September 12, 2018

Lesson Plan Template

Date: 11/15/2019 Teacher’s Name: Kevin Dolan

Subject: Social Studies Grade level: 9
Class Setting: Departmental Length of lesson: 45 minutes
each
Central Focus: the purpose of this lesson is to build on the students’ previous knowledge of
writing document-based essays. The students will learn how to use documents, specifically
primary sources, to construct an argument. These lessons will also serve as a building block for
future argument-based essays.
Lesson Title: The Aztec Empire
For Unit Plan/Learning Segment, 3 Days :

Essential Question(s): If applicable, depends on the type of lesson/unit/learning segment;

stimulates thinking and inquiry
-How does the cultural/social/economic/political climate of Mesoamerica compare to that of
the Old World?

Learning Standards: Required learning and professional standards.

9.1 DEVELOPMENT OF CIVILIZATION: The development of agriculture enabled the rise of the first civilizations,
located primarily along river valleys; these complex societies were influenced by geographic conditions, and shared
a number of defining political, social, and economic characteristics. (Standards: 2, 3, 4; Themes: TCC, GEO, ECO,
TECH)
Pre-Assessment: Determines prerequisite skills and knowledge students have about the lesson
Learning Objectives: describes appropriate Assessments: Ways of evaluating each
learning outcomes to be attained during learning objective
class that are clear and measurable (Use 1. A 5 minute quiz will be conducted in
action verbs) the beginning of every class, briefly
1. Students will identify key terms in asking students to define terms that
order to fully understand the aspects appear in the reading from the
in which the Aztec Empire. homework.
2. Students will use evidence from 2. A Socratic lecture based off of a
primary sources in order to interpret primary source, in which students
what the events were like at the will answer questions and interpret
time. the perspectives of the time.
3. Students will use the primary source 3. A one-paragraph exit ticket in which
to construct a basic argument on life students will describe life in the
at the time. Aztec Empire.

Differentiation: Adapt or modify instruction, materials, and/or environment to meet specific

characteristics and special needs of students (e.g. ELL, gifted learners, students with disabilities)

Academic Language: Provide components of language that students need to learn and use in
specific content areas. Teachers need to consider: vocabulary, language functions (ex. analyze,
September 12, 2018

interpret, argue, compare, identify), syntax (e.g. sentences, graphs, and tables), and discourse
(oral and written language).

Procedure: Day 1
Anticipatory Set (hook, motivation, etc. to engage students) (5-10 minutes)
Sponge Activity (30 seconds) (activity that will be done as students enter the room to get them into the
mindset of the concept to be learned)
- Day 1: Introduce the class to the topic by having the PowerPoint title page opened and a blank
map of current day Central America on each students’ desk
Anticipatory Set (5-10 minutes) (focus question/s that will be used to get students thinking about the
day’s lesson)
- As a class, fill in general locations around the Aztec Empire i.e.:
- The Atlantic ocean
- the borders of the Aztec Empire
- the capital of the Aztec Empire
Activating Prior Knowledge (what information will be shared with/among students to connect to prior
knowledge/experience)
- Assuming they have no prior knowledge of the subject, since it is the first day

Initial Phase
Direct Instruction (input, modeling, check for understanding) (15 minutes)
STEP 1: Input (2 minutes maximum)
Ask students about their familiarity with Mesoamerica and the Aztec Empire
- Students have most likely heard about some of the Mesoamerican Empires in the past, but prior
knowledge is not being accounted for
- Ask the class what they think of when they think of the Aztec Empire
- Might be done before the Anticipatory Set
- What do you think of when you hear “The Aztec Empire”?
- What historical figures are relevant to the Aztec Empire?
STEP 2: Powerpoint (~7-10 minutes)
Direct instruction using a powerpoint presentation that will be created before the lesson and provided.
Slides will be made detailing information students should write in their notes. Material in slides should
consist of information that will appear on future tests while omitting unnecessary information.
Students will be expected and encouraged to take notes during this period.
STEP 3: Discussion/Check for Understanding (~3 minutes)
Open the lesson to the students of the class
- Have students do a “turn and talk” with up to 4 partners
- Walk around as students discuss to help lead their discussions and ensure that students have a
basic understanding of the material
- Ask open-ended questions about the material to help guide student discussion
- What was the religious beliefs of ancient Aztecs and how did it differ from the
beliefs of the Europeans?
- In what ways did the Aztecs thrive?
- What was the social, economic, and political climate of the Aztecs like before
European arrival?
Middle Phase
Guided Practice (10-15 minutes)(how students will demonstrate their grasp of new learning)
September 12, 2018

