Grade: 4
*This is an introductory lesson I taught during my student teaching internship.
1. Read aloud “Across the Oregon Trail in a Covered Wagon” story about the Dockens family. This story discusses the route the pioneers took, the dangers and illnesses on the route, various landmarks, forts, shortcuts, activities, and ways of life for the pioneers on the Oregon Trail.
2. Have students color the worksheet as directed during the story.
Grade: 4
*This is an activity I had my fourth grade students complete during my student teaching internship.
1. This is a follow up art activity to be completed after reading and studying about the Oregon Trail.
2. Have the students think about what the various landmarks, animals, and other items seen from the covered wagon on the Oregon Trail.
3. Have students design a post card based on a sight or landmark from the Oregon Trail.
4. I had them decorate one side like a picture postcard and then write a journal entry on the other side, just like many of the journals we read while studying the Oregon Trail.
Adaptation: Allow below-level writers to write a shorter journal entry that is at their level.
Grade: 4
*This is a lesson I taught as part of an instructional sequence during my student teaching internship.
1. Using the provided textbook, as well as the power point presentation (Integrating Technology), read and discuss the information about the missionaries that came to Idaho.
2. As you read, fill in the graphic organizer with as many details as possible.
3. Review and check for understanding.
4. Give each student a piece of construction paper and the picture with the state outline and missionary logo. Have the students fold the construction paper into a brochure and decorate the front as desired. (Integrating Art).
5. Now give each student a picture page of all the missionaries and scraps of construction paper. Have the students glue pictures to rectangles of paper, write the missionaries names, then write a description of each missionary.
*For below-level students, allow them to write shorter descriptions. Have correct spellings of names available.
Grade: 4
*This is a lesson I taught to fourth grade students as part of an instructional sequence during my student teaching internship.
1. Give each student a question sheet. Have them read and answer each question.
2. Next, give each student an Idaho sheet. Have each student follow the directions next to their circled answer on the question sheet in order to color the IDAHO letters.
* Make sure to read the questions and directions with below-level readers and check for understanding.
Grade: 4
*This is a lesson I taught to fourth grade students as part of an instructional sequence during my student teaching internship.
1. Students will play an ‘I have, Who has’ game. Divide the cards among students. Then have the person with the first card go first. They ask the ‘who has’ question, then the person with the answer to that says the ‘I have’ part, then asks the question on their card. The game continues in this manner until they get to the last card.
* I had below-level readers partner with above-level readers to help read their cards and make sure they are staying with the game.
Grade: 4
*This is a review activity I made and had the students complete as part of an instructional sequence during my student teaching internship.
1. Make sure to schedule the computer lab ahead of time. Also, load this power point game onto each computer, and make sure it works before the students arrive.
2. Have each student complete this review activity about the missionaries that came to Idaho. Each slide on the power point has a question and possible answers. The students click on an answer and the computer will tell them if they are correct or incorrect. (Incorporation of Technology).
Here’s an example of some of the slides:
*Make sure to read the question with below-level readers whenever possible.
Grade: 4
*This is a lesson I taught to fourth grade students during my student teaching internship.
1. Using the provided textbook, read and discuss about the Mountain Men in Idaho’s History.
2. While reading, fill out this graphic organizer, which documents clothing, food, shelter and family life of the Mountain Men.
3. Have the students write a creative story as if they were Mountain Men in this time period in Idaho. (Integrating Language Arts).
* For below-level learners, allow them to write short word answers in the graphic organizer. Assist them as much as possible in organizing and writing their stories.
Grade: 4
*This is a Government lesson I taught to fourth grade students during my student teaching internship.
Start by reading and discussing ‘Who’s Got the Power?’ Students will need to fill in the blanks on their worksheet as we read and discuss.
Next, give each student a 'Who’s Got the Power?’ cut and glue worksheet. The students will cut out the description boxes on the bottom of the page. They will then glue the job descriptions under the correct type of government.
Adaptation: When reading and discussing the first worksheet, have correct spellings available for the below-level students. For the second worksheet, make sure to read through each job description with the below-level readers.
Grade: 4
*This is a unit I taught about the Branches of Government to fourth grade students during my student teaching internship.
Display the following posters while teaching the branches of the government.
On the first day, read and discuss the legislative branch of government, using the top informational portion of ‘The Lawmaking Branch’ worksheet. Then have the students answer the questions on the bottom portion of the worksheet.
On the second day, read and discuss the executive branch of government, using the top informational portion of ‘Carrying Out Laws’ worksheet. Then have the students answer the questions on the bottom portion of the worksheet.
On the third day, read and discuss the judicial branch of government, using the informational top portion of ‘The Courts’ worksheet. Then have the students answer the questions on the bottom portion of the worksheet.
To wrap up all three branches, and to check for understanding, have the students complete a branches of the government art quiz. Use brown construction paper to make a tree trunk and label it ‘Our Government.’ Then have the students make three branches coming off the trunk and label each branch a branch of the government. Finally, have the students hang two leaves from each branch. On one of those leaves, have them write the member(s) of that branch of government. On the other leaf, have the students write the main job of that branch of government.
