Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)

Lesson Idea Name: Westward Expansion

Content Area: Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 4th Grade

Content Standard Addressed: SS4H3 Explain westward expansion in America.

Technology Standard Addressed: ISTE Standard 3a. Plan and employ effective research strategies to locate
information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.

Selected Technology Tool: ReadWriteThink

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable):

https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/ushistory/westwardexpansion/
readwritethink.org

Blooms Taxonomy Level(s):

Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

Level 1: Awareness Level 2: Exploration Level 3: Infusion Level 4: Integration
Level 5: Expansion Level 6: Refinement

Lesson idea implementation: This lesson will start off by introducing my students to the Westward
expansion in America. I will begin the lesson by showing them a video of westward expansion from BrainPop.
I will ask students to pay attention to important names and dates when watching the video. At the end of the
video I will have a whole group discussion with my students about what new information they learned from
the video. I will then explain to my students that they are to create their own timeline of the events that
happened during westward expansion with a title, image, and brief description. I will assess my students on
their abilities to follow directions, and implement the images and text into their timeline. This activity is fun
and hands on for students to use some creativity!

Summer 2017_SJB