UNITPLAN:

SUBJECT:

Communities
SocialStudies

DATE:
GRADE:

Spring

DURATION:1month

ESTABLISHEDGOALS:
Kidswilllearnaboutcommunitiesandallthegroupstheybelongto
Kidswilllearnabouttraditions
CurriculumOutcomes
EssentialQuestions
1.1.1valueselfandothersasuniqueindividualsinrelation Whatisacommunityandwhyaretheyimportant?
totheirworld
Whatisatraditionandwhyaretheyimportant?
1.1.2valuethegroupsandcommunitiestowhichthey
Studentswillknow
belong
Whatacommunityis
1.1.3examinehowtheybelongandareconnectedtotheir
Whichcommunitiestheybelongto
world
Whatrightsandresponsibilitiesare,andhowr.andrsapplytothemintheircommunities
1.1.4determinewhatmakestheircommunitiesthrive
WhatistheGlobalcommunity
1.1.5distinguishgeographicfeaturesintheirown
Whatalandmarkis
communityfromothercommunities
Thedifferencebetweenurbanandrural
1.2.2analyzehowtheirfamiliesandcommunitiesinthe
Whatatraditionis
presentareinfluencedbyeventsorpeopleofthepastby
exploringandreflectinguponthefollowingquestionsfor
Studentwillbeableto...
inquiry
Identifytheirhouseonamap(ortheirneighborhood)
Howtousealandmarktofindsomethingelse
Usetheirfivesensestodescribeurbanandruralsettings

Lesson
1

Curriculum
Outcomes
1.1.1
1.1.2
1.1.3

SpecificLessonOutcomes
SLOsSt.willbeableto
appreciatehowbelongingto
groupsandcommunities
enrichesanindividualsidentity

Assessment

Materials/Resources

Formative:
Discussion
Pictures

SmartBoardfor
brainstorming
Paperfordrawing

Activities
Tch.Strategies
IntrolessonWhatisacommunity?
Makealistofalltheclubsthatthestudentsbelongto.
Startbycreatingyourownlist.Brainstormonthe
board,leadthemtofamiliesandfriendgroups.
Allofthesegroupsarecommunities.
Whyarecommunitiesgood?Discusswhyacommunity
isagoodthing.Asaclass,imaginewhatitwouldbe

1.1.1
1.1.2
1.1.3
1.1.4

appreciatehowtheiractions
mightaffectotherpeopleand
howtheactionsofothersmight
affectthem
demonstraterespectfortheir
individualrightsandtherights
ofothers

Formative:
Bookdiscussion
Rulesdiscussion

Ducklinggetsa
cookiebymo
willems
Listofclassroom
rules

1.1.4a,b,c,d

demonstrateawillingnessto
resolveissuesand/orproblems
peacefully
assumeresponsibilityfor
theirindividualchoicesand
actions
appreciatehowtheiractions
mightaffectotherpeopleand
howtheactionsofothersmight
affectthem
demonstraterespectfortheir
individualrightsandtherights
ofothers

Formative:
Discussion
Summative:
Tchartsand
presentations

1.1.1
1.1.2
1.1.3

appreciatehowtheiractions
mightaffectotherpeopleand
howtheactionsofothersmight
affectthem

Formative:
Discussion
EarthDayPledge
Sheet

EarthDayPledge
Sheet

1.1.5a,b,c,d

1.S.3developskillsof
geographicthinking:
useasimplemaptolocate
specificareaswithintheschool

Formative:
Discussion
Knowledgeof
maps

Googlemaps
Gmapspedometer
Kidsaddresses

Chartpaper
Markers/crayons

likewithoutcommunities.
Drawapictureofyourfavoritecommunity.
Whatmakesapersonagoodcommunitymember?
Reviewwhatacommunityis.
Readthebook,DucklinggetsacookiebyMoWillems.
DiscusswhetherornotDucklingandPigeonwouldbe
goodcommunitymembersandwhy/whynot?
Ingroupsoftwo,discussandpresentwhatmakesa
personagoodmemberofacommunity.
Whatisaright?
Whatisaresponsibility?Useourclassroomrulesto
lillustratethesetwoideas.
RightsandResponsibilitiesontheplaygroud
Reviewcommunity,rightsandresponsibilities.
Talkaboutwhathappenswhenthereisaproblemon
theplaygroundhowdowesolveproblemsandmake
decisions?
Ingroupsofthree,givekidschartpaperwithTcharts
headingsRightsResponsibilities
Havethemcomeupwithwordsandpicturesthatshow
therightsofchildrenonaplaygroundandthe
responsibilitiesofchildrenonaplayground.Makesure
thereisawriterineachgroup.

