Gwynedd-Mercy College

School of Education
Personal Integrity and Social Responsibility
Lesson Plan

Name: Deborah Givens

Date: March 17, 2014

School: Gwynedd Mercy University

Grade: Second
Topic: Cultural Diversity:
Brazil

STANDARD: PDE ELS: Social Studies 7.1 Basic Geography Literacy

PDE ELS: Social Studies 7.2 The Physical Characteristics of Places
and Regions
PDE ELS: Reading, Writing, and Listening 1.1 Learning to Read
Independently
PDE ELS: Personal Social
PDE ELS: Approaches to Learning AL 3 Demonstrate Reasoning and
Problem Solving
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATION: Students will identify the geographic location of
Brazil, examine geography facts and will identify similarities and differences between
themselves and elementary school students in Brazil by comparing ideas in the Circle of
Knowledge.
I.

PLANNING AND PREPARATION:

1. Briefly describe the students in your class, including those with special needs,
explain how you will meet the needs of all learners.
The second grade class contains sixteen students, eight girls and eight boys.
No IEPs have been issued. Students will be evaluated and assessed to ensure
their proper level of engagement and inclusion and adjustments to the lesson
will be provided if necessary.
Visual learners may view the power point to see topics for discussion
Auditory learners may listen to the video and our discussion
Kinesthetic and tactile learners will be engaged when they examine the globe
and when they use cooperative learning in the Circle of Knowledge.

2. What are your expectations for this lesson? What do you want students to learn
and be able to do with the knowledge?
Students will learn to accept and respect cultural traditions and differences
by learning about elementary students from Brazil. Students will use a
Circle of Knowledge to compare and contrast similarities and differences
between countries. Students will see that they are not so different and will
develop a cultural awareness of their global experience.
3. Why are these expectations suitable for this particular group (identified in #1)
of students?
Students will recognize different points of view when they discuss the
similarities and differences between elementary school students in Brazil and in
America. They will recognize and solve problems as they respond to What If
questions as they collaborate with their peers. Students will cooperate in small
and large groups as they practice patience in waiting to speak and show respect
by listening to their peers. Students will practice learning to read independently
by increasing their vocabulary by entering new words into their discovery
journals. Students will use basic geography literacy when they identify Brazil on
a map and on a globe. They will identify the continent and oceans and will
examine the physical characteristics of Brazil.
A second graders average listening time is noted to be between ten to
twenty minutes and will vary by class. This lesson will be no longer than twenty
minutes. Students enjoy one-on-one conversations and they can do this when they
exchange ideas during the Circle of Knowledge. Students are self focused with
strong likes and dislikes and this lesson will broaden their horizons by exposing
them to different cultures, yet, creating an understanding of the similarities of
humanity.
Note: I did not receive the handouts from class, so I used the website
found at the responsive classroom
https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/sites/default/files/et2intro.pdf

4. How do these expectations support the school districts curriculum, state

standards, and content standards?
PA Academic Standards for Social Studies
Standard 7.1A Students will identify the following geographic tools:
maps, globe, map elements, diagrams, photographs, map keys and
cardinal directions
Standard 7.1.B Students will identify the continents and oceans
Standard 7.2A Students will identify physical characteristics of places,
noting physical properties: landforms, climate and human-made
forms.
PA Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
Standard 1.1 Students will demonstrate a rich listening and speaking
Vocabulary, and the ability to understand (receptive) and use
(expressive) words to acquire and convey meaning.
PA Academic Standards for Personal Social
Standard PS 3H Students will Cooperate in small and large group
activities
PA Academic Standards for Approaches to Learning
Standard AL 3.4 Students will recognize and solve problems through
observation, active exploration, trial and error, interactions and
discussions with peers and adults.
Standard AL 3.8 Students will recognize differing points of view
5. Explain the psychological principles/theories you used in constructing this lesson.
Constructive Learning Approach
Vygotskys theory is one of the foundations of constructivism. It asserts three
major themes:
Major themes:

Social interaction plays a fundamental role in the process of

cognitive development. In contrast to Jean Piagets
understanding of child development (in which development
necessarily precedes learning), Vygotsky felt social learning
precedes development. He states: Every function in the
childs cultural development appears twice: first, on the
social level, and later, on the individual level; first, between

people (interpsychological) and then inside the child

(intrapsychological). (Vygotsky, 1978).
The More Knowledgeable Other (MKO). The MKO refers to
anyone who has a better understanding or a higher ability
level than the learner, with respect to a particular task,
process, or concept. The MKO is normally thought of as
being a teacher, coach, or older adult, but the MKO could
also be peers, a younger person, or even computers.
The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). The ZPD is the
distance between a students ability to perform a task under
adult guidance and/or with peer collaboration and the
students ability solving the problem independently.
According to Vygotsky, learning occurred in this zone.

