Lesson Plan Title

Author

Kayla Cimburek

Grade Level

3rd grade

Integrated
disciplines
Content
Standards

Geography and Writing

Writing
Standards

Geography Third Grade: 1. Use various types of geographic tools to develop

spatial thinking. B. Find oceans and continents, major countries, bodies of
water, mountains, and urban areas, the state of Colorado, and neighboring
states on maps.
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. (CCSS:
W.3.3)
i.

Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to

develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to
situations. (CCSS: W.3.3b)

ISTE
2. Communication and collaboration
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.
1. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences
using a variety of media and formats
Creativity and innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop
innovative products and processes using technology.
1. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or
processes
2. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression
Objectives:

Assessment:

Students will be able to identify landforms in the state of Colorado by using

a map.
Students will be able to use writing skills by creating a narrative comic strip
where a character travels around the state and sees 5 different features
accurately.
Summative: Teacher will assess students mastery of the assignment by the

Materials:
Anticipatory
Set:

Technology
Integration

Procedures
and Learning
Activities

use of a rubric to grade the comic strip.

Formative: Before the students start on the comic strip they need to turn in a
list of ten different landforms in the state of Colorado. So the teacher will
assess students progress by observation and a quick worksheet.
Colorado state maps, computers, pencils, paper
The hook of the lesson will include the question of, Whats outside your
window on the way to school? (Answers will vary from other cars, to
buildings, someone may answer grass.) Once someone brings up nature
continue on that track with the question of, What are some landforms that
you see on the way to school, or when you travel somewhere?. After they
answer introduce maps and a list of possible landforms that the students are
looking for. Also, I will demonstrate how to find landforms on the map.
Technology is integrated by having students use their new content
knowledge to create a short comic strip to demonstrate knowledge.
Pedagogical knowledge will overlap here by having the teacher demonstrate
how to use the technology with an example that includes content knowledge.
The end product will be a combination of technological, pedagogical, and
content knowledge.
Students:
Teacher:
1. Divide the class into groups
I will scaffold how to use a
of two.
map, during the anticipatory
2. Provide each with a map of
set, until students are
Colorado. (Demonstration of
independent.
how to find landforms was
By relating the assignment of
done during anticipatory set).
landforms to things they
3. Tell the groups of students
already see around them, this
that they need to make a list
will activate prior background
of ten different landforms,
knowledge to help aid in
with find different types
learning.
(river, mountain, basin,
I will model how to use the
plateau, peninsula).
program ToonDoo to create a
4. They need to turn the list in
series of comic strips.
at the end for a formative
My questioning at the
assessment.
beginning and end of the
5. Then individually the
activity will help activate
students will plan out a story
prior knowledge.
to make in to a comic strip
Project based learning is also
on the program ToonDoo.
being used.
They need to include five

Integration of other content

landforms they want to see
areas is also an effective
around the state on a trip, as
pedagogical practice.
their plot. At each landform
A check for understanding
they come to, their character
will happen before the
in the comic strip needs to
students move onto the comic
state what it is, and one fact

about it (The character needs

dialogue). (The students will
need to do additional
research at this stage to find
one fact about the landform
on the internet)
6. The students need 6 comic
strip boxes, with the first one
being the introduction to the
trip.
7. When they are done with the
comic strip the students need
to write a summary
paragraph of their characters
journey.
8. After everyone is done they
will gather around for a
closure activity.

strip.
Differentiation: Students can
either look for more or less
landforms on the map
depending on their level, the
same goes for the comic strip.
Students who finish the
comic strip quickly can
choose their favorite landform
to research more in depth for
5 interesting facts. Students
who need more time can have
it.

Closure

What are some examples of landforms that you can see outside the window
right now? (Mountains, river, stream, basin)
What is your favorite landform in the state of Colorado? Why? (Answers
will vary)
What do you think the most famous landform in Colorado is? Why?
(Answers will vary)
If you were to plan a trip around Colorado what three places would you go
to, and in what order? (Answers will vary)

References:

Fastest Way to Create Comic Strips and

Cartoons - Toondoo. (n.d.). Retrieved October
23, 2016, from http://www.toondoo.com/
Landforms | Colorado Geological Survey. (n.d.).
Retrieved October 23, 2016, from
http://coloradogeologicalsurvey.org/coloradogeology/landforms/