GlobalCommunity
ReviewourchartpaperTcharts
Onthecarpet,talkabouthowweareallmembersofa
hugecommunitycalledEarth.Talkabouthowwetake
careoftheEarthandhowweshouldactinthisglobal
community.HandoutEarthDaypledgesheetstofill
outandcolour.Filloneoutforyourselftomodelwith
thekids.Havekidscomeinwiththeiraddresses
WhereIlive
BringupamapofGrandePrairieandidentify
importantlandmarks.Wewillidentifyour
neighborhoodsandpossiblyfindourhouses.Ongmaps

andcommunity
askgeographicquestions,
suchasaskingfordirections

68

1.1.5a,b,c,d

understandthatglobesand
mapsarevisualrepresentations
oftheworld
locateCanadaonaglobeor
map
identifysomefamiliar
landmarksandplacesinmy
community

VennDiagram

Formative:
Discussion
Summative:
Finalmapcopy
Community
interview

Parkmaptemplate
clipboards

1.1.5

identifysomedifferences
betweenruralandurban
communities

Formative:
Discussion
Presentation
Abilitytosort

city,town,farm
picturepresentation
withtchart

10

1.1.5

identifysomedifferences
betweenruralandurban

Formative:
Discussion

paperwithfive
senseslisted(with

pedometer,plotthelocationofeachstudentshouseso
wecanseewherewelive.Talkabouthowwealllive
prettyclosetoeachother.Transitioninto
neighborhoodsbeingacommunitywebelongto(how
doweactinthiscommunity?)
LookatthebookCitySignsbyZoranMilic.Go
throughthebookandtalkaboutwhatthesearepictures
ofandwheretheymightbeseen.Talkabout
similarities/differencesbetweenthepicsandourcity.
Landmarks
Onthecarpet,studentsclosetheireyesandtryto
picturewalkingtotheEastlinkcenter.Whatwillthey
see?Astheyraisetheirhands,writedownthe
landmarksthattheyannounced.Tomakeiteasier
(becausethiswillbechaotic),havethemclosetheir
eyesandtrytoimaginewalkingtothegymWhatwould
theysee?Inwhatorderwouldtheyseeit?Whatwould
theypass?
Handoutthepaper,clipboards,andpencils.
Havethemlineupandheadouttothestepsbythe
playground.Theywilltrytodrawtheplayground.After
afewminutesofdrawing,havethemreturntotheclass
soyoucanteachthemaboutBirdseyeview.Modelon
theboard,thenhavethemreturntothestepswithnew
paper.Thismaytakeafewdaysofpracticesohave
extrasheetspreparedformistakesandsecond/third
copies.
Askidsareworkingatdesks,callthemoverto
interviewthemaboutcommunityknowledge
RuralandUrban
Showpicturesofcities,smalltowns,farms,acreages.
Withelbowpartners,havethemdiscussthedifferences
betweenthepictures.
Presentthetwowords,urbanandrural,thenhavethe
studentssortthepicturesintotwocategoriesinthe
Smartpresentation.
RuralandUrban
Reviewthetwoterms,thenreviewthe5sensesthatwe

communities

PracticeSheet

picprompts)

11

1.2.2

whataresomeexamplesof
traditions,celebrationsand
storiesthatstartedinthepast
andcontinuetodayintheir
familiesandcommunities

Formative:
discussion
tchart

chartpaper

12

1.2.2

whataresomeexamplesof
traditions,celebrationsand
storiesthatstartedinthepast
andcontinuetodayintheir
familiesandcommunities

Formative:
discussion

JudyMoodybook

Allinunit

Allinunit

Formative:
Planningprocess
Summative
Finalpicnic
Planningrubric

1315

learnedinScience.
Showthepracticesheetonthesmartboard,talkabout
whatyouwouldsmellinthecityvssmellonthefarm.
Havethemfillouttheirsheetontheirown.Whenthey
arefinished,havethemdrawapicofurbanandapicof
rural.
Traditions
Withelbowpartners,discusswhatyourfavoritepartof
Christmasis,somethingyoudoeveryyear.Pointout
thatthesethingsarecalledtraditions.
Makeaclasslistonchartpaperofwhenwehave
traditions(modelwithyourfamilystraditions)
Withelbowpartnersagain,discussandpresentwhywe
havetraditions.
Traditions
BringuptheJudyMoodybookweread.Whatdo
RockyandJudydoeverytimetheygotothestore
(meetatthemanholecover,jumpoverthe
speedbumps)?Thesearetraditions!
Asidefromfamilies,whoelsehastraditions?
Culturalgroups,cities,friends(JudyMoody).
Brainstormwhattraditionswefindindifferentgroups,
thislessonwillserveasatransitionintothenextunit
(historyandlocalculturalgroups).
Finalproject
Celebratingourclassroomcommunitywearegoing
toplanaclasspicnicwithourparents.Thiswillstarta
Gradeonetradition!
Overthenextfewdays,studentswillwork
collaborativelytoplanapicnic.Wewillthinkabout
food,decorations,andactivities.Groupswillsignup
foroneofthesecategories,withhelpfromparents(full
communitycollaboration!)