Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Katherine Goddard Date: 6/30/14

Grade and Topic: Grade 2, Social Studies Length of Lesson: 60 Minutes for three days
Mentor Teacher: Dr. Weaver School: University of Memphis- IDT 3600

UNIT/CHAPTER OBJECTIVE/GENERALIZATION/BIG IDEA:
This lesson plan is part of a unit plan on famous Americans in history and their contributions to our country.
LESSON OBJECTIVE:
Given a famous person in American history, the student will be able to gather information through research on the Web of the
individual with 100% accuracy.
Given the terms categories background, contributions/importance, and interesting facts, the student will be able to describe all
through a Prezi presentation and fill out the give handout with 100% accuracy.
As a secondary objective, the student will be able to use technology to add detail and show creativity. The student will also
work with others to help share ideas and tips for creating their Prezi.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED:
2.32 Participate in shared research using biographies to interpret the significance of contributions made by people
of the United States, recounting or describing key ideas and details from the texts. Teachers may choose any
biographies. Some suggestions are as follows: John Smith, Pocahontas, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington,
Benjamin Banneker, Nancy Ward, James Robertson, John Sevier, Sequoyah, David Crockett, Sacagawea, Sam
Houston, Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Fredrick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Sitting Bull, Booker T.
Washington, Ida B. Wells, the Wright Brothers Marian Anderson, Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Jackie
Robinson, Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther King, Jr., Neil Armstrong, Roberto Clemente, Wilma Rudolph, Sally Ride,
and Bill Gates.
2.33 With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish a writing piece in
collaboration with peers on a famous American to describe how his or her accomplishments were significant.
MATERIALS:
1. Laptop or computer
2. Prezi
3. Pencil
4. Handout
5. Internet Access to:
a. http://gws.ala.org/category/history-amp-biography/biographies
b. http://www.ducksters.com/biography/
c. http://mrnussbaum.com/bio2/
d. http://prezi.com

Technology Integration:
Students will use the websites above to better understand the significance of certain Americans and how they have influenced
our country. They will use a Prezi to organize their research into a presentation that is full of information and is visual. Students will
use the given websites to complete the handout the instructor has.


BACKGROUND and RATIONALE:
The key concepts for this lesson plan are to familiarize students with famous Americans in order to better understand who is
responsible for certain historical events, to be able to research biographies in history, and to incorporate their creativity into
their own Prezi.
Important bodies of water related, Contributions, Historical Dates, and Lifespan.
This lesson connects and builds on previous lessons on geography (specifically exploration on oceans to the U.S.), famous
events in America, and connects certain facts together, because it allows students to be able to understand where the events
took place, who was involved, and how to organize them on a Prezi.
This lesson plan will build on subsequent lesson plans about American history, founding fathers, and inventions.
This lesson plan will also allow students to become familiar with making a Prezi.

PROCEDURES AND TIMELINE:
Introduction
Have the students start up their laptops and sit quietly. Go around the classroom and pass out a handout to each student. Point
to the board where each famous Americans name should be written. Go through each student and read them their assigned famous
American they will be researching. Tell them to write that name on the corresponding spot on the worksheet.

Procedures:

