Instructional Design Project-Field Experience Stephanie ...bunnellportfolio.weebly.com/uploads/9/7/4/9/9749334/...Instructional Design Project-Field Experience Stephanie Bunnell CI

Instructional Design Project-Field Experience

Stephanie Bunnell

CI 4490

1. Learning Goals and Objectives

North Carolina Standard Course of Study

Goals and Objectives

6. G.1 Understand geographic factors that influenced the emergence, expansion and decline of

civilizations, societies and regions over time (i.e. Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas).

6. G.1.1 Explain how the physical features and human characteristics of a place influenced the

development of civilizations, societies and regions (e.g., location near rivers and natural barriers,

trading practices and spread of culture).

6. G.2 Apply the tools of a geographer to understand the emergence, expansion and decline of

civilizations, societies and regions

6. G.2.2 Construct maps, charts and graphs to explain data about geographic phenomena (e.g.

migration patterns and population and resource distribution patterns).

6. E.1.2 Explain how quality of life is impacted by economic choices of civilizations, societies

and regions.

6. C.1. Explain how religion transformed various societies, civilizations and regions (e.g.,

beliefs, practices and spread of Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam and

Judaism).

6. C&G.1.2 Summarize the ideas that shaped political thought in various civilizations, societies

and regions (e.g. divine right, equality, liberty, citizen participation and integration of religious

principles).

6. H.2.3 Explain how innovation and/or technology transformed civilizations, societies and

regions over time (e.g., agricultural technology, weaponry, transportation and communication).

Horizontal Alignment

North Carolina Common Core Standards:

Language Arts

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says

explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.3 Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced,

illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.7 Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g.,

visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or

issue

These standards for language arts relate to this social studies unit because students were asked to

cite the textbook in order to find answers for a worksheet as well as be able to participate in

discussion. By using a textbook, the students had the opportunity to work on reading

comprehension, as well as further their knowledge of technology and media. This unit was

interdisciplinary between language arts and social studies.

Vertical Alignment

North Carolina Essential Standards: Social Studies

5th

Grade: Connection to curriculum prior to current grade level (sixth)

5. H.2.1 Summarize the contributions of the “Founding Fathers” to the development of our

country.

5. G.1.1 Explain the impact of the physical environment on early settlements in the New World.

5. C&G.1.2 Summarize the organizational structures and powers of the United States

government (legislative, judicial and executive branches of government).

5. C.1.1 Analyze the change in leadership, cultures and everyday life of American Indian groups

before and after European exploration.

7th

Grade: Connection to curriculum following current grade level (sixth)

7. H.1.1 Construct charts, graphs, and historical narratives to explain particular events or issues

over time.

7. G.1.1 Explain how environmental conditions and human response to those conditions

influence modern societies and regions (e.g. natural barriers, scarcity of resources and factors

that influence settlement).

7. G.2.1 Construct maps, charts, and graphs to explain data about geographic phenomena (e.g.

migration patterns and population and resource distribution patterns).

7. C.1.1 Explain how culture unites and divides modern societies and regions (e.g. enslavement

of various peoples, caste system, religious conflict and Social Darwinism).

21st Century Skills

Creativity and Innovation:

Students will be required to take the information learned in the unit and apply it to their

own creation of a civilization. This skill will be addressed at the end of Lesson Five when

students will need to create a brochure that advertises a civilization that they create that is located

in one of the geographic areas of Ancient China. This project allows them to be creative with the

elements of their civilization, from what is grown there to the weather and livestock. Using their

information learned through the unit, students will elaborate on their knowledge gained to think

creatively about a civilization and what would need to be there in order to thrive. Students will

be given the choice to work with a partner or two on to complete this brochure, which allows

each student to develop and communicate their ideas effectively with their peers.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving:

This skill will be recognized when the students answer discussion questions related to the

unit of study. While students are taking in the information, they will need to take time to reflect

on how the information relates to their own lives. History is about people and experiences and

that is what this skill will lead students to understand. During the two lessons on the three

Chinese philosophies, the students will be evaluating the beliefs of each philosopher and

comparing those beliefs to their own. The students will be asked multiple guided questions

throughout each of the five lessons to help them understand the material. The questions will

provide them a chance to discuss and think critically about the topic.

Communication and Collaboration:

Students participate various activities that require them to interact with one another as

well as the entire class. Students will learn how to work together to research information and

will use one another as resources when completing activities. The final project at the end of the

unit asks the students to choose whether to work alone or with a partner to create a civilization.

This projects requires them to communicate with myself and one another to decide which

information to include. If students work with a partner they are required to each contribute to the

project in some way and with be responsible for working together. This unit consists of more

whole-class discussion and collaboration rather than individual work. The class will complete

journal entries or bell ringers at the beginning of each block period. These allow students to

communicate their prior knowledge to the current topic and share that knowledge with the class

and myself. Students will watch multiple video clips that assist them in learning the information.

Students will be discussing what the clips are showing and how the video helps them understand

the current topic.

Global Awareness:

This unit gives students the opportunity to gain knowledge about the world outside of

their city and county. The unit covers Ancient China’s geography, which includes discussing the

Himalayan mountain range and North China Plain. These areas can be related back to these

students who live in the North Carolina, which includes mountains and plains. The philosophers

and beliefs that the students will learn about focus on ideas that exist today around the world and

will be relatable for students. Seeing maps of China will give students the global awareness that

they need to understand the topic of China and the discussions will help with this awareness.

Information, Media, and Technology Skills:

This unit requires students to manage the information they learn using activities and

discussion. Students will be evaluating the information critically and understanding its purpose.

Students will be required to use their MacBook for a variety of activities, from completing a map

to filling out a chart. This use of media products allows students to grow in their understanding

of the topic and of the technology. Two of the documents that the students will complete are

PDF’s that require them to write and draw on them, which increases their knowledge of using

this software.

2. Student Background, Knowledge, and Experience

Considerations

Before the students begin this unit, they will have knowledge about the geography and

early history of Egypt. Having the knowledge about what geography is and how it can affect a

society will help the students with understanding the beginning of Ancient China. The students

have used the textbook that I use in two of my lessons, History Alive!, all semester which helps

them to continue their learning with a familiar text.

The students in the sixth grade are working on reading comprehension skills and the part

of my lesson that will use the textbook will help to further this practice. Each of the three topics

discussed within my 5-day unit are presented in various ways, from lecture to reading to using

media, in order to help keep the students engaged. The work load that these students are used to

is not heavy and they have certain freedoms within the classroom that will need to be changed.

The students are allowed to listen to music while working on individual reading and work, but

they are only allowed one ear bud in their ear. The students do not have assigned seats in any of

the blocks and sit at circular tables that places some students facing the back of the classroom.

This unit will still allow them to choose their own seats, but moving students will be a quick

solution to behavior or distraction problems. Students will not be allowed to listen to music

during most of this unit for the reasoning that it causes a lack of attention on the part of the

students. These students are able to work with partners are particular activities and that will be

no different during this unit. The unit will involve more whole-class discussions and activities

that are used to help students gain knowledge from not only myself, but their fellow classmates

as well.

Developmental Levels of Students

The developmental level of the students varies from each block. There are a small

amount of AIG students and below shows the exact number of students considered AIG in each

block class:

Block 1 1 student

Block 2 6 students

Block 3 2 students

Block 4 2 students

As for the lower level students, they are mostly placed in third block with two ELL

students. This does require differentiation on my part, but prior to this unit the students are all

working at the same speed in each block class. The differentiation comes from the activities that

I will be assigning for the students. I have created assignments that allow for students to

complete them on various levels, meaning the below grade level students will be able to

complete the basic assignment, while the above grade level can take the activity a step further to

display their knowledge. The below grade level students will need more time to complete

activities, as well as more detailed instruction and guidance on each assignment. The ELL

students in the classroom speak English well and are able to complete day-to-day assignments

with only the need from the teacher to repeat directions and add time when needed.

