Tennessee Tech University
Lesson Plan Template
Name: Brandy Gates, Beth Barger, and Jessica Rolen
Date: 11/14/2013
Lesson Title: U.S. Cities
Grade/Level: Third Grade
**This will be a week long lesson in which 10 cities will be addressed each day. Due to the number of cities within the
United States, the children will be unable to master all the cities. The goal will be for the children to master and
understand the major cities within the regions of the United States.**
Curriculum Standards
State/Common Core Curriculum Standards
Third Grade
World Geography and Cultures
3.20 Identify on a map major cities of the continent (Charleston, Chicago, Knoxville, Los Angeles, Memphis, Mexico
City, Miami, Montreal, Nashville, New York, Seattle, Washington D.C.). (G, TN)
3.21 Locate the states that comprise the regions of the United States. (G)
Focus Questions/Big Idea/Goal (List all 3)
What question(s), big idea(s), and goals drive your instruction?
Questions: Can the students identify the major cities of the United States on the map? What are some details about
certain major cities in the United States? How are maps used to find specific locations on a map?
Big Idea:Maps are used to identify geographical locations including cities, states, and major geographical features.
Goals:.Students will be able to understand where the major cities are located on the map through research and handson activities. The students will be able to use the internet as a resource to locate factual details on certain major cities.
Lesson Objective(s)
Objectives are measurable.
● Students will be able to identify major cities on the map of the United States.
● Students will locate facts about major cities in the United States and write a short description about an
assigned city.
Vocabulary/ Academic Language
Revised Spring 2013
Students will have the opportunity to practice this vocabulary during activities. Teacher will help students use these
vocabulary words during the activities so students will become familiar with these words.
Vocabulary
Geography-an integrated discipline that brings together the physical and human dimensions of the world in the study
of people, place, and environment focusing on the earth’s surface and the processes that shape it, the relationships
between people and environments, and the connections between people and places.
Maps-A diagrammatic representation of an area of land or sea showing physical features, cities, roads, etc.
States-A nation or territory considered as an organized political community under one government
Cities-A self-governing city, often with surrounding lands it governs.
Landmark-an object or feature of a landscape or town that is easily seen and recognized from a distance
Academic Language
Research
Facts
Technique
Details
Material/Resources
What do you need for this lesson?
Materials
- Bingo Boards
- U.S. Map
- Construction paper
- Large, blank U.S. map
- Markers
- Glue
Assessment/Evaluation
Formative:
The teacher will observe students during activities and discussion to see if students understand the information being
taught. The teacher will prompt the students with Bloom's questions to make sure that the students are understanding the
lesson objective. The teacher will take up students' BINGO cards and U.S. map to determine students’ prior knowledge of
the location of major U.S. cities.
Summative:
At the end of the lesson students will be given a U.S Cities Map Test and a map with 12 U.S. cities marked on the map.
The cities that will be labeled on the map will be cities that have been identified and discussed during the lesson. Students
will identify the 12 cities marked on the map. Students will be instructed to choose 6 cities and write one fact about each
city. This will be graded by the teacher to see if the students have mastered the locations of major U.S. cities. Mastery will
be seen as students who can identify 10-12 cities and be able to write a fact about 6 cities.
Revised Spring 2013
Instruction
Total time for lesson:115 minutes
List Questions for higher order
thinking These cannot be
answered by yes or no.
(Identify Bloom’s Level of
Thinking)
Set/Motivator: (10 Mins)
Remember: What landmark would
you associate with New York
City?
Toontastic:
The teacher will introduce the lesson with a Toontastic video.The toontastic video
will identify one major city of the United States through the association of a
landmark.
Understanding: What techniques
The teacher will hold a discussion in which the students will address their knowledge were used to help with
on how to identify major cities on the map utilizing landmarks and geographical
identification of cities?
features.
Instructional Procedures/Learning Tasks:
Activity I (10 mins):
U.S. Cities Bingo:
Students will be given a BINGO card with major U.S. Cities in the BINGO squares
and a U.S. map with the states labeled on it. The class will participate in a game of
Bingo. When a city on the students BINGO card is called, students will need to mark
the city on the map (in the general area) before they can mark the city off their card.
This will be a pre-assessment for the teacher to see what students know about the
location of major U.S. cities. Students won’t need to know the actual location of the
city, but students need to be in the general area of the cities location. After the bingo
game has been completed the teacher will mark the correct locations of the cities on
a map displayed on the smartboard. Students will then need to use a different
colored crayon or marker to mark the correct placement of each city on their BINGO
map.
(Discussion time 5 mins) The teacher will discuss, with the students, what different techniques they felt helped
them identify the location of the major cities during the bingo game. Through this
discussion the students will be able to share with their peers what they felt worked
for them or what didn’t. The teacher will share with the students other techniques
such as locating the capital that can be used as a guide. Depending on the map, the
students can use mountain ranges, oceans, rivers and lakes to pinpoint cities. These
different types of techniques will be useful and/or helpful to them throughout the
activities, as well as throughout the real-world.
Understanding: Are you able to
identify the major cities by
applying additional information
and if so, how?
Analyzing:
Can you distinguish between
cities and states?
Activity II (30 mins):
City Research
The teacher will partner the students in groups of two. Once they have been
partnered, the teacher will hand out a copy of The City Information worksheet. Each
student will receive a copy for their individual use. The teacher will then pass out a
slip of paper with the city they will be researching. This will eliminate any duplicates.
The cities that the students will focus on will be Nashville, Knoxville, Los Angeles,
Charleston, Detroit, Seattle, Orlando, Pierre, New York, and Salt Lake City. The
teacher will read the instructions pertaining to the information on the worksheet and
then students will be provided with books and bookmarked websites on the
computers. Each group will have the opportunity to find information on the
computers if there are only a select number of computers available by having time
rotations. The teacher will use New York City as a model to show to the class
During the student’s research, the teacher will walk around observing the students to
monitor work ethics, as well as asking them questions about the information they
have researched thus far. The teacher will allow the students sufficient time to find
the information and once their time is over, the teacher will direct them back to their
seat for another activity.
Revised Spring 2013
(The City Information worksheet will be modified to focus on the cities information.)
Activity III (45 mins):
Story quilt for city landmark
Once the students have researched their cities information on the worksheet, the
teacher will pass out construction paper for the students while allowing them an
opportunity to retrieve their supplies (scissors, glue, crayons). The teacher will
instruct the students to draw a picture or landmark that symbolizes that city. The
students will be allowed to reference back to the computer, if necessary and in
groups for ten minute increments to help them with the symbols and landmark. Once
the students have drawn the symbol or landmark on their construction paper they will
color their picture. After the picture has been cut out and colored, they will choose
three or four facts from their information worksheet to write on the picture.
Once the students are finished with the activity, the teacher will direct them to the
front of the class where there will be a poster of the United States. The poster will
represent the states as well as red dots that the cities are located. Students will be
instructed to take their pictures with the information and identify where the picture of
their city should be placed on the map. As the groups place their pictures on the map
they will present some of the information they learned about the city to the class.
Closure: Time (15 mins)
Evaluating:
U.S. Cities Map Test
What changes could be made to
At the end of the lesson students will be able to show their knowledge of certain U.S. help with identifying major cities?
cities locations by completing the U.S. Cities Map Test. Students will be given a
map with different cities marked on the map and the U.S. Cities Map Test. Students
will demonstrate their knowledge of the locations of different U.S. cities by marking
the labeled cities on the map. Students will choose 6 cities and write one fact about
each city. If students have mastered the locations of the U.S. cities they will be able
to completely identify 10-12 cities labeled on the map and be able to give one fact for
six cities.
Adaptations to Meet Individual Needs:
Gardner’s Learning Styles
Visual-Spatial: Students will have a visual of the United States map during BINGO. Students will be able to see exactly
where certain U.S. cities are on the map. Students will also be viewing a map and placing the US Cities where they
belong on the map.
Bodily-Kinesthetic: Students will engage in hands-on learning by doing research on the computer about the city given to
them and by making a representation of the city for the map/story quilt.
Intrapersonal-Students will be showing off their knowledge of the US Cities and will have to be able to demonstrate
their self smarts.
Linguistic-Students will present the city they have researched to the class.
Management/Safety Issues:
Safety Issues-Students will be using scissors during the Story Quilt activity. The teacher will observe students while
they are using the scissors and instruct students to use scissors the correct way.
Management - The teacher will need to keep students on task during their time doing research on the computer. It will
be easy for students to get distracted using computers, so the teacher will need to monitor students during this part of
the activity.
Rationale/Theoretical Reasoning:
Rationale
Students tend not be able to locate most of the U.S. Cities on a map. Students are working on their knowledge of
Revised Spring 2013
where major U.S. cities are located on the map. By incorporating the story quilt activity, the students are being provided
research skills that will help them in the real world.
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/SSGLCE_218368_7.pdf
Theoretical Reasoning
Multiple Intelligences: This lesson specifically addresses Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. The
lesson focuses on interpersonal, linguistic, and visual learning styles to help every student. Refer to Gardner’s Learning
Styles above in order to understand how each individual student’s needs are met.
Multiple Intelligences. Retrieved from http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html
Marzano’s Nine Instructional Strategies for effective Teaching and Learning: This lesson has used Marzano’s
strategies throughout the lesson.
Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback:Setting the goal is that students will gain conceptual knowledge about the
US Cities.
Nonlinguistic Representations: Evidence supports that nonlinguistic representations help stimulate and increase brain
activity. In this lesson, students are provided with a map of the US and bingo playing boards.
Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback: In this lesson, the teacher will monitor student understanding throughout
the lesson to make sure the students understand the new material that is being presented to them.
Marzano's Nine Instructional Strategies for Effective Teaching and Learning. Retrieved from
http://www.ntuaft.com/TISE/Research-Based%20Instructional%20Strategies/marzanos%209%20strategies.pdf
Bloom's Taxonomy
Benjamin Bloom's Taxonomy is being emphasized in the lesson by asking students more in-depth questions about the
material being taught. By asking these questions, the students are developing higher order thinking skills. Students will
gain a greater understanding about major cities and their location in the United States.
Bloom's Taxonomy. (n.d) Retrieved from http:/www.utar.edu.my/fegt/file/Revised_Blooms_Info.pdf
Vygotsky’s Social Learning
This lesson incorporates group discussion which will enable students to learn from each other. Students will collaborate
with their peers while exploring U.S. cities. By incorporating group discussion students will express their ideas and gain
new ideas from their classmates.
Vygotsky: Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in Society. The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge,
MA: Harvard University Press.
References:
United States Map with States Worksheet:
http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/graphics1920x1080/1920-usa-states.jpg
(also for US Map Cities Test)
Bloom’s Taxonomy
http:/www.utar.edu.my/fegt/file/Revised_Blooms_Info.pdf
Vocabulary:
http://www.aaps.k12.mi.us/ins.ell/files/10-02glossary_48851_7.pdf
Marzano’s Instructional Strategies
http://www.ntuaft.com/TISE/Research-Based%20Instructional%20Strategies/marzanos%209%20strategies.pdf
Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligence
http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html
Bingo Boards:
https://www.bingocardcreator.com/users/word-lists/edit/950478
Reflections/Future Modifications: To what extent did the class learn what you intended them to learn? What will be
Revised Spring 2013
your next steps instructionally? What did you learn about your students as learners? What have you learned about
yourself as a teacher?
City Information Worksheet
Revised Spring 2013
United States Cities Map Test
Name ____________________ Date __________________
Directions:
·
Label the cities according to their numbers on the map on the reverse side.
·
Spelling should be VERY close….with only 1 to 3 letters incorrect.
1. __________________________________
2. __________________________________
3. __________________________________
4. __________________________________
5. __________________________________
6. __________________________________
7. __________________________________
8. __________________________________
9. __________________________________
10.___________________________________
11.___________________________________
12.___________________________________
United States Map for Bingo and Summative Test
Revised Spring 2013
Revised Spring 2013