1.0 Lesson Plan Details Sequoyah Creative Art Lesson, Day 7, Grade 4
1.1 Integration of Learning Outcomes/Objectives
1.2 Standards PA Civics, History, Economics, Geography & NCSS Themes I - X with subthemes
1.3 Anticipatory Set
● I will greet the class in a foreign language, and ask the class does anybody know how to speak or write in a foreign language? I will ask if any students who speak another language can also write in this foreign language. Following this introduction, I will explain to the class the importance of language, and how it is communicated orally, as well as being written. I will introduce the class to a famous figure named Sequoyah, who created a language for the Cherokee tribe.
1.4 Procedures
● I will explain to students that there is a famous Cherokee Indian, who used a variety of different symbols to create an alphabet. I will encourage students to think about the significance of creating a written language by asking students to imagine if someone had not created the english alphabet? Imagine if we used symbols to write, rather than letters? This would also change how we speak to one another. Sequoyah was a very important figure.
● I will briefly introduce the class to who Sequoyah was, using the white board (based on information gathered in content notes).
● Students will be provided with the necessary materials for the assignment (brown paper bag, Cherokee Animal Translation sheet, markers, scissors and glue sticks).
● I will begin to explain our assignment for the day. Today we are going to use the laptops and search the Cherokee Animal Dictionary. I want you to take a minute to think about your favorite animal. Once you have picked one, I would like for you to open your laptops and put the link written on the board in your search bar.
● Then look up your favorite animal and how to write it in the Cherokee language.
● During this time period, the Sequoyah and his tribe did not use paper to write on. Instead they used other natural resources and one of those natural resources was animal hide. We are going to use brown paper backs to cut out in the shape of a rectangle and use this as our template.
● We will then write the Cherokee word for the animal, followed by the English word under that and then draw a picture of the animal on our animal hide! Use your markers to add color! Lets get started!
● Students can help one another throughout the assignment if need be.
● I will be circling the classroom to answer any questions and assess to see if they are understanding how to transfer the language from English to the Cherokee language.
● I will collect the completed project and add it to the unit portfolio.
● Following this activity, students will be asked to write a story about the animal they drew on their portfolio piece. Students will be asked to use the Cherokee language in their piece when referring to their animal. Their story most consist of five sentences, and this story will be assessed using the Primary Writing Assessment Domain Scoring Guide. The students will encouraged to create a story about their animal which has a beginning, middle, and end. Students will be encouraged to use creativity in their writing.
● Students will be able to describe the contributions that Sequoyah made to the Cherokee tribe.
● Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of the Cherokee language created by Sequoyah by writing their favorite animal using the Cherokee Language.
1.5 Differentiation
For students who struggle with fine motor skills, I will allow these students to create their portfolio item on the computer. Using Microsoft publisher, the student will create his/her portfolio item, and will print the item, and will use a glue stick to glue the printed picture to the brown paper bag.
For English Language Learners, these students will be able to write the animal’s name in their home language, as well as in Cherokee language. Students will be able to contribute their own language to this activity.
Choose two types of differentiation.
1.6 Closure
I will close the lesson by bringing together the conversation which took place during the anticipatory set about the importance of language, as well as the activity during which students wrote their favorite animal’s name using the Cherokee language. I will engage the class in saying today, we were able to study Sequoyah, and the contributions she made to the Cherokee Tribe. She invented a way to communicate through written language. As we all learned while completing this activity, language is tricky! Since we were unfamiliar with this type of language, it was a time consuming process to write animal names. For Sequoyah, it took over a decade to complete this language. It took the Cherokee tribe a long time to learn the language as well! Sequoyah was very influential to the Cherokee Tribe. In the Atlantic region, we studied another famous person named Harriet Tubman. Harriet Tubman was an influential figure, just as Sequoyah was.
1.7 Formative/Summative Assessment of Students (P-12)
● Formative Assessment: Students will be participating in a discussion before starting the activity. They will be talking about the importance of a written language and how it effects our everyday lives. Students will also be learning about how languages are all different and have different alphabets. I will be able to grasp their understanding through this discussion and questions to prompt their understanding.
