Communities

Grade: 3rd Social Studies Strand: Civics

Submitted By: Brian Trenholm

EDEL 453: Teaching Elementary School Social Science Nevada State College Spring 2014 Instructor: Karen Powell

Lesson Plan #1 - Civics

B. Summary of the Lesson Plan:

submitted by: Brian Trenholm

This lesson, helps students understand that communities consist of diverse people with different needs. It also explains how the laws in a community, keep citizens happy and safe. Students will actively practice the concepts with-in the lesson independently, paired, and in small and whole class groupings. C. Basic Information: Grade Level: 3rd grade Time to Complete this Lesson: 50 minutes Groupings: Whole, small, paired and independent.

D. Materials: (bullet points) Houghton Mifflin: Social studies-Communities Vocabulary word web****post picture***** Vocabulary riddle cards Lesson one Reading Skill and Strategy work sheet(Summarizing) newspapers, magazines, newsletters or advertisements E. Objectives: o NV State Social Studies Standards o C13.3.1 Identify and discuss examples of rules, laws, and authorities that keep people safe and property secure. C13.4.1 Identify and discuss examples of rules, laws, and authorities that keep people safe and property secure in the state of Nevada. I can show and talk about people that follow rules and help others where I live.

Student-Friendly Standards

F. Vocabulary Community- a place where people get along each other. Citizens- People that are nice and help each other out. Laws- rules people people follow so every get treated nice and fair. Urban area- places people live close together in big buildings.

Suburb- is place near a city that isnt as busy or crowded as a city.

Nevada State College

EDEL 453 - Spring 2014

Karen Powell- Instructor

page 2

Lesson Plan #1 - Civics

G. Procedure:

submitted by: Brian Trenholm

1. 5 minutes-Engage the students by showing them pictures of the lessons vocabulary words. Discuss and question the students about the pictures asking if they can tell, explain or relate to what the people in the pictures are doing. Also question and discuss with the students about people they know that help other people around them. 2. 5 mins-Have the students fill out a vocabulary word web with a shoulder partner. Walk the room and work with students that need additional support with a set of pre-made riddle cards. 3. 5 mins- As a whole group, go thru the book lesson with the students. Do not read the words. Just go sequentially through the pictures in the text. At each picture, have the class look at the caption of the picture and give a thumbs up if they agree with the caption. EX: If the students agreed that wearing seatbelts is safe, they would give a thumbs up. 4. 10 mins- Instruct groups to complete the lesson one reading skill and strategy work sheet. Instruct the students to work in groups of four and to ONLY fill in the main ideas portions on the work sheet. Then, with just their shoulder partner instruct them to fill in the details in the remaining boxes. Independently have the students complete question 7 independently. 5. As the students work in their groups, actively monitor the class room checking on behavior and independently conferring with students and listening for student discussion about where people in communities work, live and play. Also listen for discussion about what communities need. Prompt the students as necessary towards vocabulary concepts and the standard. 6. Gather the students and address any misconceptions you heard during the group work. Ask a handful of few students to share what they summarized in question 7 and why they picked it. 7. 10 mins- Write a sentence prompt on the board: is a good citizen because he/she... Instruct the students to independently read the remaining text and write a short paragraph in their writing journal about someone that follows rules and helps their neighborhood. Tell them to include details about the place they are writing about, the rules they are following and how they are helping others. Monitor and confer with students at this time. 8. As the students start completing, have students share their writings with their group members.
EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 3

Nevada State College

Lesson Plan #1 - Civics

submitted by: Brian Trenholm

9. 10 mins-Depending on the classroom supplies, give the students the option to work in different groupings with up to four students. Allow students the option of using an technology resource or a poster board to display their knowledge of citizens following rules, laws, and being helpful to others in the community. Supply local newspapers, magazines, newsletters or advertisements have students cut out pictures or articles showing examples. 10. 5 mins- In closing, have the students briefly share their displays of knowledge with the class. Also, instruct the students to complete the lesson review as suggested homework. H. Assessment: What will you use to measure student understanding? Students will cut pictures out of local newspapers or articles showing examples of citizens following rules, laws, and being helpful to others in the community. The students will also write a descriptive paragraph about a person that helps others in the community. (Ex: park workers, scientists, policemen, firemen) Explain how you will know students understand the concepts from the lesson. They will display their understanding with group members and discuss and agree upon pictures that will be displayed on a poster board or by use a technological resource. I. Closure: (bullet point) Ticket out the door: Hand each student an index card and have them answer a question presented to them on the board. Share some of your wants and needs and tell what community would be best for you to live in.

J. Reflection: (answers to assignment specific questions) 1. Which part of the lesson do you think will be the easiest for you to teach? I think the easiest part to teach will be getting the students to understand that following rules helps people. 2. Which part will be most challenging for you to teach? The most challenging part of the lesson to teach will be the vocabulary words urban and suburb. 3. How will you follow up or extend this lesson?

I will extend this lesson using a skillbuilder on page 7 of the student text, followed by the next lesson in the text.
Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 4

Lesson Plan #1 - Civics

submitted by: Brian Trenholm

4. What can you do for students who dont grasp the concepts? Students can use vocabulary riddle cards (Houghton Mifflin: Social studiesCommunities- teacher edition- pg. G-unit one) to understand definitions.

5. Which part of the lesson, if any, do you think might need to change? I believe it may be too easy for a more advanced class, so I think I would add some diversity to the content by adding more content resources. 6. When you were writing this lesson plan, what was the most difficult part? The hardest part to write in this lesson was the wording for the assessment question (H) as well as determining the times to be spent on different parts of the lesson.

Nevada State College

EDEL 453 - Spring 2014

Karen Powell- Instructor

page 5