Students will work together by interacting socially when they exchange ideas in
the Circle of Knowledge. They will internalize the learning as they begin to
discover students across the world have similar and different experiences that they
can relate to personally. The More Knowledgeable Other would be examined as
the teacher provides the lesson and other students will share their prior
knowledge. The Zone of Proximal Development is examined as students use the
given data to then analyze and exchange independent thoughts and ideas.

II. CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT:

6. Describe the effective classroom routines and procedures resulting in little or no
loss of instructional time.
Identify how materials and the class will be prepared before the lesson begins

A large map of South America and a globe will be displayed

A power point will be created with a link to Time for Kids student
interview
Children Just Like Me worksheets will be provided

Class will begin with a short discussion about Brazil where students will
demonstrate prior knowledge by identifying the continent of South America, the
country of Brazil, the equator, both oceans and hemispheres.
I will read a few pages from the book, Brazil by Tara Walters
I will discuss diversity and will show the student interview video from Time for
Kids

Students will complete the Children Just Like Me skills sheets

Students will form the Circle of Knowledge as they are counted off by groups of
ones and twos. The students designated as ones will create an outer circle and
the twos will form an inner circle.
Students will discuss differences and similarities between themselves and students
from Brazil in the Circle of Knowledge.
Students will return to their seats and will share one thing they have discovered
with a partner with a pair/share activity.
A closure summary will be provided with instructions for the next activity.

7. Identify what you will do to set clear standards of conduct and behavior
management of student behavior.

Review your overall classroom rules

Behavioral expectations will be clearly displayed and will be reviewed prior to
the lesson. Students will be expected and reminded to follow safety routines in the
classroom.
Students will be instructed to:
Listen quietly to all directions
Respect your peers by raising your hand to speak
Use inside voices
Quietly and quickly form the circles
Behavioral issues will be addressed with one warning. If the problem behavior
continues, the student will sit quietly at their desk until they regain composure
and may resume the activity.

8. Identify what you will do to establish expectations for student achievement.

Students will be expected to participate with their best effort during the lesson
and I expect they will be successful.
Students will be encouraged to ask questions for clarification purposes to their
peers or myself.

I will model how to complete the skill sheets and will explain the formation of
the Circle of Knowledge.
III. INSTRUCTION:
9. What will you do to motivate students?

Large photographs will be displayed around the room.

Brazilian music will be softly playing
Various books about Brazil will be placed in the reading area and on a table
Globes will be on the desk in front of the room
Identify how the above activities will be presented

Students will gather in the circle area to view the map, the globes and to listen
to the reading of the book. They will then return to their desks to list the
vocabulary into their journal books, view the power point, watch the video
and complete the worksheet. They will then return to the circle area to create
their Circle of Knowledge and we will then sit to wrap up the lesson.
10. What will you do to activate prior knowledge?
List questions you will ask and the desired response and/or describe the
strategy that you will use, i.e., KWL, etc.
Identify the level of Blooms Taxonomy for each question
Students will participate by group shout in identifying the map and the globe.
They will identify South America, Brazil, The Equator, Northern and Southern
Hemispheres, and both oceans. We will discuss tolerance for different cultures
and students will share their prior knowledge about Brazil.
Blooms Taxonomy Questions:

Understand: If Brazil is south of the Equator, when does winter begin?

Analysis: If you moved to Brazil tomorrow, how would you school day
change? What would be different? What would be the same?
Analysis: Can you identify one thing that is similar between Renans life at
home and your life at home?

11. How do you plan to engage students in the content? What will you do? What will
your students do?
Materials

A large map of South America

Globe(s)
ScholasticBook, Brazil by Tara Walters
A power point will be created with a link to Time for Kids student
interview
Children Just Like Me skill sheets (one per student with extras)
Student vocabulary journals (one per student, previously distributed)

The Step by Step Procedure

I will begin class by announcing, Who is ready to take a trip? Please join
me at the circle time area for our journey to Brazil! You never know who you
may meet there!

