Katherine Scandiffio Doctor Giouroukakis

EDU 329 4/3/17

Grade 5, Social Studies English

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES
After working cooperatively in small groups to review the 50 states, their capitals and
geographic features, students will conduct a short research project on an assigned state and
share with their classmates. Students must answer 7 out of 10 questions correctly.

NYS-CCLS / +NYS STANDARDS AND INDICATORS

Social Studies Standard:
(1) 5.4 GEOGRAPHY IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE: The diverse geography of the
Western Hemisphere has influenced human culture and settlement in distinct ways. Human
communities in the Western Hemisphere have modified the physical environment. (Standard: 3,
Theme: GEO)
Key Concept: 5.4b The Western Hemisphere can be divided into regions. Regions are areas
that share common, identifiable characteristics such as physical, political, economic, or cultural
features. Regions within the Western Hemisphere include:
North America (Canada and the United States), Mesoamerica (Mexico and Central America),
Caribbean and South America.

Indicator: This will be evident when students identify the United States and their capitals and
lists identifiable characteristics according to the worksheet provided by the teacher.

ELA and Literacy Standard:

Text Types and Purposes: 2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey
ideas and information clearly.
a. Introduce a topic clearly, provide a general observation and focus, and group related
information logically; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when
useful to aiding comprehension.

Indicator: This will be evident when the student completes their worksheet and effectively
communicates the information researched to his or her classmates.

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

Maps, Worksheets, Matching Game, Smartboard, Website List, Laptops/iPads

 MOTIVATION

Students will watch a YouTube Clip of the 50 United States and their capitals. Students will then
be required to stop and jot two of the state capitals they have trouble remembering. (5
minutes)

DEVELOPMENTAL PROCEDURES

(1) After watching the YouTube clip, students will be put into groups of four. They will review the
50 states and capitals with a matching game. Students may only answer one question until
everyone in their group has gone. (What is the capital of New York? Atlanta is the capital of
what state?) (10 minutes)
(2) After reviewing, students will be assigned a specific state by picking out of a bucket. (3 min.)
(3) Students will be given a worksheet containing questions about their states. Students will
research their states from websites previously selected by the teacher using their laptops/
iPads. (25 minutes)
(4) Students will return to their original groups and share their research with their classmates.
Each student is required to write down one new fact that he/she has learned from each group
members state. (20 min.)
(5) After sharing within groups, each student will partner with someone from outside their
group. The pairs will exchange information that was researched, and record an additional fact
from their partners state as well, collecting four facts from additional states in total. (10 min).
To close the lesson, students will be given an index card as an exit ticket. Each student is
required to answer the question Why is learning about other states other than our own
important? (10 min.)
Teacher will collect each students worksheet, grading them to assess if students answered 7
out of 10 questions correctly.

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Strategy
 Cooperative Learning- engaging groups of students in working together on a structured
activity.
Indicator: This will be evident when students work in groups to review the 50 states and their
capitals with the matching game.
Strategy
Discussion- engaging in meaningful discussion about the content
Indicator: This will be evident when the students are sharing the research conducted about their
states with each other.

ADAPTATIONS

(1) The student who is an English learner will be provided with a worksheet in both their native
language and English. [J1]
(2) The student who is an English learner will be provided with a word-to-word translation
device.
(3) The student who struggles to work in small groups will be encouraged to select his or her
group.
(4) The student who struggles to focus will be refocused throughout the lesson with the use of
specific non-verbal cues.
(5) The gifted student will be offered a more challenging version of the assignment. [J2]

DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

Struggling Students
Struggling students will receive a worksheet with sentence starting prompts and are required to
fill in the blanks correctly.

Average Students
Average students are given open ended questions and are required to provide one well
structured,
correct sentence as a response.

Advanced Students
Advanced students will receive more challenging questions pertaining to the topic, requiring
more information to answer the question completely with two three well structured, correct
sentences.
 ASSESSMENT

Students will complete given worksheet, answering a minimum of 7 out of 10 questions

correctly.

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
Following the assignment, the student will be given a map to label the 50 States and their
capitals, and the regions. The map will be collected and reviewed by the teacher.

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES: DIRECT TEACHER INTERVENTION AND

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT

Direct Teacher Intervention

The student, under direct intervention, will review the 50 states and their capitals with the
included matching game. [J3]
The student, under direct instruction, will review the facts researched with the teacher and go
over how to properly research them, completing a worksheet on an additional state if necessary.

Academic Enrichment
The students will be required to write a paragraph explaining which of the states they learned
about in class seems the most interesting to visit and why.
[J4]

REFERENCES]

Explore All Fifty U.S. States. (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2017, from
https://www.factmonster.com/explore-all-fifty-us-states

S. (2014, December 02). The 50 States and Capitals Song. Retrieved April 18, 2017, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQaWFEjTcVc
S. (2014, March 25). United States. Retrieved April 18, 2017, from
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/countries/united-states

States and Capitals . (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2017, from http://www.50states.com/

Name: Struggling Students Worksheet (English)

Date: ___________

My State

Directions: Please fill in the blank with the correct answers! Have fun!

Websites you can use:

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/countries/united-states/

http://www.50states.com/

https://www.factmonster.com/explore-all-fifty-us-states

1.The name of my state is ________________________.

2. The capital of my state is _______________________.

3. My states abbreviation is _______________________.

4. My state is located in the ______________________________ Region of the

United States.

5. My states population has _____________________ people.

6. All states have to be inducted into the Union. My state is the _____ state to be
inducted into the Union.

7. My states nickname is the _______________ State.

8. __________ is one state that borders my state.

9. The highest point of my state is ____________ feet high.

10. The largest city in my state is _____________________.

Nombre: Struggling Students Worksheet (Spanish)

Fecha___________

Mi estado
 Indicaciones: Por favor, rellene el espacio en blanco con
las respuestas correctas! Que te diviertas!
Sitios web que puede utilizer:
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/countries/united-states/

http://www.50states.com/

https://www.factmonster.com/explore-all-fifty-us-states

1. El nombre de mi estado es _______________.

2. El capital de mi estado es _______________.

3. La abreviatura de mi estado es __________.

4. Mi estado se encuentra en la _____________________________

Regin de los Estados Unidos.

5. La poblacin de mi estado tiene _____________ gente.

6. Todos los Estados tienen que ser introducidos en la Unin. Mi estado

es el ______ estado que se introduce en el sindicato

7. El apodo de mi estado es el _________ estado.

8. ___________ es un estado que limita mi estado.

9. El punto ms alto de mi estado es de _______ pies de alto

10. La ciudad ms grande de mi estado es ______________.

Name: Average Learners Worksheet
Date:___________
My State
Directions: Please answer the following questions correctly with a complete sentence! Have
fun !
Websites you can use: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/countries/united-

states/

http://www.50states.com/

https://www.factmonster.com/explore-all-fifty-us-states

1. What is the name of your state?

2. What is the capital of your state?

3. What is your states abbreviation?

4. What region of the United States is your state located in?

5. What is the population of your state?

6. All states have to be inducted into the Union. What number was your state?

7. What is your states nickname?

8. What is one state that borders yours?

9. What is the highest point of elevation in your state?

10. What is the largest city in your state?

Name: Advanced Learners Worksheet

Date:_______

My State

Directions: Please answer the following questions. Your responses should include 2-3

sentences. Have fun!

Websites you can use:

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/countries/united-states/

http://www.50states.com/

https://www.factmonster.com/explore-all-fifty-us-states

1. What is the name of your state? What is its abbreviation? Name one historical

reason behind the name of your state.

2. What is your states capital? Are the states capital and the largest populated state

the same? If not, please name the largest populated city in your state.

3. Who was the first person to explore your state? Where were they from and what

year was it?

4. What region of the United States is your state located in? Does this have any effect

on their geographical features? If so, how?

5. All states have to be inducted into the Union. What number was your state? How many

states were inducted before yours? After?

6. What is your states nickname? Name one reason why this is the nickname for your

state. If you cannot find a reason, list one place a resident of the state would see the

states nickname regularly.

7. List three states that border yours. What are their abbreviations and capitals?

8. What is the highest point of elevation in your state? What is the lowest?

9. Does your state have any major lakes or rivers? If so, what are they? List them all.

10. What is your states bird? What other kinds of wildlife are found in your state?
Independent Practice: