water on the paper they
wrote it on.
Have pairs select one speaker.
Gather class attention by saying hands on heads
and wait for everyone to look at you.
Have them go back to their own seats. Call upon the
nominated speaker of the pairs to share one or two
bodies of water they thought of.
As students share, you must write these bodies of
water on the board under headings: lakes, rivers and
smaller bodies of water to represent ponds,
community lakes etc.
Remind students that what they have brain stormed
are Bodies of Water and that there are some
important bodies of water in Alberta that they will
learn about.
Transition to the next segment by asking the students
to put their hands on their heads and look at you.
When they are paying attention, tell them that you are
going to put them into groups for the next activity.
Major
Use the random group generator
Bodies of
https://www.jamestease.co.uk/team-generator/ to
Water
create 15 pairs.
Have each pair draw one body of water from a
hat/bucket.
Tell the students that they will be researching their
bodies of water and sharing their learning with their
Jeff Williams 37
classmates.
Students will use atlases, or computers if available, to
discover key facts about their body of water Students
will be required to gather the following:
Name of Body of water
Location of water/ where it runs through
Size of body of water
What geographical region
Provide students with Government of Alberta Facts
about Water in Alberta as resource. Write page 7- 15
on the board as the pages where students will find
their information.
http://environment.gov.ab.ca/info/library/6364.pdf
( Page 7- 15)
Provide atlases or maps so students may describe the
surrounding area of their body of water (Nearby towns,
cities, province borders or parks).
Ask that groups who have completed their worksheets
to place their hands on their elbows and quietly talk
amongst each other, and also nominate a
spokesperson for each group. Offer groups the
opportunity to share the speaking role if nominating
an individual appears to be an issue. For any ESL
student(s) having a small speaking role may
boost their confidence for speaking in front of
the class.
When all students have completed the worksheet ask
the group or nominated spokesperson to stand at their
desk and read their information out loud to the class.
Students must share: name of their body of water,
location within Alberta, the size and what geographical
region their body of water is located.
While students share their information record the body
of water name, the region it is located in and the
description of the location.
Put atlases and sources away.
NOTE: if there are not enough computers available
students will be provided with printouts of Pg. 7- 15 of
the Facts About Water in Alberta.
Map
Students will need to label all 15 major bodies of water
30
Jeff Williams 38
Activity
on a blank Map of Alberta.

Remind students to include their basic map
components: Compass Rose, Title and to use a BLUE
pencil crayon to represent their bodies of water.
Students will use the list of bodies of water recorded
by the teacher on the board to know what bodies of
water to include on their maps. Allow students 15
minutes to locate as many bodies of water with just
their classmates description of their location as listed
on the board.
For the next 15 minutes tell students they may use
maps and atlases to locate any of the 15 bodies of
water they may have missed and check their work to
ensure they have placed the bodies of water in the
correct spaces.
min
HALF TIME CLOSURE

Half time To allow for a break from the same content have
closure
students clean up their bodies of water worksheet and
maps. Explain that we will be returning to the topic
after lunch. Have them consider the following before
they are dismissed or move on. We are going to
return to this lesson, but first Id like to know...:
Ask the class how they think bodies of water impact
their lives? What are bodies of water used for? How
might their lives be different if they did not have a
body of water nearby?
Ask students to think about what they know about
resources, if anything, as we will touch on it in the
afternoon.
Tell the students, a second time, that you are going to
return to this lesson. Ok good so we will return to this
lesson
5
min
DIFFERENT SUBJECT
Introduction to resources in Alberta.

Class discussion.
Use prompts like:
What do we mean when we say resource?
provide definition after question has been answered:
5
min
Jeff Williams 39
a stock or supply of money, materials, staff, and other assets that

can be drawn on by a person or organization in order to function
effectively.
Discuss the definition further: Use the following prompts if
necessary:
Such as? Can anyone give an example of a resource?

If this is the meaning of a resource, what might we
mean by a natural resource?
What do we mean when we say natural?
Is the dictionary a resource or a natural resource?
Is a wood a resource or a natural resource?
What about oil?
Continue using such prompts until there is clarity in
the difference.
Tie their learning from the first part of the lesson to
the second part by asking the class:
how might water be considered a natural resource?
Video
Access the resource found at:

http://www.accesslearning.com/videodetail.cfm?
asset_guid=14094040-7E63-4669-A6960F6DDB8A5A65
Handout a worksheet asking students to fill in the
blanks.
This will only be used to make sure students are
following along with the short video.
Tell students that while they are watching the video,
they will have to fill in their sheet.
Watch the introduction of the video labelled Intro (37
seconds long). This will provide context for students.
Watch the portion of the video titled Renewable and
Nonrenewable Natural Resources (1 minute 20
seconds long).
Play the video a second time. This time, students do
not need to fill in the blanks on their worksheet but
have them flip the page over and record what images
they see. Ask them to focus on the visuals within the
video: trees, waterways, wind turbines, etc.
Have the following questions written on the

Discussion smartboard so that the students do not forget them
Given what you already know about Albertas
6
Mins
9
min
Jeff Williams 40
geographical features and waterways, what might be

In which geographical regions do you anticipate
finding some of these resources. (These may be found
in multiple regions)?
And what might be some examples of renewable
natural resources in Alberta?
In which geographical regions do you anticipate
finding some of these resources (These may be found
in multiple regions)?
Have them discuss with a partner for 5 minutes, then
ask them to share some of their thoughts with the
class.
Add their responses to their Coggle concept map
found at https://coggle.it/ .
NOTE: If technology is not working, write the questions

on the left whiteboard at the front of the classroom.
NOTE: If the technology is not working, write their
responses for the renewable and nonrenewable
natural resources on the right-hand whiteboard. Begin
the thought by writing natural resources and branch
off from there. Take a picture, and add it to the
concept map later.
Resource Ask students to look at you and tell them to open their
Map
textbook to page 89 of Voices of Alberta: People
2 Minute
Places and Possibilities (2006). This is a map of where
Write
Albertas national resources are in relation to the
geographical regions.
NOTE: if there are not enough textbooks have the
students pair up and discuss the findings, or have
photocopies of the page available.
Have the students complete a two minute write and
answer ONE of the following questions (of their
choosing).
In what ways were you correct or incorrect in your
estimation (in previous section) of where your chosen
resource was?
How many natural resources are shown on the map?
Which ones are renewable and which ones are not?
Jeff Williams 41
What natural resources are found near your town and

how do they affect your life?
DIFFERENTIATION: These questions are
examples of differentiation because all of the
questions range in their difficulty level. Higher
performing students may choose to answer the
first question, while struggling students may
choose to answer the what question.
DIFFERENTIATION: Have the ESL learner talk to
the teacher about their response so they do not
feel time pressure to write it down. The teacher
might choose to write the response for future
reference.
Explain to students that they can keep a copy of their
resource map because it might help them with their
upcoming assignment (this is the performance task).
Do not elaborate too much to avoid confusion.
Closure
Time
Image Flash Get the students attention by saying hands on

