Social Studies - SVSU · Web viewTell the children these wants are called "goods" and write the word "goods" on the easel. Explain that a good is an object you can buy to satisfy

Social StudiesActivity Worksheet

GRADE LEVEL: First

Course Title: Family and School

Strand: III. Government

Topic: American Government and World Affairs

Grade Level Standard: 1-14 Discuss American government and world affairs.

Grade Level Benchmark: 1. Distinguish between events in this country and events

abroad. (III.5.EE.1)

Learning Activity(s)/Facts/Information

1. Life in the United States (see attached)

2. Discuss how the war in Iraq affects people there as opposed to the people in the United States.

Resources

Video of life in a different part of the United States

New Vocabulary:

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LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES

The teacher asks the students to volunteer all the places besides Michigan they know of within the United States and writes their responses on a large sheet of paper. The teacher asks whether life in Michigan is the same or different in these other places. The teacher then shows a video of life in a different part of the United States (using West Virginia as the example). The teacher lists various ways of comparison and asks students’ ideas as well. Possible examples include food, language, holidays, clothing, dwelling, daily routine, government, family size, and jobs.

The teacher creates two columns on a large sheet of paper. The first column is labeled “Things that could only happen in West Virginia” and the second is labeled “Things that could happen in West Virginia or Michigan.” The students volunteer responses and discussion follows about why certain things could only happen in West Virginia. Examples include working in the coal mining industry, living in mountainous regions and clothing (heavy winter clothing is needed in Michigan but not West Virginia). The teacher should emphasize how many things are similar between West Virginia and Michigan including language, holidays, government, dwelling, etc.

The teacher then asks the students whether life would be different in another country. Discussion follows about what may or may not be different in another country.

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GRADE LEVEL: First


Strand: III. Government

Topic: American Government and World Affairs

Grade Level Standard: 1-14 Discuss American government and world affairs.

Grade Level Benchmark: 2. Recognize that events in other countries can affect

Americans. (III.5.EE.2)


1. World Events Can Affect the United States (activity attached)

Resources

Books on “strikes”

New Vocabulary:

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WORLD EVENTS CAN AFFECT THE UNITED STATES

The world is divided into many countries, and each country is defined by its own territory, people, laws, and government. Increasingly, events in other countries have greater effect on one’s own life, as the world becomes more interdependent. Possible events include war, famine, and political upheaval. These events can have environmental, economic, political, social, or other effects upon Americans. It is important for young children to begin to understand that the world comprises a much greater area than that of their local community and actions and occurrences far away can still have a large impact on their lives.

Instructional ExampleInstruct students to look at their clothing or toy labels and determine where their clothing is made. List all the places on a sheet of paper and discuss that many of our articles of clothing come from places other than American. Ask the children how these items are made. Explain to children that the people who make these products work in factories and give examples of some factories in the local community. Explain that sometimes when people work in factories (or schools, companies, universities, newspapers) the employees can become unsatisfied with working conditions or pay. If they voice their complaints to management and the management does not offer to help the workers solve their problems, then the workers can decide to go on a strike. They refuse to work until management agrees to meet some or all of their needs.

Read to students some passages from books about strikes and use one strike that the students are most interested in as an example. The baseball strike, because it has happened in recent history and because it is part of our popular culture, will appeal to students. After describing the strike, ask the students to list all the people who were affected by the strike. (Examples include players, managers, fans, concession workers, sports columnists, and announcers.) Then, ask the students to describe how these people’s lives were affected by the strike. (The concession workers lost their jobs because there weren’t any games for them to work. They had to find new jobs.)

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GRADE LEVEL: First


Strand: IV. Economics

Topic: Individual and Household Choices

Grade Level Standard: 1-15 Discuss individual and household choices.

Grade Level Benchmark: 1. Identify ways families produce and consume goods and

services. (IV.1.EE.1)


1. Goods and Services (activity attached)

2. Producers Earn Money and Consumers Spend Money (activity attached)

Resources

New Vocabulary: Consume, produce, services

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GOODS AND SERVICESSS010601

ABSTRACTIn this lesson, children are introduced to the basic economic terms of goods and services. They learn that economic wants are satisfied by the purchase of a good or service. By listing examples of their own economic wants, children learn to distinguish between a good and a service. SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies GRADE LEVEL AND COURSE TITLE: First Grade/Family and School UNIT OF STUDY: Earning and Spending BENCHMARKRecognize economic exchanges in which they participate (IV.5.EE.1). KEY CONCEPTSgoods services INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCESStudent Resource Stewart, Sarah. The Money Tree. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1991. Other Children's writing journals Easel paper Markers/crayons SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES

1. Tell the entire class about a list you recently made of all the things you wanted. Using the large easel paper, write down all the things you wanted: clothing, books, a haircut, an oil change for your car, some compact discs, an airplane ticket, a computer and for your lawn to be mowed. Draw a small picture next to each item so those children who have less developed reading skills can identify the item. Ask the children how you could get some or all of these wants. Guide a discussion that explains the need to purchase these items, and that money is necessary to make the purchases. Explain that wants that can be satisfied by purchases are called economic wants. Write the term economic wants on the easel at the top of your list. Ask a child to restate the definition of an economic want. Ask the children if their wants are economic. Add several more items to your list: like happiness, good grades, sunshine. Ask the children if these items can be purchased. Ask children to volunteer some other non-economic wants.

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2. Explain that the wants that can be satisfied by money are called economic wants. Ask the children how you could get the other wants on the list (those not circled). Briefly discuss how the items not circled could be satisfied. Reinforce the idea that economic wants can only be acquired by money.

3. Next, tell the children that there are two kinds of economic wants. Show them your wants list (include only the economic wants) and ask them how some of them are different from other economic wants. Use two examples to make your point: "How is having my lawn mowed different than buying a compact disc?" Which one can I hold in my hand?" Explain that some economic wants are things you can hold in your hand or take home with you. Tell the children these wants are called "goods" and write the word "goods" on the easel. Explain that a good is an object you can buy to satisfy your want. Ask the children to identify which wants on your list are goods. Have the children volunteer responses. As each good is identified, write a "G" next to the item on the list.

4. After each good is labeled with a "G," ask the children to look at the items not identified as a good. Ask various children to each read aloud one of the items not identified as a good. Ask the children why the item is not a good. Instruct them to think about what is the same about each of them. Guide them to understand these are not goods because you cannot hold them; they are not objects. When someone mows your lawn, you do not get anything to hold in return for payment. Explain that these items are called services. Write the word services on the easel. Tell the children that services are activities that can satisfy people's wants. Have the children identify which items on your list are considered services, label them with an "S". Let other children volunteer to explain why each is a service.

5. Ask the children if they have any economic wants. Ask for a few children to volunteer their economic wants, and then ask, "How do we know those are economic wants?" Remind the children that economic wants are those that can be satisfied by buying them. Tell the children to brainstorm all the economic wants they have. Tell them to list both goods and services. Distribute paper to the children and direct them to make a list by writing or drawing their economic wants.

6. Give the children time to complete their lists. Direct them to identify which items on their lists are goods and which are services. Have them indicate with an S or G the type of want each item represents. Next, divide the children into groups of four and instruct them to read aloud their lists and discuss with their group the categorization of the items into goods and services. Encourage the children to say if they agree or disagree and why.

7. Reconvene in the large group and ask the children to volunteer their responses. On a new sheet of easel paper, create two columns, one for goods and the other for services. As the children read their items, ask them to identify the item as a good or a service. Write the item in the appropriate column on the easel paper. For every few items, discuss why each is placed in either the good or service column.

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8. Read The Money Tree aloud to the children and discuss if the main character, Miss McGillicuddy has economic or non-economic wants. Conclude the lesson by asking the children to list a few non-economic wants they have. Ask them to tell you why they are not considered economic wants.

ASSESSMENTTell the children that the classroom has been given a large sum of money. The class is to decide which of their economic wants can be satisfied with this sum of money. In their journals, have the children write and or draw some of the economic wants the children and teacher in the classroom may have. They should label each want with a G or an S, depending if the want is a good or service. Remind them to think of services the classroom would need. Ask them to restate what a service is. As the children complete their journals, conference individually with the children and ask them to explain their lists. Check to see that their examples reflect an understanding of the distinction between a good and a service. Then, ask them why all these wants are considered economic wants. If children can accurately identify goods and services and explain that wants are considered economic if they can be satisfied through a purchase, they have achieved success. APPLICATION BEYOND SCHOOLChildren can document the economic wants that they or their family has for a period of a few days. They can classify these economic wants as goods or services. CONNECTIONSArts Children draw pictures of economic wants. English Language Arts Children practice the writer's craft as a form of communication to describe and identify economic wants.

http://www.michigan.gov/scope/0,1607,7-155-10710_10733_10740-62067--,00.html

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PRODUCERS EARN MONEY ANDCONSUMERS SPEND MONEY

SS010604

ABSTRACTIn this lesson children learn about the roles of producers and consumers. They examine the ways in which they and their family members earn and spend money. They learn that producers are the people who make the goods or services. Consumers are people whose wants are satisfied by using the goods or services. The children begin to identify both producers and consumers in an economy and understand that people can be both producers and consumers. SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies GRADE LEVEL AND COURSE TITLE: First Grade/Family and School UNIT OF STUDY: Earning and Spending BENCHMARKRecognize economic exchanges in which they participate (IV.5.EE.1). KEY CONCEPTS consumers producers INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCESStudent Resource Williams, Vera B. A Chair for my Mother. New York: Greenwillow Books, 1982. Other Blank paper Clipboards, pens and paper with the title, "earn money" at the top (6-8, or enough for pairs/small groups of children) Colored markers Easel paper Journals SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES

1. Ask the children to brainstorm some wants they have and list them on easel paper. (If time permits, conduct a review of goods and services by having the children categorize the wants). Re-read the wants and ask the children how they could get or "consume" these wants. Ask them if they can determine what "consume" means in the context of this sentence. Explain that it refers to the people who use the good or service (consumers).

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2. Listen to the children's responses about how they could consume their wants. If children say, "buy them", probe their thinking by asking them "How" and "With what?" When the children respond, "With money" ask, "How did people get that money?" When children begin generating ideas about the source of money, write down their ideas on a new sheet of paper.

3. Re-read the list of responses about the source of money. Discuss allowances, gifts, banks, piggy banks, etc. Next, ask the children where they think the money originally came from (before it became an allowance, a gift, etc.). Explain that in their families, money to satisfy wants generally comes from their parents. Ask the children how their families get money. Discuss different jobs the children's families may have. Explain that in exchange for doing their job people get money. Explain that getting money is called "earning money." Write the words "earn money" on another sheet of paper.

4. Divide the children into pairs or small groups and pass out sheets of paper on clipboards with the title "earn money." Assign the children to brainstorm jobs or careers they know and ask them to take turns writing their responses down or drawing pictures of the different jobs they suggest. Explain to the children that jobs lead to the production of a good or service, and the people who perform these jobs are called producers. They produce a good or service. Ask the children to restate what each job produces (using the vocabulary, "produce."

5. After the children have had sufficient time to complete the lists from Step 4, reconvene the group and ask each group to share one of the responses. Next, ask the children to describe if any of the jobs they listed lead to the creation of a good or service. Create a two-column list, with "job" in one heading and good/service in the other. Ask for the children's suggestions about jobs. Have the children help you spell the words as you write them. Ask the children to determine if the job listed produces a good or service. Repeat this for five or six jobs. Emphasize that there are many important jobs people do in the house for which they do not earn money. Ask the children to list some jobs they and their family members do in and around the house. Ask, "Why would people perform a job (mention one from the list) for which they were not going to be paid?" Explain that there are many jobs for which people are not paid, but life would be impossible or at least much more difficult, if family members or others did not do those jobs.

6. The next day, tell the children a vignette about you buying something like a hand-made sweater or some bakery goods (something for which the producer is easily identifiable). Draw the good in the middle of a sheet of paper. Ask the children if a producer is the same as a consumer. Listen to their responses. Ask the children to describe who would be a producer and who would be a consumer. Ask the children to determine if the producer or the consumer is the one earning money from that exchange. (Only one is spending money at the time of the actual purchase of a specific product and only one is earning money. The baker spent the money earlier as a consumer of flour, eggs and ovens. The baker is a producer of a product and earner of money when the bread is passed across the

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counter and the transaction is complete. Be cautious of a misconception that only the producer in an exchange is the money earner. The consumer earns the money for the purchase elsewhere.)

7. Divide the children into small groups or pairs and have them create a diagram like that in Step 6, with a good or service, the producer and the consumer. They should accurately label everything in the drawing. When they have completed the diagrams, ask them to present the diagrams to the class. Encourage the children to ask questions of each other. When each has finished, state several examples of both producers and consumers that the children used. Ask the children in each example who earned money in the economic exchange. Review the concept that producers earn money when consumers consume their good or service.

ASSESSMENTRead A Chair for my Mother to the children. Ask the children to draw a journal entry about a part of the story where a good/service was produced or consumed. Ask the children individually to explain their drawing. Ask them to think about who producers in the story were, who were the consumers and what did they produce or consume? Where does this consumer get her money? Was she also a producer? Of what?" If children can accurately identify who were the consumers and producers and what they produced/consumed with minimal teacher assistance, they are developing the basic concepts of producers and consumers within a free market system. APPLICATION BEYOND SCHOOLChildren could ask their parents or family members to describe their jobs. They could write down the name of the job and whether or not the job involves production of a good or service. Children could visit neighborhood businesses and record the same kind of information. CONNECTIONSArts Children draw parts of the story in their journals. English Language Arts Children listen to literature for meaning.


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GRADE LEVEL: First



Topic: Individual and Household Choices

Grade Level Standard: 1-15 Discuss individual and household choices.

Grade Level Benchmark: 2. List ways that individuals can conserve limited resources.

(IV.1.EE.2)


1. Opportunity Cost (activity attached)

2. Wants: Goods or Services (activity attached)

Resources

New Vocabulary:

193

OPPORTUNITY COSTSS010602

ABSTRACTIn this lesson, children review the two kinds of economic wants: goods and services. They learn that it is impossible for everyone to satisfy all their economic wants because resources are limited. There is not enough money to purchase everything they want. Children learn that limited resources force people to make choices about what they can buy, and when a choice has to be made between two economic wants, the one not chosen is called the opportunity cost. Children list two economic wants they have. They choose one want and identify the one not chosen as the opportunity cost. SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies GRADE LEVEL AND COURSE TITLE: First Grade/Family and School UNIT OF STUDY: Earning and Spending BENCHMARKSDescribe how someone can conserve limited resources to choose what they want (IV.1.EE.2). Recognize economic exchanges in which they participate (IV.5.EE.1). KEY CONCEPTSgoods opportunity cost services INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCESStudent Resource Viorst, Judith. Alexander, Who used to be Rich Last Sunday. New York: Atheneum, 1978. Other Easel paper Journals Markers/crayons SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES

1. Review the terms, goods and services (see SS010601) with the class. Give the children a few examples of both and ask them to determine which are goods and which are services. Ask them how they know which are goods and services. Review the definitions of goods and services with the children.

2. Tell the children a story about how you had two economic wants but you only had enough money for one of them. Tell them you really had to think for a long time about which item you wanted more than the other. Have the children guess what

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item you bought. Ask them to indicate the item you were not able to buy. Explain that not getting the item you wanted was the opportunity cost of choosing the other item. Write the word "opportunity cost" on the easel paper, and discuss the definition of each word. Explain that it is called "opportunity cost" because buying the other item "cost you the opportunity" to buy this item. Whenever you make a choice to use resources for one purpose, the opportunity to use your resources for another purpose is lost.

3. Tell the children that opportunity costs can also occur in situations not involving money. For example, tell children a scenario in which you, the teacher, were trying to decide how to spend a recent Saturday afternoon. You could either visit your parents or go to a movie, but you could not do both. You decided to go visit your parents. Ask the children what the opportunity cost was. Ask the children to volunteer an example of a situation where they did not have time to do two things they wanted and had to make a choice. Ask them to tell what happened and which of the two things was the opportunity cost.

4. Tell the children to brainstorm two economic wants they have. Distribute sheets of paper and direct them to write/draw these economic wants. Next, tell them to pretend they were shopping, and they found both items, but it turned out they only had enough money to purchase one of the items. Ask them what the item they do not choose is called. Give them a moment to decide which item would be their opportunity cost. Divide the children into groups of four and have them share their two economic wants with the group. Have them identify which one is the one they would buy and what was the opportunity cost. Tell them to voice the reasons for their decisions.

5. Read Alexander, Who used to be Rich Last Sunday aloud to the class. Ask the children to discuss how Alexander spent his money and how he felt after he spent it. Ask the children if Alexander had limited resources and if there were any opportunity costs incurred. Have the children identify the opportunity cost in the story.

ASSESSMENTTell the following fictional story: There is a family with two boys who must decide how to spend their money. Their grandparents gave them $100 to spend any way they wished on a summer present. Bobby, the older boy, suggests they buy a basketball and a basketball net. Georgie, the younger boy, suggests they use the money to go to Cedar Point. They research how much each economic want costs, and they learn that visiting Cedar Point and buying tickets for rides will cost $80 for both of them. They learn that the basketball net and basketball will cost $90. What should the boys do?Instruct each student to write or draw in their journals what they think the boys should do and why. Upon completion and during individual conferencing, ask each child to explain the boys' decision, why the boys could not buy both items, and to identify the opportunity cost. If children can explain their decisions demonstrating understanding of

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limited resources and opportunity cost, then they have knowledge of the concept and its application to practical situations. APPLICATION BEYOND SCHOOLChildren could interview their family regarding opportunity cost. They could ask the family member if there was ever a time when they wanted two things at the same time and had to make a choice. As the children to discuss why this resulted in an opportunity cost. CONNECTIONSArts Children draw pictures of economic wants. English Language Arts Children listen to literature for meaning about economic choices. They practice the writer's craft as a form of communication to describe and identify economic wants.


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WANTS: GOODS OR SERVICES

The teacher instructs students to list two wants (either goods or services). The teacher then explains that the students have enough money to buy either want, but not both. The students learn that since they cannot afford both wants, they have to make choices regarding their wants. Each student chooses one want and gives an explanation of their decision. They then learn that the want not chosen is the opportunity cost. The teacher then explains that one way to conserve your resources is by not consuming all of one’s wants. When you don’t buy everything you want, there will be an opportunity cost. As an extension activity, students can think of real-life opportunity costs that have been incurred at home.

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GRADE LEVEL: First



Topic: Business Choices

Grade Level Standard: 1-16 Identify business choices.

Grade Level Benchmark: 1. Connect economic needs with businesses that meet

them. (IV.2.EE.1)


1. Grocery List Activity (activity attached)

Resources

World Map or U.S.A. map

New Vocabulary:

198

GROCERY LIST ACTIVITY

Instructional ExampleThe teacher asks students to bring in a grocery list from home. Each student volunteers one item from his/her list not yet mentioned so each student has a different response. The teacher writes down and creates a symbol if possible, for the various responses. The grocery lists are then collected and used later for the assessment. The teacher explains to the students that the store does not generally produce the item it sells, but instead buys it from somewhere else. Then, the teacher asks the students to hypothesize from where each item came. For homework, each student researches the origin of each item and reports his/her findings to the class. Most products will have a label that reveals the place of production. Each student will create a small symbol and writes the name of the product on a 1" x 2" piece of paper.

The teacher then asks students to individually affix their piece of paper to the corresponding place on a world (or U.S.) map. The teachers and students discuss why products are produced in these locations. If no student has chosen a product from Michigan, the teacher should choose an item from Michigan as his/her example.

The teacher explains that it is not necessary to travel to each of these places ourselves to gather the items; instead the store does that for us. However, it’s important for the students to understand that the products from the store come from other locations.

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GRADE LEVEL: First



Topic: Business Choices

Grade Level Standard: 1-16 Identify business choices.

Grade Level Benchmark:2. Select a particular good or service and describe the types

of resources necessary to produce and distribute it. (IV.2.EE.2)


1. Choose a service in the community. Brainstorm what is needed to produce it and what is needed to distribute it. Keep going over it to eliminate oversights. Break class up into producers and distributors to refine their lists.

2. We Can Be Producers (activity attached)

Resources

New Vocabulary:

200

WE CAN BE PRODUCERSSS010605

ABSTRACTIn this lesson, children brainstorm possible wants that people in the school may have. The teacher tells the children that as part of a class project, they can satisfy a want by producing one good or service for members of the school community to consume. They vote on which item to produce and then generate a list of the productive resources needed to produce the item. SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies GRADE LEVEL AND COURSE TITLE: First Grade/Family and School UNIT OF STUDY: Earning and Spending BENCHMARKSelect a particular good or service and describe the resources necessary to produce and distribute it (IV.2.EE.2). KEY CONCEPTS producers and consumers productive resources INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCESStudent Resource DePaola, Tomie. Charlie Needs a Cloak. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1974. Peterson, Cris. Extra Cheese, Please! Mozzarella's journey from Cow to Pizza. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press, 1994. Other Colored markers Easel paper Journals SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES

1. Ask the children if any of them have ever had a lemonade stand. Have them list all the things needed for a lemonade stand and write down their responses on the board or an overhead transparency. Help them list all the necessary items. Explain that all the things they listed are called productive resources. Productive resources are the natural, human and, capital resources used in the production of a good or service. Children may list people as a productive resource. If not, ask the children how will it be sold. Listen to their responses and help them understand that people are a kind of productive resource.

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2. Tell the children that you want them to think of goods or services that other students, parents or teachers/staff would want to purchase at school. Listen to their suggestions and then pick one and say, "I wonder how someone could consume this item at school. What would have to happen?" After determining that someone would have to produce this good/service for others to consume, tell the children they are going to get the opportunity to produce a good/service to sell to others in the school. Ask the children how they could decide which thing to sell. Ask them what is the fair way to determine which item your class will produce (vote). Be sure to emphasize the feasibility of producing and selling each item, and consider removing some of the items from the list if their production would be unmanageable or impossible. For the remainder of this lesson, the example of a bake sale will be used.

3. The next day, tell the children that they will generate their own lists of resources in small groups. Tell them to think about the things they will need in order to produce and sell the goods. State that these will be the productive resources necessary to both produce the goods (bowls, spoons, ingredients, oven, baking sheets, etc.) and sell the goods. Divide the children into small groups and ask them to generate all the necessary resources to produce the baked goods. Remind them that humans are resources, too. Give a sheet of easel paper and a marker to each child and explain that they are to be responsible for writing down a resource. Monitor the groups and ask questions to help them generate the productive resources such as, "What do you need to bake the goods?"

4. Reconvene in the large group and ask the children to share their responses. Write their responses on a large sheet of easel paper.

5. Ask the children how they would then gather these resources. Explain that they can borrow some of them, but others will need to be purchased. Ask the children how they think they will get the money to purchase those resources they will need to buy. Tell them that in the next few days they are going to discuss ways of generating money to buy the resources.

6. Read Extra Cheese, Please! Mozzarella's Journey from Cow to Pizza to the children. Ask them to describe the resources necessary to make pizza. If time permits, read Charlie Needs a Cloak and discuss the resources Charlie needs.

ASSESSMENTTell the children that the class next door is planning to have a car wash. In their journals, ask them to list or draw the necessary resources to provide this service. They can write labels for the items as well, if they wish. Individually discuss each child's drawings and their lists of resources. If they have listed several resources (about three or four), they have achieved success. APPLICATION BEYOND SCHOOLChildren could determine a business of their own they would like to run. They could determine what they would want to sell and what resources they would need to sell this

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good or service. They could determine which resources they could borrow from their families and which ones they would need to purchase. CONNECTIONSArts Children use artistic skills to draw resources necessary for a car wash. English Language Arts Children listen to literature for meaning. They also practice writing skills by listing the necessary resources to provide a service.In presenting their ideas to the group, they practice oral communication skills.


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GRADE LEVEL: First



Topic: Role of Government

Grade Level Standard: 1-17 Identify roles of government.

Grade Level Benchmark: 1. Describe a good or service provided by the local

government and the method of payment. (IV.3.EE.1)


1. Local Government Goods and Services (activity attached)

Resources

New Vocabulary:

204

LOCAL GOVERNMENT GOODS AND SERVICES

The teacher lists a variety of goods and services he/she has consumed recently. (As an added visual component, the teacher could bring in the goods purchased and photographs of him/her using the services). The list should include goods and services that are purchased as well as those provided by the government. He/she then asks the students to hypothesize how he/she got these goods. Discussion should follow about how the goods and services are consumed. The teacher explains that certain goods and services are provided by the government. The teacher then asks the students how they think the government pays for the goods and services. The teacher explains that taxes are paid on most sales of goods and services and on income.

For homework, the teacher instructs the students to bring in a receipt of a purchase that lists the price of the good/service and the amount of tax paid on the item(s). The students learn that one way the government collects money is through sales tax.

The teacher then divides the students into small groups and asks them to think of twenty goods and services their families have consumed. Each group of students will put a “G” by each good and service that is provided by the government. Each group will present some of their non-government provided goods and services and all of the government provided goods and services to the rest of the class. Then, the class will review the two ways they’ve studied how the government pays for goods and services.

The teacher then engages the students in a discussion of why the government collects taxes and disperses the goods and services the way it does. The teacher could emphasize that the government usually pays for services that benefit people as a whole, but does not pay for individuals’ personal wants and needs.

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GRADE LEVEL: First





Grade Level Benchmark: 2. Identify the goods and services their school provides and

the people who provide them. (IV.3.EE.2)


1. Goods and Services at School (activity attached)

Resources

New Vocabulary:

206

GOODS AND SERVICES AT SCHOOL

The teacher asks the students to determine the various goods and services their family members provide for the good of the family. The students should think about the roles and responsibilities of family members. After writing down the students’ responses, the teacher asks the students if they think the family could survive without these goods and services: “If no one did the grocery shopping, would the family be able to eat?” or “What would happen if no one took out the trash or did the laundry?” The teacher emphasizes the importance of providing goods and services within a social unit.

The teacher then explains to the students that their own classroom, in some ways, is similar to a family. Like a family, each member of the classroom has certain responsibilities. He/she asks the students to think about the goods and services the students and adults within the classroom provide. The teacher divides the students into small groups and instructs them to determine all the services the students (through their classroom jobs) and adults provide. In one column, the students could write the service, and then in an adjoining column, they write the person who provides that service.

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GRADE LEVEL: First





Grade Level Benchmark: 3. Identify an unmet local economic need and propose a

plan to meet it. (IV.3.EE.3)


1. Economic Needs (activity attached)

Resources

New Vocabulary:

208

ECONOMIC NEEDS

The teacher explains that there are needs within the classroom. He/she solicits responses from the students about various needs in the classroom. Answers may range from cooperative behavior and respect to desks and chalk. The teacher writes down the responses on the board and then asks students if any of these needs can be bought. He/she explains that the needs that can be met through purchases are called economic needs. However, the other intangible needs cannot be bought. The teacher instructs the students to come to the board and put an “E” by the economic needs.

In order to have these economic needs met, the students should devise a plan by which to meet these needs. For example, one of the economic needs may be art supplies. The art supplies are the unmet economic need. The teacher asks the students what a possible plan could be to meet this need: “How are we going to get new art supplies?” and “To whom should we express our need?” Solutions include presenting this need to a leader in the school who has the power to purchase the new art supplies. Together, the class decides the justification for this need. The teacher then asks how they can contribute this need. Ideas include drafting a letter or speaking to the school leader to convey this unmet economic need.

The teacher then divides the students into small groups and assigns each group an economic need. The teacher lists the following steps the students must take in order to try and meet this economic need:

identify which person(s) in the school have the power to meet this need

recognize the course(s) of action to express this need recognize the justification for the need express the need

The students then follow these steps and present their process to the class.

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GRADE LEVEL: First



Topic: Economic Systems

Grade Level Standard: 1-18 Identify economic systems.

Grade Level Benchmark: 1. Identify examples of markets they experience in their

daily lives. (IV.4.EE.1)


1. Market Examples (activity attached)

Resources

New Vocabulary:

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MARKET EXAMPLES

The teacher describes a situation wherein she owned a television he/she no longer needed, and his/her friend owned a videocassette recorder. The teacher decided to trade the television for the videocassette recorder. The teacher explains to the students that that was called an exchange or a trade. The teacher asks the students if they’ve ever made a trade, or an exchange, with a friend or sibling. The teacher asks the students if they would ever trade a piece of gum for a new computer. Discussion follows about how people generally want to make fair trades, where the value of the two items is relatively similar.

The teacher then asks the students how they consume goods and services. The students and teacher discuss how most items are consumed through purchases with money. The teacher explains that whenever a trade (with or without money) occurs, it’s called a market. The teacher could ask why we use the labels “super market” or “farmers’ market.”

The teacher then asks students to list markets they have experienced. Responses are not limited to stores; they could include trading baseball cards, allowance for chores, lemonade stands, and garage sales. The teacher asks the students to identify what items are exchanged. For example, money is exchanged for an ice cream cone; one valuable baseball card is traded for 5 less valuable cards.

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GRADE LEVEL: First





Grade Level Benchmark: 2. Distinguish between producers and consumers in a

market economy. (IV.4.EE.2)


1. Producer or Consumer (attached activity)

Resources

Extra Cheese, Please! Mozzarella’s Journey from Cow to Pizza by Cris PetersonISBN: 1563971771

New Vocabulary:

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PRODUCER OR CONSUMER

The teacher reads Extra Cheese, Please! Mozzarella’s Journey from Cow to Pizza to the students. He/she divides the students into pairs and asks the students to determine the good or service being produced and consumed in the story. He/she then instructs the students to write or draw a diagram that shows first the producer(s), then the good or service and then the consumer(s).

Students present and discuss their findings with the class.

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GRADE LEVEL: First





Grade Level Benchmark: 3. Describe how the choices they make impact business

decisions. (IV.4.EE.3)


1. What is the Price? (activity attached)

2. The Bake Sale (activity attached)

Resources

New Vocabulary: Impact

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WHAT IS THE PRICE?SS010608

ABSTRACTChildren first learn the power of advertising and what characteristics make good advertisements. They then conduct research to determine the best price to charge for their goods. They learn that too high a price may yield a large profit but may also limit sales. The children explore how too low of a price may lead to a large number of sales but not yield enough profits. SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies GRADE LEVEL AND COURSE TITLE: First Grade/Family and School UNIT OF STUDY: Earning and Spending BENCHMARK Describe how price is determined and its impact on business. (IV.4.EE.3). KEY CONCEPTS goods and services producers and consumers INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCESTeacher Resource Carter, Carmen. Personal Finance Economics, K-2. New York: National Council on Economic Education, 1997. Halvorsen, Anne-Lise. Advertisement Worksheet. Teacher-made material. Lansing, MI: Michigan Department of Treasury, 2002. Other Colored markers Easel paper Journals Newspaper or magazine advertisements featuring 2-3 products being sold, preferably with the prices listed. The products should be ones that the children are familiar with and will recognize without help. Phone numbers of local bakeries or stores that sell cookies and brownies Poster board (approximately six sheets)

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http://www.michigan.gov/documents/SS01060-8TeacherMat_58239_7.pdf

SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES1. Before this lesson, determine how the class will make the treats. If there is an

oven available, the class could spend a few days baking. If that is not an option, ask parent helpers to pick up the ingredients and make the treats in their homes.

2. Gather the children in the large group and tell them they need to think about a date for the bake sale. Ask the children, "Who will be the consumers of the bake sale?" After eliciting the children's responses, discuss what days would be best to have the bake sale. For example, are there certain days that children may have more money than other days? Perhaps the beginning of the week would be good since some children would have earned an allowance over the weekend that they will be able to use. One drawback to having a sale on a Monday is that children will have to remember over the weekend that there is a bake sale on Monday. Engage the children in a discussion about which day(s) will work best. Discuss if it would be better to have the bake sale for two or three days as opposed to one. The children will probably have some conflicting ideas; encourage substantive conversation among them.

3. After deciding on the days (two days are recommended) of the sale, ask the children, "How will others know about the sale?" They may suggest telling the other children and adults in the school. Accept this as an idea, and then ask them how else people find out about events at school. Guide them to understand that they can make signs that explain there will be a bake sale. Tell them that producer's use signs to tell about the good or service they provide and these signs are called advertising. Show the children some advertisements from the newspaper and ask them what they are selling. Have the children talk about what else they notice in the advertisements. Explain that sometimes advertisements feature the cost of the good or service. Show the children the $ symbol, draw it on easel paper and ask them if they know what it stands for. Then, ask the children, "What should advertising tell us?" Listen to their responses and guide them to understand that a good advertisement shows what is being sold. It should also make consumers want to buy the product. Help them understand that the advertisement should make the product look appealing or desirable and should make the product seem like it is a good deal. Explain that there are many different ways to make good advertisements and then talk about why these examples are good or bad.

4. Divide the children into pairs. Distribute magazine and or newspaper advertisements to each pair. Instruct them to look at the advertisements and report back to the group what the advertisement is selling. Is it a good or service and how much it (or they, if there are multiple products advertised) costs. Show the worksheet to the children (included at the end of the lesson). Describe each of the parts of the table they will fill out: name of product, cost, good or service, and if it is a good advertisement, using the criteria established in Step 3 (should feature the product, make it look desirable, makes it seem like a good deal). Fill out one worksheet as an example so the children are clear on the directions. Distribute one worksheet and one advertisement to each pair of children and give them five to six minutes to fill it out. Encourage the children to have a

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conversation about why or why not the advertisement is good (effective). Tell them it is okay if they disagree, and have them talk about why they have differing opinions.

5. Reconvene in the large group and tell the pairs to sit together so they can present their advertisement to a pair sitting next to them. Have one group come to the front and present their advertisement worksheet to the rest of the class as a model. Encourage the children to express if they agree or disagree that the advertisement is good or bad (effective or ineffective). Have the children suggest ideas to improve the advertisements.

6. The next day, remind the children that they will be making their own advertisements for the bake sale. Ask them what they need to include on the advertisement, based on their criteria about what makes a good advertisement. Make a list of their suggestions on easel paper. Guide the students to understand that they will have to determine the price of the treats. Ask them how they will do this. Explain that just as they thought about their potential customers in deciding on a date for the bake sale, they will have to think about how much money their customers will be willing to pay for treats. Ask the children how they could figure this out and if possible, investigate their ideas. Suggest they research what stores are charging for cookies. Call a bakery or store and ask the price of individual cookies, and write the prices on easel paper.

7. Depending on what the stores and bakeries are charging, come up with a price for the cookies and brownies. Suggest the children ask their potential customers, how much they would pay in a survey. Have the students create a simple survey that asks, "Would you pay $_____ for a cookie?" YES or NO. Distribute the surveys to about ten children, teachers, and staff in the school. Collect the surveys, have the children count the number of yes and no responses. Depending on the response of the surveys, decide if the price should be maintained or lowered.

8. Ask the children what is good about charging very little for the treats. Guide them to understand that they would probably sell many of them. Then, ask them what is bad about charging very little for the treats. Guide them to understand that they would not make that much money. Ask them what is good about charging a lot for the treats: they would make a lot of money and the bad thing would be: they would be too expensive and not enough people would buy the treats. Use a math example to explain these problems using different prices for cookies: if the cookies cost five cents, ten cookies would have to be sold to make fifty cents. If the cookies were twenty-five cents, then only two cookies would have to be sold to make the same amount, fifty cents. Explain that it is important to arrive at a price where you will make money from the sale but also where people will be willing to buy the treats. Ask them if there have ever been items they have wanted but they cost too much money. Tell the children that stores and places selling goods and services do a lot of research to determine the best price to sell items, and sometimes they have to raise prices if their productive resources get more expensive.

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9. Have the children create signs advertising the bake sale. Have them include the price of the treats, the days of the sale, what time the sale will occur and where it will be held. Place the children in groups of four, give them poster board and markers. Monitor the groups as they create the advertisements. Lead a discussion about where they should place the advertisements. Talk about how visible places where children and adults pass through often would be better than more hidden spots. Then, display the signs around the school in locations where they will be seen.

10.Make arrangements to make the treats and prepare for the bake sale by setting up tables. Find a box to keep money and arrange for shifts for the children to work at the sale.

ASSESSMENTDuring small groups or centers, hand out journals to the children and ask them to draw and write about how they came up with the price for the treats they would sell at the sale. Then, individually call children over and tell them the following story: Mr. Jones was selling plants and flowers at his flower shop. The first day he charged very little for the plants. They were almost free. Can you tell me some things that probably happened because they were almost free? Then, the next day, he decided to charge a lot for the flowers. What do you think happened then? How should Mr. Jones find a good price to sell his flowers? If the children can explain, in general terms, that too low of a price may yield a lot of sales but not much profit and, too high a price would not yield enough sales they have achieved success. Perhaps Mr. Jones should check what other flower shops are charging or ask his customers what they would be willing to pay. APPLICATION BEYOND SCHOOLChildren can begin to notice how price impacts their and their families' decisions to buy products. They can compare the price of items among stores and decide where they will shop based on price. CONNECTIONSArts Children use drawing and artistic skills in creating the advertisements for the bake sale. English Language Arts Children use writing skills to complete the advertising worksheet, create the advertisements and write the journal entry. They strengthen oral communication skills when presenting their advertisements to the other groups. Mathematics Children learn that mathematics is a part of economic decisions such as determining the price.


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THE BAKE SALESS010609

ABSTRACTChildren participate in the bake sale they have been planning (Lessons SS010605 - SS010608). They play the role of producer when they sell their goods to consumers who are the other children and adults in the school. Children learn how to determine profit by subtracting costs of the resources from the total yield of the sale. SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies GRADE LEVEL AND COURSE TITLE: First Grade/Family and School UNIT OF STUDY: Earning and Spending BENCHMARKSDescribe how price is determined and its impact on business (IV.4.EE.3). Recognize economic exchanges in which they participate (IV.5.EE.1). KEY CONCEPTS producers and consumers profit INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCESOther Baked goods (that were made during lesson SS010608) Colored markers Easel paper Journals Money box Napkins on which to serve the cookies (optional) Tables to set up the bake sale SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES

1. Before this lesson, check with the principal to be sure the class can have a bake sale and if the days you have chosen are suitable. Establish shifts for the children to work, with four children per shift. Invite parent volunteers to help run the sale, especially with making change. Set up tables and the moneybox and make sure all the treats have been baked and are ready to sell.

