What do we know about American Indians?
Lesson #: 6
Grade: 4th
Subject Area: Social Studies
Context
This is the last information based lesson that is led by the teacher to find out information about what the students know already about American Indians, what they want to know about American Indians.
Materials
Introduction/Investment
On the Board, create a KWL chart but use the words from one of the American Indian Nations languages for ‘Know,’ ‘Want to know,’ and ‘Learned.’ This will help you gauge what the students are bringing to the table and also to see where their interests are so that these interests can be highlighted.
This KWL chart will become an integral part of the classroom structure because as the students are learning things or having questions come up; they will be adding them to this KWL chart. If possible, dedicate a whole bulletin board to this. This empowers the students and also shows them what they are learning and how much they have learned.
The use of the authentic American Indian language from Wisconsin, will give the students something different to see and this can be a reoccurring theme throughout the unit.
Content
For this lesson, the content is something that is going to be dictated by the students and by the teachers as well.
The most important thing for the teacher to know beforehand is the direction in which they would like the unit to go and what types of things that they will be highlighting. If this unit is used as the direction, then make sure to highlight culture and history but depending on the scope and direction, it can be something that is very fluid.
Whole-Class Activity
For this part, the importance is going to be filling in the KWL chart with everything that the children know about American Indians in Wisconsin and all the things that they want to know. As the teacher, make sure to ask how the students know what they know to help validate their understanding and also use this as a means to connect the knowledge to some of the prejudices if they come up.
This process should also be something that the teacher takes an active role in. As the teacher, you can help the students begin to look at aspects that tie into the first 3 days of lessons and also begin to help frame the entire unit.Same as above
Practice
In small groups, have the students come to a consensus about the most interesting thing that they learned and the thing that they wanted to learn about the most. As an aspect of this, make sure that the students have a reason for why they chose that aspect.
Once the groups have decided on their most interesting thing, have the groups write out their options on pieces of paper and put these up around the class.Same as above
Assessment
For the assessment aspect, the created pieces by the groups will be where the assessment occurs and also, based on the informal aspects of the discussion.
As a modification, use of an exit slip would help gauge the individual learning that each student had during the lesson. The question to ask would be “What did you as an individual find most interesting and why?” Exit slip (if wanted)
Grade: 4th
Subject Area: Social Studies
Context
This is the last information based lesson that is led by the teacher to find out information about what the students know already about American Indians, what they want to know about American Indians.
Materials
- Whiteboard/Chalkboard
Introduction/Investment
On the Board, create a KWL chart but use the words from one of the American Indian Nations languages for ‘Know,’ ‘Want to know,’ and ‘Learned.’ This will help you gauge what the students are bringing to the table and also to see where their interests are so that these interests can be highlighted.
This KWL chart will become an integral part of the classroom structure because as the students are learning things or having questions come up; they will be adding them to this KWL chart. If possible, dedicate a whole bulletin board to this. This empowers the students and also shows them what they are learning and how much they have learned.
The use of the authentic American Indian language from Wisconsin, will give the students something different to see and this can be a reoccurring theme throughout the unit.
Content
For this lesson, the content is something that is going to be dictated by the students and by the teachers as well.
The most important thing for the teacher to know beforehand is the direction in which they would like the unit to go and what types of things that they will be highlighting. If this unit is used as the direction, then make sure to highlight culture and history but depending on the scope and direction, it can be something that is very fluid.
Whole-Class Activity
For this part, the importance is going to be filling in the KWL chart with everything that the children know about American Indians in Wisconsin and all the things that they want to know. As the teacher, make sure to ask how the students know what they know to help validate their understanding and also use this as a means to connect the knowledge to some of the prejudices if they come up.
This process should also be something that the teacher takes an active role in. As the teacher, you can help the students begin to look at aspects that tie into the first 3 days of lessons and also begin to help frame the entire unit.Same as above
Practice
In small groups, have the students come to a consensus about the most interesting thing that they learned and the thing that they wanted to learn about the most. As an aspect of this, make sure that the students have a reason for why they chose that aspect.
Once the groups have decided on their most interesting thing, have the groups write out their options on pieces of paper and put these up around the class.Same as above
Assessment
For the assessment aspect, the created pieces by the groups will be where the assessment occurs and also, based on the informal aspects of the discussion.
As a modification, use of an exit slip would help gauge the individual learning that each student had during the lesson. The question to ask would be “What did you as an individual find most interesting and why?” Exit slip (if wanted)
