Name: Chris Taylor Cohort:C1

Lesson Plan
Lesson Title: Totems in the First Nations and Metis communities Grade: 3 Date: 12/7/2017
Subject/Strand: Visual arts Unit: First nations and Metis Location: classroom Times: 2:05- 2:40
Lesson Plan Description (What are you teaching? How does it fit into the context of the unit? What are the big ideas/essential/enduring understandings?)
Today I am teaching the importance of totems in the First Nation and Metis communities. This is a lesson is a stand alone visual arts
lesson.

Big Ideas: Creating and Presenting

STEP 1 : CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
Ontario Curricular Overall Expectations (numbers from documents and details)
D1. Creating and Presenting: apply the creative process (see pages 19–22) to produce a variety of two- and three-dimensional art
works, using elements, principles, and techniques of visual arts to communicate feelings, ideas, and understandings;.
Ontario Curricular Specific Expectations and Achievement Chart Categories
(Numbers from documents and details) selected & listed from the Ont. Curriculum, (refined when necessary): realistic number of expectations (1 or 2), connect to
assessment. Indicate category in brackets beside specific expectation :Knowledge and Understanding( K ) Thinking (T); Communication (C); Application(A)
D1.1 create two- and three-dimensional works of art that express personal feelings and ideas inspired by the environment or that have
the community as their subject

Learning Goals Discuss with students: What will I be learning today? (Clearly identify what students are expected to know and be able to do, in language that
students can readily understand.)
Today I will learn:
- To create totem pole from the First Nations and Metis communities
STEP 2: ASSESSMENT
Purpose of the lesson (indicate purpose for this lesson/assessment) [ X] FOR [ ] AS [ ] OF

Success Criteria Discuss with students: How will I know I have learned what I need to learn? (Clearly identify the criteria to assess student’s learning: evidence of
learning students will provide to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and thinking, in language that students can readily understand). Indicate the Achievement Chart
criteria.
I can: create totem that represents the First Nations and Metis community (Ex. Coyote, thunderbird, killer whale, bear etc.)
I can: represent the totem by modelling some First Nations and Metis community art work
Assessment Mode- Assessment Strategy and Task for Students- Assessment Tool –
Oral - Students will orally tell the teacher Students will work independently to create a First Anecdotal notes – writing down
and peers what the importance of Nations and Metis totems. The students will then interactions from the students and if they
totems to the First nations and Metis demonstrate the importance of the totems to the are meeting the success criteria and
community. First Nations and Metis communities.
achievement chart.
STEP 3: CONSIDERATIONS FOR PLANNING
Prior Learning:
● Prior lessons in social studies First nations and Metis
● The students have created art work that has represented other cultures during Diwali
● Community wheel art activity
I.E.P. program implications: Accommodations, Modifications

Differentiation:

Learning Skills/Work Habits: [ ] responsibility, [ ] organization, [X] independent work, [ ] collaboration, [ ] initiative, [ ] self-regulation
Students will be creating art work independently

Vocabulary: Totem pole, thunder bird, First Nations, Metis

Resources and Materials /Technology Integration:

- paper
- pencil
 - pencil crayons
- Hover cam
- First Nations and Metis community wheel
- You tube
- White board
- Visual arts curriculum
Three Part Lesson Identify what the students are expected to think about or do.
What Teachers Do: Write the lesson description with enough What Students do: Identify what the students are expected to
detail that another teacher could replicate the lesson without a think about or do (in terms of learning processes).
personal discussion. Prompts and guiding questions are
required in each section.
Minds on: Motivational Hook/engagement /Introduction (5-15 min)
Establish a positive learning environment, connect to prior learning, set the context for learning, pre-determine key questions to guide lesson.
Time: 5 minutes

Teacher claps sequence Grade 3’s

Who remembers the video of how the coyote got his cunning? “yes “
We are going to watch it again I would like you to take notes of
the art work in the video clip.

Mr. Taylor will now play the clip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d2Zh318kRY
What are somethings you noticed about the art work?
Students will be looking at the illustrations in the video clip
They have a lot of black and red
The eyes on the animals are big
I have seen this type of art before in the hallway of the school
I saw this on a totem at Saint Marie amongst the Hurons!