2. On the day of the sale, gather the children in the large group and ask them what will happen today. Ask the children, "What are their jobs in the sale?" Guide the children in understanding that they are the producers in the sale. Ask them, "Who will buy the treats, and what are the buyers called?" Guide the children to understand that consumers purchase the goods from them. Tell the children at what time they will be manning the sales table and with whom. Explain that a parent volunteer will be helping them make change. Ask them if they know what

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"make change" means. Explain that when people buy things they do not always use the exact amount of money and so sometimes they may pay with a one-dollar bill or a five-dollar bill, even if the item they are buying is only $.50. Remind them of the lesson on coins and bills (SS010603) and how they practiced making purchases using money.

3. Tell the children that one person's job will be to keep track of how many cookies and brownies are sold. Place a tally sheet on the bake sale table and have designated children mark down with tally marks how many cookies are sold. Ask the parent volunteer to monitor this as well. Count how many total cookies and brownies there are to sell and write that number on the easel.

4. Have a child come up and pretend to buy a cookie with a one-dollar bill. Role play the seller and show the children how to make change. Then have another child pretend to buy two cookies. Ask the children how much two cookies would cost. Show how to make change using several different bills and number of cookies bought. Children are not expected to learn to make change but they may be able to memorize how much change to give back. Emphasize to the children that it is the producers' job to be honest and give back the right amount of change, and that a parent will help them make sure they are accurate.

5. Next, ask the children how they will figure out how much money they will make from the bake sale. Do some quick multiplying to determine an estimate of the total cost (for example, 5 batches of treats x 40 treats in a batch x .50 a treat = $100). Most children will not be able to understand how you come up with the figure, but tell them that during the sale they will begin to see the money accumulate. Explain to the children that this is just an estimate. Tell them we will not know exactly how much money was made until after the sale. Explain that this is an estimate because it depends on how many treats are sold. Ask the children if they will get to keep all the money. Remind them that they will need to pay back what they borrowed. Show them how you subtract the amount earned from the total earnings, and tell them that this is called profit.

6. During the established times for the bake sale, check in periodically with the parents in charge and make sure things are going smoothly. After the first day of the bake sale, (preferably at the end of the day) lead a discussion about what it was like to run the bake sale. Listen to the children's comments about their experiences. Be sure to respond to their comments using the economic terms such as consumers, producers, price, etc, and try to tie their comments to the objectives of this unit. For example, if a child says, "It was really busy making change" you could say, "So you learned that when you are in the role of producer and are selling your goods, a job you do is to make change." Continue this discussion so that children who want to share have an opportunity. If the children, you or the parent volunteers have suggestions about how to make day two of the bake sale run more smoothly, discuss these ideas.

7. Show the children the tally sheet of how many cookies and brownies were sold. Have them help you count by fives how many cookies were sold, and then write

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the number on the easel underneath the original number of treats. Ask the children if this could be a word problem and what they would be solving. Help them construct the language for the problem: "First we had _____ (number) cookies, then we sold ________ (number) cookies. How many were left?" Show them how to do a subtraction problem with big numbers and then have them help you read the result. Ask them if it is more or less than the number of cookies sold today. If it is less, then ask them if they think they will be able to sell the rest of the cookies the next day. If it is more, then ask them what they should think about doing. Suggest they lower the price a little, adjust their advertisements to reflect this drop in price, and then resume the bake sale the next day with these lowered prices. This is a complicated step and it may make some customers who planned on buying treats the first day but not the second annoyed that the price changed after one day. It is an economic decision that is worth pursuing, especially if the sales are low the first day.

8. Continue the bake sale the next day as the first, implementing any suggestions or strategies recommended. After the bake sale, review how the changes worked. Explain to the children that the next day they will count their earnings and how many cookies were sold.

ASSESSMENTIn the large group, pass out the journals to the children and tell them to draw their reactions to the bake sale. Tell them to identify the producers, the consumers, the product that was being sold and the cost of the product. Conference individually with each child and ask them to name the producers, consumers and the product. Also ask the children if they think the price was the right amount and why or why not. If children can correctly identify the producers, consumers and products and give an opinion about the price, they have achieved success. APPLICATION BEYOND SCHOOLWhen children go shopping, they can identify consumers and producers in different economic exchanges. They can also discuss the prices of the products they buy and how price can influence the economic decisions they make. They can practice running a sale like a lemonade stand and see if the price they choose yields a good number of sales as well as a good profit. CONNECTIONSArts Children use their artistic skills to draw a journal entry of their experience with the bake sale. English Language Arts Children use their writing skills in a journal entry of their experience with the bake sale.

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Mathematics Children keep track of the number of cookies sold using tally marks. They count by fives to determine how many cookies were sold. They also see the value beyond school of subtraction by determining the number of cookies left to sell on day two through a subtraction problem. Throughout the bake sale, the children use computation skills in practical situations.


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GRADE LEVEL: First



Topic: Trade

Grade Level Standard: 1-19 Analyze and discuss trade.

Grade Level Benchmark: 1. Recognize economic exchanges in which they

participate. (IV.5.EE.1)


1. Goods and Services (activity attached)

2. Producers Earn Money and Consumers Spend Money (activity attached)

Resources

New Vocabulary:

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GOODS AND SERVICESSS010601

ABSTRACTIn this lesson, children are introduced to the basic economic terms of goods and services. They learn that economic wants are satisfied by the purchase of a good or service. By listing examples of their own economic wants, children learn to distinguish between a good and a service. SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies GRADE LEVEL AND COURSE TITLE: First Grade/Family and School UNIT OF STUDY: Earning and Spending BENCHMARK Recognize economic exchanges in which they participate (IV.5.EE.1). KEY CONCEPTS goods services INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCESStudent Resource Stewart, Sarah. The Money Tree. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1991. Other Children's writing journals Easel paper Markers/crayons SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES

1. Tell the entire class about a list you recently made of all the things you wanted. Using the large easel paper, write down all the things you wanted: clothing, books, a haircut, an oil change for your car, some compact discs, an airplane ticket, a computer and for your lawn to be mowed. Draw a small picture next to each item so those children who have less developed reading skills can identify the item. Ask the children how you could get some or all of these wants. Guide a discussion that explains the need to purchase these items, and that money is necessary to make the purchases. Explain that wants that can be satisfied by purchases are called economic wants. Write the term economic wants on the easel at the top of your list. Ask a child to restate the definition of an economic want. Ask the children if their wants are economic. Add several more items to your list: like happiness, good grades, sunshine. Ask the children if these items can be purchased. Ask children to volunteer some other non-economic wants.

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2. Explain that the wants that can be satisfied by money are called economic wants. Ask the children how you could get the other wants on the list (those not circled). Briefly discuss how the items not circled could be satisfied. Reinforce the idea that economic wants can only be acquired by money.

3. Next, tell the children that there are two kinds of economic wants. Show them your wants list (include only the economic wants) and ask them how some of them are different from other economic wants. Use two examples to make your point: "How is having my lawn mowed different than buying a compact disc?" Which one can I hold in my hand?" Explain that some economic wants are things you can hold in your hand or take home with you. Tell the children these wants are called "goods" and write the word "goods" on the easel. Explain that a good is an object you can buy to satisfy your want. Ask the children to identify which wants on your list are goods. Have the children volunteer responses. As each good is identified, write a "G" next to the item on the list.

4. After each good is labeled with a "G," ask the children to look at the items not identified as a good. Ask various children to each read aloud one of the items not identified as a good. Ask the children why the item is not a good. Instruct them to think about what is the same about each of them. Guide them to understand these are not goods because you cannot hold them; they are not objects. When someone mows your lawn, you do not get anything to hold in return for payment. Explain that these items are called services. Write the word services on the easel. Tell the children that services are activities that can satisfy people's wants. Have the children identify which items on your list are considered services, label them with an "S". Let other children volunteer to explain why each is a service.

5. Ask the children if they have any economic wants. Ask for a few children to volunteer their economic wants, and then ask, "How do we know those are economic wants?" Remind the children that economic wants are those that can be satisfied by buying them. Tell the children to brainstorm all the economic wants they have. Tell them to list both goods and services. Distribute paper to the children and direct them to make a list by writing or drawing their economic wants.

6. Give the children time to complete their lists. Direct them to identify which items on their lists are goods and which are services. Have them indicate with an S or G the type of want each item represents. Next, divide the children into groups of four and instruct them to read aloud their lists and discuss with their group the categorization of the items into goods and services. Encourage the children to say if they agree or disagree and why.

7. Reconvene in the large group and ask the children to volunteer their responses. On a new sheet of easel paper, create two columns, one for goods and the other for services. As the children read their items, ask them to identify the item as a good or a service. Write the item in the appropriate column on the easel paper. For every few items, discuss why each is placed in either the good or service column.

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8. Read The Money Tree aloud to the children and discuss if the main character, Miss McGillicuddy has economic or non-economic wants. Conclude the lesson by asking the children to list a few non-economic wants they have. Ask them to tell you why they are not considered economic wants.

ASSESSMENTTell the children that the classroom has been given a large sum of money. The class is to decide which of their economic wants can be satisfied with this sum of money. In their journals, have the children write and or draw some of the economic wants the children and teacher in the classroom may have. They should label each want with a G or an S, depending if the want is a good or service. Remind them to think of services the classroom would need. Ask them to restate what a service is. As the children complete their journals, conference individually with the children and ask them to explain their lists. Check to see that their examples reflect an understanding of the distinction between a good and a service. Then, ask them why all these wants are considered economic wants. If children can accurately identify goods and services and explain that wants are considered economic if they can be satisfied through a purchase, they have achieved success. APPLICATION BEYOND SCHOOLChildren can document the economic wants that they or their family has for a period of a few days. They can classify these economic wants as goods or services. CONNECTIONSArts Children draw pictures of economic wants. English Language Arts Children practice the writer's craft as a form of communication to describe and identify economic wants.


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PRODUCERS EARN MONEY ANDCONSUMERS SPEND MONEY

SS010604

ABSTRACT In this lesson children learn about the roles of producers and consumers. They examine the ways in which they and their family members earn and spend money. They learn that producers are the people who make the goods or services. Consumers are people whose wants are satisfied by using the goods or services. The children begin to identify both producers and consumers in an economy and understand that people can be both producers and consumers. SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies GRADE LEVEL AND COURSE TITLE: First Grade/Family and School UNIT OF STUDY: Earning and Spending BENCHMARK Recognize economic exchanges in which they participate (IV.5.EE.1). KEY CONCEPTS consumers producers INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCESStudent Resource Williams, Vera B. A Chair for my Mother. New York: Greenwillow Books, 1982. Other Blank paper Clipboards, pens and paper with the title, "earn money" at the top (6-8, or enough for pairs/small groups of children) Colored markers Easel paper Journals SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES

1. Ask the children to brainstorm some wants they have and list them on easel paper. (If time permits, conduct a review of goods and services by having the children categorize the wants). Re-read the wants and ask the children how they could get or "consume" these wants. Ask them if they can determine what "consume" means in the context of this sentence. Explain that it refers to the people who use the good or service (consumers).

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2. Listen to the children's responses about how they could consume their wants. If children say, "buy them", probe their thinking by asking them "How" and "With what?" When the children respond, "With money" ask, "How did people get that money?" When children begin generating ideas about the source of money, write down their ideas on a new sheet of paper.

3. Re-read the list of responses about the source of money. Discuss allowances, gifts, banks, piggy banks, etc. Next, ask the children where they think the money originally came from (before it became an allowance, a gift, etc.). Explain that in their families, money to satisfy wants generally comes from their parents. Ask the children how their families get money. Discuss different jobs the children's families may have. Explain that in exchange for doing their job people get money. Explain that getting money is called "earning money." Write the words "earn money" on another sheet of paper.

4. Divide the children into pairs or small groups and pass out sheets of paper on clipboards with the title "earn money." Assign the children to brainstorm jobs or careers they know and ask them to take turns writing their responses down or drawing pictures of the different jobs they suggest. Explain to the children that jobs lead to the production of a good or service, and the people who perform these jobs are called producers. They produce a good or service. Ask the children to restate what each job produces (using the vocabulary, "produce."

