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Table of Contents

 

 

Day One:  Know Your Local Community

 

Day Two:  Caring for the Community

 

Day Three:  Different Types of Communities

 

Day Four:  Respecting and Accepting Differences in the Community

 

Day Five:  Making A Community (Culminating Activity)

 

Unit Map

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Know your local community

 

Day:  1

 

Grade:  3rd

 

Content:  Through discussion and presentations, students will learn the definition of a community and understand the different aspects that make a community.

 

Instructional Objectives:  Students will be able to define a community and will be aware of what their community has to offer, as well as the different things that make up a community.

 

K-12 Content Standard(s):

South Dakota third grade history standards:

Standard 1:  study their local community           

 

Materials:

                Paper

            Construction Paper

            Crayons/Markers

            Glue

            Scissors

            Travel Brochures

            Internet (optional)

           

Procedures:

1.      As a class we will discuss the definition of a community.  As the students share their ideas about a community, I will put a concept map on the board; the students’ knowledge about a community will be assessed as we have a group discussion.  At the end of our discussion, I will give them a simple definition to what a community is.

2.      As a group we will continue our discussion about different things that are found in a community, the students will give examples and the teacher will add to the discussion as necessary.

3.      Students will then look at brochures from various other communities and make observations about what is found in their communities.

4.      Students will then be asked to work in groups of 2-3 and make a brochure for our local community.  Students will be given paper, crayons, (If needed, they will be allowed access to the local website for the town or city.)

5.      When students have completed their brochure, they will share it with the class, and all brochures will be placed on a table for students to look at when they have time.

 

Rationale:  It is important for students to know what is in their community so they are able to know what is available to them as well as where to go when they are in need of assistance.  As a member of a community, it is also important for students to be able to tell others, outside of their community, about the things their community has to offer.

 

 

 

Evaluation:     Students will be evaluated throughout the discussion on communities, how they work together as a group, and if they were able to make an appropriate brochure, showing some of the important aspects of the community they live in.

 

Accommodations:  Accommodations will be made for students with fine motor skill impairments by giving the students assistance with cutting and pasting.

 

Sited from: teacherlink.ed.usu.edu

 

Questions:

1.      How can I make this lesson plan better?

2.      Did the students learn about the community through this lesson?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Caring for the Community

 

Day:  2

 

Grade:  3rd

 

Content:  This lesson teaches children how and why we care for our community.

           

Instructional Objectives:  Students will be able to identify parts of their community that need improvement and how they can improve it.  They will also be able to realize why they need to take care of their community.

 

K-12 Content Standard(s):

South Dakota third grade history standards:

Standard 1:  study their local community

 

Materials:

                Permission slips

            Parent volunteers

            Warm clothing; if needed

               

Procedures:

  1. Get permission from parents and guardians to take children on a walk around the community.
  2. Line up parent volunteers to help take the children out.
  3. Take children on a walk around their community.  Remind them to be observant and think of things that they think may need improvement.
  4. Have the students decide on something that they think needs improvement and what they think they could do to improve it.
  5. Allow the students to share their observations.

 

Rationale:  Teaching about caring for the community is an important thing for young students to learn.  Reinforcing to them that as residents in their community they have a role as someone who needs to take the initiative and make the appropriate changes in the community.

 

Evaluation:  The students will be evaluated on how well they participated in the lesson.

 

Accommodations:  Accommodations will be made for a paraplegic child.  The child will be pushed on the walk.

 

 

 

Sited from: teacherlink.ed.usu.edu

 

Questions:

1.      Did the students learn how to care for their specific community?

2.      Did the students have any troubles coming up with ways to help their community?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Different Types of Communities

 

Day:  3

 

Grade: 3rd

 

Content:  Students will learn about different types of communities and what the different communities involve.

 

Instructional Objectives:  The students will learn the difference between a rural, urban, country, and village community.

 

K-12 Content Standard(s):

South Dakota third grade history standards:

Standard 1:  study their local community

 

Materials:

            Papers

Crayons

            Poem

 

Procedures:

  1. Discussion about what we learned yesterday in class about communities.
  2. Read the poem:  “The City Mouse Lives in a House,” by Christina Rossetti.
  3. Discuss the poem, and ask questions about the different places mice live.
  4. Ask the students if they know what the different types of communities are.
  5. Discuss the differences between a rural, urban, country, and village communities.
  6. Make sure that the students have a good understanding of the communities.
  7. Have the students draw about the kind of community that they live in, and some of the surroundings that are found there. 

 

Rationale: It is important to teach about communities because students need to understand that we all live in a community.  Also students need to understand what makes up a community, so that they understand what it takes to be a good citizen in a community.

