Unit Plan: Integrating Language Arts & Social
Studies
Lesson Plan for Monday
Grade: 2
Social Studies Strand: Geography
Submitted By: Kendra Cope
EDEL 453: Teaching Elementary School Social Science
Nevada State College Spring 2014
Instructor: Karen Powell
Lesson Plan for Monday Strand: Geography submitted by: Kendra Cope
Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 2
B. Summary of the Lesson Plan:
This geography lesson is designed for 2
nd
grade students to learn about how to read and
construct a map. The students will design a map and include a title of the map.
C. Basic Information:
Grade Level: 2
nd
Grade
Time to Complete this Lesson: 50 Minutes
Groupings: Whole Group discussion, Independent for activity & assessment and
partners for final discussion
D. Materials:
Globe
World Map, USA Map, Street Map & House Map
Paper, Pencil, Ruler, Colored Pencils
E. Objectives:
o NV State Social Studies Standards
G5.2.1 Identify titles and symbols maps.
G5.2.3 Construct a map key from given symbols and choose a map title.
o Student-Friendly Standards
G5.2.1 I can identify the title and symbols on a map
G5.2.3 I can make a map with symbols and come up with a title.
F. Vocabulary
Globe a picture of Earth that is displayed on a round surface
Map a picture of an area that is displayed on a flat surface
Compass an instrument that tells you which direction it is facing
Grid lines that go from north to south and east to west
Lesson Plan for Monday Strand: Geography submitted by: Kendra Cope
Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 3
Legend tells you what the different symbols mean
Title name of your map
G. Procedure:
1. Explain to the whole class what a globe is and what a map is.
2. Bring the students attention to the classroom globe. Point to various parts of the
world and see if any students can identify different countries or continents.
(assessing prior knowledge)
3. Identify & discuss the various symbols on a map
4. Introduce vocabulary (globe, map, compass, grid, legend, title)
5. As a whole class, discuss and interpret my street map and my house map.
6. Ask questions about my map:
o What symbols do you see?
o Can you identify my legend and tell me what the symbols mean?
o Where is the compass?
o What are the titles of my maps?
7. Give the students the steps they need to complete their own map.
o They will need to draw a map of their house.
o Show using my map how to construct lines and make rooms.
Lesson Plan for Monday Strand: Geography submitted by: Kendra Cope
Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 4
H. Assessment:
What will you use to measure student understanding?
G5.2.3 Construct a map key from given symbols and choose a map title.
I will have my students draw their own house map.
Explain how you will know students understand the concepts from the lesson.
The students will need to include a compass, legend and a title. If they label everything
correctly then I will know that they understood the concept.
I. Closure:
I will have the students pair up with a partner and share their house map. They will
need to successfully state all of their symbols, what they mean and where they are
relation to the map.
J. Reflection:
1. Which part of the lesson do you think will be the easiest for you to teach?
I think the easiest part of the lesson for me to teach will be the vocabulary.
Providing a visual is a great way to teach a word. Plus the students can touch it as
well.
2. Which part will be most challenging for you to teach?
Discussing the legend and compass will probably be the hardest part. I think they
will understand the vocabulary, but actually breaking it down and deciding what
each symbol means will be hard to explain.
3. How will you follow up or extend this lesson?
I will have the students complete a map of their dream house.
4. What can you do for students who dont grasp the concepts?
I would first find out which part they are struggling on. Then decide to break it down
piece by piece. While they are completing their own map, they can describe to
me what their house looks like. Then we can go room by room and make symbols,
etc.
5. Which part of the lesson, if any, do you think might need to change?
My vocabulary could probably change as they might be too hard.
Lesson Plan for Monday Strand: Geography submitted by: Kendra Cope
Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 5
6. When you were writing this lesson plan, what was the most difficult part?
Trying to keep the lesson fun and engaging. Using our textbook and reading
strategy 7 on page 50, helped me modify the lesson.
7. Explain the strategy from Integrating Language Arts & Social Studies that you
included in this lesson plan.
I chose strategy 7 that starts on page 48. I found a geography standard in grade
level 2 and saw that strategy 7 is about developing map skills. On page 50, it
provides information about how to modify teaching map skills for K-2
nd
grade. It
helped me with deciding what to come up with for this lesson plan. I was going to
do a bigger map, like a city, but after rereading page 50, I realized for 2
nd
grade, I
really needed to bring it down and keep it simple.
