604 - final project

8/2/2019 604 - Final Project

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Jessica Hershkowitz

EdSe 604

Professor Gura

Spring 2012

Unit Theme: Our Community

Project-Based Learning Final Project


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PART I PLAN THE PROJECTTitle of Unit: Our Community

Theme: Local Community Landmarks & Mapping

Grade Level/Student Population Type: First grade, inclusion setting

Number of Sessions: 5

Overview of the Unit:A) What is the theme of your project?

The theme of my project focuses on geography and more specifically, creating a 3Dmodel of a town. Students will be creating a motivating environment in which they will

develop basic mapping and geography skills including the use of symbols and compassdirections. The theme will focus on the students learning about local geography as well as

the function of the different buildings and places in their community.

B) State the standards to which your theme is aligned (refer to actual sections ofreal documents). This project is aligned with the following standard:

NYS Social Studies Standard 3: Geography (detailed in the Flow Chart below)

Students use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of thegeography of the interdependent world in which we livelocal, national, and globalincluding the distribution of people, places, and environments over the Earths surface.

C) Describe the Learning Product your students will create and through thecreation of which they will learn the content and skills youve identified as a goal:

Students will create a 3D model town, based on their hometown (assuming all children arefrom the same town). This project would work based when taught in a one-municipalityschool district, as opposed to a city with many districts, but can work for different size

towns and cities nevertheless. In this project, we will assume that the students are from asmall-midsize town. They will each be assigned a different place or landmark and will be

required to research the role that their place has in the community (eg the post office,town hall, a monument, firehouse, etc). The students will be given materials to create a 3-

Dimensional model of their assigned landmark, such as oak tag/heavy paper, glue,scissors, markers, colored paper as well as recyclable materials such as old orange juicecontainers (for the landmarks) and wine corks (to create trees and people). The studentswill also be expected to verbally explain their landmarks function in the community by a

group presentation before their peers.


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D) What Social Studies content and/or skills will they learn from your project?

Students will learn:

- That maps and diagrams serve as representations of places, physical features, and

objects.- That cardinal directions can be used to locate places and physical features.- That symbols represent places and can be used to locate geographic features and

physical characteristics.- The function of specific people, places and landmarks in a town to serve the needs of the

community

E) What Arts content and/or skills will they learn from your project?

Students will be able to make replicas of actual local places and landmarks (eg firestation, post office, theater, etc) that are similar in structure and look through the use of art

materials. Students will also be able to construct 3-Dimensional models of buildings usingmaterials as well as a teachers own generic model for visual referencing.

F) How might you determine if the students learn what youve intended them to?

The students will be able to show mastery of this geography unit by not only creating life-like models of places and landmarks in their town but by being able to describe thefunction their assigned place has in helping out the community. Students will showmastery of navigation skills on a physical map by taking a field trip to the downtown

commerce section of their hometown.

PART II: FLOW CHART

In the unit on My Community, first grade general education students will learnabout the landmarks and important places located within their community. Students willalso learn that communities are connected economically as well as geographically andthey will have the opportunity to visit local landforms and water forms in person as well asthrough the utilization of online maps. Students will learn how to understand and utilize thedirections of north, east, south, and west in connection with finding a specific landmark.

Students will create a 3-D model community of their town (with the assumption thatall of the students are from the same suburban town) and be assigned to create, in pairs,specific landmarks and community places. In creating this project, students will learn howto create their own replicas of local landmarks. They will be expected to correctlyassemble a replica of their community with minimal teacher assistance, working off ofvisual memory as well as Google Maps. Each pair will be expected to answer specificquestions about their landmark or community building and present their project collectivelyto their peers and teacher. From creating the project, students will learn how specificlandmarks and community members and places function for the benefit of the


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townspeople. Students will also learn how to follow as well as provide directions usingverbal as well as visual prompts.

From the creation of this project, students will learn the target objectives which are alignedto the NYS Social Studies curriculum items and standards listed below.

NYS Social Studies Standard 3: Geography

Students use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of thegeography of the interdependent world in which we livelocal, national, and globalincluding the distribution of people, places, and environments over the Earths surface.

Key Idea 2: Geography requires the development and application of the skills ofasking and answering geographic questions; analyzing theories of geography; andacquiring, organizing, and analyzing geographic information. (Adapted from: The NationalGeography Standards, 1994: Geography for Life)

Performance Indicators--Students will:

Elementary

ask geographic questions about where places are located; why they are locatedwhere they are; what is important about their locations; and how their locations arerelated to the location of other people and places (Adapted from NationalGeography Standards, 1994)

gather and organize geographic information from a variety of sources and display ina number of ways

analyze geographic information by making relationships, interpreting trends andrelationships, and analyzing geographic data. (Adapted from National GeographyStandards, 1994)

NYS Social Studies Scope & Sequence: Grade 1, Unit 3: Families in Communities

Special places/buildings in a communitycan reveal the communitys history 3.2a

A community has historic significance(battle site, early settlement, burial

grounds, parades) 1.3a

Different events and people shape acommunitys history 1.4b, 2.4b, 5.3a

Key historic figures/leaders of acommunity 1.3c, 5.2f


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The settlement of communities 3.2a

Inhabitants of communities 3.1d

Communities are influenced by geography

3.2a

People in communities create monumentsto commemorate important people andevents (then and now) 1.3a, 5.1, 5.3a

Communities have special buildings toserve their residents (hospitals, courts,police stations) 5.1c

Grade 1 Social Studies Core Curriculum Concepts/Themes: Culture, Change, Places

& Regions, Human Systems

Interdisciplinary Connections:

Arts: Students will make observational drawings as well as a 3-D depiction of landmarksin their communities.


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FLOW CHART: MY COMMUNITY

THEME:My

Community

PRODUCT:

Students will create a3-D model of their

town and community

landmarks.

OBJECTIVES:

Students will

demonstrate ability torecognize and identify

standard and unique

landmarks in theirhometown.

Students willdetermine what is

special in theirhometown in terms ofgeography.

Presenting and describing

the function of the

landmark

Finding landmarks using a

physical and virtual map.

Utilize directions

and placement by

memory andthrough use of a

map.

Visit landmarks of communityhelpers; speak to community

helpers firsthand; online

research

Identifying people

and places that

help others in the

community

Whole class project

of placing individual

landmarks into areplica of downtown.

Creating a model

community

Creating an original replicaof the landmark from

memory using various

materials

Finding specific local

landforms and water

forms on a mapUtilizing maps and

diagrams

Understanding function of

directions north, east,south, and west on a map

Learning how to give andfollow directions verbally

and isuall


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PART III: MOCK STUDENT WORK SAMPLE

As creating my own replica of a model community and its landmarks would be nearlyimpossible to create without the help of students, with Professor Guras permission I foundseveral ideas online that are similar (yet not identical) to my personal vision for this

project-based unit.


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PART IV: DEFEND YOUR PROJECT AS PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

Project-based learning can be an imperative tool for educators and for students as

well because it provides tremendous opportunities for meaningful learning. Project-basedlearning can help students retain the information they learn while at the same timeengaging students interests. This hands-on approach to learning can motivate students tolearn in seemingly effortless ways because it dismisses the older chalk talk approachand embraces a student-driven form of education. With project-based learning, or PBL,students are encouraged to explore their own interests within the realms of meaningfullearning. They are also encouraged to make connections to the world beyond school,which can be useful in helping students develop more modernized hot skills such asproblem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity.

While the concept of project-based learning may seem lackadaisical and

unstructured for older educators who prefer lectures and rote memorization skills toauthentic hands-on learning experiences, PBL encourages the internalization andunderstanding of skills through meaningful problem solving skills. Gone are the days whenstudents had to repetitively solve problems with a pencil and paper; critical thinking andproblem solving skills are now being used to help students internalize and retaininformation. Creating a project-based learning unit is not an easy feat for an educator. Theconcept of PBL is just that: the meaningful learning must come from the creation of aproject that helps reinforce the concept at hand. A project in PBL is the facilitator, not anenrichment or extension of a lesson. When planning a unit, a teacher must begin with theend in mind and form her lessons around the project. Moreover, the driving question, orthe essential question or statement for the project, should be formed to provide a central

focus for student inquiry.

When creating my own project-based learning unit, I had to look back at theelements of project-based learning and really correct and rearrange my lesson plans to fitthe requirements. What came out of my editing process was a learning unit that truly fit thecrux of project-based learning. Now, I feel that I can defend my project against eachelement of the concept of PBL with the confidence in knowing that my students will gainknowledge and valuable learning experiences from the unit I have created.

Elements of Project-Based Learning in Accordance to the Unit on Communities:

1. Students identify what to learn, how to learn it, and how to demonstrate whattheyve learned. The learning unit about communities clearly states that studentswill be told what they will be learning: how to identify and understand the functionsof important landmarks as well as how to read and use a map purposefully. Thedemonstration component involves real life application, by using a map to navigatetheir way through the downtown part of their community as well as to find where toplace their project on the model town. The project is another way to demonstrate


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knowledge because it can show the students abilities in creating a product that ismeaningful and purposeful to the lesson.

2. Students work independently or in small collaborative groups. In the learningunit on communities, the students will work with their peers in groups of three. As

the unit will be implemented in an inclusion setting, the teacher will arrange groupsappropriately by pairing students with academic, cognitive, or physical delays anddisabilities with their higher functioning peers. This can be beneficial for students ofall abilities, as they can bounce ideas off one another and lean on each othersstrengths to create an optimal product.

3. Students learn facts and skills in order to create their projects product orperformance.The product or performance creates a need to know essentialcontent and skills. The end product is made clear by the first session; studentsare told what they will be creating and learning in the process. They are alsointroduced to unfamiliar ideas while building upon older, more familiar ones. While

introducing the topic of a community and the importance of its landmarks, thestudents will be told about the project. The project, which will be completed on days3 and 4, will teach students about integral mapping skills as well as importantconcepts about their community.

4. Students create a product or performance that is Authentic, that is, itserves a real purpose and is presented to a real audience. The authenticproject in my unit is a replica of the downtown of the students community. Itcontains miniature versions of the towns fire and police departments, library,hospital, school, theater, and post office. Each group that makes a landmark willhave the opportunity to present their project, along with a 1-3 sentence writing

statement, to their peers on the fifth and final day. The model town will also be ondisplay for parents at the first grade parent-teacher conference night

5. Students receive feedback:a. from their peers as they are working on theirproduct and include the feedback as part of their revision process, and b.from their audience, which may help them evaluate the success and impactof their work. The students will receive initial feedback for revision from their peersin their project group. The teacher will be on hand to give constant support, toanswer questions, and to help students gain a better understanding of the projectsmain purpose so that they will gain from the project and have positive learningexperiences. At the final session, the groups will present their project and writingprompts to their peers. During each presentation, the forum for questions andfeedback will be open for interaction between students. The teacher will modify theconversations to ensure that any feedback is constructive and sticks to the topic athand.

6. The product/performance is saved, archived, and published (ordisseminated/distributed). The students will not only have an opportunity topresent their projects to their peers but to have their works displayed as a


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completed model town for parents at parent-teacher conference night. The teachermay also want to post pictures of the projects on a class blog as a reference forother teachers as well as for parents and family members.

7. The product/performance has an expressive or artistic dimension to it. The

students will have an opportunity to express their creativity when using a variety ofmaterials to create their landmark or place. While they will be expected to create alife-like version that resembles the real landmark, they can use any materials onhand to create their own spin on things. Also, during the field trip on day 2 thestudents will be given their own clipboards to sketch any impressions and ideasthey may come up with that can be useful in their project.

8. Students make significant use of technology in doing their project. Studentswill have ample opportunity to utilize technology in this learning unit, beginning withfinding their own community online on Google Maps. A projector screen will beused frequently to help students learn their bearings on a physical map. Relevant

research can be done online with supervision from the teacher as well. A digitalcamera can be used during the fieldtrip on day 2 to take pictures of landmarks andother observations as well.

9. The experience of working on the project includes a reflective,Constructivist dimension. In this learning unit, the students will be constructingtheir own findings, impressions, and interpretations of their specific community andits important landmarks. How they choose to recreate their assigned landmarks isdependant on their creativity. The writing prompt, which requires 1-3 sentenceswith information about students assigned landmarks, requires a reflectivedimension as they will need to consider what they have learned from their learning

experiences.

10. Requires inquiry to learn and/or create something new. The learning unit oncommunities not only reviews and teaches students about their community and itsimportant places, but teaches new mapping skills as well. Students will learn to usetheir cardinal directions (north, east, south, and west) to navigate the downtownarea of their community, find their landmarks on a map, and be able to place theirprojects in the correct lot in the model community.

11. Requires critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and various formsof communication. The learning unit on communities requires critical thinkingskills as students must learn to navigate a map independently and have familiarbearings when utilizing a map to find directions. Students also work together as ateam and collaborate with their peers to research the function of their landmark andcreate a life-like replica of it based on their observations and impressions.

12. The unit is organized around an open-ended driving question or challenge.

Students will be challenged to use critical thinking and practical life skills tonavigate their own community with the use of a map. This challenge is directly


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related to their unit project because they will be required to find their landmarksusing a map and navigation skills. Each student can provide their input inexplaining and describing the important functions of their assigned landmarks viathe writing prompt. Students will also be challenged to independently use a mapunder the observation and guidance of their teacher. Moreover, when the project is

completed, the students will need to work together to place their landmark on themodel community by using a map and their newly formed navigation skills.

PART V: UNIT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN & LESSONS

My Community Unit: Implementation Plan

Unit Introduction:

The first session will include a circle time discussion about the definition of acommunity, the components that make up a community, and the landmarks that

encompass a community. After reading Me on the Map, finding their community on aninteractive map, and playing a landmark identification card game with a song, the studentswill be grouped and the project explained to them. The students will be assigned a specificlandmark or important place in the downtown area of their town to replicate with classroommaterials. A writing prompt of 1-3 informational sentences will also be required of eachstudent to be presented on the last day of the unit. The students will also have to correctlyplace their landmark in an appropriate lot on the model community by using a map. After afield trip downtown to research and observe landmarks and locate them using physicalmaps on the second day of the unit study, the students will work on their model landmarksand places for two separate sessions on two different days. The fifth day will be dedicatedto student presentations, evaluations, and a unit wrap-up and review.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to create age appropriate, life-likeminiature replicas of landmarks and places in their communitys downtown.

Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to work well with peers in a group setting.

Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to use a virtual or physical map to properlyplace their landmarks in a model community.

Students will be able to demonstrate the appropriate writing and phonics skills to create 1-3 short sentences with relevant facts about their assigned landmarks.


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Standards:

NYS Social Studies Standard 3: Geography

Students use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the

geography of the interdependent world in which we livelocal, national, and globalincluding the distribution of people, places, and environments over the Earths surface.

Key Idea 2: Geography requires the development and application of the skills ofasking and answering geographic questions; analyzing theories of geography; andacquiring, organizing, and analyzing geographic information. (Adapted from: The NationalGeography Standards, 1994: Geography for Life)

NYS Social Studies Scope & Sequence: Grade 1, Unit 3: Families in Communities

Special places/buildings in a community

can reveal the communitys history 3.2a

A community has historic significance(battle site, early settlement, burialgrounds, parades) 1.3a

Different events and people shape acommunitys history 1.4b, 2.4b, 5.3a

Key historic figures/leaders of acommunity 1.3c, 5.2f

The settlement of communities 3.2a

Inhabitants of communities 3.1d

Communities are influenced by geography3.2a

People in communities create monumentsto commemorate important people andevents (then and now) 1.3a, 5.1, 5.3a

Communities have special buildings toserve their residents (hospitals, courts,police stations) 5.1c

Assessment:The assessment of the students group and individual efforts for the unit project will

be graded according to a formal rubric system created by the teacher. The rubric


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assessment will include student work samples (eg the final product and writing prompt) aswell as informal observations over the course of the week. The rubric will be based onunderstanding, effort, reception, workmanship, and the final product. Please see end ofsession 5 for complete rubric.

Presentation:The students will present their projects during the last unit session. Each group willshow their final project, in relation to the other projects, on the model community and taketurns reading their original writing piece about their landmark. The students will berequired to also explain the function of their landmark or place, with questions promptedby the teacher and (when appropriate) their peers. The students model of downtownLakewood will be showcased at the first grade parent-teacher conferences night. Theteacher may also wish to publish pictures of the model community on her classroom blogfor reference or for parents and family members to see.


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COMMUNITIES UNIT LESSONS 5 SESSIONS

My Community Unit: Session 1

Activities:

Students will engage in a circle time setting at the beginning of the lesson. Today'scircle time lesson will revolve around the topic of "Our Community," with a focus on ourtown of Lakewood, NJ and particularly its "core," or downtown area. A discussion will takeplace with the teacher asking questions about what a community is, the useful places in acommunity (asking students to give specific examples and reasons). The students will beencouraged to brainstorm about what makes their town so special in terms of geographyand landmarks.

Using a white board, the teacher will make bubbles or boxes and prompt studentsto list the following components that make up their community's unique downtown area:

types of buildings in Lakewood (apartments, stores, government), grocery stores, favoriteplaces (candy shop, etc), restaurants, main roads, landforms (eg Lake Carasaljo), andplaces with helpers (eg hospital, fire house, police station). Next the teacher will focus onthe downtown area of Lakewood explicitly, with the students being given the opportunity toname as many important places and landmarks as possible. This will begin the unitproject, as students will be grouped into pairs of three. Students will most likely come upwith the following places: Lakewood Police Department, Ocean County Library, StrandTheater, Clifton Avenue Public School, Lakewood Fire Department, Lakewood PostOffice, Kimball Hospital, and the town square.

The next activity will be a reading of the book "Me on the Map" by Joan Sweeney.

After a brief discussion about the book and how the protagonist was able to fit herself intoher town, country, and greater world, the students will be shown a projection of Lakewoodon the map using Google Maps and National Geographic Maps. The teacher will askstudents questions prompting them to locate their town Lakewood first by finding theUnited States and then by finding New Jersey. Students will be able to view a street levelview of the locations they suggested earlier in the circle.

For the final part of the lesson, the students will be shown an approximately 34x34"square that contains roads and empty plots. The only completed plot will be Lakewoodtown square with its famous clock tower. The teacher will explain the unit project, whichwill be a model of downtown Lakewood completed by the students. Students will bebroken into seven groups of three and be expected to work together to create a model oftheir assigned landmark or place. Students will also have to create their own individualwriting prompts with 1-3 sentences explaining a function or integral part their assignedlandmark or place has for their community. The writing prompts will be read aloud by eachstudent during group presentations on the fifth and final day of the unit study. The teacherwill also show students the materials they can use for their projects in the art center.


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A brief "ID Card" game will be played for the remainder of the lesson. The gameinvolves students being broken up into groups and given an envelope with the name of alandmark or place in downtown Lakewood on one set of index cards and a picture of theplace on another. Students will work in groups to match their specific cards and theteacher will review each place and its function through a song. As the teacher holds up the

matches and sings the songs, the students will be encouraged and prompted to fill in theblanks with their own suggestions for the end of each stanza.

Song: Tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb"

Our town has a library, library, library. Our town has a library, that's where we go to______ (read).

Our town has a theater, a theater, a theater. Our town has a theater, that's where we go to_______ (see shows).

Our town has a police station, a police station, a police station. Our town has a policestation, that's where... (students should fill in the blanks)

Teacher Input/Directions/Support (to students):

The teacher will head the circle time group and ask meaningful, open-ended questions inreview of the previously learned unit on maps and geography. She will also review the uniton community helpers by prompting students to think of landmarks and important placesin their town. The teacher will be readily available for support and questions at any point ofthe lesson. She will explain the unit project and assign groups for the project. The teacherwill also supervise and assist students working in small groups during the ID Card game

activity by walking around the work tables and observing the students.

Time Frame: 1 hour

Resources:

Students will be able to view their town on an interactive map via the usage of a projectorscreen, portable classroom computer, and Internet access. A copy of the book "Me on theMap" from the school library will be used for the reading portion of the circle time. Theteacher will also be using a foundation of the model community, with a pre-made townsquare crafted from classroom materials as an example. The teacher will hand out writingprompts (a sheet labeled with a student's specific landmark with lines to write a fact orobservation on) to be handed in on Friday after their presentations. The teacher will alsouse identification and word cards of landmarks and corresponding pictures in envelopesfor the extension activity.


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Work Flow:

Students will be seated in a single circle formation for the first portion of the class. For theextension activity, students will be grouped by the teacher and seated at workdesks.


Students will demonstrate their recognition and understanding of the components of theircommunity by identifying places and landmarks in their community.

Students will be able to describe the basic functions of the places and landmarks thatmake up their community.


Product:

The first session will be an informational group lesson that will introduce the project thatwill help them gain a better understanding of the functions of the various landmarks intheir community. During this session, the teacher will explain the motivation for the modelcommunity project and group three students into seven groups. Each group will create areplica and model of a specific landmark based on their observations and write 1-3sentences with information about the landmark or place's function (eg "The firedepartment has a fire truck that puts out fires.").

Assessment:

Students will be graded based on a rubric created and held by the teacher. As studentswill have the project expectations explained to them during the session, the teacher willbase a 10 part rubric on understanding, effort, reception, workmanship, and final product.See Session 5 for the complete rubric and grading system.

Logistics:

Materials for the project will be shown to the students during the lesson. Most of thematerials will come from the art corner, with supplemental materials utilized from recycledproducts such as milk cartons, wine corks, etc. When the students will be working on theirmodel community, the art corner will be moved to a portable table with easy access forstudents. Typical supplies will be placed on each groups' work areas. When the materialsare not in use, they will be kept in the art corner.


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Social Learning/Student Interaction:

Students will be feeding off each other for ideas of community places and landmarksduring the circle time discussion. This time will allow for calling out and discussion amongstudents if relevant. Students will be encouraged to bounce ideas off one another and to

give suggestions freely. Questions will also be encouraged and answered regarding theproject as often as needed by the teacher.

My Community Unit: Session 2

Activities:

Students will go on a field trip to downtown Lakewood to observe, take pictures,draw pictures, and gain insight, impressions, and facts about the landmarks and importantplaces that make up the downtown community area. The students will use a paper maptaken from Google Maps to guide them through the neighborhood by foot. The children

will take brief tours through the seven places to be created for their model community,including their own school, the police station, library, Strand Performing Arts Theater, firestation, post office, and hospital. Students will also visit the town square and a bakery fora snack at the end of the trip.

Students will each have their own clipboards with a map, papers, and pencils fordrawing or jotting down any observations about their project landmark. The classroomdigital camera will be available per student request to take pictures as well. After the trip,the students will have an extra period to work in groups and use the classroom computersto access information about the landmarks on the internet and namely on the LakewoodTownship website. Other students can brainstorm with their groups and collect materialsfor their project, although the work on the project will be done on days 3 and 4.

Teacher Input/Directions/Support (to students):

The teacher will encourage the usage of maps as students navigate the downtown streetsto get from destination to destination. The teacher will ask questions as the students passvarious places and landmarks and encourage questions throughout the fieldtrip. Theteacher will also be on hand to make sure that students are focusing on their specificlandmark or place and that they are doing the appropriate research and observations.

Time Frame:

The field trip will take approximately 2-2.5 hours. An extra 1 hour period will be given tostudents to do further research and project planning with their respective groups.

Resources:

The students will utilize neighborhood maps, papers, pencils, and a digital camera torecord their impressions and observations of the downtown area and its landmarks and


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places. Students will utilize the classroom computers, the Internet, and art materials toplan but not yet implement their model projects.

Work Flow:

During the field trip, the students will be encouraged to walk in packs of three with theirown groups. The teacher has chosen this arrangement to help the students in the groupssocialize and familiarize themselves with peers they may not know well. A group dynamicmay also work better because the students can brainstorm together for ideas in creatingtheir model landmark.



Students will learn to navigate the streets of their downtown community via the use ofpaper maps with little or no assistance from the teacher, assistants, or chaperones.

Students will learn to gather and sort information, record observations and impressions,and collect facts about their community as well as their assigned landmark in theircommunity.

Product:

Students will create and record pictures, drawings, and written observations andimpressions of their community as well as their assigned landmark in their community.

The information obtained during the field trip will serve to create a better product for themodel community project.

Assessment:

During the field trip, the teacher will observe and make note of each student's involvementand effort to record any impressions or observations or drawings of their assignedlandmark. The teacher will also observe and note teamwork and student involvementwhen conducting post-trip research in the classroom. A student's effort put forth, or lackthereof, will be noted and included in the rubric (see Lesson 5).

Logistics:

Students will receive paper maps and clipboards with paper and pencils before leaving forthe fieldtrip. Students can take turns using the digital camera to capture relavent imagesduring the fieldtrip with permission from the teacher. The teacher will then develop thepictures overnight and use them on a projector screen if needed during days 3 and 4.



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Students will have the opportunity to work in their respective groups during the field tripand research period to collaborate on ideas and bounce ideas off one another. They willalso be able to brainstorm for ideas for their project during the trip and research session.The field trip is meant to be a hands-on learning experience for the students, helping them

to navigate their town through the use of a map and see the models for their projects upclose and in real life.

My Community Unit: Sessions 3 & 4

Activities:

Lessons 3 and 4 will focus on creating the model of downtown Lakewood, with thestudents working in seven groups of three together. Over the course of these two lessons,students will use art materials from the classroom as well as recycled orange juicecontainers to create their landmarks and places. By the fourth day, the students who have

completed their projects will then complete the writing portion of the project. Research cantake place on both days but as it has been done for the past two days, it will not beexplicitly encouraged. However, students will have the opportunity to use the classroomcomputers for Internet research of mapping as students will have to locate the appropriatelot for their project on the model community.

Teacher Input/Directions/Support (for students):

The teacher and assistants will be available to assist students and will rotate throughoutthe classroom in observation of the students. Students will be encouraged by the teacherto work fairly in groups and she will try to assist any student who appears to be withdrawn

or having difficulty with the creation of an assigned landmark. For the writing portion of theproject, the teacher will help students in small groups write 1-3 sentences about theirlandmark or place, with verbal prompts assisting the students with any spelling or writingdifficulties. For landmark placement, the teacher will observe that the students are workingwith their respective groups to locate their landmark or place on the Google Maps guideand then to place it in the correct lot on the model community.

