Title of Unit: America’s Past

Title of Lesson: Explorers Travel the World Submitted By: Mikayla Ozaki

A. Summary of the Lesson Plan : Students will learn about the importance of the journeys made by Marco Polo to Asia and Christopher Columbus to North America. This lesson uses the 2nd Grade Houghton Mifflin Social Studies textbook “Neighborhoods” (pg. 222-227.)

B. Target Population: Grade Level: 2nd Grade Skill Level: Students at all learning levels Grouping: Whole group discussion, small group for struggling students, individual

assessment.

C. Materials: Houghton Mifflin Social Studies textbook 2nd grade pg. 222-227Vocabulary and Study Guide worksheet (unit resources pg. 67)Reading Skills worksheet (unit resources pg. 66)Paper and pencil

D. Objectives: o NV State Social Studies Standards

H1.2.3 Tell why important events, people, and/or customs are marked by holidays.

o Student-Friendly Standards

H1.2.3 I can tell why important events, people, and/or traditions are celebrated.

E. Procedure: 1. Refer to notes on TE 222- “Get Set to Read”,

o Explain the Study Guide and reading skill worksheets students will complete as we read.

o Call students’ attention to the Reading skills and Strategy worksheet about Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus. (Keep out to fill in as we read)

o Identify and discuss the journeys made by Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus .

o Introduce vocabulary (Explorer, journey).

2. As a class, read pg. 222-225, stopping to ask questions as indicated in the margins of the TE.

Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2013 Karen Powell- Instructor page 1

Title of Unit: America’s Past

Title of Lesson: Explorers Travel the World Submitted By: Mikayla Ozaki

3. Students should take notes and record information on their Study Guide as well as the Reading skills and Strategy worksheet while we are reading. They can continue working on them when we finish reading.

4. Ask questions listed in the margins of the TE as an ongoing check for understanding. Focus on these questions about the journeys of Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus:

o (TE 223) Where did Marco Polo spend many of his years travelling?

o (TE 223)What route does the map show for Marco Polo’s journey?

o (After paragraph 1- pg. 223) Why was Marco Polo important in history?

o (TE 224) What did Christopher Columbus want to do?

o (TE 224) Columbus thought he had reached Asia, but where had he really gone?

o (After paragraph 1- pg. 225) Why did Christopher Columbus sail west?

5. CLOSURE: Discuss the two statements in the “Review and Assess” section of TE 231.

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

Invite children to choose a place on a globe. Have them think about how they would get there. Ask children to draw a picture of the kinds of transportation they would use. Have children write a caption identifying their destination and how they would reach it. Students will then present their drawing to the class explaining why they chose the place they did and how their journey/story would get their own holiday.

Explain how you will know students understand the concepts from the lesson.

Students will be able to “tell why important events, people, and/or customs are marked by holidays” by creating their own journey which would be equally as important as Christopher Columbus’ or Marco Polo’s journey.

G. Reflection:

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

The easiest to teach will be the reading skills worksheet. The answers come directly from the text.

2. Which part will be most challenging for you to teach?

Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2013 Karen Powell- Instructor page 2

Title of Unit: America’s Past

Title of Lesson: Explorers Travel the World Submitted By: Mikayla Ozaki

Students might have a difficult time using their imagination for the assessment. They may not be able to connect to the lesson on a personal level.

3. How will you follow up or extend this lesson?

As an extension to the lesson, I would use Extend Lesson 2 (p. 226-227) about “The Magnetic Compass.”

4. What will you do for students who don’t grasp the concepts?

I would go back and do the Reteach MiniLesson found at the bottom of TE 225.

5. Which part of the lesson, if any, do you think might need to change?

I might need to change the assessment to better reflect the standard I am trying to teach.

6. When you were writing this lesson plan, what was the most difficult part?

The most difficult part was choosing an assessment that was challenging, but still within the student’s abilities.

Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2013 Karen Powell- Instructor page 3