This lesson plan outlines a 5th grade social studies lesson where students will create dioramas of different US landforms. Students will work individually or in pairs to research their assigned landform and include accurate features in their diorama. The teacher will introduce the project, provide materials and books for research, and assess students based on a rubric focusing on content, grammar, attractiveness, labeling, cooperation, and an oral presentation. While some students struggled with the independent research aspect, the project aims to help students demonstrate their understanding of specific US landforms.

1. Lesson Plan for Social Studies
5th
Grade
Title: Landforms of the United States Date: September 16, 2010
Core Standards:
5.3.3 Places and Regions: Name and locate states, regions, major cities and capitals, major
rivers, and mountain ranges in the United States
Materials/Resources Indiana Social Studies: The United States Making a New Nation by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishers, paper maps that students have been working on, crayons
or coloring pencils, glue, scissors, promethean board, students will need one shoebox for every
2 students, various craft supplies for creating landforms, several books from the public library
about the landforms being studied ( I will provide).
Objectives:
• After instruction, students will l will be able to create their assigned landforms as a
shoebox diorama. This will demonstrate that they understand the material they have
read about the landform.
• After instruction, students will be able to identify regions of the United States in terms of
the landforms found there.
Introduction/Motivation/Springboard: Ask students to think about the things they have seen
this week that describe the different regions they have studied. Write some of those things on
the board.
Procedures/Activities:
1. Discuss any confusion students may still have about any landforms. Question them to make
sure they understand the readings this week.
2. Point out the maps in the Appendix of the book for reference.
3. Tell students that they are going to create a shoe box diorama. Show a diorama sample.
4. Allow them to decide if they want to work alone or with a partner.
5. Show students the craft materials and instruct on any materials that require special handling
such as the paint, fun dough, etc.
6. Allow students to get their art supplies one row at a time.
7. Give students a few minutes to get with their partners if they choose to have one.
8. Give each group of students a random note card with their landform.
9. Instruct students to complete the Landform Worksheet before they begin their project.
10. Check worksheets to make sure students understand what they need to do in order to
complete the diorama.
11. Allow students to work for about 25 minutes on the project. Encourage them to use their
textbooks for any information they may need.
12. Call students back to the main group, and have them clean up where they are working.
13. They will need another day to work on this project.
14. Tell them that they will be presenting their diorama to the class on Monday.
15. Encourage any questions they may have about this project.
16. Have students put away art supplies and put projects on back tables one group at a time.
Closure Activity/Extensions/Homework: Ask students to discuss what they have learned so
far about creating the diorama. Remind them that they may need to find extra supplies at home.
Reflection:

2. I found that many of the students had no idea what to do even with a sample of the project and
various library books and their textbook. I constantly encouraged them to look at the books that
I had provided from the public library, but they balked at looking through the books. They
wanted me to give them the answers rather than look them up and discover for themselves.
Many of these students seem to have very little creativity. They want to have everything handed
to them. They do not want to think on their own. For some, this project presented major
difficulties. Some complained that it was too hard, and they gave up before they even started.
I find it disturbing that they so easily give up when they perceive that they have to push
themselves a bit. I wonder how they will survive in life, marriage, a job, or in higher education if
they are unwilling to be challenged and find a solution.
I will continue to create lesson plans and activities that force them to extend themselves beyond
their comfort level. They need to learn how to cope with things that are challenging.
This lesson/project provides a way for students to display their knowledge, analyze the data,
and interpret their understanding in a hands on way. Those students who learn through
interpersonal situations are able to choose to work on a team, while those who learn best
through intrapersonal means have that opportunity also.
Assessment will be based on creativity, neatness, inclusion of information by use of a title,
labels, etc. Students will also be assessed on how they worked as a team for those who had
partners. Also, students will be graded on their oral presentation in class. A rubric will be used
to determine the point scale.

