CAMPFIRE INTRODUCTION LESSON

ELA & SOCIAL STUDIES LESSON PLAN

RATIONALE
This lesson is developmentally appropriate for the third grade and is centered around
the students. The students use critical thinking and problem solving strategies that are
related to real world situations, the community and other cultures. This lesson
integrates social studies and English language arts.

OVERVIEW
Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Subjects: English Language Arts & Social Studies
Topic of Study: The Wild West
Time: 1 hour before lunch & 30 minutes after lunch = 1 hour & 30 minutes
Standards:
ELA: RL3: Describe the relationship between a series of historical events using language
that pertains to time, sequence and cause and effect.
Social Studies: Strand 1. Concept 1. PO.3: Use primary source materials (e.g. photos,
artifacts, interviews, documents, maps) and secondary source materials (e.g.
encyclopedias, biographies) to study people and events from the past.
Objective: Students will be able to identify and describe the Wild West and important people
who lived during that time through primary and secondary sources.

PROCEDURE
1. Students will gather around a campfire for an introduction about the Wild West. Pass
out the campfire song papers. There will be a video (Video #1) and Campfire Song #1 to
sing.
2. Placed around the room will be many sources for the students. They will learn about
important people from that time and why we went West. They will also use primary and
secondary sources as an introduction/discovery to people they can choose for their
papers. Then there will be a gallery walk to view the sources. This will last for 15 to 20
minutes, and walk around, observe, and have conversations with students .Put on Video
#2 for music while they walk around
3. Return to the campfire for a discussion.
4. 3 at a time, students will come and choose a costume to dress up in from the Wild
West, it may be a cowboy, Native American, sheriff (etc.) Then then will tell why they
chose that costume and one thing they learned about a person or the West.
5. Listen & sing along to Campfire Song #2.
6. Before lunch students will fill out the exit ticket. They will need to write about what they
dressed up as well as 2 things they learned about the Wild West (i.e. about a person
who lived during that time)
7. Break (Lunch & Recess)
 8. Student will get a blank paper and markers to color a photo about the Wild West. During
this time teacher will read the first 3 chapters of the magic treehouse book Ghost town
at Sundown.
9. Have students turn in drawings to be displayed on the art wall.

DIFFERENTIATION
This lesson can be adapted for any students needs. The gallery walk, songs, videos and
stories allow different learners different options to learn about the Wild West.

ASSESSMENT
Summative assessment: Exit Ticket
Formative assessment: Observation, questioning and discussion throughout the whole
lesson.

MATERIALS/RESOURCES
o Campfire
o Campfire Songs (teacher and student copies)
o Primary and secondary resources
o Blank paper
o Markers/Colored Pencils/Crayons
o Exit Ticket
o Video #1:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq1J8DHgrJo
o Video #2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUXf1TDEuFM
o Campfire Song #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXLiUoxUMYs
o Magic Treehouse Ghost Town at Sundown