Cards
heads and wait for them to look at you. Move into
the activity.
Using the 5 image flashcards use the last 5- 10
minutes of class to have students tell you one fact
they learned about the image you share.
Hold up an image flash card to the class. give them
10 seconds to look at the image then draw a
popsicle stick that are labeled with their names.
Have the student say one thing about the image. If
students struggle to formulate a response off
prompts such as:
Is this a natural resource? Is the resource renewable
or not?
Images on flashcards: river, elk, oil, land, and
gasoline.
5-10
min
Assessment
1. Geographical regions chart- formative.
2. Class discussions- formative. We will be looking for their knowledge about
Jeff Williams 42
different geographical regions, resources, and waterways, as well as clues as

to where we need to teach further.
3. Fill in the blanks worksheet-formative. We will only be looking at the fact that
they were following along. This will indicate to us whether the video was
interesting and should be used again
4. The two minute write- formative. This assesses student knowledge of the
resources that are present in the various regions of Alberta, and will set
them up for the performance task.
Jeff Williams 43
Lesson Two Smart Notebook
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Name:_________________
Quick Worksheet: Albertas Geographical
Regions
1: Find Alberta on the map. Label Alberta once you
have found it and then colour it in. Please use Pencil
Crayons When you Colour in Alberta.
2: Draw a line from the name of the region to the
description of a region that matches. Next, draw a line
from the description of the region to the picture of the region. You should have ONE line
connecting Region Name, Region Description and Region Picture.
Canadian
Shield
This region has rolling hills and is hot,

windy and dry. In this region you can
find the flats, hoodoos and the
badlands.
Foothills
In this region you will see towering

mountain ranges where avalanches
take place. You can also find
waterfalls and meadows here.
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Parkland
This is the largest region in Alberta.

You can find a lot of evergreen trees
in this region.
Boreal
Forest
This is the smallest region in Alberta

and is actually a very old mountain
range.
Grassland
This region includes flattened hills,

and evergreen or deciduous trees
cover most of this region. There are
also many animals that travel through
this region.
Rocky
Mountain
This region is home to most of the

human population in Alberta and in
only found in North America. You can
also find wetland nesting grounds
here.
Quick Worksheet Part Two: Compare and Contrast Two of Albertas Regions
1: You and your partner can select two regions; make sure they are two DIFFERENT
regions. Together you will fill in your own Venn diagram by listing the differences of each
region in the biggest part of the circles and the similarities of the two regions in the
center of the Venn diagram. You may use your Albertas Regions Worksheet to help.
You may turn your worksheet to the side to write in the Venn diagram
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Region 1: __________
Region 2: _____
_____
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Similarities
Name: ___________________
Renewable and Nonrenewable Natural Resources Video:

Fill in the Blanks
*Follow along with the video and fill in the blanks when you hear the answer*
Natural resources are resources supplied by ______________ that we can

use or __________ ___________ from.
There are two types of resources: ____- ______________ and

_______________.
A nonrenewable resource is something that took thousands or millions of

years to __________, and cant _______________ as quickly as it was
used, things like _____ or _____ or even ______.
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Renewable resources can _______________ or ________________

themselves over time as we use them, like ________, river power, and
even some _____________ as long as were careful.
Image Flashcards
OIL
ELK
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GASOLINE
RIVER
LAND

Lesson Overview
Lesson Outcomes:
physical geography, climate, geology and palaeontology are integral to the landscapes and
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4.1.2.2- What are the major geographical and natural vegetation, landforms and bodies of water
in Alberta?
4.2.1.4- Recognize major natural resources available in Alberta?
Distinguish between renewable and nonrenewable natural resources. (Analyze)
Lesson Description:
Lesson two continues the process of scaffolding toward the performance task. It
builds upon the understandings of Albertas physical geography that were established in
lesson one and moves into a more in-depth look at the various regions and their
characteristics. This lesson analyzes different natural resources that might be found in
each of the regions of Alberta. It also looks into various bodies of water that might be
found in each of the regions. The lesson begins with a formative review of what was
covered in lesson one. This helps student reflect on what they had learned. The lesson
ends with a flash card game that assesses the student learning in an engaging,
formative way.
This lesson scaffolds to the performance task in that the students will build
knowledge together about Albertas bodies of water and natural resources, as well as
review their understanding about Albertas physical geography found in lesson 1. This
lesson also exposes students to a map of Albertas natural resources as they relate to
the different regions of the province- another requirement of their performance task. All
of the assessments in this lesson are formative, meaning that they are not for marks.
They will help the students consolidate their learning about material covered in the
previous lesson, and help the teacher recognize whether or not the students have
sufficient mastery of the material in this lesson to successfully complete the
performance task.
Many of the assessment concepts used to design lesson one were also used to
design lesson two. I will include them in point form here:
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1. Three sources of assessment: observation, student work, and conversation (Davies,

2011, 45).
2. Formative assessment used to address student needs (Gareis and Grant, 2015, 5-6).
3. Pre-assessment to help the teacher understand a baseline as to where students are at
4. The formative assessment enables the teacher to provide descriptive feedback to the
(Davies, 2011, 17).
This lesson also includes differentiation to ensure validity in one of the lessons
formative assessments. This more directly links to the construct and content validity of
the two minute write. Our class has an ESL learner who is able to speak but struggles
with writing. Construct validity refers to an assessment measuring what it purports to
measure (Gareis and Grant, 2015, 29). In this case, we are not assessing the students
ability to write, we are assessing, formatively, what the student has learned during the
lesson. The student, then, is allowed to vocalize to the teacher what they have learned
during the lesson, rather than writing it down. With the students struggle to write, not
allowing them to do this would send an incorrect message to the teacher that the
student learned nothing. While the student would not be explicitly graded based on the
writing, they would be assessed to have learned nothing based on the poor writing skills
that exist.
This lesson also differentiates in terms of the difficulties of questioning. This
allows students to remain motivated and engaged.
As with lesson one, lesson two includes a variety of formative assessment
techniques that help the teacher gauge student learning and judge their own teaching
methods.
1. Formative worksheet- based on the first lesson where students work in pairs. The
formative assessments from lesson one enable the teacher to realize who the stronger
students are. They are placed with students who might be struggling to complete this
worksheet.
2. Fill in the blanks activity- to help students follow along with the video and have some
recorded responses to the video. The video will then be watched a second time without
writing.
3. Class discussion about lesson 1.
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4. Coggle concept map.

5. Thumbs check- to gauge where students themselves feel they are at.
6. Think-pair-share about bodies of water to gauge student knowledge beforehand.
7. Bodies of water worksheet.
8. Class discussion.
9. Two Minute Write.
10. Flashcards activity.
As with lesson one, the teacher will use the formative assessments to establish
where the students are at in terms of understanding and mastery of the lessons
concepts. In most cases, the students wont even realize that they are being assessed
but it is important that the teacher is constantly assessing progress before moving on to
the next point. It is essential that the teacher takes extra time with the entire class or
with individual students where necessary.
elaborated more in-depth in the section labelled core assessment concepts. The
differentiation in the two minute write ensures that only student learning is being
assessed and not other things.
Throughout the lesson the teacher is engaging students in discussion, helping
them with their work by providing descriptive feedback, and also judging which students
are struggling or excelling. The teacher is also thinking of things that might need to be
reviewed or taken further before the students are ready for the performance task.
The students, throughout the lesson, are showing the teacher what they know
(though they might not realize), by engaging in class discussion, group work, games,
and worksheets. They are demonstrating their level of mastery over the topic material.
Key Questions:
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There are a number of questions asked throughout the lesson, ranging in

