Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)

Lesson Idea Name: Exploring the American Frontier

Content Area: Social Studies
Grade Level(s): First Grade
Content Standard Addressed:
SS1H1 The student will read about and describe the life of historical figures in American History.
a. Identify the contributions made by these figures: Benjamin Franklin
(inventor/author/salesman), Thomas Jefferson (Declaration of Independence), Meriwether
Lewis and William Clark with Sacagawea (exploration). Harriet Tubman (Underground
Railroad), Theodore Roosevelt (National Parks and the environment), George Washington
Carver (science), and Ruby Bridges (civil rights).
SS1G1 Describe how each historic figure in SS1H1a was influenced by his or her time and place.
b. American frontier (Lewis & Clark and Sacagawea).

Technology Standard Addressed:

3 – Knowledgeable Constructor
Selected Technology Tool:
Popplet http://popplet.com/

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable):

http://popplet.com/app/#/4916609
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):
☐ Remembering ☐ Understanding ☐ Applying ☐ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☐ Creating
Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level): (Select the one best level)
☐ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☐ Level 3: Infusion ☒ Level 4: Integration
☐ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement
Universal Design for Learning (UDL):
While Popplet’s interface is easy to use, and would already offer access based on simplicity,
students could also receive support by dictating their ideas to be added to the page. Again because of
the simplicity, students could represent ideas in various ways on the site—such as including a file
saved remotely, or videos from Vimeo with specific links provided by the teacher.
Lesson idea implementation:
The students will be introduced to the content through the featured Popplet graphic organizer, as
well as “Who Was Sacagawea?” and “What Was the Lewis and Clark Expedition”. The featured
Popplet will introduce students to Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and Sacagawea’s lives before
and after as well as the events leading up to and the reason for the journey. During the discussion, the
class will create a larger timeline of the events of the journey that students will choose from for their
own group presentations.
As we add content, students will be able to explore Popplet’s features so they can create their own
for presentation. Then students will decide what the important stages and people of what we
discussed were—such as the Corps of Discovery, Lewis & Clark, Sacagawea, etc. These will be what
they choose for their presentations.
Reflective Practice:
Students will use the featured books and other resources to compile information on a chosen part of
the journey in small groups. Each group will create a timeline of their portion of the journey and
discuss major events that took place as well as describe location and time. They will design their

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 Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)
Popplet to include images alongside the information. Each group will present their portion of the
journey to the class using their Popplet organizer to highlight the information they learned about on
their own.

Spring 2018_SJB