West Virginia State University

College of Professional Studies: Department of Education

LESSON PLAN FORMAT GUIDE (Updated 1/13)
Teacher Candidate: Trenton Williamson Date: Mar/6/17
School: Capital High School Grade/Subject: 10th Grade
Lesson Topic: Poverty

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES/ STUDENT OUTCOMES

(1)Students will understand how unemployment and poverty are
connected. (2) Students will compare different groups in the United
States and determine which are most likely to be unemployed and live
in poverty.
WV CSOs
SS.W.7 Identify types of exchange systems (e.g., barter, money) and the role forms of currency
play in acquiring goods and services.

NATIONAL STANDARDS
NSS-EC.9-12.1 SCARCITY Productive resources are limited. Therefore, people cannot have
all the goods and services they want; as a result, they must choose some things and give up
others.

NSS-EC.9-12.19 Unemployment and Inflation

The unemployment rate is an imperfect measure of unemployment because it does not: (1)
include workers whose job prospects are so poor that they are discouraged from seeking jobs, (2)
reflect part-time workers who are looking for full-time work. Unemployment rates differ for
people of different ages, races, and sexes. This reflects differences in work experience,
education, training, and skills, as well as discrimination.
MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK
Describes how time is set to accommodate the lesson. Just give time and not
details. For example:

Overall Time - 60 minute lesson

Time Frame 15 min. Teacher intro and diagnostic activity
40 min. Poverty Table Assignment
5 min. Closure

STRATEGIES
Diagnostic activity/Discussion/assignment/group work
PROCEDURES

Body & Transitions

I will introduce myself and give students the definitions and an
overview of poverty and unemployment.
I will have students play musical chairs to give an example of the
relationship between poverty and unemployment and to simulate the
job market. The purpose is to show students their is often more people
than jobs in the United States. The chairs will represent the jobs and
the people will represent the people trying to get employed and
whoever is left out will represent the unemployed people.
Next students will return to their seats and I will conduct a class
discussion over the musical chairs activity. Some questions I may ask
students are If the chairs symbolize jobs and the players symbolize
job seekers, what can you say about the job market in the United
States?
Students will use the link
http://www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/general/unemployment
%20and%20poverty[2].pdf to answer questions given by me. The
following questions will be used When you look at unemployment
among different race and ethnic groups, what do you notice? Among
which groups of people is the unemployment rate highest? How does
this compare to your classs hypotheses? Then study Table 2, and
answer the questions. How do poverty rates compare to
unemployment rates? Which groups are most affected by poverty?
 If there is time left over students will discuss within their groups
their opinions on why they think certain groups have more people
living in poverty.

ASSESSMENT
Diagnostic:

- (Objectives 1) I will have students play musical chairs to give an

example of the relationship between poverty and unemployment and
to simulate the job market. The purpose is to show students their is
often more people than jobs in the United States. The chairs will
represent the jobs and the people will represent the people trying to
get employed and whoever is left out will represent the unemployed
people.
Formative Assessment
- (Objectives 1, 2) I will be walking around and observing students
work and read their responses to the table questions. Students
answers should line up with the information that the table provided.

Summative:
- (Objectives 1, 2) Students will discuss within their groups why
they think certain groups of people live in poverty. If I see students
have grasped and mastered the information I may ask them as a group
to come up with a plan to help solve poverty within a group.

MATERIALS
Chairs
Pencils
Worksheet

EXTENDED ACTIVITIES

If Lesson Finishes Early

If the lesson finishes early I will have students get in groups and discuss why
they believe certain groups live in poverty.

If Technology Fails
The only time students will be using technology is to look at the table online
to answer the questions. I will print out a hard copy of the tables for students
to look at in case technology fails.