difficulty to allow for differentiation. Some include:
1. Lesson 1 review- How many geographical regions does Alberta have?, how would
you describe these regions? and how might your life be different if you lived in these
other regions?
2. Pre-assessment- What bodies of water do you already know of? Where in Alberta are
they located?
3. During lesson (after video)- What regions might you think you will find some of these
resources?, what are some renewable natural resources in Alberta? and What are
4. After lesson (2 minute write includes 3 questions to choose from): In what ways were
you correct or incorrect in your estimation of where the resources might be found?,
How many resources show up on the map? Which ones are renewable and which ones
are non-renewable? and What natural resources are found near your town and how do
they affect your life?
Opening- The introduction of the lesson was designed to give the teacher an
opportunity to formatively assess what the students have retained from lesson one, and
if there is any need to return to that lesson before the students are ready for the
performance task. It was also designed to have the students reflect on what they had
learned. Lastly, adding the information to the Coggle would give the students a chance
to see what they had learned.
Closing- The flashcard game at the end of the lesson is designed to be an
engaging formative assessment that helps the teacher gauge where the students are at
and help the students think about the lesson.
Timeline- The lesson is quite long for a grade four class.. It is important to bear in
mind that the lesson does not have to be completed in one day. If the early formative
assessments suggest that the lesson is not teaching what is intended, the teacher
MUST take the time to address that. Also, if students demonstrate that they need to
cover content from lesson one again, the teacher needs to do that.
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CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION RATIONALE

Lesson two begins with adding to the Coggle document that began in lesson one;
the visualization of growing knowledge can excite students and motivate them to learn
more in anticipation of adding to the document. Following the addition to the mind map,
a review worksheet will instill the new knowledge they have added and become in tune
with the content to come.
The two instances where students work individually then pair up serves two
purposes: first, it has them tap into their own knowledge; second, for students who
struggle with writing, comprehension or experience a language barrier, like an ESL
student, they are given the opportunity to prepare before being expected to share their
ideas.
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After the review we chose to introduce bodies of water in Alberta. The body of
water activity is comprised of many different roles for students to participate in: the
recorder, the reader and the speaker. Offering students different roles to fulfill has each
contribute to the learning of the whole group in unique ways while feeling in control of
their learning. Bodies of water are a natural resource found in Alberta, so by discussing
bodies of water and then resources, students would already have one example in their
repertoire of knowledge. The order of introduction is a form of scaffolding as it builds on
the idea of a body of water being a resource then carries on to introduce and explore
renewable and nonrenewable resources in Alberta.
The lesson is content heavy and extensive, it can leave students feeling restless
and less eager to participate. To combat this we included the break after the bodies of
water. Sending students off with a concept to think about yet still have their break
refreshes their ability to come back ready to learn more. When students return it was
decided that a fill in the blanks would be sufficient; the goal is simply that students follow
along with the video. Fill in the blanks is slightly less intensive than filling in the usual
worksheets. The follow up discussion about resources in Alberta connects the video the
students just watched to the more in depth activity to follow. Students can add to the
Coggle mind map, and segue into their individual 2 minute write. We did consider that
two minute writes can cause anxiety for weaker writers and ESL students so to ensure
they have equal opportunity to briskly share their knowledge these students are invited
to verbally share their thoughts with the teacher.
Finally in an effort to connect the plethora of information they have been
presented with, practicing recall by holding up flashcards and having students share
what they know will serve as a calm closing activity where students who may not have
participated yet may share with the class. This is a low- failure activity as the
requirement for sharing is very open, just one thing you know about the image. Closing
the lesson with a confidence boosting activity will build excitement for the coming lesson
and performance task.
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Rationale: Ed Psychology Defense

Scaffolding Lesson Plans
Description
Connections to Learning Theories

& Demonstration of Attention to
a Classroom Structure and
Climate
Lesson
Lesson Outcome:
Constructivist- Active role of the
Overview: Alberta: A sense of the land
learner in building understanding
and active in constructing their
Students will:
own knowledge, social
demonstrate an understanding and
interactions are important in this
appreciation of how elements of
process. (p. 332) more
physical geography, climate, geology specifically second wave
and palaeontology are integral to the
constructivism- focuses on the
landscapes and environment of
role of the community and
Alberta.
building knowledge.
examine, critically, the physical
Our lesson gradually builds upon
geography of Alberta
itself and as the work
progresses, the supports are
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Lesson Description:
This will be the second lesson in the
series of three. The focus of the
second lesson will be on Alberta
landforms, bodies of water in Alberta

and the natural resources of Alberta.
Specifically, at the end of the lesson
students will be able to:
identify major landforms and bodies
of water in Alberta
recognize major natural resources
available in Alberta
Instructio
nal
Processes
Description of what teacher is

doing:
The teacher will, most importantly, be
building on their knowledge gained in
lesson one. There will be limited
lecture based instruction, as students

will be watching videos and exploring
the internet. Teachers will be there to
answer questions, provide guidance,
but essentially monitor behaviour and
keep students on task. Finally,
teachers will be responsible for the
preparation, and asking guiding
questions to help students recall old
knowledge and construct new.
removed. This is evidence of

scaffolding, a major component
of second wave constructivism.
We begin both components of
this lesson (the bodies of water,
and later the natural resources)
by having class discussions
about each topic. An ongoing
concept map will be created on
Coggle.it this will force students
to reflect on their learning and
encourage a sense of
metacognition.
The sense of community that will
be created in the group-oriented
lessons will enable students to
feed off of one anothers thinking
and construct their knowledge
together. This is further evidence
of the constructivist nature of
our lessons.
The collaborative nature of the
lessons also encourages a
sociocultural sense of
motivation. The students will be
encouraged to participate and
exchange different viewpoints
which will enhance learning.
Vygotsky- Scaffolding (p.58)
Challenge with support will
keep students engaged but not
fearful (p.59)
As the teacher questions the
students, the questions become
gradually more challenging, this
forces students to think of things
in a more in-depth way and
challenge their understandings.
This ties into the zone of
proximal development. The
teacher helps students reach for
something more and more
challenging with each question,
though not so challenging that
they lose their motivation to
respond, or are not ready to
respond to.
The teacher takes more of a
backseat role in the lessons and
students construct their
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Description of what students are

doing:
Students will be working in various
ways to explore Albertas landscapes,
bodies of water, and resources.
Students will reflect on previous
knowledge by completing a
worksheet on their own and then
complete another reflective portion in
pairs. Students will participate in
think pair share activities to work and
share knowledge with many
classmates. Students will be asked to
reflect on their knowledge at the
beginning and end of class by giving

visual cues such as thumbs up for
understanding and thumbs down for
not ( this would be done when
students heads are down and eyes
closed to avoid ostracizing and
embarrassment).
Sequence of key questions:
These questions are to be used as

prompts before, during, and after
lesson activities.
How many geographical regions does
Alberta have?
What are their names?
knowledge together. This is