The students that have IEP’s are spread out within the four block periods and therefore

will be assisted when necessary with certain activities. The most common needs for the students

with IEP’s or 504 plans are reading aloud assignments and tests and extra time on tests and

assignments. These accommodations will be made with the entire class due to the students with

IEP’s being spread out among the blocks. The direction for the activities will be read aloud

multiple times and I will be walking around during the activities to help students individually

with questions or concerns.

I was able to collaborate with the teachers on my team to find out the developmental

levels of the students and to gain knowledge on which students are above grade level or which

are below. My cooperating teacher helped me with preparing for my activities and giving me

information about which activities will work best and which may need to be modified or

changed. Due to the blocks being relatively on the same time line the days given for the

activities were the same for all classes. Blocks 1, 3, & 4 had their directions written on both the

board and the Smart Board, to assist them while completing the given activity.

3. Plan for Assessment and Evaluation of Student Learning

Data Used to Develop Lesson Plans

The data that I used to develop my lesson plans was mostly from the textbook that had

been currently used in the classroom, History Alive! as well as the Interactive activities that went

along with the textbook. The students prior to being taught this particular unit had relied on

learning the material from the textbook and then comprehending the material through worksheet

that went along with the textbook. For my unit I used the textbook as a resource for information

and then took what was on the interactive worksheets and created new activities that would still

have an equally positive outcome for the students’ learning the material.

I wanted to focus on the need for comprehending the material. Prior to this unit the

students were struggling with grasping the material and fixing it into their memories. I do think

that the distractions of the music that was allowed to be played, as well as the distractions of the

MacBooks did not help this situation. This knowledge helped me to realize the need for students

to be participating in activities where they were required to be focused and on-task with the rest

of the class. My unit consists of guided learning activities that help students to understand the

material, while having the requirement of participating in discussions that keeps them paying

attention.

The information that I read on the IEP’s and 504 Plans for the students was helpful in

how I presented each activity to the class. All of the students that had an IEP or 504 Plan were

spread out among the four block classes and because of this; I decided to apply modifications to

the classes as a whole. I read aloud all assignments multiple times and gave students extra time

when needed.

Alignment Between Objectives and Assessments

Objective(s) Assessment

Lesson One:

Ancient China’s

Geography

6. G.1 Understand geographic

factors that influenced the

emergence, expansion and

decline of civilizations,

societies and regions over time

(i.e. Africa, Asia, Europe, and

the Americas).

6. G.1.1 Explain how the

physical features and human

characteristics of a place

influenced the development of

civilizations, societies and

regions (e.g., location near

rivers and natural barriers,

trading practices and spread of

culture).

6. G.2 Apply the tools of a

geographer to understand the



societies and regions.

Pre-assessment

Guided notes on

Ancient China

geography

Ticket out the door

Lesson Two:

Ancient China’s

Geography

6. G.2.2 Construct maps, charts

and graphs to explain data about

geographic phenomena (e.g.

migration patterns and

population and resource

Guided notes on

Ancient China

geography

distribution patterns).

6. E.1.2 Explain how quality of

life is impacted by economic

choices of civilizations,


Blank China Map

Lesson Three:

Three Chinese

Philosophies

6. C.1. Explain how religion

transformed various societies,

civilizations and regions (e.g.,

beliefs, practices and spread of

Buddhism, Christianity,

Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam

and Judaism).

6. C&G.1.2 Summarize the

ideas that shaped political

thought in various civilizations,

societies and regions (e.g.

divine right, equality, liberty,

citizen participation and

integration of religious

principles).

6. H.2.3 Explain how

innovation and/or technology

transformed civilizations,


(e.g., agricultural technology,

weaponry, transportation and

communication).

Philosophy chart

Guided questions

about philosophy

and beliefs

Lesson Four:

Three Chinese

Philosophies



thought in various civilizations,

societies and regions (e.g.

divine right, equality, liberty,

citizen participation and

integration of religious

principles).







communication).

Philosophy chart

Philosophy song

Lesson Five:

The First Emperor of

China







communication).

Guided questions

about the Great

Wall

Civilization

brochure project

Post-assessment

Plans for Assessment (formative and summative)

Pre-Assessment/

Bell Ringer

Formative

Assessment

Summative

Assessment

Lesson One:

Ancient China’s

Geography

Journal

Response

Guided

questions to

assess prior

knowledge

Guided Notes

Ticket out the

door

Final Test

(end of unit)

Lesson Two:

Ancient China’s

Geography

Journal

Response

Guided

questions to

assess prior

knowledge

Guided Notes

Blank Map of

China

Final Test

(end of unit)

Lesson Three:

Three Chinese

Philosophies

Journal

Response

Guided

questions to

assess prior

knowledge

Philosophy

Chart

Final Test

(end of unit)

Lesson Four:

Three Chinese

Philosophies

Journal

Response

Guided

questions to

assess prior

knowledge

Philosophy

Chart

Philosophy

Song

Final Test

(end of unit)

Lesson Five:

The First Emperor of

China

Journal

Response

Guided

questions to

assess prior

knowledge

Guided

questions after

video clips

Civilization

Brochure

Final Test

21st Century Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions

The 21st Century Skills that will be addressed throughout this unit will be assessed by

observation. The students will be asked to complete multiple assignments throughout the week

that allow them the chance to demonstrate each of these skills. The most common skill that will

be addressed will be global awareness, as the students will spend time relating what they learn to

their own lives. The 21st Century Skills that will be addressed throughout the week of the unit

include: Creativity & Innovation, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Communication &

Collaboration, Global Awareness, and Media, Information, & Technology. Each of these skills

can be obtained if the students are participating in each activity and staying engaged throughout

the class periods.

Creativity &

Innovation

Critical

Thinking and

Problem

Solving

Communicatio

n &

Collaboration

Global

Awareness

Media,

Information,

&

Technology

Skills

Lesson

One

Discussion

questions

Guided notes

Guided

discussion

Guided notes

Lesson

Two

Blank China Map

Discussion

questions

Guided notes

Blank

China Map

Guided

discussion

Blank China

Map

Lesson

Three

Discussion

questions

Philosophy

Chart

Guided

discussion

Philosophy

Chart

Lesson

Four

Discussion

questions

Philosophy

Chart

Guided

discussion

Philosophy

Chart

Lesson

Five

Discussion

questions

Civilization

brochure

Civilization

brochure

Civilization

brochure

Assessments and Evaluation Tools

This unit consisted of four major formative assessments that were to be completed with

particular lessons throughout the week. I choose to focus on four main assignments as to pay

close attention to the students comprehending the material given to them. The information that I

taught on Ancient China was complex when it came to learning about philosophy and what is

was and who a philosopher was. Each of the assessments that I chose were graded for

completion because I wanted to make sure that the students had all of the information written

down in order to better retain it.

Every day the students were asked to complete a bell ringer or journal entry that related

to the topic being discussed that day. These served as formative assessment, testing the students

ability to relate the topic at hand to their own experiences and knowledge.

One formative assessment was a guided notes worksheet that was a fill-in-the-blank

layout and required students to be paying attention to the lecture in order to insert each word or

phrase. This was a guided notes worksheet and therefore I helped students understand what they

were inserting into the statements and why each item was important for them to learn about. This

took each block about one day to one and half days to complete and was graded on completion.

A second formative assessment was the philosophy chart that the students completed

after reading about Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism from the textbook. This assessment

allowed students the chance to understand the three philosophies in simpler terms and understand

the history behind each belief. The chart required that students list three facts about each

philosophy that they learned from the reading. For block three and four I had to guide them with

the facts in order to get them understanding what was read. This assessment was meant to act a

study guide to help students remember each philosophy and was graded by completion.

A formative assessment that I paired with the philosophy chart was a song that I found

about the three philosophies. This song put each philosophy in the simplest terms to help

students grasp each belief and I ended up changing some of the lyrics to make it flow better.

This assessment was graded on participation by the students.

The final formative assessment that I had the students complete was a brochure where

they were asked to create a civilization and advertise what their civilization included. This

served as a semi-formative, semi-summative assessment because the students had previously

learned about the locations that they were required to choose from that were in China. The

students were asked to be creative with this assessment, using the internet to research crops and

animals that would be present in the area. I gave students a good amount of freedom on this

project, allowing them to work with one or two partners and they were allowed to make up

animals and houses.

The summative assessment for this unit is a post-test that the students will be given at the

end of the week. This test is the same as the pre-test and is meant to show growth among the

students’ knowledge of the subject area. This is a ten-question, multiple choice test that asks

them basic questions about geography, people, and important topics related to the development

of Ancient China.

Pre-Assessment/ Post-Assessment:

This is a ten-question test that consists of multiple choice questions that relate to Ancient China’s

geography, significant individuals, and beliefs. This test will serve as a pre-assessment and a

post-assessment for the unit.

1. Which mountain range includes Mt. Everest?

A. The Appalachian Mountains

B. The Rocky Mountains

C. The Himalayas

2. Name the man-made structure that stretches over 5, 500 miles of China?

A. The Silk Wall

B. The Berlin Wall

C. The Great Wall

3. Which item was not invented by the Chinese?

A. Silk

B. Compass

C. Pencil

4. Who was the first emperor of China?

A. Shi Huang Di

B. Confucius

C. Buddha

5. Who was the most famous Chinese philosopher who said, “Don’t do to others what

you would not want done to you?”

A. Confucius

B. Jesus

C. Buddha

6. What important discovery was accidentally uncovered by Chinese peasants in 1974?

A. Cuneiform tablets

B. The Rosetta Stone

C. The terra cotta army

7. What is the capital of present-day China?

A. Taipei

B. Beijing

C. Tokyo

8. The written symbol for a Chinese word is called…

A. A character

B. A dialect

C. A hieroglyph

9. Early Chinese civilizations developed around what two rivers?

A. Tigris and Euphrates

B. Huang He and Yangtze

C. Tiber and Po

10. What are the three philosophies associated with Ancient China?

A. Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism

B. Daoism, Hinduism, and Legalism

C. Legalism, Daoism, and Confucianism

The formative assessments are included throughout the lesson plans.

4. Essential Content Knowledge (Teacher Candidate Knowledge)

Global Awareness: Students will learn about the development of Ancient China through its

geography, religions and government, and its leadership background. This unit will allow

students to have a better awareness of the world around them and give them the chance to make

personal connections. The geography of a given area can greatly affect the progress of

development and the communication between people. This is a factor still in today’s society due

to natural barriers that exist all over the world. The importance of Confucianism, Daoism, and

Legalism still remain in the minds of society and greatly affect certain cultures. The

significance of the Great Wall shows the need for protection of people. This knowledge helps

individuals to understand why military and government is necessary and how ideas can impact

an entire group of people.

Teachers would need to understand the significance of natural barriers and the correlation

between beliefs, religion, and government. In order to present this information, understanding

the way students learn best is vital. This particular unit includes both lecture and reading from a

textbook to differentiate the learning process.

Bloom’s Taxonomy Chart

Standard

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level

Implementation

6. G.1 Understand geographic

factors that influenced the




Understanding (2)

Blank China Map

(Lesson Two)

Guided questions

(Lesson One &

Two)

Guided notes

(Lesson One &

Two)

6. G.1.1 Explain how the

physical features and human

characteristics of a place

influenced the development of


regions

Understanding (2)

Blank China Map

(Lesson One &

Two)

Guided questions

(Lesson One &

Two)

Guided notes

(Lesson One &

Two)

6. G.2 Apply the tools of a

geographer to understand the



societies and regions

Applying (3),

Understanding (2)

Guided questions

(Lesson One &

Two)

Guided notes

(Lesson One &

Two)

6. G.2.2 Construct maps,

charts and graphs to explain

data about geographic

phenomena

Creating (6),

Understanding (2)

Blank China Map

(Lesson One &

Two)

6. E.1.2 Explain how quality

of life is impacted by

economic choices of


regions.

Understanding (2)

Philosophy Chart

(Lesson Three &

Four)

Guided questions

(Lesson Three &

Four)

6. C.1. Explain how religion

transformed various societies,

civilizations and regions

Understanding (2)

Philosophy Chart

(Lesson Three &

Four)

Guided questions

(Lesson Three &

Four)



thought in various


regions

Remembering (1),

Understanding (2)

Philosophy song

(Lesson Four)

6.H.2.3 Explain how




Understanding (2)

Guided questions

(Lesson Four &

Five)

5. Resources, Materials, and Preparation

For this unit I talked to the teacher team about the students who had IEPs and 504

accommodations to help understand how to present assessments. The teachers allowed me to

view these documents and discussed with me the main accommodations that students needed,

which included reading aloud tests and directions, and allowing students extra time for

assignments. The teachers were helpful in letting me know which students were distracted easily

and how to help this situation: separating them from their friends, keeping them busy, keeping

their attention and engagement.

The resources of the blank China map and the philosophy chart will help meet the needs

of the learners because they are guided assignments that keep students engaged in the learning

process. Students will use these activities as study guides and notes to help them gain

knowledge of the material. These assignments help students with reading comprehension as well

for when they read from the textbook. Because the students were lacking the reading

comprehension skill, I included a section of the unit that allowed them to read from the textbook

and complete a chart as a class. The students were required to provide input into discussion

questions throughout the reading.

The sources used for this unit were excessive as I found information from the textbook

provided for the class, as well as many online resources that helped me with creating the

activities.

The integration of technology included the students viewing three of the five days

information on a Prezi presentation, as well as the students having to complete multiple

formative assessments on their MacBook computers. Students were required to use editing tools

on their MacBooks in order to complete the chart and map assignment. This technology

maximized students’ learning because it allowed them to practice using media to advance their

learning of a topic, while also allowing them to further teach themselves the material by

presenting it in a media format.

Students collaborated during this unit while completing the in-class assignments because

they were sitting in groups, giving them a chance to discuss the information with their

classmates. The major assignment that called for collaboration from the students was the

civilization brochure that the students completed last for the unit. This project gave students the

option to work with one or two partners and create a civilization in China. Most of the students

worked in partners and this provided the need for collaboration and communication. The

activities also gave space for students to excel in showing off the information that they have

learned. The instructions for each assignment were basic in order to give below-average students

the ability to complete them, while also giving above-average students the chance to take the

information to the next level by adding more details.

6. Instructional Procedures

This unit will consist of lecture on the first and second day, where the students will

complete a guided notes worksheet and a map of China activity. On the third and fourth day,

students will read a chapter from a textbook and fill in a chart worksheet and learn a song. The

final day will consist of a lecture and discussion, included in the lecture will be two short video

clips.

Lesson Plan 1: Geography of Ancient China

Date: 18 November 2013

Essential Question: What makes a civilization successful?

