STEPP Lesson Plan Form

Teacher:

Chris Nickel

School: Boltz
Title:

Date: 10-8-14
Grade Level:

Content Area: Geography

European Union

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson: 7th Grade Geography Standard 2.1b: Describe the
characteristics and distribution of physical systems, cultural patterns and economic
interdependence to make predictions. Topics to include but not limited to environmental
issues and cultural diffusion (DOK 1-3).

Understandings: (Big Ideas) Students will understand that the commonalities and differences among the
countries of the European Union can benefit the individual countries as well as the whole region.

Inquiry Questions: (Essential questions relating knowledge at end of the unit of instruction, select
applicable questions from standard)
-

What are the commonalities between countries in the European Union?

What are the differences between countries in the European Union?
Why are each of these beneficial to the country involved in the EU?
Why are the similarities and differences between countries in the union beneficial to the EU?

Evidence Outcomes: (Learning Targets)

Every student will be able to: (Create your own lesson objectives from the standard, follow the ABCD
format, using student voice)
I can: Identify similarities and differences among countries within the European Union and the benefits
of each.
This means: I can explain why the European Union can benefit from the countries involved, as well as
how the countries benefit from their involvement in the EU.

List of Assessments:
The students have already researched specific countries during the last class via a web quest I provided.
I will assess students understanding based on the Post It notes worked on in groups, as well as the
worksheet the students fill out individually at the end of the lesson.

Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences

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STEPP Lesson Plan Form

Planned Lesson Activities

Name and Purpose of Lesson
Should be a creative title for you and the students to
associate with the activity. Think of the purpose as
the mini-rationale for what you are trying to
accomplish through this lesson.

Approx. Time and Materials

How long do you expect the activity to last and what
materials will you need?

Anticipatory Set
The hook to grab students attention. These are
actions and statements by the teacher to relate the
experiences of the students to the objectives of the
lesson, To put students into a receptive frame of
mind.
To focus student attention on the lesson.
To create an organizing framework for the
ideas, principles, or information that is to
follow (advanced organizers)
An anticipatory set is used any time a different
activity or new concept is to be introduced.
How do you intend to engage your students in
thinking during the Anticipatory Set?
Why are you using it at this point in your lesson?

The European Union: Whats in it for me?

The purpose is for the students to understand how the country they researched and
other countries in the EU benefit from the union as well as how the EU benefits from the
countries (Why would the EU want them?).
The lesson should take about 45 minutes.
I will need the students to bring their research from the Web Quest they previously
worked on. Large Post It notes and markers for the groups to write their ideas on. My
own list of similarities and differences and the benefits, and a table worksheet for the
students to hold their thinking on at the end of the lesson (i.e. similarities, differences
and benefits table).
Journal Question: How do the differences and similarities between the students and the
teachers benefit everyone individually? How do they benefit Boltz as a whole
community?
We will discuss some of the students answers for examples and I will encourage various
view points and add input if necessary.

The strategy I intend to use is __Do Now____

I am using this strategy here because:
As the students come in, I want them to start thinking about the ways an individual can
benefit a community as well as how the community benefits the individual. This will help
to prepare their mindset for the lesson as they come into class.

Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences

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STEPP Lesson Plan Form

Procedures
(Include a play-by-play account of what students and
teacher will do from the minute they arrive to the
minute they leave your classroom. Indicate the
length of each segment of the lesson. List actual
minutes.)
Indicate whether each is:
-teacher input
-modeling
-questioning strategies
-guided/unguided:
-whole-class practice
-group practice
-individual practice
-check for understanding
-other

How do you intend to engage your students in

thinking during the PROCEDURE?

-Do Now Journal Question should take about 10 min.

-The students will get into groups according to the countries they researched. 5 min.
-I will give each group a giant sticky and explain the expectations for each group- to write
down 10 important facts about their specific country (government, resources, climate
etc.) which they found using their Web Quest. During this time, I will catch and release a
few times to share things I saw which could help others or redirect thinking. They will
post the stickies at the front of the classroom when finished 15 min.
- As class we will look at the similarities and differences of the countries important facts
listed on the stickies. 3 min.
-The students will work individually to write two similarities, two differences, and two
benefits each for the countries/European Union on a worksheet I have provided. 8 min.
-We will come together as a class and share out examples the students wrote on their
individual worksheets (similarities/differences and their benefits). 2 min.
-I will ask if there are questions or areas needing clarification. 2 min.
This leaves five minutes in the period in case the students need more time to work
individually on their worksheets.

The strategy I intend to use is _group work/collaboration, followed by individual work

(Flexible Grouping).

Why are you using it at this point in your lesson?