constructivism. The teacher
guides students rather than
controls them.
The teacher will help students
construct their knowledge by
using previous learning as a
foundation for the new learning.
This is also constructivism.
Vygotsky- Co- Constructed
Knowledge. (p. 50)
Metacognitive- Knowledge about
our own thinking
processes( thumbs up or down)
Student metacognition is
encouraged through the
thumbs-up activity and through
the Coggle mind map. This will
also be encouraged at the end of
the lesson when students
discuss what they would like to
know more of.
Students construct their
knowledge together. They are
also expected to discuss things
in a way that forces them to
build upon existing knowledge.
Knowledge, overall, is coconstructed.
The climate of the classroom will
be such that all answers or
responses will be accepted.
There will be a sense or group
accountability, but rules will
force respect. This will
encourage participation and
therefore motivation.
Students will also experience
scaffolding, as the supports are
removed over the course of all
three lessons, eventually
culminating in a performance
task.
These questions are taken from
the parts of our lesson plan that
involve discussion either as a
class or as a group/pair. This
lesson plan is designed to be
implemented over a few days,
not all in one chunk.
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How would we describe these
The amount of time that we
regions?
dedicate to class/group
Ask the class how they think bodies of questioning reflects the
constructivist nature of our
water impact their lives? How might
lessons.
their lives be different if they did not We avoid yes/no questions so
that we get the students to use
have a body of water nearby?
higher cognitive abilities to
What do we mean when we say
answer.
resource?
We also scaffold, in a way, by
Such as? Can anyone give an
gradually moving into more
example of a resource?
complex questions, and moving
If this is the meaning of a resource,
away from the teacher-led
discussion to discussions that
what might we mean by a natural
are student-led. The students will
resource?
be accountable to one another
What do we mean when we say
for their responses. This might
also require a sense of
natural?
metacognition.
Is the dictionary a resource or a
natural resource?
Is a wood a resource or a natural
resource?
How might water be considered a
natural resource?
Given what you already know about
Albertas geographical features and
waterways, what might be some nonrenewable natural resources in
Alberta?
In which geographical regions do you
anticipate finding some of these
resources. (These may be found in
multiple regions).
And what might be some examples
of renewable natural resources in
Alberta.
In which geographical regions do you
anticipate finding some of these
resources (These may be found in
multiple regions).
Evidence of Lesson Components
(opening, closing, content,
timeline)
The opening for lesson two is

explicitly for refreshing memories on
The lesson components follow

the Constructivist theory.
As the lesson builds students are
challenged appropriately.
Prompting questions are used to
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lesson one content. The lesson
utilizing scaffolding in that each
lesson builds off the last to ultimately

prepare students for the performance
task. 24 minutes was allotted to the
opening and refresher worksheet to
allow students to work individually
and together. The time allotment
accounts for working time and

transition time. The body of lesson
two explores bodies of water first;
the 15 bodies of water will be
researched and placed on a map.
Students will have to locate in what
region of Albertas their bodies of
water are found (connecting to the
first lesson). Bodies of water will be
followed up by an exploration of
Albertas Natural resources. Water is
a natural resource so it was
determined that logically resources
should come in the second portion of
the body. The lesson has been
developed with a break in mind. It
was important that attention span
and interest in the lesson topic were
considered and that a natural break
could occur without being disruptive
to the progression of ideas in the
lesson.
promote thoughtful behaviour.

The amount of time spent
reviewing material is a necessary
component of scaffolding and it
represents support for students
who may need reminders before
continuing on.
Time considerations, especially
breaking up the lesson acts as a
scaffold for motivation. Students
receive a break to regain focus
and interest in the topic.
References
Woolfolk, A., Winnie, P., & Perry, N. (2013). Educational Psychology (6th ed.). Upper
Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.
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Overarching Question for Three Consecutive Lesson Plans: In what ways do Albertas
physical geography, natural resources, and environmental sustainability impact your life
as an Albertan?
Lesson
Title/Focu
s
Geograph
ical
regions
and
Provincial
Parks
Grade Four Social Studies

Alberta: The Land, Histories and
Stories
Cours
e
C & I JKL Jeff and

Jillian
COURSE OUTCOMES
GLO 4.1 : Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of
how elements of physical geography, climate, geology and palaeontology are
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integral to the landscapes and environment of Alberta.

SLO 4.1.2: examine, critically, the physical geography of Alberta
4.1.2.2 What are the major geographical and natural vegetation regions, landforms and bodies of water
located in Alberta?
4.1.2.5 How are Albertas provincial parks and protected areas and the national parks in Alberta important
to the sustainability of Albertas natural environment?
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Analyze the purpose and function of Albertas provincial parks. (Analyze)
Distinguish between different regions by looking at provincial parks (Analyze)
Review Worksheet
Provincial Parks worksheet.
KWL charts
Laminated photos of the six selected provincial parks: Dry Island Buffalo Jump, Sheep River Provincial
Park, Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, Carson-Pegasus Provincial Park, Fiddler-Greywillow Wildland
Provincial Park, and Crow Lake Provincial Park.
Laminated maps of the provincial parks.
Paper for the 2MW.

Printed copies of review worksheet, provincial park worksheet, KWL charts
Laminated photos of provincial parks and maps must be in good condition
Administrative assistants at the school should be contacted before next lesson.
PROCEDURE
Introduction
Welcome students to the class and explain:
First, they will complete a review worksheet that should only take them 510 minutes.
then, we will be learning about the purpose of Provincial Parks in Alberta.
( protection, preservation, environmental concerns, education etc.)
Students are to complete memory worksheet as a reminder of past lesson
content.
The worksheet will ask students to list the 6 region of Alberta, name 5
bodies of water in Alberta and what region they are located in and finally,
in their own words explain the difference between renewable and
nonrenewable resources and provide one example of each.
TRANSITION: Ask students to put their hands on their heads, and wait until
you have their attention.
Ask the students to join you, by moving quietly, in the sitting area of the
classroom to share if any of them have ever been to a provincial park.
Time
20
min
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Raising their hands students may share:

Which one's they have been to (name the park)? Ask them to provide a
brief description of the park they visited (call on two or three students who
do not normally participate if no one is willing to share).
From the carpet you can add to the coggle document. Point out that the
coggle has grown extensively and that is all because of the students
contribution.
This activity should take about 7-8 minutes.
KWL
Provincia
l Parks
Activity
Body
Have students complete the K part of the KWL chart by
answering anything they already know about provincial
parks. Prompts to use if students are confused:
What do they know about the role of provincial parks? What
can people do there? Are there any interesting animals that
live there? Is the park protecting anything?
Make sure they know there really is no limit to what they can
put it is simply a brainstorming activity.
Ask the students to then complete the W part of the KWL
chart. Have students think of at least one thing they would
like to learn about provincial parks (this should end with a ?)
Ask the student to turn to the closest classmate and share
their question with their classmate.
Have students set their KWL charts aside as students will
return to them to complete the L portion later.
Walk around the class and number students 1 to 6. (In a 30
person class this will mean there are 6 groups of 5)
Have students get into their group based on their number.
The teacher will have laminated copies of photos from 6
provincial parks- each from a different region of Alberta.
The teacher will also have laminated copies of maps of the
parks available.
The parks chosen are:
Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park- Parkland Region.
Sheep River Provincial Park- Rocky Mountains Region.
Carson-Pegasus Provincial Park- Foothills Region
Fidler-Greywillow Wildland Provincial Park- Canadian
Shield Region.
Crow Lake Provincial Park- Boreal Forest Region.
Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park- Grasslands Region.
Explain to students that they are going to be working on a
sheet together that has them analyze provincial parks.
The worksheet will include physical characteristics of the
park (what does the landscape look like) what animals
might live there? (based on their prior knowledge of
Time
11 min
30 min
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regions), are there any bodies of water in the park?