Topical Question: How did the geography of Ancient China effect its settlement?

Essential Standards:

6. G.1 Understand geographic factors that influenced the emergence, expansion and

decline of civilizations, societies and regions over time (i.e. Africa, Asia, Europe, and the

Americas).

6. G.1.1 Explain how the physical features and human characteristics of a place

influenced the development of civilizations, societies and regions (e.g., location near

rivers and natural barriers, trading practices and spread of culture).

6. G.2 Apply the tools of a geographer to understand the emergence, expansion and

decline of civilizations, societies and regions.

Learning Goals:

1. To be able to locate geographic locations on a map of Ancient China

2. To understand how to look at a map and decipher meaning.

3. To understand the geography of Ancient China and the challenges that came with the

geography.

4. Through lecture, students will understand how Ancient Chinese lived in various areas.

Materials Needed:

Prezi presentation

Pen or pencil

Copy of guided notes

MacBook

Instruction:

Bell Ringer (10-15 minutes)

Students will be asked to answer the following question:

Imagine you were starting a new town, which of the following places would you choose to

build? Why?

Students will be asked to think about the environment of each given place and the challenges that

would come with building a town in certain geographical areas.

-Forest

-Mountains

-Lake

-River

-Desert

A discussion of the students’ answers will follow the bell ringer.

Why did you choose that particular location?

What are the benefits of living in that area?

Precision (30-35 minutes)

Outer China

o Himalayan Mountains

Located in the southwestern area of China

Borders with India and runs through multiple countries

Mt. Everest

Tallest mountain in the world

Average elevation of the mountain range is around 24,000 feet high

Climate depends on area of mountain range

Cold and snowy

o Tibet-Qinghai Plateau

Tibetan Plateau

“Roof of the World”

Elevation: 13,500 ft. above sea level

Cold climate

Air is thin and snow is common

Plateau: a large, flat area that rises above the surrounding land

Imagine a flat road with a box on it. This is what a plateau is like.

o Major Rivers

Huang He (Yellow River)

Called the yellow river due to the loess on the bottom

Loess: yellow-brown soil

Floods have occurred 1,500 times since 2nd

century B.C.E

Chang Jiang (Yangtze River)

o Turfan Depression

Lowest point in China

Located North of the Himalayan Mountains

Think about what the Grand Canyon looks like. This depression is similar to

that structure.

o Northwestern Deserts

Taklamakan Desert

105,000 sq. miles

One of the most dangerous deserts in the world

o Sandstorms

o What are the issues with sandstorms? What makes a sandstorm

dangerous?

Gobi Desert

500,000 sq. miles

One of the largest deserts

Stony desert

o Small pebbles and tiny bits of sand

o Northeastern Plain

Located in present-day Mongolia

Grasslands and swampy area

Was the location of deciduous forests

Deciduous: falling off or shedding annually

Is this the same as in North Carolina?

Horses, sheep, etc.

Liao and Sungari Rivers run through this area

o Shallow vs. deep

Climate

Short, warm summers

Dry, cold winters

o Way of Life

Crops

Cotton, winter wheat, and maize: a type of corn

Wheat noodles, bread, and mutton: meat from sheep

Livestock

Yaks

Sheep, goats, cattle, and horses (meat was main food)

Homes

Mud (desert)

Tents (plains)

http://prezi.com/e2dvvpxahcnp/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Below is a copy of the guided notes worksheet that I will have the students fill out while they

listen to a lecture presenting the information.

Name: ______________________ Date: _______________

Guided Notes: Ancient China

Mountains

1. The Himalayan Mountains got their name from the Sanskrit words hima meaning _______

________, and alaya meaning ____________.

2. Which famous mountain is located within the Himalayan Mountain Range?

____________________

Plateau

3. A plateau is _________________________________________________

4. The Tibet Qinghai Plateau is also known as the _________________________

5. Like India, China was cut off from other civilizations by ____________________ and

_________________.

Rivers

http://prezi.com/e2dvvpxahcnp/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

6. The earliest civilizations in China grew up along the _________________________ River and

the ________________________ River.

7. ___________________________ is a yellow-brown soil deposited when the Huang He River

floods; for this reason, this river is also called the ______________________ River. This river is

also called ____ _______ because the periodic flooding can be destructive.

Deserts

8. The two largest deserts located in northern Ancient China are the ______________________

and the ______________________.

9. One of the deserts is known to be one of the most dangerous due to ____________________.

Plains

10. What does the word deciduous mean? ___________________________________________.

11. Three crops that are grown in the Outer China area include _________________,

________________, and ________________.

12. People who lived in this region lived in either homes made of __________ or

_____________. They raised livestock that included: ________________, ________________,

and _______________.

Answer Key:

1. “snow” and “abode”

2. Mt. Everest

3. a large, flat area that rises above the surrounding land

4. “Roof of the World”

5. Mountains and rivers

6. Huang He and Yangtze

7. Loess, Yellow, “China’s Sorrow”

8. Taklamakan and Gobi

9. Sandstorms

10. Falling off or shedding leaves annually

11. rice, maize, and wheat

12. Mud, tents, oxen, pigs, sheep

Generalization (5-10 minutes)

The class will be asked a view discussion questions:

What is unique about the geography of Ancient China?

What could be a challenge for the early settlers who were trying to make a home in

China?

Exit-Slip:

Write down on the bottom of your guided notes:

What is one interesting thing that you learned today that you did not know before? What are you

still interested in learning about?

The guided notes worksheet will be turned in at the end of the first day.

Daily Reflection: Day 1

Today was my first day teaching my unit on Ancient China. I began the unit by

having the students complete a bell ringer that asked them to imagine that they were

starting their own town in one of the places that I had shown on the Smart Board. They

had to tell me which place they would choose to build a town and why. They were asked to

include any challenges they would face living there and what their home and food would

look like. I gave students a choice of a forest, mountain, lake, river, or desert to live and

they seemed to take to the activity well! The topic for discussion was the geography of

Ancient China and I lectured to the students for the first day. This seemed to work well as

it gave me the chance to have discussions with the students while not straying far from the

topic. The students seemed to respond well to the information, but needed some guidance

in understand specific vocabulary terms.

My first two class periods got through the entire guided notes worksheet that I

provided for them with fill-in-the-blank statements. The students did get distracted by

these worksheets at times, always asking what the next answer was. The third block class,

which consists of the majority of below-average students and two ELL students, completed

about 2/3 of the worksheet. This block was talkative and seemed to enjoy the material but

became distracted and loud at times. The fourth block class only got halfway through the

worksheet because of behavior issue. The end of the day seemed to be too much for the

students and their attention was lost. Overall, the first day went well and after completing

the guided notes worksheet tomorrow and reviewing the information, the students will

move on to the next activity and watch a video clip.

Lesson Plan 2: Geography Day Two

Date: 19 November 2013

Topical Question: How did the geography of Ancient China effect its settlement?


6. G.2.2 Construct maps, charts and graphs to explain data about geographic phenomena

(e.g. migration patterns and population and resource distribution patterns).

6. E.1.2 Explain how quality of life is impacted by economic choices of civilizations,


Learning Goals:

1. To identify where geographic areas are located on a map

2. To understand the lifestyle of people located in various geographic regions

3. To be able to construct a map showing the major geographic areas in Ancient China

Materials Needed:

Pen or pencil

Prezi Presentation

Slips of paper

MacBook

Blank map of China (located on Haiku page)

Instruction:

Romance/ bell ringer (5-10 minutes)

This bell ringer will be a review of what the students had learned the previous day about

geography. These questions will be a way for the students to relate what they have learned back

to their own lives.