Interesting grade 3’s especially the word totem lets look at our…

Learning goals
Today I will learn:
- To create totem pole from the First Nations and Metis
communities
Success Criteria
I can: create totem that represents the First Nations and Metis
community (Ex. Coyote, thunderbird, killer whale, bear etc)
I can: represent the totem by modelling some First Nations and
Metis community art work
Action: During /Working on it (time given for each component, suggested 15-40 min)
Focus is on student interactions with task/peers/teacher. Identify students/groups receiving teacher direction.
Time: 20 minutes

We mentioned Totem pole what is a totem pole? “we learned at our field trip that totem poles were used like a
book to tell a story.”
Grade 3’s, with an elbow partner turn and discuss why the First students will discuss with elbow partners for a moment
Nations would make a totem pole?

I heard some interesting points let’s go through them quickly. “They used it to express their community”
“They created them to remember stories and legends”
“They made them for the creator and making things beautiful”
Great now why do you think this is important? “Well we talked about how they didn’t have books or write stories
like we do so they would bead in order to remember stories and
legends”
Excellent so today our activity will be creating your very own
totem pole that will represent the First Nations and Metis
community! Mr. Taylor has some First Nations and Metis
artwork posted on the board.

We will need paper, pencils, and pencil crayons to create our

totem pole!

You must represent the community so that means you must use
the techniques presented on the board.

Are there any questions before we begin?

Wait for Mr. Taylor to call your name. When you hear your
name you may come to the table and gather your materials

Mr. Taylor claps sequence

Grade 3’s let’s clean up the extra material. Please put it on the
horseshoe table and come sit on the carpet!
Consolidation & Connection (Reflect and Connect) (5-15 min.)
Help students demonstrate what they have learned, provide opportunities for consolidation and reflection. Close the assessment loop.
Time: 5 minutes

Amazing work grade 3’s very impressive totem poles! We will

now review our learning goals and success criteria.

Learning goals
Today I will learn:
- To create totem pole from the First Nations and Metis
communities
Success Criteria
I can: create totem that represents the First Nations and Metis
community (Ex. Coyote, thunderbird, killer whale, bear etc.)
I can: represent the totem by modelling some First Nations and
Metis community art work
Were we successful in re-creating a personal community wheel
through bead work?

Your exit ticket today is to tell me why totem poles were “yes I can see all the different animals that tells a story in my
important to First Nations and Metis communities? totem poles”

“They used it to express their community”

“They created them to remember stories and legends”
“They made them for the creator and making things beautiful”
Extension Activities/Next Steps (where will this lesson lead to next)
- Continuing the visual art type of activities to enhance student learning
Personal Reflection - Choose at least one question from each area that best allows you reflect on this lesson. Questions should
vary over the week and specific plans.
Learner Empowerment
1. How did students show understanding of expectations?
2. How did my lesson transform students from “passive
listeners” to “active participants”?
3. Was my behavior management technique effective?
Why?
4. Were students able to transition to the next activity
successfully?
5. How does the lesson provide a meta-cognitive
opportunity for students to address their own learning?

Instructional Strategy
1. Was my motivational technique (hook) effective? Why?
2. What will I do to improve questions? Was a balance
between teacher and student talk evident?
3. How did the task provide a Rich Performance
opportunity or other way of actively demonstrating
knowledge?
4. How did I provide modeling, guided &/or independent
practice?
5. Was my behavior management technique effective?
Why?
6. Were students able to transition to the next activity
successfully?

Professional Educator
1. What factors may have influenced the success of this
lesson? Did I note and respond to these elements
appropriately?
2. How might I improve the effectiveness of my teaching
for my next lesson?
3. What additional proactive management step(s) should
be considered for subsequent lessons? Why?
4. What did I learn from this lesson about my own
effectiveness as a teacher (strengths and areas for
future improvement of communication, planning,
differentiation, implementation and classroom
organization, management, assessment)?
5. How is my growth as a professional being
demonstrated?