Integrated Social Studies and Literacy Units – TE 801 & 802

Emily Regan

Fall 2009

Woodlawn Community School

First Grade Classroom

Twenty Four Students

Nine Male

Fifteen Female

Social Studies Context

Lesson 1: Introduction to Community

Lesson 2: Basic Human Needs

Lesson 3: Community Jobs

Lesson 4: Map Skills

Lesson 5: Transportation in Community

Lesson 6: Places of Interest in Community

Lesson 7: People in Community

Lesson 8: Performance Assessment

In this cohesive social studies unit, students learned about their community, and connected each topic learned to their real world experiences. They were asked to observe their surroundings, interview people they know, and write about places they have been. Through these real life connections, students were engaged in a meaningful social studies learning experience.

Preliminary Assessment in Social Studies

TKWL Chart

Held discussion based around the question, “What is Community?”

Example of Results:

“A place where you go & drive somewhere.”

“A city and a country.”

“Where we are right now and places we go.”

“My dad works there.”

“Like a house.”

Administered “Community Survey”

Asked for background information.

Example of Results:

“I live in an apartment with my mom.”

“I have lived here for two years.”

“I have been to the library, police station, hospital…”

Student Growth in Social Studies Content: Lesson Two - Basic Human Needs

Discussion Evidence (Before lesson):

Students were unable to identify all basic human needs at the beginning of the lesson. Student response example: “We need toothpaste.”

Discussion Evidence (Review after lesson):

Students were able to identify all basic human needs, tell why we all need them, and why people satisfy them differently.

• Student response examples:

“Food” –LM “Water” –MH “Clothing” –SS “Shelter” –EW

“We all need basic needs because we need them to survive.” –ID.

“Sometimes people like different things so they go other places, but I go to Target.” –ES. Answering the question of whether people all satisfy their basic needs in the same way.

Student Growth in Social Studies:

Application of Big Ideas

Activity Evidence (Beginning):

•Some students made appropriate choices on where they would go in their community to satisfy their basic need, and were able to explain why they made that choice.

•Student response example: Satisfied need for food at Target, and was able to support his choice.

Places Food Clothing

Shelter

Big City Fashions

LM, PC, EW

Burger King

SS, MP, LR, JW

Apartment

ZH, MC

BP Gas Station

JH

Food Pantry

MS

Target JB ZW JW, AJ

McDonald’s

ES, JC, SA

Pizza Hut ID, MH

Evidence of Student Growth in Social Studies: Application of Big Ideas

(Cont’d.)

Performance Assessment Evidence (End)

Students were able to identify basic human needs (food, clothing, shelter.) Student Response: Circled “computer” as the word that

did NOT belong in the list of basic human needs.

Student was able to make an appropriate choice and support why she made the choice she made when satisfying a basic need. Student Response: “I would go to the grocery store

because it has lots of good foods; my favorite foods are there.”

*Understood and applied big ideas about basic needs*

Evidence of Student Growth in Social Studies: Application of Big Ideas

(Cont’d.)

Making Connections Outside of

School

Parent Letters

• After each lesson, a letter would be sent home to the parents/guardians detailing what big ideas were taught that day, as well as what was expected to be done at home that night/week. Often one (or more) of these three tasks were asked to be completed:

•Interviews

•Observations

•Discussions

Social Studies/Literacy Integration

After each social studies lesson that I taught I would then conduct a writing lesson.

In each writing lesson, the students would attempt to write a personal narrative, or “small moment,” based around the big idea that we covered in social studies that day.

Although it has yet to be completed, the students’ final product will be a classroom book entitled, “Small Moments in Our Community.”

Each student will have one of their small moments represented.

Literacy Context

Developing and revising personal narratives or “small moments” (following Lucy Caulkins) about the different aspects of community studied.

Understanding a small moment

Stretching a small moment

Planning details

Focusing on the most important part (zooming in)

Revealing “internal” stories

Writing Focus

Student Growth in Writing

Evidence/Findings

Tells a true story about a small moment about aspect of community (transportation.)

