Ann Dregne
Lesson Plan Day 5
45 min.
5th Grade


Winona Paddleboat History

Introduction:
Ask the students if they know any history about the paddleboats on the Mississippi River, the different barge/boat traffic or about the geographical regions in Winona. Show the students some old pictures of the paddleboats to give them an idea of how long ago they started running, and what they look like today. Then have the students do Internet research on Winona’s paddleboats and barge traffic. There will be a speaker from the Winona Historical Society that will come in and talk to the students about the boats and give them more of a background. The students will then have background knowledge for tomorrow’s field trip on a paddleboat. There will be a question they will answer in their journals as an assessment to see if they were listening to the speaker.


Materials Needed:
-Paper
-Journals
-Old pictures from the Historical Society of the paddleboats that go through Winona.
-Speaker from Winona Historical Society


Goals for Lesson:
The students will learn all about the history of paddleboats on the Mississippi River. They will know the major paddleboats that come to Winona, and will be able to identify the geography of the Winona area, along the Mississippi River. (MN Standards)


Objective for today’s Lesson:
The students will be able to identify the different geographical areas surrounding Winona. Some of these include the bluffs, hills, streams, cliffs, and rivers. The students should already know what these geographical terms are and where to find them, but this is a good review. The students will also know some of the major paddleboats that come to the Winona area.

Procedures:
→ Introductory Experiences:
1. Talk to the students and tell them some history of the Mississippi River in Winona, and what the boats and geographical places around were used for.



→ Developmental Experiences:
1. Do a KWL chart with the students to see what the students know about the Paddleboats and geographical places in Winona. (15 min.)
2. Have a speaker from the Winona Historical Society come in to talk about the history of the paddleboats, boat/barge traffic and geographical regions. (10 min.)
3. Have the students take notes while listening to the speaker. The students can then put these notes in their class book at the end of the unit.
4. Have the students ask questions to the historian about the paddleboats and information about the geographical surroundings. (8 min.)

→Culminating Experiences:
1. Check that the students are listening and review what the speaker went over.
(5 min)


Assessment:
Have the students journal on what the speaker from the Historical Society talked about. Then have the students answer a question to see if they were listening when the speaker was talking. The question is, “ What are three of the major paddleboats that come through Winona, MN?” The Mississippi Queen, American Queen, and Delta Queen. (7 min.)