Maine Content Literacy Project
Literacy Leadership Institute #6
Differentiation in Action
Elementary Social Studies
November 18, 2010
Facilitator:
Doris Bonneau
Content Literacy Planning Template
Grade 5: Social Studies
Lesson Topic: Students will compare the Jamestown and
Plymouth Colonies as described in informational text. Students
will then decide if the settlements were similar or different.
Grade Level/Content Area/Lesson Topic
Learning Standards
Content What specific content/concepts do
you want students to understand and be able
to apply as a result of instruction you will
provide?
Questions to Think About
When students ask why they need
to know this content, what will you
say?
How will students be exposed to
and investigate this content?
What prior knowledge do students
need?
What connections need to be made
to other content within and across
content areas and to real-life
applications?
What vocabulary will be essential to
understanding the target concepts?
How will students learn this?
Concepts:
1. Students will compare the Jamestown and Plymouth Colonies.
2. Students will interpret the information to discern whether the
colonies were similar or different.
Questions to Think About
1. Students need to know this information because the story
reflects the risk taking nature of the American character.
2. Students have been studying both colonies. They have had
discussions about the reasons the colonist came, their
characteristics as a group, difficulties each colony had because of
the location and time of the settlements, and their relationship
with the Indians.
3. Students will connect the content to the American celebration
of Thanksgiving.
4. Vocabulary for each of the selections will be addressed before
the reading. Students will do a matching activity.
Literacy Habits and Skills
Literacy Outcomes How will students be
expected to read, write, discuss, present, and
engage in critical and creative thinking in
relation to the content?
Questions to Think About
What, specifically, will students be
expected to read? To write? To
discuss? To present?
Where will students be expected to
engage in critical thinking (analysis,
evaluation) and/or creative thinking
(innovative application, synthesis)?
What modeling/explicit teaching
will be necessary?
What literacy strategies do students
know that they could apply to the
tasks at hand?
Literacy Outcomes
Students will read texts of varied complexity appropriate to their
skill level. They will take notes on the key ideas for the different
categories using a modified two column note taking template.
Three minutes into the activity they will be asked to think about
the ideas they have identified and to share them with another
person.
Questions to Think About
1. Students will be expected to engage in critical thinking
(analysis, comparing and contrasting) when they take notes,
when they participate in the carousel, and when they complete
the Venn Diagram.
2. Note taking and Venn Diagram and the carousel activity will be
modeled.
How will you provide feedback and
coaching along the way?
© 2011 Public Consulting Group. From Thinkquiry Toolkit 1. All rights reserved.
1
Content Literacy Planning Template (continued)
Grade Level/Content Area/Lesson Topic
Grade 5: Social Studies
Meeting Adolescent Learning Needs
Motivation and Engagement How will you
include structured or supported choice, use of
technology, collaborative learning, and
authentic reasons to read and write as part of
the learning of this content?
Questions to Think About
What strategies do you plan to use
or have students use related to
motivation and engagement?
Motivation and Engagement
Students will work in dyads to share notes, participate in the
carousel, and complete the Venn Diagram.
Questions to Think About
The lesson is differentiated by complexity of texts and literacy
support strategies to support analysis, comparison and contrast.
How do you plan to include
differentiation (levels of reading,
choices of topic, choices of which
strategies or approaches to use to
learn or demonstrate learning)?
Assessment/Grading
Quality Improvement How will you provide
rubrics, exemplars, and clear expectations for
the processes you expect students to use and
the products that you expect students to
produce?
Quality Improvement
Expectations for the quick write will be established.
Resources
Bradford, William. Bradford's History. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1908.
Breen, T. H. Puritans and Adventurers. New York: Oxford University Press, 1980.
Hatch, Charles. The First 17 Years. Virginia 350th Anniversary Celebration Corporation, 1957.
Jennings, Francis. The Invasion of America. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1975.
Lamey, Thomas “Comparison of Jamestown and Plymouth Plantations” (PDF) Teaching American History Program.
http://www.fsc.edu/tah/colonialamericalessonplans.cfm
Social studies Core Skills Strengthen Social Studies Skills with Interactive Lessons. Florida: Harcourt Achieve
Imprint.
Robbins, Roland W. Pilgrim John Alden's Progress. Plymouth, Massachusetts: Pilgrim Society, 1969.
© 2011 Public Consulting Group. From Thinkquiry Toolkit 1. All rights reserved.
2
Lesson Plan: 5th Grade Social Studies
Comparing the Jamestown and Plymouth Colonies
Instructional Outcomes
Standards:
Content Learning Outcome: Students will compare the Jamestown and Plymouth Colonies as
described in informational text. Students will decide if the settlements were similar or different.
Literacy Support Strategies and Instruction
Text needed: Information on Jamestown and Plymouth in three levels of complexity.
Before reading/learning:
1. Word sort of key words and concepts will set up the comparison of Jamestown and
Plymouth. Guiding question: Are the colonies similar or different?
2. Word and definition matching will help students understand words that might be difficult.
During reading/learning:
1. Note taking of key ideas that describe Jamestown and Plymouth colonies will support
gathering of details and examples that students can use to defend their thinking.
After reading/learning:
1. Modified carousel strategy will scaffold the comparison of the two colonies.
2. Venn diagram graphic organizer will scaffold support for the interpretation of similar or
different.
3. Quick write strategy will demonstrate the skill of articulating an interpretation and
support it.
4. KRG strategy will assess an understanding of the key concepts.
Before Reading/Learning (10 minutes)
Literacy outcome:
Students will be familiar with key words and with words that might be difficult in the text.
5 minutes: Word Wall Activity
1. Students will be reminded of key words that describe the Jamestown and Plymouth
settlements. Students have already done a triple entry journal of words they have
learned from viewing previous videos and from other prior exposure to this material.
5 minutes:
2. Students will do a content word definition matching activity to help them with difficult
words in the assigned text.
Teacher preparation: Word wall activity and content word definition matching envelopes.
Teacher facilitation: Materials will be color coded: Green, Orange, and Red
3
During Reading/Learning ( 15 minutes)
Literacy outcome: Students will read different text and will take notes on the key ideas for the
different categories. They will be provided with a modified two column note taking template.
Three minutes into the activity they will be asked to think about the ideas they have identified
so far and to share them with another person.
Other options to consider for instructional input to engage students
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/adlit08.soc.sapoca/ Interactive story of Pocahontas
Teacher facilitation: Teacher will prepare the template, model its use, and then monitor the
activity.
After Reading/Learning (20 minutes)
Literacy outcome: Students will compare and contrast the information about Jamestown and
Plymouth colonies by engaging in a carousel activity. They will then transpose the information
to a Venn Diagram, and summarize by doing a quick write.
10 minutes: Carousel. Students will use their notes to share information regarding location of
the settlement, reason or motives of the settlers, difficulties of the colonies, government, and
reason for success. They will then be asked to underline the areas where the colonies were
similar and circle those areas where the colonies were different.
10 minutes: Venn Diagram. Using the information from the carousel, students will work in
pairs to capture the similarities and differences and commonalities of the colonies.
5 minutes: Quick write. Students will be asked to set criteria for an acceptable quick write that
demonstrates a position and support it. They will then write about whether they think the
Jamestown settlement was similar to or different than the Plymouth settlement.
Teacher facilitation: Students will do a modified carousel to visualize the key concepts found
in the reading. They will be asked to complete T charts on each of the categories. The
teacher will prepare the charts.
In dyads, students will complete a Venn diagram with similarities and differences of the
colonies. The teacher will help students set criteria for demonstrating communication whether
the Jamestown or Plymouth settlements were similar or different and explain why. Then
students will do a quick write.
At the end of the class: Ticket to leave is the KRG of terms if time allows.
Suggested Subsequent Lessons
4
Student descriptions for the 5th grade class
Margaret gets antsy in class and has trouble paying attention. She has been in two foster
homes. She likes to draw and sketch.
Julie tries really hard but it takes her a long time to finish her reading. She likes it when the
assignment is cut and dried and she does not need to think too hard.
