Name: Program: Course:

Carson Hope Early Childhood Special Education (K-3) ECH 460

Lesson Topic/Title:
Scholastic News: “Follow That Eagle!”
Lesson Date: Lesson Length: Grade:
February 28, 2020 30 minutes 1st Grade
Learning Objective(s) Instructional Decisions/Reasoning
Students will make connections between The social studies unit on presidents and
the work they’ve been doing in social American symbols began this week.
studies on American symbols and the Children will be challenged to make
Scholastic News magazine. connections between those lessons and
the Scholastic News magazine.
Content Standard(s) Instructional Decisions/Reasoning
Maine Learning Results Students have learned about American
Civics & Government Standard 1: symbols (ex. the bald eagle, the American
Students understand key ideas and flag) and monuments (ex. Mount
processes that characterize democratic Rushmore, the Washington Monument,
government in the community and the the Lincoln Memorial) during the unit,
United States by recognizing symbols, and will be assessed on their recollection
monuments, celebrations, and leaders of of them prior to reading the magazine.
State government.
Assessment Instructional Decisions/Reasoning
This is a formative assessment of students This is formative, as students will
recollections of the names of and reasons continue to study American symbols
for the American symbols’ significance. during social studies for the next two
Students will be assessed by participation weeks.
in the discussion.
Materials, Resources, and/or Instructional Decisions/Reasoning
Technology • Students will follow along in their
• Scholastic News “Follow That Eagle” magazine while it is read aloud from
magazine the webpage.
• Pencils • Students will use pencils to fill in the
• Classroom touch screen computer/TV bubbles for the answers on the back
• Access to/login for 1st grade Scholastic of the magazine.
News website • The webpage will be pulled up on the
screen.


Teaching and Learning Sequence
Introduction
1. When calendar is complete, students
will be reminded that it is Friday so we will
be doing a Scholastic News. The helper will
be given the magazines to pass out to the
rest of the class once they are at their
seats. Then, the helper will return to their
seat.
2. Students will be asked to write their
name on the front of their magazine. Miss
Hope will inform students she will know
they’re ready to start when all pencils are
in the cups.
Content
3. Miss Hope will remind students they
should be on the front cover of their
magazine. She will remind students of her
policies for Scholastic News time. She will
press the Read Aloud button after
reminding students to follow along.
4. After the front cover is read, Miss Hope
will ask students why she might have
picked this magazine this week. After
taking student responses, if students do
not connect this to the bald
eagle/American symbols unit, she will ask
if they have discussed bald eagles and why.
5. Students will be told to open up the
magazine. The read aloud feature will
continue to be used.
6. After reading, students will be asked to
think about the “As You Read…” question
that was read aloud before the content of
the magazine. It states: “Think about what
each symbol means.” Miss Hope will ask
about each symbol one by one, reminding
students to think about what they read in
the magazine and what they learned about
this week:
- Bison
• You must have a subscription/code to
access the website.
Instructional Decisions/Reasoning
1. Every Friday during science/social
studies, we do a Scholastic News
(unless it is the 2nd Friday of the
month, when the SNAP Ed. Teacher
visits). Students know this routine
and get excited about it.
2. Students are expected to put pencils
back in the cups except for when they
are writing with them. This prevents
distractions. Students know this is
one of the ways Miss Hope checks for
readiness.
3. Students will be reminded that
pencils must be away, students must
follow along in the magazine or on
screen, and students who participate
and follow the policies will play the
game first. By using the read aloud
feature on the website, students can
follow along on their website or on
the screen. On the screen, words will
be highlighted as they are read aloud.
4. Students will be prompted to connect
the magazine to the work they’ve
been doing this week on American
symbols.
5. Students may follow along on the
screen or in the magazine.
6. Students will be prompted to make
connections between activities and
think about what they read. This gives
Miss Hope an assessment
opportunity.
7. The video will show real bald eagles
flying and provide additional
information.
8. Questions will be read aloud by Miss
Hope and discussed as a whole group.
9. Students will take home magazines as
a resource to continue thinking about
- Mount Rushmore American symbols and to share with
- Statue of Liberty their families.
- Bald Eagle 10. The video discusses additional
7. Miss Hope will play the video at the American symbols.
bottom “Bald Eagle Soaring.” 11. Each Scholastic News has vocabulary
8. Students will be asked to flip to the back specific to the topic.
of the magazine. They will be reminded 12. I implement the Scholastic News
that the class answers the questions lessons every week, so students know
together and to raise their hand if they my policy that they do not need to
would like to answer one after it is read. raise hands and that they will all have
Ask each of the questions, allowing the a turn.
student to click the correct bubble on the 13. I will remind students of the
screen. Remind students to follow along relevance of the activity and share
and fill in the bubble on their magazine. future plans.
9. Students will be asked to put their
magazines in their mailbox and return to
their seat.
10. Students will watch the “American
Symbols” extension video.
11. Students will participate in a review of
the vocabulary words by hearing them/the
definition, seeing a picture, and repeating
the word.
Game
12. Students will be able to play the game
if time allows and if students displayed
expected behavior. Students will be
reminded they do not raise their hands,
and that everyone will have a turn.
Students will be reminded that they may
not shout out answers unless the classmate
playing asks for help.
Conclusion
13. Students will be reminded of the
American symbols unit and Miss Hope will
share that they will continue learning
about American symbols next week.
Meeting Students’ Needs Instructional Decisions/Reasoning
Using multiple forms of representation Students may read along in their
allows students to follow along with magazine or on the screen.
reading in the way that works for them.