(these will be found on the map).
Tell students that they only have 6 minutes with each park.
Ask beforehand: how might you use your group to make the
most of your time?
Continue rotating between stations until all of the parks have
been visited by all groups.
Have students break up from their groups and return to their
desk.
Class
Ask students to join you in the classroom sitting area for
Discussio discussion. Invite them to bring their worksheet with them.
n
Grab a pencil, ball, or other classroom item that can be easily
passed around to the individual who will be speaking. Remind
student that we must listen to what one another has to say
and not speak over one another.
Two
Minute
Write
Use the following prompts to have a discussion about their

findings:
What did the parks have in common?
Which parks that stood out? Are there any major differences?
(One possible response could be that writing-on-stone looked
really desert-like.)
Provide the students with a question: based on what you
just observed, what would you identify as the role of
provincial parks?
Ask students to return to their desks and take out a pencil
and piece of paper.
Students will respond to the question: based on what you
just observed, what would you identify as the role of
provincial parks?
Write the question on the smartboard or whiteboard for
reference.
Give students two minutes to record any responses to the
question above.
Ask students to hand them into the front to you after the 2
minutes. You may share one or two of the ideas written.
(keep this anonymous).
This will be a formative assessment for the teacher.
Ask the ESL student to tell the teacher what they have
learned rather than writing. This will help them express their
thoughts quicker as writing with a time limit can cause stress
and incoherent thought.
Closure
6 min
4 min
Time
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Have students complete the L portion of their KWL chart.

Students should attempt to answer the questions they had in the W portion
of the chart. They are encouraged to add as much information as they
would like.
Students may keep these charts.
In preparation for next class and the introduction of their performance task
(Provincial Park Proposal) we will be receiving a mock letter from the government of
Alberta.
Ask one of the administrative assistants to come into the class, pretending to have
10
min
an urgent message.
They will open a large brown envelope and pass you a letter from the provincial
government.
The letter will outline the requirements of the upcoming performance task.
Read this letter to the class.
Assessment
All assessment for this lesson will be formative:
Memory worksheet: the purpose is to ensure that students can recall the six regions
of Alberta, make connection between location of bodies of water and the region the
bodies of water are in and describe the difference between renewable and
nonrenewable resources.
Provincial parks activity worksheet: The purpose of this worksheet is to ensure
students have actively gathered information on each provincial park. Student
information will be assessed on depth ( how much information they chose to
include), word choice (are they utilizing key terms that describe the parks?) and if
they are able to make connection between region specificities and provincial park
characteristics (do they recognize that because the park is in a specific region it will
hold the characteristics of that region?).
Two- minute write: The purpose of this is to glean to what extent the student was
engaged (vocally or simply by listening) during the discussion of their provincial park
findings. We will be looking for one or two points from our discussion and see that
the student could make connection ( at differentiated levels for students with lower
comprehension skills) between the description of a provincial park and the purpose
of the park ( for instance, if the park is home to endangered species of plant or
animals, is that why it is a provincial park?).
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Lesson Three Smart Notebook
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Name:________________
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Lets Review!
*Please fill in the boxes below to the best of your ability. Remember to use your best
grade four writing skills.*
A. Please list the SIX major regions in Alberta that we have discussed in class.
1._________________________ 2._________________________
3._________________________ 4._________________________
5._________________________ 6._________________________
B. Name FIVE bodies of water in Alberta that we have discussed. Write the NAMES of
the bodies of water under the NAMES part of the chart. Then under the REGION part of
the chart name the REGION of Alberta that body of water is found in.
NAMES
REGION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
C. Using your own words, please describe the DIFFERENCE between Renewable and
Nonrenewable resources. After you describe the difference give ONE example of a
renewable resource and a nonrenewable resource.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Name:_________________
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KWL Chart:
Alberta Provincial Parks
K
What you already
know.
W
What you want to
know.
L
What you learned.
Provincial Park Images to be Laminated and Used
Jeff Williams 70
Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park
Sheep River Provincial Park
Carson-Pegasus Provincial Park
Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park

Fidler-Greywillow Wildland Provincial Park
Crow Lake Provincial Park
Jeff Williams 71
Provincial Park Maps to be Laminated and Used
Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park
Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park
Sheep River Provincial Park
Fidler-Greywillow Provincial Park
1 <http://esrd.alberta.ca/recreation-public-use/wildlife-viewing/medicine-hat-grasslandwater/images/WritingOnStoneProvincialPark.jpg>
2 <http://www.braggcreekrecreation.com/uploads/1/1/0/1/11013358/1331324561.jpg>
3 <https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lake_Athabasca.png>
Jeff Williams 72
Carson-Pegasus Provincial Park
Crow Lake Provincial Park
4 <http://albertadirectory.com/images/carsonpegasus/campsitemapthumb.jpg>
5 <http://www.frontenacarchbiosphere.ca/sites/frontenacarchbiosphere.ca/files/img/trail-mapthumbnail/Crow%20Lake%20to%20Bobs%20Lake.jpg>
Jeff Williams 73
Name:_________________
Provincial Parks In-Class Field Trip
Please fill in the chart below.
Look closely at the picture of the provincial park, the maps, and the maps you have
already made in class to help fill in your chart.
Name of the
Provincial Park
Physical Characteristics
(What the park looks like)
Region of
Alberta
Animals in
the Park
Bodies of Water
in the Park
Jeff Williams 74
Dear Mr. Williams and Miss Poulins Grade 4 Classes,

Provincial Parks are known for providing Albertans with great opportunities for exploration in the
great outdoors. These vast expanses of wilderness also help protect wildlife and vegetation
across our province. Sometimes, major historic sites are protected through the creation of
provincial parks so future generations may learn about and enjoy Albertas history.
This year our provincial government has been faced with a challenge. We think there are many
places where a provincial park would be a great addition, and we just cant choose! Luckily for
us, I have been informed that your classes have been studying Albertas physical geography
and regions. By now i trust that you know a lot about different areas of our province, including
landforms and wildlife, and so we want your help.
I am running a bit behind schedule because I got caught up exploring Dinosaur Provincial Park
and didnt finish my proposal for a new provincial park in Alberta. It is due in just 3 school days! I
need your help. Over the next 2 classes, if you think youre up for the challenge, I will need you
to create a proposal for a new provincial park. I need to know where the park will be located,
what resources and wildlife will be found there, and if there are any interesting landforms.
After youve spent 2 days organizing your proposal, you will have one extra day to creatively
present it to your teacher and classmates. This will help me understand why you have selected
the area you have for your park. You can present it in several ways including a brochure, a
digital presentation, an outdoor adventure magazine article, or, if you work with a partner, a
commercial. If you think of any other ways to present your proposal, please do!
If you have any questions or difficulties with this assignment, please ask Mr. Williams or Miss
Poulin!
Thank you for your help! I really need it,
Alberto Otrebla
Master Park Creator,
Province of Alberta
Jeff Williams 75

