Direct Instruction Lesson Plan Template

Name: Madeline Payton bailey Central Focus/Big Idea of the Lesson:

Geography conveys the earth’s patterns and helps people know

where they are.
Grade Level/Subject: 3rd grade social studies

Essential Standard/Common Core Objective:

Date taught:
3.G.1 Understand the earth’s patterns by using the 5 themes of geography:
(location, place, human environment interaction, movement and regions).

Daily Lesson Objective: Students will be able to define and analyze the 5 themes of geography.

21st Century Skills: (Go to this link for more info Academic Language Demand
about these skills:

Critical thinking and problem solving

Language Function: Analyze
Communication and collaboration

Vocabulary: Geography, Location, absolute location, relation

location, latitude, longitude, place, region, movement, human
environment interaction

Discourse: turn and talks, flip book partners

Syntax: Anchor chart PPT slide, flip books, geography scenario

identification, exit ticket

Prior Knowledge: background information about where they live and what they live around. Where they live in the
world.

From seeing student thinking throughout the lesson I was able to see that students will work hard and try to take what
is given to return with an answer even if it’s not exactly what you are look for. When students are able to do something
to keep them interested in a lesson they are going to stay engaged.

Activity Description of Activities and Setting Time

Engage the students in an Inquiry discussion:
What is geography?

Turn and talk to your partner about something you know or something you
1. Focus and Review 5 mins
may have heard about geography.

Have an Anchor Chart PowerPoint slide with this definition: Geography is the
study of the earth its land, its people, and its environment. We will study the
1
 5 themes of geography to help us study and understand geography.

Today we will be talking about the 5 themes of geography. You will be

2. Statement of Objective making a foldable that you can use to take notes on each theme and
30 secs
for Student illustrate for a better understanding. By the end of the lesson you will be able
to listen to a senior and record what themes were include in the scenario.
Students will be at their desks and I will have Anchor Chart PowerPoint to
guide through the lesson.
“Geography is the study of earth, its land, its people, and its environment.
When you study geography, you should be looking at five distinct themes.”
“There are 5 themes that we are going to learn about”
First, we have location.
“Location describes where something is on earth. You have absolute location,
which describes exactly where it is located. To do this you could use degrees
of latitude and longitude or an exact address. You can also describe a place
using relative location. This is when you describe it in relation to another
place. You might say it is near, above, west of something.”
“Can you give me an example of what I would be asking for if I was asking
about the location in geography?”
Second, we have Place.
3. Teacher Input “Place describes the physical and human characteristics of a place. Physical 10 mins
characteristics are things like terrain, height above sea level, landforms and
climate. One human characteristic, a place has is population.
“Can you give me an example of what I would be asking for if I was asking
about the place in geography?”
Third we have region.
“Region describes the similarities you may find in a place. These can include
language, culture and similar historical backgrounds.
“Can you give me an example of what I would be asking for if I was asking
about the region in geography?”
Fourth we have movement.
“Movement describes how people, goods, information, and culture got to a
particular place.
“Can you give me an example of what I would be asking for if I was asking
about the movement in geography?”
We will talk about the 5 themes and what we can put as key factor to help us
understand each of the themes.

4. Guided Practice After we have finished coming up with key factors for each theme I will read 5 mins
a postcard to the class and they will tell me 3 of the 5 themes represented in
the postcard

Students will be given a foldable and will be coloring and writing key feature
5. Independent Practice 15 mins
and illustrations to help them understand the 5 themes of geography.
Formative: I will ask questions throughout the lesson to check for understanding.

6. Assessment Methods of Summative: I will read a 2 postcard to the students. They will decide which three of the
all objectives/skills: five themes are incorporated in to the postcard. each postcard answer will be 5 points. 5
points for the first postcards response and 5 points for the 2nd postcards response.
Exit ticket assessment
2
 Exit ticket: Students will define in their own words what is geography. And
7. Closure 5 mins
they will be able to identify the 5 themes of geography.
After talking about the 5 themes of geography. Student were to make a foldable of the 5
themes of geography. They were asked to write some information that we talked about
8. Assessment Results of
during the lesson that would help them understand what each of the themes were asking
all objectives/skills:
for. Students were also encouraged to draw pictures that would help them in determining
the 5 themes.
Targeted Students Modifications/Accommodations: Student/Small Group Modifications/Accommodations:

English Language Learners: Have visuals of the 5 Struggling readers:

themes of geography, have the word “geography”
translated in the student’s home language
English language Learners: important vocabulary will
be emphasized. As well as relating the information
about geography where they are from. (it is important
that teacher take the time to know and are
knowledgeable about where their students are from
so that we can help them relate.)
Autism spectrum (or another disability): Show one
slide at a time (for the Geography 5 themes) on the
PPT, have student complete one section at a time on
their foldable.
Materials/Technology:
(Include any instructional materials (e.g., worksheets, assessments PowerPoint/Smart Board slides, etc.) needed to
implement the lesson at the end of the lesson plan.)
Students that may struggle with reading, the reading will be
read aloud and if students need extra support they will be able
to work with a peer to ask questions and supported
throughout the lesson.
Early finishers:
These students will be encouraged to add more to their
booklet to make sure they are understanding what each
theme is looking. These students will also be encouraged to
help their peers. Making sure their peers understand what
they are being asked to do and if they can be any assistance.

References:
Reflection on lesson: (Write several paragraphs about what you learned from this lesson. What were the strengths?
What were the weaknesses? What did you learn about teaching and student learning? How would you teach this lesson
differently in the future?

Overall, I think the lesson went well. I had the student’s attention and they were super engaged with the lesson. The
students don’t get social studies everyday so when they do they enjoy the lesson because it is usually interactive. I had
the students make a flippable we walked through and did together. But before I even gave them the material we walked
through a presentation I made. There were numerous questions to keep the students engaged as we talked about the
themes of geography. I appreciated how well the students participated and were interactive throughout the whole
lesson.
Some weaknesses throughout the lesson was first that they don’t get social studies material. Therefore, I had to go
through vocabulary as well as the themes. It was a lot for 45 minutes. I didn't get to finish everything because it was so
much. But the students did well and I was happy with my results. I also wish I would have given the flippable while we
were going through the presentation to help them write don't the information they needed. That may would have saved
some time throughout the lesson.
Through teaching this lesson I learned that teaching is something that I’m really passionate about. I enjoy all the time I
spend with my students. I appreciate how they treat me just like another teacher and not a stranger. I’m glad to have
this class as well as cooperating teachers. They are great to work with and are very supportive. In the future, I would
teach this lesson over a few days and make sure before we start the students get a good vocabulary start on the lesson
before we jump into the content. I would still use all my materials, I would just have about a week for the whole 5
themes of geography.