Grade Level: 4th Grade

Time: 45 minutes

Essential Question: How can we be stewards of Wyoming’s lands to benefit current and future generations?

Objectives: Students will:

• • Know the definition of stewardship.
  • Apply the stewardship definition to various situations involving public lands.

Purpose:  Students learn how being stewards of Wyoming’s public and private lands will benefit current and future generations.

Required Materials/Resources: 

• • Whiteboards and dry erase markers
  • Sticky notes (three per student)
  • Stewardship PowerPoint images: Fire Danger, Don’t Litter, Stay on the Trail, and Recycle (print or display with PowerPoint)
  • Chart paper
  • Stewardship definition poster
  • History of Wyoming’s Public Lands (one per student) – (Sources 1-3) This will be used again in Lesson 6.
  • 3-2-1 worksheet (one per student)

Suggested Teacher Preparation: 

• • Read History of Wyoming’s Public Lands

    Teacher Note:

    The History of Wyoming’s Public Lands will be used again in Lesson 4.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Kagan strategies used in the lesson: Timed Pair Share (Source 4), A-B Each Teach (Source 5).

    Teacher Note:

     Timed Pair Share – Students share with a partner for a predetermined amount of time, and then the partner gives feedback to the person who shared first. Reverse roles, so that the second partner shares and receives feedback.

Standards: 

Social Studies: SS5.1.1 (Practiced/Encountered)

ELA: 4.RI.1, 4.RI.4, 4.SL.1.a,d  (Practiced/Encountered)

Vocabulary: 

• • Entrust – to give somebody the responsibility of doing something or of caring for someone or something
  • Manage – be in charge of, run, be head of, head, direct, control, preside over, lead, govern, rule, command, supervise, oversee, administer, organize, conduct, handle, guide
  • Monument – a building, structure, or site that is of historical importance or interest
  • Private land – land owned by a person or group and kept for their exclusive use; permission and access for any purpose must be granted by the owner
  • Public land – land owned by a government; may or may not be accessible to the public
  • State parks – State lands reserved to be enjoyed by the public for recreation and tourism and do not generate income through development
  • State Trust Lands – lands that were granted to Wyoming and designated to generate revenue for public schools and other state institutions
  • Steward – an individual who manages areas or resources
  • Stewardship – As Wyoming citizens, we are stewards entrusted with the responsible development, care, and use of our resources to benefit current and future generations.

Instructional Procedure/Steps: 

1. Display the essential question: How can we be stewards of Wyoming’s lands to benefit current and future generations? Pass out whiteboards and dry erase markers. Say: “On your whiteboard, write words in the question that are familiar to you.” Call on students to give the definition of each word that is shown on the marker board. Ask: “What is a steward?” Have students respond. If necessary, explain to students that stewards are people who manage another’s property and/or resources.
2. Show the Stewardship PowerPoint images: Fire Danger, Don’t Litter, Stay on the Trail, No Trespassing, and Recycle. Say: “Now, I want you to brainstorm what stewardship means to each of you and an example of stewardship.”  After providing think time, have students share their ideas with a partner using Kagan’s Timed Pair Share.
3.  Ask: “What are keywords that would apply to a definition of stewardship?” Pass out 3 sticky notes to each student. Say: “Think of three keywords that apply to stewardship. Write one word on each sticky note. When you are done, place your words on the board.” When all students have placed their sticky notes on the board, say: “We are going to use these words to create a definition of stewardship.”  

   Synthesis

    In this task, students will be engaged in the higher order thinking skill of synthesis by composing a definition for an unknown word.
4.  Say: “With your partner, use the words on the board to write a sentence that defines stewardship.” When all pairs have their sentences, display the Stewardship definition poster. Have partners compare and contrast their definitions with the Wyoming Stewardship Project definition. Discuss as a whole group the similarities and differences they found.

   Evaluation

   In this task, students will be engaged in the higher order thinking skill of evaluation by comparing their definition to the Stewardship Project definition.
5. Hand out the History of Wyoming’s Public Lands article. Have partners use the Kagan strategy of A-B Each Teach to read the text and discuss the answers to these questions: “What role do you play as a steward of these public lands?  What role do you play as a steward of private lands?” Lead a discussion with your class on the activities we do on our private land. Say: “Turn and talk to your partner about the differences between public and private land?” Have students share out their responses.  Read this paragraph from the Land Ownership section Private Property:

“Please be aware of the importance of private property in Wyoming and the understanding that someone who does not own a certain parcel of private land cannot cross or be on that land for recreation or tourism use without permission from the owner. Private property use is respected under the law.  Many private landowners do create access for recreation in providing hunting and fishing opportunities as well as development access. However, if someone wants to cross land they do not own, they must acquire permission, generally by purchasing certain rights to use the land from the person who owns the land.”

6. When all pairs have finished reading and discussing, have students think about the definition of stewardship. Lead a thumbs up/thumbs down activity with the class by randomly giving examples of good and poor stewardship from the chart below.

7. 7. As a check for understanding, pass out the 3-2-1 worksheet for students to complete individually. Answer any questions students still have. Watch for students who are struggling to connect the stewardship concept with their everyday life. If necessary, review the stewardship definition again for those students.

Assessment: Look over the 3-2-1 worksheet to check for student understanding of stewardship. That should include: an understanding of the concept of stewardship, vocabulary, and the ability to connect stewardship to their everyday life.

Credits/Sources:

1. 1. Wyoming Office of Tourism, Cameron Ross, Strategic Partnerships Senior Manager.
   2. Legends of America. (2003-present). Wyoming Legends: Old West History of Wyoming. Retrieved August 13, 2017, from http://www.legendsofamerica.com/wy-timeline.html
   3. State of Wyoming. (2018). Wyoming History. Retrieved August 13, 2017, from http://www.wyo.gov/about-wyoming/wyoming-history
   4. Kagan, Dr. Spencer., Kagan, Miguel. (2015). Kagan Cooperative Learning. San Clemente, CA: Kagan Publishing and Professional Development.
   5. Kagan, Dr. Spencer. (2009). Kagan Cooperative Learning. San Clemente, CA: Kagan Publishing and Professional Development.