Famous MainersFourteen well developed lessons regarding famous people from Maine. This unit was developed taking into account the current exhibit at the Maine Historical Society. The exhibit showcases Mainers and how they Dress Up, Stand Out or Fit in. This unit looks at how Famous Mainers occupations and actions allow them to dress up, stand out or fit in. It focuses on how these things are intertwined, why these things are so important, and how it relates to our community today. The unit will take approximately 2-3 weeks to complete, based upon a daily social studies class varying in length from 30 minutes to one hour. The disciplines included in this lesson plan are: Cultural Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, History, Civics and Government, Cultural & Gender Studies, and Language Arts.

Maine State Learning Results

• Students identify and answer research questions related to social studies, by locating and selecting information and presenting findings. – Identify research questions related to social studies - seeking

multiple perspectives from varied sources. – Identify key words and concepts related to research questions,

making adjustments when necessary. – Locate and access information by using text features. – Collect, evaluate, and organize for a specific purpose. – Communicate findings from a variety of print and non-print sources. – Describe plagiarism and demonstrate appropriate citation. – Distinguish between facts and opinions/interpretations in sources.

Maine State Learning Results• Students apply critical thinking, a research process, and discipline-based

processes and knowledge from civics/government, economics, geography and history in authentic context.– Researching and developing positions on current social studies issues– Making decisions using socials studies knowledge and skills

• Students understand civic aspects of unity and diversity in the daily life of various cultures in the United States and the world, including Maine Native Americans.

• Historical knowledge, concepts, themes and patterns.– Students understand various major eras in the history of the community, Maine and

the United States.– Students understand historical aspects of unity and diversity in the daily life of various

cultures in the United States and the world, including Maine Native Americans.

Lesson 1, Grade 4, 60 minutesStanding Out, Fitting In, and Dressing Up (Pre-Project Visit from MHS)

• Overview: Speaker from Maine Historical Society presentation. Speaker leads students through group discussion and short interactive activities. Students are introduced to the concepts of personal and public identity, specifically how people in the pass used clothing to Stand Out, Fit In and Dress Up. Students will make connections to their own experiences.

• Objective: Students will make a personal connection between themselves and historical figures regarding dressing up to stand out or fit in.

• Resources/Materials: Partnering with MHS, scheduling speaker to come to class. She will bring pictures of museum exhibits to discuss with students.

Lesson Plan:

• Speaker from MHS & students will sit on the rug as a group to discuss clothing. • What are we wearing? Kids tell sweaters, shoes, pants, skirts, socks, glasses,

bracelet, etc.• At the museum we have an exhibit. Do you know what an exhibit is? The current

exhibit at MHS is Dressing Up, Standing Out, Fitting In. An exhibit might have photographs, paintings, and artifacts on display. Different types of pictures tell us about how people dressed in the past to stand out or fit in.

• Students look at examples of miniatures, large painted portraits, silhouettes, cameos, and photographs (both black & white and color). In each, the students and speaker talk about how the people are dressed. What do you notice in this picture? Students notice how different the clothes were in the past.

• The speaker asks each student to turn to the person next to them. Check the tag on your partner’s shirt. Where was it made? Mexico, India, USA, China, Indonesia, etc. They talk about homemade clothes and tailor made clothes – no buying off the rack.

• The students look at pictures of the artifacts in the exhibit. Who may have worn this? What would be the occasion that this would be worn?

• Look at what you are wearing. Would you wear this outfit to a wedding? A funeral? A birthday party? Why do we wear the types of clothes we wear?

Lesson 2, 30 minutesFamous Mainers

• Overview: Activate prior knowledge by making a chart of famous Mainers that the students are already familiar with. Ask how each stands out, fits in and/or dresses up.

• Objective: Students are able to connect how a famous person might stand out, fit in or dress up as part of their profession.

• Resources/Materials: Chart paper and markers

Lesson Plan:• Students will sit on the rug as a group to discuss

famous people we know from Maine. • Make a t-chart on poster paper with the following

headings (some examples listed):

• As students run out of people they are familiar with, offer suggestions of people they might know. Rick Charette, LL Bean, Stephen King, Samantha Smith, Governor Baxter. See if students know of these people, why are they famous? Do they stand out, fit in, dress up? Can you do more than one?

Name Occupation Stand out, Fit in, Dress up How do they so, fi, du?

Longfellow Poet Stands Out Statue in town

Paul Bunyon Lumberjack Stands Out & Dress Up Fast/accurate, flannel shirt

Ian Crocker Olympic Athlete Stands Out, Fits In, Dress Up Olympian, swim suit, Gold Metals

Lesson 3, 45 minutesFact vs. Opinion and Famous Mainers List

• Overview: – Have students define a fact and an opinion. View some statements

and talk about whether they are facts or opinions and how we can tell the difference. After this brief exercise, go over a comprehensive list of Famous Mainers and have students choose 5 that they think they might be interested in researching.