I will review classroom rules:

Listen quietly to all directions
Respect your peers by raising your hand to speak

I will begin by reminding the students they are learning about students from
across the world this week and today we are going to Brazil! I will then start
the discussion by asking for a group shout out to identify items on the map
and the globe.

Next I will introduce the book and read pages 12,13,39 and 40. I will mention
all the books are available to the students for the entire week.

I will discuss the landscape and climate of Brazil. I will then discuss the types
of homes and schools in Brazil.

I will announce, Please return to your desks quietly and take out your
vocabulary journals.

Students will return to their desks and will enter the new vocabulary sheet to
their journals.

I will begin the power point presentation.

Students will watch a short student interview video

I will drop off work sheets at the end of each table row and students will pass
one down the line.

Students will complete the Children Just Like Me worksheet

I will gain their attention by announcing a two-minute warning for worksheet

completion.

During the Activity

I will review student expectations by announcing, I expect each of you will

give your best effort during our activity and I know you will be successful.

I will explain they will move to the circle time area to form a Circle of
Knowledge. (They will have done this before)

Review rules: Use inside voices

Quietly and quickly form the circles

I will ask the students to begin to count off by ones and twos.

I will ask the students who are noted as twos to move to the circle area to
form a circle and remind the ones to remain at their desks.

I will then ask the students who are noted as ones to move to the circle area
to form a circle outside of the twos by facing one another.

After each question is answered, students will move one position to the right.

Students will answer three questions and will return to their circle time area
to be seated.

After the Activity

I will ask for student volunteers to share something they have discovered by
asking them to pair/share.

I will then provide the closure summary.

12. Describe the use of questioning and discussion strategies that will encourage
students to participate in class.
Name the discussion strategies used and why they were appropriate in your
lesson.
Direct Instructional Strategies will be used when providing step by step
instructions for students.
Cooperative Learning Strategies will be used when students form the Circle of
Knowledge
Didactic questions will be posed when students are asked, If you moved to
Brazil tomorrow, how would you school day change? What would be different?
What would be the same?
Blooms Taxonomy levels of Understanding and Analysis will be examined.
Students will be encouraged to ask their peers for help and they may exchange
ideas when answering questions.
13. What difficulties do students typically experience in this area, and how do you
plan to adapt/modify to meet their needs?
Students may have difficulty sitting for long periods of time, so by moving
them about the room I hope to ensure they stay focused longer.
Students may have limited map skills, so by using a group shout approach
they may mirror their peers and learn along the way without embarrassment.
Students may need help with the worksheet and I plan to have an enlarged
sample on the power point.
If they complete their work early, they may review their vocabulary journals
and illustrate the words.

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14. Identify what informal and/or formal assessments you will use to monitor student
learning.
You need to reference the performance expectations here and indicate what you
will use to determine if learning has occurred. Describe the tool or strategy that
you might be using to assess. Questions and observations are informal
Students will identify the geographic location of Brazil, examine geography facts and
will identify similarities and differences between themselves and elementary school
students in Brazil by comparing ideas in the Circle of Knowledge.
Informal Assessment: I will observe the students during the group shout map activity
to see if they all participate and note if they are unsure of any of the vocabulary
words.
Informal Assessment: I will observe the students during the Circle of Knowledge and
listen to their responses to determine if they understand they make the personal
connections to the cultural component.
Formal Assessment: I will review the worksheets and note any vocabulary and
spelling issues for future lessons.
15. What will you do to bring closure to the lesson?

I will then provide the closure summary, Today we learned about the South
American country of Brazil and we were introduced to a student, Renan
Almeida. He shared a view of his school day with us and we learned how our
experiences may be different and how they are the same. We examined a map
and the globe to find where Brazil is located on our planet. We learned about
the landscape and the climate as well. Most importantly we learned people
across our world may not be so different from ourselves and we should treat
everyone with respect.

Tomorrow we will meet a student from China and he will share his school day
with you!

Please quietly line up for recess.

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You will do Domain IV when you are Pre-Student and Student Teaching.
You may be doing a Reflection for your specific lesson based on your
professors requirements.
IV.

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
16. Identify the school districts policies regarding staff attendance and
punctuality on the job.
17.

Identify the school districts plans for professional development.

18.
Describe what you have done to effectively communicate, both
orally and in writing, with your cooperating teacher, administrative staff,
supportive staff, students and parents.
19.
Identify what you have done to participate in and support school
building or district projects and/or events.
REFLECTION:
20.
Describe what went well with the lesson, what didnt go so well
and what you would do to improve your teaching effectiveness in the next
lesson.

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