Directions Key Questions Differentiated
Instruction/Alternative
s
Time
Check that
each
students
computer
is turned
on and they
have their
materials.
Make sure
each
students
laptop or
computer
is correctly
opened to
Prezi.
Does
everyone
have their
handout,
laptop
turned on,
and a
pencil?
Can anyone
tell me why
they think
these
individuals
are
important
to
Allow students
to work with a
partner and/or
allow them to
research from a
book.
10 minutes
Explain to
the
students
that they
are only
allowed to
use the
given
websites
listed at the
top of their
handouts
for
research.
Give a
tutorial for
the
students to
make their
own Prezi
account,
and check
they have
all done
them
correctly.
Return to
the front of
the class
and make
research?
sure all
students
are ready.
Write on
the board
what you
will expect
the student
to have
covered in
their Prezi.
Have a
sample
Prezi on
the
Smartboar
d or
classroom
computer.
Does
anyone
have
questions
about the
handout or
the
websites?
Dont forget
to research
a body of
water that
this person
either came
in contact
with for
significant
reasons or
was near.
We are
connecting
previous
geography
lessons!
Can
someone
tell me the
Allow for
personal
instruction and
explanation for
students who
have attention
disorders or any
other
communication
disorder.
10 minutes
way that a
person
could be
connected
to a body of
water in
history?
Exploration
reasons, for
inventions,
traveling
reasons, or
even just
living near
a body of
water!
Now, who
has used a
Prezi
before?
Make sure
you know
to save
your Prezi
under your
log in
account.
Allow the
students to
freely work
Who thinks
their Prezi
has good
Allow other
students to
work in
40 minutes
on their
research
using their
materials.
Make sure
to be
walking
around
observing,
answering
questions
and helping
assist each
student
with their
handout on
the
individual
and their
Prezi.
visuals but
still
contains
awesome
facts?
Who needs
any help
with their
Prezi and
listing
facts?
Is anyone
having
trouble
with their
Prezi
formatting
right now?
partners who
cannot complete
the activity by
themselves.
Allow other
students to take
the assignment
home to finish
their Prezi if
they cannot
complete in the
full class time.
This would
require a laptop
check out.
Allow other
students to do
easier
individuals with
fewer facts
given who are
having a harder
time.
Closure: After students have worked for 40 minutes on their research and/or Prezi, walk around to collect, handouts and
materials. Be sure the students continually research on the correct websites and use time efficiently. Check that the students
have saved their Prezis and emailed you the public link to their presentation.
Ask the students if they feel better about making Prezis and like the facts they learned about their famous American.
Tell the students how this will help them better recognize certain Americans in history and connect other historical information
in the future better.

ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE:

Prezi Comprehension Rubric
Criteria
1pts

2pts

3pts
Understanding of
Individuals Life
Only one significant fact is
stated
Some of the significant facts
of the individuals life are
given.
Many significant facts were
listed correctly throughout
the Prezi. A minimum of 10
are required.
Application to time
period
The student did not show
understanding of other
important events happening
during the individuals
lifetime.
The student clearly lists one
other important event
happening during the
individuals lifetime.
All important events
happening during the
individuals lifetime were
stated with correct
connection.
Visualization and
Appearance


The Prezi is not formatted
correctly and is missing
many visuals. One or less
visuals are present.
The Prezi is formatted almost
correctly with some errors.
The student demonstrated a
slight understanding for their
individuals life through about
2-3 significant visuals.
The Prezi is formatted
correctly and the student
demonstrated understanding
for their individuals life
through at least 5 significant
visuals.
MODIFICATIONS: I am aware that modifications will be made for students who did not master the objectives and for those ready
for enrichment. However, modifications are not covered in this course and are not part of this particular lesson.





Name: Date:

Famous American:

Birthday:

Early Life:

Important Contributions:

Body of Water Encountered:

Lifespan:

Interesting Facts:

Sample of completed student work



Prezi:


Name: Katherine Goddard Date: 6/29/14

Famous American: Abraham Lincoln

Birthday: February 12, 1809 in Hodgenville, Kentucky
Early Life: He was born from a very poor family in a log cabin. His father was a pioneer. He had two siblings, a brother and a
sister. His mother died when he was just 9 years old. He started out as a lawyer before politics. Then in 1834 he was elected
as a member of the Whig Party. He married Mary Todd Lincoln in 1842.

Important Contributions: Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States. He preserved the Union during the U.S.
Civil War and brought about the emancipation of slaves. He joined the Republican Party in 1856. He had a focus for improving the
infrastructure of our country. He was elected president in 1860. John Wilkes Booth assassinated Lincoln on April 14, 1865.

Body of Water Encountered: Sinking Spring- In 1808, his dad purchased 300 acres near this body of water.

Lifespan: 1809- 1865 (56 years old)

Interesting Facts: His nicknames were Honest Abe and the Great Emancipator. He was 6 feet 4 inches tall! He was a great
civil rights activist. He gave the famous Gettysburg Address.

Prezi Student Example:
http://prezi.com/xmrfkxraucpv/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share