1

Communities:
Living In
America







Sample Grade 2 Social Studies Unit:
2

Designed for the course: Elementary Curriculum & Methods:
S.S., Health, & P.E.
3

Table of Contents:
Abstract.3
Graphic Organizer.....4
Lesson Plan 1: Civics: Our Community...5
o Communities Worksheet..9
Lesson Plan 2: Economics: Community Workers. 10
o Work for Bulletin Board 14
Lesson Plan 3: Economics: Using Resources ... 15
o Weve Been Working on Production Song Lyrics. 19
o Using Resources Worksheet.. 20
o Exit Slip. 21
Lesson Plan 4: Geography: Adaptations to Our Environments.2 2
o Adaptations to Our Environment Worksheet.26
Lesson Plan 5: History: Communities Past & Present.. 27
o Shelton History Article...31
o Shelton History Worksheet.....33
o Settlement Prompt..34
Lesson Plan 6: Anthropology: Cultural Appreciation ...35
Bulletin board Ideas...39
Field Trip....40
Additional Resources.41
Reflection Essay.42
Bibliography...44
4

Abstract:

This Social Studies unit matches Common Core States Standards for third grade, but
could be modified to fit higher or lower grade levels. The school where the following lessons
will take place is a suburban, K-4 elementary school in suburban Fairfield County, Connecticut.
It has a relatively diverse student body in terms of socioeconomic status, ethnic and racial
backgrounds, and students with special needs.
This particular third grade class has 20 students who represent an array of learning styles
and multiple intelligences. As such, the lessons in this unit will reflect the learning needs of
individual students and the class as a whole.
There are two exceptional students in this class who require differentiated instruction.
Adam has been identified as a student with a learning disability. He has been identified as
having an auditory processing disorder, and has an IEP. The lessons in this unit have been
modified to support his comprehension of the content, and meet appropriate academic goals.
On the other hand, another student, Sonia, has been identified as gifted, particularly in
spatial and verbal areas. The lessons in this unit have modifications to provide additional levels
of challenge and advance her understanding of the topics beyond the expectations for the rest of
the class.

5

Graphic Organizer:

Lesson Plan 1: Civics: Our Community
Communitites:
"Living In
America"
(1) Civics: Our
Community
(2) Economics:
Community
Workers
(3) Economics:
Using
Resources
(4) Geography:
Adaptations to
Our
Environments
(5) History:
Communities
Past & Present
(6)
Anthropology:
Cultural
Appreciation
6

Student Teacher _Charlotte Maier _____ Grade Level__3____ Date of lesson___10/14/13__
Institution __Mohegan Elementary School___ Length of lesson__45 minutes__

Content Standards: Identify one or two primary local, state or national curricular standards this lesson is designed to
help students attain. How will the learning tasks lead students to attain the identified standards?
Standard 1: Content Knowledge
Strand 1.7. The purpose, structures and functions of government and law at the local,
state, national and international levels
o Grade Level Expectation14. Students will be able to explain how local
government structure provides basic services.
Strand 1.8. The interactions between citizens and their government in the making and
implementation of laws
o Grade Level Expectation 17. Students will be able to compare the relationship
between residents and government in ones own town with towns in other parts of
the United States and the world.

Learner Background: Describe the students prior knowledge or skill related to the learning objective(s) and the content
of this lesson, using data from pre-assessment as appropriate. How did the students previous performance in this content area or
skill impact your planning for this lesson?
Students will have basic knowledge of communities from Social Studies in previous
grade levels.
Students will be familiar with the format of an interactive read aloud, how to Turn and
Talk, and how to work with partners.

Student Learning Objective(s): Identify specific and measurable learning objectives for this lesson.
Students will be able to:
Discuss the features of a community and community services with partners and the class
during an Interactive Read Aloud.
Describe and define community services on the Communities Worksheet.
Describe connections to our State and Local communities on the Communities
Worksheet.
Compare and contrast our community with another community in the United States (El
Paso, Texas).

Assessment: How will you ask students to demonstrate mastery of the student learning objective(s)? Attach a copy of any
assessment materials you will use, along with assessment criteria.
7

Rubric for Class Discussion:
2/2: Student fully participated during class discussion.
1/2: Student partially participated during class discussion.
0/2: Student did not participate in class discussion.

Rubric for Communities Worksheet:
4/4: Student completes all questions correctly
3/4: Student completes 3 out of 4 questions correctly (Compare/Contrast counts as 2
questions).
2/4: Student completes 2 out of 4 questions correctly.
1/4: Student completes 1 out of 4 questions correctly.
0/4: Student leaves worksheet blank/incomplete.

Materials/Resources: List the materials you will use in each learning activity including any technological resources.
Copy of the book: What is a Community from A to Z? By Bobbie Kalman IBSN: 978-
0865054141
20 Copies of the Textbook: Social Studies: Communities by Scott Foresman IBSN: 978-
0328239733 (To be used throughout the unit)
20 printed copies of Communities Worksheet
Projector connected to laptop computer with internet access
Website: James Browns Living in America YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHqUipinDyw&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_m
ode=1&safe=active

Learning Activities:
Identify the instructional grouping (whole class, small groups, pairs, individuals) you will use in each lesson segment and
approximate time frames for each.
The lesson will begin with a kinesthetic/musical initiation with the whole class spread out in the
classroom (5 min). Then the teacher will call students to the carpet to introduce the lesson and
do an interactive read aloud with the book What is a Community from A to Z? (15 min). Next,
students will work with a partner to read Unit 1 Chapter 1 from the textbook (10 min). Students
will answer questions from the Communities Worksheet as individuals (10 min). Finally the
teacher will collect completed work and close the lesson (5 min).

Initiation: Briefly describe how you will initiate the lesson. (Set expectations for learning; articulate to learners
what they will be doing and learning in this lesson, how they will demonstrate learning, and why this is important)
8

The teacher will tell students that she is going to play James Browns Living in America music
video and invite students to dance and sing along. When the song is over, she will call students
to the carpet and introduce the lesson.
We just saw a video about living in America. It showed clips of cities around our
country, people working, eating in restaurants, and enjoying free time. Today, we are going to
be starting a unit on Communities, so we need to find out what a community is, what our
community is like, and how it compares to other communities around the country and around the
world. To help us get started, Im going to read the book What is a Community from A to Z?
and we will discuss the book together. Then you will work with a partner to read Chapter 1
Lesson 1in our textbook. You will use what we discuss and read to answer questions on a
worksheet. At the end of class I will collect your work. (5 min).

Lesson Development: Describe how you will develop the lesson, what you will do to model or guide practice,
and the learning activities students will be engaged in order to gain the key knowledge and skills identified in the
student learning objective(s).
Teacher conducts an interactive read aloud with the book What is a Community from A to Z?
pausing to ask students questions: Where do we find this feature in our Community of Shelton,
Connecticut? What is another example of a job in our Community that functions the same way?
Whats one way we receive this service in Shelton? Etc. Students will Turn and Talk with a
partner, and sometimes report back to the class as a whole. The teacher will model making
connections to our local, state, and national communities (15 min).
The teacher assigns students into partner teams to read Chapter 1 Lesson 1 from the textbook.
She asks students to pay close attention to the features of a community, and how the community
in the book compares and contrasts with our local community (10 min).
The teacher will ask a student to distribute copies of the Communities Worksheet, and students
will return to their seats to complete the assignment independently. They will be allowed to use
their textbooks (10 min).

Closure: Briefly describe how you will close the lesson and help students understand the purpose of the lesson.
(Interact with learners to elicit evidence of student understanding of purpose(s) for learning and mastery of objectives)
When students have completed this worksheet, the teacher will collect finished work and close
the lesson. Who can raise their hand and share one way our community is like El Paso, Texas?
Possible responses: People live and work in our community. We have police officers, teachers,
and postmen just like in El Paso, etc. Who can raise their hand and tell me one way our
community is different from El Paso? Possible answers: Our state does not border another
country. Texas is in the South, and they have warmer weather, etc (5 min).

Individuals Needing Differentiated Instruction: Describe 1 to 3 students with learning differences. These
students may be special or general education students and need not be the same students for each lesson. Students may represent
9

a range of ability and/or achievement levels, including students with IEPs, gifted and talented students, struggling learners, and
English language learners.

Note: Differentiated instruction may not be necessary in every lesson. However, over the course of the student
teaching placement, it is expected that each student teacher will demonstrate the ability to differentiate instruction
in order to meet the needs of students with learning differences.

Which students do you anticipate may struggle with the content/learning objectives of this lesson?
Student name Evidence that the student needs
differentiated instruction
How will you differentiate instruction in this lesson to support student
learning?

Adam


He has been identified as
having an auditory
processing disorder, and
has an IEP.
The teacher will allow extra time during the interactive read
aloud for student to understand and respond to the material and
questions. All students will be allowed to use their textbooks to
answer worksheet questions, and Adam will be allowed to refer
to the read aloud text if needed to complete the worksheet.
Which students will need opportunities for enrichment/higher level of challenge?
Student name Evidence that the student needs
differentiated instruction
How will you differentiate instruction in this lesson to support student
learning?

Sonia


Student is gifted,
particularly in spatial and
verbal areas.
The lesson opens with two visual elements that appeal to spatial
learners: a video and a picture book. The interactive read aloud
format also requires the verbal skills of listening and verbally
responding to the text/teachers questions.


10

Communities Worksheet
Name__________________________________Date________________Number_________
1. What are some things that people do in a community?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Name the State and Country where our community is located.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Compare and Contrast: How is the community of El Paso, Texas similar to our
community of Shelton, Connecticut? How is it different?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

11

Lesson Plan 2: Economics: Community
Workers
Student Teacher _Charlotte Maier _____ Grade Level__3____ Date of lesson___10/15/13__
Institution __Mohegan Elementary School___ Length of lesson__45 minutes__

Content Standards: Identify one or two primary local, state or national curricular standards this lesson is designed to
help students attain. How will the learning tasks lead students to attain the identified standards?
Standard 1: Content Knowledge
Strand 1.7. The purpose, structures and functions of government and law at the local,
state, national and international levels
o Grade Level Expectation14. Students will be able to explain how local
government structure provides basic services.
Strand 1.10. How limited resources influence economic decisions
o Grade Level Expectations 20. Students will be able to give examples of goods
and services.

Learner Background: Describe the students prior knowledge or skill related to the learning objective(s) and the content
of this lesson, using data from pre-assessment as appropriate. How did the students previous performance in this content area or
skill impact your planning for this lesson?
Students have just completed the previous days lesson on the definition and features of a
community.
Students will have learned about community workers and their roles in previous grade
levels.

Student Learning Objective(s): Identify specific and measurable learning objectives for this lesson.
Students will be able to:
Explain how community workers connect to goods and services.
Apply information from a non-fiction source to illustrate and describe an example of a
community worker to be displayed on the classroom bulletin board.
o Students will describe the community workers job title, what good or service
they provide in the community, and why their job is important.

Assessment: How will you ask students to demonstrate mastery of the student learning objective(s)? Attach a copy of any
assessment materials you will use, along with assessment criteria.
12

Rubric for Class Participation:
2/2: Student fully participated during class discussion.
1/2: Student partially participated during class discussion.
0/2: Student did not participate in class discussion.

Rubric for Work for Bulletin Board:
Student draws and colors an example of a community worker doing their job (1 point).
Student includes community workers job title (1 point).
Student explains what good or service the community worker provides in the community
(1 point).
Student explains why the community workers job is important to the community (1
point).
Total Points: 4 points

Materials/Resources: List the materials you will use in each learning activity including any technological resources.
Copy of Community Helpers A-Z By Bobbie Kalman IBSN: 978-0865054042
Overhead Projector
Blank Transparency Sheets
Transparency Markers
20 printed copies of the Work for Bulletin Board
Crayons/Markers/Colored Pencils
Scissors

Learning Activities:
Identify the instructional grouping (whole class, small groups, pairs, individuals) you will use in each lesson segment and
approximate time frames for each.
The lesson will begin with the teacher inviting the whole class to the carpet and initiating the
lesson (5 min). The teacher will read the book Community Helpers from A-Z and ask for
students to participate in a class discussion where they discuss how community workers/helpers
relate to goods and services (15 min). The teacher will distribute materials, and the students will
work as individuals to complete work for the classroom bulletin board (20 min). Finally the
teacher will display completed work in the classroom and close the lesson (5 min).

Initiation: Briefly describe how you will initiate the lesson. (Set expectations for learning; articulate to learners
what they will be doing and learning in this lesson, how they will demonstrate learning, and why this is important)
The teacher will call students to the carpet and introduce the lesson:
13

Yesterday we talked about the features of our community and how it compares to other
communities in the United States. Today we are going to focus on the people who make our
communities possible: Community Workers. You are probably familiar with their jobs: bus
drivers, police officers, teachers, doctors, barbers, farmers are all community workers. Today we
are going to learn even more about how their jobs contribute to our community by providing us
with goods and services. First we will read the book Community Helpers from A-Z and discuss
the goods and services that these community workers provide. Then each of you will create a
circle about community workers for our classroom bulletin board, and I will display your work,
(5 min).

Lesson Development: Describe how you will develop the lesson, what you will do to model or guide practice,
and the learning activities students will be engaged in order to gain the key knowledge and skills identified in the
student learning objective(s).
The teacher reviews the definitions of goods and services with the class and writes the
definitions on an overhead transparency (5 min).
Goods are items you can touch.
Services are something that someone else does for you.
Next the teacher reads the book Community Helpers from A-Z and pauses to have students
contribute and discuss whether each worker provides a good or service to the community and
recording this information on the overhead transparency (10 min). For example:
Police Officer: Service (Keeping our community safe).
Teacher: Service (Educating students in the community).
Farmer: Good (Food for the community to eat).
Then the teacher will distribute materials and instruct students on how to complete the work for
the bulletin board. Students will draw and color an example of a community worker doing their
job in the top of the circle. In the bottom of the circle, students will explain who the worker is,
what good or service they provide in the community, and why their job is important. Then they
will cut out the circle for the teacher to hang in the classroom (20 min).

Closure: Briefly describe how you will close the lesson and help students understand the purpose of the lesson.
(Interact with learners to elicit evidence of student understanding of purpose(s) for learning and mastery of objectives)
After the teacher has collected and displayed the completed work in the classroom, she will close
the lesson:
Who can raise their hand and share one reason why the good or service your community
worker provides is important to our community? Answers will vary.

Individuals Needing Differentiated Instruction: Describe 1 to 3 students with learning differences. These
students may be special or general education students and need not be the same students for each lesson. Students may represent
14

a range of ability and/or achievement levels, including students with IEPs, gifted and talented students, struggling learners, and
English language learners.

Note: Differentiated instruction may not be necessary in every lesson. However, over the course of the student
teaching placement, it is expected that each student teacher will demonstrate the ability to differentiate instruction
in order to meet the needs of students with learning differences.

Which students do you anticipate may struggle with the content/learning objectives of this lesson?
Student name Evidence that the student needs
differentiated instruction
How will you differentiate instruction in this lesson to support student
learning?

Adam


He has been identified as
having an auditory
processing disorder, and
has an IEP.
The teacher will use the overhead projector and blank
transparencies to transcribe details from the class discussion to
increase Adams comprehension, and encourage his
participation. The teacher will repeat directions and provide
written instructions for the classwork assignment.
Which students will need opportunities for enrichment/higher level of challenge?
Student name Evidence that the student needs
differentiated instruction
How will you differentiate instruction in this lesson to support student
learning?

Sonia


Student is gifted,
particularly in spatial and
verbal areas.
In addition to the spatial/verbal classwork activities (which
include illustrating, discussion, and writing) the teacher will
allow the student to design the title of the Bulletin board
(designing and cutting the letters for Community Workers).




15

Work for Bulletin board
Directions: In the top of your circle, draw and color an example of a community worker doing
their job. In the bottom of your circle, explain who your worker is, what good or service they
provide in the community, and why their job is important. Cut out the circle for the teacher to
hang in the classroom.
16

Lesson Plan 3: Economics: Using Resources
Student Teacher _Charlotte Maier _____ Grade Level__3____ Date of lesson___10/16/13__
Institution __Mohegan Elementary School___ Length of lesson__45 minutes__

Content Standards: Identify one or two primary local, state or national curricular standards this lesson is designed to
help students attain. How will the learning tasks lead students to attain the identified standards?
Standard 1: Content Knowledge
Strand 1.10. How limited resources influence economic decisions
o Grade Level Expectations 20. Students will be able to give examples of goods
and services.
o Grade Level Expectations 21. Students will be able to explain how people use
resources to make goods and services (factors of production).

Learner Background: Describe the students prior knowledge or skill related to the learning objective(s) and the content
of this lesson, using data from pre-assessment as appropriate. How did the students previous performance in this content area or
skill impact your planning for this lesson?
Students will have reviewed and discussed community workers, goods and services in the
previous days lesson.
Students may have limited background knowledge on natural and human resources from
previous grade levels, or their own personal experiences.

Student Learning Objective(s): Identify specific and measurable learning objectives for this lesson.
Demonstrate knowledge of key vocabulary related to resources by completing the Using
Resources Worksheet.
Explain how resources are used to provide goods and services by completing the Using
Resources Worksheet.
Synthesize previous knowledge of our community, goods, services, and information
about resources from the textbook to complete the Exit Slip.

Assessment: How will you ask students to demonstrate mastery of the student learning objective(s)? Attach a copy of any
assessment materials you will use, along with assessment criteria.
Rubric for Using Resources Worksheet:
Question 1: Vocabulary: Up to 5 points
Question 2: Synthesis:
17

o Student gives an example of a human resource and explains if it produces a good
or service (2 points).
o Student gives an example of a natural resource and explains if it produces a good
or service (2 points).
o Student uses complete sentences (1 point).
Total: 10 points
Rubric for Exit Slip:
2/2: Student completes exit slip using full sentences and the content is clear.
1/2: Student completes exit slip, but does not use full sentences, or content lacks clarity.
0/2: Student leaves exit slip blank/incomplete.

Materials/Resources: List the materials you will use in each learning activity including any technological resources.
YouTube Video: (Tune of Ive Been Working on the Railroad)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmqiR0CXXIk
20 printed copies of the lyrics to Weve Been Working on Production
http://www.kidseconposters.com/singalongs/we-ve-been-working-on-production/
20 printed copies of the Using Resources Worksheet
20 printed copies of the Exit Slip
20 copies of student textbook

Learning Activities:
Identify the instructional grouping (whole class, small groups, pairs, individuals) you will use in each lesson segment and
approximate time frames for each.
The teacher will introduce the lesson by playing a video clip and leading a class in a sing-along
with the song Weve Been Working on Production to the tune of Ive Been Working on the
Railroad and initiating the lesson (10 min). Then students will work in small groups to read
Chapter 10 Lesson 1 in their textbook and answer questions on the Using Resources Worksheet
(20 min). Finally the students will complete the exit slip independently; the teacher will collect
the work and close the lesson (15 min).

Initiation: Briefly describe how you will initiate the lesson. (Set expectations for learning; articulate to learners
what they will be doing and learning in this lesson, how they will demonstrate learning, and why this is important)
The teacher will play the video clip and leading a class in a sing-along with the song Weve
Been Working on Production to the tune of Ive Been Working on the Railroad and initiating
the lesson by saying:
Today we are going to build upon what we know about goods and services to talk about
resources. As we just heard in the song, we will learn about natural resources, capital resources,
18

and human resources. You will work in small groups to read Chapter 10 Lesson 1 from your
textbook and answer questions on the Using Resources Worksheet. Then I will ask you to fill
out an exit slip so I can see what you have learned over the last few days (10 min).

Lesson Development: Describe how you will develop the lesson, what you will do to model or guide practice,
and the learning activities students will be engaged in order to gain the key knowledge and skills identified in the
student learning objective(s).
Teacher divides students into small groups of 3-4 students each, and supervises/assists while
students read Chapter 10 Lesson 1 from the textbook. Students will use the text to answer
questions on the Using Resources Worksheet (20 min).
Next the teacher will send students back to their seats to work on the Exit Slip independently.
This asks the students to synthesize previous knowledge of our community, goods, services, and
information about resources from the textbook. The teacher will go over the directions, and
model an appropriate example for the class (10 min).

Closure: Briefly describe how you will close the lesson and help students understand the purpose of the lesson.
(Interact with learners to elicit evidence of student understanding of purpose(s) for learning and mastery of objectives)
After the teacher has collected the Exit Slips, she will ask:
Why is it important that we know the difference between renewable and nonrenewable
resources?
Possible answers: So that we can protect the environment. So that we wont run out of
the goods and services that we need. So that companies that use the resources can stay in
business (5 min).

Individuals Needing Differentiated Instruction: Describe 1 to 3 students with learning differences. These
students may be special or general education students and need not be the same students for each lesson. Students may represent
a range of ability and/or achievement levels, including students with IEPs, gifted and talented students, struggling learners, and
English language learners.

Note: Differentiated instruction may not be necessary in every lesson. However, over the course of the student
teaching placement, it is expected that each student teacher will demonstrate the ability to differentiate instruction
in order to meet the needs of students with learning differences.

Which students do you anticipate may struggle with the content/learning objectives of this lesson?
Student name Evidence that the student needs
differentiated instruction
How will you differentiate instruction in this lesson to support student
learning?
19


Adam


He has been identified as
having an auditory
processing disorder, and
has an IEP.
The teacher will provide the student with written lyrics,
instructions, and guidance to complete all classwork activities.
During group work, the student will have access to the textbook
and the teacher will conference with Adam to ensure he
comprehends the material.
Which students will need opportunities for enrichment/higher level of challenge?
Student name Evidence that the student needs
differentiated instruction
How will you differentiate instruction in this lesson to support student
learning?

Sonia


Student is gifted,
particularly in spatial and
verbal areas.
The exit slip in this activity requires the higher order activity of
synthesis, which provides a challenge for Sonia and all of the
students in the class. The group work will also be an
opportunity for Sonia to serve as a leader for her peers and
provide a social, as well as academic challenge.



20

Weve Been Working on Production Song
Lyrics

We've Been Working on Production
Tune: I've Been Working on the Railroad

We've been working on production,
All the livelong day.
We've been working on production,
Just to make some goods this way.

We use natural resources,
Such as land, and oil, and trees.
We use capital resources,
Such as tools and factories.
Now we will work!
Now we will work!
When we use our human resources.

Now we will work!
Now we will work!
We use our human resources.





By Martha Hopkins. Used with permission. From Master Curriculum Guide in
Economics: Teaching Strategies, K-2
21

Using Resources Worksheet
Name__________________________________Date________________Number_________
1. Vocabulary Matching: Fill in the blank with the correct word.
a. A _______________________________ is a resource that cannot be replaced
after it is used.
b. _______________________________ are people who make goods and services.
c. A machine, tool, or building used to produce goods and services is called a
_______________________________.
d. When people _______________________________, they do one job or make one
part of a product.
e. A _______________________________ is a resource that can be replaced within
a short time.


2. Give an example of a human resource and a natural resource. Are those resources used to
produce goods or services?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Word Bank: Renewable resource Nonrenewable resource Producer
Specialize Capital Resource
22

Exit Slip



Think about the community worker that you chose for the bulletin board.
What resources do they need to provide their good or service?
Where do they get these resources?
What would the consequences be for the community if they could not get those
resources?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________


23

Lesson Plan 4: Geography:
Adaptations to Our Environments
Student Teacher _Charlotte Maier _____ Grade Level__3____ Date of lesson___10/21/13__
Institution __Mohegan Elementary School___ Length of lesson__45 minutes__

Content Standards: Identify one or two primary local, state or national curricular standards this lesson is designed to
help students attain. How will the learning tasks lead students to attain the identified standards?
Standard 1: Content Knowledge
Strand 1.5. Interaction of humans and the environment
o Grade Level Expectation 11. Students will be able to discuss how geographical
features and natural resources shape peoples lives.

Learner Background: Describe the students prior knowledge or skill related to the learning objective(s) and the content
of this lesson, using data from pre-assessment as appropriate. How did the students previous performance in this content area or
skill impact your planning for this lesson?
Students have just finished a lesson on natural, human, and capital resources.
Students will be familiar with United States Geography from previous grade levels.
The class will be familiar with reading a map of the United States.

Student Learning Objective(s): Identify specific and measurable learning objectives for this lesson.
Students will be able to:
Use the details about one of the regions in the textbook to draw a conclusion about how
the physical environment affects life in the community on the Adaptations to Our
Environment Worksheet.
Make predictions and draw conclusions about how people adapt depending on the
geography of a region by answering question 2 on the Adaptations to Our Environment
Worksheet.

Assessment: How will you ask students to demonstrate mastery of the student learning objective(s)? Attach a copy of any
assessment materials you will use, along with assessment criteria.
Rubric for Class Participation:
2/2: Student fully participated during class discussion.
1/2: Student partially participated during class discussion.
24

0/2: Student did not participate in class discussion.

Rubric for Adaptations to Our Environment Worksheet:
Students list 3 details and draw an appropriate conclusion (4 points).
Students complete the critical thinking question using complete sentences (2 points).
Total: 6 points

Materials/Resources: List the materials you will use in each learning activity including any technological resources.
Projector connect to laptop connected to the internet
YouTube clip: This Land Is Your Land:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeMLaQTwIgU
20 printed copies of Adaptations to Our Environment Worksheet
20 student copies of textbook
Classroom map of the United States
White board
Dry Erase Markers
Erasers

Learning Activities:
Identify the instructional grouping (whole class, small groups, pairs, individuals) you will use in each lesson segment and
approximate time frames for each.
Teacher will initiate and introduce the lesson for the whole class using the projector and the
YouTube clip: This Land Is Your Land (5 min). The class will read Chapter 5 Lesson 1 in the
textbook as a whole class (20 min). Then students will answer questions on the Adaptations to
Our Environment Worksheet independently (15 min). Finally the teacher will close the lesson (5
min).

