ETE 335

Elementary Social Studies Lesson

Gardners Multiple Intelligences

ETE 335

Elementary Social Studies Lesson

Gardners Multiple Intelligences

Rachel Bauer
Geography
5th
The Western United States

ETE 335

Elementary Social Studies Lesson

Gardners Multiple Intelligences
Goals:
Students will gain more information on the Western United States Geography.
Students will understand how the Western United States culture was formed.
Objectives:
Content/Knowledge:
Students will be able to identify the states of the Western region of United States.
Students will be able to analyze why people moved to the Western region.
Students will be able to locate the Western states on a map.
Process/Skills:
Students will be able to illustrate the physical map of the Western region of the United States.
Students will be able to evaluate miles of a state using the scale of the map.
Students will be able to summarize why people went on the Oregon Trail.
Values/Dispositions:
Students will be able to compare why people moved to the West.
Students will be able to organize reasons to travel on the Oregon Trail.
Students will be able to generalize the landforms of the Western United States and why they are
important.

ETE 335

Elementary Social Studies Lesson

Gardners Multiple Intelligences
Rationale:
In this lesson, students will learn about the Western United States and how it was
formed around the physical aspects of the region. Additionally, students will look at why
the West was settled and how it grew into the West we know today.
Standards:
State Illinois Common Core or Learning Standards
SS.IS.2.3-5: Create supporting questions to help answer essential questions in an
inquiry
SS.IS.1.3-5: Develop essential questions and explain the importance of the questions to
self and others.
SS.G.1.5: Investigate how the cultural and environmental characteristics of places
within the United States change over time.
SS.G.2.5: Describe how humans have utilized natural resources in the United States
National NCSS Themes
Culture
Time, Continuity, and Change
People, Places, and Environments

Logical/Mathematical

Logical/Mathematical
In this activity, the students will look at a
map of the western region of the United
States. The students will guess about how
many miles the region covers in land. After
this, they will learn about how to use the
scale of the map. They will then look at
different maps of the states of the western
region to see how many miles they cover.
After this, they will add those up to get the
total number of miles.
Resources:
Map of the Western United States
region
Notes on using scale on maps
Maps of the states of the Western
United States
Worksheet with the questions about
the miles of each state and then all
together

Verbal/Linguistic

Verbal/Linguistic
In this section, the students will
split into groups of 3 or 4. In these
groups, the students will create a
organizer about the Western region.
They will come with characteristics
of this region such as the climate,
landform, weather, human
interactions, industries, etc. After
the groups create their organizer,
the class will discuss the
characteristics and create an
overall class mind map to act as a
map of the unit.
Resources:
Paper
Coloring utensils
Poster board for main mind
map
Visuals of examples of
graphic organizers

Musical/Rhythmic

Musical/Rhythmic
In this section, the students will watch the
video about the Western states. They will
be given a lyric sheet to go along with the
song. As they are listening to the song and
following along to the lyrics, they will
highlight any important information they
find. After this, they will create their own
version of this song in song or poem form.
Resources:
Video link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=7RZYM9Q1BzE
Paper
Writing utensil
Rubric for grading the song/poem
(found on next slide)

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY
Flow & Rhythm
(Sentence
Fluency)

4
All sentences
sound natural and
are easy-on-theear when read
aloud. Each
sentence is clear
and has an
obvious emphasis.

3
Almost all
sentences sound
natural and are
easy-on-the-ear
when read aloud,
but 1 or 2 are stiff
and awkward or
difficult to
understand.

2
Most sentences
sound natural and
are easy-on-theear when read
aloud, but several
are stiff and
awkward or are
difficult to
understand.

1
Score
The sentences are
difficult to read
aloud because
they sound
awkward, are
distractingly
repetitive, or
difficult to
understand.

Grammar &
Spelling
(Conventions)

Writer makes no Writer makes 1-2 Writer makes 3-4 Writer makes

errors in grammar errors in grammar errors in grammar more than 4 errors

or spelling that
or spelling that
or spelling that
in grammar or
distract the reader distract the reader distract the reader spelling that
from the content. from the content. from the content. distract the reader
from the content.

Focus on Topic
(Content)

There is one clear, Main idea is clear

well-focused topic. but the supporting
Main idea stands information is
out and is
general.
supported by
detailed
information.

Main idea is
The main idea is
somewhat clear
not clear. There is
but there is a need a seemingly
for more
random collection
supporting
of information.
information.

