Lesson Plans 

 

LESSON PLAN 1  

 

GENERAL INFORMATION 

 

Subject(s): Places and Regions Geography  

Topic or Unit of Study: Plate Tectonics and Fault Lines 

Grade/Level: 6th  

 

Instructional Setting: 

• Whole class and small group activities 

• Classroom setting and flexible seating 

• Bulletin board display of maps and student-created landform illustrations 

• Interactive activities with maps and visual representations 

 

Time: 20 Minutes  

STANDARDS AND OBJECTIVES 

 

Your State Core Curriculum/Student Achievement Standard(s):    

 6 – G2.1.2 Locate and describe the basic patterns and processes of plate tectonics. 

 

 

Lesson Goals:  

• Students will understand the physical characteristics of plates, including plate tectonics, landforms, and climate.  

• Students will be able to analyze and interpret maps to locate and describe geographic patterns.  

 

Assessment:  

Summative Assessments: 

• Short written response on plate tectonics.  

Preassessment: 

• Verbal class discussion on prior knowledge of earthquakes and volcanoes.  

 

Formative Assessments: 

• Participation in map activity and exit ticket.  

 

 

Lesson Objective(s): 

• I can describe tectonic plates. 

• I can identify tectonic plates on a map. 

• I can explain what fault lines are and what their movement can cause.  

 

Language Objectives: 

• Students will use scientific vocabulary to explain plate tectonics.  

 

Essential Question(s): How do tectonic plates shape the Earth’s surface? 

  

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES 

 

Instructional Materials: 

• World map, plate tectonics diagram, pencils, colored pencils 

Resources: 

• Online educational videos. 

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN 

  

Sequence of Instructional Procedures/Activities/Events (provide description and indicate approximate time for each): 

 

1. Identification of Student Prerequisite Skills Needed for Lesson: 

• Basic understanding of Earth’s layers.  

1. Presentation of New Information or Modeling: 

• Explain the concept of tectonic plates and fault lines. 

• Show a world map of tectonic plates and major fault lines.  

1. Guided Practice: 

• Students work in pairs to locate and color different tectonic plates on their maps.  

• Teacher walks around to assist and check for understanding.  

1. Independent Student Practice: 

• Students answer questions: 

• What are tectonic plates? 

• What happens when they move? 

• Name one natural disaster caused by tectonic movement.  

1. Culminating or Closing Procedure/Activity/Event: 

•  Exit Ticket: “What is one thing you learned today about tectonic plates?” 

Pedagogical Strategy (or Strategies): 

• Direct instruction, paired learning.  

 

Differentiated Instruction: 

• Visual aids for ELL students, sentence starters for written responses.  

Student Assessment/Rubrics: 

• Formative: Class participation 

• Summative: Exit ticket: Short written response; “What is one thing you learned today about tectonic plates?” 

 

 

 LESSON PLAN 2

 

GENERAL INFORMATION 

 

Subject(s): Places and Regions Geography  

Topic or Unit of Study: Climates 

Grade/Level: 6th  

 

Instructional Setting: 

• Whole class and small group activities 

• Classroom setting and flexible seating 

• Bulletin board display of maps and student-created landform illustrations 

• Interactive activities with maps and visual representations 

Time: 20 Minutes  

STANDARDS AND OBJECTIVES 

 

Your State Core Curriculum/Student Achievement Standard(s):    

 6 – G2.1.3 Locate and describe the characteristics and patterns of major world climates and ecosystems.  

 

 

Lesson Goals:  

• Students will understand world climate zones.  

 

Assessment:  

Summative Assessments: 

• Climate zone writing assignment. 

Preassessment: 

• Discussion on local climate.  

Formative Assessments: 

• Group work on climate zones.  

 

 

Lesson Objective(s): 

• I can locate characteristics and patterns of major world climates. 

• I can describe different climate zones. 

Language Objectives: 

• Use climate-related vocabulary; “tundra,” “tropical,”. 

 

Essential Question(s): How do climates vary across the world? 

  

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES 

 

Instructional Materials: 

• Climate zone map 

• Pencils, coloring supplies 

• Climate zone chart 

• Video on different world climates (optional) 

Resources: 

• Science textbook, online videos 

 

 

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN 

  

Sequence of Instructional Procedures/Activities/Events (provide description and indicate approximate time for each): 

 

1. Identification of Student Prerequisite Skills Needed for Lesson: 

• Class discussion: “What is the climate like where we live?”  

• Show a world climate map and introduce the different climate zones. 

1. Presentation of New Information or Modeling: 

•  Explain the five major climate zones (tropical, dry, temperate, continental, polar). 

1. Guided Practice: 

• Color a climate map to show different zones. 

1. Independent Student Practice: 

• Each student selects one climate zone and writes about it (plants, animals, weather patterns).  

1. Culminating or Closing Procedure/Activity/Event: 

• Share student findings with the class.  

• Exit Ticket: “If you could live in any climate zone, which would it be and why?” 

Pedagogical Strategy (or Strategies): 

• Cooperative learning groups, direct instruction. 

Differentiated Instruction: 

• Provide sentence starters for students needing additional language support.  

Student Assessment/Rubrics: 

Describe how you will know if students have met the objective(s) for this lesson (include pre- and post-assessment plans—formal and/or informal, summative and/or formative, etc.). 

• Formative: Class discussion, group work on climate zones. 

• Summative: Climate zone writing assignment.