Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans For ABE/GED/ESL Instructors

105 Pages·2003·6.17 MB·English

Interdisciplinary Lesson
Plans
For
ABE/GED/ESL
Instructors
Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans
For
ABE/GED/ESL Instructors

The lesson plans in this book are designed to foster critical thinking skills through teaching
across the curricula. Each lesson plan contains at least three of the five areas tested on
the GED test; additionally, each lesson has an activity designated to math or science.
Graphic organizers, timelines, charts, reading samples, and realia are also basic
components of the lesson plans.

Plans have been scripted to facilitate teacher use and also to lessen prep time for teachers.
Each lesson also contains the following relevant information:
1. The cognitive skill level of the activity using Bloom’s taxonomy.
2. A debriefing/evaluation activity.
3. A real-life connection activity which explains how people in real life would use the
skills taught.
4. An extension activity which allows the students to expand the skills developed
through the activity.
5. Accommodations for adults with special needs.
ABE/GED Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans

Discipline
Math Science Social Language Language
Studies Arts Arts
Reading Writing
Lesson Title

1 Bob the Builder: Getting Ready to Carpet A Room √ √ √

2 Solving Percent Problems √ √ √

3 Perimeter √ √ √

4 Wheel of Fortune (Probability and Statistics √ √ √

5 Area Code Math √ √ √

6 Constructing A Simple Line Graph √ √ √

7 The Tree √ √ √

8 Only the Strong Survive √ √ √

9 Spring Has Sprung √ √ √ √

10 The Flask – Multi-Disciplinary Problem Solving √ √ √ √ √

11 Coming to America By Way of the North Pole √ √ √

12 Cloning √ √ √
ABE/GED Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans

Discipline
Math Science Social Language Language
Studies Arts Arts
Reading Writing
Page Lesson Title

13 The Right to Vote √ √ √

14 The Space Shuttle √ √ √ √ √

15 Traveler’s Advisory √ √ √

16 A Comparison of Mississippi’s Campgrounds √ √ √ √ √

17 Plan A Trip (Within the United States) √ √ √

18 Traveling the State √ √ √

19 Got Milk? √ √ √ √
Buyer Beware:
20 How Hidden Messages In Advertising Affect Purchases √ √ √

21 Shopping for Supper or Menu to Meal √ √ √ √

22 Money/Money Management √ √ √
ABE/GED Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans

Discipline
Math Science Social Language Language
Studies Arts Arts
Reading Writing
Page Lesson Title

23 Life Skills – Usefulness of Consumer Products √ √ √

24 Reading Pictures √ √ √

25 The Biological Clock Can Affect Student Performance √ √ √

26 Getting the Most for Your Money √ √ √
Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans
Area/Skill Cognitive Skill Level Submitted by Location
Science, Math, Language Arts- Comprehension, Application, Cheryl Smith Rankin County Schools ABE
Writing Analysis, Evaluation
Materials/Texts/Realia/Handouts
Activity Title: The “Biological Clock” Can Affect A Student’s Performance (per student)
Handout sheet of instructions
Goal/Objective Deck of cards
Science - Use an activity to determine how “task” performance can differ during the day. Watch or clock with second hand
Math - Calculate the average rate of each time measurement. Graph results for three days. Chart to record times
Writing - Record test results and analysis in student journals. Graph paper
Pencil
Lesson Outline Student journal
Students will use research skills to collect data. Students will organize the data and average the results of
time measurements. Students will graph the results for each day. Students will record and analyze the
collected data to form conclusions.

Introduction
External factors affect our daily lives, but there is also an internal factor, our “biological clock”, which Extension Activity
determines our performance each day. Add a 2:00 a.m. measurement time
one night to compare the differences
Activity in performance.
Students will need a deck of cards, a clock/watch with a second hand, graph paper, and a chart with the
headings – morning, midday, afternoon, and bedtime. Procedure—Shuffle the cards well. Time how long Repeat this lesson using different
it takes to sort the cards into the four suits. Immediately repeat this procedure two more times. Average types of activities (ex. Higher level
the three scores (time measurements) together and record the average score on the chart. Repeat this cognitive drills) to determine other
procedure for three days, with each day having four measurements recorded. Small groups will create factors that might influence the
graphs from the information on the charts, discuss findings and analyze how this information might be productivity of ABE students.
helpful. Students will record results in their journals.

Debriefing/Evaluation Activity
Students will discuss the procedures they used in this activity. Conclusions will be judged for validity and ESE Accommodations
accuracy. Students will predict how this information could change their methods of time management in Group students for activities when
the future. needed.
Allow students to pick an “at-home”
Real-Life Connection partner.