3. Making A Map : Diorama
Teacher Name: Ms. Ambrose
Student Name: ________________________________________
CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
Content-
Accuracy
At least 4
accurate facts
are displayed on
the project.
Three accurate
facts are
displayed on the
project
2 accurate facts
are displayed on
the project
1 or fewer
accurate facts
are displayed on
the project
Grammar There are no
grammatical
mistakes on the
project.
There is 1
grammatical
mistake on the
project.
There are 2
grammatical
mistakes on the
project.
There are more
than 3
grammatical
mistakes on the
project.
Attractiveness The project is
exceptionally
attractive in
terms of design,
layout, and
neatness.
The project is
attractive in
terms of design,
layout, and
neatness
The project is
acceptably
attractive though
it may be a bit
messy.
The project is
distractingly
messy or very
poorly designed.
It is not
attractive.
Title Title tells the
purpose/content
of the project, is
clearly
distinguishable
as the title (e.g.
larger letters,
underlined, etc),
and is printed at
the top of the
project.
Title tells the
purpose/content
of the project
and is printed at
the top of the
project.
Title tells the
purpose/content
of the project,
but is not
located at the
top of the
project.
Purpose/content
of the project is
not clear from
the title.
Labels &
Features -
Neatness
90-100% of the
labels/features
can be read
easily.
89-80% of the
labels/features
can be read
easily.
79-70% of the
labels/features
can be read
easily.
Less than 70%
of the
labels/features
can be read
easily.
Cooperation Always worked
well together.
Usually worked
well together.
Sometimes
worked well
together.
Did not work well
together.
presentation Spoke clearly.
Student was
able to describe
project using
appropriate
vocabulary.
Spoke clearly
sometimes and
was able to
describe project
sometimes.
Spoke softly and
was unable to
describe project.
did not present
or had no project
to present. 0
Points.

4. Landform Worksheet
What is the name of your assigned landform?
What elements would you find in this landform?
Where is this landform located in the United States?
What materials do you need to complete this diorama?
Make a sketch on the back of this worksheet of your planned diorama. Do not
start on your project until you have gotten approval from Ms. Ambrose.

5. Instructions for your diorama
1. Get with your partner.
2. Discuss what you know about the landform that you are assigned.
3. Use one of the books provided on the back table for more information.
4. Write down any important features.
5. Complete the Landform Worksheet.
6. Show Ms. Ambrose your worksheet and sketch.
7. Gather the materials that you need.
8. Work on your diorama.

6. Analysis of Teaching
Students were expected to continue learning about landforms, however rather than
learning globally about several landforms; they were to learn about a specific one. It was my
goal, that they get an in depth understanding of one landform and that they learn from each
other. No modifications were necessary for this lesson; however some students required more
attention than other students. Some were self-starters; others required prodding.
Instructional strategies employed were:
• Direct instruction—students were instructed as to what they were to create with their
shoeboxes. They were given instructions on how to use some of the materials and they
were expected to create a plan using a worksheet before they began the project.
• Project based learning—students were given a project to work on. They were also
assigned a specific topic.
• Group activity—students worked with partners to design and implement their creation in
the form of a diorama. Those students who did not want to work as a team were given
the opportunity to work alone.
Learning activities included:
• Completion of a worksheet that helped the students to think about what supplies they
needed and what features they would need to create for their project.
• Project—students created a diorama to help them understand and identify specific
landform features of a given area.
Resources used:
• Maps—maps were found in the back of the textbook

7. • Internet—students viewed information that was found on the internet in the form of
pictures. This was provided by the teacher’s computer as the students have no access
to the internet in their classroom and there is no computer lab located in the school.
• Various books from the public library—I provided twenty-five books from the Evansville
Public Library for students to use in the classroom.
• An assortment of craft materials such as play dough, beads, feathers, silk flowers,
cotton, ribbon, construction paper, etc.
Criteria for success was based on a rubric which students were shown. We discussed the
requirements for receiving an A, B, C, D, and F based on the sections of the rubric. Students
were also assessed on their ability to work together. Students rated themselves and their
partner on this score. I also monitored the class to see which students were working together
and which were off task.
Students were encouraged to discuss with their partners what features they thought
should be included in the diorama. This helped them to define their own point of view and that
of their partner. This was done before students began creating the actual project through the
use of a pre-planning worksheet.
Based on the performance of the students, I felt that most understood basic ideas about
the landforms, however many showed a lack of creativity. They were provided with a rich
assortment of craft materials. Most students randomly glued the materials to their dioramas. In
the future, I would adjust this lesson by having students view several dioramas online and in
person. I would then have the discuss the different elements that made the dioramas interesting
or boring. I think that much of the problem goes back to the lack of experiences in their lives
given the socio-economic status and urban setting that most come from.