Visual/Spatial

Visual/Spatial
In this section, the students will
look at a physical map of the
Western United States. As they look
at this, they will create their own
map on a blank map. After they
create their map, they will write a
story about a journey they would
take through the western region of
the United States.
Resources:
Physical Map
Blank Map
Paper
Writing utensils
Coloring utensils
Rubric for grading the
story (found on next
slide)

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY

4
Student devotes a lot of time and effort
to the writing process (prewriting,
drafting, reviewing, and editing). Works
hard to make the story wonderful.

3
Student devotes sufficient time and
effort to the writing process (prewriting,
drafting, reviewing, and editing). Works
and gets the job done.

2
1
Student devotes some time and effort to Student devotes little time and effort to
the writing process but was not very
the writing process. Doesn\'t seem to
thorough. Does enough to get by.
care.

Neatness

The final draft of the story is readable,

clean, neat and attractive. It is free of
erasures and crossed-out words. It looks
like the author took great pride in it.

The final draft of the story is readable,

neat and attractive. It may have one or
two erasures, but they are not
distracting. It looks like the author took
some pride in it.

The final draft of the story is readable

and some of the pages are attractive. It
looks like parts of it might have been
done in a hurry.

Focus on Assigned Topic

The entire story is related to the

assigned topic and allows the reader to
understand much more about the topic.

Most of the story is related to the

Some of the story is related to the
assigned topic. The story wanders off at assigned topic, but a reader does not
one point, but the reader can still learn learn much about the topic.
something about the topic.

No attempt has been made to relate the

story to the assigned topic.

Spelling and Punctuation

There are no spelling or punctuation

errors in the final draft. Character and
place names that the author invented
are spelled consistently throughout.

There is one spelling or punctuation error There are 2-3 spelling and punctuation
in the final draft.
errors in the final draft.

The final draft has more than 3 spelling

and punctuation errors.

Creativity

The story contains many creative details The story contains a few creative details The story contains a few creative details There is little evidence of creativity in the
and/or descriptions that contribute to the and/or descriptions that contribute to the and/or descriptions, but they distract
story. The author does not seem to have
reader\'s enjoyment. The author has
reader\'s enjoyment. The author has
from the story. The author has tried to
used much imagination.
really used his imagination.
used his imagination.
use his imagination.

Illustrations

Original illustrations are detailed,

Original illustrations are somewhat
Original illustrations relate to the text on Illustrations are not present OR they are
attractive, creative and relate to the text detailed, attractive, and relate to the text the page.
not original.
on the page.
on the page.

Writing Process

The final draft is not neat or attractive. It

looks like the student just wanted to get
it done and didn\'t care what it looked
like.

Body/Kinesthetic

Body/Kinesthetic
In this section, the students will
play a game. They will split into
groups of 3 or 4. They will pick
one person to be the person
who moves around the floor
map of the United States. The
groups will take turns
answering questions about the
Western region. If the group
gets the answer correct, the
person on the floor map will
move to a different state than
which they are standing in. The
objective of the game is to move
through all 50 states.
Resources:
List of questions
Floor map

Interpersonal

Interpersonal
In this section, the students will
watch a short video on the Oregon
Trail. While they are watching this,
the students will write words or
phrases that stand out to them
about the Oregon Trail. After the
video, the students will pair up and
share their thoughts with another
student. After they share their
thoughts, the students will work
together to create a brochure about
the Oregon Trail.
Resources:
Video link:
https://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=jXjsZc1my1o
Paper for writing down
thoughts and brochure
Writing utensils
Coloring utensils
Rubric for grading brochure
(found on next slide)

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY
Writing - Organization

4
Each section in the brochure has a
clear beginning, middle, and end.

3
2
Almost all sections of the brochure Most sections of the brochure have
have a clear beginning, middle and a clear beginning, middle and end.
end.

Writing - Grammar

There are no grammatical mistakes There are no grammatical mistakes There are 1-2 grammatical mistakes There are several grammatical
in the brochure.
in the brochure after feedback from in the brochure even after feedback mistakes in the brochure even after
an adult.
from an adult.
feedback from an adult.

Spelling & Proofreading

No spelling errors remain after one

person other than the typist reads
and corrects the brochure.

No more than 1 spelling error

remains after one person other than
the typist reads and corrects the
brochure.

No more than 3 spelling errors

Several spelling errors in the
remain after one person other than brochure.
the typist reads and corrects the
brochure.

Attractiveness & Organization

The brochure has exceptionally

attractive formatting and wellorganized information.

The brochure has attractive

formatting and well-organized
information.

The brochure has well-organized

information.

Graphics/Pictures

Graphics go well with the text and

there is a good mix of text and
graphics.

Graphics go well with the text, but Graphics go well with the text, but
there are so many that they distract there are too few and the brochure
from the text.
seems \"text-heavy\".

