First Grade Social Studies
Lesson #5
National Symbols Articles
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 bring together all the information they have learned during Lesson 4 in their ‘expert’ groups. Students must know the history and significance of the symbol they researched. This will allow them to be informed and knowledgeable citizens of the country they live in. Students will use the information gathered during Lesson 4 to write an article to be a part of the class’ book, Our National Symbols. In the article students will discuss what the symbol is and why it is important to the people of the United States.
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 apply the knowledge they have gained from the teacher’s example of an article about the Liberty Bell to their own article about the national symbol they researched in their ‘expert’ group.
2. Students should be able to analyze the information they have researched about their national symbol to complete the brainstorming sheet.
3. Students should be able to synthesize the information they provided on their brainstorming sheet to the draft of their article about their national symbol.
IV. Lesson Objectives
1. As a whole class, students will listen to the article written by the teacher about the Liberty Bell and apply that knowledge to their own article about the national symbol they researched in their ‘expert’ group during Lesson 4.
2. Individually, students will analyze the information they have researched about their national symbol to complete a brainstorming sheet to plan for their article.
3. Individually, students will compose a draft of an article about their national symbol based on the brainstorming sheet and information gathered during Lesson 4.
V. Classroom Arrangement
At the beginning of the lesson, when the teacher is reading the example article about the Liberty Bell, the students will be seated on the carpeted floor in the classroom. The teacher will read the example and give the students directions on the carpet. When the students are brainstorming and creating their draft articles they will be seated at their desks. If necessary, students who are disruptive to others can be placed at other tables in the room to work.
VI. Instructional Methods
1. Teacher will direct students to the carpet for directions and an example article.
2. Teacher will tell the students that they will be writing an article today for the classes’ new book ‘Our National Symbols’. Each student will be writing about the symbol they researched during the previous lesson in their ‘expert’ groups.
3. Teacher will show the students the web diagram they created as a class about the Liberty Bell during Lesson 3. The teacher will explain how she used the important information to write the article about the Liberty Bell.
4. Teacher will read the example article. Teacher will ask the students to list items that made that article a good article. Teacher will show the students the rubric with which they will be assessed. The National Symbols Article will be worth 50 points in the Unit Rubric. Teacher will read all the parts of the rubric and will give each student a copy.
5. Teacher will direct students back to their seats and pass out a brainstorming sheet for the students to use to generate ideas and collect their thoughts.
6. Teacher will direct students to bring their completed brainstorming sheets to the teacher, the teacher will look at the brainstorming sheets to be sure that students are ready to continue drafting. If so, the teacher will give the students paper to write their draft. If not, the teacher will ask the student to add more detail to their brainstorming sheet.
The Brainstorming Sheet will count towards 5 points in the Unit Rubric.
7. Teacher will be available to students as they are writing to assist them in the writing process.
8. Teacher will explain to students that during the next lesson they will be peer editing their articles and then they will have time to write or type their final copy for their class book.
VII. Materials
The Liberty Bell web diagram (created during Lesson 3)
Liberty Bell Article example (created by the teacher)
National Symbols Article Rubric (50 possible points) (one for each student)
Brainstorming Sheet (5 possible points)
Draft paper
Pencils
VIII. Assessment and Evaluation
Students will be assessed during two parts of this lesson. During this lesson students will be completing a Brainstorming Sheet and writing a draft of their National Symbols Article. Each of these documents will be assessed and points will be given towards the Unit Rubric. Students will complete a Brainstorming Sheet; this will count towards 5 possible points on the Unit Rubric. Five points will be given to students who complete the Brainstorming
Sheet and have listed facts and ideas that will be helpful to them while writing their articles. Students will complete a draft of their National Symbols Article. The final article will count towards 50 possible points on the Unit Rubric. Of these 50 points, 10 are allotted towards a well thought out and well written draft.
IX. Accommodations
During this lesson there are multiple opportunities for students with different learning styles and students with disabilities and ELLs. Students are able to have a model of what they are being asked to do. This will allow students of all learning styles to be able to see and understand what is being asked of them. They are also given a rubric, which they can read themselves and which will be read to them by the teacher. This allows students who are visual learners to read the rubric themselves and look back and also allows students who are auditory learners to listen to the teacher read the details of the rubric. This allows all students to have multiple opportunities for understanding.
Students with disabilities and English Language Learners are able to have an example of what to write and they will also have a modified rubric for the final article. They are still writing the same article as the other students but they
will be assessed differently.
X. References
Farris, P. (2007). Elementary and middle school social studies An interdisciplinary, multicultural approach (5th ed.). Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press
A symbol is something that stands for something else. All nations have symbols that are special to their people. Students will bring together all the information they have learned during Lesson 4 in their ‘expert’ groups. Students must know the history and significance of the symbol they researched. This will allow them to be informed and knowledgeable citizens of the country they live in. Students will use the information gathered during Lesson 4 to write an article to be a part of the class’ book, Our National Symbols. In the article students will discuss what the symbol is and why it is important to the people of the United States.
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 apply the knowledge they have gained from the teacher’s example of an article about the Liberty Bell to their own article about the national symbol they researched in their ‘expert’ group.
2. Students should be able to analyze the information they have researched about their national symbol to complete the brainstorming sheet.
3. Students should be able to synthesize the information they provided on their brainstorming sheet to the draft of their article about their national symbol.
IV. Lesson Objectives
1. As a whole class, students will listen to the article written by the teacher about the Liberty Bell and apply that knowledge to their own article about the national symbol they researched in their ‘expert’ group during Lesson 4.
2. Individually, students will analyze the information they have researched about their national symbol to complete a brainstorming sheet to plan for their article.
3. Individually, students will compose a draft of an article about their national symbol based on the brainstorming sheet and information gathered during Lesson 4.
V. Classroom Arrangement
At the beginning of the lesson, when the teacher is reading the example article about the Liberty Bell, the students will be seated on the carpeted floor in the classroom. The teacher will read the example and give the students directions on the carpet. When the students are brainstorming and creating their draft articles they will be seated at their desks. If necessary, students who are disruptive to others can be placed at other tables in the room to work.
VI. Instructional Methods
1. Teacher will direct students to the carpet for directions and an example article.
2. Teacher will tell the students that they will be writing an article today for the classes’ new book ‘Our National Symbols’. Each student will be writing about the symbol they researched during the previous lesson in their ‘expert’ groups.
3. Teacher will show the students the web diagram they created as a class about the Liberty Bell during Lesson 3. The teacher will explain how she used the important information to write the article about the Liberty Bell.
4. Teacher will read the example article. Teacher will ask the students to list items that made that article a good article. Teacher will show the students the rubric with which they will be assessed. The National Symbols Article will be worth 50 points in the Unit Rubric. Teacher will read all the parts of the rubric and will give each student a copy.
5. Teacher will direct students back to their seats and pass out a brainstorming sheet for the students to use to generate ideas and collect their thoughts.
6. Teacher will direct students to bring their completed brainstorming sheets to the teacher, the teacher will look at the brainstorming sheets to be sure that students are ready to continue drafting. If so, the teacher will give the students paper to write their draft. If not, the teacher will ask the student to add more detail to their brainstorming sheet.
The Brainstorming Sheet will count towards 5 points in the Unit Rubric.
7. Teacher will be available to students as they are writing to assist them in the writing process.
8. Teacher will explain to students that during the next lesson they will be peer editing their articles and then they will have time to write or type their final copy for their class book.
VII. Materials
The Liberty Bell web diagram (created during Lesson 3)
Liberty Bell Article example (created by the teacher)
National Symbols Article Rubric (50 possible points) (one for each student)
Brainstorming Sheet (5 possible points)
Draft paper
Pencils
VIII. Assessment and Evaluation
Students will be assessed during two parts of this lesson. During this lesson students will be completing a Brainstorming Sheet and writing a draft of their National Symbols Article. Each of these documents will be assessed and points will be given towards the Unit Rubric. Students will complete a Brainstorming Sheet; this will count towards 5 possible points on the Unit Rubric. Five points will be given to students who complete the Brainstorming
Sheet and have listed facts and ideas that will be helpful to them while writing their articles. Students will complete a draft of their National Symbols Article. The final article will count towards 50 possible points on the Unit Rubric. Of these 50 points, 10 are allotted towards a well thought out and well written draft.
IX. Accommodations
During this lesson there are multiple opportunities for students with different learning styles and students with disabilities and ELLs. Students are able to have a model of what they are being asked to do. This will allow students of all learning styles to be able to see and understand what is being asked of them. They are also given a rubric, which they can read themselves and which will be read to them by the teacher. This allows students who are visual learners to read the rubric themselves and look back and also allows students who are auditory learners to listen to the teacher read the details of the rubric. This allows all students to have multiple opportunities for understanding.
Students with disabilities and English Language Learners are able to have an example of what to write and they will also have a modified rubric for the final article. They are still writing the same article as the other students but they
will be assessed differently.
X. References
Farris, P. (2007). Elementary and middle school social studies An interdisciplinary, multicultural approach (5th ed.). Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press