Creating and Teaching Lessons for Younger Learners
Young Adult Literature and the History of Slavery Unit
By Rick Vanderwall

Overview

This lesson will help older students understand the special learning qualities of younger learners. Students will work in groups to recall what they were like in fourth/fifth grades. They then will complete an observation of a younger sibling, family friend or elementary class. Each group will also interview the teacher of the younger class. Using the information they gather, students will create lessons and activities for teaching the history of slavery to the younger students.

Student Objectives

Students will:

• Share memories of fourth and fifth grade.
• Observe fourth and fifth grade students.
• Interview the teacher of the participating fourth/fifth grade class.
• Create lessons and activities based what they have learned.

Skills Attained

Students will be able to:

• Adapt information about learners in creating of lessons.
• Develop an in-depth understanding of the history of slavery.
• Understand the learning process.

Materials Needed

• Computers for word processing and Internet search
• Materials for lesson planning
• Planning sheets included below

The Lesson

Anticipatory Set

Ask the class these questions:

• Do you remember fourth/fifth grade?
• What were you like then? What did you like to do? What did you think about?

Procedures

1. Divide the class into groups of four or five. Have students discuss and record responses on the following topics:


• What are some behaviors of younger learners (fourth/fifth grade)?
• What was I like at that age?
• What kind of learning activities did we do in class?


2. Have each student observe either younger siblings, siblings of friends, or other younger children, then complete the observation worksheet based on what they notice. Finally, instruct each group to discuss their group members’ observations.



3. Tell students that they will prepare for interviewing a fourth/fifth grade teacher. Instruct each group to contribute questions for the interview. Next, have the class select two students to conduct the actual interviews using the questions. The interviewers then will report the results to the class.



4. Assign each group the following lesson topics to teach:




• Timeline of slavery [three groups]
• Selected slave narratives from the book, To Be a Slave [two or three groups]
• Reading with fourth/fifth graders: go to the booklist on the site to see a sampling of reading material for younger learners.


5. Instruct the groups that they will use the information the class collected earlier about younger learners to design learning activities appropriate for the grade level using the attached lesson plan form. Group members then choose to be either ‘material designers" or "teachers." Once the whole group creates the lesson, instruct the "material designers" to create the necessary materials or activity sheets for presenting the lesson. Tell the "teachers" they should practice giving the lesson at least twice.

Assessment

To grade students’ work, use the rubric below:

Activity	Grading Element	Points (out of 45 total)
Group Discussion (Group self-assessment)	Individual member participation	5
	Group task completion	5
Young Learner Observation	Completion of observation record sheet	5
	Participation in group discussion of observations	5
Teacher Interview	Group generation of interview questions	5
	Group processing of interview material	5
Lesson Assessment	Appropriateness of lessons for learners	5
	Completion and effectiveness of materials	5
	Teachers’ rehearsal of lesson	5

Rick Vanderwall teaches Sixth Grade Language Arts and Social Studies at Price Laboratory School at the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Return to the main unit page.

Group Members:_______________________________________________________________

Recorder’s Name:____________________________

Instructions: Select a recorder for the group. Then, discuss the following as a group and have the recorder record key responses.

1. What are some behaviors of younger learners (fourth/fifth grade)?

Response:

 

 

 

 

2. What was I like at that age?

Response:

 

 

 

 

3. What kind of learning activities did we do in class?

Response:

Observer’s Name:______________________________________

Date of Observation:___________________

Activity Observed:______________________________________

Instructions: Record your observations by filling in the following information.

1. Description of Subject:

 

 

 

 

2. Attention span: (estimate how long does the subject remain at a given task)

 

 

 

 

3. Language ability: (vocabulary, ability to read, speaking, writing)

 

 

 

 

4. General Observations:

Group Members:____________________________________________________________________

Materials Designers: __________________________________________________

Teachers: __________________________________________________

Instructions: Have group members choose whether they want to be "materials designers" or "teachers." After your group has developed its lesson plan, have your materials designers create the lesson activity sheets or other materials and have your teachers practice giving the lesson at least twice. Then, have your group fill out this form to turn in.

1. Lesson Topic: [Describe in a short paragraph]

 

 

 

 

2. Lesson Outline: [Describe the step by step parts of the lesson]

 

 

 

 

3. Materials Needed: [attach samples]

 

 

 

 

4. Completed Lesson Rehearsal dates and times: