Grade 1 Social Studies
Lesson #1
National Symbols: Importance of Symbols
I. Statement of Purpose
A symbol is something that stands for something else. All nations have symbols that are special to their people. Students will be taught about the United States’ national symbols. This will allow them to be informed and knowledgeable citizens of the country they live in. Students must know the history and significance of these symbols. They will be able to list reasons why a symbol is important to a country as well as why particular symbols; flag, liberty bell, bald eagle, Uncle Sam, Statue of Liberty, etc. are important to the country they live in.
II. Standards
Standard 1: History of the United States and New York
Standard 5: Civics, Citizenship, and Government
III. Lesson Goals
1. Students should be able to know what a symbol is and how important it is for a country and its people.
2. Students should be able to comprehend the significance of these national symbols to the United States of America.
3. Students should be able to apply this knowledge to a web diagram created as a class about the significance of symbols.
IV. Lesson Objectives
1. As a whole class, students will identify national symbols during the reading of a book, Our National Symbols by Linda Carlson Johnson.
2. After reading Our National Symbols by Linda Carlson Johnson, students will discuss what makes a symbol important to the people of a country.
3. As a whole class, students will apply the knowledge they have gained from the reading and the class discussion to create a web diagram about symbols.
V. Class Arrangement
Throughout the entire lesson students will be seated on the carpeted floor in the front of the classroom. The teacher will be sure that everyone can sit and see without disturbing others. If a problem persists, the student will be asked to continue listening to the story at their desk, which will be next to the carpeted area.
VI. Instructional Methods
1. Teacher will invite the students to the carpet for a book reading.
2. Teacher will introduce the unit by beginning to read the book Our National Symbols by Linda Carlson Johnson. While reading, the teacher will stop and ask questions and conduct an interactive read-aloud with the class to guide understanding. The teacher will make mental notes of who is participating in the interactive read-aloud for means of assessment.
3. Teacher will ask the students discussion questions after the reading, based on the questions and comments they stated during the interactive read-aloud.
4. Teacher will listen and add to the discussion when the teacher see fit, otherwise the teacher will let the students feed off of each other’s responses. Teacher will make mental notes of who is speaking, posing, and answering questions for means of assessment.
5. Teacher will turn the student’s attention to the easel that has a large piece of paper on it.
6. Teacher will write the word “symbol” in the middle of the paper and explain to the class that they will create a web to organize their thinking. This will be hung in the classroom so they can look back at their
thoughts later in the unit.
7. Teacher will take suggestions from the students as to what to put in the web, if needed the teacher will ask questions to guide the responses. As the students make suggestions the teacher will write their name next to their input for means of assessment and for the students to be able to see
their responses when the poster is hung.
8. Teacher will sum up the findings by asking the students if they have any questions about what a symbol is and why it is important to a country and its people.
9. Teacher will hang the poster up in the front of the room for the students to see.
VII. Materials
Our National Symbols by Linda Carlson Johnson
Easel
Large piece of paper
Markers
VIII. Assessment and Evaluation
Assessment for this lesson will be done during all three sections of the lesson. During the first section, the reading of the book, the teacher will make mental notes while observing the interaction the children have during the interactive read-aloud. The teacher will make note of who is asking and answering questions and who might need more guidance. During the second section, the discussion, the teacher will ask the students who did not participate in the interactive read-aloud questions to make sure they understood what was read. The teacher will also make mental notes on the observations of who is posing questions and participating in thoughtful discussions. During the third part of the lesson, the web diagram, the teacher will make note of who adds what on the poster by writing their name next to their input towards the web. This will allow the students to see their thinking before the unit and they will look back
on what they said during the last lesson, to see if their thinking changed or was added to. The web will be used as a reference for the entire unit and especially in the final project, a newspaper article about symbols of the United States of America. The teacher will complete a checklist of who added to the discussion and the poster; this will contribute to 5 points of the overall 150 possible points in the unit grade, as stated on Unit Rubric.
Lesson 1: Students added to discussion and poster.
0 Points:
Students did not add their thoughts during the discussion and the poster.
3 Points:
Students added thoughts during the discussion and poster but their thoughts were not appropriate or clearly stated.
5 Points:
Students added their thoughts in a clear and appropriate way to the discussion and creation of the poster.
IX. Accommodations
This lesson is designed to accommodate all types of learner’s intelligences and also students who are English Language Learners and Special Education students. This lesson accommodates students who are linguistic learners because they can speak opening about their thoughts. It accommodates auditory learners because they can listen
to a story and listen to others responses and respond to them. It accommodates visual learners because they are able to look at the words in the book and the pictures. They are also able to look at a graphic organizer with the student’s
organized thoughts.
This lesson accommodates English Language Learners by allowing them to listen to the language they are not fully comfortable with, add thoughts when they have them, and learn from other children who may say things a little
differently than the teacher.
This lesson accommodates Special Education students by giving them time to state their thoughts when they think of them and in a way that they understand. The lesson allows for students to have ample opportunities to understand the topic. The graphic organizer allows for these students to see their thoughts and look back when needed.
