Lesson Plan

Unit Topic or Theme:  Geography of Europe

Grade: 6^th

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Lesson Topic or Theme: Capital Cities of Europe

Lesson Objectives: The student will be able to identify at least 28 capital cities of Europe. The students will be able to label the countries and their capitals on a blank map.

Instructional Technique: Interactive website, individual project, group game, quiz

Instructional Materials: blank maps, note cards for group game, quiz, website

Theoretical Perspective:  Learning the geography of the world (Europe) is important so the students have better knowledge of where places are in the world. This also will teach them how to understand maps and how to read them.

Procedure:

A. Introductory Activity: Interactive website. By having the students complete this assignment the teacher will have a better understanding of the student’s prior knowledge of the European capitals. Many of the capital presented on the site are basic knowledge. The students should be able to identify at least three of the seven on the interactive website. This assignment will not be graded. It is merely a tool to test their knowledge and introduce them to some of the capitals that they will be learning in the lesson.

B. Labeling a blank map. During this portion of the lesson, the students can work in pairs labeling a blank map of Europe. They can use an atlas or another tool to guide them. They will label all European countries and their capital cities. If this is not finished in class, it can be completed as a homework assignment.

C.  Group Game. This will be the fun part of the lesson. The students will each receive note cards with 2 capital cities and 1 country or 2 countries and 2 capitals.  We will also hand out a map with the order that the countries will follow.  The student with the first card, should say “I have blank country” then the student with the capital of that country should say “I have blank capital.” For example, if the student that begins the game has the card Norway, then the student should say “I have Norway.” Then the student with the card of Oslo should say “I have Oslo the capital of Norway”. The map that the students have in front of them will direct them to the next country. So for instance, if Sweden was labeled with #2 then the student with the card Sweden should recognize that their card comes after Oslo and this will continue throughout the game. The students can try this game a few times and then make it fun by timing them.

D. Quiz. The students will be given a blank map. This time they will work individually to label the map. They will have to identify all 37 countries. They should be able to identify at least 28 of the countries and their capitals.

E. Adaptations for different learners: For the students that are not auditory learners, the teacher will supply a map with the capitals as well as the countries for the game. For students with ADD or ADHD they can sit next to somebody that can help them during the game. Some students can be allowed extra time for the quiz. When labeling the first map, the teacher can pair students with better concentration abilities with those who have a hard time concentrating.

E. Homework: finish labeling first map if not finished in class.

Evaluation:

A.The students should be able demonstrate the knowledge of capitals through the quiz provided at the end of the lesson. Through the quiz, they should be able to identify where countries are located on the map as well as identifying the capital cities.

Concerns

A. The students might not have the prior knowledge that the teacher expected. The interactive website will not be working.

 Blank Map: used for the assignment of labeling a blank map 

 Use this map for the game, this shows the countries. The students will receive a map similar to this but there will be numbers on the countries.