The students will be shown a picture of the Appalachian Mountains and the Himalayan

Mountains and asked to compare and contrast the two.

How are the images similar? How are the images different? Do you think you could live on Mt.

Everest the way that you could on Grandfather Mountain?

What are the differences between these two mountains? What are the similarities?

(Discussion)

Precision (30-35 Minutes)

Inner China

o North China Plain

Grassland

“Land of the Yellow Earth”

Covered by limestone silt

Silt: fine particles of rock

Huang-He River

Has flooded over 1,500 times

o Middle and Lower Chang Jiang Basins

Low, wet coastal plains

Chang Jiang River

Tributaries: a stream that feeds into a larger river

o Way of Life

Crops

Wheat and millet (grain)

Rice

Livestock

Cattle, sheep, oxen, pigs, and chickens

Herded water buffalo, cattle, and horses

Homes

Permanent

o Early Settlement

Inhabitants lived in caves 500,000 years ago

Peking (or Beijing) Man

Hunters & gatherers

Settled in North China Plain

Lived in villages near Huang-He

o Isolation

Mountains and rocky plateau form a barrier


Students will download the blank map of Ancient China from the Haiku website. Using the

editing tools available to them on their MacBooks, the students will label the map with the major

geographical areas that were discussed in class. A map of China will be displayed on the smart

board for reference. The students will need to label the following areas:

The Himalayas

Tibetan Plateau

Huang-He River

Yangtze River

Turfan Depression

Taklamakan Desert

Gobi Desert

North China Plain

Northeastern China Plain

These maps should be colorful and include symbols for each geographic area, such as a

triangle shape for the Himalayas or a blue line for the rivers. These maps will be collected at

the end of the class period.


Today the students continued to learn about the geography of Ancient China,

focusing more on inner china and the North China Plain. The first two block classes

moved on to the rest of the Prezi quickly and had a significant amount of time to work on

their China maps. The students were given nine geographic locations in China and they

were required to locate all of the locations using Google and label the map. I asked the

students to use some symbols to represent the mountains and the two major rivers in

China. The students did not do as well with the research part of this assignment as I was

hoping they would. The students needed a lot of scaffolding to complete the map and I

ended up finding a specific map on Google for them to reference in order to label their

maps. The third and fourth block classes finished up their worksheets before beginning

their maps. With these two block classes I decided to have them look at a map of China

displayed on the Smart Board and point to where certain areas were in order to prepare

them for the map activity.

There were not any students who completed their maps and I will have to go back at

the end of the week for them to finish them. I found that for this activity in the future I

would put dots on the map to help the students know where to place each location. The

second day still went well, only minor behavior problems and I do think that I am getting

better at coming up with discussion questions on the spot that will help students to relate

better to the topic being discussed.

Lesson Plan 3: The Three Chinese Philosophies

Topical Questions: How did the teachings of Chinese philosophers influence society?


6. C.1. Explain how religion transformed various societies, civilizations and regions (e.g.,

beliefs, practices and spread of Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam

and Judaism).

6. C&G.1.2 Summarize the ideas that shaped political thought in various civilizations,

societies and regions (e.g. divine right, equality, liberty, citizen participation and

integration of religious principles).

Learning Goals:

1. To understand Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism and the background of each

2. To understand how philosophy affected the society of Ancient China.

3. To understand the accomplishments of the Zhou Dynasty.

Materials Needed:

Pen or pencil

Prezi presentation

MacBook

Textbook: History Alive!

Instruction:

Romance

The students will be given the following statement:

“Do not do to others what you would not want done to you.”

They will be asked to write down what they think that means.

The students will then be shown a picture of Confucius and asked to analyze the image and

discuss what they notice about it.

Precision

The Zhou Dynasty

Overthrew the Shang Dynasty

o King Wu

First ruler of Zhou Dynasty

o Mandate of Heaven

A power or law believed to be granted by God

The King was the son of Heaven

o Feudalism

o A system of government based on landowners and tenants

King gave land to lords (loyal supporters)

o The students will write down the definitions of each of these words in their

‘Ancient China’ word document

Conflict

o Warring States period

o “Hundred Schools of Thought”

Confucianism

Founded

o Confucius (551 to 479 B.C.E)

o Wanted men to rule a fair and honest government

Teachings

o Just and peaceful society

o Five relationships

Ruler and subject

Husband and wife

Father and son

Older sibling and younger sibling

Friend and friend

o “Do not do to others what you would not want done to you”

Influence

o The Analects

o Civil servants: a person who works for a government

o Values

Respect for others

Proper behavior

Love of scholarship

Chart

o Students will fill out the row on Confucianism following the chapter reading

Daoism

Founded

o Laozi (late 500s B.C.E)

o Author of Dao De Jing (The Classic of the Way and Its Power)

Teachings

o “The Way” of Dao

The force that gave order to the natural universe

o People gain happiness and peace by living in harmony with the way of nature

o Nature is full of opposites

Ex: big and small, yes and no

o Yin and yang

Yin: shadowed

Yang: sunlit

o People should accept what comes to them

o Meditation is good and there should be no concentration on self-importance

o “Be weak. Let things alone.”

Influence

o Less harsh rulers

o Thought, writing, and art

o Became a popular religion

o Belief in immortality

Legalism

Founded

o Hanfeizi (280-233 B.C.E)

o Prince of a royal family in Han

Teachings

o Based on the idea that all people are naturally selfish

o Established strict laws and enforced them with a reward system for good behavior

and punishment for bad behavior

If a person criticized the government, there were banished

o Rulers had absolute power

Could not be overthrown

Influence

o Qin Dynasty used this governing system

o People were put to death for disloyalty

o Put government in absolute control


Students will fill out a chart to show their understanding of each philosophy. This chart will

have three sections. The first column will ask the student to write who the founder of the

philosophy was and what the philosophy stated. The second column asks students to give three

facts about each philosophy. The final column asks the students to say whether or not they agree

with each of the philosophies or not. This gives the students a chance to relate to the teachings

of each philosopher. The chart will be filled out by philosophy, as the class reads the chapter.

The chart will be the basis for further discussion related to the beliefs of the students with

discipline and how those relate to what the chapter is stating.

Chinese

Philosophy

What is it?

Who founded it?

3 Facts about Philosophy Do you like this

philosophy or not?

Confucianism

Daoism

Legalism


Today the students switched topics and began learning about the three Chinese

philosophies: Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism. These philosophies are more difficult

to understand than the geography and because of this I decided to use the textbook and

work on reading comprehension to help the students. The textbook that I used is called

History Alive! and it presents the information in simpler terms while provided images and

maps to support the information. I was surprised at how helpful the textbook was and

having the knowledge that my students had been struggling with reading comprehension, I

thought that this was a good way to help them with this skill. All of the classes only got

through Confucianism because beginning to complete the chart took a good amount of

time.

I chose to have the students complete a chart so that they could better breakdown

the information and be able to separate each philosophy easier. I found that teaching this

information was difficult but at the same time, easy because it was more relatable to the

students. After I began using more personal examples the students began to grasp the

information quicker. All of my classes are still at the pace which helps me with this unit

and as long as the students can get through both Daoism and Legalism tomorrow, the pace

should remain steady.

Lesson Plan 4: Philosophies of Ancient China

Topical Question: How did the teachings of Chinese philosophers influence society?


6. C&G.1.2 Summarize the ideas that shaped political thought in various civilizations,

societies and regions (e.g. divine right, equality, liberty, citizen participation and

integration of religious principles).