X. References
Johnson, L. C. (1992). Our national symbols. Brookfield, CT: The Millbrook Press.
A symbol is something that stands for something else. All nations have symbols that are special to their people. Students will be taught about the United States’ national symbols. This will allow them to be informed and knowledgeable citizens of the country they live in. Students must know the history and significance of these symbols. They will be able to list reasons why a symbol is important to a country as well as why particular symbols; flag, liberty bell, bald eagle, Uncle Sam, Statue of Liberty, etc. are important to the country they live in.
II. Standards
Standard 1: History of the United States and New York
Standard 5: Civics, Citizenship, and Government
III. Lesson Goals
1. Students should be able to know what a symbol is and how important it is for a country and its people.
2. Students should be able to comprehend the significance of these national symbols to the United States of America.
3. Students should be able to apply this knowledge to a web diagram created as a class about the significance of symbols.
IV. Lesson Objectives
1. As a whole class, students will identify national symbols during the reading of a book, Our National Symbols by Linda Carlson Johnson.
2. After reading Our National Symbols by Linda Carlson Johnson, students will discuss what makes a symbol important to the people of a country.
3. As a whole class, students will apply the knowledge they have gained from the reading and the class discussion to create a web diagram about symbols.
V. Class Arrangement
Throughout the entire lesson students will be seated on the carpeted floor in the front of the classroom. The teacher will be sure that everyone can sit and see without disturbing others. If a problem persists, the student will be asked to continue listening to the story at their desk, which will be next to the carpeted area.
VI. Instructional Methods
1. Teacher will invite the students to the carpet for a book reading.
2. Teacher will introduce the unit by beginning to read the book Our National Symbols by Linda Carlson Johnson. While reading, the teacher will stop and ask questions and conduct an interactive read-aloud with the class to guide understanding. The teacher will make mental notes of who is participating in the interactive read-aloud for means of assessment.
3. Teacher will ask the students discussion questions after the reading, based on the questions and comments they stated during the interactive read-aloud.
4. Teacher will listen and add to the discussion when the teacher see fit, otherwise the teacher will let the students feed off of each other’s responses. Teacher will make mental notes of who is speaking, posing, and answering questions for means of assessment.
5. Teacher will turn the student’s attention to the easel that has a large piece of paper on it.
6. Teacher will write the word “symbol” in the middle of the paper and explain to the class that they will create a web to organize their thinking. This will be hung in the classroom so they can look back at their
thoughts later in the unit.
7. Teacher will take suggestions from the students as to what to put in the web, if needed the teacher will ask questions to guide the responses. As the students make suggestions the teacher will write their name next to their input for means of assessment and for the students to be able to see
their responses when the poster is hung.
8. Teacher will sum up the findings by asking the students if they have any questions about what a symbol is and why it is important to a country and its people.
9. Teacher will hang the poster up in the front of the room for the students to see.
VII. Materials
Our National Symbols by Linda Carlson Johnson
Easel
Large piece of paper
Markers
VIII. Assessment and Evaluation
Assessment for this lesson will be done during all three sections of the lesson. During the first section, the reading of the book, the teacher will make mental notes while observing the interaction the children have during the interactive read-aloud. The teacher will make note of who is asking and answering questions and who might need more guidance. During the second section, the discussion, the teacher will ask the students who did not participate in the interactive read-aloud questions to make sure they understood what was read. The teacher will also make mental notes on the observations of who is posing questions and participating in thoughtful discussions. During the third part of the lesson, the web diagram, the teacher will make note of who adds what on the poster by writing their name next to their input towards the web. This will allow the students to see their thinking before the unit and they will look back
on what they said during the last lesson, to see if their thinking changed or was added to. The web will be used as a reference for the entire unit and especially in the final project, a newspaper article about symbols of the United States of America. The teacher will complete a checklist of who added to the discussion and the poster; this will contribute to 5 points of the overall 150 possible points in the unit grade, as stated on Unit Rubric.
Lesson 1: Students added to discussion and poster.
0 Points:
Students did not add their thoughts during the discussion and the poster.
3 Points:
Students added thoughts during the discussion and poster but their thoughts were not appropriate or clearly stated.
5 Points:
Students added their thoughts in a clear and appropriate way to the discussion and creation of the poster.
IX. Accommodations
This lesson is designed to accommodate all types of learner’s intelligences and also students who are English Language Learners and Special Education students. This lesson accommodates students who are linguistic learners because they can speak opening about their thoughts. It accommodates auditory learners because they can listen
to a story and listen to others responses and respond to them. It accommodates visual learners because they are able to look at the words in the book and the pictures. They are also able to look at a graphic organizer with the student’s
organized thoughts.
This lesson accommodates English Language Learners by allowing them to listen to the language they are not fully comfortable with, add thoughts when they have them, and learn from other children who may say things a little
differently than the teacher.
This lesson accommodates Special Education students by giving them time to state their thoughts when they think of them and in a way that they understand. The lesson allows for students to have ample opportunities to understand the topic. The graphic organizer allows for these students to see their thoughts and look back when needed.
X. References
Johnson, L. C. (1992). Our national symbols. Brookfield, CT: The Millbrook Press.