Tuyet Nguyen

ED 357
Title of Unit Abraham Lincoln Grade Level 4th grade
Content Area Social Studies Time Frame 3 lessons: 4 days and one
presentation day
Brief Overview This unit provides basic knowledge about the life of an important
(Summary of Unit) American figure, Abraham Lincoln. The content and the text are
appropriate for the fourth grade and aligned with the Wisconsin
Model Academic Standards for Social Studies. Throughout the
lessons, I integrated the CCSS Language Arts to support the subject
content area. In the Wisconsin Model Academic Standards for Social
Studies B.4.3 and B.4.7, students examine biographies, stories,
narratives, and folktales to understand the lives of ordinary and
extraordinary people, place them in time and context, and explain
their relationship to important historical events as well as identify
and describe important events, and famous people in Wisconsin and
United States history. In this unit, students examine a biography
book by utilizing the strategies in CCSS Language Arts to have a
better understanding about Lincoln's life. The strategies can be
applied to students' other readings as well.
This unit includes three lessons that span five days including a
presentation day. Each lesson is built on the preceding one(s) to
deepen understanding and focuses on the topic. It is also integrated
with a strategy from CCSS to summarize the text and analyze the
features of the text.
To help students gain knowledge of the content, I provided different
types of instruction and scaffolding that are appropriate to students'
learning levels. Students also have a variety of opportunities to
demonstrate their learning and understanding throughout the
lessons. These lessons do not provide special accommodations
since students' learning levels are quite similar. As students work in
group and in pairs, they can help one another to gain their learning
purpose as well.

Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)

Key Content and Literacy Standard: Established Goals
Wisconsin Model Academic Standards for Social Studies
B.4.3. Examine biographies, stories, narratives, and folktales to understand the lives of
ordinary and extraordinary people, place them in time and context, and explain their
relationship to important historical events.
B.4.7. Identify and describe important events, and famous people in Wisconsin and United
States history.
English Language Arts Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.2
Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details;
summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.3
Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text,
including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.1.B
Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.

Understanding: Students will Essential Questions

understand that
Abraham Lincoln became one
of the most famous
presidents in the United
States from a poor family and
"humble" background.
The facts/features/factors
that contributed to Abraham
Lincoln's success.
Lincoln dedicated himself to
freedom, justice and unity for
all.
Knowledge: Students will know
Abraham Lincoln grew up in a
poor family and rarely had
opportunities to go to school,
yet he became one of the
most famous American
presidents.
The facts/features/factors
that contributed to Abraham
Lincoln's success.
Facts about Lincoln
Events in Lincoln's life
Why was Abraham Lincoln considered one of
the most famous American presidents?
What contributed to his success?
Why was Lincoln considered a person who
dedicated himself to freedom, justice, and unity
for all?
Skills: Students will be able to.
Identify the main idea and the supporting
details in the book Abraham Lincoln: From Log
Cabin to the White House.
Create a web diagram and give an informal
presentation.
Analyze the events and create a map to
sequentially organize 3-5 significant events.
Identify and describe the
characteristics/features/factors that contributed
to Lincoln's success.

Create a visual to demonstrate understanding

of the chosen feature.
Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)

Key Evidence of Learning: What will students be able to do and understand?

Formative Lesson One: Day One

Assessment
Collection of students' notes on what they knew about Abraham
 Lincoln.

Make observations while students are working in groups and their

underlining and highlighting their papers.

Supervision of students creation of a web diagram.

Observations of students informal oral presentations.

Students write a brief summary of the section including the main idea
and how it is supported by the details.

Students' exit slips

Lesson Two: Day One

Observation of students mapping events of Lincolns life

Taking notes on the strategies/skills that students used

Students' exit slips

Collection of students notes about the video

Observation

Lesson Three: Day One

Observation

Collection of students' notes about their responses to the questions.

Students evaluation/reflection

Informal presentation on the characteristics/factors that helped Lincoln

succeed.

Each student writes a paragraph (3-5 complete sentences) about one

thing they analyzed in the lesson.

Summative
Assessment Lesson Three: Day Two

[Self-Reflection &Assessments):
 Formal Assessment 1: [Writing]

Students write a summary of what they have been learning about

Abraham Lincoln, including the main ideas, and explain how they are
supported by the details.