Time Frame: 1 hour per session/day

Resources:

Students will be able to use their own research, drawings or photographs (printed by theteacher and ready for this session) to use for references for the project. The students havean ample selection of craft materials from the art corner. The art corner will be availableon a portable rolling table for students to move around the classroom. Recycled orange

juice containers, collected by the students or from the lunchroom, will be used for eachplace or landmark. Cork, from wine bottles, will be used for students to create people andtrees when they have finished their respective projects (this will be a supplemental


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activity). Common supplies, like glue, markers, and tempera paint, will be placed on eachgroups work desk to prevent any issues of sharing or hoarding.The teacher will allow the use of classroom computers on both days but only encourageits use on the fourth day, when students will need to research and map out the exactlocation of their landmark in relevance to the model community. The students will also use

their writing prompt worksheets and pencils to write 1-3 sentences about their project, tobe used for the presentation.

Work Flow:

Students will be working in groups of three students at assigned work desks. Each groupwill have their own work desk and space to complete their project and collaborate as ateam. As students finish up their projects on the fourth day of the unit, the teacher will shiftthose students over to a table in the corner so that students can complete their writingsample with the teacher or an assistant overseeing the process. As an aside, the studentswere grouped in specific by the teacher; she placed one lower functioning or delayed

student among one or two other high functioning students so that proper support could beprovided to the lower functioning student. As this classroom has students of varyingcognitive and physical abilities since it is in an inclusive setting, the teacher will have agreater idea of which higher needs students need special placement. The rubric for thosestudents will also be graded with a curve of sorts that reflects that their work was done tothe best of their abilities given their special needs and academic or physical difficulties.


Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to create age appropriate, life-likeminiature replicas of landmarks and places in their communitys downtown.

Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to work well with peers in a group setting.


Students will be able to demonstrate the appropriate writing and phonics skills to create 1-3 short sentences with relevant facts about their assigned landmarks.

Product:

Students will be creating life-like replicas of specific important landmarks and places intheir communitys downtown area. The students will be provided with the resourcesnecessary to create their own interpretation and version of said landmarks and places.Moreover, the students will create their project based on their own impressions andresearch about their assigned landmarks. After completing the project, students will usetheir new mapping skills to accurately place their projects in the correct lot on the modelcommunity. Students will also be expected to write 1-3 short sentences containing


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relevant facts about their assigned landmarks. Their project and writing prompts will beused on the fifth and final day of the unit as part of a group presentation.

Assessment:

Students will be assessed according to a rubric created by the teacher (see Lesson 5).

Logistics:

Students will have usage of a portable art cart, which is rotate among the desks. Basic,common art supplies will be placed on each groups worktable. The teacher will distributeeach groups sketches, drawings, and photographs taken of their assigned landmark forreference as they create and bring their projects to life. When the model landmarks andplaces have been completed, they will be left to dry (or an assistant will blow dry theproject if needed) briefly and the students will map out their location on the modelcommunity. The teacher will take a picture of the project before and after it is placed on

the model community, for preservation as well as grading purposes. The students willhand their writing prompts in to the teacher when completed and they will be redistributedto the groups on the fifth day during presentations.


Students will collaborate, share ideas, and bounce ideas and feedback off one another intheir respective groups during sessions 3 and 4. These sessions will be reserved forcreating a meaningful project that provides a social studies learning experience for themall. Students will be told to keep the talking specifically to the project, to minimizedistractions and extraneous stimuli. Students will also work in groups when doing the

writing sample, although one or more groups may be seated at a work table together forthis portion.

My Community Unit Session 5

Activities:

Todays final unit session will focus on presentations. The presentations are intended toreinforce and hone the concepts learned during the creation and execution of the project.Furthermore, the group presentations present the students with opportunities for reflectingand responding to their own projects as well as the projects of their peers. During thepresentation, each group of three students will show their final project, explain whatlandmark it represents, where it was placed on the model community, and where to find iton a map. The teacher will have a projected screen of a map of the downtown Lakewoodarea for student reference as well. After, students will each take turns reading their writingprompts containing 1-3 sentences about their specific landmark or place. The teacher willopen the session for discussion at the end of each presentation, taking any questions fromthe students and asking observation questions. At the end of the session, the students willreceive their grades based on the rubric scale created by the teacher.


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Teacher Input/Directions/Support:

The teacher will focus this session on reflecting and responding to presentations on theunit project. She will call up each group to present their unit project, show their assignedlandmark on a projector map, and read a few sentences with information about theirlandmark. The teacher will pose questions throughout the session to informally assess thestudents knowledge about using maps and the important places and landmarks in theircommunity. The teacher will allow for questions directed towards her as well as questionsor comments peers may have for one another.

