Lesson Cycle

Lesson Title/Topic: 4th Grade Social Studies

Concept: Texas symbols: Texas Flag, bluebonnet, the Capital, the Alamo, and Mockingbird.

Standards/Rationale:
(A) explain the meaning of various patriotic symbols and landmarks of
Texas, including the six flags that flew over Texas, the San
Jacinto Monument, the Alamo, and various missions;
(B) sing or recite "Texas, Our Texas";
(C) recite and explain the meaning of the Pledge to the Texas Flag; and
(D) describe the origins and significance of state celebrations such as
Texas Independence Day and Juneteenth.

Learning Target: Assessment:

TSW be able to use 30hands app to list and Completed 30hands presentation.
define all five Texas symbols with 80%
accuracy.

Materials:

Lesson Cycle: (Direct instruction)

The teacher will: The student will:

Focus/Mental Set: ● Define what a symbol is.
● Call on student to define what a ● Get one sheet of paper out with shoulder
symbol is. buddy.
● Tell students that there are five ● Will have two minutes to search around
symbols of Texas hidden around the the room for each of the five symbols and
room. write name and location of each symbol.
● Instruct students to get with their ● Return to seat at end of two minutes and
shoulder buddy and get out a sheet share what symbols they found with their
of paper. table group.
● Give students two minutes to go ● Fill in symbols they missed on their sheet
around classroom with partner and of paper.
find and name each of the five
symbols with their location on their
sheet of paper.
● Set two-minute timer on screen, and
instruct students to return to their
table as soon as timer goes off.
● Instruct students to share one symbol
they found with their table group.
 ● Show students location of each
symbol and give correct name of
each one.

Teacher Input: ● Complete “Jot Thoughts” by writing down

(Students should have read chapter on Texas
symbols before class.)
 Conduct “Jot Thoughts” structure
on page 6.40 of Kagan Cooperative
Learning.
 Pass out small stack of post-it notes
to each table group.
 Instruct students to think of as many
things that represent Texas to them
to cover one desk in the allotted
three-minute time-limit.
 Instruct students write one item per
sticky note.
 Instruct students to share what they
have come up with as a group with
the rest of the class.
 Instruct students to move with their
group clockwise to another desk and
have them choose which of the
symbols on the post-its where
covered in the text book.
 Instruct students to take sticky notes
of symbols covered in the text book
and stick them to the board.
 Determine which post-it notes on
the board were correct and which
move to the “creativity pile.”
 Determine if there are any post-it
notes left on desks that need to
move to the board.
Guided Practice:
● Hand out three blank note cards to
each table group.
● Instruct each table group to come up
with two true statements about
symbols and one false statement and
write them down on the notecards.
● Have one table group at a time stand
up and read each of their cards.
one symbol that represents Texas on one
sticky note each to try and cover one desk
in the three-minute time-limit. They can
get creative with this.
● Announce to the rest of the class what
different types of symbols they came up
with.
● Move with their group clockwise to
another group’s desk and will pick out
which of the post-it notes were covered in
the text book.
● Have one student from their group take
the chosen post-it notes and stick them to
the board.
● Come up with two true statements about
symbols and one false statement and write
them down on the notecards with their
table group.
● Stand up with their table group and read
each of their cards aloud.
● Stand up when the number of the card is
called that they believe is the false card.
● Explain which of their cards was the false
statement, re-stating which of their cards
were true with their table group.
 ● Ask the rest of the class to stand up
when you call the number card that
they believe is false.
● Instruct each table group to reveal
which of their cards are false and re-
state their true statements.
Independent Practice: ● Be put into partners by the teacher.
● Use separate list of names titled ● Use one partners iPad to open 30hands
“Texas Symbols Project Groups” to app under “Cross Curricular” folder.
put students with their pre- ● Click “skip this step” on first page to
determined partners. move to “Presentations” page.
● Instruct students to pull out iPad and ● Click the plus sign in the right hand
open 30hands app in Cross corner to create a new project.
Curricular folder. ● Name presentation “Texas
● Instruct students to click “skip this Symbols_Partners Names” and click “add
step” on the first page. slides” to begin.
● Have students click the plus sign in ● Create slides using images from the
top right corner to create a new internet, personal images, or drawing and
project. text to create presentation using all five
● Have students name their project symbols covered in the lesson.
“Texas Symbols_Partners Names” ● Use the red record button to narrate each
and click “add slides.” of their slides, highlighting important
● Instruct students to create a information about the symbols.
presentation by creating slides with ● Present slides during beginning of next
the five Texas symbols covered. class.
● Instruct students that they can use
images from the internet or from
personal pictures to complete this
project, as well as using the “Draw a
Slide” option.
● Have students use text to highlight
important facts about the symbol.
● Instruct students that once they are
finished completing the slides, they
are to use the record button to
narrate each slide.
● Let students know that they will
present their slides at the beginning
of the next class.
Closure: ● Use a blank piece of paper from their
● Introduce and explain “Snowball” journals to write down their favorite
activity where students will write symbol from the lesson and why they
down one their favorite symbols chose it.
from the lesson and why they chose ● Tear out the sheet of paper and crumple it
it. into a ball.
 ● Begin “Snowball” activity by
playing music for 30 seconds while
students toss “snowballs” into air.
● Stop and instruct students to pick up
nearest piece of paper and have
selected students read it aloud.
Options:
Enrichment:
Modifications/Correctives
References:
● Toss paper ball into the air until the
teacher turns the music off.
● Pick up nearest paper ball to their seat and
selected students will read aloud what is
written.
Reteach: