Social Studies Lesson Plan Template
Teacher(s) Name: ___Christine Zas____________________
Thematic Unit Theme/Title/Grade Level:____Florida Explorers – 4th grade_______________
Wiki space address: ____ http://ucf4-florida-explorers-f10th.wikispaces.com/_________
Daily Lesson Plan Day/Title: ______When Explorers Meet Natives ______________
Learning Objectives
What will students
accomplish / be able to do at
the end of this lesson?
The students will search through different resources to collect facts about
encounters between explorers and natives.
The students will use their prior knowledge of their explorer to determine what
would happen in a specific scenario involving Native American interaction.
The students will write a narrative in first person point of view describing their
interaction with Native Americans.
NCSS Theme/Sunshine
State Standards List each
standard. Cutting and pasting
from the website is allowed.
These can be downloaded from the
Florida Dept of Education
http://flstandards.org.
Student Activities &
Procedures
Teacher Activities/Student
Activities
 What best practice strategies will
be implemented?
 How will you communicate student
expectation?
 What products will be developed
and created by students?
SS.4.A.1.1: Analyze primary and secondary resources to identify significant
individuals and events throughout Florida history.
» SS.4.A.1.2: Synthesize information related to Florida history through print
and electronic media.
» SS.4.A.3.2: Describe causes and effects of European colonization on the
Native American tribes of Florida.
» LA.4.1.7.4: The student will identify cause-and-effect relationships in text;
» LA.4.2.2 : The student identifies, analyzes, and applies knowledge of the
elements of a variety of nonfiction, informational, and expository texts to
demonstrate an understanding of the information presented.
1. The students and the instructor will access prior knowledge by
reviewing, through discussions, what the explorers were looking for vs.
what they found.
 Can anyone tell me why the explorers traveled to Florida?
 What were they looking for?
 What or who did they find?
 What were the names of some of the Native American tribes?
 How do you think the explorers reacted?
2. The students will separate into their groups and read books, articles, or
websites (previously provided by the teacher) about their explorers
encounters with natives and the native group their explorer
encountered.
3. The students will form a group KWL chart. The topic will be
Encounters With Native Americans.
4. They will discuss and record common facts.
5. The teacher will go around the class making sure the students are
grasping all important facts.
6. Each group will receive a rubric and a scenario involving Native
Americans (The scenario is tailored to the explorer that each group is
studying; see Native American Scenarios page on wiki). The Instructor
will approach each group separately and ask questions such as: "Were
the explorers encounters with Native Americans good or bad?" "How
Social Studies Lesson Plan Template
did the Native Americans act toward the explorer and crew?" "Was the
explorer able to communicate with the tribe?"
7. The students must write a summary in the first person point of view
and respond to the scenario, based on information about their explorers
expeditions found in various resources. (In their journal)
8.) The students will place this summary in their Explorer Log and check off
the activities "Native American KWL" and "Encounters With Natives"
activities off their Explorer Checklist.
Resources/Materials
Explorer Journal
Explorer Checklist
Explorer Hat
Paper
Pencils
Pictures of explorers
Native American Scenario encounter paper.
Internet sites on explorers encounters with natives. (Provided and reviewed by
the instructor)
Printed information about explorers encounters with natives. (Provided and
reviewed by the instructor)
Books with information on explorers encounters with natives. (Provided and
reviewed by the instructor)
Computers with internet access
Internet sites:

Ponce de Leon
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/d/deleon.shtml

Hernando de Soto
http://www.floridahistory.com/inset44.html
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/d/desoto.shtml

Pedro Menendez de Aviles
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/a/aviles.shtml

Panfilo d Narvaez
http://www.publicbookshelf.com/public_html/Our_Country_Vol_1/pan
filod_ca.html
Books:
The Early People of Florida
By: Eva Deutch Costabel
Social Studies Lesson Plan Template
Tribes of Native Americans: Seminole
By: Marla Felkins Ryan and Linda Schmittroth
The Spanish exploration of Florida:
the adventures of the Spanish conquistadors, including Juan Ponce de Léon,
Pánfilo de Narváez, Alvar Núnez Cabeza de Vaca, Hernando de Soto, and
Pedro Menéñdez de Avilés, in the American south
By: William Thompson and Dorcas Thompson
Hernando de Soto
By: Abbot Chrisman
Native Americans and the Spanish
By: Therese De Angelis.
Life in St. Augustine
Sally Senzell Isaacs.
Pedro Menéndez de Avilés and the founding of St. Augustine.
By: Stone, Elaine Murray
Assessment
 How will student learning be
assessed? Authentic/Alternative
assessments?
 Are you using a rubric?
 Informal assessment: participation
rubrics, journal entries,
collaborative planning/presentation
notes
Pre-Assessment:
The students will be informally assessed in the beginning of class, when the
teacher is asking about the explorer’s encounters with Native Americans. They
will also complete a KWL chart. The teacher will walk around the classroom
to make sure each child is filling out the K and W sections in the chart.
Post-Assessment:
The students will be formally assessed on their Journal entry based on the
rubric and on the L section of their KWL chart.
Exceptionalities
What accommodations do you make
for ESOL, Gifted/Talented students,
Learning/Reading disabilities, etc
ESOL/SLD:
Students are paired with high achieving students within their groups.
Students are given books that are both on reading level and below grade level.
Important facts are highlighted in articles.
Page numbers with important facts are written in sticky notes and placed on
the book cover.
Gifted/Talented:
Students are given books that are both on reading level and above grade level.
Students are asked to help others in their group.
They can be lead researcher.
Social Studies Lesson Plan Template
Discussion Notes
If there is time available at the end of the lesson the students will present what
they have learned with the rest of the class.
 This can be completed through a performance, speech, or they can
choose their favorite journal entry in the group and read it aloud to the
class.