EGP 335.

535 Lesson Plan

Katie Erb

Lesson Plan Details Lesson Title, Number, Author

Lesson title: Pre-election Voting
28 students (7 groups)
Expected Duration (45-60 minutes)
Social Sciences
Civics
Sociology
Psychology
Skills
Practice skill of discussing the differences between reputable and non-reputable resources
Recall the seven steps in the decision making process and identifying reputable resources.
Goals
Understand the importance of making decisions and identifying reputable resources for daily life
and voting.
Get students interested in the decision making progress.
Vocabulary
Decision-making: the process of making choices by identifying a decision, gathering information,
and assessing alternatives.
Reputable resources: credible resources that can be trusted and can be backed up with evidence.

Integration of Learning Outcomes/Objectives

1. Students will compare reputable resources from non-reputable resources.
2. Students will be able to rate a reputable resource based on the six steps provided by the teacher.
3. Students will be able to explain how to make a decision by using the seven steps model.

Standards PA Civics, History, Economics, Geography &

NCSS Themes I - X with subthemes
5.3.4.E: Explain the voting process
Civic ideals and practices
Power, authority, and governance
Individuals, groups, and institutions

Anticipatory Set
All right class I have a question for everyone, before we shout out our answers lets take a moment to
think. Who has ever had to make a decision before? If you have give me one thumbs up. Ok class before
we begin today I need to make an important decision. I promised my mom that I would help her make
dinner, but I also want to play my video game. I really dont know which decision to make so Im going to
write both choices on two separate pieces of paper, fold both pieces, put them in a hat, and then randomly
pick out of my hat.
T will then demonstrate picking her choice out of the hat. Because T deliberately wants to choose the
video game option she will put only play video games option in the hat.
Ok friends time to pick my decision. T will now pull out of her hat. And my decision is. PLAY VIDEO
GAME! Now lets all think about how I came to that decision. Before we discuss lets all take 30 seconds
to think if this was the right decision. Ok now that we all had the chance to think, lets turn and talk, and
discuss if you thought this was a good way to come to a decision. T will listen to students talk for one
minute and then bring the focus back on her for group discussing. Ok who would like to share what you
and your partner talked about? At this time a few students will share what they discussed. To
differentiate for an ELL student the teacher can have students right down their answer. After students have
shared the teacher will begin to explain that in order to make a decision there are steps to consider in
order to make the best and accurate decision.

Procedures
1. T will have all students sit on the rug before the lesson (students may already be on the rug)
2. T will explain to students that in the pre-election stage there are a few items to consider
before voting.
3. T will provide background information to students on how to make decisions
4. The decision making process has a 7 step model to help voters make a good decision before
the election
5. T will use the power point to list the seven steps
a. Identify the decision
b. Gather relevant information
c. Identify the alternatives
d. Weight the evidence
e. Choose among alternatives
f. Take action
g. Review your decision and its consequences
6. After T reviews the seven steps with students, she will begin to explain the first
activity.
7. T will put students in groups and there will be seven groups of 4. Students will then
have choices of different decisions and all groups must use the decision-making steps
to make the best decision (T will provide students with the different choices of
decisions)
8. T will provide each student a sheet of the seven-step model to use for further practice.
9. Once all groups have made a decision, each group will explain there decision making
process and why they came to that decision (students can also write out there decision
if they would like).
10. Next T will ask students if anyone knows what a reputable resource are or if they
have ever heard of a reputable resource.
11. T will use the PowerPoint and have the definition of reputable resource on the screen.
12. Reputable sources are sources that are credible
13. T will explain that just like our decision making model there are ix criteria we can use
to identify if a source is reputable.
14. In order to identify a reputable resource there are six criteria one can use (T will write
the six criteria on the white board)
a. Who authored the site? (Wrote)
b. Who published the site
c. What is the main purpose of the site? Why did the author write it and the
publisher post it?
d. Who is the intended audience
e. What is the quality of information provided on the website?
f. How does it all add up?
15. T will then provide three different resources to the class (scholastic, Wikipedia, and
CNN)
 16. T will give information on the three resources and model how to identify the best
resource
17. T will do this by using the six step criteria
18. T will tell the students that they will be rating a resource in the next activity teacher
talk
19. Before students rate resources, T will model how to rate a resource
20. T will use a rating scale 1-10 (one being the weakest and 10 being the strongest)
21. T will then create seven groups of four students
22. In those groups students are to rate resources together and compare and contrast the
resources. Students will have the choice of making a list, Venn diagram, or both.
23. T will provide each student the six criteria checklist (only one person from each
group will check off what applies for each resource)
24. Students will be able to keep their checklists to use for prior research and lessons
25. Once all groups have finished each group will explain how they rated each resource
and which was the best and worse, and explain why.
26. After both activities, T will explain that both of these skills are used before the
election, in order to make the best decision for voters.

Differentiation
For an ELL student, the teacher can read the resources to the student instead of the student
reading them or resources in their native language. Key terms or pictures.
Instead of using three resources, only one resource can be used.
To adjust the learning process the teacher can give more examples of decision-making skills and
identifying reputable resources as needed.
For students with IEPS give them resources that are on their reading level.
Gifted students can have access to higher reading level resources.

Closure
T will have four groups of seven students. In those groups each student will be given one step in the
seven-step decision making model. Each group will have to line up in order to represent the seven steps. T
will then promote a discussion. T will ask students why decision-making is important and why
identifying reputable resources is important. T will ask students if there was anything new they learned
today? T will then have students answer and share with the class.

Formative/Summative Assessment of Students (P-12)

1. Comparing reputable resources from non-reputable resources will assess students.
2. Students will be able to rate a reputable resource based on the six steps.
3. Explaining how to make a decision by using the seven steps model will assess students.

Materials/Equipment
Student Materials
Checklist sheet, scenario sheets, different resources, white board, markers, laptop, smart board game,
Power Point, separate pieces of paper with the seven step model, seven step model sheet for each student,
6 criteria for identifying reputable resources for each student.

Technology
For my technology I used PowerPoint. I chose PowerPoint because its east to use and obtain. Since the
PowerPoint was in my lesson all I had to do was project it onto the screen and all my information was
there. I made the PowerPoint so all teachers have to do is hit the space bar for the next set of information
to come onto the screen.
Why did you use those resources and other technology?
I used my resources because they are easily accessible and they are an easy prep. I wanted to use the
smart board but it didnt fit well with my lesson. I used the PowerPoint so all of the criteria and six steps
would be accessible to all students after the directions were given.
Reflection on Planning
My concerns for the lesson are that students will be un-interested. Since this lesson is towards the end of
the unit Im unsure if students will lose focus. I think ways to improve this lesson would be showing more
examples of resources. I think even having the teacher search for websites on the computer and showing
students more examples of reputable resources. I think having students create a web quest would also be a
great way to teach/show how to make a reputable resource and how to give credible information. My
concerns for the lesson are that students will not comprehend the material in the lesson. If I see that
students do not comprehend early in the lesson I can make sure I give better directions and examples.

Step One:
Lesson Plan Content Notes:
Bullet, list, outline background notes about your lesson topic. This content will include MORE
than you will expect 4th graders to know, but is your first step in learning the content yourselves
and selecting the appropriate content for children to learn in your lesson.

List your references.

Examine and analyze current issues and discuss how they might impact present and
future life. https://www.time4learning.com/education/fourth_grade.shtml
Current issues: An issue is an important subject that people are arguing about
or discussing. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/issue
They will learn how to use public documents to gather information regarding current
issues and events, examine possible impacts of a current event, predict possible impacts
of a current event on future life and relate a current event to personal life.
https://www.time4learning.com/education/fourth_grade.shtml
Decision-making is the process of making choices by identifying a decision, gathering
information, and assessing alternative resolutions.
Using a step-by-step decision-making process can help you make more deliberate,
thoughtful decisions by organizing relevant information and defining alternatives.
This approach increases the chances that you will choose the most satisfying
alternative possible (http://www.umassd.edu/fycm/decisionmaking/process/)
Decision making steps:
1. Identify the decision
2. Gather relevant information
3. Identify the alternatives
4. Weight the evidence
5. Choose among alternatives
6. Take action
7. Review your decision and its consequences
 How to identify reputable resources
(https://www.edb.utexas.edu/petrosino/Legacy_Cycle/mf_jm/Challenge%201/website
%20reliable.pdf)
1. Who authored the site? (Wrote)
2. Who published the site
3. What is the main purpose of the site? Why did the author write it and the
publisher post it?
4. Who is the intended audience
5. What is the quality of information provided on the website?
6. How does it all add up?
http://en.writecheck.com/finding-reputable-sources/
Demonstrate how to pick a good source (three different sources)
Anticipatory set: make a bad decision
Model rating a resource first and then have
Create groups (have them rate a resource)
Checklist
Creating decisions and then has them pick one decision
Apply the skills: having students choose from the scenarios in previous lesson, preview current
issues, (revisit) register as republican party or democratic (decision making)

Global current event

http://www.newsweek.com/we-all-want-help-refugees-so-why-arent-we-doing-so-627564

With so many refugees around, the big question is why arent we doing anything to help. In
Uganda there are people who walk miles and miles a day just to find safety. Daily children are
losing their parents and half of the refugees are under eighteen. For most, rescuing refugees
would be a big decision, and the decision making process would come in handy.