5. After the children have had sufficient time to complete the lists from Step 4, reconvene the group and ask each group to share one of the responses. Next, ask the children to describe if any of the jobs they listed lead to the creation of a good or service. Create a two-column list, with "job" in one heading and good/service in the other. Ask for the children's suggestions about jobs. Have the children help you spell the words as you write them. Ask the children to determine if the job listed produces a good or service. Repeat this for five or six jobs. Emphasize that there are many important jobs people do in the house for which they do not earn money. Ask the children to list some jobs they and their family members do in and around the house. Ask, "Why would people perform a job (mention one from the list) for which they were not going to be paid?" Explain that there are many jobs for which people are not paid, but life would be impossible or at least much more difficult, if family members or others did not do those jobs.

6. The next day, tell the children a vignette about you buying something like a hand-made sweater or some bakery goods (something for which the producer is easily identifiable). Draw the good in the middle of a sheet of paper. Ask the children if a producer is the same as a consumer. Listen to their responses. Ask the children to describe who would be a producer and who would be a consumer. Ask the children to determine if the producer or the consumer is the one earning money from that exchange. (Only one is spending money at the time of the actual purchase of a specific product and only one is earning money. The baker spent the money earlier as a consumer of flour, eggs and ovens. The baker is a producer of a product and earner of money when the bread is passed across the

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counter and the transaction is complete. Be cautious of a misconception that only the producer in an exchange is the money earner. The consumer earns the money for the purchase elsewhere.)

7. Divide the children into small groups or pairs and have them create a diagram like that in Step 6, with a good or service, the producer and the consumer. They should accurately label everything in the drawing. When they have completed the diagrams, ask them to present the diagrams to the class. Encourage the children to ask questions of each other. When each has finished, state several examples of both producers and consumers that the children used. Ask the children in each example who earned money in the economic exchange. Review the concept that producers earn money when consumers consume their good or service.

ASSESSMENTRead A Chair for my Mother to the children. Ask the children to draw a journal entry about a part of the story where a good/service was produced or consumed. Ask the children individually to explain their drawing. Ask them to think about who the producers were in the story, who were the consumers and what did they produce or consume? Where does this consumer get her money? Was she also a producer? Of what?" If children can accurately identify who were the consumers and producers and what they produced/consumed with minimal teacher assistance, they are developing the basic concepts of producers and consumers within a free market system. APPLICATION BEYOND SCHOOLChildren could ask their parents or family members to describe their jobs. They could write down the name of the job and whether or not the job involves production of a good or service. Children could visit neighborhood businesses and record the same kind of information. CONNECTIONS Arts Children draw parts of the story in their journals. English Language Arts Children listen to literature for meaning.


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GRADE LEVEL: First



Topic: Trade

Grade Level Standard: 1-19 Analyze and discuss trade.

Grade Level Benchmark: 2. Identify United States coin and currency denominations

and describe the role of cash in the exchange of goods and services. (IV.5.EE.2)


1. What is Money? (activity attached)

2. Coin and Bill Values (activity attached)

Resources

Paper money to cut up

New Vocabulary:

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WHAT IS MONEY?SS010603

ABSTRACTIn this lesson, children learn what money is and its purpose. They explore how money is the preferred medium of exchange because it eliminates a "double coincidence of wants" that is necessary when trading without money. They also begin to identify U.S. coins and dollar bills and practice making purchases using pretend money. SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies GRADE LEVEL AND COURSE TITLE: First Grade/Family and School UNIT OF STUDY: Earning and Spending BENCHMARK Identify U.S. coin and currency denominations and describe the use of cash in the exchange of goods and services (IV.5.EE.2). KEY CONCEPTS goods opportunity cost services INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES Student Resource Berger, Melvin and Gilda. Round and Round the Money Goes. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 1998. Steinberg, Ed. The Story of Money. New York: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 1994. Other Easel paper Enlarged photocopies of coins and dollar bills (can be purchased at a teacher supply store) Journals Markers/crayons Mats (made from 9 x 12 inch sheets of laminated construction paper) one mat for two children Pretend money: laminated paper coins (penny, nickel, dime and quarter and currency (dollar, five dollar bill, ten dollar and twenty dollar bills) - one set per two children (can be purchased at a teacher supply store) Pretend money, organized into Ziploc bags for the shoppers. Each bag should include one $5 bill and five $1 bills. (6-8, or enough for a small group of children)

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Real coins and currency (penny, nickel, dime, quarter, $1, $5, $10 and $20 bills) Shopkeeper stations. Set these up ahead of time for Step 7. They can be tables representing stores/services, such as a bookstore, toy store, doctor's office, hairdresser and clothes store. Display the items (or instruments used for a service) each shopkeeper will provide. Items might include empty boxes of soap, toothpaste, plastic drink containers, combs, brushes etc. Give each shopkeeper several $1 bills to make change. Shopping bags (5) SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES

1. Share the following scenario with the class. "Last week I bought a new television, so I did not need my old one anymore. Mr. Lincoln (use the name of another teacher in the school) bought a new videocassette recorder. He needed a television and I needed a VCR. What could we do?" Listen to their suggestions and ask the children if there was any money involved in this exchange. Tell them because there was no money involved, this trade is called "barter." Write the word "barter" on the board and ask if they have ever participated in barter. Encourage the children to give examples and instruct them to use the word barter as they volunteer their responses.

2. Next, tell the children the following story. Puppets and props could be used, or ask the adults in the story to come into the room to act it out.

It turned out, in addition to having an extra television, I also had a radio I didn't need anymore. I would love to have a bicycle, since I don't have one. I decided to go ask Ms. Jackson (use the name of another teacher/administrator) if she has a bicycle. She said, "Yes, I have an extra bicycle, but I'm sorry, I don't want your radio. I already have one. I would like a waffle maker. I'll trade my bicycle for a waffle maker." But I did not have a waffle maker, so I asked Mr. Roosevelt if he had a waffle maker she could trade me for my radio. He said, "yes", he had a waffle maker, but he did not want my radio. He wanted a volleyball net. "I'll trade you my waffle maker for a volleyball net." But I didn't have a volleyball net. Then I bumped into Mrs. Adams on the street. I said, "Oh, Mrs. Adams, I really want to trade my radio for a bicycle. Do you have a bicycle?" She said, "No, I'm sorry I don't. I do have this volleyball net I don't want anymore, and I would really like a radio." I decided I'd trade my radio for a volleyball net with Mrs. Adams. I then found Mr. Roosevelt and said, "I have a volleyball net; can I trade it for your waffle maker?" He said "of course." Next, I took the waffle maker to Ms. Jackson and said, "I now have a waffle maker! Can I trade it for your bicycle?" Ms. Jackson was so happy to have a waffle maker, and we made the trade!

Ask the children to list all the exchanges in which you participated. Write down each trade on easel paper, and next to it draw a picture of what was exchanged. Then, say, "Did each person get what they wanted in this trade?" Ask the children if it took a long time for you to trade the radio for the bicycle. Discuss how you had to make several exchanges before you got what you ultimately

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wanted. Ask them how people would generally get a bicycle if they wanted one (at the store). Explain that people use money because it makes trading easier and less time consuming.

3. Next, ask the children what money looks like. Ask them what it is used for. Listen to their responses, and record them on easel paper. (This list can be expanded during the unit as more purposes arise). Help them go beyond the notion of "buying things" and ask them to think about when they and their parents have received money for something. Remind them how using money would have made life more efficient when you wanted a bicycle. Ask the children why it would have been faster to use money to buy the bicycle and what the advantages are of money over barter.

4. Show the children each of the real coins. Ask them what they are called as you show them (since coins are small, walk around the class to show the children, or station another teacher/parent volunteer on the other side of the group to show the same coin/currency simultaneously). As each coin is shown, display a large paper cutout of the coin on easel paper and write the name of the coin next to it.

5. Show the children the currency. Explain that currency means paper money. Show them the $1, $5, $10 and $20 bill. Ask them why they think there is not a bill and coin for every amount of money. While this concept may be difficult to understand, explain that it would be very confusing to have a different bill for each number. Tell them that it is possible to make $17 using a combination of bills. Ask them if they think there are higher bills. Tell them there are $50, and $100 bills as well.

6. Ask the children, "When you buy things, do they all cost the same amount of money? Ask them how much some items they have purchased have cost. Explain that since not everything costs the same amount of money, the coins and currency are worth different amounts. Ask the children how much they think each coin is worth and write down the amount next to the label on the easel paper. Ask the children why they think coins and currency are worth different amounts.

7. The next day, tell the children they are going to look at paper money and coins themselves, in pairs. Tell them you will give them specific things to look for on the coins and currency. Divide the children into pairs and distribute the paper money in Ziploc bags along with a laminated mat. Give them a few moments to examine each coin and bill and ask what they notice about the coins and bills. Encourage them to remember the names of the coins and bills. Tell everyone to place the penny on the mat. Discuss the pictures, words and numbers on it. Repeat this for all the coins and bills (while the children will not know or remember the people on the coins, explain they are important people in American history). After discussing the money, tell the children you are going to say the name of a coin or bill and they should take turns holding up the coin or bill. Say each type and check to see if the children can recognize and discriminate between the various coins and bills.

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8. In small groups or during center time, tell the children that they are going to go shopping. Assign half of the children in the group to be shopkeepers and half of the children to be shoppers. Have the shopkeepers choose which store they want to run. Tell the shoppers they will get $10 to spend and they will have a shopping bag to keep the goods that they buy. Have each shopkeeper show his/her wares or services and help them determine the price of each item or service. Ask the children what will happen if an item they want to buy is $3 and they give the shopkeeper the $5 bill. Demonstrate how the shopkeeper will make change. Have the shoppers visit all the stores. Give them time to make purchases.

9. After the shoppers have finished shopping, have them show what they bought. Ask them if they spent all their money. Ask them if they had any opportunity costs. Did they buy one thing and wish they had bought another? Then, have the shopkeepers and shoppers switch roles and repeat Step 8.

10.Read appropriately selected sections of Round and Round the Money Goes and The Story of Money aloud to the class. Discuss what they learned about money in these books.

11.Ask the children what problems the use of money may present for them. Ask them why children often trade things. Explain that when people do not have money, they sometimes trade goods or services, and this is called barter.

ASSESSMENTInstruct each child to create a journal entry about a situation where money is used. As they draw, conference individually with each child and ask them to dictate what their journal entry shows. Next, ask what problems money solves when people are trading. Third, show him/her all the denominations of paper money. Ask him/her what it is called, and ask if he/she can identify any of the coins or bills. If the children can identify two or more coins or bills as well as explain the role of money, they have demonstrated their knowledge of the concepts and how they are applied. APPLICATION BEYOND SCHOOL When children go shopping they can help their parents count the money and change. They can keep track of all the times in a day they or their parents use money. If they have piggy banks, they can count the money in them. CONNECTIONSArts - Children draw pictures of situations involving money. English Language Arts - Children listen to non-fiction texts about money. Mathematics - Children associate money with numerical values. They practice addition and subtraction when shopping.


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COIN AND BILL VALUES

The teacher distributes paper bills/coins to each student, and together, they review the name and value of each bill and coin. The teacher leads a discussion about the size of coins and whether or not size correlates to value. The teacher divides the students into pairs and assigns them various amounts of money ($0.20, $0.65, $14.00, etc.) Students then cut out paper coins and bills and affix the appropriate combinations on a sheet of paper and write the amount next to the paper coins/bills. Students try and determine all the possible combinations for each amount. They affix the combinations of coins and bills next to the amount.

The students then select a coupon from a collection the teacher has put together. In pairs, students cut out coins/bills to equal the amount of money needed. They find all the possible combinations to equal the amount of the item. They then explain their findings to a partner and call each coin by the correct label.

(Note: the teacher may adjust the prices for the lesson and assessment so that they are age-appropriate. For example, Kindergarteners may use lower prices and second graders may use higher and more complex prices, $13.99, for example).

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GRADE LEVEL: First


Strand: V. Inquiry

Topic: Information Processing

Grade Level Standard: 1-20 Locate, acquire, and organize information.

Grade Level Benchmark: 1. Locate information using people, books, audio/video

recordings, photos, simple maps, graphs, tables, and computers. (V.1.EE.1)Learning Activity(s)/Facts/Information

1. Conducting an Interview (activity attached)

2. Sharing a Family Holiday (activity attached)

3. Sharing a Family Tradition (activity attached)

Resources

New Vocabulary:

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CONDUCTING AN INTERVIEWSS010105

ABSTRACTIn this lesson children discuss how and when families celebrate traditions in unique ways. Children construct questions and make plans to interview a family member. Children ask questions on the topic of a family tradition and record the responses with words, a drawing and or photographs. SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies GRADE LEVEL AND COURSE TITLE: First Grade/Family and School UNIT OF STUDY: Our Families BENCHMARKLocate information about a family tradition by interviewing family members. (V.1.EE.1). KEY CONCEPTinterview INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCESChildren’s ResourceApisdorf, Shimon. Chanukah: Eight Nights of Light Eight Gifts for the Soul. Baltimore: Leviathon Press, 1997. DePaola, Tomie. The First Christmas (Festive Pop-Up Book). New York: Putnam’s, 1984. Ghazi, Suhaib Hamid. Ramadan. New York: Holiday House, 1996. Hall, Donald. Lucy's Christmas. San Diego: Browndeer Press, Harcourt Brace & Co., 1994. Hoyt-Goldsmieth, Celebrating Kwanzaa. New York: Holiday House, 1994.