I am using this strategy here because: The students have conducted research on their
own during a previous class, now I want them to come together and pull the pieces of
information from their research that they and their classmates collectively believe to be
important (which sim./diff. were most important). This will help me assess what the
students already understand, as well as give me a guideline for the rest of the unit, as the
research was the springing point for this lesson.

Closure
Those actions or statements by a teacher that are
designed to bring a lesson presentation to an
appropriate conclusion. Used to help students bring

At this time I will ask the students to finish up the thought they are writing on their
worksheet and bring their attention to the front of the class. I will ask the students to
share out examples they have written about differences or similarities they found, and
their corresponding benefit to the EU or to individual countries. We will discuss various

Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences

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STEPP Lesson Plan Form

things together in their own minds, to make sense
out of what has just been taught. Any Questions?
No. OK, lets move on is not closure. Closure is used:
To cue students to the fact that they have
arrived at an important point in the lesson or
the end of a lesson.
To help organize student learning
To help form a coherent picture and to consolidate.
How do you intend to engage your students in
thinking during CLOSURE?

students answers and I will comment when necessary to round out the students
understanding. We will have a two minute period at the end for questions or
clarification.

Why are you using it at this point in your lesson?

I am using this strategy here because: I want the students to share specific examples they
have written on their worksheet. Students will get to share their work with the class, and
this will help other students to see what possible benefits others came up with. Because I
am leading the discussion, the students will dominate the conversation, but I will provide
missing pieces of information the students need to move on in the unit. My hope is that
in discussing others examples, the students who did not fully understand the answers
they should have will hear others and the point of the lesson will be clearer to them. At
this point I will also ask if students have any questions or points to clarify with me. The
answers will help me to know where I should be going in the next stages of my unit.

Differentiation
To modify: If the activity is too advanced for a child,
how will you modify it so that they can be successful?
To extend: If the activity is too easy for a child, how
will you extend it to develop their emerging skills?

The strategy I intend to use is _______Discussion (student examples)_______

During the group activity, I could have put certain groups of students together
(researching the same country) using their readiness level. I could put students who
tend to work faster with students who work at a slower pace together to balance their
timing.
If the activity is too complicated for a student, I could minimize the number of
commonalities, differences and benefits that they need to write down. They could even
work as a group and fill out the worksheet that they have worked on with another
student.
If the activity is too easy for a student, I would ask them to take it a step further and
compare the European Union to the United States. To discuss with a group at equal
readiness how the commonalities and differences between the states and the benefits to
the US.

Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences

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STEPP Lesson Plan Form

Assessment
How will you know if students met the learning
targets? Write a description of what you were
looking for in each assessment.

During the group activity, I can walk around and look at what the students are writing
and help direct their thinking with specific questions. When I catch and release during
this time, the examples I share will also help the students understand what I am looking
for. Using the information the students choose to share about their countries, I can also
direct the rest of my lesson (where we need to spend more time, areas we can skip etc.).
After the students have worked on the table worksheet and we have discussed a few
possible answers as a class, I will collect it. I will then look over the assessments and put
one question at the bottom of each of the students pages to encourage them to think
about or take on further inquiry into some aspect of their answer. I will be looking for at
least two commonalities and differences, and then two benefits of each which
specifically connect with their stated commonalities and differences.

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STEPP Lesson Plan Form

Post Lesson Reflection

1. To what extent were lesson objectives achieved? (Utilize assessment data to justify
your level of achievement)
I had the opportunity to change my lesson plan following the lesson I actually taught in
class, hopefully to improve it. My previous lesson went well, but I felt that the students
needed more involvement, rather than the majority being me giving them information.
Which is why I developed this two day lesson plan, which would achieve student
interest and increased involvement. I do think my original objectives were achieved for
the most part, because the students turned in their comparing/contrasting tables to me
the next class period and they were filled out well. The students also demonstrated their
knowledge in our end of the lesson and follow up discussions. I think this lesson plan
would also allow for higher level thinking.
2. What changes, omissions, or additions to the lesson would you make if you were to
teach again?
As I said, this lesson is evidence of the changes I would make to my previous lesson plan.
It includes a lot more student-centered work. I think the students would be able to
participate more and satisfy their inquiries about the countries they researched. I also
specified differentiation for students who are at different readiness levels. I developed
this new lesson plan hoping that it would lead to a lot more student discussion, rather
than me talking at the front of the room for twenty minutes.

3. What do you envision for the next lesson? (Continued practice, reteach content, etc.)
In my future lessons, I hope to develop a better command of the classroom, as well as
my teacher voice. I felt I did well keeping the class focused and attentive, but in the
future I want to be more confident speaking in the front of the class. I also hope to
include real variety in my lessons, leading to higher level thinking for the students.
Rather than just the lecture and worksheet type lesson, I want to be more creative with
my lesson plans.

Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences

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