Lesson Plan: What are Important Uses of Pencils?

Lesson Plan: What are Important Uses of Pencils?

Objective:

Learn the many uses for pencils, who uses them and why. Explore some of the famous people who used pencils; our Pencil VIPs.

Featured learning skills:

• Association
• Graphing
• Biography

LESSON PLAN

Step 1: Brainstorm

• Ask students to think of all the different ways people use pencils (waitress taking orders, architect drawing plans)…and why pencils may be favored over other writing instruments (e.g. because they can be erased)
• Continue brainstorming to reach 10 types of pencil users

Additional pencil users include:

• Writers (drafts of novels, stories, plays)
• News reporters and newscasters (interview notes)
• Engineers (plans and drawings)
• Carpenters (plans and drawings, estimating)
• Composers (creating music)
• Scientists (experiments)
• Teachers (lesson books)
• Business people (meeting notes and memos)
• High school and college students (class notes and homework)
• Golfers (scores)
• Parents (grocery shopping lists).

Step 2: Pass out activity sheet “What are Pencils Used for?”

Part I activity sheet: Word Match answers
Student—Math Homework
Artist—Sketch Pad
Carpenter—Wood Board
Waiter/Waitress —Order Pad
Make-up Person—Eyes
Sports Scorekeeper—Scorecard
Architect—Blueprint

Part II activity sheet: Answer
The blackest pencils were BBB

Activity Sheet Part I: Optional assignment

• Ask students (or teams of students) to pick a pencil user from the list and present an oral or written report about that profession
• The written report may be in the form of an on-the-spot reporter, based upon “in the field” observation, or may be a biography, based upon research of a person in that occupation
• The oral report may be a role-playing exercise demonstration on-the-job pencil user in action
• Grade the reports based upon depth of research, creativity, etc.

Activity Sheet Part II: Optional assignment

• Form collaborative learning groups
• Assign students to consolidate their data by graphing the results of their respective surveys

CORRECTION: These Activity sheets are a bit dated. 3B was typically the darkest (softest) grade of graphite used for writing purposes. Of course, for drawing and sketching purposes, much softer and harder grades ranging from 8B to 8H are commonly available.