Rau, Dana Meachen. Chanukah (True Books). New York: Children’s Press, 2000.

Spier, Peter. People. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1980. SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES

1. Review with the children the ways in which families are similar and different. Ask the children what special days their family celebrates. Discuss why they think families celebrate different public or family events. Explain that some holidays are events or celebrations that occur regularly over time and can reflect a person’s cultural or religious background.

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2. Explain that families who celebrate the same holiday may have different ways of

celebrating it. Ask the children, for example, “Who celebrates 4th of July by attending a parade; by having a picnic; by having friends to your home; by having a quiet day at home; etc?

3. Explain to the children they are going to interview family members about a favorite holiday. Discuss the meaning of the word “interview”. Ask the children where they have seen an interview and what one can learn from an interview.

4. Brainstorm with the children five to six possible questions to ask a family member. Generate a list of questions and decide as a group which questions to use. Possible questions include: What is one of the holidays our family celebrates?How do we celebrate this holiday?What family members participate?Why is the holiday important to our family? Reasons could be cultural, religious or historical.

5. Type up the questions and leave room between each question for the child/family member interviewed to write down their responses. Distribute these sheets and assign children the homework task of conducting a family interview. Prior to the assignment, possibly in a weekly newsletter or a special notice to parents, explain that the children are going to be completing a family celebrations interview as homework.

6. Have the children conduct the interview and write down the responses (inventive spelling is permissible). In addition, have each child complete the following steps: 1) Answer and write down the response to the question: “Do you think when you’re grown up you’ll continue this holiday? Why or why not?” 2) Collect any photographs of the family celebrating the holiday and 3) Draw a picture of your family celebrating the holiday.

7. When the children return with their assignments, mount each child’s assignment individually on cardboard or construction paper and create a display. Have each child share his or her display with the class.

8. Review the definition of the word interview and discuss type of information an interview provides.

9. Read from the listed Children’s Literature texts to further knowledge about holidays. Ask the children questions about each text to develop listening comprehension skills.

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ASSESSMENTAssessment occurs during Step 6 and 7 when the children conduct and bring back and discuss the results of their interview. Individually, ask the children to verbally explain what an interview is, what this interview tells about the way a family celebrates the holiday and why an interview is a good technique to obtain answers to questions. A performance assessment rubric may be used while the children are sharing their display with the class. APPLICATION BEYOND SCHOOLChildren could conduct another interview with the same questions with a member of a different family, such as a neighbor. Children could also conduct an interview with their own families on the topic of a different family holiday. CONNECTIONSArtsChildren draw pictures of a holiday celebration. English Language ArtsChildren practice oral communication skills during the interview. Children use reading skills when reading aloud the interview questions. They use writing skills when they, with the help of their family members, write down the responses to the questions.


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SHARING A FAMILY HOLIDAYSS010106

ABSTRACTIn this lesson children use language and pictures to share information about a family holiday with the rest of the class. Children discuss how families celebrate holidays in different ways. They learn to use a Venn diagram to help organize the information. SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies GRADE LEVEL AND COURSE TITLE: First Grade/Family and School UNIT OF STUDY: Our Families BENCHMARKLocate information about a family tradition by interviewing family members (V.1.EE.1). KEY CONCEPTinterview INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCESChildren’s ResourceApisdorf, Shimon. Chanukah: Eight Nights of Light Eight Gifts for the Soul. Baltimore: Leviathon Press, 1997. DePaola, Tomie. The First Christmas (Festive Pop-Up Book). New York: Putnam’s, 1984. Ghazi, Suhaib Hamid. Ramadan. New York: Holiday House, 1996. Hall, Donald. Lucy's Christmas. San Diego: Browndeer Press, Harcourt Brace & Co., 1994. Hoyt-Goldsmieth, Celebrating Kwanzaa. New York: Holiday House, 1994.

Rau, Dana Meachen. Chanukah (True Books). New York: Children’s Press, 2000.

Spier, Peter. People. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1980. SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES

1. In Lesson 5, children conducted interviews with family members about a family holiday. Review with the children the concepts of history, tradition and culture. They asked and recorded responses to the following questions: What is a special family holiday?How do we celebrate this holiday?

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What family members participate?Is this holiday reflective of our family’s cultural or religious background?Will I celebrate this holiday when I’m a grown up? Why or why not?

2. Assign the children to small groups, and explain that individually, they are going to share their answers, drawings/photographs and any other artifacts they may have brought to school that represent the family’s holiday. Encourage the children to ask each other questions about the holiday for further inquiry or clarification. If children celebrate the same holiday, suggest they compare and contrast their holiday experiences.

3. Following the small group discussions, conduct a class discussion about what the children learned from their peers. Discuss the fact that although families may celebrate the same holiday, they may do so in different ways. Discuss how some holidays reflect families’ cultural or religious backgrounds.

4. As a class, select one holiday that is celebrated by two families. Draw a Venn diagram where the similarities of the celebration are placed where the circles overlap, and the differences are placed where the circles diverge. Use the Venn diagram to reinforce how each family is the same in some ways, but different in others in respect to the ways they celebrate the holiday.

ASSESSMENTAssessment occurs in the small groups when children are observed as they present the results of their interviews. A second assessment involves using the results of two interviews of the same holiday and instructing children to independently create a Venn diagram and make conclusions about what they have learned. APPLICATION BEYOND SCHOOLChildren read stories about how families celebrate a particular cultural holiday and compare and contrast that with their own ways of celebrating. Parents and children bring to school artifacts and food that are part of their family holiday. CONNECTIONSArtsChildren draw pictures of a family celebrating a holiday. It may be their own or another family. English Language ArtsChildren use reading skills when they report their findings. When children share the results of their interviews, they practice the speaker’s craft.


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SHARING A FAMILY TRADITIONSS010107

ABSTRACTIn this lesson children review how families celebrate holidays in different ways. They define and learn the meaning of traditions through examples from other children in the class. By sharing family traditions, children learn about similarities and differences between traditions as well as realizing the role that traditions play in defining a family. Some examples of family traditions include attending family reunions or going to an Opening Day baseball game together or planting a vegetable garden. SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies GRADE LEVEL AND COURSE TITLE: First Grade/Family and School UNIT OF STUDY: Our Families BENCHMARKLocate information about a family tradition by interviewing family members (V.1.EE.1). KEY CONCEPTtradition INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCESChildren’s ResourceLionii, Leo. Frederick. New York: Knopf, 1987. Rylant, Cynthia. The Relatives Came. New York: Bradbury, 1985. SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES

1. Review with the children how families celebrate holidays in unique ways. Discuss how a tradition is similar to a holiday in that it is an event or celebration that occurs repeatedly over time. A holiday is celebrated by many or most families; a tradition may be celebrated by only one family. Share with the children one of your own family’s traditions.

2. Assign homework to the children to discuss with their families a family tradition in which they participate that is unrelated to religion but reflects in some way their families’ values and interests. Traditions might include family reunions, wedding anniversaries, Fourth of July parades or participation in county fairs. Read The Relatives Came and Frederick to the class.

3. Have the children draw a picture that shows them celebrating their family tradition. Each child writes or dictates accompanying text explaining what the tradition means to the family and why it continues to be celebrated.

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4. Each child shares his/her family tradition with the other children in the class. Encourage the children to ask questions and listen for traditions that appeal to them.

5. The next day, tell the children to think about the family traditions they heard from classmates and to identify one they might like their family to adopt and why. The children write in their journals about a tradition they believe would be acceptable within their own family. For example, one family’s tradition might be an annual hunting trip but another family may object philosophically to killing animals for sport and consequently could not adopt this tradition.

ASSESSMENTChildren plan a family tradition they would like to celebrate, organize the things they will need, and describe the associated values of that tradition. APPLICATION BEYOND SCHOOLChildren talk to their neighbors about their family traditions. Children talk with other relatives and record an oral history of family traditions in interviews with elderly family members. CONNECTIONSArtsChildren draw pictures of their families celebrating traditions such as family picnics, visits to a lake in the summer, Thanksgiving Day dinner, etc. English Language ArtsChildren listen to stories for meaning about traditions. Children practice the writer’s craft when describing in writing about a tradition they would like to adopt.


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GRADE LEVEL: First


Strand: V. Inquiry



Grade Level Benchmark: 2. Acquire information from observation of the local

environment. (V.1.EE.2)


1. Playground Data Collection Problem (activity attached)

Resources

New Vocabulary:

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PLAYGROUND DATA COLLECTION PROBLEM

The teacher tells the class that a problem on the playground has been reported to her/him. The third graders want to form a baseball team that would play during recess. They don’t want any second graders to play because they think that second graders cannot perform the skills necessary to play the game well. The teacher asks the children if they agree or disagree with the claim. (This could be done with any two grade levels).

The teacher then asks the children how they could go about providing evidence for their position. The teacher and the class together construct some criteria they could observe to see if they were right or wrong. Do second and third graders catch the ball equally well? Do second and third graders throw the ball equally well? Do second and third graders hit the ball more often or further? The teacher and the class construct a simple data collection sheet that they use when observing a class. (The teacher needs to arrange this ahead of time).

After making their observations, and recording their data, the children discuss their findings.

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GRADE LEVEL: First


Strand: V. Inquiry



Grade Level Benchmark: 3. Organize information to make and interpret simple maps

of their local surroundings and simple graphs and tables of social data drawn from

their experience. (V.1.EE.3)


1. Map Making Activity (attached)

Resources

Photographs (taken from a bird’s eye view) of classroom furniture

New Vocabulary:

246

MAP MAKING ACTIVITY

The teacher first introduces the concept of an aerial perspective (bird’s eye view) and how it differs from a profile perspective to the class. Once this is established, the children can begin to understand that a map is a view from above.

Using photographs (taken from a bird’s eye view) of classroom furniture and other parts of the room (closets, doors, windows, sinks), the teacher and the class together arrange the photographs on a large piece of paper to create a pictorial map of the classroom. The teacher can take these photos from above using a step stool or a ladder. The paper represents the floor and should be the shape of the actual classroom.

Following this activity, the teacher shows the children some paper symbols (drawn from a bird’s eye view) to represent various classroom fixtures (tables, chairs, desks, etc.). The teacher then explains the legend or key. Using a legend created by the teacher, the class arranges the symbols in the appropriate classroom location.

Finally, the teacher and the class create a table (or graph) that shows where each child likes to play. The teacher then tells the children to notice that the classroom map they created earlier is divided into quarters. The class then transfers the information from the table to the map. For example, they color the quarter that is the most favorite to play red and the next favorite yellow. This is appropriate for Kindergarten and more sophisticated area by quantity maps could be created with older children. For example, the students could make a county map that shows the population of the cities within the county.

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GRADE LEVEL: First


Strand: V. Inquiry

Topic: Conducting Investigations

Grade Level Standard: 1-21 Conduct investigations.

Grade Level Benchmark: 1. Pose a question about life in their school or local

community. (V.2.EE.1)


1. Posing Questions (activity attached)

Resources

New Vocabulary:

248

POSING QUESTIONS

Instructional ExampleThe teacher begins by giving examples of common questions people need to decide. What should I wear today? What should I have for breakfast? Should I buy a car or should I lease it? Should I let my child sleep over at his/her friend’s house? After a few examples, he/she asks the children to provide some examples. The students should be reminded that a question is something that they don’t already know and, for these purposes, can’t be answered immediately by a simple yes or no.

The teacher then explains that in social studies, people ask questions that usually have to do with society or other people. Examples could include should we let women vote? Should we raise taxes? Should we build a new school? Should we build a new road? These questions arise when some person or group decides that they want to pursue a topic or solve a problem.

The teacher then introduces a topic that he/she believes is worthy of investigation. “Many of you have asked if you (the younger children) can play on the big playground with the older children. Before making this determination, I (we) would need some information to help in guiding my (our) decision. To start this investigation, we must begin with some questions. What questions do you think need to be answered so that I (we) can make a good decision?”

Together, the teacher and the class formulate questions about this topic. For example, is the other playground a safe place to play? Is there enough additional space on the playground? Is there enough appropriate equipment on the big playground?

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GRADE LEVEL: First


Strand: V. Inquiry



Grade Level Benchmark: 2. Gather and analyze information in order to answer the

question posed. (V.2.EE.2)


1. Gather Data for Playground Decision (activity attached)

2. Family Composition (activity attached)

3. Family Characteristics (activity attached)

Resources

New Vocabulary:

250

GATHER DATA FOR PLAYGROUND DECISION

Instructional ExampleReferring back to the lesson in V.2.EE.1, the teacher and the class would decide upon the most important question they would need to answer in order to make the playground decision. An example might be, is there enough space on the big playground at the time we want to be there? Why is this important to know?

The teacher asks students how they would proceed to answer this question. After hearing their suggestions, the teacher could decide that the class would need to count the number of children already out on the playground at the designated time. The teacher would arrange beforehand a signal that would tell everyone on the playground to stop moving so that they could be counted. The children in the class gathering the data would have to be assigned a specific area on the playground to do their counting and a tally sheet for their work. The teacher will organize all the data by collecting all the numbers from the children and explains the need for organizing the information.

After arriving at a total, the teacher would then ask the children to think about how they should proceed. After hearing their responses, he/she could suggest that they investigate any school policies or local laws that designate how much playground space per child should or must be allocated. They could also measure the total size of the playground.

Using the information they received about per child space ratio, the total number of students using the playground at the designated time, and the total area of the playground, the teacher and the class can analyze their data to see if there was enough space to accommodate their classroom.

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FAMILY COMPOSITIONSS010102

ABSTRACTIn this lesson children gather information about the families in their classroom. They create a classroom composite graph of each student’s family size and composition. They compare and contrast the families and discover which size family is most common and which size is least common. The children discuss the idea that families can take many different forms, but all families share the commonalties of dependence and care. SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies GRADE LEVEL AND COURSE TITLE: First Grade/Family and School UNIT OF STUDY: Our Families BENCHMARKGather and analyze information in order to answer the question, “How are the families in our classroom the same and how are they different?” (V.2.EE.2). KEY CONCEPTcharacteristic INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCESEquipment/ManipulativeNumber headings (representing how many people are in children’s families)

Strips of tagboard

Symbols of the following items, labeled appropriately on small sheets of paper: boys, girls, adult males, adult females. Children’s ResourceMonroe, Robin Prince. I Have a New Family Now: Understanding Blended Families. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1998.

Pellegrini, Nina. Families Are Different. New York: Holiday House, 1991.

Scott, Ann Herbert. On Mother’s Lap. New York: Clarion Books, 1992

Showers, Paul. Me and My Family Tree. New York: T. Y. Crowell, 1978.

Simon, Norma. All Kinds of Families. Chicago: A. Whitman, 1976.

Stuart, Gene. Animal Families. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 1990.

Tax, Meredith. Families. Boston: Little, Brown, 1981.

SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES

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1. Ask the children if they think all the families in the classroom are the same size. Have children use personal examples of families to help them understand that families are of different sizes.

2. Read aloud Meredith Tax’s Families. Ask the children if they think all families in the classroom have the same people: mother, father, sister, brother, grandparent, etc. Discuss how families are not only different in size; they are also composed of different people.

3. Explain that one way to describe families is to determine who is in the family. Define the word “characteristic” for the children as a way to describe something. Ask the children other ways they can describe families, and reiterate that those ways are all called characteristics.

4. Tell the children that they are going to compare and contrast the size and composition of their families. Show the paper symbols that represent a boy, a girl, an adult male and an adult female. Distribute tagboard and glue sticks to the children. In small groups, the children choose the corresponding paper symbols for members of their families and affix them to the tagboard.

5. Upon completing their family composition charts, children gather in pairs to discuss the similarities and differences in both size and composition of their families. In the large group, ask the children to volunteer what they noticed. Did they notice most families had pets, or were grand parents part of the family?

6. In the large group, children organize their charts according to size. Using the number headings (2, 3, 4, etc.), ask the children, one at a time, to bring their chart to the appropriate number and affix their chart to the square where the number is displayed. Display the charts as a graph. Discuss which family size is the most common and which is the least common.

ASSESSMENTAssessment can occur during individual conferencing with students. Ask the children to analyze the chart by answering the following questions: “What size family is most common; what size family is least common; how many families have two children.” APPLICATION BEYOND SCHOOLChildren can make charts, using paper symbols or their own drawings, of families in their neighborhood or families from books or television programs. CONNECTIONSEnglish Language ArtsChildren listen to informational texts for meaning. They also use classification and categorization skills important for processing information. MathematicsChildren use graphing skills to construct graphs and analyze data from the graphs.

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FAMILY CHARACTERISTICSSS010103

ABSTRACTIn this lesson children gather information about the families in the classroom. They create family characteristic charts of their families’ pets, dwellings, holidays celebrated and languages spoken. Each student compares and contrasts his/her family with that of another child and discovers the various ways in which the families are similar and different. The children tally the results of their personal characteristic charts to create four class composite graphs of the characteristics. SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies GRADE LEVEL AND COURSE TITLE: First Grade/Family and School UNIT OF STUDY: Our Families BENCHMARKGather and analyze information in order to answer the question, “How are the families in our classroom the same and how are they different?” (V.2.EE.2). KEY CONCEPTcharacteristic INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCESEquipment/ManipulativeStrips of tagboard with the labels along the bottom: pets, dwelling, holidays celebrated and language spoken Symbols of the following items labeled appropriately on small sheets of paper: 1) pets (dogs, cats, fish, etc.), 2) dwellings (houses, apartments, etc.) 3) holidays celebrated, and 4) languages spoken at home Children’s ResourceMonroe, Robin Prince. I Have a New Family Now: Understanding Blended Families. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1998.

Pellegrini, Nina. Families Are Different. New York: Holiday House, 1991.

Scott, Ann Herbert. On Mother’s Lap. New York: Clarion Books, 1992.

Showers, Paul. Me and My Family Tree. New York: T. Y. Crowell, 1978.

Simon, Norma. All Kinds of Families. Chicago: A. Whitman, 1976.

Stuart, Gene. Animal Families. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 1990.

Tax, Meredith. Families. Boston: Little, Brown, 1981.

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SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES1. Review Lesson 2 by asking the children what they learned from the size and

composition graphs. Ask the children if they think families have other characteristics that are different or similar. Read Nina Pellegrini’s All Kinds of Families to the children. As a class, create a list of characteristics, including dwelling (apartment, cottage, condo etc.), language(s) spoken at home, holidays celebrated, and household pets (cats, dogs, birds etc.) that can be used to describe families.

2. Show the children the available symbols for each characteristic and explain that in small groups or center times, they are going to create a family characteristic chart. During small groups or center time, children choose the appropriate symbols and affix them above the corresponding labels on the tagboard.

3. Upon completing their family characteristic charts, children gather in pairs to discuss the similarities and differences. As a class, ask children to volunteer what they noticed about the graphs.

4. Determine, by a hand count, how the class as a whole reflects the characteristics. Create four separate graphs of the characteristics: pets, dwelling, language and holidays. Ask the children to raise their hands as you announce each characteristic. Record the numbers onto the four composite graphs using tally marks and the corresponding number. The children discuss the most common types of dwelling, most common pet, least common languages spoken in the home, etc. Display these composite graphs alongside the children’s individual tagboard family characteristic charts.

5. Discuss the importance of differences and how these differences make our world more interesting. Conclude by discussing how families also have many characteristics in common.

ASSESSMENTAssessment can occur during individual conferencing with students. Ask the children to analyze data from the four composite class graphs by asking questions not yet discussed in the large group. Questions include “Do more people in the class have a dog or a cat or no pet?” and “In what type of dwelling do the least number of people live?” APPLICATION BEYOND SCHOOLChildren can make charts, using paper symbols or their own drawings, of families in their neighborhood or families from books or television programs. CONNECTIONSEnglish Language ArtsChildren listen to informational texts for meaning. They also use classification and categorization skills important for processing information. MathematicsChildren use graphing skills to construct graphs and analyze data from the graphs.http://www.michigan.gov/scope/0,1607,7-155-10710_10733_10740-45057--,00.html

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GRADE LEVEL: First


Strand: V. Inquiry



Grade Level Benchmark: 3. Construct an answer to the question posed and support

their answer with evidence. (V.2.EE.3)


1. How Are Families Similar and Different? (activity attached)

2. Playground Space (activity attached)

Resources

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HOW ARE FAMILIES SIMILAR AND DIFFERENT?SS010104

ABSTRACTIn this lesson children review the common characteristics of families from Lesson 3. Each child uses the data gathered about the characteristics of the families represented by the class to draw conclusions about the ways in which his/her family is both similar and different from the general profile of the families shown on the graph. Lastly, each child concludes if his or her family is more similar or different than the class as a whole using the class composite graphs. SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies GRADE LEVEL AND COURSE TITLE: First Grade/Family and School UNIT OF STUDY: Our Families BENCHMARKDraw conclusions about similarities and differences among their families and provide evidence for their conclusions (V.2.EE.3). KEY CONCEPTcharacteristic INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCESEquipment/ManipulativeChildren’s individual family characteristic chart (created in Lesson 2) Composite graph of the family characteristics (created in Lesson 3) Children’s ResourceMonroe, Robin Prince. I Have a New Family Now: Understanding Blended Families.St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1998. Pellegrini, Nina. Families Are Different. New York: Holiday House, 1991. Scott, Ann Herbert. On Mother’s Lap. New York: Clarion Books, 1992. Showers, Paul. Me and My Family Tree. New York: T. Y. Crowell, 1978. Simon, Norma. All Kinds of Families. Chicago: A. Whitman, 1976. Stuart, Gene. Animal Families. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 1990. Tax, Meredith. Families Boston: Little, Brown, 1981.

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SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES1. Review how families in the classroom are similar and different using the

composite graphs created in Lesson 3. Explain they are going to examine the data from the composite graphs to explore all the ways in which each child’s family is both similar and different from the family of another child’s.

2. Compare your own family characteristic chart to those made by another child. Discover all the characteristics you have in common with the child and the ones that are different. Draw the conclusion, based on the findings, whether or not you are more similar or different than the other student. Comparisons are made numerically (“I am similar in 3 ways and different in 1 way, therefore I am more similar than different”).

3. Pair the students and ask them to repeat Step #2 with their partner. Together, each pair draws the conclusion whether or not the pair is more similar or more different.

4. Lead a discussion with the children that focuses on the conclusion that children have families that are similar in some ways and different in other ways. The similarities among families may include:An adult and child or childrenA loving relationshipOther similarities that arise among the student discussion The differences may include:The types of pets families keepThe holidays families celebrateThe languages families speak at homeThe houses where families live

5. Discuss with the children the importance of recognizing and respecting the differences between families. Discuss that the similarities bring families together as a community.

ASSESSMENTAssessment can occur during Step 5. Ask each child to draw a conclusion and give evidence of whether or not his/her family is more similar or more different than that of the class as a whole. Another form of assessment involves instructing the children to find the child/children with whom he/she has the most in common. Discuss strategies for doing this efficiently and thoroughly. APPLICATION BEYOND SCHOOLChildren could compare their families to those of their neighbors and each child concludes whether or not his/her family is more similar or different. Children identify activities in the local community that bring people together based on a common characteristic. For example, a county fair demonstrates achievements by many people

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and is valued as a community activity; different religious services are held at different times and in different places during the week, but the same families as enjoyed the county fair attend different churches. The similarities and differences provide diversity in a community. CONNECTIONSEnglish Language ArtsChildren listen to informational texts for meaning. They also use classification and categorization skills important for processing information. MathematicsChildren use graphing skills to construct graphs and analyze data from the graphs.They draw conclusions from graphs.


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PLAYGROUND SPACE

Instructional ExampleReferring back to the lesson in V.2.EE.2, the teacher would present the data that they found regarding sufficient space on the playground to accommodate the class. The teacher and the class together would review the analysis of the information gathered regarding total area of the playground, total number of children using the playground at the designated time, and any state laws or policies regarding the amount of outdoor space required per child.

The teacher then divides the class into pairs. Each group then looks over the information and constructs an answer to the question, “Is there enough space on the playground for our class?” The teacher then asks them to report to the class about their conclusion and, using their data, explain their decision.

Each group reports and hears comments on the conclusion and if they provided sufficient evidence for their decision.

ResourcesApple Learning Interchances (U.O.P. 1287-American dream database).

<www.ali.apple.com/action.lasso>. (July, 2000).

DeGross, M. (1999). Grandaddy’s Street Songs. New York: Jump at the Sun/Hyperion.

Michigan Department of Education. (1995). Michigan Curriculum Framework: Social Studies Content Standards and Benchmarks. Lansing: Author.

National Center for History in the Schools. (1996). National Standards for History. (pp. 17-20). Los Angeles: Author.

Peterson, C. (1999). Century Farm: One hundred years on a family farm. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills.

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GRADE LEVEL: First


Strand: V. Inquiry



Grade Level Benchmark: 4. Report the results of their investigations. (V.2.EE.4)


1. Re-examine results. Make final decisions. Decide on action plan. Follow through on action plan. Investigation Results (activity attached)

Resources

New Vocabulary:

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INVESTIGATION RESULTS

Instructional ExampleAs the final lesson in this series of lessons V.2.EE.1 – V.2.EE.4, the teacher and the class discuss how to proceed after the class has constructed a response to the question they first posed.

First, the teacher reviews the questions posed. In this example, it was, “Is there sufficient space on the playground to accommodate a class of younger students?” The class also reviews the kind of data they collected, why they collected the data, how the data was organized, and what they learned after analyzing the data. Finally, the class re-examines the answer they constructed to their original question and makes their final decision.

The teacher and the class discuss why it is important to report their results, decide on the specific audience for their presentations, and the format of the report.

After determining why they need to report their results (to influence the decision maker), the students agree that they need to speak to the head of the school or some other person in a leadership role. The teacher divides the students into groups, and each group will speak to one of the leaders in the school. Each group will present their question, tell about the information they gathered and how they did it, present the conclusions they drew, and provide evidence for their conclusion.

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GRADE LEVEL: First


Strand: VI. Public Discourse and Decision Making

Topic: Identifying and Analyzing Issues

Grade Level Standard: 1-22 Identify and analyze issues.

Grade Level Benchmark: 1. Pose a question about matters of public concern that

they have encountered in school or in the local community. (VI.1.EE.1)


1. Are All Rules/Laws Fair? (activity attached)

2. Identify and Analyze Issues of Concern (activity attached)

Resources

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ARE ALL RULES/LAWS FAIR?SS010508

ABSTRACTIn this lesson children learn there are some cases where rules or laws are not fair to everyone. They discuss the rules in the classroom and at home that seem unfair to them. The children study laws that have been deemed unfair in the past. They study the specific example of the laws of segregation and learn why these laws were unfair. The children develop a criterion for judging whether or not a rule or law is fair or unfair. SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies GRADE LEVEL AND COURSE TITLE: First Grade/Family and School UNIT OF STUDY: Rules at Home and in School BENCHMARKPose a question about a rule-related matter of public concern that they have encountered in school or at home (VI.1.EE.1). KEY CONCEPTSfairnesslaw INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCESEquipment/ManipulativeCrayons or markersDrawing paper (or journals)Easel paper Children’s ResourceMarzollo, Jean. Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King. New York: Scholastic, 1993. SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES

1. Ask the class to think for a few moments if there is a rule in their home, classroom, sports team, etc. that they feel is unfair either to them or to another person. Review with the children the meaning of the word fair. Remind them that fair does not always mean equal. Ask the children to volunteer examples of unfair rules. For example, a rule that does not permit chewing gum in school may be viewed as being unfair by some children. Lead a discussion about whether or not the rules cited are unfair and why. Encourage children to agree or disagree with each other.

2. Explain to the children that in the past, there have been rules and laws people thought were fair, but turned out not to be fair. Introduce the figure of Martin Luther King, Jr. as a prominent American and ask the children to tell you what they already know about him. Write down their responses in a column entitled,

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“What We Know.” Based on these responses, ask the children if there is anything they want to learn about Martin Luther King, Jr. Write down their responses in a column entitled, “Want to Know”.

3. Read to the children the literature book, Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King. Ask the children to volunteer additional information they learned from the book and write down this information in the “Know” column. Ask the children to describe the laws in the book and lead a discussion about why the laws were unfair. Write the laws on a new sheet of paper and record the children’s responses about why the laws were unfair. It may be necessary to explain why certain people originally thought these laws were fair. Depending upon the interest and ability of the children, briefly explain about slavery and prejudice. Focus on how there were many people, both African-American and white, who thought these laws were unfair and worked hard to convince lawmakers these laws needed to be changed.

4. Discuss the specific law requiring separate public drinking fountains for African-Americans and whites. Ask the children that since both groups had drinking fountains of their own, isn’t the law equal? Listen to their responses, and guide them to understand that the drinking fountains and other public facilities and services such as schools for African-Americans were generally not as plentiful, well located or maintained as those for whites. Furthermore, making laws prohibiting people of different races from sharing public services is unfair.

5. Ask the children to review the original list of rules from Step 1 they thought were unfair. Discuss how each rule needs to be given consideration in order to decide whether or not it is fair. Guide the children to develop a standard to determine whether or not a rule is fair. One example includes determining if the people affected by the law seem satisfied with it, or at least recognize and value the reasons behind the rule and the necessity for it. Ask the children if there were good reasons for having separate drinking fountains for African-Americans and whites. Explain to the children there have been rules and laws throughout history that were unfair and for which good reasons did not exist. Tell them it is their responsibility as citizens to learn about laws and decide for themselves if they think the laws are fair.

ASSESSMENTTell the children that in the past, women were not allowed to vote. Ask the children to think if this law was unfair and why. Ask them to think of a rule they thought was unfair in their school or home. Instruct them to draw a picture showing the effects of the rule in their journal and write/dictate why it was unfair. If the children cannot think of a rule that was unfair, tell them to make up a rule that would be considered unfair. APPLICATION BEYOND SCHOOLChildren can discuss with their parents if there are any rules in their house that could be considered unfair. The children can give their opinions why they think a rule is unfair.

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CONNECTIONSArtsChildren draw pictures showing the effects of an unfair law or rule. English Language ArtsChildren listen to a biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. They express their ideas orally and in written form about unfair rules.


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IDENTIFY AND ANALYZE ISSUES OF CONCERN

Instructional ExampleThe teacher explains that recently, some of the children have been trading Pokemon Cards at school and have started arguing over them. Before making a policy about this, the teacher models posing a question to initiate a debate. The question would be, “Should children be allowed to bring Pokemon Cards to school?”

The teacher then explains another problem at school. Some of the children have been bringing jewelry to school and it’s been lost or stolen. The teacher asks the students to pose the question for discussion about this situation. For example, the question could be, “Should children be allowed to bring jewelry to school?”

For more practice, the teacher and the class together try to create situations that require policy decisions within their school. The teacher asks for examples of questions to debate that arise from these public concerns.

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GRADE LEVEL: First



Topic: Identifying and Analyzing Issues

Grade Level Standard: 1-22 Identify and analyze issues.

Grade Level Benchmark: 2. Compare their own viewpoint about the matter raised

with that of another individual (VI.1.EE.2)


1. Jewelry at School (activity attached)

2. Should students have a pop machine available to them before and after school? Divide class into 2 positions

a. Viewpoint of adultsb. Viewpoints of children

Resources

New Vocabulary:

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JEWELRY AT SCHOOL?

Instructional ExampleThe teacher reviews the issue of jewelry being worn at school. He/she restates the question, “Should children be allowed to wear jewelry to school?” The teacher elicits and records responses from the students and organizes their responses in a pro and con column on a large sheet of paper. He/she explains that there are two different viewpoints on this issue: one viewpoint supports the idea and the other opposes it. The teacher explains that it’s necessary to consider both points of view before deciding on a policy regarding jewelry at school.

The teacher then reviews the question of trading Pokemon Cards at school. The teacher divides the students into pairs and assigns each person in the pair a point of view (either in favor of or against Pokemon Cards at school). Both students should provide evidence for their viewpoints. In pairs, each student then reports his/her own position to the class and then compares his/her viewpoints to their partner’s. For example, one student may state, “I want to have Pokemon Cards at school because they’re fun but my partner doesn’t want them because they cause arguments between friends.”

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GRADE LEVEL: First



Topic: Group Discussion

Grade Level Standard: 1-23 Engage in group discussions.

Grade Level Benchmark: 1. Engage each other in conversations about issues

pertaining to governing their school. (VI.2.EE.1)


1. The teacher explains that with some of the money from the class budget, the class will be taking a field trip (or having a class party or free afternoon) in the future. Rather than determining the nature of the event, the teacher solicits ideas from the students. Suggestions are taken and written down by the teacher. The teacher then asks the students to suggest fair procedures for making these decisions (voting). After listening to the students’ responses, the teacher and students construct a process for decision-making that includes discussing the merits of each suggestion for the field trip. The teacher organizes the discussion by taking each suggestion one at a time and asking for pros and cons including the approximate cost of each suggestion. The students are asked to consider the consequence of each suggestion. For example, if the class goes on a trip that costs more than what’s available in the budget, students must determine how the rest of the trip will be funded.

After hearing each other’s comments about the suggestions and considering the consequence of each suggestion, the class votes to decide the nature of the field trip.

Resources

Acting together, excerpts from children’s literature on themes from the Constitution by A. Gallagher 1991

The Vote: Making your voice heard by L. Scher, 1993

New Vocabulary:

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GRADE LEVEL: First



Topic: Persuasive Writing

Grade Level Standard: 1-24 Compose persuasive writing statements.

Grade Level Benchmark: 1. Compose brief statements expressing a decision on an

issue in the school or local community. (VI.3.EE.1)


1. Jewelry at School? Extension (activity attached)

Resources

New Vocabulary:

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JEWELRY AT SCHOOL? EXTENSION

This example is an extension of VI.1.EE.2

The teacher begins by reviewing the issue of jewelry being worn at school. He/she restates the question, “Should children be allowed to wear jewelry to school?” He/she asks the class to review various responses elicited from the class during the previous lesson. The teacher and the class categorize the viewpoints as supportive of the ban or oppose it. Finally, after consideration of all perspectives, the students are asked to take a position on the issue, support the position, and share it orally with the class. The statement could be worded “I think jewelry should be allowed to be worn to school because if you don’t take it off, it won’t be stolen.” The class hears from some students.

The teacher then reviews the question of trading Pokemon Cards at school. The teacher divides the students into pairs an assigns each person in the pair a viewpoint (either in favor of or against Pokemon Cards at school). Both students should provide evidence for their viewpoints. In pairs, each student then reports his/her own position to the class and then compares his/her own viewpoints to their partner’s. For example, one student may state, “I want to have Pokemon Cards at school because they are fun, but my partner doesn’t want them because they cause arguments between friends.” After all pairs have reported, the students are asked to come to their individual decisions on the issue based on all the arguments that have been offered. Students are asked to share their decisions and the reasons that justify their positions orally or by writing them down.

ResourcesBarenstain, J. and S. (1986). The Barenstain Bears: No Girls Allowed. New York:

Random House.

Coles, R. (1995). The Story of Ruby Bridges. New York: Scholastic.

Johnson, S. (1977). The Value of Courage: The Story of Jackie Robinson. La Jolla, CA: Value Communications.

Michigan Department of Education. (1995). Michigan Curriculum Framework: Social Studies Content Standards and Benchmarks. Lansing: Author.

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GRADE LEVEL: First


Strand: VII. Citizen Involvement

Topic: Responsible Personal Conduct

Grade Level Standard: 1-25 Analyze personal conduct.

Grade Level Benchmark: 1. Help to determine, interpret, and enforce school rules.

(VII.1.EE.1)


1. The teacher announces that the class has been given (can be hypothetical) some new pieces of classroom materials (books, games, toys) or equipment (playground, computer). The teacher asks the class to consider what would happen if he/she announced to the class that it was time to use the new equipment with no further explanations. The teacher can actually do this. The teacher can help the class construct an understanding for the need for rules regarding sharing the new equipment. Some suggestions might be first come first served, alphabetical, alternating by gender, or some other kind of sign-up sheet. The merits of each system are discussed. The class then votes on the system they believe is most equitable and develops appropriate consequences for not following the rules.

For homework, the teacher asks the students to think about any family rules that they have helped to determine (or wish they had) and how the rules are interpreted and enforced.

Resources

Morris’ Disappearing Bag by R. Wells 1995

That’s Mine by E. Winthrop 1977

New Vocabulary:

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GRADE LEVEL: First


Strand: VII. Citizen Involvement

Topic: Responsible Personal Conduct

Grade Level Standard: 1-25 Analyze personal conduct.

Grade Level Benchmark: 2. Participate in projects designed to help others in their

local community. (VII.1.EE.2)


1. The teacher tells the class about a local temporary housing shelter (or any local charity) for families. Many of these families have children who need clothing, and especially hats and mittens. The teacher asks the students if there is anything they could do as a class to help the children in this shelter. The teacher takes suggestions and discussion follows about how to design a project to help the children. The teacher may suggest that the class start a drive to gather hats and mittens or hold a sale to raise funds to purchase the items needed.

2. The students and teacher choose one suggestion and then design and participate in a project to help others.

Resources

Waiting for May by T. Davy 1984

The Ballot Box Battle by E. McCully 1996

The Lily Cupboard by S. Oppenheim 1992

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Documents

Social Studies - SVSU · Web viewTell the children these wants are called "goods" and write the word "goods" on the easel. Explain that a good is an object you can buy to satisfy