[John O Dowd]

Fourth Class SESE Lesson Plan: The Inca Civilization
Subject: Social, Environmental and Scientific Education (SESE) – History Grade Level: Fourth Class (Ages 9-10) Topic: The Inca Civilization Lesson Duration: 60-75 minutes (can be adapted)
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this lesson, pupils should be able to:
• Identify the geographical location of the Inca Empire on a map.
• Describe key aspects of Inca life, including their farming methods, architecture, and record-keeping.
• Recognise the Inca as a significant ancient civilization in South America.
• Appreciate the ingenuity and achievements of the Inca people.
• Use historical vocabulary related to the Incas (e.g., Andes, Machu Picchu, quipu, Sapa Inca).
Materials:
• World map or South America map
• Pictures/slides of Inca sites (Machu Picchu, terraced farms), quipus, Inca people (illustrations)
• Whiteboard or flip chart
• Markers/Chalk
• Wool/string and beads/pasta for optional quipu activity
• Worksheet (optional): “Inca Fact File” or “Draw an Inca Scene”
• Access to a short, age-appropriate video clip about the Incas (optional)
Lesson Procedure:
1. Introduction (10-15 minutes)
• Hook: Begin by asking students if they’ve ever heard of ancient civilizations or empires. Prompt them to think about what life might have been like a very long time ago.
• Brainstorm: “What do you know about South America?” or “What do you imagine life would be like living high up in the mountains?”
• Introduce the Incas: Explain that today they will learn about an amazing civilization called the Incas, who lived high in the Andes Mountains of South America.
• Locate on Map: Point out South America and the Andes Mountains on a world map. Emphasise how challenging it must have been to build an empire in such a mountainous region.
2. Main Activities (35-45 minutes)
• Inca Life – Visual Exploration:
o Farming: Show pictures of Inca terraced farms. Discuss how they adapted to their environment to grow food like potatoes and maize on mountain slopes. Explain the concept of terracing (like giant steps).
o Architecture: Display images of Machu Picchu and other Inca stonework. Highlight the incredible precision of their stone buildings, noting that they didn’t use mortar. Discuss how they built such structures without modern tools.
o Record Keeping (Quipu): Introduce the quipu. Explain that the Incas didn’t have a written language like ours, but they used knotted strings called quipus to keep records of numbers, goods, and maybe even stories. (If time allows, a quick demonstration or simple creation of a quipu with wool and beads can be engaging).
o The Sapa Inca: Briefly explain that the Inca Empire was ruled by an emperor called the Sapa Inca, who was believed to be a descendant of the sun god.
o Roads: Mention their impressive network of roads and bridges that connected their vast empire.
• Discussion & Q&A: Encourage students to ask questions and share their observations about the images and information. Facilitate a discussion about what they find most impressive or surprising about the Incas.
• Optional Video Clip (5-7 minutes): If available, show a short, age-appropriate video that provides a visual overview of the Inca civilization.
3. Conclusion (10-15 minutes)
• Recap: Review the main points covered: where the Incas lived, their farming, buildings, and quipus. Ask students to recall one new thing they learned.
• Think-Pair-Share: Ask students to turn to a partner and share one “wow” fact they learned about the Incas.
• Creative Activity/Worksheet (Optional):
o Draw an Inca Scene: Ask students to draw a picture of something they learned about the Incas (e.g., Machu Picchu, terraced farms, a person using a quipu).
o Inca Fact File: Provide a simple worksheet where students can fill in key facts (Location, Famous Building, How they farmed, How they kept records).
Differentiation:
• Support: Provide pre-labelled maps, simplified vocabulary, and more direct questions. Pair with a stronger student for activities.
• Challenge: Encourage more detailed drawings or written descriptions. Ask higher-order thinking questions (e.g., “Why do you think the Incas were so good at building with stone?”). Research another aspect of Inca life.
Assessment:
• Informal Observation: Observe student participation in discussions and their ability to answer questions.
• Worksheet/Drawing: Review completed worksheets or drawings for understanding of key concepts.
• Oral Recall: Ask individual students to recall facts about the Incas.
Extension Activities:
• Research other ancient civilizations (e.g., Mayans, Aztecs, Egyptians).
• Learn more about the geography of South America.
• Explore the story of the Spanish conquest of the Incas (for older/more mature students, as this can be a sensitive topic).
• Create a class display about the Incas.
I have been amazed at the possible potential for the use of AI in the planning and delivering of quality teaching and learning since starting this course. Lessons can be accurately planned by entering in accurate prompts. Of course all information coming back needs to be verified for accuracy but the responses are excellent. I went for a lesson on the Incas for fourth class and I have been given a step by step lesson with very detailed and appropriate learning objectives and a comprehensive list of materials. I have also been given an excellent lesson broken into the following sections; An introduction of fifteen minutes, main activities from thirty five to forty five minutes and a conclusion of ten to fifteen minutes. I have also been given a section on differentiation and assessment. The extension activities section has given me ample opportunities to further develop the children’s knowledge not only regarding the Incas but developing other civilisations such as the Mayas or Aztecs.

[John O Dowd]

Hi Vikki,

this looks like a great lesson. I too see the great value of using Speaker Coach as a way of improving children’s presentation skills.

[John O Dowd]

I would choose Scratch to my classroom as I have been very impressed with it from my research into it. I also see the many positive comments from other participants in the course. Prior to starting I would engage with our AUP and GDPR policies.
I would start by explaining to the class that we would be doing something very exciting. We would start with a project that is simple and involved the creation of something. be a fun and engaging experience. Start with a simple project that gets them excited about creating something immediately in an interactive way.
Before we started to begin coding, I would introduce the main ideas and language of Scratch such as stage, sprites, blocks, palette, code area and backdrop. We would then look at some examples of how Scratch was used by others.
Finally, we would begin a simple project such as getting a sprite to move and talk which would creative a very positive attitude for the children as it is such an interactive activity.

[John O Dowd]

Hi Claire,

Khan Academy seems to be an extremely useful tool. I completely agree that pupil well being should be a priority in schools and I will be looking into the section on coping skills.

[John O Dowd]

Part One: The two examples of how I could use AI to improve teaching, learning and assessment are:
Diffit for Teachers would allow me to provide greater differentiation to meet all of the pupils needs within our classroom.
Microsoft Reading Coach would allow greater targeted reading practice with detailed assessment records for all children.
Part Two: Following on from module three it seems that the use of AI tools to positively impact future teaching and learning within classrooms is endless. Copilot image creator has many benefits and I will be certainly using it to prompt images for creative writing. This will also give my pupils a chance to see how important accurate prompts are in using AI.
The three Microsoft Learning Accelerators also provide great opportunities for educators. I was particularly interested in Reading Coach. This is an extremely useful tool in helping children reach their potential in reading and is an especially useful tool in support teaching. Search Coach and Speaker Coach help pupils in the area of accurate searching and making presentations. These are skills that are very valuable in today’s world.
The range of AI tools available in Magic School is extremely impressive. I will certainly be looking into this in much more detail. The creation of the social story and incorporation Twee with this is something I will be trying out.
Other AI tools such as Diffit for Teachers and Gamma also have a role to play.

[John O Dowd]

Hi Michelle,

I was also very impressed with Reading Coach. The ways in which it can enable the teacher to develop the reading of pupils seems endless.

[John O Dowd]

This module has shown teachers many ways in which AI can transform the teaching and learning of pupils in their classrooms. I was particularly impressed with the lesson planning carried out by Gemini, Copilot and Chat GPT. I will be using this when introducing and teaching more complex topics this year.
Immersive Reader looks like being an invaluable tool when supporting children with reading difficulties. I have researched it more since the introduction and I will certainly be trying it out next year.
Minecraft education seems like an excellent way to use aspects of AI in the classroom. It is certainly popular with children now.
I will also be using MS Forms and Google Forms much more next year.
The use of these new approaches will provide a more individualized and differentiated education for my class.
Challenges to the use of AI include data protection and in some cases cost. We also need to be mindful of using AI ethically.
On a final note the video from China is very disturbing and is not where we should be heading in Ireland in using AI in our schools.

[John O Dowd]

Hi Anne Marie,

I completely agree that the video from China on how AI is used with a cohort of pupils is extremely alarming. It is an extreme example of how AI can be used in schools and hopefully we never get to that stage.

[John O Dowd]

Prior to starting this course, I admit to being a little blind to the huge benefits that AI offers to teachers. I have been enlightened through many aspects of Module 1 in the many benefits of AI to the primary teacher in areas such as research, assessment and differentiation of tasks.
I really enjoyed using the various AI providers in planning the three-day trip to Kilkenny. The information that can be given in such a short space of time is amazing.
The segment on Khan Academy showed the huge benefit of AI in supporting the learning of pupils. AI simply did not give the pupil the answer but completely scaffolded their learning.
Obviously,the use of AI by children in a classroom should be supervised by the teacher and should always be in line with school policy in relation to AI.
I will be using AI this year to help me with many tasks in relation to teaching, learning and assessment with the necessary caution. It will greatly help me with time management.

[John O Dowd]

Hi James,

I too was extremely impressed at how Khan Academy used AI in such a practical and positive way in supporting the needs of their pupils. It dispels the myth that AI simply gives answers to pupils.

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