• Objectives: – Students will demonstrate an understanding of the difference

between a fact and an opinion.– Students will gain familiarity with famous people from Maine.

• Resources/Materials: – Fact vs. Opinion worksheet– Famous Mainers list

Lesson Plan:– Fact vs. Opinion

• Give students a few minutes to fill out fact vs opinion worksheet at their desk.

• Go over answers as a class. – If we disagree, talk about how we can tell the difference between a fact and

an opinion» Define these terms again.

– As a class, provide students with the list of Famous Mainers. • List has name and small description about each Mainer.• Ask students to go around the room and read the name and the

description.• Once this is done, see if students have any additional questions

about any of the people. – Point out specific people that students might be interested in researching.

• Have students choose their top five picks for their Famous Mainer to research.

• Advise students that, while I have the final say, I will try to give them someone they chose to research.

Lesson 4, 45 minutesFact vs. Opinion and Famous Mainers Reveal

• Overview: – Have students define a fact and an opinion. View some statements

and talk about whether they are facts or opinions and how we can tell the difference. After this brief exercise, activate prior knowledge and remember how to research topics. Overview of the project and reveal each students Famous Mainer.

• Objectives: – Students will demonstrate an understanding of the difference

between a fact and an opinion.– Students will recall research techniques.

• Resources/Materials: – Chart Paper and Markers– Chalkboard– Mainer Reveal Envelopes

Lesson Plan:• Ask the students to help me write a quick story the teacher.

– Example: Ms. Griffin is a nice teacher. She has long hair and likes to wear sweaters when it is cold outside.• Once we have a story, Ask students to point out a fact or an opinion.

– Why is this a fact or an opinion? How can you tell?– Underline facts in red and opinions in green.

• Give a brief overview of the project.– Show students the blank graphic organizer.– Show students my “finished” project.– Explain that this will be hung up at the MHS as part of an exhibit for the public to view.

• There will be a celebration at the end of May to unveil the student work. Parents, students and teachers will go to this reception to ooohhh and aaahhh.

• Are there any questions?

• Talk about how to research – Recall our fact vs. opinion work– Where are good places to find reliable information?– If we find a book or we have a lot of information, what are some good techniques to use to use our time

wisely?• Review knowledge of how to use the table of contents, index, and glossary. • Talk about scanning a document and reading section titles to decide if it is important.

• Reveal (with pizazz) to students who their Famous Mainer will be. – Academy Awards style reveal.

• I have all of the students Mainers in an envelope with their name.• I call a name and that student comes up “on stage” at the front of the room.• The students at their desk give a drum roll….• The student on stage reads who they will be researching to the class.• Everyone claps! Yippee!

Lesson 5, Two 45 minute sessionsPrint Research Day 1

• Overview: Work with students in two small groups. (Other group will be working on writing workshop.) Model graphic organizer and distribute print research. Review how to research and have students start reading/taking notes about their Famous Mainer.

• Objective: Students will begin to research about their Famous Mainer.

• Resources/Materials: – Graphic Organizer– Print Research Packet (Print research I have collected for

each student about their Mainer.)

Lesson Plan:• Small group print research– Review how to research.

• Where/how to look for information?– Index– Table of Contents– Skim information for section titles

– Pass out graphic organizer.• Review the information on the organizer.• Review how to take notes.

– These are reminders about information.– Do not need to copy paragraphs from print research.– Put it into your own words

– Pass out print research packets.• Let students work independently to start reading about their

famous Mainer. – Check in with each student to gauge progress/answer questions.

Lesson 6, 60 minutesFact vs. Opinion and Print Research Day 2

• Overview: – Write another story together and decide facts and opinions in the

story. Have students continue reading/taking notes about their Famous Mainer.

• Objectives: – Students demonstrate thorough understanding of fact vs. opinion.– Students will organize their research on a graphic organizer.

• Resources/Materials: – Chart Paper and Markers– Graphic Organizer– Print Research Packet (Print research for each student about their

Mainer.)

Lesson Plan:• Ask the students to help me write a quick story anything they

choose. – Example: Bananas are delicious. They are yellow and need to be peeled

before you can eat them.• Once we have a story, Ask students to point out a fact or an

opinion. – Why is this a fact or an opinion? How can you tell?– Underline facts in red and opinions in green.

• Continue print research– Check in with students to review note taker/answer questions– What information are they looking for that they haven’t found in their

print material?• Pictures?• Important Information?

– Remind students about what information is important.– What do you really want to say about this person?