Initiation: Briefly describe how you will initiate the lesson. (Set expectations for learning; articulate to learners
what they will be doing and learning in this lesson, how they will demonstrate learning, and why this is important)
Teacher will play the YouTube clip This Land is Your Land using the projector and prompt
students to observe the different geographical regions that are featured in the video. After the
song ends, she will introduce the lesson:
Yesterday we learned about how we use natural, capital and human resources to produce
goods and services. Today we will continue to explore different aspects of communities by
seeing how the communities adapt to the different geographical regions of our country. As we
saw in the video, American communities exist in many different types of places: farmland,
forests, coastlines, big cities, small towns, and everything in between! Today we will read in our
textbooks and discuss the different ways that people and communities adapt or change the way
they live according to their environments where they live. Then you will work independently to
complete a worksheet. Now please open your books to Chapter 5, Lesson 1 in your book.
25


Lesson Development: Describe how you will develop the lesson, what you will do to model or guide practice,
and the learning activities students will be engaged in order to gain the key knowledge and skills identified in the
student learning objective(s).
The teacher will have the class take turns reading out loud from the textbook (Chapter 5, Lesson
1) entitled What Is Your Community Environment? The teacher will guide students
comprehension of the content by referring to the classroom map of the United States, writing key
vocabulary words on the board, and asking questions to prompt class discussion (20 min):
Why is Katrinka able to fish, kayak, hike, and ski where she lives? (p. 143).
Which student in the book lives in a community the most like our own? (p. 144).
If your family was going to move to a new community, what type of physical
environment would you look for and why? (p. 145).
What is one way that people change our environment? (p. 146-147).
The teacher will distribute the Adaptations to Our Environment Worksheet. She will model
filling in the graphic organizer on the board and encourage students to come up with another
example for their assignment. Students will complete the worksheet independently (15 min).

Closure: Briefly describe how you will close the lesson and help students understand the purpose of the lesson.
(Interact with learners to elicit evidence of student understanding of purpose(s) for learning and mastery of objectives)
When the teacher has collected the worksheet, then she will close the lesson:
Why is it important for us to know the different ways people adapt to their
environments? Possible answers: Because people move around the country. We go to
different parts of the country on vacation. The geography affects homes, businesses, even the
clothes we wear!

Individuals Needing Differentiated Instruction: Describe 1 to 3 students with learning differences. These
students may be special or general education students and need not be the same students for each lesson. Students may represent
a range of ability and/or achievement levels, including students with IEPs, gifted and talented students, struggling learners, and
English language learners.

Note: Differentiated instruction may not be necessary in every lesson. However, over the course of the student
teaching placement, it is expected that each student teacher will demonstrate the ability to differentiate instruction
in order to meet the needs of students with learning differences.

Which students do you anticipate may struggle with the content/learning objectives of this lesson?
Student name Evidence that the student needs
differentiated instruction
How will you differentiate instruction in this lesson to support student
learning?
26


Adam


He has been identified as
having an auditory
processing disorder, and
has an IEP.
The YouTube clip has the lyrics of the song written on the
screen as the song is playing. The teacher will reinforce key
vocabulary on the board and model how to use the graphic
organizer on the board so that Adam and the rest of the class will
comprehend how to complete the assignment.
Which students will need opportunities for enrichment/higher level of challenge?
Student name Evidence that the student needs
differentiated instruction
How will you differentiate instruction in this lesson to support student
learning?

Sonia


Student is gifted,
particularly in spatial and
verbal areas.
The teacher will add a bonus box activity to the worksheet which
asks the student to synthesize information from a previous days
lesson: How do the people of El Paso (from Chapter 1, Lesson
1) adapt to their environment? How is this different from the
way that people in Bozeman, Montana adapt to their
environment?



27

Adaptations to Our Environment Worksheet
Name__________________________________Date________________Number_________
1. Use the details about one of the regions in the textbook to draw a conclusion about how
the physical environment affects life in the community. List the details and conclusion in
the graphic organizer:

2. Critical Thinking: Predict: How might building a large new highway affect a rural
community?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________




28

Lesson Plan 5: History: Communities Past &
Present
Student Teacher _Charlotte Maier _____ Grade Level__3____ Date of lesson___10/17/13__
Institution __Mohegan Elementary School___ Length of lesson__60 minutes__

Content Standards: Identify one or two primary local, state or national curricular standards this lesson is designed to
help students attain. How will the learning tasks lead students to attain the identified standards?
Standard 1: Content Knowledge
Strand 1.2 Significant events in local and Connecticut history and their connections to
United States history.
o Grade Level Expectation 4. Students will be able to identify and examine
connections between events in local and regional history.
Strand 1.6. Patters of human movement across time and place
o Grade Level Expectation 13. Students will be able to analyze the geographic
features that promoted settlement in ones community.

Learner Background: Describe the students prior knowledge or skill related to the learning objective(s) and the content
of this lesson, using data from pre-assessment as appropriate. How did the students previous performance in this content area or
skill impact your planning for this lesson?
Students have just completed a lesson on how the physical environment affects life in the
community for communities around the United States. This lesson will ask them to apply
that knowledge to our local community of Shelton, Connecticut.
Students also learned about how different community workers and industries use natural
resources in previous unit lessons.
Students may have personal background knowledge about the history of Huntington,
Shelton, and know the name of the Housatonic River.

Student Learning Objective(s): Identify specific and measurable learning objectives for this lesson.
Students will be able to:
Identify the first people who lived in our community and how they adapted to local
geography.
Explain how later generations of settlers adapted and utilized local geographic features.
Compare and contrast the historical communities of Huntington and Shelton.

29

Assessment: How will you ask students to demonstrate mastery of the student learning objective(s)? Attach a copy of any
assessment materials you will use, along with assessment criteria.
Rubric for Shelton History Worksheet:
Question 1: Answered correctly with complete sentences (2 points).
Question 2: Answered correctly with complete sentences (2 points).
Question 3: Answered correctly with complete sentences (4 points).
Total: 8 points
Rubric for Settlement Prompt/Project:
Students chose a geographic region, defended their choice, and illustrated their choice on
the poster (3 points)
Students identified at least 3 resources they would need, explained the geographic feature
needed to obtain those resources and illustrated their choices on the poster (9 points)
Total: 12 points
Materials/Resources: List the materials you will use in each learning activity including any technological resources.
Projector connected to a laptop connected to the internet
The YouTube clip: Shelton, CT: Past, Present and Future:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=papaFzDBtd8
20 printed copies of Shelton History Article edited from Shelton Historical Society
Website: http://www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org/pootatuck-corum-ripton-huntington-
and-shelton.html
20 printed copies of Shelton History Worksheet
20 printed copies of Settlement Prompt
Construction Paper
Crayons/Markers/Colored Pencils

Learning Activities:
Identify the instructional grouping (whole class, small groups, pairs, individuals) you will use in each lesson segment and
approximate time frames for each.
Teacher will initiate and introduce the lesson using the YouTube clip (5 min). Then the teacher
will divide the students into small groups to read the Shelton History Article and complete the
Shelton History Worksheet together (20 min). Next, the children will work as a group to
brainstorm and describe an ideal geographical region in which they would like to settle (15 min).
The groups will use this information to create a poster (15 min). Then the teacher will display the
work and close the lesson (5 min).

Initiation: Briefly describe how you will initiate the lesson. (Set expectations for learning; articulate to learners
what they will be doing and learning in this lesson, how they will demonstrate learning, and why this is important)
30

Teacher will initiate the lesson by playing the YouTube clip: Shelton, CT: Past, Present, and
Future and introducing the lesson.
As you saw in this video, our community of Shelton, Connecticut has changed a lot over
the years. Today we will get into groups and read an article from the Shelton Historical Society
about the history of our community. Then you will complete a worksheet together. Last, you
will use what you have learned about resources, geography and our communitys history to
create a poster about an ideal community in which you would settle if you were a settler in the
past.

Lesson Development: Describe how you will develop the lesson, what you will do to model or guide practice,
and the learning activities students will be engaged in order to gain the key knowledge and skills identified in the
student learning objective(s).
The teacher assigns students to small groups of 3-4 students each and distributes materials. The
teacher will supervise and provide support so that students understand the content of the article
and the worksheet questions. Students will work on reading the article and completing the
worksheet together (20 min).
Next the teacher will distribute materials for the Settlement project including art supplies and the
Settlement Prompt. The teacher will review instructions and provide guidance for
students/groups who are struggling to come up with examples of resources and the geographical
features from which people can obtain those resources. The students will use the Settlement
Prompt paper to brainstorm their ideas. Then students will illustrate and label their posters (30
min).

Closure: Briefly describe how you will close the lesson and help students understand the purpose of the lesson.
(Interact with learners to elicit evidence of student understanding of purpose(s) for learning and mastery of objectives)
After the teacher has collected the worksheets, she will close the lesson by having groups share
and explain their projects to the rest of the class (5 min).

Individuals Needing Differentiated Instruction: Describe 1 to 3 students with learning differences. These
students may be special or general education students and need not be the same students for each lesson. Students may represent
a range of ability and/or achievement levels, including students with IEPs, gifted and talented students, struggling learners, and
English language learners.

Note: Differentiated instruction may not be necessary in every lesson. However, over the course of the student
teaching placement, it is expected that each student teacher will demonstrate the ability to differentiate instruction
in order to meet the needs of students with learning differences.

Which students do you anticipate may struggle with the content/learning objectives of this lesson?
31

Student name Evidence that the student needs
differentiated instruction
How will you differentiate instruction in this lesson to support student
learning?

Adam


He has been identified as
having an auditory
processing disorder, and
has an IEP.
The Settlement Prompt worksheet helps students (particularly
Adam) to plan and comprehend the purpose of the Settlement
poster assignment. Adam will be working with group members
to complete all class work and the teacher will conference to
ensure that he is comfortable with the material.
Which students will need opportunities for enrichment/higher level of challenge?
Student name Evidence that the student needs
differentiated instruction
How will you differentiate instruction in this lesson to support student
learning?

Sonia


Student is gifted,
particularly in spatial and
verbal areas.
Sonia will be given a leadership role in her group, particularly in
the Settlement project where her superior spatial ability will be
utilized.



32

Shelton History Article
History of Pootatuck, Corum, Ripton, Huntington and Shelton


The area now known as the City of Shelton was
originally settled by members of the Paugussett tribe.
They were hunter-gatherers who were also involved in
agriculture. They referred to the area along the banks of
the Housatonic River a Pootatuck.

English settlers from Stratford moved into the Long Hill
section of Shelton by 1680. The settlement was known
as Coram but was still under the jurisdiction of
Stratford. By 1717 there were approximately fifty
families in Coram and they petitioned for the formation of a separate parish, to be known as
Ripton. The parish was a prosperous agricultural community with farming in the hills and a
modest shipyard along the river. The architecture of the community reflected this prosperity and
several examples of 18
th
century architecture were extant in the center district by the turn of the
20
th
century.

In 1789 Ripton Parish separated from Stratford and became the Town of Huntington. As is
common in New England rural towns, when the town began to settle the population began to
decline from high of 2,770 in 1810 to a low of 1,301 in 1850. This was not necessarily due to the
depletion of the soil or other negative factors, merely that the local economy had reached the
limits of its growth and leveled off.
By 1870, along the banks of the Housatonic River a dam was constructed, a canal dug and
factories were established to draw off the hydroelectric power. The Borough of Shelton was
formally established in 1882 and separate census records were kept from 1880 on. It wasnt until
1919 that the borough officially became the City of Shelton and the Town of Huntington voted to
become incorporated with it.

An 1890 article in the New York Times
entitled A Connecticut Sunday
describes a visit to the town of
Huntington as follows:
The few curiosities of Huntington are
soon seen and digested. Here runs the
New York and Boston Telephone line,
cutting across country as straight as a
die, its forest-tree poles carrying more
than fifty wires. Here is a public square in
front of the church smooth and green, surrounded by an iron fence. Here is the little town hall
Huntington Congregational Church
Canal c 1910
33

that in former times, I am told, was often the scene of revelry by night, the sort of revelry that
embraces dancing and oysters and ice cream. And here is the village store, in which are also the
telephone office and the Post Office. There is no frantic crowd of customers pressing up to the
counter, but I am told that a former owner of this little store made a fortune of $80,000.00 in it,
and retired on his laurels and his cash. Huntington lies in so deep a valley that from all
around the neighborhood you look down upon it and see only a great collection of trees, with
some roofs and a church spire peeping through.
While no similar account has come to light concerning the Borough of Shelton, it can be inferred
from photographs, city directories, and other period sources that along the river was a bustling
industrial center that was counterpart to the more agrarian life found just a few miles up into the
hills. These were close connections between the two communities but they were fundamentally
different on many levels.

By the turn of the 20
th
century,
according to the 1910
Connecticut State Register and
Manual, Huntington was a
well-established agricultural
economy and Shelton was
largely concerned with the:
manufacturing of paper, paper
boxes, woolen yarn and knit
goods, cotton goods, pins, tacks,
hooks and eyes, carriage and
other hardware, pianos, rubber
goods printing presses, metal
bedsteads, buttons brass hardware, combs, razor strops, bicycle forgings, silk goods, etc.
The factories of Shelton relied on the labor of immigrants or the children of immigrants.
According to the 1910 census over 62% of Sheltons population fell into this category. The
population of the Shelton Borough had exceeded that of the Town of Huntington in 1890 with
the totals of being 2,837 and 2,735 respectively. Most of this growth was undoubtedly due to
rising trends in immigration across the entire nation and the availability of unskilled or semi-
skilled jobs in the factories.

Even in rural Huntington there were a surprising number of immigrants. In 1910 905 or 52% of
the total population were immigrants or the children of immigrants. While there were many
families who had been settled here for multiple generations, those considered traditional
Yankees, there was also a steady influx of new blood.

The economic and social ties of Huntington were based on an extensive network of kinship,
neighborliness, and other community ties. While these factors undoubtedly existed in the
Borough of Shelton as well, the larger size of the community and the dynamic flow of its
population would have made such connections less common. This type of industrial society was
more likely to be based on wages, goods available for purchase, and services for hire.
Shelton Basket Company, c 1910
34

http://www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org/pootatuck-corum-ripton-huntington-and-shelton.html
Shelton History Worksheet
Name__________________________________Date________________Number_________
1. Who were the first people who chose to settle in this area? How did they use the land for
resources?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. How did Sheltons population use the Housatonic River in the late 1800s?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Compare and Contrast. How were the communities of Huntington and Shelton similar?
How were they different?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
35

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Settlement Prompt
Name__________________________________Date________________Number_________
Directions: Pretend you are a group of settlers looking for a place to start a new community.
Think about the resources and environment that you will need to build a community and live
successfully. With your group members, brainstorm the ideal conditions for the geographical
region in which you would like to settle. Then illustrate and label your region using construction
paper and art supplies.

Geographical Region: What area of the United States will you settle? Why?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Natural Resources/Geographic Features: What natural resources will you need to build your
settlement (lumber, water, etc.)? What kind of geographic features will you need in your region
to obtain those resources (forest, river, etc.)?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
36

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Lesson Plan 6: Anthropology:
Cultural Appreciation
Student Teacher _Charlotte Maier _____ Grade Level__3____ Date of lesson___10/18/13__
Institution __Mohegan Elementary School___ Length of lesson__45 minutes__

Content Standards: Identify one or two primary local, state or national curricular standards this lesson is designed to
help students attain. How will the learning tasks lead students to attain the identified standards?
Standard 1: Content Knowledge
Strand 1.3. Significant events and themes in world history/international studies
o Grade Level Expectation 5. Students will be able to investigate ones own family
heritage, making comparisons to classmates and community members.
Strand 1.6. Patterns of human movement across time and place
o Grade Level Expectation 12. Students will be able to analyze how and why people
settled in various areas in their community (e.g. religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic
level).

Learner Background: Describe the students prior knowledge or skill related to the learning objective(s) and the content
of this lesson, using data from pre-assessment as appropriate. How did the students previous performance in this content area or
skill impact your planning for this lesson?
Students have just completed a lesson on the history of the settlement of our community,
which included details about the cultural and religious background of the region.
Students will have celebrated various cultural traditions in their own families, and may
have limited background knowledge of the traditions of other cultures from their own
experiences or from previous grade levels.

Student Learning Objective(s): Identify specific and measurable learning objectives for this lesson.
Students will be able to:
Make connections between their heritage/culture, and the heritage/cultures of their
classmates and people in their community during class discussion.
37

Explain how different cultural, socioeconomic religious groups contributed to the
founding of our local community and communities around the United States during class
discussion.

Assessment: How will you ask students to demonstrate mastery of the student learning objective(s)? Attach a copy of any
assessment materials you will use, along with assessment criteria.
Rubric for Class Participation:
2/2: Student fully participated during class discussion.
1/2: Student partially participated during class discussion.
0/2: Student did not participate in class discussion.

Materials/Resources: List the materials you will use in each learning activity including any technological resources.
Projector connected to laptop connected to the internet
YouTube clip: The Great American Melting Pot (Schoolhouse Rock):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aYnNrTnXhk
20 copies of student textbook
Overhead projector
Blank transparencies
Transparency markers

Learning Activities:
Identify the instructional grouping (whole class, small groups, pairs, individuals) you will use in each lesson segment and
approximate time frames for each.
Teacher will initiate and introduce the lesson using the YouTube clip (5 min). Then teacher will
have the class read Chapter 4, Lesson 1 in the textbook as an entire class (15 min). Then the
class will discuss their personal backgrounds, the teacher will create a chart on the overhead
projector, and students will share items they have brought for the 3D bulletin board (20 min).
Then the teacher will close the lesson (5 min).

Initiation: Briefly describe how you will initiate the lesson. (Set expectations for learning; articulate to learners
what they will be doing and learning in this lesson, how they will demonstrate learning, and why this is important)
Teacher will play the YouTube clip of the Schoolhouse Rock song The Great American Melting
Pot and introduce the lesson:
Today we are going to talk more about history of our community by talking about the
cultural backgrounds of the different people in our community. As you saw in the video,
America is known as the melting pot that brings people from different cultures around the world
to live and work together. We celebrate unique traditions from our cultural backgrounds, and
38

also American holidays like Thanksgiving. We will talk about the different cultural backgrounds
of ourselves in this class, and talk about the people who settled our community. Then we will
share the cultural artifacts that you have brought in from home and add them to our 3D bulletin
board exhibit in the classroom."

Lesson Development: Describe how you will develop the lesson, what you will do to model or guide practice,
and the learning activities students will be engaged in order to gain the key knowledge and skills identified in the
student learning objective(s).
The class will read Chapter 4, Lesson 1 in the textbook and the teacher will lead the class
discussion about cultural celebrations in the community (15 min).
What are some traditional celebrations that you celebrate with your family?
Where are some places that you have traveled or read about that are from a different
culture that your own?
Then the class will discuss their personal backgrounds, the teacher will create a chart on the
overhead projector to discuss the diversity in the classroom. The teacher will share information
about the demographics of the surrounding community and students will compare and contrast
the class population with the communitys population. The class will draw connections between
the article from the previous day and what they know about their community.
Finally, students will share the items (cultural artifacts) they have brought for the 3D bulletin
board (20 min).

Closure: Briefly describe how you will close the lesson and help students understand the purpose of the lesson.
(Interact with learners to elicit evidence of student understanding of purpose(s) for learning and mastery of objectives)
The teacher will close the lesson by asking:
Why is it important that we discuss and learn about our different cultural backgrounds?
Possible answers: So that we can appreciate and celebrate our differences. So that we can know
and understand each others traditions. So that we can work together in our community.
Individuals Needing Differentiated Instruction: Describe 1 to 3 students with learning differences. These
students may be special or general education students and need not be the same students for each lesson. Students may represent
a range of ability and/or achievement levels, including students with IEPs, gifted and talented students, struggling learners, and
English language learners.

Note: Differentiated instruction may not be necessary in every lesson. However, over the course of the student
teaching placement, it is expected that each student teacher will demonstrate the ability to differentiate instruction
in order to meet the needs of students with learning differences.

Which students do you anticipate may struggle with the content/learning objectives of this lesson?
39

Student name Evidence that the student needs
differentiated instruction
How will you differentiate instruction in this lesson to support student
learning?

Adam


He has been identified as
having an auditory
processing disorder, and
has an IEP.
The teacher will allow extra time during the lesson for Adam to
understand and respond to the discussion. The teacher will use
the overhead projector and the textbook to support his
comprehension of the material.
Which students will need opportunities for enrichment/higher level of challenge?
Student name Evidence that the student needs
differentiated instruction
How will you differentiate instruction in this lesson to support student
learning?

Sonia


Student is gifted,
particularly in spatial and
verbal areas.
The teacher will have Sonia design the 3D bulletin board for
cultural appreciation and serve as the museum curator who
will keep track of the entries, and create a label for each item in
the exhibit.



40

Bulletin board Ideas:
Community Helpers: Students will display their partner work from lesson 2 on the roles of
various community workers and the services they provide.

Cultural Appreciation: Teacher will create a 3D bulletin board to display cultural artifacts
from around the US and the world. Students will be also allowed to bring in relevant items to
exhibit for a limited time.

Communities Past & Present: Students will illustrate and label an idea geographical region in
which they would like to settle. The teacher will display these posters in the classroom.
41

Field Trip Idea:

Shelton Historical Society:
Students will attend a guided tour of the Shelton
Historical Societys Shelton History Center including the Trap
Fall School (c. 1872), Brownson House (c. 1822), and Wilson
Barn (c. 1860). The Barn features a permanent exhibit on the
history of Shelton entitled: Three Centuries of SheltonFrom
Farming to Industry and Beyond. The tour includes hands-on
activities which incorporate primary sources: diaries, maps,
census records, etc. and local artifacts.
Students will record information in their Social Studies
journals in order to compare and contrast schools, homes and
industry of the past and the present.




42

Additional Resources:

Where Do I Live? By Neil Chesanow IBSN: 978-0812092417
Neighborhood & Community Write & Read Books: 15 Reproducible Nonfiction Books
on Homes, Community Helpers, Transportation, and More-That Your Students Help
Write! By Catherine M. Tamblyn IBSN: 978-0439491600
N Is For Nutmeg: A Connecticut Dictionary By Elissa Grodin IBSN: 978-1585361243
Community Workers Worksheet:
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/orange/ss-168.pdf

43

Reflection Essay:
The various lessons and learning activities in this third grade Social Studies Unit on
Communities each relate to the philosophies of noted learning theorists. Two learning theories
that I particularly referenced when creating this unit were Benjamin Blooms Taxonomy and
Howard Gardners theory of Multiple Intelligences.
To begin, Benjamin Blooms Taxonomy creates a tiered system for classifying cognitive
learning behaviors. These six levels relate to progressively higher order thinking, increase in
complexity, and require more abstract and intellectually challenging activity. The levels from
lowest to highest are as follows: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis,
and Evaluation. Blooms theory on the cognitive learning domain directly applies to the learning
objectives in each lesson plan. For example, in Lesson Plan 5, the objective states that Students
will be able to: Identify the first people who lived in our community and how they adapted to
local geography. This task would be classified as Knowledge level in Blooms Taxonomy
because it requires readers to perform a lower level activity of identifying and listing
information. Later in the lesson, the students are expected to:Explain how later generations of
settlers adapted and utilized local geographic features. This would qualify as Comprehension
level activities because they involve explaining, summarizing, and paraphrasing from the text.
Finally, in that lesson, students are asked to: Compare and contrast the historical communities
of Huntington and Shelton. This would involve the higher levels of Analysis and Evaluation
because the reader must draw conclusions, interpret the text to compare and contrast, and defend
their answer.
Another learning theory that applies to the reading activities in the interactive read aloud
lesson plan is Howard Gardners theory of Multiple Intelligences. His theory suggests that
44

intelligence can be measured in at least seven varied realms that relate to intelligence
traditionally valued in education, the arts, and personal intelligences. These include: linguistic,
logical-mathematical, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, interpersonal, and intrapersonal.
Students may display intelligence in one or many of these categories. As such, educators may
design lesson plans that accommodate the many types of intelligences of their students.
Moreover, several aspects of this Units lessons relate to Gardners seven categories. For
example, the interactive read aloud and class discussions, where students discuss the text with
their peers, connect to students who have verbal and social strengths characteristic of linguistic
and interpersonal intelligence. On the other hand, students who are high in spatial intelligence
may connect with the visual content of the illustrations in the texts, the YouTube videos and the
artistic assignments. Finally, students who are musical or body-kinesthetic will enjoy the
YouTube videos that include music and dancing.











45

Bibliography:
Lesson 1:
Copy of the book: What is a Community from A to Z? By Bobbie Kalman IBSN: 978-
0865054141
20 Copies of the Textbook: Social Studies: Communities by Scott Foresman IBSN: 978-
0328239733 (To be used throughout the unit)
Website: James Browns Living in America YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHqUipinDyw&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_m
ode=1&safe=active
Lesson 2:
Copy of Community Helpers A-Z By Bobbie Kalman IBSN: 978-0865054042
Lesson 3:
YouTube Video: (Tune of Ive Been Working on the Railroad)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmqiR0CXXIk
20 printed copies of the lyrics to Weve Been Working on Production
http://www.kidseconposters.com/singalongs/we-ve-been-working-on-production/
Lesson 4:
YouTube clip: This Land Is Your Land:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeMLaQTwIgU
Lesson 5:
The YouTube clip: Shelton, CT: Past, Present and Future:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=papaFzDBtd8
Shelton Historical Society Website: http://www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org/pootatuck-
corum-ripton-huntington-and-shelton.html
Lesson 6:
YouTube clip: The Great American Melting Pot (Schoolhouse Rock):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aYnNrTnXhk
Bulletin Boards:
http://www.variquest.com/enews/images/february2011/lessons-k-1.jpg
http://a3.ec-
images.myspacecdn.com/images01/78/ea7beb0ad1f8fd33041e850820def6bb/l.jpg
Field Trip Idea:
http://www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org/