Presentation Day

[Self-Reflection &Assessments:

Formal Assessment 2: Presentation

Students create a visual to give a presentation [8-12minutes]: poster,

PowerPoint, etc.
Criteria: All information for the presentation does not have to be from the
book. It can also be from research.
1. Describe one characteristic of Lincoln and include examples.
2. Write one important event in his life and explain why it is important.
3. Analyze one factor that contributed to Lincolns success.
4. Create 4-6 questions for the audience.
Learning Plan - Stage 3

Lesson 1: Indentify Main Idea and Supporting Details of the Text to Understand
Abraham Lincoln
Procedures The teacher will: The student will:
Introduction: o Ask students to write down
famous people in American Write down the names of famous
history that they know about. people in American history and a
o Introduce lesson to students and brief fact, phrase, or summary if
build up their understanding they know any.
about important people in
American society. Then teacher Participate in a quick sharing with
will say: We are going to learn the class about who they know.
about a famous American person
in this unit, Abraham Lincoln. Write down what they know about
o Ask students to write down what Abraham Lincoln
they know about Abraham
Lincoln. Discuss what they know about
o Explain that we are going to read Abraham Lincoln.
the book From Log Cabin to the
White House and create a web
diagram to organize the main idea
of the story and details, to have
better understanding of the text.
o Show students the cover of the
 book to discuss the title of the
book and remind students to focus
on the question on the cover
Demonstrat page: "Why is Abe Lincoln
ion: considered one of the most
Engage in discussing what they
famous American presidents?"
Read the first paragraph and stop know about Lincoln based on the
to talk aloud and give explicit cover and focusing on the
strategy about determining the question on the cover page.
main idea and supporting details.
Highlight the main idea and Listen to and pay close attention
underline the supporting details to to the teacher's modeling.
remember them.
Present main idea: Lincoln was a
famous American president.
Present supporting details: Lincoln
dedicated himself to freedom and
democracy for all; he united the
country after the Civil War, and he
freed the slaves. [Known as the
Great Emancipator]
Continue reading the rest of the
introduction and then stop so
students can turn and talk to their Turn and talk with their partner
partners and discuss about the and discuss about the main idea
main idea and the supporting and explain supporting details.
details.
Jot down students' ideas and then Share their partner's ideas with
write a main idea for whole the class.
introduction.
Ask students to explain the
supporting details.
Create a web diagram, including Read on their own a group
the main idea and the supporting assigned section, making sure to
details for the whole introduction
underline the main idea and
part.
supporting details.
Explain why it is the main idea
and how is supported by the
Share with the group.
details.
Activity Create a web diagram to
The group decides what the main
demonstrate how to organize the
main idea and the details. idea and what the details are.
(Instructional Material 1.1): A web
diagram for the introduction part. Create a web diagram including
the main idea and the details.
Give instructions for group work. [Students can choose to create
Circulate around the class to web design either using the
Sharing provide scaffolding if needed and
make observations. I will also take
notes about the strategies/skills I
see students using and keep them
on task if it needed.
computer or the chart].
Each group describes their
groups web diagram.

Gather students and let them

share their work. Encourage then
Evaluation to explain why they chose that Students write a brief summary of
main idea and how it is supported. the section including the main
[If students used a computer, they idea and how it is supported by
will also use the projector to show
the details.
their work].

Ask students about what they

learned: learning from group work,
Closure other groups and learning
strategies or lesson content and
tell the class something they Students share what they learned
enjoyed the most. from their group work and the
Encourage students to make other groups, related to strategies
connection to their own lives. or the lesson content.
To close up, summarize briefly
what students learned and remind
them applying the strategies they
used when reading text as well as
making connections to their own
lives.

Students think of something that

relates to their own lives to make
a personal connection: What they
learned from Abraham Lincoln
and how they can apply it to their
own lives.

Students write an Exit Slip 1

(Self-Reflection &Assessments: Exit Slip 1)

Students will hang up their web diagrams on the classroom walls for the
following days.
Lesson 2: Identify the events and Organize the significant events in chronologic order.
Procedures The teacher will: The student will:
Introduction: o Review the last lesson: ask
students several questions about
 what they learned. [Check
students' exit slips for Lesson One Discuss what they learned in
before the class. If students have the last lesson.
questions, bring up those
questions to discuss].

o Explain to students that they

will read the text, identify the
Demonstratio events and create a map to
n: organize the important events in
Abraham Lincoln's life.
Students listen to and pay
Read the text about Abraham
close attention to the teacher's
Lincoln (Instructional Material 2.1)
modeling
Provide modeling: identify the
important events and organize
Students engage in and
Activity them in chronologic order.
(Instructional Material 2.2) contribute their ideas to the
class discussion.
Groups of Four:
Give instruction for the activity:
every student reads the text and
identifies the events, circles or Each student reads the book,
highlights the events and then identifies the events, circles or
comes to the group to create a highlights the events while
map to organize events in reading.
chronologic order. [4-6 events]
Circulate around the class to Students share their work with
provide scaffolding if needed and the group and then the group
make observations. I will also take selects 4-6 important events to
notes about the strategies/skills I create a map in chronologic
see students using and keep them
order.
on task if it needed.
Activity 2: For
more Ask students to work in pairs to
information watch a video from this website:
and to extend http://www.history.com/topics/us-
the lesson presidents/abraham-lincoln/videos
objective Instruct students to choose one
video: watch it and describe the
event or what is happening in the Students watch a video from
video. this link:
http://www.history.com/topics/u
Evaluation
Ask students what they learned s-presidents/abraham-
and what part they enjoyed. What lincoln/videos
can be applied to their lives?
Closure Review the major point of the
 lesson and ask students to write
an Exit Slip Students take notes.

