Mapping the Oregon Trail-Monday's Lesson

Unit Plan: Lewis & Clark: The Oregon TrailLesson Plan for MondayGrade: 3Social Studies Strand: Geography

Submitted By: Kellie Thompson

EDEL 453: Teaching Elementary School Social ScienceNevada State College – Spring 2014Instructor: Karen Powell

Lesson Plan for Monday Strand: Geography submitted by: Kellie Thompson

B. Summary of the Lesson Plan : This social studies lesson is designed for 3rd grade students to learn about map reading and the expedition Lewis and Clark took from Independence, Missouri to Fort Clatsop, Oregon across the Oregon Trail. This lesson uses the book “Integrating Language Arts and Social Studies textbook, Strategy 25, “Authentic Geography and Cartography Studies” (p. 180-187).

C. Basic Information: Grade Level: 3rd grade Time to Complete this Lesson: 50 minutes Groupings: whole group reading & discussion, pairs for worksheet & assessment

D. Materials: Integrating Language Arts and Social Studies textbook, Strategy 25, “Authentic Geography and Cartography Studies” (p. 180-187) Figure 25-1 Exploring Maps Worksheets, (p.184-186)-for each student Lewis and Clark Exploration Information sheet-for each student Map of the Oregon Trail then-for each student Map of the Oregon Trail now-for each student Pencil

E. Objectives: o NV State Social Studies Standards

G5.3.4 Identify and explain simple spatial patterns on a map, i.e., population centers, farmland, mountains.

o Student-Friendly Standards I can locate states, cities, land and water forms, and symbols on a

map.

F. Vocabulary cartography – the study and practice of making maps spatial – relating to or taking up space population – all the people of a particular town, area, or country

G. Procedure: 1. Discuss as a whole group the expedition Lewis and Clark traveled on a map,

known as the Oregon Trail and read the information sheet together as a whole group.

2. Introduce vocabulary (cartography, spatial, population).

Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 2


3. Instruct students to look at the 2 maps and compare how a historic map differs from a modern map, specifically examining the Oregon Trail as a whole group.

4. Complete worksheet 25-1 Exploring maps in pairs. 5. Review worksheet answers as a whole group.

H. Assessment: What will you use to measure student understanding?

The completed worksheet and in-class discussion from Step 5 review. Explain how you will know students understand the concepts from the

lesson. Students must be able to identify certain characteristics of a map, and accurate answers will determine understanding. Comparison and contrast of the historic and modern maps will also demonstrate their comprehension of the material.

I. Closure: Quick discussion of how maps change over time.

J. Reflection: 1. Which part of the lesson do you think will be the easiest for you to teach?

Explaining Lewis and Clark’s expedition on the maps will be the easiest section to teach.

2. Which part will be most challenging for you to teach? The most difficult portion of the lesson will be explaining the differences between a modern and historic map.

3. How will you follow up or extend this lesson?I will give each student a blank map of the United States and have them draw in the Oregon Trail.

4. What can you do for students who don’t grasp the concepts?I would re-teach a mini-lesson on Lewis and Clark’s expedition across the Oregon Trail. We would work together to create a bubble map of the similarities and the differences between the maps.

5. Which part of the lesson, if any, do you think might need to change?I don’t think I need to change anything.

6. When you were writing this lesson plan, what was the most difficult part?The most difficult aspect of writing this lesson was choosing an adequate standard to fit the assignment and grade level.


Mapping the Oregon Trail-Monday's Lesson

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