 

Evaluation:  After the students draw their pictures they will share them with the class and tell why they would choose to live in a specific area.  Students will then take a quiz over material covered thus far.

 

Accommodations:  Accommodations will be made for a student who is hearing impaired, by giving them written instructions of the directions.

 

Sited from: teacherlink.ed.usu.edu

 

 

Questions:

1.      Did the students understand the different types of communities that we have?

2.      Did the students enjoy the story being read to them?

 

Quiz:

 

  1. What type of community contains lots of buildings and is part of a bigger city?

 

 

  1. What type of community do you find that is not in a town?

 

 

  1. What type of community do you find with very little people living in it?

 

 

  1. What type of community would you most likely find in the Midwest?

 

 

 

 

 

Respecting & Accepting Differences in a Community

 

Day: 4

 

Grade: 3rd

 

Content: By reading and discussing, the teacher will guide the students in understanding the importance of being aware of and respecting other communities.

 

Instructional Objectives: Students will understand that accepting differences in the community is important.

 

K-12 Content Standard(s):

            South Dakota third grade civic standards:

Standard 2: Analyze human relationships and roles between and among individuals and groups, cultural groups and a community, and communities and state.

 

Materials:

Paper

Pencils

Construction paper

Crayons

Markers

Copy of the book, The Keeping Quilt, by Patricia Polacco.

 

Procedures:

  1. Have the students gather around in a circle in the floor, making sure they can all see the book.
  2. Read the book The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco.
  3. Once you have finished reading the book, talk about the book.
  4. Then, ask the students why it is so important to respect and accept                         everyone’s traditions? Discuss.
  5. Next, ask the students what are some traditions they would take with them if they were to move to another country?
  6. Have the students draw a picture of the country they would want to visit. Also, give the students already drawn out paper suitcases to cut out.
  7. On strips of construction paper have the students write down the traditions they would take with them, and have them pack them into their suitcases.

 

Rationale: By stressing the importance of accepting people’s differences and familiarizing with everyone’s traditions, you can see how different families do have the same traditions in common. It’s the individual traditions of each family that makes everyone the same because we all have traditions, and maybe the same ones. You also need to stress the importance of accepting the differences among people, this increasing awareness and respect for diversity.

 

Evaluation: The students will be evaluated on their participation in group discussion and completion of packing their suitcases.

 

Accommodations: Accommodations will be made for a student with ADHD. The teacher will hand out a schedule for the activities, ensuring the child of times for the day, also making sure that directions are clear and precise.

 

Sited from: teacherlink.ed.usu.edu

 

Questions:

1.      Did the students enjoy the group work?

2.      Did the students gain an understanding of why respect is important in the community?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making A Community

(Culminating Activity)

 

Day:  5

 

Grade:  3rd

 

Content:  The students will create buildings and businesses and various other things that make up a community.  They will put all of their creations together to form one whole community, designed to their liking.

 

Instructional Objectives:  The students will recognize the important parts that make up a community and why they are important.

 

K-12 Content Standard(s):

            South Dakota third grade geography standards:

            Standard 1:  integrate the study of communities through map work by identifying,          

locating, and using map title, map key, compass rose, lines and borders, roads and routes, and objects and symbols.

 

Materials:

            Paper

            Pencils

            Construction Paper

            Crayons

            Markers

            Scissors

            Glue

            Tape

 

Procedures:

1.      Throughout the week have the students list parts of the community that they think are important.  (Ex:  post office, bank, homes, etc.)

2.      At the end of the week hand out one aspect of the community to each individual student.

3.      Have the students create a cutout creation of their assigned aspect.

4.      At the end of the period have the students put their creations on a big board that is to be their community map.

5.      The students will need to title their map, have a key for it, and include borders, roads, a compass rose, and symbols to label their community map.

6.      At the end, review with the students the different parts of the community and why they are important.

7.      Remind the students that even if all of the aspects of our community were not represented on the map, it does not mean that we do not have a whole community.  Communities vary and some have more aspects than others, but this does not make any community less valuable.

 

 

Rationale:  Teaching the children about communities is important because it is something that they will be around and involved with for the rest of their lives.  This activity brings all of the activities of the week together.

 

Evaluation:  The students will be evaluated on how well they participate in the project and their comprehension of why the different parts of the community are important.  They will also be evaluated on how well they can find objects on the map using the compass rose, symbols, and roads.

 

Accommodations:  Accommodations will be made for a student that is mildly autistic.  The students will be made aware of what is going on well ahead of time and they will be given extra attention to make sure that they are handling the changes all right.

 

Sited from:  teacherlink.ed.usu.edu

 

Questions:

1.      Did the students gather understanding on all the aspects of the community?

2.      Did the students seem to enjoy this activity?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unit Planning Map

(3) THE PREVIOUS UNIT

Unit taught just before the current unit-tell connection to students.