● Summative Assessment: The creative art project will be used as their summative assessment and be added to the unit portfolio. Students must include the rectangular shaped animal hide, the animal word written in Cherokee, English or Native Language (differentiation) and a drawn picture of the animal. I will be able to assess their understanding of the material through this assignment because it demonstrates the differences in alphabets for different languages and connects us to Sequoyah and the Cherokee tribe.
● Students will be able to describe the contributions that Sequoyah made to the Cherokee tribe.
● Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of the Cherokee language created by Sequoyah by writing their favorite animal using the Cherokee Language.
1.8 Materials/Equipment
● Content Notes (Teacher)
● Informational Websites (Teacher)
● Laptops (Student)
● Cherokee Animal Translation Sheet URL (Student)
● Brown Paper Bags (Student)
● Markers, Glue Sticks and Scissors (Student)
1.9 Technology
2.1 Reflection on Planning
We decided to incorporate the arts as a second curriculum area because it was not addressed in many of the previous lesson plans. It is also a great way for students to use the content they learned in a creative way. For the anticipatory set, we wanted students to make connections between Sequoyah and the Cherokee language and their own lives. We created a variety of discussion questions to prompt their understanding and start to make those connections. For our creative art activity, it not only portrays the differences and similarities between languages, but also allows ELL students with the opportunity to make a connection to their Native language as well. At the end of our activity, we made sure to make a connection with previous lessons to activate their background knowledge on the importance of influential figures in history. Overall, we feel that this history lesson and activity is easy and creative for all students in the classroom and will be a great addition to the unit portfolio!
- Expected Duration (# minutes) 1 Hour, 30 Minutes
- Concepts - Biography study of famous figures - Sequoyah (Native American in Inland States)
- Vocabulary - Sequoyah, Cherokee, symbol, culture
- Skills - Independent work, creative art, writing, reading
1.1 Integration of Learning Outcomes/Objectives
- Students will be able to describe the contributions that Sequoyah made to the Cherokee tribe.
- Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of the Cherokee language created by Sequoyah by writing their favorite animal using the Cherokee Language.
1.2 Standards PA Civics, History, Economics, Geography & NCSS Themes I - X with subthemes
- 8.3.4.A: Differentiate common characteristics of the social, political, cultural and economic groups in United States history.
- NCSS1.9.a - enable learners to explain how language, art, music, belief systems, and other cultural elements can facilitate global understanding or cause misunderstanding.
1.3 Anticipatory Set
● I will greet the class in a foreign language, and ask the class does anybody know how to speak or write in a foreign language? I will ask if any students who speak another language can also write in this foreign language. Following this introduction, I will explain to the class the importance of language, and how it is communicated orally, as well as being written. I will introduce the class to a famous figure named Sequoyah, who created a language for the Cherokee tribe.
- I will explain to the class that Sequoyah was part of the Cherokee Tribe. This group of people lived in the inland area, which we learned about two days prior. I will then ask the class to provide a few states located in the inland region as a “refresher”. I will ask the class to discuss the environment that the Cherokee Tribe would have lived in, which requires the students to refer to the climate which was discussed just days prior.
1.4 Procedures
● I will explain to students that there is a famous Cherokee Indian, who used a variety of different symbols to create an alphabet. I will encourage students to think about the significance of creating a written language by asking students to imagine if someone had not created the english alphabet? Imagine if we used symbols to write, rather than letters? This would also change how we speak to one another. Sequoyah was a very important figure.
● I will briefly introduce the class to who Sequoyah was, using the white board (based on information gathered in content notes).
● Students will be provided with the necessary materials for the assignment (brown paper bag, Cherokee Animal Translation sheet, markers, scissors and glue sticks).
● I will begin to explain our assignment for the day. Today we are going to use the laptops and search the Cherokee Animal Dictionary. I want you to take a minute to think about your favorite animal. Once you have picked one, I would like for you to open your laptops and put the link written on the board in your search bar.
● Then look up your favorite animal and how to write it in the Cherokee language.
● During this time period, the Sequoyah and his tribe did not use paper to write on. Instead they used other natural resources and one of those natural resources was animal hide. We are going to use brown paper backs to cut out in the shape of a rectangle and use this as our template.
