Lesson 1- Introducing the "Father of our Country"
Objectives:
SOL
Materials:
Procedures of Learning Instructions:
Introduction- (about 10 minutes)
1. To start the lesson the teacher will introduce the new unit by stating, "Virginians were not only important during the American Revolution, but Virginians' ideas and actions help shape the new and improved American government." The teacher will continues by stating, "one of the many Virginians that helped shape our country was George Washington".
2. After introducing what the students will learn about, the teacher will explain and hand out picture for the students to write what they know or have questions about George Washington around the picture.
3. The students will be given about 5 minutes to think and write around their picture. After the 5 minutes, the teacher will have the students discuss what they wrote in a whole group instruction. As the students share their prior knowledge and questions, the teacher will be writing their responses on the smart board.
Instructional Learning Activity- (about 20 minutes)
1. The teacher will then start by introducing the concept of character traits. The teacher will pull up a chart on the Smart board and have students brainstorm character traits, focusing on what makes a good leader? As the students respond the teacher will modify students answers into on or two word traits.
2. After making a list, the teacher will ask the students to sit on the rug, to listen to a story. Before reading the story, the teacher will direct the students' focus to be listening for support that proves George Washington was a good leader. The teacher will provide an example of a possible character trait, stating, "When George Washington was a child, all the children in his school would follow and listen to him wherever he went. What character trait was he demonstrating? Why do you think they were following him?" Students should be able to come up with the character traits such as George Washington was a strong, smart leader.
3. After the students give their answers the teacher will start reading the book George, by Frank Keating. The teacher will stop on certain pages to ask the following questions:
Assessment:
The teacher will have the students fill out what they know about George Washington before starting the lesson on George Washington. The teacher will collect these paper to assess what the students background knowledge is on George Washington. As the teacher is reading the book to the students, the teacher will be assessing students comprehension of what a character trait, listening for a description of George Washington's character or just brief words describing his character. After the reading, the teacher will also be assessing through the use of another image of George Washington and having the students write what they now know about George Washington and his character. The teacher will also be looking at any questions students still might have about Washington.
Differentiation: Students that are visual learners will look at many paintings and drawings of George Washington, in the beginning, middle, and the end of the lesson. The students that are auditory learners will
be able to listen to discussions, questions, and the book throughout the lesson. The students who are interpersonal will be able to work on their own when writing. The students who are intrapersonal will be able to discuss within whole group discussion with the class and teacher in the beginning of the lesson and during the book.
SOL
- VS. 6-The students will be able to explain why George Washington is called the "Father of Our Country"
- English- 4.6 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts.
- The students will be able identify character traits of George Washington and formulate questions about George Washington.
Materials:
- Images (paintings) of George Washington worksheet
- Smart board (to show the photo of George Washington and the Character trait chart)
- Character Traits chart
- George, by Frank Keating
Procedures of Learning Instructions:
Introduction- (about 10 minutes)
1. To start the lesson the teacher will introduce the new unit by stating, "Virginians were not only important during the American Revolution, but Virginians' ideas and actions help shape the new and improved American government." The teacher will continues by stating, "one of the many Virginians that helped shape our country was George Washington".
2. After introducing what the students will learn about, the teacher will explain and hand out picture for the students to write what they know or have questions about George Washington around the picture.
3. The students will be given about 5 minutes to think and write around their picture. After the 5 minutes, the teacher will have the students discuss what they wrote in a whole group instruction. As the students share their prior knowledge and questions, the teacher will be writing their responses on the smart board.
Instructional Learning Activity- (about 20 minutes)
1. The teacher will then start by introducing the concept of character traits. The teacher will pull up a chart on the Smart board and have students brainstorm character traits, focusing on what makes a good leader? As the students respond the teacher will modify students answers into on or two word traits.
2. After making a list, the teacher will ask the students to sit on the rug, to listen to a story. Before reading the story, the teacher will direct the students' focus to be listening for support that proves George Washington was a good leader. The teacher will provide an example of a possible character trait, stating, "When George Washington was a child, all the children in his school would follow and listen to him wherever he went. What character trait was he demonstrating? Why do you think they were following him?" Students should be able to come up with the character traits such as George Washington was a strong, smart leader.
3. After the students give their answers the teacher will start reading the book George, by Frank Keating. The teacher will stop on certain pages to ask the following questions:
- What were some character traits that you heard in the last few pages? Why do you think George wrote rules of character? What does the rules tell us about his character?(p.9)
- Why do you think George Washington stopped going to school to help his family? What does that tell us about his character? (p.13)
- What can we conclude about George Washington's character? Why do you think he had so many jobs? (p.15)
- What war was this? Why do you think the British asked George Washington to warn the French? What does that state about his character? (p.17)
- What kind of leader was George Washington during the battles? Why do you think people followed his lead? (p.20)
- After the American's won the Revolution, why do you think George was chosen by his peers to be the president of the convention? What does that tell us about his character? (p.29)
- Why do you think George Washington was elected president of the new country? What does that tell us about the way people during his time saw George Washington's character as? (p.31)
Summary- (about 10 minutes)
- 1. The teacher will review the character traits they found in the book. The teacher will state, "Now that we know and learned a lot more about George Washington, can somebody tell me one character trait they learned about him and the proof from the book." The students will give some examples of the character traits they heard and explain why they think George Washington has that trait.
- 2. After discussing the traits, the teacher will have the students go back to their desk and will be given another painting of George Washington and be asked to write what they know about George Washington and his character now and any more questions they have.
Assessment:
The teacher will have the students fill out what they know about George Washington before starting the lesson on George Washington. The teacher will collect these paper to assess what the students background knowledge is on George Washington. As the teacher is reading the book to the students, the teacher will be assessing students comprehension of what a character trait, listening for a description of George Washington's character or just brief words describing his character. After the reading, the teacher will also be assessing through the use of another image of George Washington and having the students write what they now know about George Washington and his character. The teacher will also be looking at any questions students still might have about Washington.
Differentiation: Students that are visual learners will look at many paintings and drawings of George Washington, in the beginning, middle, and the end of the lesson. The students that are auditory learners will
be able to listen to discussions, questions, and the book throughout the lesson. The students who are interpersonal will be able to work on their own when writing. The students who are intrapersonal will be able to discuss within whole group discussion with the class and teacher in the beginning of the lesson and during the book.
Extension:
To continue to learn about George Washington, the teacher will read the book Who Was George Washington? by Robert Edward, about two chapters a day during this unit. This book will be done as a read aloud to the students. The teacher will have students listen to the story and take notes on George Washington's character traits throughout his life. The teacher will also have two students take notes to help the students make a timeline of George Washington's life. The timeline can be used to help students study not only history, but could be use to reference in math word problems. For example, a warm-up problem the teacher could give the students is "If George Washington was born in 1732 and is elected president in 1789, then how old was Washington when he was elected?" The teacher will also stop throughout the book and ask comprehension question as the students are listening to the book.