Making Inferences from a Cultures Objects

Date: October 15th 17th, 2015

Subject: Social Studies

Grade: 6

Goals/Objectives/Standards:
Social Studies Standards
Content Standard 1: By the end of 8th grade, Students access, synthesize, and evaluate information to
communicate and apply social studies knowledge to real world situations.
Language Arts Standards
Anchor Standards for Reading
2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate
summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
Anchor Standards for Writing
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and
collaborate with others.
Montana Technology Standards
Technology Content Standard 1: The student will use digital tools and resources for problem-solving
and decision-making.
o Related Benchmark: (By the end of Grade 8, a proficient student will:
1.2 collect relevant data and information on a subject from a variety of digital resources.
Technology Content Standard 2: The student will collaborate and communicate globally in a digital
environment.
o Related Benchmark: (By the end of Grade 8, a proficient student will:
2.3 communicate the results of research and learning with others using digital tools.
NETS
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and
processes using technology.
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a
distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.

Learning Objectives:
Students will make inferences about Plains Indian cultures by analyzing the objects of those cultures, and
citing evidence from their observations to support their claims.
Students will document their learning process collaboratively.
Students will evaluate and select items from Plains Indian cultures for inclusion in a virtual exhibit.

Timeline/structure of lesson:
Time
Opening/Framing the Lesson/Introduction/Early
Assessment
10 mins

Students watch a video promoting the William F. Cody

Center of the West. Have students pair share and share out
what they predict we will be talking about today.

Monitor/Feedback

Short discussion after video

to activate and assess for
prior knowledge.

After eliciting student ideas, reveal that students will be

examining some replica objects today that are examples of
items that can be seen at the museum.

15 mins

Set expectations for using replica items with whole group

and Rules to cover:
1. No eating or drinking while handling replicas.
2. Handle with care these items are the property of
Montana State University-Billings and are on loan to
us.
3. Students may touch replicas, but should have clean
hands.
The Lesson Structure: Day 1 Activities
Prior to breaking out into small groups, model the use of the
Google Presentation students will be using to record their
observations and inferences into the first two slides.
Important items to note:
1. Each group has specific labeled slides to fill out that
will correspond to the Know-What to Know Learned
and How I Know model.
2. Explain we will be documenting our learning process
in groups with he presentation. Today we will fill out
slides 1 (know) and 2 (want to know) with our groups.
3. Set expectation that groups are only to alter their
own slides.
Break students into teacher pre-selected groups of three
students. Each group will obtain one chromebook be given
two replica objects to examine. Objects will be labeled only
with letters.

20
minutes

Students fill out slide 1 (Know)

Students will record what they already know about the
object from their observations, such as:
What materials were used to make the object?
What are its dimensions (size and shape)?
Is it decorated or plain? What colors are used?
Any special features of the object?

Check for understanding by

asking why these rules are
important.

Model opening Google Drive

and accessing the slide
presentation in the shared
folder. Every student will
have the slideshow shared
with them. They will need
one chromebook for each
group since we will be
working together to fill out
the presentation.

Students should select a

workspace that allows for
efficient use of the
chromebook and adequate
room for each group to
examine their objects.
Walk around room as groups
work and support students
in answering questions,
including recording what
evidence they see that
supports their predictions.

Students fill in slide 2, the want to know portion of KWLH:

Students should record what questions they think of that
would further their understanding of the object and the
context in which it would be used. Ask the students what
are you wondering about the object now?

10 mins.

A few prompts to get students thinking might be:

Any guesses about what the object was used for?
Is the object similar to something used by your own
culture or another culture with which you are
familiar?
What do you wonder about the objects?
What are some ways you could find out the answers
to your questions? (Internet, experts, texts).
Students break into jigsaw groups to share their predictions
and questions about the objects examined on day 1.
Students number off and move into jigsaw groups (all ones
together, twos together, etc.) to share predictions and
questions.

45
minutes

15 mins.

60 mins.