● We will then write the Cherokee word for the animal, followed by the English word under that and then draw a picture of the animal on our animal hide! Use your markers to add color! Lets get started!
● Students can help one another throughout the assignment if need be.
● I will be circling the classroom to answer any questions and assess to see if they are understanding how to transfer the language from English to the Cherokee language.
● I will collect the completed project and add it to the unit portfolio.
● Following this activity, students will be asked to write a story about the animal they drew on their portfolio piece. Students will be asked to use the Cherokee language in their piece when referring to their animal. Their story most consist of five sentences, and this story will be assessed using the Primary Writing Assessment Domain Scoring Guide. The students will encouraged to create a story about their animal which has a beginning, middle, and end. Students will be encouraged to use creativity in their writing.
● Students will be able to describe the contributions that Sequoyah made to the Cherokee tribe.
● Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of the Cherokee language created by Sequoyah by writing their favorite animal using the Cherokee Language.
1.5 Differentiation
For students who struggle with fine motor skills, I will allow these students to create their portfolio item on the computer. Using Microsoft publisher, the student will create his/her portfolio item, and will print the item, and will use a glue stick to glue the printed picture to the brown paper bag.
For English Language Learners, these students will be able to write the animal’s name in their home language, as well as in Cherokee language. Students will be able to contribute their own language to this activity.
Choose two types of differentiation.
1.6 Closure
I will close the lesson by bringing together the conversation which took place during the anticipatory set about the importance of language, as well as the activity during which students wrote their favorite animal’s name using the Cherokee language. I will engage the class in saying today, we were able to study Sequoyah, and the contributions she made to the Cherokee Tribe. She invented a way to communicate through written language. As we all learned while completing this activity, language is tricky! Since we were unfamiliar with this type of language, it was a time consuming process to write animal names. For Sequoyah, it took over a decade to complete this language. It took the Cherokee tribe a long time to learn the language as well! Sequoyah was very influential to the Cherokee Tribe. In the Atlantic region, we studied another famous person named Harriet Tubman. Harriet Tubman was an influential figure, just as Sequoyah was.
1.7 Formative/Summative Assessment of Students (P-12)
● Formative Assessment: Students will be participating in a discussion before starting the activity. They will be talking about the importance of a written language and how it effects our everyday lives. Students will also be learning about how languages are all different and have different alphabets. I will be able to grasp their understanding through this discussion and questions to prompt their understanding.
● Summative Assessment: The creative art project will be used as their summative assessment and be added to the unit portfolio. Students must include the rectangular shaped animal hide, the animal word written in Cherokee, English or Native Language (differentiation) and a drawn picture of the animal. I will be able to assess their understanding of the material through this assignment because it demonstrates the differences in alphabets for different languages and connects us to Sequoyah and the Cherokee tribe.
● Students will be able to describe the contributions that Sequoyah made to the Cherokee tribe.
● Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of the Cherokee language created by Sequoyah by writing their favorite animal using the Cherokee Language.
1.8 Materials/Equipment
● Content Notes (Teacher)
● Informational Websites (Teacher)
● Laptops (Student)
● Cherokee Animal Translation Sheet URL (Student)
● Brown Paper Bags (Student)
● Markers, Glue Sticks and Scissors (Student)
1.9 Technology
- Students will use the laptops to access the Cherokee Language Dictionary and will use a website provided by the teacher.
2.1 Reflection on Planning
We decided to incorporate the arts as a second curriculum area because it was not addressed in many of the previous lesson plans. It is also a great way for students to use the content they learned in a creative way. For the anticipatory set, we wanted students to make connections between Sequoyah and the Cherokee language and their own lives. We created a variety of discussion questions to prompt their understanding and start to make those connections. For our creative art activity, it not only portrays the differences and similarities between languages, but also allows ELL students with the opportunity to make a connection to their Native language as well. At the end of our activity, we made sure to make a connection with previous lessons to activate their background knowledge on the importance of influential figures in history. Overall, we feel that this history lesson and activity is easy and creative for all students in the classroom and will be a great addition to the unit portfolio!