Does not stretch small moment

Does not zoom in on a focus

“to the plane with my mom we’s going to the airport.”

Student Growth in Writing (Cont’d.)

Evidence/Findings

Tells a true story

Attempts to stretch moment by adding details “Last week my mom and I…”

“…we played on the plane, we played puzzles”

“…we got off and went to the park”

Attempts to zoom in on an important part (playing on the plane)

Student Growth in Writing (Cont’d.)

Evidence/Findings

Tells a true story about a small moment about aspect of community (satisfying basic needs)

Attempts to stretch moment by adding details

Student Growth in Writing (Cont’d.)

Evidence/Findings

Tells a true story

Stretches moment by adding details

Attempts to zoom in on most important part

Attempt to reveal “internal” story

Application of Big Ideas

Writing Buddies: Students worked with a partner to conference about their stories. Conferences would have guiding questions to get the students thinking about what they would be writing, such as:

“What did you write yesterday?”

“Are you going to add to that story or start a new story?”

“What are you going to add?”

“What are you writing today?”

Making Home Connections

Students have been sharing their social studies learning with their parents, and they will also be sharing their writing.

Students will take their favorite writing home to share with their parents. Parents will be encouraged to write back, add to the story, help the child finish, etc.

At the culmination of the unit, parents be will invited into the classroom to be the audience to the presentation of our classroom book, “Small Moments in Our Community.”

Literacy – Discussion Context

Objectives of Classroom Discussion:

Began with explaining discussion objectives: “I think…”

“I believe…”

“I feel…”

“I agree with ______ because…”

“I disagree with ______ because…”

Student Growth in Discussion (Cont’d.)

First lesson – discussion about community

Students had to be reminded of discussion objectives each time they spoke. Teacher:

“What do you think a community is?”

Student Responses – one word answers: “A place”

“Like a house”

“Where we are right now”

Student Growth in Discussion (Cont’d.)

Last lesson – discussion about people in community

A book about President Barack Obama was read to the class. Students were prompted to think about why Barack Obama helped poor people within their community, and if they would help people in their community, too. How/Why? “I believe he help people because he want to give them jobs

and because he like them.” –KW

“I agree with (KW) because he want to help the people because he like them, but he wants to feed them too ‘cause he felt sorry.” – EW

Teacher press: “Why do you think he felt sorry?”

“Because he… I THINK he felt sorry because he wanted them to have things they didn’t have.” –JC

Teacher Growth in Social Studies/Literacy

What I would do differently:

Narrow down the amount of information presented Use several days to review

Ways information was presented I would try to present in different ways (other than on the carpet

each time)

More modeling – more scaffolding of lower student work (transition of thought to paper)

What surprised me:

Students’ difficulty with coming up with ideas for their small moments

Students’ excitement and enthusiasm Bringing in homework (JB)

Teacher Growth in Social Studies/Literacy (Cont’d.)

How I grew in planning and leading discussion, engaging in inquiry, presenting narrations, going on virtual field trips, etc:

The importance of modeling

Understanding of the purpose of activity

Must be relevant, and used to process new information

How I think of myself as a social studies teacher:

I can…

Plan for engaging activities that allow students to process new information

Provide authentic home connections that make learning meaningful for students

I still need to work on…

Pacing of lessons

Transitions into new material

Teacher Growth in Writing/Discussion (Cont’d.)

How I think of myself as a teacher of writing and as a writer/ How I grew in planning and leading discussion:

I am able to make decisions regarding content based on student ability in writing

I am able to prepare thoughtful, meaningful, and challenging questions and MODEL expected skills

Working on… “teacher press”

Strengths and Weaknesses of GLT Overall

Strengths:

Authentic home connections

Planning with high expectations – pushing for HOT questions

Keep Working On:

Pacing

Classroom management

Further differentiation