Lesson Plan #2 Nelson Mandelas Life by Art by Lauren Collins

I.

II.

Lesson plan overview and description

1. Expected duration 45 minutes
2. Social Sciences Government and history
3. Concepts Have the students learn about the governments important
figure, Nelson Mandela, and to research and learn about the critical
changes and effects he had to the world as an ambassador while using
creative and art to physically illustrate such concepts.
4. Vocabulary
a. Ambassador (noun) - a nations representative in another
country.
b. Nelson Mandela (proper noun) the former President of South
Africa.
c. United Nations (proper noun) - an organization that was
developed to promote international cooperation.
5. Skills
a. Researching relevant information on Nelson Mandela
b. Breaking down the information to choose three important life
events to create three different illustrations.
c. Presenting information learned and summarizing their artwork.
d. Working as a team to develop and create an end product.
6. Broad Goals of Lesson
a. To learn about Nelson Mandela and why he was such a
prominent figure to the worlds government and history.
b. To use creative skills and freedom to develop a piece of artwork.
c. To further develop research skills and strategies and to
appropriately use them to create an outcome.
Content Outline
1. Freedom in South Africa
Members of the United Nations work in countries all across the
world.
The UN makes sure all nations respect human rights.
The UN played a part in helping people gain rights in South
Africa.
Many people in South Africa and across the world helped South
Africans gain their rights.
Nelson Mandela spent his life working for equal rights for black
South Africans.
UN supported Mandela on his work for equality.
2. South Africa and the United States
Leaders in South Africa and the United States created programs
to help their nations work together.
They share their research.
South African and American teachers have developed programs
to help their students learn about life in other parts of the world.

III.

IV.

V.

Standards
1. PDE SAS Standards Civics/Government:
5.3.3 GRADE 3 How the Government Works
i. 5.3.3.F: Explain how an action may be just or unjust.
ii. 5.3.3.G: Identify individual interests and explain ways to
influence others.
Lesson Objectives
1. Students will actively participate in small groups to create an art
project illustrating main components of Nelson Mandelas life.
2. The students will separate intro small groups and research Nelson
Mandela.
3. The students will develop skills and information on the United Nations,
ambassadors and Nelson Mandela based on research, participation,
listening and reading.
4. The students will present their final project to the class and discuss
why they chose the events of Nelson Mandelas life that they did.
Teaching Procedures
1. Anticipatory Set/Introduction
I will start by having the students think back to the lesson we
have been working on this past week. I will have a couple of
students remind the class what the focus has been. I will then
state that we will use this information obtained for our following
activity. Boys and girls, there are many influential people in this
world that acted like real-life superheroes. Nelson Mandela is
like one of these superheroes. We are going to learn more about
him and his work as an ambassador and how he worked with the
United Nations. We will then become artists and create an
activity to hang outside in the halls!
2. Lesson Input
The majority of this lesson will be a short PowerPoint
presentation with some time for full-class discussion.
With the whole class, go through the PowerPoint
presentation. Discuss Nelson Mandela and freedom in South
Africa (and how the two intertwine). Throughout the
discussion, have students take notes to reinforce their
understanding of the materials.
Spend time answering questions that any students might
have regarding the lesson.
Allow time for independent research, monitored by the
teacher and using age-appropriate websites and further notetaking for the students to expand their understanding and
knowledge on Nelson Mandela.
3. Guided Practice
Formative Assessment The teacher will constantly walk
around and observe the students while they are doing their
independent research. The teacher will take notes on the

VI.

students progress as well as if any student is having

difficulties with this lesson.
Summative Assessment The teacher will use their artwork
and oral presentations to provide a grade for this
assignment.
In order to challenge and support all students, either guided
notes will be given to students, more time for research will
be allowed, or more in-depth research will be established.
Accommodations and adaptations will be provided to any
student at any time throughout the lesson.
4. Independent Practice
After the students have taken notes and learned about
information on Nelson Mandela and his ties with the United
Nations and his work as an ambassador, the students will
break into small groups and research more about his life that
was not taught in class.
The students will be given a piece of paper to write notes on
about the research they have acquired. The students will be
given kid-friendly websites to learn more about Nelson
Mandela (see student resources section).
5. Differentiation
For students who are more advanced, they will be able to
research how Nelson Mandelas life, after his work as the
president of South Africa, impacted all nations.
For students who are below-level, a guided, outlined note
sheet will be given to them to help direct and fill out the
proper notes.
For students who do not understand the assignment, the
teacher will be there to provide assistance, guidance and
answer any questions that may arise.
6. Closure
Boys are girls, you have all created such great pieces of
artwork that represent Nelson Mandelas hard work as an
ambassador and person. Your artwork will look awesome
hanging in the halls of the school! Your art really shows how
the United Nations and Nelson Mandela created treaties that
helped establish peace in the world. Before we start getting
ready to head home, lets hang these posters in the hall.
Teacher and Student Resources and Evaluation of Resources
A. Student Reading Resources:
a. Materials:
i. Poster paper
ii. Blank white paper
iii. Worksheet (note outline)
iv. Houghton Mifflin textbook