6. H.2.3 Explain how innovation and/or technology transformed civilizations, societies

and regions over time (e.g., agricultural technology, weaponry, transportation and

communication).

Learning Goals:

1. To analyze the symbol of Daoism and understand the goals of each philosopher.

2. To gain insight on how Legalism influenced China over time.

3. To understand the beliefs of each philosophy and make connections to personal views.

Materials Needed:

Copy of song

Pen/pencil

Paper

MacBook

Textbook: History Alive!

Instruction:

Romance

Students will be shown the following Daoism symbol, known as Yin and Yang. They will be

asked to write down what they think the symbol means. A discussion will follow where the class

will talk about opposites and balance.

Precision

Daoism

Founded

o Laozi (late 500s B.C.E)

o Author of Dao De Jing (The Classic of the Way and Its Power)

Teachings

o “The Way” of Dao

The force that gave order to the natural universe

o People gain happiness and peace by living in harmony with the way of nature

o Nature is full of opposites

Ex: big and small, yes and no

o Yin and yang

Yin: shadowed

Yang: sunlit

o People should accept what comes to them

o Meditation is good and there should be no concentration on self-importance

o “Be weak. Let things alone.”

Influence

o Less harsh rulers

o Thought, writing, and art

o Became a popular religion

o Belief in immortality

Legalism

Founded

o Hanfeizi (280-233 B.C.E)

o Prince of a royal family in Han

Teachings

o Based on the idea that all people are naturally selfish

o Established strict laws and enforced them with a reward system for good behavior

and punishment for bad behavior

If a person criticized the government, there were banished

o Rulers had absolute power

Could not be overthrown

Influence

o Qin Dynasty used this governing system

o People were put to death for disloyalty

o Put government in absolute control

Generalization

To wrap up this section of the unit on Ancient China, I will sing and then teach my students a

song about the three philosophies. First, I will introduce the song and then sing it for my

students, then I will go over each line of the song with the students, having them repeat the

words and phrases back to me. The class will sing the song once together and a couple more

times if they do not all participate.

The Philosophy Song

Confucianism, Confucianism,

Is a philosophy, Is a philosophy,

Obey your elders,

Respect one another,

To help society, to help society!

Taoism, Taoism,


Balance is important,

Find out who you are,

Live life simply, Live life simply!

Legalism, Legalism,


No breaking the rules,

No questioning the emperor,

Or face a penalty, Or face a penalty!


Today the students finished learning about all three philosophies from China and

one of the classes was able to learn a song about the philosophies. I found the song online

at teacherspayteachers.com and thought it was a great way to help my students better

remembers each philosophy. I changed some of the lyrics in the song to make it flow nicer.

Only first block was able to learn the song and sing it in class and they seemed to enjoy it!

One of the students said that it was stuck in her head which was the point and I was happy

to see that it did have an effect on them. The other three block classes only completed the

chart and will have to learn the song tomorrow but they seem to have a better

understanding of the philosophies and with philosophy being a more difficult topic, I was

okay with giving them extra time to work on the chart.

The classroom management is okay but I am struggling with discipline because I am

hesitant to give any student lunch detention and instead give them multiple warnings. The

major issue that I have found is that the students like to talk a lot and get very distracted

by their MacBooks. I appreciate the MacBooks but they do seem to get in the way of the

students’ ability to learn at times. I included activities in this unit that were to be

completed on the computer in order to help the students practice using this technology, but

I do think that in the future I may use less technology so there are less distractions.

Overall, the day went well and the students are better understanding the material. I feel

that I am getting a better presence in the classroom and do feel respected for the most part

as a teacher-figure.

Lesson Plan 5: Emperor of China

Topical Question: What was the importance of Qin Shihuangdi to Ancient China?




communication).

Learning Goals:

1. To understand who Qin Shihuangdi was and his impact

2. Students will use the information they learn from the chapter to draw the Great Wall on a

map

3. Students will analyze the life of Shihuangdi and how China was changed because of him

Materials Needed:

Pen or pencil

Map of China

Prezi presentation

YouTube

Instruction:

Romance/Bell Ringer

For the bell ringer, the students will be shown a picture of the Great Wall:

The students will be asked to write down anything that they know about the Great Wall of China.

If they do not know anything about it, then they will write about the image itself—what do you

notice about the picture?

Before the students are introduced to the topic of Qin Shihuangdi, they will watch a clip from the

movie “Mulan.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpYRZdw0UpA

Discussion Questions:

What was happening in that movie clip?

What was the structure that this scene was taking place at?

What kinds of things did you notice about the structure?

Precision

First Emperor of China

Qin Shihuangdi

o Ruled from 221 to 210 B.C.E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpYRZdw0UpA

o Formally known as Prince Zheng

Took over after the Zhou Dynasty

o Influenced by Legalism

Strict laws and harsh punishments

o Divided territory into 36 districts

Three men governed each district

Culture

o Standardized cultural practices

Made practices the same

Unified system of laws

Laws for government officials and everyday life

Punishments:

Fines—suits of armor, shields, or gold

Physical—forced labor, whippings, or beheadings

Standardized money

Everyone used bronze or gold coins

Protection

o The Great Wall

Called the “10,000 Li Long Wall”

Took 10 years

Is not the same wall we know of today

Crossed over mountains, desert, swampland, and quicksand

Tens of thousands of men died and were buried in the wall

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/views/hh_httpView.cfm?guidAssetI

d=14ee053c-7456-4912-8249-5b5362d659ec&skin=DSA

No More Opposition

o Confucian scholars did not like governing tactics

Executed around 460 Confucian scholars

Book burnings took place

Confucians who disobeyed the order to give up their books would be

given a face tattoo and forced to do labor

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/views/hh_httpView.cfm?guidAssetId=14ee053c-7456-4912-8249-5b5362d659ec&skin=DSA

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/views/hh_httpView.cfm?guidAssetId=14ee053c-7456-4912-8249-5b5362d659ec&skin=DSA

http://prezi.com/_jmdjbtmhvlk/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Generalization

Discussion:

Do you think that Emperor Qin was successful?

Do you agree with his idea of Legalism?

What is significant about the Great Wall?

What in history has occurred that is relatable to the book burnings that took place?


This was the last day of my unit and I chose to make the information more exciting

than it had been previously. The students viewed a Prezi presentation that talked about

Emperor Qin Shihuangdi and the Great Wall. Most of the students had heard of the Great

Wall and this made it easier for them to become excited about the material. For the

second, third, and fourth block classes, I had them begin the class by learning the

philosophy song and performing it all together. They all did well except my third block

was a little crazy. The song did seem to help and if I had more time than I would have

continued to have them practice the song until it was stuck in their heads. Instead, I moved

on in order to get to all of the information in my lesson plans. I started this topic off by

showing the students a movie clip that showed the beginning of the movie Mulan. The

students were all very interested in this clip and it got them thinking about the Great Wall

and its significance.

This content was more intriguing for the students and I felt that they enjoyed it

more so than the other days. I feel that if I had more time with this particular topic then I

could have made it more exciting, but with the time I had I focused on making the

information stick. The students seemed to learn something and that is all I hoped for! I

will give the post-assessment on Monday after a brief mini-lesson on Chinese inventions

http://prezi.com/_jmdjbtmhvlk/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

and then my unit will be complete following a brochure project. All of the discussions that

I have had with the students have been great and I have learned a lot about this age group

and this topic in general. The final project I have for the students I added to give them a

chance to be creative with this content. The students will be asked to create a civilization

and advertise it using a brochure format. I am looking forward to seeing the finished

products.

