Chrissy Previte’s projects from Social Studies portfolio

November 17, 2008 w135cmp

The project from the midterm portfolio that I would like to share with the class is my unit theme, in which I chose to create a 3^rd grade unit exploring the continent of Australia. I broke the unit down into five weeks, and we will be exploring a different facet of Australia each week. During week 1, we will complete a K-W-L chart on what the students know about the continent, and the students will also make their own suitcases (out of clothes boxes and yarn) and passports in preparation for their imaginary journey to Australia. During week 2, students will focus on learning about the history of Australia. Students will read different books about the history and create a timeline by putting important events in chronological order. In week 3, students will be focusing on the geography of Australia. Students will look at maps to compare where Australia is located compared to the United States, and they will create a large size map of Australia using construction roll paper. Also during this week, students will explore why Australia is considered a country as well as a continent and each student will pick a state or territory to research and map out on the large map. Week 4 will be spent studying the types of animals that reside in Australia. They will construct a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the animals that are mainly found in Australia, mainly in Ohio, and those that can be found in both areas. During week 5, students will research different cultures found in Australia and will write reports on them. They will also compare and contrast weather patterns and seasons in Australia with those in Ohio. To end the unit, students will complete their K-W-L chart from the beginning of the unit, decorate their suitcases with pictures and symbols that relate to Australia, and have a “Down Under” party.

The project from the final portfolio that I would like to share with the class is my revised CT lesson for 1^st grade on learning the difference between schools in the 1800s and now. To begin the lesson, I will have a class discussion with the students about what they know about what life was like in the 1800s and how they believe it is different from today. I will then read the book Ultimate Field Trip #4: A Week in the 1800s by Susan Goodman to the class. The book is about a group of middle school students who spend a whole week living like students in the 1800s. The students had to wear period clothing and attend a one-room schoolhouse for school. The book will be used to help the students gain a better understanding of what life used to be like. Then, together as a class, the teacher and students will complete a Venn diagram (one circle for life in the 1800s, one for present day, and the middle for how the two are alike). Afterwards, the students will individually complete the ‘Schools Then and Now’ worksheet provided by my CT. Then the students will complete the writing prompt “If I lived in the 1800s, I would…” Students will be required to write three facts they learned about how people lived in the 1800s and draw a picture.

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One Comment Add your own

• 1. marjoriemclellan  |  November 23, 2008 at 2:40 pm

  Reading your lesson sparked another strategy. I asked students earlier to describe what a visitor would see entering their classroom. You could also ask students to imagine what they would see entering an historical scene or a courtroom, meeting of Congress, etc.

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