Social Studies Lesson Plan Template

First Name

Denis

Last Name

UH Email

denisb@hawaii.edu

Date

Semester

Year

Grade Level/
S.S. Strand

4th Grade/Political
Science/Civics

Lesson Duration

Lesson Plan #

Teaching in
LP #1 ___ LP#2_X_ field?

Title

Rock, Paper, Scissors! Become the Alii!

Baik

2015

Yes____ No _X__

Central Focus and Enduring Understandings

A brief description of the key concept(s) to be learned, along with the important
understanding(s) that will be emphasized during the lesson that the students can apply to
their lives
Ancient Hawaii had a class system that was very rigid. This class system was known as a caste system.
In a caste system, Hawaiians were born in their own social class and could not move up the social
hierarchy. The social classes that made up Ancient Hawaiis class system were the Alli, Kahuna,
Makaainana, and Kauwa. The Alii (chiefs) were the highest of the social classes and had a lot of
power. The Kauwa were considered the untouchables. These untouchables were outcasted by their
society and were considered one of the harshest punishments. Students will compare and contrast the
caste system with the social class system that we have today in Hawaii.
Enduring Understanding
We are lucky to live where we do today.

Content Standard(s)
Both the S.S. Hawaii Content & Performance Standard (HCPS III), the Topic, AND the
specific Benchmark under that Topic that align with the central focus as well as a Common
Core State Standard (CCSS) in ELA or Math that can be met during the lesson

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacherled) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing
their own clearly.

Student Learning Objectives

Outcomes to be achieved by the end of the lesson or end of multi-lesson learning segment
Students will be able to
-Describe the different classes in Hawaiis Caste System and their roles.
-Compare and contrast Americas social class system with the Caste system.

Assessments
The procedures to gather evidence of students learning of lesson objective(s) including
formative (informal) assessments applied throughout the lesson and a summative
assessment (formal) of what students learned by the end of the lesson (include any
assessment tools)

Students Prior Academic Knowledge and Assets

The students content knowledge, skills, prior academic experiences, and
personal/cultural/community assets to draw upon to support learning
Just like any society, pre-contact Hawaii had a class system that ancient Hawaiians followed. Todays
class system does not reflect the class system that the Hawaiians had. Students should already have
some background knowledge of ancient Hawaii and the different types of roles/jobs that they had.

Academic Language
Oral and written language that the students need to learn and use to participate and engage
in the content
-Class System
-Caste System
-Social Class System
-Alii
-Kauwa
-Makaainana
-Kahuna
-Roles

Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks

A description of what the teacher will do, say and ask and what the students will do during
the lesson that 1) uses clear steps that convey the use of multiple strategies, supports, and
resources and 2) lists opportunities offered for multiple modes of participation
Attention Grabber: The teacher is an Alii (Or King Kamehameha) in the room and everyone needs to
bow down when the teacher walks by.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

What is a class system?

Why do we have class systems? What is the purpose?
Can a society do without a class system?
Who has all the power? Who doesnt?
In todays society, do we bow to those in a higher class than us?

Describe what a class system is and which class system pre-contact Hawaii had.
Give a mini-lesson on the different classes within the caste system.
Alii
Kahuna
Makaainana
Kauwa
Explain the different roles of each class. What they could do and could not do. Can they move through
classes or are they born into their class and stuck with it?
What are some characteristics of a Caste system?
Show the class what a social class system looks like and have them compare the two.
How are they similar? How are they different?
Have students discuss in pairs or groups about the different class systems. Which class system would
they rather have? How are the upper class and Alii class similar and different? How is the working
class and Kauwa similar? Different?
Introduce a game to the class.
Rules:
Everyone starts as a Kauwa and the objective of the game is to become an Alii. Every one will go
around and challenge another person to rock, paper, scissors. The winner of rock, paper, scissors will be
able to advance and become makaainana, kahuna, and then alii. The loser will need to stay kauwa or
go down one class if they are makainana, kahuna, or alii. The biggest rule of the game is that they can
only challenge people that are the same class system. An alii and kahuna cannot challenge each other.
The objective is to become alii and hold the position until the game ends.
To recognize the different class systems in the room:
-Kauwa will have their arms down.
-Makaainana will have one hand on top of their head
-Kahuna will have their arms raised with an open hand.
-AliI will have their arms up with a closed fist.
Play this game for 5 minutes.
After the game, count how many aliI, kahuna, makainana, and kauwa are in the room. Realistically,
the amount of alii and kahunas will be smaller than the makaainana and kauwa. Have students discuss

how this game is not a realistic representation of the Caste system. Students may answer that in the
caste system, people cannot move around classes. How was the game similar to the caste system?
Students may answer that they were only able to challenge those who are the same class as they were.
In Ancient Hawaii, Hawaiians only associated themselves with those in the class.

Differentiation
Adaptations to instructional strategies, the learning environment, content, and/or assessments
to meet the needs of students who require further support (e.g., ELL/MLL, struggling,
accelerated, 504/IEP, etc.)
ELL: Use pictures to show the different people and their clothing to show differences between the
classes. Compare the caste system to a system that is familiar to the ELL student.
Struggling: Use illustrations to show major differences of the different class systems.
Accelerated: If you could choose which class system to live in, which one would you choose? Why?