Worksheet
- Give students worksheets to work on together as a class from the turn-and-talk
- Teacher will go through the questions with the class, calling on students to answer questions
- Worksheet will consist of 20 questions about the Aztec Empire
- Information taken directly from Slides

Independent Practice (what students will do to reinforce learning of the lesson)

Homework: Write a 2-paragraph (5-7 sentence each) about the Aztec Empire. Be sure to include
topics like their religion, class structure, and geographic location
Concluding Phase
Closure/Summary: (5 minutes) Action/statement by student(s)/teacher to wrap up lesson
- Exit ticket: each student writes 5 sentences of life in the Aztec Empire
- Should include the technological advancements of the time as well as the social, economic, and political
climate of the Aztec Empire
- End on a positive note and wish students a good day
- Remind of upcoming events
Follow up: What comes next to reinforce the lesson (HW or supplemental instruction)

Materials: (items, technology, etc.)

- Aztec Powerpoint
- Day one worksheet
- Blank central America map
http://clic.cengage.com/uploads/38679ebece851418a80b7275ae5d3a09_1_9521.png

Procedure: Day 2
Anticipatory Set (hook, motivation, etc. to engage students) (5-10 minutes)
Sponge Activity (activity that will be done as students enter the room to get them into the mindset of
the concept to be learned)

Anticipatory Set (5 minutes) (focus question/s that will be used to get students thinking about the day’s
lesson)
- Adam Arenson’s 5-minute quiz
- 5- minutes, 3-question, low-stakes quiz at the beginning of every single class, asking students
questions about the reading from the homework or from yesterday’s lesson
- List the class structure of Aztec life with no particular order
- In what ways did the Aztecs come to power?
- Identify and explain the significance of key aspects of the Aztec religion
Activating Prior Knowledge (what information will be shared with/among students to connect to prior
knowledge/experience) (3 minute)
- Do Now: Students will begin the lesson with the 5-minute quiz, refreshing their memory from
last class
- Then, students will explain briefly what we went over last class

Initial Phase
Direct Instruction (input, modeling, check for understanding) (10-15 minutes)
STEP 1: Checking for Understanding/ Socratic Lecture (~5 minutes)
September 12, 2018

Engage the students in a teacher-lead discussion where key ideas that should be taken note of will be
written on the board for students to copy.
- Ask students open-ended questions to further discussion and get an idea of where they stand
with the material
- Does anyone remember what the capital of the Aztec Empire was?
- How did the Aztecs get from city to city?
- What was the main aspect of Aztec religion?
- Write down key ideas that come up in the discussion and lead the discussion so that students
can better conceive the material
- Hernan Cortes
- Spanish Conquest
- Aztec response to Spanish conquistadors
STEP 2: Primary Source Analysis (~10 minutes)
Part A: The teacher will read a primary source along with students, who will each be given a
copy of the primary source. The game “Popcorn” may be used, where a students name will be randomly
called and they will have to pick up where the last person left off. (3-5 minutes)
http://chnm.gmu.edu/wwh/modules/lesson6/pdfs/primarysourcepacket.pdf

Part B: With a partner’s help, students will each write a paragraph explaining how this relates to
the material. (~5 minutes)
Middle Phase
Guided Practice (15 minutes) (how students will demonstrate their grasp of new learning)
Part 1: Kahoot Game (~5 minutes)
- Play “Kahoot” game, provided in materials, which go over concepts that were just went over
from today and yesterday
- Winner will receive reward (ex: candy)
- https://create.kahoot.it/share/aztec-empire/2f2e3eb6-6dbc-4920-9422-df1262fd99fb
- https://4.files.edl.io/32ff/05/23/18/160306-678c18b2-a986-4c41-a1d4-
911bd85b2f23.pdf. 3-5.
Part 2: Discussion (5-10 minutes)
- Discuss with the class the information presented
- Ask students what they would do if the Spanish Empire knocked on their doors
- Ask students questions about the material we just learned
- Who was Hernan Cortez?
- Why was he in the Americas?
- Make sure students bring up certain key topics
- Spanish conquest
- Aztec response
- Did they fight back?
Independent Practice (what students will do to reinforce learning of the lesson)
Homework: Write a 5-7 sentence paragraph explaining who Hernan Cortez is and why he was in
the Americas
Concluding Phase
Closure/Summary: Action/statement by student(s)/teacher to wrap up lesson (5 minutes)
- Answer any remaining student questions
- Have students explain new concepts learned
Follow up: What comes next to reinforce the lesson (HW or supplemental instruction)
September 12, 2018

Homework
Materials: (items, technology, etc.)
Kahoot.com https://create.kahoot.it/share/aztec-empire/2f2e3eb6-6dbc-4920-9422-
df1262fd99fb
“Primary Source Packet”
http://chnm.gmu.edu/wwh/modules/lesson6/pdfs/primarysourcepacket.pdf

Procedure: Day 3
Anticipatory Set (hook, motivation, etc. to engage students) (5-10 minutes)
Sponge Activity (activity that will be done as students enter the room to get them into the mindset of
the concept to be learned)

Anticipatory Set (5 minutes) (focus question/s that will be used to get students thinking about the day’s
lesson)
- Adam Arenson’s 5-minute quiz
- 5- minutes, 3-question, low-stakes quiz at the beginning of every single class, asking students
questions about the reading from the homework or from yesterday’s lesson
Activating Prior Knowledge (what information will be shared with/among students to connect to prior
knowledge/experience) (3 minutes)
- Do now: 5-minute quiz will refresh the memory of students
- Do now will have information from the last two classes
- Ask students their comfort level with the material
- Ask:
- where i the Aztec Empire located?
- What happened to it?
- Who conquered it?
- Why did they conquer it?
Initial Phase
Direct Instruction (input, modeling, check for understanding)
STEP 1: Jeopardy Game (10-15 minutes)
A pre-prepared Jeopardy game using Powerpoint will be introduced to the class. The class will be
separated into two teams and will choose point values to answer increasingly difficult questions. The
teacher will use the computer to navigate the Powerpoint with the instruction of students, and students
will answer questions as we play. The team with the most points at the end of the game will win candy.
Middle Phase
Guided Practice (15 minutes) (how students will demonstrate their grasp of new learning)
- Worksheet will be completed together as a class
- a fill in the blank with a word bank
- Have students answer questions while the teacher facilitates that students give out
correct information
- The worksheet will have questions with information from all three days

Independent Practice (what students will do to reinforce learning of the lesson)

Homework: Crossword worksheet
Concluding Phase
Closure/Summary: (5 minutes) Action/statement by student(s)/teacher to wrap up lesson
- Award winning team with reward at this time
September 12, 2018

- Teacher will briefly explain to the class as students get candy the key points of the lessons from the last
three days
Follow up: What comes next to reinforce the lesson (HW or supplemental instruction)
Homework
Materials: (items, technology, etc.)
Aztec Jeopardy Game
Crossword puzzle and Fill in the blank worksheet https://4.files.edl.io/32ff/05/23/18/160306-
678c18b2-a986-4c41-a1d4-911bd85b2f23.pdf. 3-5.

References and Resources: Cite (APA style) sources, texts, lesson plans used
9.8 Aztec Empire Activities - New Visions Social Studies Curriculum. (n.d.). Retrieved
November 10, 2019, from https://curriculum.newvisions.org/social-
studies/resources/resource/98-aztec-empire-activities/.

Art, S. (2019, May 14). The Aztecs: Mighty Warriors of Mexico. Retrieved November 10,
2019, from https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plans/aztecs-mighty-warriors-mexico.
Cortes Constructs Brigantines as Crucial Weapon: AHA. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10,
2019, from https://www.historians.org/teaching-and-learning/teaching-resources-for-
historians/teaching-and-learning-in-the-digital-age/the-history-of-the-americas/the-
conquest-of-mexico/letters-from-hernan-cortes/cortes-constructs-brigantines-as-crucial-
weapon.

English Worksheets Land Common Core Aligned Language Arts Worksheets. (n.d.).
Retrieved November 10, 2019, from
https://www.englishworksheetsland.com/topics/socialstudies/aztec.html.

Fuselier, Shauney. (2013, August 27). Aztec presentation. Retrieved November 10, 2019,
from https://www.slideshare.net/shauneyfuselier/aztec-presentation.

http://chnm.gmu.edu/wwh/modules/lesson6/pdfs/primarysourcepacket.pdf

http://www.jeffersonschooldistrict.com/cms/lib/CA01000295/Centricity/Domain/76/Ch15.p
pt. 1-2.

https://create.kahoot.it/share/aztec-empire/2f2e3eb6-6dbc-4920-9422-df1262fd99fb

https://4.files.edl.io/32ff/05/23/18/160306-678c18b2-a986-4c41-a1d4-911bd85b2f23.pdf. 3-
5.

Self-Reflection of the lesson: