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Detailed Lesson Plan Preparation

Elementary Education

Name: Emily Ficken


Title:

Thanksgiving and the Environment

Grade: 1st
Concept/Topic: Social Studies
Time Needed: 40 minutes

Note: A detailed lesson plan is specific enough for another teacher to read and teach
effectively. There should not be any question regarding what to do or how to do it.

Backward Design Approach: Where are you going with your students?
Identify Desired Results/Learning Outcome/Essential Question: Students can identify the way that
groups of people change the ways other groups of people interact with the environment.
NCSCOS Standards: 1.G.2 Understand how humans and the environment interact within the local
community.
1.G.2.1 Explain ways people change the environment (planting trees, recycling, cutting down trees,
building homes, building streets, etc.).
Assessment Plan: Throughout the lesson, I will question students to ensure that they are
understanding the material. At the end of the lesson, we will have a final discussion connecting the
life of the pilgrims and Indians, the story we read, and their own lives. I will ask them how the
environment was changed for the characters in the story, how the environment was changed for the
Indians, and finally, how we affect the environment.

Meeting the student where they are:


Prior Knowledge/Connections: The students will hopefully have a general idea of Thanksgiving and
the parties that are involved, namely the Native Americans and Pilgrims. I expect that they will not
have a broad idea of the history of Thanksgiving, but I do expect that they will know that the pilgrims
were new to America while the Indians were not. If this information is new to them, I make mention
of it in the lesson.
Lesson Introduction/Hook: Thanksgiving is next week! Last time I was talking with you all we talked
about traditions and customs. One of my traditions is eating turkey and watching the parade that
comes on TV. Do any of you have traditions that you have on Thanksgiving? So today we are going to
be talking a little bit about Thanksgiving, but we are going to take a break from talking about customs
and traditions. Do you know why we celebrate Thanksgiving? Who can tell me who the two groups of
people were that were in the first Thanksgiving?

Heart of the Lesson/Learning Plan


Differentiation/Same-ation: There will be some students, at least one or two, that may not celebrate
Thanksgiving. For that reason, the lesson will not be an assumption that everyone already knows
things about Thanksgiving, such as the Pilgrims and the Indians. It is likely that some will know and
can help me explain things, but I hope to start at the very beginning for everyone. But everyone will
have an impact on their environment in one way or another and all should be able to talk about it.
The fact that I use the pilgrims and Indians as well as a story to talk about the environment should
also help student that may have not understood it with only one way of explanation. In questioning
the students I provide visuals for those who may not understand.

Lesson Development:
Thanksgiving is next week- what are traditions and customs that you have.
Who the two groups of people were that were in the first Thanksgiving?
The Indians lived in America before anyone else. They used the land to make food and they
used animals to eat and make clothes and weapons. The Indians didnt have anything like
Cheetos or cookies or chips- it all came from gardens or animals. Like Ms. Zardas garden!
The Indians used their Environment to live off of.
The Environment is the area where something lives- it is everything in the world around us.
But just because we are looking at something that is around us, like a book, doesnt mean it is
our natural environment. Things in our natural environment are things outside, like trees and
animals, things that are not made by people. Who can give me other examples of things found
in the natural environment? What are things that are not found in the natural environment?
Lets take a look at the Native Americans and the Pilgrims. I have some pictures so we can
understand a little more of how they lived. [show Pilgrim/ Native American page] What are
the differences between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans?
Now lets look at the way that they lived. The pilgrims came from England where there were
great buildings and castles. They had cities and towns. Everyone didnt live in a castle, just the
kings and queens, but look at these castles. [show castle page]
The Indians only used sticks and grass and mud to put together their homes, which they called
Wetus They look very different from the big castles.

Pilgrims came in to America and disturbed how the Indians were using their natural
environment- the Native Americans were using the land for many good things. The pilgrims
lived a different way than the Indians and it was hard for them to adjust.
The Pilgrims had a very hard time with the new land and the Native Americans did not like the
changes that the Pilgrims brought to the way that they lived. The Native Americans wanted to
continue to live by growing things and building their homes, but the Pilgrims were used to a
different way of living. The Pilgrims wanted to have towns and wanted the Native Americans
to work for them. The Pilgrims also wanted to take away the trees and make the land look
different than what the Native Americans were used to. The Native Americans did not like
these changes. It was scary to have someone try and change the way that they lived.
This morning we read The Wump World. It might sound a little similar to the issue that the
Native Americans are facing when the pilgrims moved into their land.
This was how the Native Americans might have felt. The pilgrims came in and changed the
way they were living their lives. How did the Pollutians change the environment of the
Wumps? How did the Pilgrims change the environment of the Native Americans?
What are some ways that we change the environment around us? Remember we are talking
about the natural environment. Sometimes I go into my yard and I cut flowers because I want
to put them on my table. As pretty as they look in my house, I am actually changing the
natural environment. So I want you to think of a way that you might change the environment
too. Remember, all change to the environment is not bad. Sometimes we need it to help us
live. And sometimes it can be good for the environment too. When I picked flowers, it wasnt
a bad change, if I am careful with how often I do it. But it is still a change. Who can think of
some other ways that we change the environment. Turn and talk with a partner about how
you might change the environment.
Now lets share with the class some of the ideas that you had about changing the
environment.

Specific Questioning:
Do you know why we celebrate Thanksgiving?
Who were the two groups of people who were at the first Thanksgiving?
Who can give me other examples of things found in the natural environment?
What are things that are not found in the natural environment?
What are some of the characteristics you notice about the Native Americans?
What are some characteristics you notice about the Pilgrims?
What are the differences between the Pilgrims and the Indians?
How did the Pollutians change the environment of the Wumps?
How did the Pilgrims change the environment of the Indians?
What are some ways that we change the environment around us?
New Vocabulary:
Environment: the area where something lives- it is everything in the world around us.
Natural Environment: the world around us that is not manmade.
Thanksgiving: The holiday with the first meal between Native Americans and pilgrims
Native Americans: Those already living in America
Pilgrims: Those that came from England to discover America
Concluding the Lesson/Closure/Debriefing: What are some ways that we change the environment

around us? Remember we are talking about the natural environment. Sometimes I go into my yard
and I cut flowers because I want to put them on my table. As pretty as they look in my house, I am
actually changing the natural environment. So I want you to think of a way that you might change the
environment too.
Materials/Resources: The Wump Land
SmartBoard
Pilgrim/Indian comparison pictures (word document)
Computer
Teaching Behavior Focus:
Provides clear direction
Direct instruction is employed
Follow-Up Activities/Parent Involvement:
Have students ask their parents that night at dinner what is on their plate that Indians might have
eaten. Indians ate things that came from the land. Tell students to think about how different the food
is that we eat now and what the Indians probably ate.

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