Reflection
My students are always very engaged with the Scholastic News. They enjoy watching the
videos, taking in the information, and getting to play the game. The students made
significant connections between this magazine and the American symbols unit. They
recognized the symbols from prior activities and often made connections before I
prompted them to. Most of my students enjoyed this unit as a whole: they were
fascinated by the monument especially. They were excited that Mount Rushmore was in
the magazine: earlier in the week when learning about the monument I showed them
pictures of when I traveled to Mount Rushmore in September and I read them a book I
got while visiting Keystone, SD. This became a favorite book during the unit and
students often asked me to sit with them and read it again when they had extra time
after completing their work. Being able to make these real world connections is really
exciting for children and can make it more real for them. Between my pictures at Mount
Rushmore and the Statue of Liberty, and my mentor’s pictures of her and her family in
Washington, D.C., they became really excited about American symbols!

Teaching Standards and Rationale

Standard 11.3 addresses technology use as a citizen. The standard states: “educators
inspire students to positively contribute to and responsibly participate in the digital
world.” In other words, teachers will model the responsible use of technology and
encourage children to do the same. Teachers will demonstrate how to use technology
and contribute to the digital word as well as how to use existing resources. Indicator
11.3(b) states educators will “establish a learning culture that promotes curiosity and
critical examination of online resources and fosters digital literacy and media fluency.” I
believe using technology to access and extend the Scholastic News “Follow That Eagle”
meets standard 11.3 because I modeled and encouraged children to participate in the
digital world. Showing magazines online displays a common media/news format that
children will see as they grow up and demonstrates a responsible use of technology
(using it to access credible information). This connects with indicator 11.3b, because by
using technology for activities like Scholastic News magazines, we promote a culture

that children can use resources they have access to (including technology) to answer
their questions. By extending units (like I did with this magazine for our American
symbols unit) and introducing new concepts through these magazines, I am promoting
curiosity as well as the use of digital media. I believe especially for our students who do
not have much access to technology outside of school (which is the norm for my
students as many live in significant poverty), it is extremely important to model how to
use technology to answer questions but how to do so appropriately. Scholastic News
online is a great model of this in my opinion. It is a reliable source that most children
remember and get excited about.