Lesson Three- Geographical Regions and Provincial Parks
Lesson Overview
Lesson Outcomes:
GLO 4.1 : Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how
elements of physical geography, climate, geology and palaeontology are integral to the
landscapes and environment of Alberta.
SLO 4.1.2: examine, critically, the physical geography of Alberta by exploring and
reflecting on the following questions and issues:
4.2.1.2- What are the major geographical and natural vegetation regions, landforms and
bodies of water in Alberta?
4.2.1.5- How are provincial parks, protected areas and national parks in Alberta
important to the sustainability of Albertas natural environment.
At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
Analyze the purpose and function of Albertas provincial parks. (Analyze)
Distinguish between different regions by looking at provincial parks (Analyze)
Lesson Description:
Lesson three is the final stepping stone for the students on their way to the provincial
park proposal. The goal of the lesson is to tie all of the learning from the previous
lessons together in the context of provincial parks. Students will see, as the lesson
progresses, that provincial parks are great examples of the different geographical
regions of Alberta in the sense that they are located in diverse regions of the province
and all have their own unique characteristics. The main activity of this lesson asks
students to compare photographs from six different provincial parks that are located in
six different regions of the province. At the end, the class receives a letter from Alberto
Otrebla the master park creator of the Province of Alberta, which the teacher then
reads, introducing the performance task that will be started in the next lesson.
Jeff Williams 76

This lesson is the final part of the scaffold that will help students successfully
complete the performance task. It introduces them to the different provincial parks, a
key theme in the performance task, and ties all of their existing knowledge together. By
asking students to discuss differences between the different provincial parks, they are
analyzing the different geographical regions, something that will come in handy when
they start work on their performance task.
The assessment concepts for this lesson are similar to the ones that helped
design lessons one and two, placing heavy emphasis on the role of formative
assessments:
1. Three sources of assessment: observation, student work, and conversation (Davies,
2011, 45).
2. Formative assessment used to address student needs (Gareis and Grant, 2015, 5-6).
3. Pre-assessment to help the teacher understand a baseline as to where students are at
4. The formative assessment enables the teacher to provide descriptive feedback to the
(Davies, 2011, 17).
The differentiation for the ESL student was the same in this lesson in the two
minute write:
5 Have the ESL student verbalize her response to the two minute write in order to ensure
that it is their learning that is being assessed and not their writing ability. This ties into
construct validity and is elaborated in the rationale for lesson two.
Lesson three contains a number of examples of formative assessment that help
the teacher see what the students have learned. This is particularly important in this
Jeff Williams 77
lesson because the performance task is scheduled to begin in lesson 4 and if the
students are not ready, it is here, at the absolute latest, that the teacher goes back and
gives students time to understand the topics better.
Some examples of the formative assessments used in this lesson include:
1. Class discussion about what students know about provincial parks or provincial parks
2.
3.
4.
5.
they have been to.

Coggle concept map.
Review worksheet from the previous lesson.
KWL chart about provincial parks.
Photograph analysis activity of the provincial parks. This can be a chance from
formative observation and conversation for the teacher.

6. Post-activity discussion about provincial parks. This will show the teacher what the
students have learned (in addition to the worksheet).
7. Two minute write after the activity and discussion have been completed.
The use of formative assessments in the lesson reflect the key assessment
concepts because they enable teachers and students to reflect upon what has been
learned, think of ways that learning might be better, and think of things that went well.
The most important thing about assessment is that it benefits the learning of the
student. The more the merrier when it comes to formative assessments.
Throughout the lesson the teacher will be interacting with the students,
addressing any concerns they may have, and providing them with descriptive feedback.
The teacher will also be assessing the students mastery over certain concepts in a
formative way and thinking of ways to improve the learning. At the end of the lesson, the
teacher may decide that the students are not ready for the performance task, and use
the next class or two to elaborate further on certain topics that the class may be
struggling with.
Over the course of the lesson there are multiple opportunities for students to
show what they have learned. The lesson begins with a review of lesson two. Next,
there is a class discussion to see what students already know about provincial parks.
Jeff Williams 78
The lesson then moves into the KWL activity and then onto the photo analysis of
provincial parks. One park is from each region and the students will have a worksheet
with questions to accompany this portion. There is then another class discussion after
the photo activity has been completed. Lastly, there is a two minute write.
Key Questions:
There are several key questions asked to help guide student thinking throughout
the lesson, some of those questions are:
1. What parks have you been to? and Describe the park?
2. What do you know, or think, might be the role of provincial parks?, What animals
might live in parks?, What might the park be protecting? and more (the K in KWL).
3. After the photo activity: based on what you just observed what would you say is the
role of provincial parks? (2 minute write).
Opening- The introduction to this lesson was designed to help students who what they
remember from their previous learning. By doing this, the teacher is provided with a
snapshot of what students have remembered and what needs work. It can help the
teacher identify if there is a common problem amongst the students or whether it is only
a couple of students who need help. It could be that nobody needs help, though that is
unlikely. The opening also has a section where the students discuss what they already
know about provincial parks. This helps the teacher establish an understanding as to
where the students are in their knowledge.
Closing- The closure of the lesson is actually really fun and creative. The secretary (or
any other member of staff who wants to/ is able to help) is going to bring in a letter from
the provincial government. The letter is essentially the performance task in that it
includes a number of requirements, though it is not the handout that the students will be
given. The reason it is important to introduce the task at the end of that lesson is
because it will help the students to realize what their expectations are and reflect upon
what they have learned. This might give them time to speak to the teacher. At this point,
the teacher should have picked up on any difficulties through the use of formative
assessment, but this gives students a good chance to think about any concerns they
may have that the teacher did not notice.
Jeff Williams 79
Content- As with the other two lessons, all of the content in this lesson is designed to
help students with the upcoming performance task. The performance task was designed
with all of the outcomes from all three lessons in mind and it is important that they are
met. The scaffolding helps the students gain the knowledge and skills they need to
complete the task.
Timeline- The timeline for this lesson includes a thirty minute activity, though it is not
anticipated to be a problem because of the ability to move around and engage (it will fly
by!). This activity helps the teacher see if there are any problems. Again, if there are
struggles, the teacher must address them before the performance task.
CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION RATIONALE

Lesson Three- Geographical Regions and Provincial Parks
Lesson three is the final piece of the puzzle for students before they are
introduced to their final Provincial Park Proposal performance task. The lesson begins
as lesson two did, with a memory worksheet. The consistent review refreshes students
memory and acts as an opener to the coming lesson.
The introduction has students sitting on the carpet to discuss any information
they have about provincial parks. Joining on the carpet has not been used in lesson one
Jeff Williams 80
or two, but joining together rather than sitting at their desks allows them to move for a
moment, get settled and then discuss in a way where everyone can see each other and,
as employed later, students will have an object that makes them the sole speaker. The
students who are usually spoken over can rest assured they wont have to battle to be
heard (or struggle as much at least). In the theme of staying consistent with the
students, the established routine of adding to the Coggle mind map will take place as
well; at this stage the mind map will be extensive and students should feel proud of their
collective knowledge.
Students are now in the state of mind where they have contemplated provincial
parks so, to keep their mind questioning and searching for answers, students are asked
to utilize the K and W portion of the KWL chart. Completing the K and W at the
beginning of the lesson has students actively questioning and searching for answers to
their questions without the teacher's assistance. The KWL chart also validates for ESL
learners and those who struggle with reading, writing and comprehension that their
questions are valid and should be included in their learning journey.
It is important that students share the questions they have with classmate for a
couple of reasons: one, students may have the answer to each others question already,
which alleviates the need to seek answers for more questions than necessary, and two
it introduces peers to thoughts they may not have had before sharing.
After this students will be engaging in a very active lesson that will require small
groups, exploring at different stations around the classroom, some of Albertas
Provincial Parks. While it would be ideal that a field trip could occur for a few of the
parks, having students move about the room can be exciting in its own way. This activity
is not only a lesson in parks but a lesson in working as a team in an effective, timeconscious manner. There is no direction, other than the six minute time limit and the
information they are to fill in, on how students are to explore the Provincial parks; this
gives students the autonomy to explore as they wish, as well as control their learning. In
such an activity you may see group leaders emerge, or an even distribution of the work
load, students will explore what feels best for their learning and accomplishment. After a
high energy activity it is almost cruel to expect students to calmly sit in their desk,
Jeff Williams 81
inviting them to rejoin you in the sitting area allows them to ease out of the
unconventional learning structure.
The discussion that takes place, again, reinforces what they have just explored,
but with the addition of the talking object all students are able to contribute in such a
way that they are heard by their peers and can speak without constraint. This lesson
culminates with a formative assessment of what the students have gleaned from the
activity; the two-minute write asks that students to think beyond the surface level
information and contemplate larger issues such as the purpose of the provincial parks, if
it was not explicitly shared already.
Before students leave the classroom they are expected to complete the L portion
of their KWL charts. Completing the chart, like the Coggle, shows where they were at
the beginning of the lesson and what they know now. This, like lesson two, is a way for
students to end the lesson on a high note, with easier accomplishment; students are
answering to themselves, being accountable, and creating knowledge through their own
inquiry.
Name:_________________
Provincial Park Proposal (Part One: Ideas)

Your Task:
The Alberta Government has come to you asking that you propose a new Provincial Park.
Using what you know about Albertas physical geography, natural resources, climate regions,
and your knowledge of existing protected areas in Alberta, draft a proposal explaining why you
chose the area you have as the location for a New Provincial Park. You will have 3 days to
complete this project: 2 for planning and 1 for working on your presentation.
Use the chart to answer each question in point form to help you brainstorm ideas for
your Provincial Park Proposal before you begin writing.
You should include the answers to the following questions in your proposal.
Jeff Williams 82
Question(s)
Answer(s): In point form
Where is your park located on a map?

What geographical region?
What are some physical characteristics of
your park?
Are there any large bodies of water in your
park? Which ones?
What are some natural resources in your
park?
Are there any natural habitats for animals in
your park?
Why is it important to protect this park?
Who will be impacted if you create this park?
How will people be impacted?
Are there any challenges in placing your park
here?
Who should this proposal be addressed to?

__________________________________________________________________________
How will you present your proposal?
__________________________________________________________________________
Name:_________________
Provincial Park Proposal (Part Two: Brainstorm a Map)

When you are creating a proposal you will have to be able to show your audience
visually where your park should go. Please create a map of Alberta that shows where
your new Alberta Provincial Park will be.
Using the chart below, answer each question in point form to help you brainstorm what
you will have to include on your map.
When you are creating your map you can check off each item you have included on your
map as you go.
Extra ideas can be added to the chart (feel free to use the backside of your worksheet)
Jeff Williams 83
Question (s)
Answer(s): In point form
Included on
my map
(place a
when
included)
What basic map features

should I include on my map?
Where is my Provincial park on
my map?
Are there any bodies of water
in my park?
Are there any towns in or
around my park?
What physical features are
very important in my park?
Name:_____________
Provincial Park Proposal
( Part Three: Build a Map)
Using your ideas from part two (above) build your map of Alberta. Provide a brief
explanation for why you chose the area that you did.
Why I chose this area:
Jeff Williams 84
Name: _______________
Provincial Park Proposal (Part 4: Presentation)

Think of a creative way to present your provincial park. This will give you an
opportunity to bring all of your ideas together. Some ideas for your presentation can
include posters, brochures, tourism magazine articles, newspaper articles, or
digital presentations. ** If you have another idea for your proposal, speak to Mr.
Williams or Miss Poulin and explain how you think it could work. As long as you can
meet the criteria below, you can present in any way you choose.
6 <http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/province/outline/ab.gif>
Jeff Williams 85
Checklist:
I have included information about where my park is located on a map.
I have included information about animals and plants that might be live in my
park.
I have clearly identified the geographical region where my park is located.
I have identified and explained some of the landforms that are found in the
geographical region I have chosen. These will be present in my park.
I have identified any other geographical features that might exist in my park.
I have identified some of the bodies of water that will be present in my park.
I have identified what types of bodies of water they are (rivers, lakes etc. ).
I have explained the importance of provincial parks.
I have explained the role of provincial parks.
I have explained what my new provincial park is protecting. Why did I build my
park here?
I have identified some natural resources that might be found in my park.
I have distinguished between the natural resources that might be found in my
provincial park by labelling them renewable or non-renewable.
Provincial Park Proposal: Rubric

Students: please read the rubric carefully, and reference it as you complete your
proposal. The rubric is what your teacher will use when making your proposals; it
includes what you should include to achieve each grade. If you have any questions or
concerns about the rubric ask your teacher.
Proposal
Status
5
(Approved)
4
(Accepted)
(Considered)
(Under
Review)
1
(Needs Review)
Criteria
Region
Proposal
Proposal
Proposal
Proposal includes
No score is awarded
Jeff Williams 86
includes clear
and detailed
information
about the
chosen
geographical
region including
animals,
vegetation and
location of the
chosen region.
Landforms/ Proposal
demonstrates
Features
sophisticated
knowledge of
landforms and
features of the
chosen region.
includes
somewhat
clear and
detailed
description of
the chosen
geographical
region
including
animals,
vegetation
and location
of the chosen
region.
includes brief
details and
description of
the chosen
region and is
missing some
or all animals,
vegetation,
and location
of the chosen
region.
minimal details
of the chosen
region and is
missing key
details about the
animals,
vegetation, and
location of the
chosen region.
Needs work.
Proposal
demonstrates
clear
knowledge of
landforms
and features
of the chosen
region.
Proposal
demonstrates
some
knowledge of
the landforms
and features
of the chosen
region.
Proposal
demonstrates
minimal
knowledge of the
landforms and
features of the
chosen region.
Bodies of
Water
Proposal clearly
identifies
bodies of water
found in the
chosen region
including size
and types of
bodies of water.
Proposal
identifies
bodies of
water found in
the chosen
region, but is
missing some
information
about types
and size.
Proposal
identifies
bodies of
water found in
the chosen
region, but
includes
minimal
information
about them.
Proposal hardly
identifies bodies
of water found in
the chosen region
and includes no
information
about them.
Provincial
Parks
Proposal
demonstrates
deep
understanding
of the role of
provincial
parks and
provides a clear
explanation of
what the
proposed
provincial park
will protect.
Proposal
demonstrates
an
understandin
g of the of the
role of
provincial
parks and
provides an
explanation of
what the
proposed
provincial
park will
protect.
Proposal
demonstrates
some
understandin
g of the role
of provincial
parks and
provides
minimal
explanation of
what the
proposed
park will
protect.
Proposal
demonstrates
minimal
understanding
of the role of
provincial park
and little or no
explanation of
what the
proposed park
will protect.
Resources
Proposal clearly
identifies
natural
resources
Proposal
identifies
natural
resources
Proposal
identifies
natural
resources
Proposal barely
identifies
natural
resources found
because there is
insufficient evidence
of student
performance based
on requirements.
Consult with the
teacher.
Jeff Williams 87
found in the
proposed park
and explicitly
identifies them
as renewable
or nonrenewable.
found in the
proposed park
but does not
clearly
identify them
as renewable
or nonrenewable.
found in the
proposed park
but incorrectly
(either clearly
or unclearly)
identifies
them as
renewable or
nonrenewable.
in the proposed
park and includes
no identification
of whether they
are renewable or
non-renewable.
NOTE: Not everyone is confident speaking in front of the class, so your presentation
skills are not being marked. However, you might find the presentation helpful because it
will allow you to expand on information included in your written portion of the proposal
and show me what you have learned. If you feel like you did not include enough
information about something in your documented part, make sure you elaborate on it
during your presentation.
DR. SLOMP NOTE: If this unit were actually being taught we would build the
rubric with the students to increase their involvement in assessment and
enhance their understanding of the task.
Mini Unit Reflective Blog

One of the overarching themes of this semester is how we, as future teachers,
can make our classrooms better, more engaging and valuable places for students. By
involving students in a variety of ways in the learning process, teachers can create a
positive learning environment in which all students can succeed. These ideas form the
basis for my theory of teaching and learning.
From an assessment perspective, students are more likely to become engaged and
enthusiastic when they are involved in the assessment process (Davies, 2011, 55).
Davies (2011) lists six assessment strategies that engage students and enhance
learning, of which one is formative assessment (55). Our mini unit addresses this by
Jeff Williams 88
including a large amount of formative assessments. This enables the teacher to see
student learning, provide frequent descriptive feedback, and reflect on any changes that
might need to be made. Second, Davies notes that getting students involved in their
own assessment can enhance motivation and a sense of ownership in learning (56).
The mini unit notes that in a real life application of the performance task, it would be the
students who help build the rubric. This would also encourage them to reflect.
From a technology perspective, the mini unit is designed to stimulate student
interest. There are numerous opportunities for the students to use technology to explore
different regions; there are games to add some fun to the learning process, and there
are videos to help students visualize different landscapes. All of these tools remove the
teacher and the textbook from the drivers seat and give the students a greater degree
of control.
Educational Psychology applies in many ways. First, we have included several
examples of differentiation that can enable students to succeed with the skills that they
possess (Woolfolk, Winne, Perry, 9). In one example, the unit allows an ESL student to
vocalize her responses in a two minute write rather than struggling to write. Next,
challenge with support will keep students engaged but not fearful (Woolfolk, Winne,
Perry, 59). The lessons presented in this mini unit are challenging, but there is a high
degree of support along the way, or scaffolding, that will help students gain the
necessary skills to succeed in their performance task. Furthermore, the lessons connect
with Piagets Zone of Proximal Development in that they are challenging, but they do
not reach so far that the students lose motivation. Third, the group natures of these
lessons support Vygotskys theory that learning is constructed in the social context
(Woolfolk et al, 394). This further enables students to take greater control of their
learning. Finally, the lessons in the mini unit encourage students to think about their own
learning. This process, known as metacognition, has a positive impact on student
learning in that they take control of their own learning process (Woolfolk et al. 294).
From a C & I perspective, the lessons demonstrate scaffolding. This is where the
teacher provides students with support to learn something, and then gradually removes
those supports (lecture). As noted above, scaffolding can increase student motivation.
The mini unit does this in several ways: questions gradually become more challenging,
assignments build up on one another, often reviewing previous material. All
assignments are formative. Then, everything comes together at the end with the
performance task at the end, and many of those supports are removed. I would argue
that when scaffolding is done correctly it can encourage students to take risks (actually,
I think one of the profs might have said this?). Again, this further enables students to
take greater control of their learning.
Jeff Williams 89
What do all of these different perspectives have in common? All of them

encourage the sense that students take a greater degree of control in their learning.
Many of them provide scientific evidence of the benefits of student control in their
learning. In my first reflection this semester I wrote that I believed, based on my
experiences in introductory education courses, that student-based learning was a good
thing. After this semester, I now have some of the knowledge to explain why, and I think
this mini unit, if actually taught, would help me observe some of these ideas firsthand

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Jeff Williams 1

C & I Overview of the Entire Unit

Curriculum Outcomes Present in Mini Unit:

EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT RATIONALE

As with lesson one, lesson two includes a variety of formative assessment

Closing- The flashcard game at the end of the lesson is designed to be an

Tech Overview and Rationale of Entire Unit

Overarching Question for Three Consecutive Lesson Plans: In what ways do

Grade four Social Studies

C&I JKL Jeff

At the end of the lesson students will be able to:

In-class computer and Smartboard/ projector (individual laptops or I-pads if available)

Ask students, as a class, to create a mind map of what

see what they have learned.

then guess the names of the provinces. In this case, the

Begin by asking students what they already know about

-Do not elaborate too much, if at all, on these names, as

If there are AT LEAST SIX computers, do the following

1. Hand out coloured popsicle sticks: the colours will be

NOTE: Teacher may need to note that there will be some

Backup Plan C: If internet does not work, teacher

Have students apply what they have learned:

STEP 3: Turn to your neighbour and, Create a compass for

Lesson One Smart Notebook

3: Please open your computer and go to http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/sszi/en/.

3: On the Map of Alberta, roughly

Remember to include your basic

Scaffolding to Performance Task:

Some examples of formative assessment used are:

Curriculum and Instruction Rationale

activity is imperative to developing new knowledge about Albertas landscape. The

Overarching Question for Three Consecutive Lesson Plans: In what

Recognize major natural resources available in Alberta. (Knowledge)

Use prompts like:

sure that they know it is not for marks.

Students will work individually on the FRONT PAGE of

4. Have Students place their Quick Worksheets on your

You may ask: what bodies of water (lakes, rivers,

Students will need to label all 15 major bodies of water

on a blank Map of Alberta.

HALF TIME CLOSURE

Introduction to resources in Alberta.

a stock or supply of money, materials, staff, and other assets that

Such as? Can anyone give an example of a resource?

Access the resource found at:

Have the following questions written on the

geographical features and waterways, what might be

NOTE: If technology is not working, write the questions

What natural resources are found near your town and

Image Flash Get the students attention by saying hands on

different geographical regions, resources, and waterways, as well as clues as

Lesson Two Smart Notebook

This region has rolling hills and is hot,

In this region you will see towering

This is the largest region in Alberta.

This is the smallest region in Alberta

This region includes flattened hills,

This region is home to most of the

Renewable and Nonrenewable Natural Resources Video:

Natural resources are resources supplied by ______________ that we can

There are two types of resources: ____- ______________ and

A non- renewable resource is something that took thousands or millions of

Renewable resources can _______________ or ________________

There are two types of resources: - __________ and

Renewable resources can _ or __