Have students discuss how understanding their own biological clock would be helpful in preparing for the Have calculators available.
GED. Have students create a list of daily activities they would schedule for peak performance times and
brainstorm on ways to avoid their “scheduled” performance slumps.
Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans - Script
Area/Skill Cognitive Skill Level Submitted by Location
Science, Mathematics, Comprehension, Application, Cheryl Smith Rankin County Schools ABE
Language Arts-Writing Analysis, Evaluation

Activity Title; The “Biological Clock” Can Affect a Student’s Performance

Introduction
Say: Many external factors affect our daily lives, but within us lies a major force that determines how we performance each day. We are usually
not even aware of the “biological clock” that determines our “rhythm” through the day.

Main Activity
Say: For the next three days you will be experimenting with your “biological clock” to determine how it affects your daily life. Each student will be
collecting and analyzing data to see how they might make better use of their peak performance times.

Hand out instruction sheets to the class and discuss the directions. Hand out other materials required for the lesson. Ask if there are any
questions.

Conduct a brief discussion around the following questions:
When you graph your measurements for the 3 days do you predict that the daily graphs will be similar? Why?
Do you already have an idea of how your daily graphs will look?
What factors in your daily life will affect your measurements?
Why do you think you need to take three measurements each time you perform this activity and calculate an average measurement?
How do you average a set of three numbers? If there were five numbers, what would you do differently?

Closure/Conclusion
Ask students to share journal entries about their measurement results.
Ask students how these results could be used to obtain better study habits and test scores.
Ask students to share ideas about how they plan to change their daily routines to take better advantage of performance peaks.

Follow-up Lessons/Activities
Students enlist a family member or friend to try the activity. Students can show the friend how to design a graph and how to average numbers.
Students report on actual changes accomplished in their daily routines and the effects of those changes
Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans
Area/Skill Mathematics, Cognitive Skill Level Submitted by Location
Language Arts Reading, Comprehension, Application, May LeFlore MS Dept. of Corrections
Language Arts Writing Synthesis Pre-Release Program
Materials/Texts/Realia/Handouts
Activity Title: Reading Pictures
Magazines, Tape, Scissors, coloring
Goal/Objective: Language Arts, Reading: Use pictures from the Newspapers or Magazines. Have students to find the pencils, butcher paper
main idea (main point) by finding the details and tell what is the implied meaning from the picture. Newspapers
Worksheets
Language Arts, Writing: Students will complete a handout with three columns: Detail, Main Idea, and Implied. This Paragraph development
information is also placed on the blackboard for the feedback session where students may add other students’ Rubric Scale to evaluate the paragraph
comments. For each picture shown, allow the students time to complete the information on handout. Then conduct a Rubric Scale to evaluate the pictograph
feedback session with the students. After the feedback session, have the students to write a paragraph stating the Transparency of various pictures
main idea, detail, and inference from one of the pictures. Source: Real-Life Reading Activities for
Grades 6-12, Silver, James F. pp.123-
Mathematics: Pictograph usually takes the form of a horizontal bar graph. Pictograph uses pictures or symbols to 143.
present statistical information. By using pictures, it makes it easy to understand the data and make immediate Graph Attack! Understanding Charts and
comparison. In a pictograph, there is a symbol and the symbol might represent people, barrels of oil, automobile, and Graphs. (Cambridge) pp.71-78
etc. Whatever the symbol, it will most often look like the subject the pictograph. If you have any doubts about what Survey
that subject is, look at the title of the graph.
Extension Activity: The skills learned from
Lesson Outline: Students (prisoners) will use utilized pictures from newspapers and magazines to complete the Reading Pictures can be used in
worksheet and write paragraphs. Students will also research and organize a simple pictograph graph showing the interpreting cartoon in science and social
number of prisoners from the house areas that were under the influence of alcohol or drug when their crime occurred. studies.

Introduction: During the commission of a crime, researchers have found that many individuals are under the influence Survey Questions:
of alcohol and drug. Alcohol impairs one's ability to think rational or give them a false sense of confidence. Alcohol is 1. When you committed your crime(s),
a drug and it is the number one abused drug. Drugs are substances that alter the central nervous system. Show the were you using alcohol? ___ Yes, ___No
class pictures accidents of drunk drivers. 2. When you committed your crime(s),
were you using drug? ___ Yes, ____No
Activity: The student will be divided into four groups and a packet of information will be provided: instructions, several 3. When you committed your crime(s),
magazines and newspapers, and worksheets. Students will develop a simple survey with three questions and were you using drug and alcohol?
organizing information for the pictograph. The students will be assigned to groups according to the one of four ___ Yes, ___ No.
housing zones that they live on. A bottle will be the symbol for alcohol, and a cigarette will be the symbol for drug.
Another pictograph will show those that may have been under the influence of alcohol and drug when the crime
occurred. Students will organize the collected data and graphs to present findings. Students will analyze their graphs ESE Accommodations: Picture may be
to draw conclusions. used in the beginning as method of
teaching sight words.
Debriefing/Evaluation Activity: Students will briefly discuss how pictures affect our lives and how they are used to
speak to us. Students will also discuss the development of pictograph and the results of data collection.