Mini Lesson: Chinese Inventions

Topical Question: How do the inventions of Ancient China influence the world today?




communication).

Learning Goals:

1. Students will learn about several Chinese inventions

2. Students will understand the importance of the inventions and how they affect today’s

world.

3. Students, through discussion, will be able to relate the inventions to their own lives.

Materials Needed:

PowerPoint Presentation

Instruction:

Students will view a PowerPoint presentation that shows pictures of various Chinese inventions

that are still used today. They will be shown the image and then be asked to guess what the

image is showing. A discussion will follow that asks the students:

Why are these inventions important?

What inventions do you personally use today?

Did you expect these inventions to be created by the Chinese? Why or why not?

The items shown include:

o Silk

o Paper

o Tea

o Kite

o Playing cards

o Gunpowder

o Compass

o Explosives

Final Project

What makes a civilization successful?

-Create an ideal civilization in Ancient China

-must be a located along a major geographic area (one of the rivers, mountain range, or desert)

-write out what the lifestyle is like…what foods do your people eat? What livestock do you

have? What is the weather like? Which philosophy does your civilization follow?

You will be making a brochure that advertises a civilization that you have

created! The brochure should include the following elements:

Geographic location

o The Himalayas

o Taklamakan desert

o Gobi desert

o Yellow river

o Yangtze river

o North china plain

Crops

Livestock

Homes

Climate

Philosophy

o Confucianism

o Daoism

o Legalism

Creating a Civilization Rubric

Brochure Rubric Excellent (3) Satisfactory (2) Does Not Meet

Expectations (1)

Information Brochure includes all

required sections:

crops, location,

livestock, climate,

philosophy; details are

included

Brochure includes

most of the required

sections and details

are included

Brochure does not

include all of the

required sections or

details about each

Creativity The brochure is

colorful and creative.

There are pictures to

accompany the given

information

The brochure lacks

color but does have

pictures throughout

The brochure does not

have color or pictures

Cover Illustration The civilization has a

creative name and

decorative cover that

is appropriate to the

location

The civilization has a

decorative cover but

the name of the

civilization is not

creative

The brochure lacks a

decorative cover and

there is no name for

the civilization

Back of brochure should have your sources sited. This includes web pages that information was

taken from and where images were taken.

7. Assessment/ Evaluation

Students will be asked to complete multiple formative assessments including:

Bell ringers

Guided notes

Map of China

Philosophy chart

Civilization brochure

All of these assessments will be graded for completion on a 0-100 grading scale. Each

assessment has requirements that are stated in the directions for each and a student will receive a

100 percent if they complete all given instructions. The civilization brochure will be graded a

project and will have a rubric (located above) that will determine the students’ grade.

The summative assessment will be the same pre-assessment test that consists of ten-multiple

choice questions that relate directly to the topics discussed within the unit. The student will not

be given an actual grade for this assessment but this test was intended to show growth from the

beginning of the unit until the end.

8. Adaptations/Modifications

There were two ELL students in my third block class and my modifications for them

were the same as for the students with IEPs because they had similar needs. These students

needed extra time on assignments and for the post-assessment I read the test aloud and had the

students write down their answers on a piece of notebook paper. The ELL students spoke a good

amount of English and were able to complete the assignments fine, with only a little more

support with instruction. One of the ELL students was absent for most of the unit and this

particular student was in need of more support with instruction. The main modification made for

each class was always reading aloud the assignments and questions and allowing students extra

time on assignments when needed. None of my students had significant modification that were

necessary to complete the assignments given.

I spoke with my cooperating teacher following each class period and at the end of the day

to hear how their opinion was similar of different from mine in relation to how well the students

were grasping the material. My teacher was helpful in informing me of the students who would

need extra time and assistance to complete assignments, as well as was a great help in pushing

me to use discipline to help keep all of the students on task. The team teachers were helpful in

giving me insight on the students that struggled in particular subject areas and I was given a list

of the AIG students, as well as which students had IEPs and 504 plans.

Certain questions that could be helpful in my understanding of my students would be:

1. How does the method of teaching through lecture work in other subject classes?

2. Which students struggle the most with reading comprehension?

3. What is the best way to test the students on this information?

4. What is the best strategy to keep students involved in a discussion?

5. Do you have any tips on how to successfully include the MacBook while keeping students

engaged in the activity?

9. Classroom Management

Student Grouping

The students were allowed to choose partners when they were completing the Create a

Civilization assignment. Students would sit at tables in groups of three or four every day of the

lesson. The majority of the unit focused on whole-class discussion and reading, therefore

students were not required to work together on a regular basis.

Specific Information about Strategies

-Time

Each of the block periods ended up being around 55 minutes. The school did not have a

bell system in place, each block lasted an hour and there was no specified time in between

classes. This was a difficulty of teaching this unit because of the added time students took to get

settled or packed up at the beginning and end of each block.

-Materials

The major materials needed for each lesson by the students were a MacBook, pencil, and

paper. The students completed most of the assessments on their MacBooks, making other

materials not necessary. For me, my main necessity every day was my laptop that I would use to

project the bell ringer, assignment, readings, or Prezi to the students.

-Resources

The main source that I used for this lesson is the textbook History Alive!, which is the

textbook that the students have used all year prior to my lesson.

-Student Behavior

Behavior and discipline were two areas that I struggled with during my unit. The

students were used to a classroom that had a lack of discipline and where they had increased

freedoms compared to their other classrooms. The classroom rules were basic:

1. Keep your hands to yourself

2. Respect everyone/everything

3. Stay in bounds

4. One person at a time

These rules were enforced during the teaching of my unit and I used the “zero rule” that my

cooperating teacher had already set in place. When “zero rule” was spoken to the class, all of the

students had to immediately close their mouths and their MacBooks and look up to the front of

the classroom.

The classroom was organized into six round tables that all had chairs that surrounded

them along the edge. This set-up was difficult to change due to the lack of classroom space and

the need to have a table in the back of the classroom that would be used as a “charging station”

for students’ MacBooks. The Smart Board was at the front of the classroom and the whiteboard

was at the back. This was an inconvenience during the teaching of the unit because students

were sitting at the table that blocked a clear pathway to the whiteboard.

10. Results and Analysis of Student Learning

Student Progress

The students showed a significant amount of growth from the beginning of the unit until

the end. The pre-assessment showed that the majority of the students knew about half or less of

the material and that included students guessing. The post-assessment showed great

improvement as almost all of the students received 70 percent or more on the ten-question test.

There were several 100s and the students seemed to respond quickly to each question asked.

Pre-Assessment

70% and above:

Formative Assessments

90% and above:

Summative Assessment

70% and above:

Block 1 1 student 17/20 students 19 students

Block 2 1student 21/25 students 23 students

Block 3 1student 16/20 students 16 students

Block 4 3 students 15/20 students 18 students

Description of Assessment Data

Based on the results of the guided notes worksheet that I had the students complete

beginning on the first day, I modified how the students would be taught and included more

discussion questions throughout the lessons to help the students comprehend the information.

The results of the blank China map showed that the students would need significant scaffolding

to complete each assignment, as they were distracted easily by not just one another but by their

MacBooks as well. For the chart the students needed more guidance than I expected in order to

find the information needed to complete the chart. The students low level of reading

comprehension mad e the chart a particularly difficult activity for them to complete. The project

did not seem to be too difficult for any of the students to complete. The only students who did

not turn in their assignments were those who were distracted easily and did not give any effort.

