Rachel's+Content

1.1.1 3.1.1 3.1.2 || 1b create original works as a means of personal or group expression. 2d contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems. 4b plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
 * **How Communities Change**
 * A Problem Based Learning Lesson Plan**
 * Second Grade Social Studies**
 * Created by:Rachel Turian** ||
 * In this lesson, students will work in teams to improve a community.Teams will create an artifact of their improved community and will then work together to create a video presentation that describes their rationale as to how the community improved to meet the needs of a citizen assigned to them. ||
 * GOALS ||
 * ** Content Standards (Washington State Social Studies EALRs): **
 * ** ISTE NETS-S **

Students will reconstruct an area of a community by recreating this community in a new medium.Students will collaborate in teams of three or four students to plan and create a cohesive community that meets the needs of the assigned group of people living in their community. || Inform teams that they will work to create a plan and construct a new community for their citizen.Each group will have 3 days (6 hours) to complete their project and one additional day for presentation recording.Students will record a short video presentation of their community and share how they met the needs of their citizen.These will then be presented to the class. || Students will be assessed on their collaborative skills as well as on their video presentation.As plans are being constructed and created, I would suggest having your students use GLAD team task protocol and assign each student on a team a different color of colored pencil to write with.This way a living document of their work has been created.Additionally, students will be assessed on their ability to answer two questions:
 * Instructional Objective(s): **
 * ACTION ||
 * ** Before-Class Preparation: **
 * Find and print aerial view photos of different neighborhoods for your students (1 per team, have multiple copies available)
 * Gather blank paper, colored pencils, scissors, and glue for teams
 * Gather books from the school library (or your personal collection) about neighborhoods, your city, and types of housing
 * Gather picture file cards of various homes, apartments, condos, and other living spaces that are seen in your community for students to use during the lesson (suggestion:print in color from computer and laminate)
 * Assign students to teams
 * Write and record short clips (with a photo) that tell students what a particular type of citizen likes to do, does for work, what place they live in, and how they wish their community was better.There should be 5 different recordings (it’s okay if some are the same type of citizen), one for each group.
 * Determine when students will record their video presentations.Suggested times:recess, lunch, specialist time, or during independent reading if necessary.Additionally, parent assistance may allow teams to record their presentations at other times during the day ||
 * During Class ||
 * Time || Instructional Activities ||
 * || # Introduce the concept of neighborhoods.Show the class a brief slideshow of pictures from the neighborhood your class attends school in.Include pictures of residences, stores, and services.Ask students to turn and talk to a partner about what places they visit and why they go there.
 * 1) Introduce the team task.Inform students that they will work in teams to help a group of citizens improve a neighborhood so they have places they enjoy going to just like the class does//.How can we help this community?//This is the problem that each group must solve.
 * 2) Give out the supplies.Each team will receive a picture of a real place in your town that needs improvements.Each team will also receive a picture of a person and cd recording (or paragraph) that tells about what this person needs for their community.Each team must determine, //how can we help this community//?
 * ** Notes: ** For most second graders this will be a challenge.They will need assistance in collaborating with such open guidelines and will need a teacher to be their soundboard of ideas.Much reassurance and questioning by the teacher during this process will give students confidence and comfort when working with a challenging task. ||
 * MONITOR ||
 * ** Ongoing Assessment: **
 * 1) Did your team improve the community in the manner that the citizen asked for?
 * 2) Did your team give a clear rationale as to why the community was changed the way it was?
 * 3) Did your team work together to create a cohesive project that shows input from all members?

When considering assessment item number three it is important to note that teams may not equally distribute the work because of ability level.Additionally, teams should be constructed of mixed ability groups so that each child in your classroom is supported during this process and has someone to lean when a particular area is not their strength.This is especially important when thinking of reading ability, English proficiency, and flexibility/comfort with technology.
 * Accommodations and Extensions: **

To extend this project I would upload the video onto the computer and have the team work together to edit their video in Microsoft Movie Maker.It is simple to add several features of a movie using this program.Another extension would be to have teams work to add to each other’s communities with their citizen in mind.These communities would then have improvements that met the needs of two types of citizens (for example a young family and a senior citizen).

** Back-up Plan: ** If necessary, the teacher may record the videos instead of students recording.Also if a flip camera (or alternative) is not available students could create a screen cast that described the same information with a scanned photo of their finished project in the background. ||

**How is our community different? Second Grade Social Studies Created by:Rachel Turian || 1.1.1 2.1 3.1.2 || 1b create original works as a means of personal or group expression. 2c develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures. 2d contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems. 3d process data and report results Students will: Students will be assessed on their ability to synthesize information and accurately compare and contrast the two communities.Students must create an artifact that meets the following guidelines: When students are recording answers during the skype session, it is important to have several note taking strategies for varying ability levels.Additionally, using the Team Task Protocol from Project GLAD will support and challenge students when working in groups.
 * GOALS ||
 * **Content Standards (Washington State Social Studies EALRs):**
 * **Content Standards (Washington State Social Studies EALRs):**
 * ** ISTE NETS-S **
 * Instructional Objective(s): **
 * 1) Craft interview questions to learn about a different community
 * 2) Synthesize data to compare and contrast this community to ours
 * 3) Create an artifact as a team that represents their findings ||
 * ACTION ||
 * ** Before-Class Preparation: **
 * Teacher must find a partner class to work with, e-pals is a perfect place to start.
 * Prepare students for skype interview, practice rules and speaking loudly and clearly for the other class to hear and understand.
 * Determine a note taking method for your class (sketch, write, teacher writes, listen and record later)
 * Students should continue to work in teams assigned in prior lessons. ||
 * During Class ||
 * Time || Instructional Activities ||
 * || # Introduce the lesson to the class.Assign teams to put their heads togetherto come up with 3 to 5 questions they would like to ask in order to learn how a community is similar and different from your community.
 * 1) Meet as a class and share the interview questions.The teacher should chart these on a SMART board document or use paper if necessary.All questions should be listed.The class should then choose 5 “must ask” questions and 3 questions for if there is more time.Speakers for these questions will also be assigned and speakers will practice asking their questions with their teams.
 * 2) Hold the skype interview.Determine a time and day with your partner class.During the interview students should ask questions and listen to the answers.Ideally each student on a team would be in charge of recording the answer for a different question – this would allow all students to remember information and contribute to the team.
 * 3) Have a class discussion about what they noticed was similar and different between the communities.Chart a Venn Diagram to get teams started.Include 4 or 5 details to support teams and then stop.Print this digital Venn Diagram for teams to use and add to.
 * 4) Teams should get together and create an artifact to that shares the similarities and differences between the two communities.Teams may decide on their own type of artifact.Suggestions include: digital graphic organizer(Kidspiration), screen-cast, or desktop publishing (Powerpoint or Publisher). Each group should receive 2 one hour sessions to complete their artifact. ||
 * **Notes:**If an interactive board is not available, the teacher may type onto a projected screen or use chart paper if necessary.Additionally, when students create artifacts as teams their artifact could be any type of technology that has been taught in the class. ||
 * MONITOR ||
 * ** Ongoing Assessment: **
 * 1) Includes 3 similarities
 * 2) Includes 3 differences
 * 3) Includes author names
 * 4) Uses complete sentences, conventions, and social studies vocabulary instead of common vocabulary
 * Accommodations and Extensions: **

To extend this project I would have create their own complete interview and conduct a phone interview with a family member that lives in another town.They could then create an additional artifact that compares and contrasts the town learned about above with the town of the family member.

If necessary, an interview could be conducted on speakerphone if Skype is not possible.If this is not available either, the class could interview a person who lives in a different community.If interactive boards are not available the teacher could use chart paper. ||
 * Back-up Plan:**