Learning Activities: Day 2

Guest speaker via Skype: Students will meet a docent from
the William F. Cody Center of the West via a Skype chat. The
docent will provide an introduction to the types of objects at
the Plains Indians Museum section of the center. The docent
will explain a process used to make inferences from objects.
Set expectations for behavior prior to beginning Skype
discussion. Students share out one of their objects with our
guest speaker and get feedback on their analysis process.
Students will apply their new knowledge about analyzing
objects to make further inferences about their objects to
slides 3 (what Iearned) and 4 (how I know). The teacher will
model with an example object not used by the students how
students need to fill out the slides. Emphasize the use of
evidence to support claims.
Learning Activities: Day 3
Finally, students will use Chromebooks in their groups to
further explore the Virtual Plains Indians Museum
collections.
The students will use a shortened URL (created in bit.ly) to
access the site.

The teacher models how to access the William F. Cody

Check in with student groups

to support them in filling out
slide 2. Encourage students
to work together to think of
and record as many
questions as they can.

Manage transition into

jigsaw groups. Use an online
timer to set a 10 minute
time limit for discussion.
Check in with groups to ask
further questions and
promote discussion.
I will need to arrange
classroom to allow for
effective Skyping. Camera
set up in advance, monitor
easily viewable by all
students.

Students return to original

small groups.
Monitor discussion and
provide support to students
in recording their new
knowledge.
Small group work on
chromebooks to investigate
museum virtual exhibits.
Direct students to exhibits
most pertinent to the topic
of making inferences from
objects. Students may also
select images of artwork as
their objects.

Center of the Wests Website.

Check in with students to

assist with using site, if
needed.

After students have had 15-20 minutes to explore the site,

explain that they will select the object they feel they would
save if the Yellowstone Volcano were to erupt. (This is
contest being sponsored by the museum). Each small group
will create a virtual exhibit by selecting objects. Each student
may include up to 3 objects. The groups are to work together
to decide which objects to include.
Model how to create a virtual exhibit on the website (we will
Monitor comments closely
log on as guests so we do not have to create an account). Tell to ensure cultural sensitivity
students they will place a link to their exhibit into a Google
and appropriateness. Check
Form. Show the students how they can add comments to
in with groups about what
each object selected in their virtual exhibit to explain why
their comments will say prior
they selected that object. Remind students that the objects
to having students post
being viewed are authentic and that our comments need to
them. Make sure students
be respectful. Comments will be viewable by the public and
only post comments with
should focus on the meaning the object holds for them and
first names.
why they believe the object is important to save.
Students may spend the remaining time creating their virtual
museums. Students will put a link to their completed virtual
exhibit into their last slide on the Google Slides presentation.
Day 4 Closing/Assessment
45 mins.

Closing/Assessment
Student groups present their KWLH presentations and virtual
exhibits on the interactive whiteboard and each student talks
about their favorite object from the collection. Each group of
students will:
1. Open go through their slides, highlighting key
learnings using the object analysis process.
2. Open the link their virtual collection on the
interactive white board their last slide.
3. Show the objects they selected and briefly explain
why those objects were selected.
4. Explain to the class what they now know about the
object and why they chose it for inclusion in the
virtual exhibit. Students in audience may ask
questions about the object.
Assessment of final product and presentation will be based
on completeness of slides, collaborative selection and
justification of virtual exhibit objects, and the use of
evidence to support claims.

Select groups to present

with online random name
picker.
The teacher can guide
discussion, but most of the
questions should come from
students.

Homework
Optional: Share your virtual collection with your family at
home.
Write a thank you note to our guest speaker. Tell the speaker
what you learned from him/her and what you liked about
the Skype discussion. Email your draft to the teacher. We will
compile the letters and send them to the docent.
Self Evaluation of the Lesson
The class will participate in a group discussion of what went well and what was challenging after final
presentation.

Resources/Materials
Interactive whiteboard with teacher laptop hooked up (for initial video, skype, and student
presentations).
Chromebook lab (will need 1 chrome book per 3 students) students will use Google slides and a
Online timer
Online Random name picker
Skype equipment (camera and required equipment needed to allow our docent to see us, we will use
the interactive whiteboard to see the docent on our white board).
Email for teacher to send thank you notes.