Students share what they

learned, which part of the video
they enjoyed, and, what can be
applied to their lives.
Students write an Exit Slip 2
(Self-Reflection &Assessments:
Exit Slip 2)
Students hang their charts/maps on the classroom walls.
Lesson 3
Day 1: Analyzing the characteristics/features/traits that helped him succeed.
Procedures The teacher will The student will
Introduction: o Ask students the question: "Do
you think Lincoln was considered
a successful person and why do
you think so?" Students jot down their
responses.
o Ask students to share their
responses. Students share their responses.

o Explain to students that

although he was assassinated, he
was a successful person in
Demonstratio American history.
n:
o Tell students that today we are
Students look at the picture and
going to analyze the
describe what was happening in
characteristics/features/ factors
the picture.
that helped Abe succeed.

o Pick the picture to analyze

Abe's enthusiasm to reading [The
captain of the picture says that,
"Although he rarely went to
school, Abe was devoted to
learning.] Ask students the
question: What does this picture
tell you?
o Invite students to contribute
their thinking to analyze Abe's
Students contribute to analyzing
Abe's enthusiasm in reading the
information from the picture.
Students focus on what, when,
why, how, where questions to
analyze Abe's characteristics.
 enthusiasm for learning, focusing
on what, when, why, how, where
questions and give specific
examples.

When: He was young, in his free

time.
What: He was reading while he
was not in school.
Students make connections to
How: He borrowed books from
their own lives.
friends, neighbors, travelers
Activity who visited.
Where: outside the house, under
the trees, in the farm.
Students select one of the
Why: his family was poor, he
sections from the link below or
wanted to educate himself,
reread the book, choose one
education was his biggest
characteristic /trait or thing that
priority, education contributed
helped Lincoln succeed and
to his success.
o While analyzing this picture, draw analyze it:
a chart/a map. http://mrnussbaum.com/abraha
o Making connections: provide a m_lincoln/
modeling of a connection
Create a map to show their
[Remind students that making
analysis
connections helps readers better
understand the text and the
characters in the book].
The analysis focuses on what,
o Provide students instructions
Sharing where, when, how, and why
to work in pairs to analyze one of
questions and give specific
the characteristics, features, or
examples.
factors that contributed to Abe's
Evaluation
success and then ask them to Students make connections to
create a map to demonstrate their own lives.
their understanding.
closure
o [Students have a choice to
either choose one Students use the projector to
characteristics/factors show their map.
demonstrated in the text or the
picture of the book or access to Students present their chosen
the website to read a section. features/characteristics.
http://mrnussbaum.com/abraham
_lincoln/ Students share their work, but
each one provides his/her own
 o Remind students that their
analysis focuses on what, where, connections.
when, how, and why questions to
deepen their understanding. Students contribute
Some information might not be evaluation/reflection
included in the text, so they need
Each student writes a paragraph
to think of critical reasons for
their analysis. (3-5 complete sentences) about
one thing they analyzed.
o Prepare projector and help
Students will have extra time to
students with technology for their
informal presentation. work on their presentation

o Ask students about what they Students contribute to the

have learned and tell the class review.
one thing they learned from
Lincoln?

o Give students instruction for

formal presentation.

o Invite students to give a brief

review of the lesson objective.

Lesson 3
Day 2: Extension Lesson

To make sure students

understand the important factors
in Lincoln's life related to his
dedication to freedom, justice,
and unity, I will have students
Students jot down the responses
write down their responses to this
to the question.
question: "Why was Lincoln
considered a person who
dedicated himself to freedom,
justice, and unity for all?" Students share their responses.
Have students share their
responses.
 Formal Assessment:
Provide students with a link to
watch the videos about Lincoln if
someone finishes writing earlier.
Closure Give students time to work on the
group presentation.
[Self-Reflection &Assessments:
Formal Assessment 2: Oral Presentation]
Remind students about their
presentations
Presentation Day: Students give their presentation
Prepare a computer and a projector in case students need to use them.
[Self-Reflection &Assessments:
Formal Assessment 1: Writing]
Students write a summary of
what they have learned about
Abraham Lincoln including the
main ideas and explained how
they are supported by the
details.
If a student can finish early,
she/he can watch videos while
waiting for others.
http://www.history.com/topics/us
-presidents/abraham-
lincoln/videos
Students continue working on
their presentations
[Self-Reflection &Assessments:
Formal Assessment 2: Oral Presentation]