The 21st Century Skills were completed by a majority of the students. Most of the

students participated in discussions that encouraged critical thinking and all students gained

global awareness through each of the given assessments. I would look to improve the learning of

these skills by increasing the amount of activities that went with each lesson and topic. The

students would have more of a chance to have opportunities to communicate and collaborate if I

had a longer unit of time.

Varying the lecture and reading teaching strategies seemed to help the students more than

concentrating on one over the other. The students needed a variation in their learning in order to

continue to stay engaged every day. The lecture could have been improved with a better

management technique and the reading could have been improved if there was more time given

for activities.

The Whitehead Theory that I used for the lesson plans was very effective and I felt that

certain classroom management techniques were helpful, such as wait time. I do think that I

would need to make sure to concentrate on establishing a more strict management system that

keeps the students from becoming distracted so easily.

11. Reflection on Teaching and Learning

Choosing learning goals and objectives was more difficult than I thought it would be

given the content that I was supposed to teach. The curriculum had changed and therefore the

essential standards were not as concentrated on ancient civilizations, as they were on Europe and

South America. I feel that I incorporated the goals and objectives to the best of my ability and I

do feel that I accomplished the standards set for each lesson by using discussion and activities.

Using the team of teachers and my cooperating teacher helped me significantly on completing

the students’ background section. I learned very helpful information from the fellow teachers on

my team and the information that I gained about IEPs and 504 plans helped me to understand my

students more, which gave me a better understanding of how to teach them. Observing was key

to learning about the curriculum and how the students learn best. Prior to teaching this unit I

spent a good amount of time observing what the students were having a hard time grasping and

what they excelled in. I have learned a lot about how differentiation in the classroom is very

important for the success of the students. I have had the idea of providing students with various

teaching methods drilled into my head for a few semesters, but did not realize until I taught how

difficult it is to incorporate every student’s needs. I feel that I did this to the best of my ability

and tried to be there for my students as much as I could.

When creating my assessments I focused on how I felt the material could be best broken

down in order for it to be better understood. The guided notes, map, and chart that I had the

students create was necessary in order for my students to understand the more complex material.

I feel that these activities did help the students learn the information but in the future I would

take more time to focus on memorable teaching activities. I want students to enjoy learning and

I have realized that this is a difficult task to complete. When it came to evaluating the students on

their assessments, I chose to focus on grading them on participation and completion because I

wanted them to focus on the information specifically. The only way that the students would be

able to comprehend the material was if they wrote it down and discussed it. As long as the

students were engaged in class then they were able to receive a good evaluation.

This unit was difficult for me in the beginning because of my lack of content knowledge

in Ancient Chinese history. There was a significant amount of research involved in planning this

unit and I now feel that I have a solid knowledge base of this topic. With the topic I was given I

chose to include only three significant subtopics in order to give my students the opportunity to

learn as much specific information as they could. The subtopics chosen were only the tip of the

iceberg with the amount of information that there is about Ancient China. With my resources, I

focused on using the classroom textbook because the students were familiar with that text.

Online sources were very prominent in creating this lesson and I found ideas for my lesson plans

online as well. The materials needed were not excessive, as the students all had MacBooks

which made downloading the activities simple and quick. Preparation came mostly from me

creating Prezi presentations to serve as visuals and printing and copying worksheets.

The lesson plans for this unit were set up in a Whitehead template with a romance

section, a precision section, and a generalization section. Using this method helped me to make

sure that I included multiple activities as well as all of the content necessary. The assessments

were mostly formative; there were guided notes, a map, a chart, a song, and a project that the

students had to complete. Each of these assessments did not take long to create but took more

time in the classroom than I was expecting. The students needed more guidance than I thought

that they would, but this gave me the chance to ask more discussion questions throughout the

lessons and make the material relatable. The summative assessment was a post-test that I created

to help the students grasp the majority of the material. This post-assessment was the same as the

pre-assessment and this was done to show growth. I had the students fill out the pre-assessment

by hand and then the post-assessment was read aloud to the students as a modification.

The necessary modifications and adaptations for this unit revolved around the number of

students with IEPs and 504 plan s in my classes. All of the students with these accommodations

had similar needs which made modifying the lessons simple. I feel that I did the best that I could

with the accommodations but it was difficult with social studies because of the excessive amount

of information needing to be presented. The biggest thing that I struggled with was classroom

management and this was because the set management of the classroom was lacking and it is

difficult to alter a set management style. The students were allowed to listen to music during

prior class time, but during my unit I took the music privilege away in order to give the students

a chance to engage in their own learning. Discipline was an issue for me because I am a non-

confrontational individual and had a hard time punishing students for behavior issues. I feel that

I had a more authoritative presence near the end of my unit and felt at-ease in front of the class

by the last day of the week. I was very impressed with how well the students grasped all of the

material. The majority of the class answered around half of the questions correct on the pre-

assessment and by the end of the week there were many students who received 100 percent on

their post-assessment. The biggest issue with grading was not having students turn in work.

There were a few students who did not complete their assignments and I have come to terms

with the fact that there will be students who will not do their work. Grading for the most part

was very good and the students seemed to enjoy my unit and the activities given to them. The

growth shown over the week was significant and it makes me happy to know that I accomplished

my goal of making the information stick. My only hope for the future would be that I could

become better at discipline and classroom management, and that I truly focus on time.

Sources:

Bower, B. & Lobdell, J. (2004). History Alive! The Ancient World. Palo Alto, CA: Teachers'

Curriculum Institute

Lion Television (Producer). (2006). The Great Wall. [TitleChapter]. Available from

http://www.discoveryeducation.com/

(Mei-Ju, C., Yi-Chan, T., & Kai-Ping, H. (2013). CONFUCIANISM AND CHARACTER

EDUCATION: A CHINESE VIEW. Journal Of Social Sciences (15493652), 9(2), 59-66.

doi:10.3844/jsssp.2013.59.66)

http://quizlet.com/10519127/early-chinese-belief-systems-confucianism-daoism-and-legalism-

flash-cards/

Kim, T.W. and A. Strudler, 2012. Workplace civility: A confucian approach. Bus. Ethics Q., 22:

557-577. DOI: 10.5840/beq201222334

(Fingarette, 1998; Cheng, 2011; Kim and Strudler, 2012; Ip, 2009; Lin, 1994).

Fingarette, H., 1998. Confucius: The Secular as Sacred. 1st Edn. Waveland Press, ISBN-10:

1577660102, pp: 84.

Cheng, C., 2011. Confucian global leadership in Chinese tradition: classical and contemporary. J.

Manage. Dev., 30: 647-662. DOI: 10.1108/02621711111150173

Ip, P.K., 2009. Is confucianism good for business ethics in China? J. Bus. Ethics, 88: 463-476.

DOI: 10.1007/s10551-009-0120-2

Lin, Y., 1994. The Wisdom of Confucius. 1st Edn. The Modern Library, London.

http://chineseculture.about.com/od/religioninchina/a/Daoism.htm

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/334895/Legalism/

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http://quizlet.com/10519127/early-chinese-belief-systems-confucianism-daoism-and-legalism-flash-cards/

http://quizlet.com/10519127/early-chinese-belief-systems-confucianism-daoism-and-legalism-flash-cards/

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/334895/Legalism/

Evans, Thammy. 2006. Great Wall of China: Beijing and Northern China. Bucks, UK: Bradt

Travel Guides.

Perkins, Dorothy. 2000. Encyclopedia of China: The Essential Reference to China, Its History

and Culture. New York, NY: A Roundtable Press Book.

Jan, Michael. 2001. The Great Wall of China. New York, NY: Abberville Publishing Group

http://www.anoka.k12.mn.us/education/components/docmgr/default.php?sectiondetailid=292033

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