 

  • Diversity

 

(1) THE CURRENT UNIT

The current unit of content you are teaching, beyond pages in the book.

  • Communities

(2) THE NEXT UNIT

Next unit you will teach after current unit.  Tell connection to students.  Where are you headed next?

  • Local Government

 

(4) STANDARDS

List the State/District standard(s) that are embedded in this unit of instruction.

South Dakota third grade civic standards:

Standard 2: Analyze human relationships and roles between and among individuals and groups, cultural groups and a community, and communities and state.

 

South Dakota third grade history standards:

Standard 1:  study their local community

 

South Dakota third grade geography standards:

                Standard 1:  integrate the study of communities through map work by identifying,               

locating, and using map title, map key, compass rose, lines and borders, roads and routes, and objects and symbols.

 

 

(5) KEY CONCEPTS (UNIT FOCUS)

What is the critical content for students to learn, the 2-5 "Big Ideas" embedded in the unit?

  • Students will learn what a community is.
  • Students will learn the different types of communities.
  • Students will learn the importance of roles in a community and how they are important in their community.

                                                                                                                                                             

What are your guiding questions for the unit?

  • What is a community?
  • Who lives in a community?
  • Who are community helpers and what do they do?

 

(6) ACADEMIC GOAL(S)

The  Academic Goal(s) for the unit for a majority of the students in the class; what students will know, understand and be able to do.

  • Students should be able to define what a community is.
  • Students should understand and recognize the different aspects of a community.
  • Students should be able to identify the different types of communities.
  • Students should understand their role in a community.
  • Students should understand the importance of respecting diversity among communities.

 

(7) AFFECTIVE GOALS(S)

The Affective goal(s) for the unit for the majority of the students in the class.  This may be a social skill needed for group work, an appropriate skill inherent to the unit, etc.

·          Students will be active participants with group work.

·          Students will cooperate with group members.

·          Students will listen to instructions.

·          Students will assist their peers in understanding content.

·          Students will respect peers and teacher.

 

(8) ASSESSMENT PLAN TABLE

List goals and match to  outline of pre-assessment, formative and post-assessment activities, format of assessment and adaptations for diverse learners.

Goals

1) Students should be able to define what a community is.

 

2) Students should understand  & recognize the different aspects of a community.

 

3) Students should be able to identify the different types of communities.

 

4) Students should understand the importance of respecting diversity among communities.

 

5) Students should understand  & recognize the different aspects of a community.

 

 

 

Assessment

1) Pre-assessment

 

 

 

2) Formative

 

 

 

 

3) Formative

 

 

 

 

4) Formative

 

 

 

 

 

5) Summative

Format of Assessment

Oral discussion

 

 

 

Oral discussion, group participation and student presentations demonstrates knowledge of community

 

 

Oral discussion, presentation, and students will be quizzed at the end of the lesson.

 

 

 

Oral discussion, group participation, and finalization of project.

 

 

 

 

 

Oral discussion, presentation, finalization of project and students will demonstrate knowledge of the parts of the map and the community.

Adaptations For Diverse Learners

1) Teacher will write the definition of a community on a chalkboard and make a concept map as discussion progresses (Student with learning disability).

 

2) Student will need assistance with cutting and pasting (Student with fine motor impairment).

 

 

 

3) Write down all directions of the activities for the student (Student with hearing impairment).

 

 

 

4) Give the student a schedule of what time activities are to take place (Student with ADHD).

 

 

 

 

5) Give the student knowledge of the lesson and what they are expected to do ahead of time and make sure the student is staying on task and is comfortable throughout the lesson.  (Student with mild autism).

 

(9) TEACHING STRATEGIES

Indicate the teaching/instructional strategies you will use to teach this unit (i.e. cooperative learning in-groups, graphic/visual organization for the whole group discussion, KWL, inquiry methods, think-pair-share, parte=ners read/paraphrase, use of manipulatives, learning centers, technology, etc.)

  • Students will be guided through group instruction, oral discussion, concept map, creative activities, presentations, hands on activities and use of technology.

 

(10) RESOURCES NEEDED

(print materials, technology resources, human resources, etc.)

Resources needed:

  • Internet
  • Brochures from another community
  • Poem
  • Book
  • Permission Slip
  • Parent Volunteer

 
           

 

Unit Questions:

 

1.      Did the students achieve the goals of this unit?

2.      What could be changed to enhance this unit?

3.      What could be eliminated to make this unit more effective?

4.      Did the students seem to enjoy the topic of this unit?

5.      What are some of the ways that you can share information about your community to others?

6.      Were the resources effective in the learning of this unit?

7.      Overall, how well did the unit go?