John’s favorite shows are on the Discovery Channel. He loves history and learning about
interesting facts about the way life used to be. He reads very slowly and he does not always
understand what he reads. He pays attention in class and likes it when the class discusses a
topic.
Damien is popular and school comes pretty easily to him. He does not like to read but enjoys
math and working with his hands. He is a fast runner.
Brant likes animals and works hard at his afternoon job helping his aunt who is a professional
pet sitter. He would like to be a vet or a dog groomer and trainer when he gets out of school. His
grades are average because he is very careless when doing his work.
Kirsten loves horses. Recently her parents divorced. She spends one week with her mother
and the other with her father. She is a good writer who likes “making her case,” but she gets
bored easily.
Tammie always has her nose in a book and she is seen by her classmates as “smart”. She lives
on a farm and has four siblings who she helps her mom take care of. She was homeschooled
until 3rd grade.
Bobby helps his father at their family IGA after school and on weekends. He works with his
uncle stacking canned goods. He wants to be an astronaut and he is always sharing neat things
he has read about on the computer or watched on TV.
Nicole loves art and is always sketching or doodling. She finds technology easy to work with
and wants to be a graphic designer when she finishes school.
© 2010 PCG Education
5
Student NWEA MAP Reading Scores
Julie Sparks
5
S/G
202
3.2
John Endicott
5
S/G
210
3.3
Damien Davidson
5
S/G
208
3.3
Brant Johnson
5
S/G
208
3.2
Kirsten Bean
5
S/G
211
3.3
Tammie Rowe
5
S/G
214
3.3
Robert Ressalo
5
S/G
226
3.4
Nicole Zak
5
S/G
232
3.3
%ile
34
%ile
Range
26-42
Reading
Range*
535-685
34
26-42
50
Comprehension
RIT
201
RIT
Range
198204
199205
207214
205211
205212
208214
211217
223229
229235
Informational
Texts
5
Grd
Std
Err
3.3
Literary Texts
Student Name
Margaret Bean
Test
Type
S/G
Word
Identification
Goal Performance
LO
AV
AV
LO
535-685
LO
AV
LO
LO
40-60
641-791
AV
AV
LO
AV
51
42-61
649-799
LO
AV
HI
AV
51
42-61
649-799
AV
HI
LO
AV
61
51-73
707-857
AV
AV
AV
AV
70
61-81
761-911
AV
HI
HI
AV
94
89-99
964-1114
HI
HI
HI
HI
98
97-99
10821232
HI
HI
HI
HI
6
Two-Column Note Taking
Directions
As you read/listen/view, take two-column notes about Jamestown and Plymouth. Write key
ideas about each of these topics for each of the colonies.
Today’s Date: ________________
Topic:
Check one: Lecture
Text
Information about Jamestown
Film
Presentation/Demonstration
Information about Plymouth
Location of the settlement:
Location of the settlement:
Reason they came:
Reason they came:
Difficulties:
Difficulties:
Government:
Government:
Reason for success:
Reason for success:
© 2010 PCG Education
7
Two-Column Note Taking
Directions
As you read/listen/view, take two-column notes about Jamestown and Plymouth. Write key
ideas about each of these topics for each of the colonies.
Today’s Date: ________________
Topic:
Check one: Lecture
Text
Information about Jamestown
Film
Presentation/Demonstration
Information about Plymouth
Location of the settlement:
Location of the settlement:
The settlement was built along the shores of
James River in a swamp area with a lot of
mosquitoes.
This settlement was built on the coast.
Reason they came:
Reason they came:
The men came to look for gold and to become
rich.
Men and women came to be able to worship
freely.
Difficulties:
Difficulties:
Government:
Government:
Reason for success:
Reason for success:
© 2010 PCG Education
8
Venn Diagram
9
Model Venn Diagram
Jamestown
Settled on a river
(general information)
James River in
Virginia
Came to the
settlement to get rich
Plymouth
Both colonies had hard
struggles with
environment.
Mosquitoes and unclean
water caused sickness
in Jamestown. Hard,
cold, snowy first winter
lead to starvation and
death of many puritans
in Plymouth.
Settled on the coast
(general information)
New England coast
Came to the
settlement for religious
purposes
Build relations with the
Indians
10