Time Frame: 1 hour

Resources:

Students will use the model community to show their peers their specific project. Studentswill also use a projector map as well as their writing prompt papers for the presentation.The teacher will provide any technical assistance needed by the students before, during,or after their presentations.

Work Flow:

The students will be seated at their regular work desks for their peer presentations. Themodel community will be placed on the teachers desk. Students will be allowed to comeup and see their peers projects up close at the end of the presentations. This seating

arrangement will not change during the course of the session.



Students will be able to describe the basic functions of the places and landmarks thatmake up their community.

Students will gain a better understanding in identifying places and landmarks in theircommunity on a map.

Students will demonstrate the ability to make a public presentation to their peers usingage appropriate social and expressive language skills.

Students will demonstrate the ability to make a public presentation to their peers usingage appropriate social and expressive language skills.


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Products:

Students will be using this final unit session to present their end products and to see howall of their collective projects have come together to create a miniature model community.No unique product will be created during this session. The final product, the modelcommunity, will be also be displayed as a showcase for the first grade parent-teacherconferences.

Assessment:

The final assessment of the students group and individual efforts for the unit project willbe graded at this session. The assessment, formally based on a teacher-made rubric, willalso include student work samples (eg the final product and writing prompt) as well as

informal observations over the course of the week. Please see end of session forcomplete rubric.

Logistics:

Students will have the model community at the head of the classroom and will get anopportunity to see it up close at the end of the presentations. The group projects will bepermanently fixed to the model community base and will stay in the classroom and beavailable for the students to play with. Before permanent placement in the classroom,however, the model community will be showcased at the first grade parent-teacherconferences for parents to admire.


During the final unit sessions, the students will be making presentations about theirlandmarks. By this time, the groups will have already collaborated and discussed what willbe presented to their peers. Other students will be permitted to ask questions and givefeedback to their peers during the presentations and the presenting students will beprompted and encouraged by the teacher to answer their peers questions to the best oftheir abilities.


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OUR COMMUNITY UNIT GRADING RUBRIC

FUNCTION OFMAPS

Demonstratesexcellent, clear, andproficientunderstanding ofthe function ofphysical and virtualmaps (10)

Demonstratessomeunderstanding ofthe function ofphysical and virtualmaps. (5)

Demonstratesconsistentlyinadequate,incorrect, or noknowledge of thefunction of physicaland virtual maps.(0)

TOTAL SCORE

_____

IMPORTANCEOF PLACES INTHECOMMUNITY

Demonstratesexcellent, clear, andproficientexpressiveknowledge of thefunction ofimportant

landmarks andplaces within acommunity. (10)

Demonstratessome expressiveknowledge of thefunction ofimportantlandmarks andplaces within the

community. (5)

Demonstratesconsistentlyinadequate,incorrect, or noexpressiveknowledge of thefunction of

importantlandmarks andplaces within thecommunity. (0)

TOTAL SCORE

_____

MAPPINGSKILLS

Demonstratesexcellent, clear, andproficientunderstanding ofcardinal directions,bearings, andcorrect placementof landmarks on amap. (10)

Demonstratessomeunderstanding ofcardinal directions,bearings, andplacements oflandmarks on amap. (5)

Demonstratesconsistentlyinadequate,incorrect, or nounderstanding ofcardinal directions,bearings, andplacements oflandmarks on a

map. (0)

TOTAL SCORE

_____

GROUP WORK

Works productivelywith peers in asmall group settingmost of the time.(10)

Works productivelywith peers in asmall group setting


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community.

PROJECTTEAMWORK

Project showsstrong group effortand bears an

excellentresemblance to theassigned landmark.(10)

Project showsminimal group effortand bears little

resemblance to theassigned landmark.(5)

Project shows nogroup effort anddoes not bear any

resemblance to theassigned landmark.(0)

TOTAL SCORE

_____

MAPPLACEMENT

Demonstrates anexcellent,consistent ability toplace and find alandmark using aphysical or virtualmap independentlyor with minimal

prompting (10).

Demonstratessome ability toplace and find alandmark using aphysical or virtualmap with moderateprompting. (5).

Demonstrates aninability to placeand find a landmarkusing a physical orvirtual map withsignificantprompting (0).

TOTAL SCORE

_____

RESEARCHSKILLS

Demonstrates anexcellent ability toresearch and makeprofoundobservations andinferences. (10)

Demonstratessome ability toresearch and makesatisfactory tovague observationsand inferences. (5)

Demonstratesminimal to no abilityto research andmake belowaverage or anyobservations andinferences. (0)

TOTAL SCORE

_____

FINAL SCORE

_____

604 - final project

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