People, Places and Events

Lesson Plan #: AELP- INT0054

index  - stem initiative  -  cati  -  int0054

Date: 1994

Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Subject(s):

• Interdisciplinary
• Social Studies
• Science

Overview: Students often lack the motivation necessary to learn instructed information so that it is understood and not just "momentarily memorized." People, Places, and Events provides a tool to create a competitive, yet cooperative and enjoyable atmosphere in which students will actually want to learn information.

Purpose:

1. To provide interest in new materials.

2. To review material covered in the present or previous lessons.

3. To promote enthusiasm for the subject matter being taught.

4. To foster critical thinking skills.

5. To challenge the gifted learner.

6. To stimulate the learning disabled.

Objectives: The student will:

1. Cooperate within a peer group.

2. Increase his/her retention of instructed materials.

3. Review materials covered in the present or previous lessons.

4. Use higher level thinking skills.

5. Gain positive feedback through competition.

Resources/Materials: Student textbooks, paper, pencils, chalkboard or overhead

Activities and Procedures:

1. Divide students into three teams of three to five students per team. (It is important to not have an equal number for decision making purposes. It is possible to have more than one "game" happening at the same time.)

 

2. List places, people, events to be reviewed on the blackboard. Each team must cooperatively decide on a list of three to five items to be used by their particular team. (This written list will not be shared with the other two teams.) A designated time limit, approximately two minutes, is to be given for this task and then the blackboard will be erased.

 

3. Allow each individual team time to write ten facts about each of the items they chose. The facts should be listed in decreasing order, 10 - 1, and should contain valid information from vague (broad, general statements) to specific (detailed statements).

Example: (Science - Teach - Pluto)

10. It is in our Solar System.

9. It is smaller than Earth.

8. Percival Lowell was the first man to predict its existence.

7. In July is in or near the constellation of Cancer.

6. Its moon is nearly as large as it is.

5. Some scientists consider it and its moon a double planet.

4. It was named after the god of the underworld.

3. You would never reach your first birthday here.

2. If the Earth were the size of an apricot it would be the size of a grain of sand.

1. It is the darkest planet and its orbit now places it as the eighth planet.

 

4. Each team will sit in a manner as to form a triangle when facing one another.

 

5. Team 1 will proceed with one of their chosen topics by reading their first fact (10) aloud to team 2. Team 2 will confer and make and educated guess.

 

6. If team 2 is correct they will receive ten points and will begin to read their first fact to team 3, who will confer and make an educated guess. If team 2 is incorrect, team 1 will continue on with their next fact and the procedure repeats. Team 2 will receive the number of points in relationship to the fact given when the guess is correct. However, if team 2 is unable to guess correctly after all ten facts have been given, team 3 will receive all ten points. therefore the fact list should become increasingly more specific or informative so that team 2 is able to receive one or two points, thus preventing team 3 from receiving ten points.

 

7. When the points have been established, team 2 will repeat the procedure reading the facts of one of their chosen topics to team 3. If team 3 does not guess correctly by the end of ten facts, team 1 will receive ten points.

 

8. Continue on with team 3 reading to team 1 and so forth.

 

9. The game continues until all topics have been reviewed. High score wins. Penalty points of -5 will be given to any team listing an incorrect fact.

Teacher hints: People, places, and events can very easily be done in two class periods (two days). Use the first class period for preparation and the second for actual playing. In a self-contained classroom it is sometimes a break in routine to spend an entire afternoon and can easily be done without boredom taking place.

Tying It All Together: People, places, and events can be used with a variety of subjects and is easily adapted. Research techniques and the utilization of the "best possible answer" is reinforced.