Graphics do not go with the

accompanying text or appear to be
randomly chosen.

Knowledge Gained

All students in the group can

accurately answer all questions
related to facts in the brochure and
to technical processes used to
create the brochure.

All students in the group can

accurately answer most questions
related to facts in the brochure and
to technical processes used to
create the brochure.

Several students in the group

appear to have little knowledge
about the facts or technical
processes used in the brochure.

Most students in the group can

accurately answer most questions
related to facts in the brochure and
to technical processes used to
create the brochure.

1
Less than half of the sections of the
brochure have a clear beginning,
middle and end.

The brochure\'s formatting and

organization of material are
confusing to the reader.

Intrapersonal

Intrapersonal
In this section, the students will
have a mini lesson about
Westward expansion. After the
lesson, the students will write a
letter as though they were a
pioneer who moved West. The
letter will have to contain why
they moved, how they feel on
the move, where they settled,
etc.
Resources:
Paper
Writing utensils
Rubric for grading letter
(found on next slide)
Notes on Westward
Expansion

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY

4
3
Ideas were expressed in a clear Ideas were expressed in a
and organized fashion. It was pretty clear manner, but the
easy to figure out what the
organization could have been
letter was about.
better.

2
Ideas were somewhat
organized, but were not very
clear. It took more than one
reading to figure out what the
letter was about.

1
The letter seemed to be a
collection of unrelated
sentences. It was very difficult
to figure out what the letter
was about.

Length

The letter is 10 or more

sentences.

The letter is 8-9 sentences.

The letter is 5-7 sentences.

The letter is less than 5

sentences.

Format

Complies with all the

requirements for a friendly
letter.

Complies with almost all the

requirements for a friendly
letter.

Complies with several of the

requirements for a friendly
letter.

Complies with less than 75% of

the requirements for a friendly
letter.

Content Accuracy

The letter contains at least 5

The letter contains 3-4
The letter contains 1-2
The letter contains no accurate
accurate facts about the topic. accurate facts about the topic. accurate facts about the topic. facts about the topic.

Salutation and Closing

Salutation and closing have no Salutation and closing have 1-2 Salutation and closing have 3 Salutation and/or closing are
errors in capitalization and
errors in capitalization and
or more errors in capitalization missing.
punctuation.
punctuation.
and punctuation.

Ideas

Naturalistic

Naturalistic
In this section, the students will learn
about the landforms of the Western
United States. After the lesson, the
students split into groups of 3. As a
group they will create an interview as
though one or two of the students are
naturalist or people who live in the
Western United States. The other(s) will
be the person interviewing the one or
two students. Each group will present
their interview in front of the class.
Resources:
Notes of landforms of the
Western United States
Paper to write down interview
script
Rubric for grading interview
(found on next slide)

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY
Preparation

4
3
Before the interview, the
Before the interview, the
student prepared several instudent prepared a couple of
depth AND factual questions to in-depth questions and several
ask.
factual questions to ask.

2
Before the interview, the
student prepared several
factual questions to ask.

Knowledge Gained

Student can accurately answer

several questions about the
person who was interviewed
and can tell how this interview
relates to the material being
studied in class.

Student can accurately answer Student can accurately answer Student cannot accurately
a few questions about the
a few questions about the
answer questions about the
person who was interviewed
person who was interviewed. person who was interviewed.
and can tell how this interview
relates to the material being
studied in class.

Politeness

Student never interrupted or

hurried the person being
interviewed and thanked them
for being willing to be
interviewed.

Student rarely interrupted or

hurried the person being
interviewed and thanked them
for being willing to be
interviewed.

Follow-up Questions

The student listened carefully The student listened carefully

to the person being
to the person being
interviewed and asked several interviewed and asked a
relevant follow-up questions
couple of relevant follow-up
based on what the person said. questions based on what the
person said.

Student rarely interrupted or

hurried the person being
interviewed, but forgot to
thank the person.

1
The student did not prepare
any questions before the
interview.

Several times, the student

interrupted or hurried the
person being interviewed AND
forgot to thank the person.

The student asked a couple of The student did not ask any
follow-up questions based on follow-up questions based on
what s/he thought the person what the person said.
said.

ETE 335

Elementary Social Studies Lesson

Gardnersand
Multiple
Intelligences
Visual Learning
Assessment:
Visual Learning, Assessment, and Online
Resources:
Visual Learning: There is a visual,
either video or print, on each slide.
Assessment:
The students will be assessed based on the
rubrics that go along with the assigned
projects. Additionally, the students will be
assessed informally based on their
cooperation with others and their
participation in the lessons.

Online Resources:
http://del.icio.us/rbauer3235/Geography