• Have students make a note to look up information online on Friday that they are interested in but cannot find in their print research.

Lesson 7, Two 60 minute sessionsOnline Research

• Overview: Students will use the internet to find out more information about their Famous Mainer.

• Objective: Students will understand how to use the internet as a research tool.

• Resources/Materials: – Graphic Organizer– Computer Lab

Lesson Plan:• Break students into two groups. (One group will do reading

workshop and the other group will go to the computer lab for online research .)– What sites should we use to look up information?

• Sites that end in .gov, .edu, .org are usually trustworthy• Wikipedia• How to search with Google

– Bring graphic organizer.– What information are they looking for that they haven’t found in their

print material?• Picture?• Important Information?

– Remind students about what information is important.• What do you really want to say about this person?

– Check in with each student to help guide them to the information they are looking for. • What questions do they have about the person they are researching?• Is this really important to their project?

Lesson 8, 30 minutesOrganizing Information

• Overview: Students will review what the final project will look like. We will talk about the written portion of the project and how to organize the information from the graphic organizer into paragraphs about their Famous Mainer.

• Objective: Students will understand how to organize information.

• Resources/Materials: – Graphic Organizer

Lesson Plan:• Review and read my final draft as an example. (Modeling)• Talk about what type of information is in the first and second

paragraph. Using my graphic organizer as an example, read my notes to students. Should I put a 1 next to this or a 2? Is this information important enough to include in my final paper?

• Have students place a 1 next to information on their graphic organizer that would go in the first paragraph and a 2 next to information that will go into the second paragraph. Check in with students to make sure they are correctly organizing the information.

• Pass out lined papers to students that have been folded in half. On the top half transfer information from graphic organizer that has a 1 next to it. On bottom half transfer information from graphic organizer with a 2 next to it. Remind students to keep this information as notes and not to write sentences yet.

• Keep this in their social studies notebook to use as a VERY rough draft.

Lesson 9, 60 minutesOrganizing Information/Sentence Starters

• Overview: – Students will review what the final project will look like. We will

talk about the written portion of the project and how to organize the information from the graphic organizer into paragraphs about their Famous Mainer. Students will begin drafting the written portion of their final project.

• Objectives: – Students will understand how to organize information.– Students will decide what is the most important information to

include in the project. (main idea)• Resources/Materials:

– Graphic Organizer– Chart Paper and Markers

Lesson Plan:• Show students my paper with notes for paragraphs 1 and 2. Review and

read my final draft as an example. (Modeling)• How can I take my notes and make them into a paper to tell about my

famous Mainer? Talk about what type of information is in the first and second paragraph of my final copy. Create sentence prompts.

• Ask the students for examples of how we can start our sentences for paragraph 1– My famous Mainer is…– She/He was born in… – During his/her early years…– An experience that may have influenced my famous Mainer is…– During his/her later years…

• Same for paragraph 2– My famous Mainer stands out/fits in/dresses up because…– List other examples of why they stand out/fit in/dress up.

• Float around the room while students begin to draft to provide help (further scaffolding for ELL and SpEd) and to guide students to including just relevant and important information.

Lesson 10, 45 minutesContinuing the Writing Process

• Overview: Students will edit and revise their drafts. Students will write the final (published) copy of the written portion of their final project.

• Objective: Students will decide edit drafts to include most important information about their Famous Mainer – focusing on the main idea of the project.

• Resources/Materials: – Social Studies notebook– Final Copy paper

Lesson Plan:• Edit/Revise and COPSS

– COPSS = Capitalization, Overall look, Punctuation, Spelling, Sentence structure

– Remind students that first and last names should be capitalized, as well as places.

• Are you including all of the important information? Does your paper say what you want it to say?

• Teacher check before the final copy is written.• Pass out final draft paper, have students write their final

copy.• Float around the room while students begin to draft to

provide help (further scaffolding for ELL and SpEd) and to guide students to including just relevant and important information.

Lesson 11, 45 minutesCharacteristics of Portraits

• Overview: Students be reminded of our initial visit from the MHS. What types of pictures did we see? What did people have in the picture with them? Students will draw pictures of their Famous Mainer. Final project will be assembled.

• Objective: Students will determine important items to include in Famous Mainer portraits.

• Resources/Materials: – Social Studies notebook– Illustration paper– Large paper to mount final projects on– Glue sticks– Markers/Crayons/Colored Pencils

Lesson Plan:• Group discussion about MHS visit. What types of pictures did we see?

Portraits, miniatures, cameos, photographs, etc. Was there anything in the picture besides the person? (Objects that give clues to why they are famous) For example, the ship captain held a telescope.

• Show final project that I worked on. What can you tell about George Mitchell by looking at the objects I placed in the picture with him? It is ok to write words too.