v. Laptops
vi. Encyclopedias and/or other books on Nelson Mandela
b. References
i. Houghton Mifflin. (2005). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
ii. Nelson Mandela - EnchantedLearning.com. (n.d.).
Retrieved March 31, 2015, from
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/history/africa/southafri
ca/mandela/
iii. http://www.timeforkids.com/news/nelson-mandela-19182013/97361
iv. http://www.ducksters.com/biography/nelson_mandela.php
B. Teacher Resources for Lesson Design:
a. Materials and References
i. Houghton Mifflin, teacher edition textbook
1. Houghton Mifflin. (2005). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
ii. Nelson Mandelas Speech to the United Nations
1. Speeches. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2015, from
http://www.anc.org.za/show.php?id=4306
iii. Scholastic Teacher website
1. Biography of Nelson Mandela | Scholastic.com.
(n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2015, from
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/biograph
y-nelson-mandela
C. Evaluation of Teacher Resources Used for Lesson Planning Design:
Resource Title
or Website
Address

Biography of
Nelson
Mandela

Nelson
Mandelas

Influence:
Significant
Influence (SI)
or Minor
Influence (MI)
in informing
your thinking,
decisions
about the
lesson plan
SI

MI

3+
Characteristics
:
Suggesting
that the source
is a quality
resource,
reliable
material

Accessibility:
Access for
teachers or
others

Overall Rating:
Suggestions
for current,
future use of
resource

Scholastic is a
known
website,
provides a ton
of information
on all subjects,
and provides
additional
resources.
Provides clear
cut

Easily
Accessible

I would
suggest to use
this website for
current and
future use.
Extremely
helpful and
clear.

Easily
Accessible, not

This is a good
website for

Speech

information,
.org is usually
reliable,
information
stated is
relevant and
the website
has a lot of
knowledge on
Nelson
Mandela.

very appealing

Nelson
Mandelas
speech. Other
than that, I
would not use
it.

VII. Formative and Summative Assessment of Students

- Formative Assessment The teacher will constantly walk around and observe
the students while they are doing their independent research. The teacher
will take notes on the students progress as well as if any student is having
difficulties with this lesson.
- Summative Assessment The teacher will use their artwork and oral
presentations to provide a grade for this assignment.
VIII. Technology/Materials/Equipment
1. Materials (see above section: VI.A.a)
2. Technology/Equipment
a. The students will have access to the classroom laptops, with
teacher permission, to research Nelson Mandela using kidfriendly, educational websites.
b. The students will be able to use any art materials provided to
create a poster or some type of paper to develop three different
drawings to represent three aspects of Nelson Mandelas life.
c. The teacher will use a projector or the Smart Board to present
the lesson, activity, and pertinent information to the students.
IX.
Reflection of Planning
a. This lesson allows the students to be active in their learning and
acquiring knowledge on Nelson Mandela. It also allows them to see
how an extremely influential leader was a part of the United Nations
and was an activist on keeping the peace between countries. The
challenges that may occur in this lesson are the actual research. The
teacher will be around to help the students in anyway and will provide
external links to assist the students in finding information. Also,
working as a small group to create one piece of artwork could be
frustrating to some. It is the teachers responsibility to make sure all
students are being accepting of one another and the work load is even
and equally spread out. The teacher will continuously walk around to
solve any issues that may arise. This lesson fits in with the unit
because it depicts one, extremely prominent ambassador and his work
with the government and tying all nations together. For the future,

have each student create a type of artwork, of their choice, individually

and present it (even extend the lesson to not just be about Nelson
Mandela). Overall, this lesson is fun, interactive and encourages a
sense of creativity while establishing and further developing skills on
nations working together.