University of Ontario Institute of Technology
Faculty of Education
Corisa Chamberlain
Fiona Daly
Christine McGoveran
Integrated Unit Plan
Grade 5 – Journey Back in Time
Early Civilizations
Due: Sunday, March 9, 2008
Submitted to: Janette Hughes
Submitted on: Thursday, March 6, 2008
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
2
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
3
Journey Back in Time Summary
Early Civilizations will be explored in May, which falls towards the end of
the 2007/2008 school year. Students have already been through most of the
curriculum and have opportunities to read a number of different texts (fiction,
non-fiction, poetry, historical fiction, fantasy, news reports etc). Students have
also participated in literature circles throughout the year and will continue their
literature circles through this unit, now focusing on historical texts.
Several ancient worlds will be explored (Egypt, Greek, Rome, China…),
and students will research and present their findings through role play, visual
arts, musical expression, and first-person narrative stories. Structures of the
ancient world will be explored through Art (recreation of structures) and math
(geometry). Students will also take a field trip to the ROM to see artefacts from
the civilizations they have been studying.
Some of the lessons included in our unit plan will have students participate
in an archaeological dig. As students uncover various artefacts they will need to
decide what ancient civilization they come from, and what they were used for.
Drama and Media will be explored through the preparation and presentation of
skits as well as the creation of Greek Masks. The Roles and Responsibilities of
individuals from ancient civilizations will be explored through reading, writing in
perspective, as well as role play.
As seen in our lesson plans, students will play an active role in their own
learning. Students are out of their desks and completing hands on activities to
bring ancient civilizations to life. Lessons and activities also draw on a variety of
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
4
learning differences. The unit will allow students to learn individually and with
groups; through movement, reading, and writing; on field trips and in class; by
creating new objects and uncovering “ancient artefacts”.
We fell that our unit will engage all learners, and will lead to lasting
memories for our students. The incorporation of many hands on activities allows
students to direct their own learning, which will lead to deeper, more personal
knowledge.
Learning Expectations
LANGUAGE ARTS
WRITING
Overall Expectations
 generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an
intended purpose and audience;
 draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and
graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and
audience;
Specific Expectations
 identify the topic, purpose, and audience for a variety of writing forms
 identify and order main ideas and supporting units that could be used to
develop several linked paragraphs, using a variety of strategies
 determine whether the ideas and information they have gathered are
relevant, appropriate, and adequate for the purpose, and do more
research if necessary
 establish an appropriate voice in their writing, with a focus on modifying
language and tone to suit different circumstances or audiences
ORAL COMMUNICATION
Overall Expectations
 use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with
different audiences for a variety of purposes;
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
5
Specific Expectations
 demonstrate an understanding of appropriate speaking behaviour in a
variety of situations, including paired sharing, dialogue, and small- and
large-group discussions
 communicate orally in a clear, coherent manner, presenting ideas,
opinions, and information in a readily understandable form
MEDIA LITERACY
Overall Expectations
 create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using
appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques;
Specific Expectations
 identify the purpose and audience for a variety of media texts

describe in detail the topic, purpose, and audience for media texts they
plan to create
SOCIAL STUDIES
Overall Expectations
 identify and compare the ways in which people in various early
civilizations met their physical and social needs, including how they
interacted with and used the natural environment;
Specific Expectations
 outline how social needs were met in two or more early civilizations
 identify important values and beliefs in two or more early civilizations and
describe how they affected daily life
 use media works, oral presentations, written notes and descriptions,
drawings, tables, charts, maps, and graphs to communicate information
about early communities;
 identify major early civilizations (e.g., Mediterranean, African, Asian,
North/Central/South American)
THE ARTS
VISUAL ARTS
Overall Expectations
 produce two- and three-dimensional works of art that communicate a
range of ideas (thoughts, feelings, experiences) for specific purposes and
to specific audiences
 describe their interpretation of a variety of art works, basing their
interpretation on evidence from the works (especially on ways in which an
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
6
artist has used the elements of design to clarify meaning) and on their own
knowledge and experience;
Specific Expectations
 select the most appropriate tools, materials, and techniques for a
particular purpose, and use them correctly
 compare works on a similar theme (e.g., seasons) from various periods
and cultures, and describe the impact of time and location on style
 produce two- and three-dimensional works of art (i.e., works involving
media and techniques used in drawing, painting, sculpting, printmaking)
that communicate a range of thoughts, feelings, and ideas for specific
purposes and to specific audiences (e.g., using electronic media, design
an eye-catching title page for their science notebook that clearly
communicates the topic for a specific unit of study);
DRAMA
Overall Expectations
 interpret and communicate the meaning of stories, films, plays, songs, and
other material drawn from different sources and cultures, using a range of
drama and dance techniques (e.g., using a “corridor of voices”);
Specific Expectations
 rehearse and perform small-group drama and dance presentations drawn
from novels, poems, stories, plays, and other source materials;
 provide support for their interpretations of personal experiences and
aspects of history, which they have presented through drama and dance
(e.g., arrival in a new country, life in a medieval village), using various
research resources to gather information;
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
7
Culminating Activity/Assignment
Throughout the unit students will read and write about people from ancient
civilizations. They will also student the various elements of ancient cultures. For
their culminating task, students will select a historical figure of their choice (from
one of the ancient civilizations studied), and will write a journal entry from the
perspective of their historical figure including: lifestyle, daily activities, and ‘social
commentary’ on their own culture. Students will hand in their journal to the
teacher.
Students from the same civilization will also be asked to work as a group
to put together a dramatic presentation (a short skit ~ 5 minutes) to explain
culture incorporating norms and lifestyle (upper class, royalty, servants etc.)
They will be encouraged to dress as their historical figure, and bring in/make
some artefacts that would have been used at the time. These artefacts could be
artwork they work on through the unit.
After students present all of their historical figures, the class will have a
‘Journey Back in Time’ celebration. Students will have the opportunity to play
games that were popular in that time period. Students will interaction with other
‘historical figures’ and celebrate their new knowledge.
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
8
Accommodations/Modifications
Some students may not feel comfortable presenting their culminating task
in front of the class. Students will be given the option to complete a video
presentation: their presentation can be filmed beforehand and shown to the
class.
Students can make use of the Resource Room or Library as alternative
work areas. They may also have scribes to help them write down their ideas. A
number of visuals and hands-on activities will be made use of in the classroom to
accommodate learners with special needs.
Individual lesson plans outline more specifically what
accommodations/modifications will be put in place: please see lesson plans.
Assessment and Evaluation Guidelines
For their Culminating Task group work, students will complete a peer
assessment as well as an individual assessment. Key ideas will be effort put
forth, cooperation, brainstorming/ideas, and overall contribution to the group
assignment.
At the end of the unit, students will complete a unit test on Ancient
Civilizations – this will be content based.
Other assessment and evaluation strategies are outlined in our lesson
plans: please see plans for more detail.
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
9
List of Key Resources
Support Books List:
Cotterell, A., The Penguin Encyclopedia of Ancient Civilizations. Toronto:
Penguin Publishing, 1980.
Scholastic Canada. Curriculum Resources :Social Studies Library: Grade 5:
Heritage and Citizenship: Early Civilizations. Scholastic Canada, 2008.
http://www.scholastic.ca/education/curriculum/social_lib.html. Retrieved
February, 2008.
CD Rom:
Microsoft. Encarta. Microsoft Encarta, 2008. Retrieved on February, 2008.
Website: http://www.microsoft.com/products/encarta/default.mspx
Online Internet Connections:
Educational Resources in Social Studies. Ancient Civilizations Theme Page.
CLN. Retrieved on February, 2008. Website:
http://www.cln.org/themes/ancient.html
Ancient Greece. Ancient Greece. University Press, 2008. Retrieved on February,
2008.Website: http://www.ancientgreece.com/s/Main_Page/
Virtual Museum of Canada. Land of the Spirits: Dig Down – Dig Back. Friends of
Bonnechere Parks, 2006. Retrieves on February 2008. Website:
http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Spirits/English/index.html
Activity Centre Ideas:
Ancient Civilizations Artifacts table:
Students will be able to explore and identify various artifacts from different
early civilizations. Info will be provided on each of the artifacts, where they
are from and their purpose.
Ancient Civilizations Reading Centre:
Students will be able to pick different books that relate to the theme that
are non- fiction and fiction and read about ancient civilizations.
Ancient Civilizations Arts Centre:
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
10
Students will be able to further explore ancient art forms that interest them
by creating what they have done previously in prior lessons.
Ancient Civilizations Exploratory Centre:
Students will be able to look at pictures, diagrams, maps, etc and
information on different categories like food, clothing, religion, lifestyle etc.
relating to specific ancient civilizations.
Annotated Bibliography
Focus Books:
Gregory, Kristiana. Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile. New York: Scholastic,
1999.
While her father is hiding after attempts on his life, twelve-year-old
Cleopatra records in her diary how she fears for her own safety and hopes
to survive to become Queen of Egypt some day.
Jacq, Christian. Ramses Volume 1 The Son of Light. Toronto; Grand Central
Publishing, 1997.
More than 3,000 years ago, Ramses was born to power and privilege in
the Royal household of ancient Egypt. The Son of Light is the first volume
is an historical fiction about a fourteen-year-old boy who is being prepared
to take the the throne during the time of the ancient Egyptians.
Osborne, Mary Pope. Mummies in the Morning. New York: Random House,
1993.
Jack and his younger sister take a trip in their tree house back to ancient
Egypt, where they help a queen's mummy continue her voyage to the Next
Life.
Sutcliff, Rosemary. The Eagle of the Ninth. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux,
1993.
A young centurion ventures among the hostile tribes beyond the Roman
Wall to recover the eagle standard of the Ninth, a legion which
mysteriously disappeared under his father's command.
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
11
Corollary Books:
Baker III, C. F., & Rosalie, F., Ancient Egyptians: People of the Pyramids. New
York: Oxford University Press, 2001.
This book offers an introduction to many of the important people of ancient
Egypt. Some of these include Imhotep, Khufu, Nefertiti, Hatshepsut,
Tutankhamun, and Rameses the Great, the last king of ancient Egypt.
This book covers the period up until the time of 322 BCE. This book would
be used in teaching students about the leaders and government of ancient
Egypt.
Bordessa, K., Tools of the Ancient Greeks: A Kid’s Guide to the History &
Science of Life in Ancient Greece. Chicago, IL: Nomad Press, 2006.
The focus of this book is to provide readers with information on the
sciences and inventions of the ancient Greeks. This book also helps
students discover the differences and similarities between life in ancient
Greece, and that of our modern times. This book would be very useful for
covering the Social Studies expectations regarding comparisons between
ancient and modern times.
Carlson, M. A., Theories of the Theatre: A Historical And Critical Survey
From The Greeks to the Present. New York: Cornell University Press,
1993.
This adult-level book provides readers with an in-depth discussion of
Greek theatre. It also traces the history of theatre from the Greeks to
modern times. This book would be used by teachers to learn about Greek
theatre, rather than be read by students, due to the adult-level vocabulary
and high density of text. It would be a very good source of background
information.
Chandler, F., Taplin, S., & Bingham, J., The Usborne Internet-Linked
Encyclopedia of the Roman World. London: Usborne Publishing Ltd.,
2001.
This kid-friendly source is full of brief descriptions of important topics,
people, places, and many other aspects of ancient Rome. The colour
images in this book are of very good quality, and are very comprehensive
in nature. This book should be displayed in the classroom for students to
consult during activities, or to read during free reading time throughout the
day. This book also links directly to a website, full of additional resources
for students and teachers.
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
12
Corbishley, M., Illustrated Encyclopedia of Ancient Rome. London: British
Museum Press, 2003.
This book is an encyclopedia covering many aspects of history, culture,
and daily life in ancient Rome. Students should use this book as a
reference when doing research, or to free during free reading time in
class.
Dickinson, R., Tools of the Ancient Romans: A Kid’s Guide to the History and
Science of Life in Ancient Rome. White River Junction, VT: Nomad Books,
2006.
The focus of this book is to provide readers with information on the
sciences and inventions of the ancient Romans. This book also helps
students discover the differences and similarities between life in ancient
Rome, and that of our modern times. This book would be very useful for
covering the Social Studies expectations regarding comparisons between
ancient and modern times.
Fry, Erin. 25 Mini-Plays: World History: Great 10-Minute Plays to Kick-Off or
Wrap Up the Ancient Civilization Lessons you Teach and Engage.
Toronto: Scholastic Canada, 2000.
Two-page mini-plays are contained within this book. This books provides
students with ideas for writing their own plays during dramatic
presentations. Stories revolve around events from Egypt, China, and
Rome. Some of these include the story of Romulus and Remus, the
building of the first pyramid, and the Han Dynasty.
Hart, A., & Mantell, P., Ancient Greece! 40 Hands-on Activities to Experience
This Wondrous Age. Charlotte, VA: Williamson Publishing, 1999.
This is a wonderful resource for both students and teachers. It is full of
hands-on activity ideas for students, as well as providing information on
various aspects of life in ancient Greece, including science, technology,
and religious beliefs. Teachers could take ideas for their lessons from this
text, or students can use it to generate ideas for creative projects.
Jovinelly, J., & Netelkos, J., The Crafts and Culture of the Ancient Greeks. New
York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2002.
This book is entirely dedicated to a discussion of the arts and culture in
ancient Greece. Although all pictures are in black and white, readers are
able to see good examples of the changing styles of arts and crafts during
this period. Students could use this book when learning about Greek art,
or teachers could use it to gain background information on the subject.
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
13
Kipling, R., Just So Stories. London: Puffin Books, 1902.
This book contains a variety of adaptations of Aesop’s fables, geared
towards children. Aesop is one of the most famous writers from ancient
Greece. These stories are good for children, as they provide a discussion
of morals and lessons that are applicable to daily life. Students will use
these books to generate ideas for their dramatic presentations.
Lassieur, A., Lost Civilizations: The Ancient Egyptians. San Diego, CA: Lucent
Books, Inc., 2001.
These books the Lost Civilizations series provide a general introduction to
numerous civilizations. They include such aspects as religion, beliefs,
daily life, science, technology, and the arts. This book discusses the
ancient Egyptians. These books can be used as reference material, or for
a review of content covered in the unit.
McDonald, F., Step Into… Aztec & Maya Worlds. London: Hermes House, 2007.
Books in the Step Into . . . series allow students to experience life in many
different early civilizations. This book discusses the Aztecs and Mayans.
These books are full of hands-on activity ideas for students. Teachers can
incorporate ideas from these books into their lessons. Students can also
use these ideas to create several creative projects of their own.
Nardo, D., Lost Civilizations: The Ancient Greeks. San Diego, CA: Lucent Books,
Inc., 2001.
These books the Lost Civilizations series provide a general introduction to
numerous civilizations. They include such aspects as religion, beliefs,
daily life, science, technology, and the arts. This book discusses the
ancient Greeks. These books can be used as reference material, or for a
review of content covered in the unit.
Nardo, D., Lost Civilizations: The Ancient Romans. San Diego: Lucent Books,
Inc., 2001.
These books the Lost Civilizations series provide a general introduction to
numerous civilizations. They include such aspects as religion, beliefs,
daily life, science, technology, and the arts. This book discusses the
ancient Romans. These books can be used as reference material, or for a
review of content covered in the unit.
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
14
Oxlade, C., Eyewitness Books: Olympics. London: DK Publishing Inc, 2005.
As with other books in the Eyewitness series, this is a comprehensive
exploration of the ancient Olympics. The Olympics is always a very
popular topic with students, especially with the upcoming Olympics this
summer. The beginnings and history of the Olympics is outlined in this
book. By reading this book, students can learn about the differences
between ancient and modern Olympic games, and sports in general.
Pearson, A., Eyewitness Books: Ancient Greece. New York: Dorling Kindersley,
2000.
This reference book is very inclusive, discussing both the history and
culture of the ancient Greeks. The colour images provide excellent
examples of artefacts from Greece, as well as discussing the context in
which they were found. Students will enjoy this book, and be able to make
comparisons with modern society.
Peppas, L., Peoples of the Ancient World: Life in Ancient Greece. New York:
Crabtree, 2005
This book is a good reference book for students when they are learning
about ancient Greece. It contains images of Greek art, sculpture, and
other artefacts. The glossary identifies many historical figures, and defines
important concepts and terms. This book would be a good reference for
students to consult when learning about ancient Greek art, history, and
philosophy.
Pollitt. J.J., Art and experience in Classical Greece. London: Cambridge
University Press, 1972.
J.J. Pollitt is one of the leading experts on Greek art from the Classical
and Hellenistic periods. In this book, he discusses the art, sculpture, and
architecture of the Classical period, from 480-320 BCE. A major strength
of this work is that Pollitt strives to not have the artwork in isolation, but
rather provide a context for it, and place it within the social history of the
period. This book would be used by teachers to provide them with
information about the arts. It is a very dense text, but overall a very
enjoyable read. Some knowledge of art vocabulary and history is required
to use this book successfully, as the author makes assumptions that some
terms and concepts are already known by the reader.
Pollitt. J.J., Art in the Hellenistic Age. London: Cambridge University Press, 1986.
This book by J.J. Pollitt serves as a continuation in his discussion of the
history of ancient Greek art. In this work, Pollit’s focus is on the Hellenistic
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
15
period from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE, to
approximately the mid-first century BCE. As with his other book, Pollitt
provides context and social commentary to the works of art, sculpture, and
architecture he discusses. He also makes a chronological progression
through time. This book would be used by teachers to provide them with
information about the arts. It is a very dense text, but overall a very
enjoyable read. Some knowledge of art vocabulary and history is required
to use this book successfully, as the author makes assumptions that some
terms and concepts are already known by the reader.
Quie, S., Myths and Civilization of the Ancient Egyptians. New York: Peter
Bedrick Books, 1998.
Mythology and religion were very important to early civilizations. This book
focuses on the various myths of the ancient Egyptians. Students are very
interested in learning about their mythology, particularly because it is full
of interesting stories, and because it is very different than our beliefs in
modern society. This book would be used by both teachers and students
to learn about the mythology of the ancient Egyptians.
Rees, R., Understanding People in the past: The Ancient Greeks. Chicago, IL:
Heinemann Library, 1997.
This book takes a fun approach to looking at the lives of the ancient
Greeks. Topics discussed in this book include family life, schooling for
children, food, entertainment, theatre, and sporting events. Each of these
sections includes visuals, such as diagrams, maps, and drawings.
Reid, S., Julius Ceasar. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2002.
The Caesars were a very significant noble family during the Late Republic
and Early Empire in ancient Rome. Julius Caesar is a very recognizable
name for students, and they are very interested in learning about his life,
and his unfortunate death. In this book, students will learn about Julius
Caesar’s life, and also about the history of the period. Students can then
use their critical thinking skills to decide which information is of
significance, to create their own versions of Caesar’s biography.
Salariya, D., How Would You Survive as an Ancient Egyptian? New York:
Franklin Watts, 2001.
In this book, students are asked to consider how they would survive if they
lived in ancient Egypt. It is a playful discussion of more random
information than would be found in many other texts. For example, in this
book, students can find out about what the ancient Egyptians did if they
had a toothache. This book presents life in ancient Egypt from a variety of
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
16
perspectives, including the daily lives of slaves and lower-class people in
Egyptian society.
Sheik, J., Discovering Early Civilizations. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 2002.
This book investigates the importance of the environment in shaping early
civilizations. It also identifies how various human needs, such as food,
shelter and clothing, were met. Students can explore and describe the
influence of early civilizations on modern society with respect to science,
technology, language, art, and government.
Steele, P., Step Into… Ancient Egypt. London: Hermes House, 2007.
Books in the Step Into . . . series allow students to experience life in many
different early civilizations. This book discusses the ancient Egyptians.
These books are full of hands-on activity ideas for students. Teachers can
incorporate ideas from these books into their lessons. Students can also
use these ideas to create several creative projects of their own.
Steele, P., Step Into… The Roman Empire. London: Hermes House, 2007.
Books in the Step Into . . . series allow students to experience life in many
different early civilizations. This book discusses the Roman Empire. These
books are full of hands-on activity ideas for students. Teachers can
incorporate ideas from these books into their lessons. Students can also
use these ideas to create several creative projects of their own.
Key Learning Concepts in These Books:
1. Religion (Egypt, Greece, Rome, Maya, Aztec)
2. Mythology (Egyptian)
3. The Arts (Egypt, Greece, Rome)
4. History (Egypt, Greece, Rome, Maya, Aztec)
5. Daily Life (Egypt, Greece, Rome, Maya, Aztec)
6. Science and Technology (Egypt, Greece, Rome, Maya, Aztec)
7. Critical Thinking
8. Research Skills
9. Inquiry
10. Active Learning
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
17
Individual Reflection
Corisa Chamberlain – 100334117
In creating our unit plan “Journey Back in Time” for a grade 5 classroom
that integrates the subjects of social studies, language arts and the arts there
were many things that I found work well and some things that were difficult. With
our unit plan I feel there are many strengths that make our unit plan work well.
One of these strengths is that we kept our students in mind and having them be
active participants in their learning. I found taking our brainstorming ideas and
coming up with lesson plans for each subject was fun and exciting, as we began
to imagine our students learning our unit. I feel our unit has really interesting and
fun lessons on the theme of “Early Civilizations”. Each lesson has different
learning experiences that tie into the overall theme and relate to the other
lessons. I feel the students by the end of the unit will be able to learn about “Early
Civilizations” not only from the theory being taught but by the practice and their
learning experiences. I like how we created our lessons to be more hands on
activities where students can actually be actively learning by doing the stuff that
is being taught. We wanted our students in this end of the year unit, to be like
archaeologists in the classroom by exploring and excavating new learning’s of
ancient literature, art and drama with prior knowledge of what came before. I feel
it was challenging to integrate the subjects into one lesson plan at first by trying
to figure out how to combine them in such a way that works well. Another
problem I faced was the abundance of resources that are out there for children to
learn about “Early Civilizations”. I also faced the problem of being so excited
about what we could teach our students and not having enough time to fit it all in.
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
18
As a group, I feel we worked well together as a team in creating this unit plan and
we all are excited about maybe one day using it in our own classrooms.
Individual Reflection
Fiona Daly – 100334309
Early Civilizations, as a topic of study, lends itself easily to the language
arts and arts/drama/music curriculum. I feel that we incorporated a variety of
aspects from the curriculum to make our unit plan one that engage all learners,
and covers a spectrum of knowledge. What I consider a strength in this unit is
the fact that the theme is something all learners will find interesting, and can
learn about. There are aspects of every culture, even historical ones, which
relate to the present. Students can take what they already know about North
American culture and compare it to how life was in early civilizations. The fact
that the unit will have a personal connection for all students increases the
opportunities for learning.
This unit plan also considers the various needs and learning styles of the
potential students in our classroom. Students will complete a variety of activities
to help them learn the information, apply in, and communicate about it. We have
incorporated many hands-on activities to engage learners, and also bring in
drama, art, field trips, presentations, individual work and group work. These
examples, and more, contribute to our unit plan being accessible for a variety of
learning styles.
My concern for this unit plan is timing. I am unsure if we have planned too
much information for our unit, or if we have made our unit too many weeks long.
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
19
This uncertainty comes from my limited experiences in the classroom. I have
neither planned nor implemented a unit before, and so I do not know what to
expect in terms of time. I think this aspect of our unit plan could be improved,
however at this point in time I am unsure of what to do to make it better.
Individual Reflection
Christine L. McGoveran – 100335545
Our “Journey Back in Time” unit is very comprehensive, and
usable for the beginning teacher. The unit plan is for teaching the Early
Civilizations strand of the grade 5 Social Studies curriculum. With my background
in archaeology, particularly Greek and Roman, I was able to provide much of the
subject content for this unit plan. In this unit, we chose to include the civilizations
of ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt, and Mexico.
For four years previous to beginning this program, I facilitated a program
that taught archaeology to grade 5 students at a variety of different local schools
in St. Catharines. As part of this half-day workshop, I provided students with a
brief introduction to the study of archaeology, and a review of ancient
civilizations. The rest of the time was spent doing mock-excavations with small
groups of students, and having them write narratives based around a work of
Roman or Greek art. These activities worked very well with the students, and
they gained both knowledge and an enjoyable experience from the workshop. It
is for this reason, that we put those lessons into our unit plan.
Our unit plan has numerous strengths, in a variety of areas. First, we
made sure that the Social Studies subject content is being covered, through a
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
20
variety of fun and exciting lessons and activities. For example, near the end of
the unit students will be using their previous learning to complete a mock
excavation from the four different early civilizations covered in this unit. Another
strength of the unit is that the Arts and Language Arts are used as the vehicles
by which we are instructing our students. The focus was put upon integration of
these three subject areas. Each of our six lessons in this unit plan integrates at
least two of the three curriculum areas.
Although this unit has not been put into practice, I can see three main
areas that would require additional work or modification to be implemented
properly. For this unit, we do not have a class, so we can only hypothesize about
on several aspects of the unit plan. We are unable to know their strengths,
weaknesses, and interests. If we knew this information, we would be better able
to create lessons to meet the needs of our students. A second modification that
would need to be made to this unit plan would be to add content and activities
from the other areas of the curriculum, including mathematics, science and
technology, and health and physical education. There is so much that can be
done using the content area of grade 5 Early Civilizations, that the possibilities
are almost endless. A third area of additional work required would be to find very
high quality works of fiction that are appropriate for students at the grade 5 level.
This proved to be a challenge for the creation of this unit plan, as there are very
few options currently available for this topic.
It is for the above reasons that our “Journey Back in Time” would be very
successful when implemented with a class of grade 5 students.
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
21
Faculty of Education
Lesson Plan Template
Subject / Course: Social Studies and Language Arts
Grade Level: Grade 5
Topic: Early Civilizations
TC Name: Ms. Christine L. McGoveran
Miss. Fiona Daly
Ms. Corisa Chamberlain
1. Instructional Expectations and Opportunities
a) Expectations: (approx. 1-3 expectations from the Ontario Curriculum that could be assessed
The Arts Expectations:
By the end of grade 5, students will:
Visual Arts Expectations:
Overall Expectation:

produce two- and three-dimensional works of art that communicate a range of
ideas (thoughts, feelings, experiences) for specific purposes and to specific
audiences;
Specific Expectation:

produce two- and three-dimensional works of art (i.e., works involving media and
techniques used in drawing, painting, sculpting, printmaking) that communicate a
range of thoughts, feelings, and ideas for specific purposes and to specific
audiences (e.g., using electronic media, design an eye-catching title page for their
science notebook that clearly communicates the topic for a specific unit of study);
Drama Expectations:
Overall Expectation:

interpret and communicate the meaning of stories, films, plays, songs, and other
material drawn from different sources and cultures, using a range of drama and
dance techniques (e.g., using a “corridor of voices”);
Specific Expectations:

rehearse and perform small-group drama and dance presentations drawn from
novels, poems, stories, plays, and other source materials;

provide support for their interpretations of personal experiences and aspects of
history, which they have presented through drama and dance (e.g., arrival in a
new country, life in a medieval village), using various research resources to gather
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
22
information;
Social Studies Expectation:
Specific Expectation:

use media works, oral presentations, written notes and descriptions, drawings,
tables, charts, maps, and graphs to communicate information about early
communities;
Language Arts – Media Literacy:
Overall Expectation:

create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using
appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques;
Specific Expectation:

identify the purpose and audience for a variety of media texts

describe in detail the topic, purpose, and audience for media texts they plan to
create
In explaining to students about Greek Theatre in early civilizations – Explain to students
how Theatre back then was like our going to the movies now.
b) Opportunities: (approx. 2+ other learning opportunities such as other expectations not assessed, other
learning that happens as a result of the lesson e.g., organization, group, listening, co-operation, reading, writing
skills etc.)
Other Learning Opportunities:




Listening Skills (In Background lesson of Greek Theatre and as an audience)
Co – operating and working well as a group (Rehearsing, practicing and
performing their plays)
Reading and Oral Communication (reading scripts and saying lines)
Organization (figuring out how they will perform their play)
Associate/Advisor Comments:
2. Prior Learning and Accommodations/Modifications
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
23
a) Students
(consider the students you will be teaching and anything that will affect their learning or your teaching strategies (e.g.,
include cognitive, social/emotional, physical and diversity needs,+ provide accommodations/modifications - how you
will differentiate learning for each student and/or type of need – N.B. use initials of students rather than full names)
Prior Learning:
Accommodation/Modification:
This unit occurs at the end of the grade 5 year and
students will have covered many of the curricular
expectations up to this point – this lesson plan
occurs at the beginning of the unit.
Social Studies:
Social Studies:
Visual Arts:

Students have learned about other types of
Theatre from different early civilizations.



Visual Arts:

Students have done sculpt making and
painting in visual arts

Students have done dramatic plays using
various dramatic techniques.
Students will be able make simpler masks
depending on their level in visual arts.
Some students will have masks will be given
tools and pieces to assist them in making their
masks.
Drama:

Drama:
Students will be able to look at different books
and pictures of Greek Theatre.

Their will be different levels of dramatic plays
and different roles for students who need easier
plays and roles.
Students will be allowed to use cue cards or
scripts to help them with performing lines.
b) Learning Environment:
(describe the learning environment such as the set up/location of desks, where audio-visual equipment will
be, where the teacher stands, where the students are working etc. – you may wish to include a map/layout of
the classroom on a separate sheet and reference it with modifications if lesson changes)






students will be working in small groups of 6 students each
the desks will be arranged in groups of 6, where students will complete
their seatwork
the teacher will show the PowerPoint presentation at the front of the
classroom
audio-visual equipment will face the front of the classroom
the teacher will circulate around the classroom during seatwork
students will do their short presentations of plays at the front of the
classroom
Associate/Advisor Comments:
3. Required Resources
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
24
(list ALL resources required to conduct this lesson with detailed specifics such as textbook titles, chapters, page
numbers, author/publishers, website URLs, resources like paper, pencils, protractors, chalk, rulers, paint, specimens,
books, maps, videos, posters, lab materials, handouts – include name of handout and number of copies, etc.)
Lesson will take place over two week period – 2 - 45 minutes period per week are
dedicated to The Arts – first week – Visual Arts – second week – Dramatic Arts.
Teacher and Student Resources:
Learning about Greek Theatre:






Teacher - Greek mask and costume
Monologue “The Ant and the grasshopper” from Aesop’s Fables
Powerpoint on Greek Theatre
Projection Screen and Data Projector
Books on Greek Theatre
Visuals – Masks, costumes, props
(Mask Making activity taken from book - Steele, Philip. Step Into… The Roman
Empire. London: Hermes House, 2007.)
Visual Arts:














Example of Mask
Self drying clay
Wooden board (24)
Rolling pin per group (4)
Large bowl per group (4)
Modelling knife
Bowl of water per group (4)
Scissors
Acrylic paints
Paint brush
Coloured paper
Coloured beads and yarn
Cord – to tie on masks (24)
Pencils
Drama:
 4 Greek Plays from the famous fables of Aesop’s :
Scripts – 6 of each:

Aesop’s Farmer and the Children
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
25



Frogs Who Wished For a King
Mouse and the Lion
Shepherd Who Cried Wolf
(plays taken from:
http://www.hipark.austin.isd.tenet.edu/mythology/links.html#aesops_fables)
4. Content and Teaching Strategies of Lesson
a) Overview/Agenda/Review
(consider a quick overview of the lesson and/or list key elements in lesson which may be written on white/blackboard
as an agenda for students and you to follow, you may also choose to consider a review of previous day’s work)
Agenda:
Visual Arts:
1. Learning about Greek Theatre (Masks)
2. How to make a Mask
3. Making masks
Drama:
4.
5.
6.
7.
Learning about Greek Theatre (Plays)
Review of Dramatic Techniques
Practice our plays
Rehearse our plays
Visual Arts/Drama:
8. How to be a good audience?
9. Performing our plays with our masks
10. Introduction (motivational start, minds-on, hook, etc.)
(describe how you will motivate students, get their attention, relate the lesson to their lives, such as a minds-on activity,
a hook or something that will pull learners into lesson)
Motivational Start:
Lesson on Learning about Greek Artifacts and Theatre:
1. Teacher will start lesson dressed in Greek costume and mask and perform a
Greek Monologue.
2. Students will be able to see images of Greek theatre in Powerpoint presentation.
3. Students will be able to see and touch visuals of Greek theatre “artifacts” – e.g.
masks, props etc.
4. Students will be introduced to what they will be doing in creating their own Greek
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
26
theatre.
11. Subject Content and Teaching Strategies
(include the subject content - what you are teaching; detail the instructional strategies / teaching strategies for teaching
the subject content - how you are teaching it; write some guiding questions - actual questions (variety of thinking
levels) and suggested and anticipated answers; possibly include time approximations/timelines such as 10:00 – 10:30
a.m. or 25 minutes; and include application activities/components - how the content will be applied such as an activity,
problems to solve, worksheets etc.).
Motivational Start:
Lesson in Learning of Greek Theatre
(15 minutes beginning of each lesson per day– Artifacts - Theatre):
1. Students will learn about Greek Theatre in Powerpoint presentation and visual
artifacts
2. Teacher will do a monologue on one of Aesop’s Fables.
Instructional/Teaching Strategies:
Direct Instruction:


Demonstration
Visual Stimuli
Technology Applications:

Media presentation
The Arts:
Subject Content:
Visual Arts ( 2 days - 30 minutes – First Week):
1. Students will be learning about the art form of Greek masks used during the time
of early civilizations in Rome.
2. Students will be learning how to produce Greek masks that are three dimensional
pieces of art that show different emotions.
3. Students will be using the medium of sculpt making with clay to make masks and
painting to decorate the masks
4. Their masks depend on the characters in the Greek plays.
5. Students will be making Greek masks for Greek plays that they will be performing.
(Mask making instructions taken from book Steele, Philip. Step Into… The Roman
Empire. London: Hermes House, 2007 )
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
27
Instructional/Teaching Strategies:
Art – based strategies :




Mask making
Story Theatre
Readers Theatre
Role-playing
Subject Content:
Drama ( 2 days - 30 minutes –Second Week):
1. Students will be learning about the art form of Greek Theatre used during the time
of early civilizations in Rome.
2. Students will interpret and communicate the meaning of their plays.
3. Students will learn the purpose of Greek Theatre in ancient times as a media form
(Media Literacy).
4. Students will be performing a play from a different culture of Greek and the
characteristics of these performances.
5. Students will be learning different dramatic techniques used in these plays.
6. Students will rehearse and perform their dramatic Greek plays.
7. Students will be using their masks they made in visual arts in their plays.
8. Students will learn about what it is to be a good audience for a performance
(Media Literacy).
9. Students will provide support for why they have done things in relation to aspects
of history.
Students in groups will be doing one of four Greek plays from the famous fables of
Aesop’s :




Aesop’s Farmer and the Children
Frogs Who Wished For a King
Mouse and the Lion
Shepherd Who Cried Wolf
(plays taken from:
http://www.hipark.austin.isd.tenet.edu/mythology/links.html#aesops_fables)
Instructional/Teaching Strategies:
Cooperative Learning Strategies:



Peer practice and teaching
Discussion
Collaborative Teaching
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
28
12. Consolidation
(indicate how you will review concepts taught, wrap up lesson, confirm students know what next tasks are
e.g., having class to give you feedback on what was taught, review key application of concepts – this is
important in terms of assessing the effectiveness of the lesson)
Consolidation Activity:
Drama presentation of Greek Theatre and Masks:
1. Students will learn about Greek theatre and masks with the Powerpoint
presentation.
2. Students will take what they have learned about masks and make their own
masks.
3. Students will take what they have learned about Greek theatre and act out an
Aesop fable.
4. Students on the last day of the lesson will put on a performance of Greek Theatre
of their fable using their masks
5. Performance will consolidate what they have learned about visual arts and drama
in relation to early civilizations of the Greek art form of Theatre.
Associate/Advisor Comments:
5. Assessment and Evaluation
(What assessment and/or evaluation strategies do you need to have to ensure you are accountable for students’
learning and addressing the Ontario curriculum expectations? What formative and summative assessment should you
include? – e.g., sample questions, activities or attach tests, homework, rubrics, evaluation schemes, answer keys etc.)
Assessment:
1. Observation – Anecdotal Notes - Formative:


Students will be observed during production, rehearsal and final presentation of
visual arts and dramatic work.
They will be assessed in their understanding of the material and their ability to
accomplish tasks.
2. Self Assessment – Questionairre - Formative:


Students will fill in a questionnaire on what they have learned about Greek
Theatre and Masks at the end of the lesson on each day.
Students questionnaire answers will show whether students have understood
what was taught that day.
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
29
3. Classroom Presentation – Checklist with Rubric- Summative:


Students will present their performances to the class of the Aesop fables using the
masks they have made
Students will be assessed on a checklist of their understanding of the
expectations in their final work.
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
30
Faculty of Education
Lesson Plan
Subject / Course: Social Studies and Language Arts
Grade Level: Grade 5
Topic: Early Civilizations
TC Name: Ms. Christine L. McGoveran
Miss Fiona Daly
Ms. Corisa Chamberlain
6. Instructional Expectations and Opportunities
c) Expectations: (approx. 1-3 expectations from the Ontario Curriculum that could be assessed)
Language Arts – Oral Communication Expectations:
Overall Expectation:
2. use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different
audiences for a variety of purposes;
Specific Expectations:
2.2 demonstrate an understanding of appropriate speaking behaviour in a variety of
situations, including paired sharing, dialogue, and small- and large-group discussions
2.3 communicate orally in a clear, coherent manner, presenting ideas, opinions, and
information in a readily understandable form
Language Arts – Writing Expectations:
Overall Expectation:
1. generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose
and audience;
Specific Expectation:
1.5 identify and order main ideas and supporting units that could be used to develop
several linked paragraphs, using a variety of strategies
Visual Arts Expectations:
Overall Expectation:
- describe their interpretation of a variety of art works, basing their interpretation on
evidence
from the works (especially on ways in which an artist has used the elements of design to
clarify meaning) and on their own knowledge and experience;
Specific Expectation:
- compare works on a similar theme (e.g., seasons) from various periods and cultures,
and describe the impact of time and location on style
d) Opportunities: (approx. 2+ other learning opportunities such as other expectations not assessed, other
learning that happens as a result of the lesson e.g., organization, group, listening, co-operation, reading, writing
skills etc.)
-
listening skills (when small groups are presenting)
organizational skills
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
31
-
co-operation skills
critical thinking skills
7. Prior Knowledge and Accommodations/Modifications
c) Students
(consider the students you will be teaching and anything that will affect their learning or your teaching strategies (e.g.,
include cognitive, social/emotional, physical and diversity needs,+ provide accommodations/modifications - how you will
differentiate learning for each student and/or type of need – N.B. use initials of students rather than full names)
Prior Knowledge:
The students have already had several lessons
about Egyptian, Greek, and Roman civilizations
-
the students would also be familiar with the
writing process
Accommodation/Modification:
for those with physical limitations, another
student can be a scribe
-
students can verbally express their thoughts on
the images
-
extra time can be provided, if necessary
d) Learning Environment:
(describe the learning environment such as the set up/location of desks, where audio-visual equipment will be,
where the teacher stands, where the students are working etc. – you may wish to include a map/layout of the
classroom on a separate sheet and reference it with modifications if lesson changes)
-
students will be working in small groups of 5-6 students each
the desks will be arranged in groups of 5, where students will complete their
seatwork
the teacher will show the PowerPoint presentation at the front of the classroom
audio-visual equipment will face the front of the classroom
the teacher will circulate around the classroom during seatwork
students will do their short presentations at the front of the classroom
8. Required Resources
(list ALL resources required to conduct this lesson with detailed specifics such as textbook titles, chapters, page
numbers, author/publishers, website URLs, resources like paper, pencils, protractors, chalk, rulers, paint, specimens,
books, maps, videos, posters, lab materials, handouts – include name of handout and number of copies, etc.)
Teacher Resources:
- laptop
- projector
- projection screen
- PowerPoint presentation of various works of ancient art (Greek, Roman, Egyptian,
etc.)
- chalk and blackboard OR whiteboard and whiteboard markers
- information on each of the five selected art pieces for small group work
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
32
Student Resources:
- pencils
- erasers
- lined paper (2-3 sheets of 8 ½” x 11” paper per group)
- printed image of work of ancient art (1 11” x 17” sheet per group)
9. Content and Teaching Strategies of Lesson
b) Overview/Agenda/Review
(consider a quick overview of the lesson and/or list key elements in lesson which may be written on white/blackboard as
an agenda for students and you to follow, you may also choose to consider a review of previous day’s work)
Agenda
1. PowerPoint presentation featuring art from Egyptian, Greek, and Roman
civilizations (approx. 10 mins)
2. give instructions to students, and answer questions (approx. 5 minutes)
3. students work in small groups to write a narrative based on their piece of art
(approx. 15-20 mins)
4. small group presentations of their stories about the art pieces (approx. 10 mins)
c) Introduction (motivational start, minds-on, hook, etc.)
(describe how you will motivate students, get their attention, relate the lesson to their lives, such as a minds-on activity,
a hook or something that will pull learners into lesson)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ensure that the laptop is projecting PowerPoint presentation properly.
Gain students’ attention at the front of the room.
Ask students to identify early civilizations studied thus far in the unit.
Indicate to students that they are going to explore some of the art of ancient
Greece, Rome, and Egypt.
5. Show students the images on the PowerPoint presentation, asking the students to
describe what is going on in each of the images.
6. If time remains, ask students to identify the elements of design that they see in
each image.
d) Subject Content and Teaching Strategies
(include the subject content - what you are teaching; detail the instructional strategies / teaching strategies for teaching
the subject content - how you are teaching it; write some guiding questions - actual questions (variety of thinking levels)
and suggested and anticipated answers; possibly include time approximations/timelines such as 10:00 – 10:30 a.m. or
25 minutes; and include application activities/components - how the content will be applied such as an activity,
problems to solve, worksheets etc.).
Subject Content
Application
1. Gain students’ attention.
2. Complete the minds-on activity – described above.
3. During the minds-on activity, ask the students the following questions:
 What is going on in this picture?
 Who are the figures you see in the picture?
 What ancient civilization does this piece come from? How do you know this?
 What story could you make up using this picture as a guide?
 If time permits, as the students to identify the elements of design that they
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
33
see in each image.
4. Share some information about each image with the students.
5. Put the students into small groups, or have them work in their Tribes, if the
classroom is set up in that way.
6. Bring out the images selected for group work.
7. Indicate to students that they are first going to identify the setting, people, and
action in their piece of art.
8. Provide students with an example of their activity. This may be, for example, the
Alexander Mosaic. For this piece, students could say that they see a battle scene,
with two groups of people who are fighting against each other.
9. Next, the students will write short narratives about their piece of art. Each group
member is expected to participate. Each student will take turns writing the next line
in the story.
10. Provide a very brief example of a possible story, using the Alexander Mosaic as a
source of evidence. An example would be that the Greek hero Alexander was
trying to gain more territory for Greece, so he went to his enemy’s territory, in
hopes of easy victory. Instead, he came across his biggest enemy, King Darius.
There was then a great battle between the two groups, which is shown on the
Alexander Mosaic.
11. Ask the students if there are any questions about their tasks.
12. Provide the students with 15-20 minutes to complete this activity.
13. The teacher will walk around, facilitating group work, providing a countdown of
remaining time, and answering student questions.
e) Consolidation
(indicate how you will review concepts taught, wrap up lesson, confirm students know what next tasks are e.g.,
having class to give you feedback on what was taught, review key application of concepts – this is important in
terms of assessing the effectiveness of the lesson)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Wait until the majority of groups have completed the activity.
Gain attention of students, and focus their attention at the front of the room.
Tell the students that they are now going to present their narratives to the class.
Ask for a group of students to volunteer to present first.
Remind students that they need to be practicing active listening during the
presentations.
Also remind students about how a good audience behaves, if appropriate.
Call the first group up to the front to share their narrative.
Once the first group has gone, call the rest of the groups to share, in turn
If time remains, share some information with students about the pieces their
narratives were based upon. If no time remains, do this part of the lesson the
following class. Some information you would want to share with students includes
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
34
the title of the work, what early civilization it comes from, what is going on in the
scene, and some brief comments about the medium stylistic elements in the work.
For example, for the Alexander Mosaic, it would be: Alexander Mosaic, Rome, the
battle between Alexander the Great and King Darius, a mosaic made of tiny pieces
of stone or glass.
10. The teacher will then collect the written works, ensuring that all names are written
on the sheets.
10. Assessment and Evaluation
(What assessment and/or evaluation strategies do you need to have to ensure you are accountable for students’
learning and addressing the Ontario curriculum expectations? What formative and summative assessment should you
include? – e.g., sample questions, activities or attach tests, homework, rubrics, evaluation schemes, answer keys etc.)
Methods of Assessment:
1. Observation and Anecdotal Notes:
 Formative assessment
 Notes taken during application portion of lesson
 Observations written on anecdotal tracking sheet
 Observations taken on group work, on-task behaviour, and implementation
of critical thinking skills
2. Checklist:
 Formative assessment
 Completion of activity will be noted
 The following criteria will also be assessed:
- creation of a logical narrative
- evidence of critical thinking in the final product
- a wide variety of ideas were brainstormed
- writing is clear and logical
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
35
Faculty of Education
Lesson Plan
Subject / Course: Social Studies and Language Arts
Grade Level: Grade 5
Topic: Early Civilizations
TC Name: Ms. Christine L. McGoveran
Miss Fiona Daly
Ms. Corisa Chamberlain
11. Instructional Expectations and Opportunities
e) Expectations: (approx. 1-3 expectations from the Ontario Curriculum that could be
assessed)
Social Studies Expectations:
By the end of grade 5, students will:
Overall Expectations

identify and compare the ways in which people in various early civilizations met
their physical and social needs, including how they interacted with and used the
natural environment;
Specific Expectations

outline how social needs were met in two or more early civilizations

identify important values and beliefs in two or more early civilizations and describe
how they affected daily life
Visual Arts Expectations:
By the end of grade 5, students will:
Overall Expectations

produce two- and three-dimensional works of art that communicate a range of
ideas (thoughts, feelings, experiences) for specific purposes and to specific
audiences
Specific Expectations

select the most appropriate tools, materials, and techniques for a particular
purpose, and use them correctly

compare works on a similar theme (e.g., seasons) from various periods and
cultures, and describe the impact of time and location on style
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
36
f) Opportunities: (approx. 2+ other learning opportunities such as other expectations not assessed, other
learning that happens as a result of the lesson e.g., organization, group, listening, co-operation, reading, writing
skills etc.)





reading (reading work by other students)
drawing from prior knowledge
following instructions
attentive listening
sharing resources/turn taking
12. Prior Learning and Accommodations/Modifications
e) Students
(consider the students you will be teaching and anything that will affect their learning or your teaching strategies (e.g.,
include cognitive, social/emotional, physical and diversity needs,+ provide accommodations/modifications - how you will
differentiate learning for each student and/or type of need – N.B. use initials of students rather than full names)
Prior Learning


prior to this lesson, students have written
‘journal entries’ which they will write onto their
completed tablets
throughout the year, students have completed a
number of different art activities, and have had
experience putting together a number of
‘historical’ artefacts
Accommodation/Modification:


students who have difficulty manipulating some
of the materials may ask a peer at their desk for
help
written and visual directions will be available for
students to look at individually (hand outs for
students)
f) Learning Environment:
(describe the learning environment such as the set up/location of desks, where audio-visual equipment will be,
where the teacher stands, where the students are working etc. – you may wish to include a map/layout of the
classroom on a separate sheet and reference it with modifications if lesson changes)
Desks are arranged in groups of 4 (there are 6 groups in the class)
Students will sit at their own desks.
Teacher will stand at the front of the room and explain to students how to make their
tablets, one step at a time.
13. Required Resources
(list ALL resources required to conduct this lesson with detailed specifics such as textbook titles, chapters, page
numbers, author/publishers, website URLs, resources like paper, pencils, protractors, chalk, rulers, paint, specimens,
books, maps, videos, posters, lab materials, handouts – include name of handout and number of copies, etc.)
Steele, Philip. Step into… The Roman Empire. London: Hermes House, 2007. Pg. 30 –
32
Every student will need
- 2 balsa wood sheets (10cm X 22cm)
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
37
-
4 balsa wood sticks (22cm long)
4 balsa wood sticks (10 cm long)
pencil
modelling tool
work board/placemat
modelling clay
Students will share:
- PVA glue – 1 glue pot/table
- 3 paintbrushes/table
- brown paint and gold paint – 1 paint pot/table
- water pot – 1 water pot per table
- rolling pin – 1 per table
- modelling tool
- skewer – 1 per table
- purple thread – cut as needed by teacher
14. Content and Teaching Strategies of Lesson
f) Overview/Agenda/Review
(consider a quick overview of the lesson and/or list key elements in lesson which may be written on white/blackboard as
an agenda for students and you to follow, you may also choose to consider a review of previous day’s work)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
review journals
introduce activity
hand out materials
make tablets
clean up
small group discussion
g) Introduction (motivational start, minds-on, hook, etc.)
(describe how you will motivate students, get their attention, relate the lesson to their lives, such as a minds-on activity,
a hook or something that will pull learners into lesson)
Review the journals they wrote during Language Arts.
Ask students what they would need to do to make their journals more authentic (real).
Explain that ancient civilizations also had their own way of writing and keeping
records, and that during this class they will make a writing tablet similar to what they
would have used in ancient Rome.
h) Subject Content and Teaching Strategies
(include the subject content - what you are teaching; detail the instructional strategies / teaching strategies for teaching
the subject content - how you are teaching it; write some guiding questions - actual questions (variety of thinking levels)
and suggested and anticipated answers; possibly include time approximations/timelines such as 10:00 – 10:30 a.m. or
25 minutes; and include application activities/components - how the content will be applied such as an activity,
problems to solve, worksheets etc.).
Explain that students will be making writing tablets for their journals.
They will be using pieces of wood and clay to make tablets they can write on!
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
38
Have students help hand out supplies
How to make the tablets:
1. all students have supplies
2. glue balsa sticks around the edges of
each piece of balsa wood to form a
shallow hollow into which you can
press the ‘wax’
3. paint the two frames a brown colour
4. roll our the modelling clay on a board
and place a balsa frame on top
5. use the modelling tool to cut around
the outside of the frame
6. repeat steps 4 and 5 for the second
piece of balsa wood
7. cut off about 1cm all around the edge
of each modelling clay rectangle (to
help make the clay fit into the wooden
frame)
8. carefully press the clay into each side
9. use skewers to poke two holes
through the inside edge of each frame
10. join the two frames together by
threading purple thread through each
pair of holes and tying it securely
together
11. paint the pencil gold
12. when the pencil dries, use it to write
on your tablets!
i) Consolidation
(indicate how you will review concepts taught, wrap up lesson, confirm students know what next tasks are e.g.,
having class to give you feedback on what was taught, review key application of concepts – this is important in
terms of assessing the effectiveness of the lesson)
After students have completed their writing tablets and have written their journal articles
on their tablets, they will discuss with their group what would change in the activity if the
were from a different ‘civilization’. That is, they made Roman Tablets, but what would
change if they had focused on Egyptian Civilization instead?
They will also discuss what we can learn by looking at historical texts (real articles from
ancient civilizations). Groups will come up with their #1 answer, and all groups will share.
15. Assessment and Evaluation
(What assessment and/or evaluation strategies do you need to have to ensure you are accountable for students’
learning and addressing the Ontario curriculum expectations? What formative and summative assessment should you
include? – e.g., sample questions, activities or attach tests, homework, rubrics, evaluation schemes, answer keys etc.)
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
39
(In conjunction with Language Arts lesson from previous day)
During Language Arts, students participated in the writer’s workshop process to make
journal entries, and completed a checklist for each step of the way. During the writing
process it was the student’s responsibility to ensure their entry had a ‘voice’, whether the
information was accurate/represents the civilization, and was free of grammatical and
spelling errors.
During this lesson, writing tablets were made and journal entries were written onto the
writing tablets. The completed tablets and journal entries will be handed into the teacher
for marking. Students must also include their completed checklist with their final product.
Completed tablets and journal entries will be graded with a rubric.
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
40
Faculty of Education
Lesson Plan
Subject / Course: Social Studies
Grade Level: Grade 5
Topic: Early Civilizations
TC Name: Ms. Christine L. McGoveran
Miss Fiona Daly
Ms. Corisa Chamberlain
16. Instructional Expectations and Opportunities
g) Expectations: (approx. 1-3 expectations from the Ontario Curriculum that could be assessed)
Social Studies Expectations:
By the end of grade 5:
Overall Expectation:

identify and compare the ways in which people in various early civilizations met their
physical and social needs, including how they interacted with and used the natural
environment;
Specific Expectations:

identify major early civilizations (e.g., Mediterranean, African, Asian, North/Central/South
American)

identify important values and beliefs in two or more early civilizations and describe how
they affected daily life
h) Opportunities: (approx. 2+ other learning opportunities such as other expectations not assessed, other
learning that happens as a result of the lesson e.g., organization, group, listening, co-operation, reading, writing
skills etc.)
Other Learning Opportunities:




active listening skills
critical thinking skills
cooperation skills
sharing skills
17. Prior Learning and Accommodations/Modifications
g) Students
(consider the students you will be teaching and anything that will affect their learning or your teaching strategies (e.g.,
include cognitive, social/emotional, physical and diversity needs,+ provide accommodations/modifications - how you will
differentiate learning for each student and/or type of need – N.B. use initials of students rather than full names)
Prior Learning:
students will have already learned about many
aspects of society in the ancient civilizations of
Egypt, Greece, Rome, and the Maya
-
students will have gone on a field trip to the
Accommodation/Modification:
have alternative activities prepared for students
who are unable to act accordingly for this
lesson
-
for students who work quickly, or are more
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
41
Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) the day before.
They will have participated in workshops
dealing with different early civilizations
-
advanced, have them work together to
reconstruct the site as they think it looked
students will have completed numerous critical
thinking and deductive reasoning activities
throughout the year
h) Learning Environment:
(describe the learning environment such as the set up/location of desks, where audio-visual equipment will be,
where the teacher stands, where the students are working etc. – you may wish to include a map/layout of the
classroom on a separate sheet and reference it with modifications if lesson changes)





students will be working in small groups of 5-6 students each
the desks will be arranged in groups of 5, where students will complete their
seatwork
one parent volunteer will be stationed at each excavation group
the teacher will circulate around the classroom during mock excavation
each group will present their findings to the rest of the class at the end of
the activity
18. Required Resources
(list ALL resources required to conduct this lesson with detailed specifics such as textbook titles, chapters, page
numbers, author/publishers, website URLs, resources like paper, pencils, protractors, chalk, rulers, paint, specimens,
books, maps, videos, posters, lab materials, handouts – include name of handout and number of copies, etc.)
Teacher Resources:






four large, cardboard or plastic containers with lids
soil (purchased from garden centre)
examples of architecture, artefacts, things that would be found at a site (ex. pieces
of a Greek temple, small replica mummies, pieces of pottery, etc.)
newspaper (if required, to catch any soil that may escape from the box)
6 empty containers for holding the artefacts
high tech digging instrument (aka. a spoon)
Student Resources:





high tech digging instruments (aka. plastic spoons) (1/group)
excavation boxes
“artefacts” – from four different early civilizations (handmade, or found at local
dollar stores) (Greece, Egypt, Rome, Maya)
1 empty plastic container for students to hold their artefacts per group
newspaper for catching any soil that may escape from the box
Other Human Resources:
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
42

4 parent volunteers, for supervision of individual groups
19. Content and Teaching Strategies of Lesson
j) Overview/Agenda/Review
(consider a quick overview of the lesson and/or list key elements in lesson which may be written on white/blackboard as
an agenda for students and you to follow, you may also choose to consider a review of previous day’s work)
Agenda:
1. Teacher will gain attention of the students. (approx. 2 minutes)
2. Ask the students about what they learned on the field trip the previous day.
(approx. 5-10 minutes)
3. Give instructions for students to complete the mock excavation. (approx. 5
minutes)
4. Student mock excavation. (approx. 20 minutes)
5. Presentation of findings and conclusions made from excavation. (approx. 5
minutes)
k) Introduction (motivational start, minds-on, hook, etc.)
(describe how you will motivate students, get their attention, relate the lesson to their lives, such as a minds-on activity,
a hook or something that will pull learners into lesson)
Minds-on
Students will recall their learnings on the previous day’s field trip to the ROM:
1. Tell students that they need to keep their hands to themselves, away from the
boxes.
2. Teacher will get attention of the students.
3. Students will be asked to think quietly to themselves about what they learned while
at the Royal Ontario Museum the previous day.
4. Students will then turn to the person beside them, and share some of their ideas.
5. Three students will be asked to share their thoughts with the rest of the class.
l) Subject Content and Teaching Strategies
(include the subject content - what you are teaching; detail the instructional strategies / teaching strategies for teaching
the subject content - how you are teaching it; write some guiding questions - actual questions (variety of thinking levels)
and suggested and anticipated answers; possibly include time approximations/timelines such as 10:00 – 10:30 a.m. or
25 minutes; and include application activities/components - how the content will be applied such as an activity,
problems to solve, worksheets etc.).
Before Lesson Preparations:
1. Locate, or purchase, four large, flat plastic containers or cardboard boxes
appropriate for this activity.
2. Fill each plastic container approximately 2/3 full of soil from backyard or garden
centre.
43
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
3. Sort artefacts into corresponding civilizations (ex. Greek temple, Roman cemetery,
Egyptian tomb, etc.)
4. Bury corresponding artefacts randomly in each of the four containers. (ex. all the
Greek temple pieces will be found in one box).
5. Ensure that there is only one plastic spoon for each group. Place the spoons on
top of the soil in the boxes).
6. Place the lids on the boxes, and store horizontally until ready for use.
7. Find 4 parent volunteers able to help supervise this lesson.
8. Have parents come to school early, so they can be briefed about their role in this
lesson.
9. Prepare/provide volunteers with an information sheet on their excavation box.
10. Answer parent questions, and ensure that they are prepared to help with this
lesson.
11. At recess/lunch before the lesson, put the desks into four groups of 6 desks, and
set one box on top of each.
Subject Content:


Burial customs of the ancient civilizations – cemeteries along roadways for
Romans, tombs for Egyptians.
Religious views and beliefs of the ancient civilizations – Temples for the Greeks,
and the Maya civilizations.
Teaching Strategies:
 Whole class instruction
 Group work
 Brief group presentation
 Critical thinking
 Deductive reasoning
Application
1. Gain the attention of the student.
2. Complete the minds-on activity – see above for description.
3. Remind the students that they are not to touch or look in the boxes until all
instructions have been given, and the go-ahead has been given.
4. Introduce the parent volunteers to the students, and tell them that have come to
help us morning/afternoon.
5. Tell the students that today they are going to be archaeologists!
6. Inform the students of the following rules:
 Only the student holding the spoon gets to dig.
 All other students are to watch the person who is excavating.
 Once an artefact is found, students will work to identify the artefact that they
have uncovered.
 Students will take turns excavating, and each student will get at least two
turns.
7. Student will then be released into the group work, under the guidance and
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
44
supervision of the parent volunteers.
8. Questions for parent volunteers to ask students to consider while excavating:
 What artefacts are you finding in your box?
 What clues are you getting about the civilization in the box?
 How are you excavating? Why is this important?
 What early civilization are you excavating? How do you know this?
9. Circulate around the classroom during application activity, facilitating, providing a
countdown of remaining time, and answer student and parent questions.
m) Consolidation
(indicate how you will review concepts taught, wrap up lesson, confirm students know what next tasks are e.g.,
having class to give you feedback on what was taught, review key application of concepts – this is important in
terms of assessing the effectiveness of the lesson)
Consolidation Activity – Sharing of Findings and Conclusions:
11. Wait until the majority of groups have completed the activity.
12. Gain attention of students, and focus their attention at the front of the room.
13. Tell the groups that they are now going to present their findings and conclusions to
the rest of the class.
14. Ask for a group of students to volunteer to present first.
15. Remind students that they need to be practicing active listening during the
presentations.
16. Also remind students about how a good audience behaves, if appropriate.
17. Ask students to discuss some artefacts they found in their box, what they think
their civilization was, and any additional information they care to share with the rest
of the class.
18. Once the first group has gone, ask the rest of the groups to share, in turn.
20. Assessment and Evaluation
(What assessment and/or evaluation strategies do you need to have to ensure you are accountable for students’
learning and addressing the Ontario curriculum expectations? What formative and summative assessment should you
include? – e.g., sample questions, activities or attach tests, homework, rubrics, evaluation schemes, answer keys etc.)
Method of Assessment:
1. Observation
 Formative Assessment
 Teacher will record student on-task behaviour, group work, and use of deductive
reasoning techniques to arrive at the conclusion of their early civilization
2.



Checklist
Formative Assessment
Checking for completion of activity
Results recorded on copy of class list
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
45
Integrated Unit Plan – Corisa Chamberlain, Fiona Daly, and Christine McGoveran
Grade 5 – Early Civilizations – “Journey Back in Time”
46