• Draw picture of famous Mainer. • Make sure it includes some of the items that they are famous for. • What are some ways we could include items that make them famous?• Float around the room while students begin to draw to provide help

(further scaffolding for ELL and SpEd) and speak with students about what they will add to their portraits to show how/why their Mainer is famous.

• As students finish their drawings, mount pictures and writing onto large paper. Have students decorate the boarders.

Lesson 12, 2 hoursVisit to Maine Historical Society Museum Exhibit• Overview: Students will review pre-visit lesson from the MHS speaker

came to our classroom. Scavenger hunt through the exhibit and then craft a frame for a portrait type of their choosing.

• Objective: Students will understand similarities and differences in past and current styles of dress.

• Resources/Materials: – Scavenger Hunt Books– Clipboard with Paper and Pencil– Cardboard– Glue sticks– Fabric, Construction paper– Scissors– Markers/Crayons/Colored Pencils

Lesson Plan:• Students will be broken into to two groups. • Group 1 will review pre-visit lessons and spend the

remainder of the hour doing a guided investigation into the objects and stories on display in the museum exhibit. This will be a scavenger hunt style investigation with certain stations necessitating writing, drawing, conversation with other students and pantomime.

• Group 2 will start with the craft portion of the visit. Students will make frames (based on the elaborate frames around the historic series of images in the exhibit). They will then choose the style of picture they would like to put in the frame – a painting, a photograph, a silhouette, etc. They will also have the option of making a newspaper hat or a masquerade mask.

Lesson 13, 90 minutesPost-visit from MHS

• Overview: Review of museum trip. What have you learned about how people stand out, fit in and dress up. What are some similarities and differences between things students saw in the exhibit, people they studied, and themselves.

• Objective: Students will understand aspects of unity and diversity throughout various time periods in Maine.

• Resources/Materials: – Chart Paper– Markers– Photos from the MHS exhibit

Lesson Plan:• Class discussion– Review of the museum trip. What did you notice?

What did you think was interesting? Have students share their thoughts about the exhibit and what they are thinking.

– How does this relate to the in class project? Students share information about their famous Mainer.

– What have you learned about how people stand out, fit in and dress up? Have students interview each other about what they are wearing that day. What does this say about them?

Lesson 13, 30 - 45 minutesAssessment

Assessment:• Each student will interview a parent or

grandparent. The interview will focus on a time when the interviewee dressed up to fit in or stand out and how this has changed over the course of their life.

• In class, the students will write a summary of this interview and talk about how this relates to the exhibit at the museum and the project we worked on in class.

Holistic Scoring RubricScore Description

5 (A)Meets or Exceeds the Standard. Student demonstrates with vocabulary, projects and activities that they “totally get it.”

This student exhibits high quality work that is free of errors. Students in this category correctly answer nearly all questions during discussion, throughout writing process and on assessments.

4 (B) Generally Meets the Standard. This student demonstrates that they “mostly get it.” Student shows understanding of concepts and activities but there may be some minor errors evident via discussion, projects and assessment.

3 (C)

Partially Meets Standard. This student has shown that they “kind of get it.” The student demonstrates some understanding of core concept, but struggles with the activities, vocabulary and assessment materials. This student is strongly encouraged to meet with the teacher for extra help during study hall or before/after school in order to gain a

better understanding of topics/concepts/activities.

2 (D)

Does Not Meet Standard. This student is struggling and demonstrates that they “don’t yet get it.” The student has frequent misunderstandings and does not know the majority of concepts – leading to struggling with activities. This student may not answer questions on assessments or finish activity work. This student is expected to meet with the

teacher for extra help during study hall or before/after school in order to gain a better understanding of topics/concepts/activities.

1 (F)

Incomplete Work. This student has not turned in the required work or they have turned in work with numerous parts missing. The student will receive an incomplete or a grade of F. Students in this category may or may not understand the

material. The student is expected to meet with the teacher to talk about the work, finish or resubmit in order to be properly graded for their understanding of the concepts.

Conclusion/Closure, 90 minutesStudent work on display at the MHS in the museum exhibit.

Overview:

Student work is displayed for all to see. Parents, teachers and students tour the exhibit and share what they have learned. One or two students will talk to the exhibit’s visitors about their project. Refreshments will be served.

Museum Invitation for Student’s Family

An Exhibition of Famous MainersDressing Up

Fitting In

Standing OutPlease join us to enjoy all of the amazing

projects Each created by one of the 4th graders in

Room 201Wednesday, May 23rd from 5pm-6:30pmAt the Maine Historical Society Museum

489 Congress St, Portland, ME

Photos of Final Projects

Photos of Final Projects