Real-Life Connection: There are specific designs that are used nation wide to identify restroom, telephone, money,
music, no smoking area, handicapped parking, railroad cross, the red and gold arch, and others are useful for
everyday survival.
Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans - Script
Area/Skill Mathematics Cognitive Skill Level Submitted by Location
Language Arts Reading, Comprehension, Application, May LeFlore MS Dept. of Corrections
Language Arts Writing, Synthesis Pre-Release Program

Activity Title: Reading Pictures

Introduction:
Say: A picture is worth a thousand words. Nothing makes a greater impact than a visual impression of something that you are reading.
Just as a paragraph has a main idea. The main idea is a general statement that tells you the major point of a passage. At least every picture has
one main idea. With a picture it is possible to determine the main idea from one glance. Another characteristic of a paragraph is that there are
supporting sentences that support the main idea. There are details in a picture that supports the main idea of the picture. One of the purposes of
reading for details is to collect enough information to decide what is the main idea or inference. An inference is an opinion that one forms after
discovering one or more details from the reading or the reviewing of the picture.

Main Activity:
Say: Today, students (prisoners), we will review some pictures to create a visual and mental understanding of certain objects to obtain the main
focus and the inferred meaning of the pictures.
In reviewing pictures to find the main idea, ask these questions:
• What are the details? (Notice every detail of the picture.)
• Look at each character. Who are they? What are they saying? Who do they represent?
• Read every word and study the labels and descriptions.
• Are there any symbols? What do they mean? (Look for symbols and their meaning.)
To determine the inference of a picture, ask these questions:
• What is being implied?
• What are some predictions that can be made from the facts shown?

From the information gathered while reading the pictures, the students will write a paragraph.
Say: Pictures are used in all walks of life, and we will learn how pictures are used in making graphs. This type of graph is called pictograph.

Closure/Conclusion: Ask students to name and give the meaning of some symbols used daily.
Ask students how these symbols impact our lives and affect our thinking.

Follow-up Lessons/Activities: Divide the class into four groups. Allow each group to draw or develop their own picture from newspapers or
magazine clippings. Each group will present its picture to the class, and explain the main idea and inference. Each group will also explain how the
main idea and inference were determined.
Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans
Area/Skill Cognitive Skill Level Submitted by Location
Mathematics, Language Arts, Comprehension, Application, Robin Clements Gulfport School District
Reading, Social Studies Analysis, Evaluation
Materials/Texts/Realia/Handouts
Activity Title: Life Skills (Usefulness of Consumer Products)
Products Chart
Goal/Objective: Container and Units chart
Students will learn the purpose and usefulness of consumer products in every day real-life skills. Posters: “At the Store” and “Products
You Can Use”
Lesson Outline: Sample Pack: Crest, Folgers, Old
Students will be given a chart, pronunciation suggestions, cultural notes, and student activities that provide Spice Deodorant, Tide, Downy, Day
real-life skills. Quill, Pepto-Bismol, Dawn, and a
shopping pad.
Introduction:
As a consumer, it is important to be able to read product labels for product information, its ingredients, its
warnings, and directions for usage.
Extension Activity
Activity: Have students bring in a product
(1) Discuss the importance of being able to read product labels. Students will use the Products Chart and with a caution or warning label and
discuss what each product is for and how or why it is used. answer the following questions:
(2) Discuss the importance of knowing container and unit measurements when purchasing products. (Use What is the product? What are the
Container and Units Chart in Student Edition to determine correct measurements. warnings? What should people do if
the product is used incorrectly? Is
Debriefing/Evaluation Activity: Ask students why it’s important to be able to read product labels. there a phone number the on the
label for questions or comments?

Real-Life Connection: Have students bring in a product that they use or have used such as: cough
medicine, aspirin, or sinus medicine. Have each student explain the label and discuss what could happen ESE Accommodations
if directions are not followed. Team students with various
functioning levels. Discuss and
locate information on the product
label. Example: What ingredients
are in this product?