Direct Instruction Lesson Plan Template

Subject: Social Studies Central Focus: Westward Expansion/The Homestead Act

Essential Standard/Common Core Objective:

5.G.1 Understand how human activity has and

continues to shape the United States.

5.G.1.4 Exemplify migration within or

Date submitted: February 21st, 2018
immigration to the United States in
order to identify push and pull factors
Date taught: February 21st, 2018
(why people left/why people came).

RL.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when

explaining what the text says explicitly and when
drawing inferences from the text.

Daily Lesson Objective: Given a video and materials to read, students will learn about western expansion in the United
States during the 1800s, more specifically The Homestead Act, and complete 5 questions about a passage with 80%
accuracy.
21st Century Skills: Academic Language Demand (Language Function and
Vocabulary):
Communication
Collaboration Words students should know - Homestead, territory, encourage,
Creativity and Innovation homesteader, expansion.

Language Function: Identify, Explain

Discourse: Exit ticket
Syntax: Turn and talk

Prior Knowledge:
The Gold Rush lesson taught by Ms. Jenkins
Basic knowledge of westward expansion motives by US colonists

Activity Description of Activities and Setting Time

5 minutes
“Hello class! Today we are going to continue to learn about westward
expansion and build upon our knowledge of the Gold Rush. Our topic today is
called The Homestead Act.”

Based upon what the students learned in Ms. Jenkins’ lesson last class,
students will listen as we review topics they learned previously and explain
1. Focus and Review
how they relate to today’s lesson.

Students will turn and talk with a partner and discuss what they learned last
class session about the Gold Rush. When the class comes back together, we
will talk about the ways we can remember what we read and discussed what
we learned last class.

2. Statement of Objective
“Today, I am going to work with you to help study and learn about western
for Student
expansion in 1800s America. By the end of the lesson, you will understand
 why America participated in westward expansion and identify push and pull
factors as to why it appealed to them to expand their territory.”

10
Talk to them about choosing important information from the text and quoting minutes
from the text when talking about it.

Teacher can model on board the text from last class and show how to make
notes and highlight important information to remember about the topic. Push
3. Teacher Input
and Pull factors will be discussed as well.

Students can highlight important events in the text, underline key words or
words they don’t know, write small summaries to make the information easier
to understand, etc.

10
Tell the students that they will continue practicing determining important minutes
information from text and videos and quoting accurately from them when
writing it down.

Hand out an index card to each student. They will use this card during the next
activity.

Students will be shown a video on Westward Expansion featuring the Gold

Rush and The Homestead Act. Video:
4. Guided Practice
Model how to take key notes from the video for them during the first minute
of the video. Then play the rest and they write down on their index card.

They will write down 5-6 facts they learned or what they observed in the
video, including push and pull factors they noticed. They will turn and talk to
a partner to discuss and share what they wrote down.

While the students are discussing, walk around and encourage conversation
about their notes. The more the students discuss, the more they will learn.

10
Students will read a short passage about The Homestead Act independently. minutes
They will use the skills they learned in the beginning of the lesson to highlight
key points in the passage.
5. Independent Practice
After they are done, they will answer 5 questions on a half sheet of paper
using their passage. They will turn this in after the activity is finished.

Formal – Half sheet with 5 questions on the article.

6. Assessment Methods of
all objectives/skills: Informal – Walking around observing work, participation in the lesson, engagement in
activities
5 minutes
“Great job today class, I am really impressed with how well you were able to
pick up on how to make reading passages and picking out the key details, as
7. Closure
well as push/pull factors that made America expand westward.”

Wrap up the lesson by asking the students to write 2 pros and 2 cons of the
 lesson. Ask them to write what they like and disliked on the back of their half
sheet of questions, then pass them to the front of the class.

85% of the class was able to answer at least 4/5 of the questions correct on the half sheet.
8. Assessment Results of
100% of the class answered at least 3/5 of the questions correct on the half sheet.
all objectives/skills:

Targeted Students Modifications/Accommodations: Student/Small Group Modifications/Accommodations:

Less questions can be asked If students are struggling, a small group can be formed to help
Full sheet instead of half sheet through step-by-step instructions extending the process of
Passage/Video flexibility analyzing the text/video.
The students who are succeeding will be walking around to
help the students who haven’t finished yet.
Materials/Technology:
YouTube video, Video screen, 25 Index Cards, 30 half sheets w/questions, 30 passages
Reflection on lesson:

Overall, I feel like my social studies lesson was a success. From having appropriate background knowledge of the subject,
to having plenty of help with materials and planning from my CT, I was well prepared heading into my lesson.
The night before I taught the lesson, I made sure to write out talking points to help guide me while I was teaching. I found
this to be very useful once I was teaching the lesson.
I asked my CT to focus on classroom management and overall flow while observing my lesson. By doing this, I hoped to
gain some valuable information that will help me in being a future teacher.
Being that it was the first lesson I taught, I felt like there was some things I needed to improve on for the next time. My
CT left comments such as, “Make sure all students are paying attention during the lesson (you had your back to one
group)” and “Be sure to call on students who aren’t volunteering, not sure those who have their hands raised”. I tend to
call on the students who want to participate and not the ones who aren’t paying attention. I now know that it can be a
valuable tip to use to make sure everybody is engaged. A way to do this is by using number sticks to randomize the
procedure and keep everyone alert. I will for sure implement this into my next lesson.
Some things that I exceled on was the fact that I do a, “great job of making it fun for the students; they want to listen and
learn”. I also kept students involved by reading parts out loud and sharing their own answers to questions. I also promoted
a positive learning environment to make sure the students felt safe and comfortable when sharing out their answers.

CT signature: ________________________ Date: ______ US signature: ____________________________Date: ______